The Catholic Spirit - February 2, 2012 by The Catholic Spirit Publishing Co.

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Local Catholic schools will benefit from council’s work The Catholic Spirit Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have a new source of support to help them plan more strategically, work more collaboratively, be more acFoundation to raise funds countable and implefor tuition ment best practices in — page 19 areas ranging from marketing and governance to academics and finances. A 12-member Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Advisory Council is drawing on the expertise of educators, pastors, parents and other Catholic school constituents to help implement recommendations in these areas announced last August by Archbishop John Nienstedt. “ACSAC will be driving change and enhancement through all those channels,” said council chair John McMahon, who is a partner with Ernst & Young and a member of Holy Spirit in St. Paul. The council serves as an advisory body to Archbishop Nienstedt; the initial members PLEASE TURN TO SCHOOLS ON PAGE 19

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Nativity of Our Lord School principal Kate Wollan talks with fourth-graders Eleanor Friar, left, and Sophia Tambornino during class. Wollan will be receiving the National Educational Association’s Distinguished Principal Award in April.

Principal knows her kids by name — all 759 Nativity principal to be honored with national award for her dedication and service By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

Kate Wollan strolls a second-floor hallway at Nativity of Our Lord School in St. Paul. Its principal since 1993, she is about to switch roles and take over the second-grade class of long-time teacher Cathy Peterson. “Hi, Matthew,” she says to a student roaming the hall. Then, she walks into the classroom and instantly starts chatting with the second-graders as they work on their self-portraits. “I like your crown, August,” she says to one boy. “Very nice, Will,” she remarks to another. “Colin, that is handsome.” And, on and on it goes. In only a minute’s time, she rattles off names of students in the class like a chef rattles off a list of ingredients — Susie, Mallory, Emily, Brennan and

A week to celebrate The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2012 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Academics. Service.” The annual observance began Jan. 29 and runs to Feb. 5. Schools typically celebrate the week with Masses, open houses and activities for students, families, parishioners and the community at large. Read more Catholic schools stories in this issue on pages 16-19, including: ■ New Eagle Scouts from St. Odilia to be honored ■ Maple Grove Catholic school gets new name ■ Social justice comes alive at Visitation School

many more. Though she does not teach regularly in

this classroom, she knows the name of every student in it. In fact, she knows the name of every student in the school — all 759 of them in kindergarten through eighth grade. “Luckily, it’s a bit of a gift for me,” she said. “But, most importantly, I want the kids to know that I’ve made an investment in them as an individual. “Kids ask me all the time, ‘How do you know our names?’ And, I always answer them, ‘Once I know you, how could I forget you?’ I must say that a hundred times a year.”

Dedicated to mission In this way, and many others, Wollan has shown the kind of dedication and excellence that helped her earn a Distinguished Principal Award from the National Catholic Educational Association. She is one of 12 Catholic elementary school principals nationwide to receive the award. It will be presented at the NCEA convention in Boston in April. Glowing comments from teachers like Kathy McRae, who has been a teacher at PLEASE TURN TO FOR ON PAGE 7

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Celebrating World Marriage Day

That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

It is my hope that priests and deacons will use the Sunday liturgies that day to speak about this sacrament

World Marriage Day is scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 11-12. This is a marvelous opportunity to speak to and reflect upon the life-giving partnership of one man and one woman that is by nature ordered to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of their children. Let me begin by acknowledging and congratulating all our laity who have embraced marriage as their vocational call to holiness. No vocation — married, consecrated, single or clerical — is lived free from temptations, challenges and struggles. This is part of being human. The marriage vocation reflects in a special way Christ’s love for his bride, the church — a sacrificial life-giving love that is faithful, fruitful and forever. Today, more than ever, our families, parishes and communities need witnesses and support for the complementary union of man and woman that Christ raised to the dignity of a sacrament. It would be my hope that all priests and deacons will use the Sunday liturgies of World Marriage Day to speak to their congregation about the natural and supernatural realities of marriage and encourage couples of all ages to remain open to the graces of this sacrament. At the same time, I encourage clergy and laity alike to review the church’s teaching on marriage, which is set forth in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, part two, article 7, paragraphs 1601 to 1666.

Sign of Jesus’ love The Scripture readings for the weekend of Feb. 11-12 may make it a little difficult for our priests and deacons to achieve this purpose as the first reading deals with the ancient purity laws concerning leprosy, and the Gospel highlights the curing of a leper by Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. But Christ’s healing was more than just the manifesta-

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. 17 — No. 3 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher BOB ZYSKOWSKI

JOE TOWALSKI

Associate publisher

Editor

Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by Catholic Spirit Publishing Company.

“The marriage vocation

reflects in a special way Christ’s love for his bride, the church — a sacrificial lifegiving love that is faithful, fruitful and forever.

”

ARCHBISHOP JOHN NIENSTEDT

tion of a physical cure. Indeed, it was a sign of Jesus’ love, a love that calls mankind to a communion with him that will one day be fully achieved in the Kingdom. That love of Jesus, of course, is manifest in a unique and real way in the married union of a man and a woman. Herein, the love of Jesus is intimately and immediately present to spouses in their love for one another. That spousal love reveals itself to husband and wife as the healing and compassionate love of Christ, which binds those spouses ever closer to each other. Christian marriage is also a particular form of participation in this economy of healing love that comes from the Lord Jesus. The day in and day out fidelity of Christian spouses to each other is not glitzy or flashy, but rather reflects the quiet, progressive healing of the soul at the very deepest, most intimate level. Married in Christ, a husband and wife lift each other PLEASE TURN TO MAKE ON PAGE 7

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

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

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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

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Archbishop’s schedule ■ Saturday, Feb. 4: 9:30 a.m., Deephaven, St. Therese Convent: Mass with Franciscan Clarist Sisters. 6 p.m., West St. Paul, NET Center: NET Lifeline Mass. ■ Sunday, Feb. 5: 11 a.m., Eagan, Church of St. Thomas Becket: Sunday Liturgy and lunch. 5:30 p.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Retirement dinner for archdiocesan director of Marriage, Family and Life. ■ Monday, Feb. 6: 6 a.m., St. Paul, St. John Vianney College Seminary: Holy hour and Holy Eucharist, followed by breakfast. 5 p.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Mass and dinner in celebration of The St. Paul Seminary’s rector on his 40th anniversary of priesthood. ■ Tuesday, Feb. 7: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archbishop’s Cabinet meeting. 1 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Presbyteral Council meeting. 3:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of College of Consultors. ■ Wednesday, Feb. 8: 8 a.m., St. Paul, St. Catherine University: Board of trustees meeting. 6:30 p.m., Minneapolis, Basilica of St. Mary: 2nd Annual Catholic Services Appeal leadership dinner and ministry tour. ■ Thursday, Feb. 9: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Planning for “lectio divina” at the University of St. Thomas. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of the Caleb Group. 3 p.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Board of trustees meeting. ■ Friday, Feb. 10: 8:30 a.m., Woodbury, Church of St. Ambrose: Archdiocesan annual staff retreat day.

Cathedral to host Mass for World Day of the Sick Bishop Lee Piché will preside at the 20th annual observance of World Day of the Sick at the Cathedral of St. Paul Feb. 11. The sick, their caregivers and health care professionals are invited to attend a Mass at 10 a.m. followed by a prayer and blessing with water from Lourdes, France. A reception will follow in the Ryan Room. The cathedral is handicapped accessible and all are welcome. The event is sponsored by Curatio Apostolate of Catholic Health Care Professionals and the Order of Malta. For information, call (763) 7864945 or email CURATIOEVENT@GMAIL .COM.

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“[Chastity] is not a ‘no’ to pleasures and to the joy of life, but a great ‘yes’ to love as a profound communication between persons.” Pope Benedict XVI

Local News from around the archdiocese

The Catholic Spirit

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Need help talking to your children about sex? Two moms create program that makes the job easy to manage

leased in 2008. Not only do children get the information they need, but parents can receive instruction that they themselves may be lacking. “You can’t teach what you don’t know,” said Thibault, 43, who lives in Shoreview with her husband, Dan, and has eight children. “How many of these parents just don’t know the basic teachings of the church, be it contraception, chastity or celibacy and the difference between the [latter] two?”

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

Two moms who are also sisters wanted a better program to help their children understand human sexuality and the teachings of the Catholic Church. So, they created one. It’s called PUREly YOU, and it recently received the imprimatur from Archbishop John Nienstedt. The packet of DVDs and printed booklets is designed to be simple, clear and userfriendly. Parents can use it on their own with their children, or do it with the help of Catholic schools that choose to use it in their religion classes, with parents going over the material at home with their kids.

Broader use

Primary educators

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Sisters Sue Lewis of Epiphany in Coon Rapids and Gretchen Thibault of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony started working on the program several years ago after feeling like a better offering was needed for their own children. “It actually started when my oldest daughter [Dana, now 24] was approaching fifth grade,” said Lewis, 44, who lives in Andover and has six children with her husband, Tom. “There just wasn’t a lot out there. But it made me uncomfortable that the schools seemed to be doing what parents, in an ideal world, should be able to do. I think that’s where it began. But, we never thought of creating a new program at that time.” It was then that she realized that it really is the parents who are supposed to be

Sue Lewis of Epiphany in Coon Rapids, left, and Gretchen Thibault of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony display materials of their recently completed program, PUREly YOU.

teaching their children about sensitive topics like sexuality, and they shouldn’t just hand over that task to the school. Rather, the ideal is to have a program used both by the parents and the school together, with the parents taking on primary responsibility for this part of their children’s education. With this realization, the two moms started moving forward with their goal of creating a program that would talk about puberty and the physical changes children experience during adolescence, but in the context of church teachings about chastity and God’s overall plan for creation.

the other

Holy Land

For more information on PUREly YOU or to order the materials, visit WWW.PURELYYOU.ORG.

With Father Dennis Dempsey

by it red pir nso ic S Spo Cathol The

IRE L AND:

A major component is the concept of love — love of self, love of others and God’s love for all people. The program is geared toward fifthgraders, but can be used for older children as well. They like to call it Theology of the Body for preteens, based on Pope John Paul II’s teaching on human sexuality. The six basic lessons, each of which takes only 10 minutes, are on DVD and in printed booklets, taking the children through fundamental church teachings, which are gleaned from several documents, including the U.S. bishops’ “Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living,” re-

The first school to start using the program was St. Charles. Four years ago, teachers began incorporating the materials Lewis and Thibault were developing. Now, they are using the finished product. St. John the Baptist School in New Brighton recently signed on, and Lewis’ parish, Epiphany, is soon going to have an informational night for parents about the program. In addition to schools, individual parents also are buying in. The program offers them scripts for how to describe sensitive things like specific physical changes that take place during puberty, and even offers DVDs about those topics that parents can watch with their children. There is a DVD for boys and one for girls. “When my daughter was 11, I knew it was time to start talking about sexuality,” said Leslie Andry of St. Charles in Bayport. “I did some searching, but was unhappy with the resources out there. . . .When Sue told me about PUREly YOU, I jumped on it. And it's perfect -- just what I was looking for. The information is presented in a joyful way, yet modern.”

September 21 — October 2, 2012 For further information, please contact:

Martie McMahon The Catholic Spirit Phone: 651-291-4441 mcmahonm@archspm.org also go to: TheCatholicSpirit.com/ExploreIreland

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Archdiocese reports financial support for marriage amendment The Catholic Spirit As part of a statewide effort by the Catholic bishops of Minnesota, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis provided $650,000 in 2011 to the Minnesota Catholic Conference for that organization’s activities in support of a constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. “Marriage as a union between one man and one woman is an essential teaching of the Church and a fundamental value that serves the common good of society,” the archdiocese stated in a Jan. 31 press release. “Similar contributions by other Minnesota-based church groups have not yet been reported. The financial support which the archdiocese has made is similar to that of other Catholic dioceses across the country facing marriage ballot proposals.” The contribution will be reported to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board in accordance with state campaign law, the archdiocese said, adding that the source of the

funds was investment income and did not come from parish assessments, the Catholic Services Appeal or donations to parishes or to the archdiocese. Funding levels for other priorities of the archdiocese have remained constant, or have even increased, during the past year, it said. This includes $2.8 million for elementary and secondary education, and $1.4 million for Catholic Charities programs. “The need for an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution protecting the institution of marriage was shown again in a Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling on January 23,” the archdiocese said. “The appeals court ruled that a lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County on behalf of those who want to redefine marriage, must be sent back to the district court for further proceedings, effectively putting the institution of marriage on trial.” For more information, visit the Minnesota Catholic Conference website at: WWW.MNCC.ORG/ISSUES/ MARRIAGE.

St. Vincent de Paul thrift store welcoming assistance following robbery By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

Thieves stole nearly $1,000 from the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s south Minneapolis thrift store early on Jan. 30 after making a large hole through one of the store’s outer brick walls. The robbery, which will affect the poor living near the store’s 12th Avenue and Lake Street location as well those as in other parts of the archdiocese, is the first that the international charitable organization has suffered in Minnesota since it was established here in 1854, said Brian Woolsey, St. Vincent de Paul Archdiocesan Council president. “Our whole premise is to feed the poor, so when that money is taken from us it directly impacts those people and that’s the sad part about it,” said Woolsey, who attends Pax Christi in Eden Prairie. “We’re small enough so that any income that’s depleted will have a ripple effect.”’ To access the store, at about 3:15 a.m., thieves bored a roughly 3-foot hole in the store’s south wall nearest Lake Street. An alarm system was triggered, but they had enough time to break into the store’s offices, take the safe and several cash drawers, and disable a surveillance camera. There is no evidence that they took any of the store’s merchandise, he said. Woolsey would not comment on whether

suspects had been identified, but noted that the thieves may have been caught on the cameras of surrounding businesses. The Lake Street store, which has operated for about 10 years, sells donated items and uses the proceeds to provide the poor with food and other assistance, which volunteers give out personally in the community and through the “free stores” it offers periodically at parishes throughout the archdiocese, Woolsey said. The Society doesn’t give out cash but will meet needs in other ways. Hundreds of volunteers staff the thrift store, visit and assist people in the community, and serve in other ways, he said, adding that he is concerned not only for clients but also that some volunteers will stop coming. If people want to help the Society, Woolsey encouraged them first to pray, and then decide if they feel called to volunteer or donate. “I really believe something positive will come out of this,” he said. “It’s a blow to us. So much is done [by the Society] in a very quiet way. Maybe that’s the positive thing that comes out of this, that people become more aware of what the Society is in addition to the fact that we indiscriminately give.” For more information on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and its stores, visit WWW.SVDPMPLS.ORG.

February 22, Ash Wednesday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Considering a Vocation to be a Permanent Deacon? “The Living Icon of Christ the Servant in the Ministry of the Word, of Sacrament, of Charity” For single or married men, 30 to 60 years old, who want to follow Christ Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Diaconate Inquiry Sessions: (Sessions held at St. Paul Seminary, Brady Education Center, Room 105)

Thursday, February 16, 6:30-9:00 pm: Your Basic Questions Answered Thursdays, February 23 and March 1, 6:30-9:00 pm: A Closer Look Saturday, March 10, 8:00-11:30 am: The Next Steps

We will repeat the Inquiry Sessions in Fall 2012 Deacon Joseph Michalak Director, Diaconate Formation

To register for Feb. 16, contact Patty McQuillan at patty.mcquillan@stthomas.edu or (651) 962-6891

Questions? Contact Deacon Joseph Michalak, jtmichalak@stthomas.edu

Local Venezuela mission: All about building better relationships By Pat Norby The Catholic Spirit

Without the funds provided by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis through the annual Catholic Services Appeal, “we couldn’t be here” in Venezuela, said Father Greg Schaffer, pastor of Jesucristo Resucitado in San Feliz, Estado Bolivar in Venezuela. “It pays for our salaries [Father Schaffer and Father Timothy Norris], the salaries of Venezuelans, it pays for the organization of the visits [to the mission],” he said. The mission in the Diocese of Cuidad Guayana is more than just the two priests serving some 65,000 people, he said. Although a great part of their mission is to bring the message of God’s love, the people need more than that. “The Catholic Services Appeal helps us respond to the physical needs,” he said. And the needs are many, with an unemployment rate reported to be as high as 70 percent. Back in 1956-57, Pope Pius X asked the church in North America to send missionaries to South America, Father Schaffer said. The newly formed Diocese of New Ulm sent missionaries to Guatemala in 1957. And in 1963, Father Schaffer’s uncle, Father Greg Schaffer, went to serve in the mission there. As many of the priest’s friends from the seminary went to visit the Guatemala mission, they became interested in serving as missionaries.

A sister city In about 1969, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis decided that it needed to have a mission. After visiting a number of sites in various countries, Bishop Leo Binz decided on Ciudad Guayana because it was similar to the Twin Cities, with a major river separating two industrialized cities. The area boasts 15 steel mills and a taconite plant, said Father Schaffer, who went to Venezuela in 1998. “Since 1970, the Archdiocese of St.

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Catholic Services Appeal

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Father Greg Schaffer, right, walks in a Holy Week procession in San Felix, Venezuela, in 2009.

Paul and Minneapolis has been staffed and active in four different parishes,” he said. But since his arrival, the archdiocese has been focused on just one parish. That was an agreement between Archbishop John Nienstedt and the bishop in Ciudad Guayana, he added. By staying “committed in one parish, we could invest more in construction,” Father Schaffer said. So, Father Pat Ryan built a new church in 2000. Then a parish center was built that can house a medical clinic, a dentist’s office, a medical laboratory and classrooms for catechesis and an apartment where visitors can stay. The infrastructure allows the priests to serve the community and get Venezuelan people involved and to get the archdiocese involved. “It’s where lay men and women from the archdiocese can build relationships through medical care . . . or working with different groups in the barrios,” he said. When Father Schaffer returns from a trip to the Twin Cities (that began Jan. 29) to speak about the mission

in Venezuela, he will return with a jeweler from Rochester who will help teach people a new skill that they can use to make a living. One of the most exciting relationship building experiences has been with athletes from Cretin-Derham Hall and the University of St. Thomas who go to help at the mission and get to know other young men by playing baseball. The other group that Father Schaffer has been excited to host is the second-year theology students from St. Paul Seminary. “That has been a wonderful experience,” he said. “We’ve had three or four guys come back to do their deacon summer with us. . . . It’s been neat having the guys come as ordained deacons, jumping right in, going around to bless people’s homes or do baptisms.” They may watch Father Schaffer do a baptism one Sunday, he said, and then they are taking it on alone. “The people here benefit by getting to know the seminarians and the visitors who give their time and talent,” he said.

Latino ministry tries to meet needs of growing community The Catholic Spirit At least one weekly Mass has been celebrated in Spanish at Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul since it was founded in 1933 to serve the Latino people, said Estela Manancero, a member of the archdiocesan Parish Services Team with an emphasis in Hispanic ministry. Today, 23 parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis serve Spanish speakers — 21 of them offer weekly Mass, one offers Mass twice a month and another offers Mass once a month, according to a 2008 survey on Hispanic/Latino ministry by the archdiocese. “We receive constant phone calls from parish communities because they would like to start a new Latino Ministry Center in their parishes,” Manancero said. “I go around and do presentations on how to welcome the ‘stranger’ in our midst and give a history of immigration and the reality of this new community.” Much has changed since Manancero came to this country from Uruguay 32 years ago, she said. “It was hard to find someone who spoke Spanish,” she said. “I have seen the community grow in front of my eyes. Today, we have supermarkets, restaurants, children in our Catholic schools, radio programs, newspapers and we keep on growing.” The 2008 study showed that at least one Latino family lives within a five-minute drive of every parish in the archdiocese. The population is very young, she added — one parish has 120 Spanish-speaking children in the first Communion preparation class and just six English-speaking children. One of the priorities identified by the archdiocese is to establish and support regional Latino Centers, where Spanish speakers could find the same spiritual help, sacramental preparation and formation that is available to an English-speaking Catholic.

Youth vital to leadership Youth evangelization and leadership is another important component. Overall, Hispanics represent 40 percent of all Catholics in the United States. Youth retreats, leadership development, pre-marriage and marriage programs that are culturally sensitive to the Latino community continue to be important programs to develop, Manancero said. Funds from the Catholic Services Appeal also help to bring vocations to the permanent diaconate from the Latino community. Deacon Ramon Garcia, of the deacon class of 2008, is the most recent to be ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The Institute for Latino Leadership Development, which has been offered by the archdiocese three times, has graduated more than 180 people, many of them leaders and employees in Latino parishes. And the Summer Catechetical Institute that is offered each year, has drawn 150 catechists from 21 parishes, Manancero said. Altogether, it is estimated that 16,550 people attend Spanish-language liturgies, thanks to the support of the archdiocese and the Catholic Services Appeal.

Native American community has many gifts to share with broader church Deacon Joseph Damiani has learned a lot about the Native American community since he began serving as administrator of Indian Ministry at Gichitwaa Kateri in Minneapolis after his ordination in September 2009. “They have gifts to share with the local church,” he said. “Their spirituality is powerful, it is direct, it is tangible. There are a lot of miracles and healings that take place in this community and their faith is strong and that is a gift they bring to the church.” In a 1975 statement, the U.S. bishops wrote: “We realize and acknowledge that our deeds, although done in good faith, were sometimes, in fact, a disservice to Indian People.” The same year, the archdiocese established the Office of Indian Ministry. From 1979 to 1989, the Indian Ministry office was run from Catholic Charities’ Branch I, which was basically a drop-in center and soup kitchen where Sunday Masses

were celebrated with about half a dozen people, Deacon Damiani said. In 1995, the Native American community moved into a former Episcopal church, where it serves 300 to 500 people as a national church, similar to the German, Polish or French national churches.

A home of their own “When we go to a church and we see beautiful statues and stained glass, we say ‘this is beautiful’ and we feel comfortable,” he said. “When they come here, they see the buffalo robe, they see the lodge, they see the eagle staff, they see the sage and the cedar and they say ‘this is comfortable, this is beautiful, I feel at home here.” The archdiocese through the Catholic Services Appeal helps keep Gichitwaa Kateri parish open. The main subsidy covers operational expenses, building maintenance and personnel — one full-time employee

— Deacon Damiani’s part-time position and the pastor, Father Michael Tegeder, whose time is split between there and St. Frances Cabrini, also in Minneapolis. The parish, however, has several self-supporting programs. Those include: a hearse program that helps transport Native people home for burial; drum and dance and Ojibwe hymn programs; wake and funeral programs that include overnight wakes in the church and a funeral meal; a funeral food shelf and more. The archdiocesan support makes it possible for the parishioners to share their hospitality, their faith and their gifts, particularly their strong family values and care for the environment, Deacon Damiani said. “Our main thrust is to establish ourselves as a parish and not just a mission,” he said. “We are supported but independent.”

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Praying, marching for life

Thousands marched from the Mass fror Life at the Cathedral and gathered on the steps of the State Capitol to express their pro-life views, pray for an end to abortion and thank their pro-life legislators. Bishop John LeVoir of New Ulm gave the opening prayer at the rally.

Photos by Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Bishop John LeVoir from the Diocese of New Ulm greets Dr. James Joyce and his wife, Kathleen, from Sleepy Eye who attended a Mass for Life at the Cathedral of St. Paul Jan. 22. Bishop LeVoir filled in for Archbishop John Nienstedt, who had another commitment and wasn’t able to preside. Bishop LeVoir offered words of encouragement to the standing-room-only crowd, some of whom went on to the State Capitol for a pro-life rally sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life on the 39th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America. In his homily, Bishop LeVoir said, “After 39 years of legalized abortion in our land, it is more urgent now than ever to work and pray, pray and work, that our nation turns away from the evil of abortion and once again turns toward God, his love and his merciful healing touch.”

From left, Tom Dunne, Joe Ulrich and Pat Loehlein of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin in St. Paul march from the Cathedral to the State Capitol.

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Arthur Zannoni Theologian and Author

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2, 2012

For award-winning principal, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the students CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Nativity for 25 years, made Wollan an easy choice for the award. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kate is tireless in keeping us on a path that matches our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy: devotion to worship, living the Gospel message, community, peace, justice and academic excellence,â&#x20AC;? McRae said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kate is devoted to the Nativity community. She spends untold hours here preparing and executing whatever needs to be done. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often the last to leave [the building] and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here on weekends and weeknights. She loves what she does.â&#x20AC;? Parents like Katherine Howard marvel at the ways Wollan serves the students and families, including memorizing their names. In Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, their have been six children to memorize, the two youngest of whom still attend the school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And, my mom [Joanne Harris, a Nativity parishioner] loves that about her, too,â&#x20AC;? Howard said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She [Wollan] doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know just the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names, she knows the grandparentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names, the aunts, the uncles.â&#x20AC;? Wollan arrived at Nativity in 1986 as a

fourth-grade teacher. She taught through 1992, adding second and fifth grades to her list of teaching assignments at the school. She spent one year at Highland Catholic School in St. Paul before coming back to Nativity as principal. She shared that role with Margo Weiberg until Weiberg retired in 2010. The school has been home to at least one celebrity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; actor Josh Hartnett â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and one NFL athlete, Matt Birk, who played for the Minnesota Vikings and now plays for the Baltimore Ravens. Yet, Wollan doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily view having such folks in her school as the greatest highlights. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about the flash and whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more about the child â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who the child becomes. Every child in this building brings their own unique set of gifts.â&#x20AC;? And, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that care for the child that keeps parents like Howard sending their children to the school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As you go through life, one thing that is constant is every time my kids go to school, I know that they are well loved, I know that they are happy, they are safe, they are having fun and they are learning a lot,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And, that is very comforting.â&#x20AC;?

Make a pledge to protect marriage CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 out of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;leprosyâ&#x20AC;? of a world where efficiency is often valued over persons, where â&#x20AC;&#x153;havingâ&#x20AC;? is often valued more than â&#x20AC;&#x153;being.â&#x20AC;? As the married couple finds a true home in each other, they form the context of a community in which to welcome their offspring. The USCCB website also offers other resources: â&#x2013; WWW.FORYOURMARRIAGE.ORG. â&#x2013; WWW.PORTUMATRIMONIO.ORG. â&#x2013; WWW.MARRIAGEUNIQUEFORAREASON.ORG. â&#x2013; WWW.USCCB.ORG/ISSUES-AND-ACTION/MARRIAGE-AND-FAMILY/MARRIAGE/PROMOTION-ANDDEFENSE-OF-MARRIAGE/ECUMENICAL-AND-INTERRELIGIOUS-ACTIVITIES.CFM.

Making a difference Finally, as we prepare for the constitutional amendment on marriage in November, World Marriage Day is for us a most appropriate occasion to sign up for a new â&#x20AC;&#x153;marriage protection pledge.â&#x20AC;? Forms are available from Minnesota for Marriage (write to: Box 301, Roseville, MN 55113). One can also go online to sign the pledge at WWW.MINNESOTAFORMARRIAGE.COM. By doing so, you can be assured that this World Day for Marriage will truly make a difference! God bless you!

The Catholic Spirit 2011 Reader Profile Study Audience Preferences: Percentage of News Coverage Local parish news National religious news World religious news Other news No answer

33% 25% 25% 10% 7%

READEX RESEARCH Stillwater, MN Sept.-Nov. 2011

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The Church of St. Michael welcomes pro-life speaker

Abby Johnson Wednesday, February 15 from 7:00-8:15 p.m. Abby Johnson joined Planned Parenthood in 2001 as a college student because she wanted to help women in crisis - a goal she believed the organization shared. As she rose through the ranks to become a clinic director, she became increasingly unsettled about what she was being asked to do. But it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until she helped perform an ultrasound-guided abortion procedure that Abby fully realized what she had been a part of all those years. In 2009, she left Planned Parenthood and joined the pro-life movement as a volunteer. Abby now works full time in the pro-life movement.

Join us as Abby shares her beautiful testimony and powerful Catholic faith, just as she has done with Fox News, ABC News, Bill Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly, and thousands of people across the country. Her bestselling book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;unPLANNED,â&#x20AC;? will also be available for purchase & signing. Requested admission for the evening with Abby Johnson is $5 for youth, $10 for adults. Admission can be paid at the door. Groups are requested to contact Pat Millea to reserve space in the church.

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For more information please contact Pat Millea at pmillea@stmichael-pl.org or 952-447-9056.

www.TheCatholicSpirit.com

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“If God speaks to us even in silence, we, in turn, discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God.” Pope Benedict XVI, in his message for the 2012 celebration of World Communications Day

Nation/World 8

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

News from around the U.S. and the globe

Feds’ move amounts to ‘to hell with you,’ bishop says as protests mount across U.S. Catholic News Service A week after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told individuals and institutions who oppose contraception “to hell with you,” as one bishop put it, members of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy were mobilizing their followers to fight. Bishops across the country had been preparing letters to be read at all Masses during the Jan. 28-29 weekend. One of the most strongly worded reactions to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ Jan. 20 announcement that religious organizations could delay but not opt out of a requirement that all health plans cover contraception and sterilization at no cost came from Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, in a column titled “To hell with you.” Sebelius and the Obama administration “have said ‘To hell with you’ to the Catholic faithful of the United States,” the bishop wrote. “To hell with your religious beliefs. To hell with your religious liberty. To hell with your freedom of conscience. We’ll give you a year, they are saying, and then you have to knuckle under.” He called on Catholics in the Pittsburgh Diocese to “do all possible to rescind” the contraceptive mandate by writing to President Barack Obama, Sebelius and their members of Congress.

Disturbing decision Writing in The Wall Street Journal Jan. 25, Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the HHS decision rejected the “loud and strong appeals” by “hundreds of religious institutions and hundreds of thousands of individual citizens” since the comment period began last August. He said it is naive to think that contraception and sterilization will be “free” under the HHS mandate. “There is no free lunch, and you can be sure there’s no free abortion, sterilization or contraception,” he wrote. “There will be a source of funding: you.” Speaking that evening at Fordham University in New York, the archbishop told reporters that Obama had called him the morning of Jan. 20 “to tell me the somber news” before the HHS decision was announced publicly. He said he felt “terribly let down, disappointed and disturbed” and found it difficult to reconcile the decision with what the president had told him during a meeting in November —“that he considered the protection of conscience sacred, that he didn’t want anything his administration would do to impede the work of the church that he claimed he held in high regard, particularly in the area of health care, education, works of charity and justice.”

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius stands next to President Barack Obama in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington in this Oct. 31, 2011, file photo. CNS photo / Reuters

Archbishop Nienstedt criticizes HHS decision The Catholic Spirit Archbishop John Nienstedt is among those criticizing the Jan. 20 announcement by the federal Department of Health and Human Services that religious organizations could delay but not opt out of a requirement that all health plans cover contraception and sterilization at no cost. “It’s very alarming. This has never happened in the history of our country that one group has been pointed out like this, especially when I thought we made some very reasonable requests to have some conscience clauses” as part the regulations, Archbishop Nienstedt said during a Jan. 24 interview with The Catholic Spirit. “It’s an ideological warfare,” he added. “I can’t understand why they’re so insistent on not allowing for the role of conscience. I think it would be very devastating to our Catholic hospitals.”

Narrow exemption The only religious organizations exempt from the requirement would be those meeting four specific criteria — “(1) has the inculcation of religious values as its purpose; (2) primarily employs persons who share its religious tenets; (3) primarily serves persons who share its religious tenets; and (4) is a nonprofit organization” under specific sections of the Internal Revenue Code. Catholic groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association and Catholic Charities USA, called that exemption too narrow, saying it would require Catholic groups to stop all services to those who were not Catholic and would inappropriately involve the government in decisions about whether an organization is “religious enough” to be exempted. “Jesus and his disciples would not have qualified for the exemption because they ministered to others besides Jews,” said Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. Archbishop Nienstedt devoted a column in The Catholic Spirit last September to pointing out the threat to religious liberty posed by the HHS regulations, which were at the time an “interim rule” awaiting final approval from the Obama administration. Minnesota’s bishops have previously written to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and members of the state’s congressional delegation to voice their objections. Archbishop Nienstedt encourages people to contact their members of Congress and voice their objections to the HHS decision. Catholic leaders are urging support for the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). For more information about the act and the issue of conscience protection, visit the Minnesota Catholic Conference’s web page on the topic at HTTP://MNCC.ORG/ISSUES/LIFE-BIO-ETHICS. This story contains information from Catholic News Service.

The Catholic Spirit

Silence is key to meaningful communication, Pope Benedict says By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

Amid the deluge of information and nonstop chatter in today’s media, the church needs to help people find safe havens of silence, Pope Benedict XVI said. Far from being the enemy of calm and quiet, social media and the Internet can lead people to virtual sanctuaries that offer silent reflection, thoughtful dialogue and true meaning in life, he said. “Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God,” he said in his message for the 2012 celebration of World Communications Day. Even brief posts and viral tweets can carry potent messages when people use those tools — not for spamming or for scanning the latest gossip — but for sharing a real part of themselves, he said. “In concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible, profound thoughts can be communicated, as long as those taking part in the conversation do not neglect to cultivate their own inner lives,” he said.

Finding balance The theme of this year’s World Communications Day — marked in most dioceses the Sunday before Pentecost, this year May 20 — is “Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization.” The papal message was released Jan. 24. In his message, the pope acknowledged that “silence is often overlooked,” but is especially important today. Silence, words, images and sounds need “a kind of eco-system,” that is, to find a harmonious, symbiotic balance “if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved,” he said. Silence builds meaning, clarity and creativity since “we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth;” and people have the time to choose how to best express themselves, he said. Listening to others requires silence, and “we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested,” he said. Moments of quiet and calm allow people to sift through, process and evaluate the information they’re bombarded with, figure out what is important or secondary, discover connections and “share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge,” the pope said.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Cardinal links religious liberty fight with abortion struggle sterilization free of charge in their employee health plans, rejecting appeals from Catholic groups to widen the exParticipants at the annual March for emption. Life were urged in advance of the march “Never before in our U.S. history has not to let themselves be compromised in the federal government forced citizens to their beliefs as the federal government pursues regulations that Catholic leaders directly purchase what violates our besay constitute an attack on conscience liefs,” Cardinal DiNardo said, adding that the issue is “the survival of a cornerstone and religious liberty. constitutionally protected freedom that “I beg and pray for ensures respect for conscience and relithe young people gious liberty.” present and all youth Cardinal DiNardo said Pope Benedict and young adults not XVI addressed the issue when meeting to be compromised with U.S. bishops from the Mid-Atlantic. in your dedication to “Many of you have pointed out that the protection of life of each human per- concerted efforts have been made to deny son, born and un- the right of conscientious objection on born,” said Cardinal the part of Catholic individuals and inDaniel DiNardo of stitutions with regard to cooperation in Galveston-Houston. intrinsically evil practices. Others have CARDINAL “Keep it before your spoken to me of a worrying tendency to DINARDO eyes and in your reduce religious freedom to mere freedom hearts immediately. Threats against life of worship without guarantees of respect and against the consciences of those who for freedom of conscience,” he quoted say ‘yes’ to life must be met with timely the pope as saying. and unwavering action, in our families “In light of last Friday’s announcement and institutions, and yes, about health care manin the public square.” dates, it seems that the Holy Read more Father has nailed the issue Cardinal DiNardo, chair in advance,” the cardinal of the U.S. bishops’ Com■ Local youth said. “His calls for courage mittee on Pro-Life Activireflects on national to counter a reductive secuties, made his remarks durmarch, page 13 larism which would delegiting his homily at the Jan. ■ Tommies imize the church’s partici22 opening Mass for the rally at pro-life pation in public life and National Prayer Vigil for conference, visit debate have targeted the isLife. The overnight vigil THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM sues we face in our pro-life was conducted at the Basilefforts, to defend those who ica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Wash- defend human life and to defend their religious liberty.” ington. Cardinal DiNardo pointed to gains The cardinal linked the 39-year struggle to end abortion on demand with the Jan. made by pro-lifers, including “a record 20 announcement from U.S. Health and number of state laws that now restrict Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebe- abortions. State prosecutors have begun lius that most religious organizations to prosecute late-term abortionists who would have to cover contraceptives and deny life and injure and maim women.”

By Mark Pattison

Catholic News Service

Briefly British bishops view Olympics as opportunity for evangelization British bishops plan to use the 2012 London Olympic Games to renew interest in the Catholic faith, with initiatives ranging from fighting human trafficking and homelessness to promoting youth ministry and ecumenical dialogue. The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales is also preparing resources for liturgies and holy hours and will post them on the Internet before the July 27Aug. 12 games. The Catholic Church in Britain has been preparing for three years to seize the opportunity presented by the games to evangelize, said James Parker, the Catholic executive coordinator for the games. Twenty-four chaplains have been trained for the occasion, and training is also being offered to representatives of more than 5,000 Catholic churches who will organize parish events, such as street parties, during the games. The Joshua Camp, a tented village for Catholic youth, will open near London’s Olympic Park, to offer catechesis and formation centered around sport themes.

Conference to address abuse prevention Representatives of most of the world’s bishops’ conferences and 30 religious orders will meet in Rome in early February to launch a global initiative aimed at improving efforts to stop clerical sexual abuse and better protect children and vulnerable adults. The conference, “Toward Healing and Renewal,” will be held Feb. 6-9 at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University and is being supported by the Vatican Secretariat of State and several other Vatican offices. U.S. Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of

the Faith, which deals with priests accused of abuse, will give the opening address. Other speakers include: a victim of abuse; mental health professionals who have worked in prevention and treatment; and bishops from different parts of the world, who will talk about responses to the abuse crisis in their countries.

Miss America happy for Catholic education All smiles, Susan Kaeppeler, fourthgrade teacher at St. Joseph Academy’s lower campus in Kenosha, Wis., was greeted with the red-carpet treatment when she arrived to class Jan. 16 after a whirlwind weekend where she saw her oldest daughter, Laura, crowned Miss America. The 23-year-old, a Kenosha native, won the Miss America title LAURA KAEPPELER in Las Vegas Jan. 14. Laura will spend the next year touring the country to speak to a variety of groups and raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization’s official charity. She won a $50,000 college scholarship and an additional $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance of “Il Bacio” during the talent portion of the competition. She told pageant officials that she intends to use the scholarship money to pursue a law degree and become a family attorney who specializes in helping children of incarcerated adults. Laura attended St. Therese Elementary School and St. Joseph High School, both in Kenosha. “My Catholic education has been so important in reaching my goals. It gave me my foundation for my faith,” she said in an interview. “I praise God in how he’s rewarded me.” — Catholic News Service

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“A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.” St. Thomas Aquinas

This Catholic Life 10

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Opinion, feedback and points to ponder

The Catholic Spirit

Natural law, not religious preference, dictates life is sacred ‘It’s not a Catholic thing,’ New York prelate says. ‘It’s a natural thing’ By Beth Griffin Catholic News Service

Natural law is a concept of objective truth, not religious preference, and reliance on natural law and human rights will move the culture and its laws in the direction of authentic respect for human life, Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York said in an address Jan. 24. Cardinal-designate Dolan, speaking on “Law & the Gospel of Life,” gave the inaugural talk in a lecture series sponsored by the Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyers’ Work at Jesuit-run Fordham University School of Law. “Our society has caricatured natural law as some medieval tool the church is using to justify its own unique and antiquated system of teaching. Of course, the opposite is true,” he said. “Natural law theory is not uniquely Catholic, it’s human. “Some of the greatest exponents of the natural law, like Aristotle and Cicero, never heard of the Catholic Church. These things we teach are not true because they happen to be taught by the church. We teach them because they happen to be true. Their truth antedates the church.”

Untethering the discussion According to Cardinal-designate Dolan, the most effective way to engage in conversations about human life with people who disagree with the church’s position is to “untether” discussions of natural law “from what might be thought of as unique Catholic confessionalism” and reference the writings of non-Catholic authors. “It’s not a Catholic thing. It’s a natural thing. It’s a human thing.” Cardinal-designate Dolan said Blessed John Paul II’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae,” described the culture of death as one that denies the basic solidarity inherent in the human person, is obsessed with efficiency and convenience, and wages a war of the powerful against the weak. “Can sustained human rights, girded by law, survive in such a culture?” Cardinaldesignate Dolan asked. “The pragmatic, utilitarian world view depends upon sand to construct a system of laws protecting human rights, particularly that of life itself, since everything is constantly being re-negotiated, based on drifting dunes of utility, convenience, privacy, and self-interest.” Cardinal-designate Dolan said, “It is a bedrock feature of modern political and legal theory that only neutral, utilitarian principles can provide a basis for public policy discussions and law, and that appeals to transcendent values, such as religion, cannot legitimately be presented.” “The Gospel of life proposes an alternative vision of law and culture, one that

“These things we teach are not true because they happen to be taught by the church. We teach them because they happen to be true. Their truth antedates the church.

”

CARDINAL-DESIGNATE TIMOTHY DOLAN OF NEW YORK

CNS photo / Gregory A. Shemitz

provides an antidote to the pragmatic nihilism that produces a culture of death. It seeks to recapture the essential relationship between the civil law and the moral law, and to foster a culture in which all

human life is valued and authentic human development is possible.” Cardinal-designate Dolan said, “The Gospel of life calls us specifically to offer a clear, faith-based view of humanity as a

basis for human law. As Christians, we propose that truth can only be known and freedom truly exercised by recognizing that they are a gift from God.” He said an important proposition of the Gospel of life is “that the dignity of the human person and respect for inviolable human rights are not just based on divine revelation, but on ‘an objective moral law which, as the ‘natural law’ written in the human heart, is the obligatory point of reference for civil law itself.’” Cardinal-designate Dolan said, “A reliance on the natural law, and human rights, will enable us to move the culture, and thus our laws, in the direction of authentic respect for human life. It will be a gradual, incremental process . . . and require compromise and acceptance of intermediary steps.” He described pragmatism, utilitarianism and consumerism as a trinity of related culprits that chisel away at the culture of life and “seem to be ascendant in culture and normative in making laws.” He said, “A baby is useless and impractical from a raw, pragmatic, utilitarian or consumerist view” and is seen by some in the culture of death “as a commodity, an accessory. We have babies, if at all, to satisfy our desires, not to sacrifice for theirs; to fulfill our needs, not to invite us to spend the rest of our lives fulfilling their needs; to reward us, not because we want to give to them.” “To this culture of death, the church boldly and joyfully promotes the culture of life,” he said.

Hypnotizing love Cardinal-designate Dolan said people can promote the culture of life by living, speaking and teaching the truth in love. “Usually, we will attract more people by the compelling nature of our love and, in the end, that will be what most hypnotizes and magnetizes people.” In a response to Cardinal-designate Dolan’s address, Jacqueline Nolan-Haley, a Fordham law professor, said the Gospel of life “is pulling us to bring greater morality and justice to civil law.” Monica McDaniel, a 2009 Fordham Law graduate and associate at the White & Case firm, said the culture of death has infiltrated private practice and law schools, both secular and Catholic. “Law schools, many nonprofit human rights organizations and the pro bono departments of many law firms are generally confused about human rights because they lack the sound ethical philosophy of the natural law.” She said “pro-abortion” initiatives dominate the pro bono departments of virtually all major law firms because pro-life lawyers are silent. She encouraged fellow young lawyers to spread the Gospel of life one on one, challenge people who make dubious claims and oppose unethical practices.

This Catholic Life / Commentary

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Try more silence during upcoming Lenten season

Editorial Joe Towalski

Unplugging from media can lead to prayerful reflection

Silence as an essential part of communication seems at first to be a contradiction. Silence may be golden, some would say, but it won’t help you get your point across to others in a world dominated by a steady stream of voices and information flowing nonstop from televisions, radios, computer monitors and smartphones. But Pope Benedict XVI, in his latest message for World Communications Day, reminds us that silence plays a vital role in our communication with others: It forces us to listen more closely, evaluate ideas more thoroughly, and temper our responses. Who wouldn’t like to see more of that kind of communication taking place during presidential debates or television talk shows? Or during discussions on important social policy issues facing our state and nation? Or, even in our workplaces and around our family dinner tables, where all of us have trouble at times not interrupting or raising our voices? If we are going to cultivate the value of silence in our lives, however, it will take more than just silencing our voices. We also have to silence

advantage of area nature trails and state parks for some quiet time alone to pray and contemplate the beauty of God’s creation.

“Silencing our voices and our minds can help us deepen our relationship with God and broaden our awareness of his presence in our life.

”

JOE TOWALSKI

our minds from time to time by unplugging from the 24-hour cycles of news, entertainment and social media so we have the “mental space” to rejuvenate ourselves and reflect more deeply on our lives, our relationships and the world around us. Many of us try to do something extra for our spiritual lives during the season of Lent — which begins this year on Feb. 22, Ash Wednesday. If you haven’t already committed to a Lenten program — and even if you

have — book some additional time right now during those 40 days for silence, prayerful meditation and reflection. ■ Check your parish bulletin or The Catholic Spirit calendar section for upcoming opportunities for silent retreats around the area. Or make a point to visit one of the many eucharistic adoration chapels around the archdiocese for an hour or even a few minutes once per week. ■ If you enjoy the outdoors, take

■ Spend some time at home as a family with televisions, radios, phones and computers turned off. These media — as valuable as they are — can sometimes interfere with family communication. Shut them down, share a prayer and a meal together, and then play a board game or enjoy another family activity. Silence here is not the focus, but it’s an opportunity worth seizing to nurture better communication in other ways among husbands and wives, parents and children. Pope Benedict wrote that “if God speaks to us in silence, we, in turn, discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God.” Silencing our voices and our minds can help us deepen our relationship with God and broaden our awareness of his presence in our life. Silence coupled with attentive listening can also help us deepen our relationships with others we encounter every day of our lives in our families, workplaces and communities.

Doing ‘small things with great love’ The Catholic Spirit recently invited readers to answer this question: “What person, living or deceased, has made a big impact on your faith life by doing ‘small things with great love’?” Here are some of the answers we received:

Priest who had cancer was a model of service Father John Kelley was my priest at Nativity of Our Lord parish in St. Paul for over 20 years. He was a good and faithful priest and we became very close friends. I was privileged to become ever closer after he was diagnosed with cancer, a cancer he fought for 11 years until he died on Aug. 15, 2001. Visiting the sick, elderly and homebound was one of his strong virtues. He would never say no to any request of this nature. During his final year before his death, he did something that I will never forget; it had an impact on me that remains today. I took him to his oncologist one day. Father was then in a wheelchair and very weak. After an exhausting visit to the doctor, he said, “Can we stop at Regions Hospital? I want to see a parishioner who is very ill.” As I wheeled him down the hospital hall, I thought, here is a man, himself terminally ill, still reaching out to bring Jesus to another sick person. Inspiring! Father John had a big heart and a generous spirit and a great love of his God and his priesthood. He is missed but not forgotten. DONN EIDEN Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul

My father’s love reflected the love of the Father My father, William Wesely, nurtured my faith by his everyday example and by talking with me frequently about God’s love. When I was a child, he pointed out to me the goodness of God, visible in nature — in the beauty of the sky, in the flowering trees and plants, and in the various kinds of birds. He often expressed gratitude for God’s creation.

My father led our family in daily evening prayer and would read about the particular saint for each day from “The Lives of the Saints.” His care for his fellow men was evident when he chose to regularly share his gift of song by singing English, German and Czech songs to residents in nursing homes. He always included a church hymn or two before visiting with the residents. He didn’t measure his wealth in money but rather in appreciation for the many ways God provided for him and his family. He told me once when I experienced great difficulty as a young adult that God was seasoning me, tempering me to be a strong and confident person of faith. My father’s love for me exemplified the unconditional love of our heavenly father. His everyday expressions of faith, in word and action, will always be a reminder of God’s love. MARY JEAN LOOMIS Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul

Challenging us to get out of our comfort zones Father Greg Tolaas was an extraordinary example of kindness, love and courage under extreme pain. In his final months, and often earlier during numerous sick days, he would enter the church almost too weak to speak. But by the time his homily was under way, he was fired with the Holy Spirit, changing how each person hearing his words would incorporate his wisdom into their lives. He suffered all his life with cystic fibrosis, and later, a shutdown pancreas, diabetes, kidney disease and dialysis, high blood pressure, and an unbelievable number of daily medications. He received his first Communion in first grade, rather than second grade, because he wasn’t expected to live until second grade. The last six years of

Father Greg’s life, he became pastor of St. Philip Church in north Minneapolis. With the charisma of a young, healthy man, which he wasn’t, Father Greg constantly challenged his congregation to get out of their “comfort zone.” At every Mass, he began by urging each of us to leave our pews and meet three people we didn’t know. Father Greg was always God’s beloved “Pied Piper.” DONNA MONTGOMERY St. Patrick, Edina

My mom embraced those overlooked by society Lucille Marie Manson, my mother, greatly impacted my faith through doing so many “small things with great love.” Like Mother Teresa, she embraced those who society overlooked. Stray animals, too, found their way to her door. After working long hours as a waitress, she would walk nine blocks to the health food store, before boarding her bus, to purchase goat’s milk for a neighbor dying of cancer. On a meager income, winter fuel oil was ordered for a neighbor with seven children when her resources had been depleted. A young child with longing eyes pressed up against the window of a Dairy Queen received a cone from her. Though she contentedly built her wardrobe from garage sales and hand-me-downs, she always faithfully supported the missions and other benevolent church-sponsored works of mercy. While she lived out her final days at Our Lady of Good Counsel Cancer Home, her only accompanying material possessions were her rosary and a small coin purse with quarters used to daily call a friend struggling with depression who needed uplifting. My mother formed my faith base through her generous and repeated acts of unconditional love. Her love for God was lived out through her quiet, selfless outreach to others. MARY JO HOCH St. Paul, Ham Lake

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Commentary

/ This Catholic Life

Human trafficking epidemic should concern MN Catholics ren’t these girls from other countries?” asked a guest at a recent Minnesota human trafficking awareness party being covered by local news. It’s a common question with an often unexpected answer: No, most aren’t. They are runaways from American Indian reservations. Victims of “boyfriends” who turn out to be pimps. Girls desperately trying to get out of the poverty trap. According to various reports, Minnesota is consistently in the top 10 most-active states for human trafficking. One organization that monitors juvenile sex trafficking indicated that there was a 50 percent increase in trafficking numbers in Minnesota in 2010. These are children who pass us on the street, children we come across daily. Their age is usually between 12 to 14 years old. Minnesota has a human trafficking problem and it’s time for Catholics to take action.

“A

Faith in the Public Arena Jessica Zittlow

The Minnesota Catholic Conference supported a bill last year to protect commercially exploited children through a new ‘safe harbor’ law

Shining a spotlight In the 2011 special session, the Minnesota Catholic Conference lobbied for and helped push through a public safety bill that takes steps to protect commercially exploited children through a new “safe harbor” law. This law, among other things, increases penalties against offender “johns” and directs our public safety to create a victim-centered response to sexually exploited youth. Now, Minnesota must create the infrastructure to support the effort. This isn’t a small task. It was recently reported that there were only two beds dedicated to traumatized victims in the state of Minnesota. This legislative session, MCC will be supporting efforts to educate legislators on the need for funds for housing

“A culture that broadly promotes the commodification and objectification of persons . . . perpetuates a demand for sexual slavery.

”

JESSICA ZITTLOW

racism, classism, poverty, genderbased violence, bioethics, and fundamental family and life issues. At its core is the need to better recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. This is where understanding and educating others on Catholic teaching regarding the dignity of the human person can, ultimately, help us combat the problem. In an address to the 2002 international conference on slavery and human rights, Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote: “The disturbing tendency to treat prostitution as a business or industry not only contributes to the trade in human beings, but is itself evidence of a growing tendency to detach freedom from the moral law and to reduce the rich mystery of human sexuality to a mere commodity.” In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI echoed another condemnation of sexual slav-

and other services. But the education needed on this issue runs deep and wide, and goes well beyond the walls of government.

Changing the paradigm The vast majority of girls who end up in the sex industry come from homes where there has been sexual abuse, physical abuse, trauma, and domestic violence. Vulnerable women, who are offered help or “services” to get them out of difficult living situations or poverty, often do not even vaguely suspect what awaits them. So there is a critical need to educate and warn potential victim populations. But if there wasn’t demand, there wouldn’t be a need for supply. Sex trafficking isn’t just about “poor little girls and bad guys,” it is woven together by a complicated web of social concern that spans migration,

ery by Pope John Paul II in his “Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women”: the “hedonistic and commercial culture which encourages the systematic exploitation of sexuality and corrupts even very young girls into letting their bodies be used for profit.” Men who seek acts of prostitution create the demand for sexual slavery. A culture that broadly promotes the commodification and objectification of persons — whether through pornography, unregulated egg and sperm donation, or stifling and minimizing the life-giving reality of sex — perpetuates a demand for sexual slavery. As long as we, as Catholics, support the false cultural dichotomy between “bedroom” issues and social justice, we will not be effectively taking on the fundamental social causes of sex trafficking. Human trafficking is a priority for MCC, as it touches on fundamental issues of human dignity and the common good. In the coming months, we anticipate sharing best practices about what Catholic organizations in Minnesota, like Catholic Charities and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, are doing to help respond to this crisis. In the short term we encourage parishes, families and individuals to visit the “Program” section of Catholic Charities USA (www.CATHOLICCHARITIESUSA.ORG) for toolkits and resources on how to help identify, prevent, and educate others on human trafficking in your community. Jessica Zittlow is communications associate with the Minnesota Catholic Conference, which coordinates the Catholic Church’s public policy activities on behalf of the bishops of Minnesota.

The inconvenient Gospel and the lessons it teaches us t’s Sunday morning, and we’re at Mass. My little boys turn the pages of their board books, surprisingly wellbehaved. As our pastor gets up to proclaim the Gospel, the thought of his homily fills me with pleasant anticipation. Father Xavier possesses equal parts knowledge and wisdom and honesty in the face of what he doesn’t know, and the combination translates into homiletic gold. My spirits are high as I wait to be inspired. Suddenly, my son Matthew tugs at my sleeve. “Mommy,” he says urgently, “I need to go to the bathGinny room.” Kubitz Moyer My spirits thud to earth. “Do you have to?” “Yes,” he says, looking at me appealingly. I fight the urge to say, “Ask Daddy to take you.” I fight the equally strong urge to heave an obnoxious, graceless sigh. “Come on then,” I tell him, leading the way out of the pew. The words of the Gospel recede as we hurry to the bathroom and I perform the ritual papering of the seat that moms do when faced with a toilet of dubious cleanliness. Maybe, if it’s a long reading, I can still hear the end of it. Maybe, if Matthew is quick, I’ll be able to catch the start of the homily. “Hurry up Matthew, “ I say briskly. “I’m missing the Gospel.”

Guest Column

It’s not easy And then, standing there in the stinky cold restroom, the irony of my words clubs me right over the head.

“If there’s one thing that Jesus showed us, it’s how to sacrifice ourselves for others. I believe in the importance of that, and I try to do it in my daily life. But, if I’m really honest, I’ll admit that I want to help others only when it’s convenient for me.

”

GINNY KUBITZ MOYER

Missing the Gospel? No, I’m living the Gospel. If there’s one thing that Jesus showed us, it’s how to sacrifice ourselves for others. I believe in the importance of that, and I try to do it in my daily life. But, if I’m really honest, I’ll admit that I want to help others only when it’s convenient for me. This response is human, and understandable. As a teacher and a mom, my moments of quiet me-time are rare; I guard them jealously. But the urgent needs of others don’t accommodate

themselves to my schedule. My son has a nightmare, a student wants to talk about a personal problem: These needs show up whenever they show up, even during my well-earned silent time. It’s easy to regard them as intrusions upon my contemplation, that quiet period when I’d planned to grow deeper in my spiritual life. Maybe I need to realize that these moments of sacrificial service are not distractions from the main event — they are the main event. They are the primary business of my spiritual life. They are what this faith is all about.

Chances for grace True as that is, it’s a devilishly hard kind of surrender. That’s why it’s comforting to realize that Jesus also had to deal with constant interruption. In the Gospels he is repeatedly swamped by the crowds, throngs of people who urgently need to be heard and acknowledged. Maybe Jesus also felt a little thud inside at the thought that his silent prayer time was about to be given up to others. But, in the end, he treated those encounters as chances for grace. He sacrificed and served, over and over, and that response invites me to do the same. Yes, I find God through meditation and silence and Gospel readings. But he is not just in the prayers or in the homily. He is also in the small boy who tugs urgently at my sleeve, challenging me to live the Gospel at all times, even when all I wanted to do was listen. Ginny Kubitz Moyer is the author of “Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God.” Read more at HTTP://RANDOMACTSOFMOMNESS.COM.

This Catholic Life / Commentary

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Submitted photo

Above, Totino-Grace sophomore Katie Ray, right, traveled to Washington, D.C., with a group from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for the National March for Life Jan. 19 to 24. Left, Bishop Lee Piché talks with students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis at the March for Life in Washington.

Local teen offers her views on national March For Life Approximately 160 young people from five area Catholic high schools and eight parish youth groups traveled with an archdiocesan group to Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life, which was held Jan. 19 to 24. Katie Ray, a sophomore at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley and membner of St. Rose of Lima parish in Roseville offered this reflection on the experience. experienced my first March for Life in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, and I will remember the trip for the rest of my life. As I left Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul before the trip, I had great expectations for the march, but what I experienced blew me away. Our group from Totino-Grace High School in Fridley traveled with the Convent of the Visitation School group from Mendota Heights. The Students For Life of America National Conference on Jan. 22 was amazing. We heard from Stephanie Gray of the Canadian Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. On the bus ride home, everyone decided that she was our favorite speaker. She talked about how we can defend our beliefs, and every one of us left that room knowing exactly what to say to someone who is pro-abortion. She proved that an unborn baby is a person, countering the original arguments that they are not a person based

on their environment, development, size and intelligence. She talked about how aborting a baby who was conceived through rape adds to the trauma. The conference was very motivating and showed that young people can make a difference. From volunteering at pro-life agencies and sidewalk counseling to supporting a pregnant friend or helping a couple heal after the abortion of their baby, each one of us can make a difference! Speakers said if each one of us were to help just one person, 2,000 babies would be saved. Mary Kellett, a Minnesota mother, and Dr. John Bruchalski said that a shocking 90 percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted, and yet these children bring joy to all those around them because, like all children, they are created in the image and likeness of God.

We are the future Every college and high school student left that conference knowing that we are the future of the pro-life movement and we can make a difference. We need to bring hope and support to those who think they have no other option and bring healing to those who’ve had abortions. On Jan. 23, we got up early and went to the Verizon Center for the Youth Rally and Mass for Life with more than 17,000 other teens.

I had never experienced a Mass quite like this before. No one in that stadium could have doubted that this Mass was truly a celebration and that the Holy Spirit was present.

‘Here I Am, Lord’ Mass began with Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington and hundreds of bishops, priests and deacons processing in while the entire stadium sang the opening song, “Here I Am, Lord.” At the beginning, each bishop’s name was called. It was awesome to see and hear. Perhaps one of the neatest parts of the trip for me was running into two friends of mine who live in Maryland. I had not seen them in three years, and yet there we were, all gathered at Mass in our support of life. In a stadium filled with 17,000 youth, who would imagine that we would run into each other! The march itself was awesome. Although it was a rainy and cold day, more than half a million people joined us in the march. As we walked, we listened to many pro-life politicians and their strong beliefs that Roe v. Wade will be overturned soon because of all the people across the country who believe that life is precious and must be protected. We left Washington filled with hope and the will to make it happen.

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“The word which God has written on the brow of every man is Hope.” Victor Hugo, “Les Misérables”

The Lesson Plan 14

The Catholic Spirit

Reflections on faith and spirituality

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

We are called to a hope that will endure forever By Jeff Hensley

Readings

Catholic News Service

Sunday, Feb. 5 Fifth Sunday in ordinary time ■ Job 7:1-4, 6-7 ■ 1 Corinthians 9:16-19. 22-23 ■ Mark 1:29-39

he topic of the health trials that my family had experienced in the previous five years came up in a recent conversation with a friend, a West Coast Catholic editor. He said something to the effect that, “You must think God really has it in for you.” With two brain surgeries for myself (successful) and breast cancer for my wife (who is still doing well), I understood what he meant, but, somewhat reflexively, I said, “No, I think Catholic we’re really blessed!” News Service And I do. I’m now six years past my second surgery and working out at the gym at about the same level as before my surgeries. My wife continues to teach English as a second language and to assure that all of the ESL students in her department are on track to graduate. We both love our jobs. By the grace of God, we are doing well. Things could be so much worse.

Sunday Scriptures

For reflection How have you experienced God’s solace in your own trials? How is God challenging you to live out the Gospel in your family, among your co-workers and friends?

From hope to despair Job, in today’s first reading, brings to mind that all of us face the drudgery of daily life, filled sometimes with trouble and restless nights, remembering that “life is like the wind.” “I shall not see happiness again,” the reading concludes. But the psalm draws us back to hope, not of our own

creation, but from God, “for he is good. . . . He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. . . . The Lord sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.” And the psalm’s refrain repeats throughout the reading: “Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.” What is asked of us but to heed God’s call for our lives?

Daily Scriptures Sunday, Feb. 5 Fifth Sunday in ordinary time Job 7:1-4, 6-7 1 Corinthians 9:16, 22-23 Mark 1:29-39 Monday, Feb. 6 Paul Miki and companions, martyrs 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 Mark 6:53-56 Tuesday, Feb. 7 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Mark 7:1-13 Wednesday, Feb. 8 Jerome Emiliani, priest, or Josephine Bakhita, virgin 1 Kings 10:1-10 Mark 7:14-23 Thursday, Feb. 9 1 Kings 11:4-13 Mark 7:24-30

Sunday, Feb. 12 Sixth Sunday in ordinary time Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 1 Corinthians 10:13 — 11:1 Mark 1:40-45 Monday, Feb. 13 James 1:1-11 Mark 8:11-13 Tuesday, Feb. 14 Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop James 1:12-18 Mark 8:14-21 Wednesday, Feb. 15 James 1:19-27 Mark 8:22-26 Thursday, Feb. 16 James 2:1-9 Mark 8:27-33 Friday, Feb. 17 Seven Founders of the Servite Order James 2:14-24, 26 Mark 8:34 — 9:1

Friday, Feb. 10 Scholastica, virgin 1 Kings 11:29-32 Mark 7:31-37

Saturday, Feb. 18 James 3:1-10 Mark 9:2-13

Saturday, Feb. 11 Our Lady of Lourdes 1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34 Mark 8:1-10

Sunday, Feb. 19 Seventh Sunday in ordinary time Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 Mark 2:1-12

For Paul, it is the obligation to preach the Gospel, to do all in his power to win others to receive this good news of the incarnation of Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus is impelled by his mission to continue healing the sick and preaching, moving from village to village. Each of us is called beyond our personal trials and sufferings. Each of us is comforted by God’s goodness, our broken hearts healed. Each of us is drawn to enflesh the Gospel where God has placed us, where we live our lives in our families and workplaces and communities. Because of this, we have hope (and faith and love) that will endure. Jeff Hensley writes the Word to Life column for Catholic News Service.

Consecrated life means living for God and others By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

Consecrated life entails giving oneself completely to God and living for others, Pope Benedict XVI said. Speaking at his weekly general audience Jan. 25, the pope continued his catechesis on Christian prayer, looking at the Last Supper, when Jesus instituted the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. The pope said Jesus prayed for God’s intercession for his disciples, who, like himself, “do not belong to the world.” Consecration also entails going on missions, the pope said, as Jesus told God, “As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” “The consecrated person exists for others, is given to others,” and no longer lives for oneself, the pope said. “For the disciples it will be to continue Jesus’ mission, to be given to God in order to be in mission for everyone,” said the pope. The pope prayed that all Christians follow suit and “open our own prayers to the needs of our neighbors and the whole world.” Jesus also prayed that his disciples “may all be one,” as the pope recalled the closing of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which ended Jan. 25. The pope asked that everyone pray “for the gift of the visible unity of all Christ’s followers, so that the world may believe in the Son and in the father who sent him.” While the desire for Christian unity lies in the hearts of all the faithful, that unity also “must appear clearly in history so that the world may believe — an aim [that is] very hands-on and concrete,” he said.

From the Pope

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The Lesson Plan

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

How should I select godparents for my child? By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit

When it comes time to baptize a child, it is also time to select the godparents. This is a major decision. It is a spiritual matter, and the choice should be based upon spiritual criteria. There are a number of common reasons that miss the mark when some godparents are chosen. Sometimes the choice is an effort to honor a special family member, relative or friend, with the thinking, “Since you have been so good to us, we would like to be good to you and honor you in return.” Some use social criteria: “Who would we like to be present with us for major events in our child’s future, occasions like birthdays and graduations?” Although parents usually are unwilling to admit this openly, another underlying question sometimes is: “Who is thoughtful enough to remember special occasions in my child’s life and would be generous enough to give nice gifts every year for their birthday or for Christmas?” Or, “Who would we like to raise our child if something catastrophic would happen to us?”

Able and ready to help It is the duty of Christian parents to pass on the most precious gift of all, the gift of faith, to “bring the child up in the practice of the faith, [and to] see that the

A godparent should be . . . ■ a believer in Jesus Christ. ■ an active member in the church. ■ one who attends Mass regularly. ■ a regular recipient of the sacraments. ■ one who prays often. ■ a loving and caring person. ■ someone who gives good example. ■ someone growing in the virtues. ■ a spiritual partner with the parents.

divine life which God gives them is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in their hearts” (Rite of Baptism for Children). It is the duty of Christian godparents to assist the parents with this all-important task. The godparent is “able and ready to help the newly baptized . . . on the road of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1255). Godparents cannot give or support what they do not have. Without the gift of faith themselves, they cannot support

The Catholic Spirit Average Interest or Better in Reading Stories on . . . Church’s View on Issues/Events Articles to Understand Church Teachings Heart Warming Stories READEX RESEARCH Stillwater, MN Sept.-Nov. 2011

81% 62% 90%

A godparent should, as a help to the parents, be willing to assist to: ■ teach prayers to their godchild. ■ pray with their godchild. ■ pray for their godchild. ■ take their godchild to church. ■ do good works with their godchild. ■ read and explain Bible stories to their godchild. ■ help prepare their godchild for other sacraments. ■ be present for the celebration of future sacraments. ■ possibly serve as a Confirmation sponsor. ■ assist where the parents need help. ■ nurture their godchild’s faith.

the faith in someone else. Therefore, at least one godparent must be a fully initiated baptized Catholic. “Fully initiated” means someone who is baptized, has received their first holy Communion and is confirmed. This is the “letter of the law” and the minimum. The catechism states that the godfather and godmother must be “firm believers” (No. 1255). The true intent is that the godparent be an active, practicing Catholic, someone who treasures the Catholic faith, provides good example and would joyfully and eagerly be a partner with the parents in raising the child in the faith. The godparent’s faith need not be perfect or mature, but it must be valued and active.

Other criteria The church gives a number of other specific criteria for the selection of godparents. “There is to be only one male or one female sponsor or one of each” (Canon 873). In addition, the godparent or sponsor is to be chosen by the person to be baptized if the candidate is an adult, or chosen by the parents if the one to be baptized is an infant or child. The godparent must have completed the 16th year of age, unless an exception is granted for just cause. Examples of “just cause” would be a person who will be turning 16 in a matter of days or weeks, or a young person who is known to demonstrate an extraordinary piety or level of maturity (Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Clergy Newsletter, Vol. 33, No. 7). The godparent should also be someone who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on; not be bound by any canonical penalties; and not be the father or mother of the child (see Canon 874). Finally, “a baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism” (Canon 874.5.2). A non-Catholic may serve as a witness to the baptism, but is not officially the godparent, a role that is reserved to Catholics alone. Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

"My Catholic education has been so important in reaching my goals. It gave me my foundation for my faith.” Laura Kaeppeler, a native of Kenosha Wis., who won the Miss America title Jan. 14

Catholic Schools Week 16

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New Eagle Scouts from St. Odilia to be honored By Susan Klemond For the Catholic Spirit

Recognizing one Boy Scout at a time for earning his Eagle Scout is more typical than what is about to happen at St. Odilia in Shoreview, where eight youth in Troop 626 who recently achieved the program’s highest rank will be recognized at the same time. And just one of their Eagle Scout projects could keep a parish social justice team busy for a year. But this isn’t a typical year or a typical troop. The high school seniors, all graduates of St. Odilia grade school, will be recognized Feb. 3 for earning the Eagle Scout rank after years of service, leadership and good citizenship, culminating this past year with each planning and directing a unique project to benefit local and even international communities. “They’re very wise, well thought-out projects that have real impact on people’s lives,” said Scout leader and parent Paul Johnson, who was a den leader when all the young men started in Cub Scouts 12 years ago as St. Odilia first-graders. In addition to the eight who will be recognized Feb. 3, two of the original 13 who started together in Boy Scouts also have earned their Eagle Scout rank, he said. Nationally, only 5 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the rank.

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Maple Grove Catholic school gets new name By Julie Pfitzinger The Catholic Spirit

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Clockwise from left, Eagle Scouts Alex Evenson, Jack Peirson, Daniel Johnson, Michael Frisbie, Ryan Haugland, Nicholas Byron, Richie Podvin and Thomas Garside gather at St. Odilia in Shoreview, the home of their troop.

tables for the Gospel Hill Camp in Shoreview, which serves inner-city youth. Thomas Garside gained a “greater appreciation of the outdoors” when he organized construction of a concrete and brick stairway for the elderly at Presbyterian Homes in Shoreview. Projects teach lessons Ryan Haugland said he “relived old From collecting bicycles for homeless memories” when he collected more than youth to repair and sell, to organizing a 800 bingo prizes for teens at St. Paul Chilband concert and party for nursing home dren’s Hospital because he had been a residents, to collecting and delivering re- cancer patient at the hospital when he furbished sporting goods to a Costa Rican was younger. school, the Scouts’ projects reveal their Students from Cretin-Derham Hall in ingenuity and emerging leadership and St. Paul also had stories to tell: organizational skills, Johnson said. After traveling to Lima, Peru, to see a After earning volunteer group merit badges in a that provides plastic range of disciplines, surgery and denthe Scouts, who tistry to children, The whole goal of have collectively Ritchie Podvin said camped the equivthe Scout program he gained a alent of one and “worldly perspecis to give boys the one-half years, detive” as he collected veloped their projtoys, clothing, cash tools that they need ects, presented a donations and plan to a review other items for the so they can board and then organization. submitted the reAlex Evenson, become sults — a lengthy said he “learned and challenging about organization” responsible young process, said Johnwhen he collected son, a St. Odilia computers for more men. parishioner. Scouts than 60 people for must finish their a St. Paul non-profit project by their PAUL JOHNSON that rebuilds and Scout leader 18th birthday, he distributes used added. computer equipThree students at ment. Totino Grace in Fridley talked about their Nick Byron saw the importance of “usprojects and what they learned: ing time wisely” as he collected bicycles Michael Frisbie said he learned “the im- for a non-profit organization that teaches portance of time management” when he homeless youth bike repair and business raised funds to buy lumber to build picnic skills.

“

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Daniel Johnson “gained confidence” as he organized a birthday party at the Little Sisters of the Poor’s Holy Family Residence in St. Paul, complete with a concert by members of CDH’s wind ensemble and gift baskets for residents. John Peirson collected used sporting equipment and personally delivered the refurbished equipment to a Costa Rican school where he said he “made new friends.”

Skills for the future The Eagle Scout project builds on abilities the Scouts have been developing, especially leadership and organizational skills, as the boys learn to organize and direct volunteers, Johnson said. “The boys are very accustomed to leadership skills, but it’s been the process of Eagle Scout that the boys are called upon to take these leadership skills that they’re working on and apply them to service,” he said. The Scouts will be honored during Catholic Schools Week at an Eagle Court at St. Odilia, where they will receive their emblem and have a chance to speak about their years in Scouts. The ceremony provides an opportunity for younger troop members to see the Eagle Scouts’ work and, hopefully, be motivated to work toward the rank as well, he said. Troop 626 is one of the Twin Cities’ largest with 85 Cub Scouts and 68 Boy Scouts, he said. As the new Eagle Scouts finish high school and prepare for college, they take skills that will benefit them in the next stages of their lives, Johnson said. “The whole goal of the Scout program is to give boys the tools that they need so they can become responsible young men,” he said. “That’s exactly the point.”

Cedarcrest Academy in Maple Grove is celebrating Catholic Schools Week in a special way — with a new name: Ave Maria Academy. During an all-school Mass on Feb. 2 to honor the solemnity of the Presentation, Father Peter Laird, vicar general for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, was to announce the school’s new name to students, faculty, staff and school families. Ave Maria Academy was the name chosen in a process that began last October and involved all members of the Cedarcrest Academy community. When the pre-K-8 school was launched 15 years ago, the Cedarcrest name was selected for the market-based Catholic school, meaning it has no affiliation with a parish or religious order. Last May, the school received its formal designation as a Catholic school in the archdiocese, which prompted discussion about a name change. “We have a strong Catholic identity as well as a long-standing Marian tradition at our school,” said principal Jason Slattery. “Since our school began, our students gather together every morning to say the rosary. So, when we originally asked our community for nominations, the only stipulation we had was that the suggestions needed to be Marian titles.”

Entire community involved Mary Larson, music specialist for the school, said all students, faculty and staff members, along with school parents, were allowed to suggest one nomination. More than 80 percent of school families participated; 100 percent of faculty and staff members offered suggestions. “By December, there were seven top names based on frequency of nomination,” Larson said. “Mr. Slattery spent a great deal of time talking to the students about the meaning behind all seven of the names. He advised them very evenly and fairly.” On Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, it was time for the school’s 165 students (from the 3-yearold preschoolers to eighth-graders) to cast a vote, using ballots that Larson created. They were instructed to make only one choice and from there, the top three — Ave Maria, Queen of Angels and Mater Dei — were selected. Ave Maria made “a strong showing” and led by close to 60 votes, Slattery said. It was also the name most PLEASE TURN TO SCHOOL’S ON PAGE 17

Catholic Schools Week

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Social justice comes alive at Visitation School By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit

The Catholic call to social justice presents a thrilling adventure, and when presented the right way, teenagers embrace it wholeheartedly. That’s the idea behind a unique teaching method pioneered by the head of the religion department at the Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights. She says the model helps students connect to their MENZHUBER Catholic faith, provides an important tool for critical thinking and reveals teenagers’ remarkable capacity for compassion. Tricia Menzhuber, 33, a mother of two and a member of Holy Trinity in South St. Paul, has been teaching at Visitation for nine years. She considers her original approach to teaching the church’s social teachings a “hybrid,” influenced by her varied experiences and education, including Notre Dame, the University of St. Thomas, the University of Minnesota, St. John Vianney School in South St. Paul and a number of archdiocesan groups. To begin, Menzhuber’s bridged the longstanding dichotomy between works of service — like visiting a nursing home — and works of justice — like trying to affect change — combining them into what she calls Christian action. Then she modified the pastoral model traditionally taught to church employees — see, judge,

act — that is, recognize injustice, determine how to fix it and then go about the business of making it right. Menzhuber broke the process into more steps, expressed in fresher language: awareness, reflection, analysis, action and evaluation. The aim is similar to the old pastoral model, she said, but this method can lead to a more thoughtful process, from beginning to end. She also structured her class differently, asking students to complete their service projects earlier in the semester so they can discuss and process them together. This marked a change she was itching to implement, having taught countless confirmation classes where service hours were due at the end of the program.

Change in attitudes Using this approach has brought about a shift in attitudes about service, Menzhuber said: from an obligation to a privilege. “We do service because that’s who we are, it’s what we pledge to do in this world. The students get that,” she said. One of those students is senior Elizabeth Weir, a member of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul “I’ve been stretching myself to get more involved,” Weir said. “These experiences have allowed me to connect to my faith and to connect with God through service.” Weir recently had a meaningful encounter with a 99-year-old woman at the Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in St. Paul, where the 17-year-old volunteers. “She is thinking about converting to Catholicism and I sat with her for about half an hour and talked with her about why I am Catholic and why I

decided to be confirmed, and my experience with prayer,” Weir said. Social justice is integrated into every religion class at Visitation, Menzhuber said. The sophomores currently enrolled in New Testament, for instance, are performing four hours of works of mercy as they reflect on chapter 25 of Matthew. Last October, the diocese of Lansing, Mich., asked Menzhuber to share her teaching method at a conference for Catholic school teachers and directors of religious education. Her presentation was well received, eliciting emails the next day from teachers who had already begun using her technique.

Getting to the core “Trish has a well-earned reputation for understanding and articulating the church’s teachings on social justice,” said Renee Genereux, director of Visitation’s Upper School. “Everyone on the faculty and in the student body has a great appreciation for her generosity and expertise.” Menzhuber supervises one of Visitation’s four active social justice clubs. It is raising funds to increase access to clean water in Cameroon this year. Boosting awareness about homelessness was one of its previous missions. Sister Mary Paula McCarthy, one of the Visitation nuns in Mendota Heights, commends Menzhuber’s work. “Both the church and our Visitation founders proclaim social justice as one of our essential teachings,” she said. “Trish is aware of these mandates and encourages response to them effectively with her students.”

972 Payne Avenue St. Paul, MN 55130

School’s name change honors Mary CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 frequently nominated by families and students in the school. The board of directors then made the final decision, after consultation with marketing advisers and members of the archdiocese, including Marty Frauenheim, superintendent of Catholic schools.

More changes coming “The archdiocese, and Archbishop [John] Nienstedt, have given us a lot of support throughout this process,” Slattery said. “We have really appreciated their leadership and know how much they care about our students.” The middle school choir, under the direction of Larson, prepared several musical selections for the Feb. 2 Mass, perhaps most notably a Gregorian chant version of “Ave Maria” for the Communion meditation. Along with the name change and a recent re-working of the mission statement, Slattery said the school will also be rolling out a new logo and other marketing materials by the end of this academic year. In May, Archbishop Nienstedt is scheduled to celebrate Mass at Ave Maria Academy. Other changes are also in the works — during the school’s annual gala on Feb. 4, plans for a new campus building will be unveiled. Currently, the school uses two leased spaces. “We have reached a point where we need our own space and the geographic area around us is growing,” said Slattery, who added there is no projected date for the new building project yet. “It is a very hopeful time for us.” (651) 776-2723 (800) 728-8082

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Catholic Schools Week

Royal visit

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Klondike Kate of the St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family greets kindergartners at Holy Trinity Catholic School in South St. Paul. The entire Royal Family was there, and a group of teachers and staff were knighted by King Boreas during the visit. Students at the school know Klondike Kate as Peggy Sweeney Junkin, the school’s administrative assistant.

Week that has college pennants hanging, so students can see different possibilities for the future.

Risen Christ, Minneapolis ‘Get Ready’ program gives students a taste of college

Maternity of Mary, St. Paul

Risen Christ School has partnered with the University of St. Thomas and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to create a new program called, “Get Ready,” which will start teaching fifth-grade students about college. “We’re really excited,” said Helen Dahlman, Risen Christ School president. “We see it as a vital piece to help our kids put their future in their own hands.” The Minneapolis school serves mostly immigrant and low-income students with a goal to prepare them for success in life. Dahlman said some of the families do not have a college background and that talking about post-secondary options can be difficult to navigate. St. Thomas students will help teach the sessions. Students will get exposure to different options and also ask themselves questions such as, “What are my interests? What are my skills? What kind of education do I need to get there?” to start thinking about possibilities, Dahlman added. The 12-week program is adapted from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education’s curriculum and will end with a capstone day at St. Thomas in St. Paul. Students will go through a class enrollment and registration process, attend a lecture, eat in the cafeteria and participate in a graduation ceremony. “Get Ready” will expand to the sixthgrade next year and will allow a smoother transition to the school’s existing career awareness program called “Imagine the Possibility,” which is directed to seventhand eighth-graders. “It’s amazing to see the children think of themselves as successful professionals and business leaders,” Dahlman said. “Once they start thinking and dreaming about their futures … that’s going to help them figure out where they can be confident and successful.” Additionally, Risen Christ is unveiling a “college corridor” during Catholic School’s

briefly

Every child is a promise E tomorrow. fo tomor for rrow. r Catholic C Sc Schools hools Aim A Higher Do more child? D o you want mo re for your chil ld? By choosing a Catholic C education, w be surrounded atholic educatio nn, your child will every ev very day by peo people ple who share your y virtues and high aspirations. as spirations. Cath Catholic olic teaching tel tells lls us that each child is a gift from God God.. With that as our foundation, Catholic C atholic schools in the Archdioc Archdiocese cese develop the w whole child by fostering academ academic ic achievement, personal pe ersonal respons responsibility ibility and comm commitment mitment to service. Learn Le earn more at AimHigherMN.org AimHigherMN.orrg

Sisters of Life speak at pro-life dinner

Three members of the Sisters of Life religious community spent time with Maternity of Mary/St. Andrew School students and spoke at a prolife dinner Jan. 28, at Maternity of Mary in St. Paul. Cardinal John O’Connor founded the religious community in New York in 1991. All sisters take a vow to “protect and enhance the sacredness of human life” in addition to the traditional vows of chastity, obedience and poverty according to their website at HTTP://SISTERSOFLIFE.ORG.

Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul School prepares for its annual Justice Week As a part of its annual Justice Week Feb. 13 to Feb. 17, Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul will host a series of events open to the community. Each year, the school chooses a topic related to Catholic social teaching and brings in speakers to educate about the issue. This year’s topic is “Rights of the Child.” On Wednesday, Feb. 15, student leaders from area Catholic high schools will come together to discuss charity and justice work at their respective schools and how to promote and support each other in these movements. A staff member from the Catholic Charities Office of Social Justice will speak with students to share about the archdiocese’s social justice work. That evening, the 10th annual Empty Bowls supper will be held. The meal of soup and bread raises money and awareness about hunger and starvation in the world. In the past nine years, the dinner has raised more than $65,000 for people and communities who are hungry. — Theresa Malloy

Catholic Schools Week

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Schools benefiting from new initiatives CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 (see roster, right) have been appointed to three-year terms. Schools are already benefiting from new initiatives on behalf of Catholic education in the archdiocese, McMahon said. An ACSAC marketing committee will be building on the efforts of the archdiocese’s recently launched Aim Higher marketing campaign promoting the benefits of Catholic schools, he said. Last month, six “champions camp” workshops were held around the archdiocese for Catholic school administrators, faculty members and parent volunteers to energize them as brand ambassadors for Catholic schools and equip them to better tell the Catholic school story. A total of 330 people attended the camps, representing 87 of the 95 Catholic schools in the archdiocese. Participating schools received Aim Higher marketing toolkits with brochures and other promotional items. The campaign’s online component (WWW.AIMHIGHERMN.ORG) features downloadable brochures, a video and Facebook page. In addition, a conference for school leadership on governance — the focus of another ACSAC committee — is set for Feb. 11 at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis. Karen Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association, will keynote the event, which will include seminars addressing key issues such as how schools can work effectively with pastors and what the roles of finance committees and school advisory boards should be. When the archdiocesan strategic planning process began three years ago, McMahon said, “We had 43 different variations on governance models.” The goal, he added, “is by the end of the next school year [2012-2013] to be down to two or three governance models, depending on whether you’re a parish school or a [consolidated] school. . . . Our aim by the end of this school year is that the schools have their transition plans laid out for how they’re going to evolve to a standard governance model.” McMahon said he expects a good

“There is a common theme in all of this. It’s that by working together collectively, we’re all going to be stronger — whether it’s in finance, marketing, governance or academic advancement.

”

JOHN MCMAHON Chair, Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Advisory Council

turnout for the Feb. 11 event, which he views as having a similar purpose to the “champions camps.” “It’s training for the people who are committing their time to the schools and the parishes so they can be more successful and to build a community of sharing among the schools,” he said. In addition to the ACSAC marketing and governance focus groups, the council features two other committees: ■ Funding models, or finance: This ACSAC committee will make recommendations and help guide the Aim Higher Foundation (see story, below) as it works to distribute need-based scholarships to Catholic school students across the archdiocese, McMahon said. The committee also will help schools achieve consistency in budgeting and reporting with the goal of having useful management information for the schools. The committee will also try to identify additional revenue sources and cost savings through shared services. ■ Academic excellence: This committee is focused on developing consistent learning standards and assessment tools for schools in the archdiocese, McMahon said. Later this month, principals will hear from experts at St. Catherine University on those topics. In addition, this committee will make recommendations to further teacher, administrator and pastor development. “There is a common theme in all of this,” McMahon said. “It’s that by working together collectively, we’re all going to be stronger — whether it’s in finance, marketing, governance or academic advance-

ment.”

Flowing from recommendations The creation of ACSAC as “a visible and supportive leader for the Catholic schools of our archdiocese” was among the recommendations in the area of governance made last year by the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Commission and accepted by Archbishop Nienstedt. The commission had been established in January 2011 to build on the work of the Archdiocesan Strategic Planning Task Force and the Alliance for Catholic Education consultants from the University of Notre Dame. As it formed its recommendations, the commission sought input from people across the archdiocese through focus groups, meetings and Internet surveys in which more than 3,000 school and parish leaders, teachers, parents and others participated. McMahon acknowledged challenges ahead for Catholic education in the archdiocese, but he said he is very hopeful about the future. “What’s driving the hope is the passion of not only the principals and the teachers, but of the people who really support the schools — the families,” McMahon said. “I look at all this positive feedback we’re getting and energy we are getting from the community,” he added, “and I think, ‘Yes, we have our issues. But what we really have is a huge opportunity.’ And using the assets of all of our people to achieve that, that’s what really gets me excited about it.”

New foundation is raising funds for tuition aid Goal is to start accepting applications for scholarships beginning with the 2013-2014 school year The Catholic Spirit Giving more students the opportunity to obtain a Catholic education by providing need-based scholarships is the goal of a new foundation being formed in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The independent Aim Higher Foundation — which takes its name from the recently announced Aim Higher archdiocesan marketing campaign for Catholic schools — is seeking contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations that value Catholic education for what it gives students and how it benefits the broader community. “The goal is to allow more children the life-changing experience of Catholic schools — kids from across the archdio-

“The goal is to allow more children the lifechanging experience of Catholic schools — kids from across the archdiocese who wouldn’t be able to attend otherwise.

”

KAREN RAUENHORST Chair, Aim Higher Foundation

cese who wouldn’t be able to attend otherwise,” said foundation chair Karen Rauenhorst, a community volunteer, trustee of the archdiocese and member of Holy Name of Jesus in Medina. “Our students in Catholic schools are a community asset, and so we’re going to be looking to the community to help fund some of these scholarships,” she said. “As adults, they will be holding jobs in the community. They will have strong ethical

formation, know what’s right and wrong, and have a basis for making good decisions. That benefits everyone.”

Finishing the groundwork The foundation is in the process of finalizing its bylaws and board membership, Rauenhorst said. Next on the agenda will be determining eligibility requirePLEASE TURN TO FOUNDATION ON PAGE 22

Members of Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Advisory Council (ACSAC) Amy Goldman — Executive director, GHR Foundation; currently serves on the boards of the University of St. Thomas, St. Thomas Academy, Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research and the Better Way Foundation. Father Daniel Griffith — University of St. Thomas School of Law faculty member; former pastor of St. Edward in Bloomington and St. Peter in North St. Paul. Sister Andrea J. Lee, IHM — Serves as president of St. Catherine University, teaming with Brian J. Bruess, Ph.D., who serves as the vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at St. Catherine University; father of two children attending Catholic schools in the archdiocese. Sheila Letscher — Retired attorney; mother of four; community volunteer; former Catholic elementary school board member and chair; previously held senior position at UnitedHealth Group. John McMahon — Chair of ACSAC; partner with Ernst & Young; serves on national board of the Jeremiah Program. Shannon Nelson — Community volunteer; former Catholic school teacher; mother of three; current member of advancement and marketing committees at Holy Spirit School; previously served on board of Visitation School. Greg Pulles — Of Counsel in the finance and restructuring practice group at Dorsey and Whitney; serves on the board of the Minnesota Orchestra; previously served on the boards of Friends of Ascension and the Catholic Community Foundation. Karen Rauenhorst — Trustee, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; community volunteer; served on boards of Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Community Foundation, Catholic Charities, St. Catherine University and others. Tim Scallen — Partner at Oppenheimer Wolff and Donnelly; graduate of Annunciation elementary school in Minneapolis; father of four children who attended Catholic school. Barbara Shaw — Executive Vice President, Corporate Human Resources of TCF Bank Ex Officio: The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt — Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Father Peter A. Laird — Vicar general, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; previously co-chaired Archdiocesan Strategic Planning Task Force; former vice rector St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. Staff to ACSAC: Marty Frauenheim — Superintendent of schools, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. John Bierbaum — Chief financial officer, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

“In a drama of the highest order there is little food for censure or hatred; it teaches rather selfknowledge and self-respect.” Percy Shelley

Arts & Culture 20

Exploring our church and our world

The Catholic Spirit

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Play offers opportunity for interfaith discussions Open Window Theatre’s ‘Edith Stein’ set for Feb. 9-26 By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

The producer of a play about the 20th-century Jewish convert and Catholic saint Edith Stein is hoping her life of holiness and courage will inspire not only Catholics but also encourage dialogue between attendees of different faiths and backgrounds when it opens in Minneapolis next week. “It’s a great play and it really does promote interreligious dialogue,” said Jeremy Stanbary, co-founder of the Open Window Theatre. “It promotes sort of a mutual respect among religions, which is something that the Catholic Church is very much about in terms of its own efforts for ecumenism [and] interreligious dialogue.” The play, “Edith Stein,” opens with a scene in the 1980s at a controversial Carmelite convent located near the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, and tells the story of the German saint — a prominent Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and became a Carmelite sister before her martyrdom at Auschwitz in 1942.

‘Powerful spirituality’ The theater, a new 100-seat venue that presents a variety of productions with Catholic and Christian values, is promoting the play to Twin Cities Christian, Jewish and secular communities, said Stanbary, a parishioner at Holy Spirit in St. Paul who co-founded the theater with his wife, Sarah, last year. A goal of the theater, located near the Basilica of St. Mary, is to reach out not only to Catholics but the broader Twin Cities culture, he said.

‘Edith Stein’ ■ When: Feb. 9, 11, 12, 16-19, 23-26 ■ Where: Open Window Theatre, Metropolis Minneapolis Building, 1313 Chestnut Ave., Ste. #102, Minneapolis ■ Cost: (advance rate) $18/adult; $15/student/senior; $12/children 6 and under with seat ■ Times: 7:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday; 2 p.m. Sundays and Saturday, Feb. 11 ■ For more information: HTTP://WWW. OPENWINDOWTHEATRE.ORG, or call (651) 336-3302

A deeply spiritual though not entirely biographical story, the play — by Arthur Giron and directed by Joshua Campbell — spotlights an intriguing historical figure who devoted herself in prayer to the Jewish people while embracing the Catholic faith and displaying great courage, Stanbary said. “It is very faithful to the heart of Edith Stein,” he said. “It’s very faithful in its representation of Catholicism. It has really powerful spirituality . . . as it represents Edith Stein’s life and what led to her martyrdom. It’s incredibly faithful to Carmelite spirituality, Edith Stein’s spirituality and her holiness.” The play may be good material for Lenten reflection, Stanbary said. “I certainly hope it has an effect on people that can help them in their Lenten journey as well,” he said. “I think it certainly has that potential.” While St. Edith Stein’s life itself has been controversial,

especially in the Jewish community because of her conversion and the reality of the Holocaust, the play also involves some controversy, Stanbary said. When the actual convent the play is based on opened in the 1980s, Jewish leaders objected to its proximity to Auschwitz. As a result, Blessed Pope John Paul II ordered the nuns to close it. In the play, controversy fictitiously centers on the naming of the convent after St. Edith Stein, he said. Fictional characters such as the Nazi official Stanbary portrays representing the evil of Nazism, are introduced along with historical ones to help drive the plot, he said. “The play definitely intermixes historical characters from her life with some fictional characters in order to portray the spiritual battle, the spiritual trials that she underwent in her life.” Edith Stein is a more serious play than those Open Window Theatre has produced so far during its inaugural season, but it’s disarming and not too heady, Stanbary said. “The characters are very rich in the play and there’s some wonderful humor for being a [serious] play.”

Post-performance discussions The play is best suited for teens and adults, he said, because of the subject matter. While it doesn’t shy away from the darkness of Nazism, the theater remains faithful to its standards for acceptable material, Stanbary said. Anticipating that audience members may want to talk about the play, the theater will lead question-and-answer discussions after some performances. Performances will be most Thursdays through Sundays from February 9-26. Tickets are available through WWW.OPENWINDOWTHEATRE.ORG or by calling 1-800-8383006. On Thursday nights “Pay as You’re Able” tickets that would otherwise have been unsold are available at the door.

‘Mass of Plenty’ shows composer’s love for American spirituals “Mass of Plenty” by Rob Glover, GIA Publications, Inc. ob Glover is the long-time director of music ministries at St. Therese in Deephaven, and a well-known composer of liturgical music. In 2003, with the assistance of members of that parish, Rob recorded a collection of his liturgical music entitled “Music in the Air,” featuring his “Mass of Plenty” (CD-537 available from GIA PublicaFather tions, Inc., at WWW.GIA Jan Michael MUSIC.COM.) Joncas In the light of the new translation of the Order of Mass found in the Roman Missal 2011, Rob has reworked his “Mass of Plenty,” (G-7859CD, also available from GIA Publications, Inc.) which is the focus of this review. Some of the challenges facing liturgical music composers after the Second Vatican Council were to craft settings for the Order of Mass that were faithful to the liturgical texts and meanings, that fit the ritual action, that expressed and deepened the spirituality of the community employing the settings, and that could be sung and played by the members of the community. Rob Glover’s “Mass of Plenty” is a fine

Music Review

example of such liturgical music inculturation. The composer clearly loves American spirituals and uses themes and characteristic rhythmic patterns from them to craft this setting of the Order of Mass. In so doing, the “Mass of Plenty” stands alongside the works of Clarence Joseph Rivers and Grayson Warren Brown. There is an infectious joy that marks the “Mass of Plenty” that would make it especially appropriate for Ordinary Time.

Building the spirit Demonstrating the composer’s long years as a parish music director, both the “Penitential Act” and the “Kyrie eleison” share the same melody for the congregation, sung note-for-note as a rote response to the cantor’s intonation. Interestingly, the cantor similarly intones the “Amen” for the congregation in response to the priest’s quasi-absolution prayer. The “Glory to God” begins and ends with a wonderful choral flourish of stacked voices on the word “Gloria.” The rest of the text of the “Glory to God” then unfolds in English in a very singable and attractive way, with no refrain inserted. It is clear that the composer intends the congregation to sing the entire piece (except for the opening and closing flourishes), although it could be performed just by

the choir. The refrain of both the Gospel Acclamation during the year and the Lenten Gospel Acclamation quote the spiritual “Plenty Good Room.” Syncopated staccato “Alleluias” sung by the choir underneath the cantor who sings the Gospel Verse are especially inventive and keep building the spirit of attentiveness to the Word of God. I GLOVER do wonder, however, if the use of the same melody for “Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ” in the Lenten Gospel Acclamation respects the penitential and conversionary character of the season. The refrain of the General Intercession “O Lord, hear our prayer” is also taken from “Plenty Good Room,” while the cantor’s intercessions are chanted over a wordless harmonized drone by the choir. The Eucharistic Prayer is adorned by a musical setting of the Preface Dialogue, the Holy, Holy, Holy (strongest piece in the entire collection, also based on “Plenty Good Room” with absolutely triumphant Hosannas repeated many times at the con-

clusion), the three Memorial Acclamations (“When We Eat This Bread” seeming the best crafted of the three), and a Doxology/Amen (a somewhat challenging chant for the priest followed by the triumphantly repeated “Amens” based on the melody of the Hosannas in the Holy, Holy, Holy). The concluding composition mixes Latin and English with the cantor intoning “Agnus Dei” and the congregation responding with the “Lamb of God” text and “Miserere nobis” or “Dona nobis pacem.” The music for this litany departs from the styles heard earlier in the “Mass of Plenty” but still makes an effective ritual accompaniment to the Fraction Rite. I’d like to salute Rob Glover, not only for his years of dedicated work at St. Therese and his skills as a church composer, but for his dedication to handing on the heritage to later generations. In addition to handbell and brass players from the parish, elementary and high school students from St. Therese are featured in both recordings. Rob’s own children serve as cantors on the later recording. Father Jan Michael Joncas is a wellknown liturgical composer and a professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

Calendar Calendar Submissions DEADLINE: 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. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your press release. 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. (No attachments, please.)

FAX: (651) 291-4460. MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Dining out Fish fry at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Friday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. Chicken and rib dinner at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Wednesday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. Pancake breakfast at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — February 5: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 1900 Stanford Ave. Cost is $6 per person, $25 per family. Proceeds support Nativity Scouting. Serra Club chow mein dinner at St. Michael, St. Michael — February 11: 6 to 8 p.m. at 11300 Frankfort Parkway N.E. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children 5 to 12. Funds raised go to support and promote vocations. Men’s Club Beef and Sausage dinner at Guardian Angels, Chaska — February 12: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 217 Second St. W. Cost is $11 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Take-out available.

Parish events Concert of Joy at St. Rita, Cottage Grove — February 3: 7 p.m. at 8694 80th St. S. The concert features choirs and musical groups. Free will offering proceeds go to the local food shelf. Cana Dinner at St. Joseph, Delano — February 4: 6 p.m. at 401 N. River St. Father Thomas Dufner will speak. To make a reservation, visit WWW.DELANO CATHOLIC.COM. Meeting of the Grandparents Apostolate of Sts. Joachim and Anne at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — February 8: 9 a.m. at 324 Prior Ave. S. Kathy Laird, former director of the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life, will speak. Cabaret Dinner Theatre at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — February 10 and 11: 6 p.m. at 4030 Jackson St N.E. Enjoy an Italian buffet dinner followed by a music and variety show, "The Sock Hop Years: 19541964", performed by the parish music ministry. For tickets or information, call (763) 788-9062 or visit WWW.ICCSONLINE.ORG. Big-Band event, with swing music of the '30s and '40s at St. Thomas the Apostle, Minneapolis — February 11: 6:30 to10:30 p.m. at 2914 W. 44th St. Event features Phil Holmes' Southside Big Band, swing-dance lesson, complimentary cocktail of the Tommy Dorsey and Glen Miller era, hors d'oeuvres, desert and cash bar. Cost is $40 per person in advance (through February 4)or $50 at the door. Register at WWW.STA-MPLS.ORG. For information, call (612) 922-9008. An International Taste of St. Peter at St. Peter, North St. Paul — February 11: 5 to 10 p.m. at 2620 N. Margaret St. Features foods from around the world, a wine and beer tasting and more. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For information, visit WWW.STPETERSNSP.ORG/INTERNATIONAL-TASTEOF-ST-PETER. Festival at St. Pius X, White Bear Lake — February 11 and 12: 6 to 9 p.m Sat-

School events

Don’t miss Lenten Women’s retreat Feb. 25 “Finding Christ in the Desert,” is the topic of the annual Women’s Retreat sponsored by the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life. The retreat, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 25 at Holy Spirit in St. Paul, will be led by Father Michael Keating, associate professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas. Lenten reflections, adoration, reconciliation, the Stations of the Cross and Mass will all be part of the retreat. The cost to attend is $10 per person and includes a continental breakfast. For information, visit www.archSPM.org. urday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at 3878 Highland Ave. Saturday features a live auction, music food and games. Continues Sunday with a chicken dinner, country store, games and more. Cana Dinner at Epiphany, Coon Rapids — February 12: Program at 4 p.m. with dinner to follow. Joe and Jane Cavenaugh will present, “Loving Your Spouse, Warts and All.” Event also features a renewal of vows, candlelight dinner, wine tasting and more. Cost is $40 per couple. Call (763) 421-1273. Open house at Our Lady of Lourdes, Minneapolis — February 12: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1 Lourdes Place. Features French meat pies for sale and complimentary beverages. Masses at 9 and 11 a.m. Catholic Culture Day at St. John Byzantine Catholic Church, Minneapolis — February 16: 10 to 11:30 a.m. at 2215 Third St. N.E. Guided tour and a talk by pastor Ihar Labacevich. Presented by the Minneapolis Deaneries Council of Catholic Women. For information, call (612) 521-1182. ‘Magical Musical Tour’ performance at St. Odilia, Shoreview — February 16 to 19: 7 p.m. Friday, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at 3495 Victoria St. N. Features music and theater from past parish performances. St. Richard’s Mardi Gras Mask-A-RAVE Celebration at the Hilton Chophouse Restaurant, Bloomington — February 18: Begins at 6 p.m. with social followed by a program, dinner and music and dancing starting at 9 p.m. Features food, lived music, games and more. Cost is $65 per person. RSVP by Feb. 6 to (612) 869-2426. For information, visit WWW.STRICHARDS.COM. KC bingo at Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — February 19: 2 p.m. at 12304 Church Ave. Cost is $7 for one card, $12 for two and $15 for three. Children are welcome to play. Snacks and beverages will be available. Mardi Gras at St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony — February 19: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2727 Stinson Blvd. N.E. Features food, games, auctions and more. Breakfast served until 9:30 a.m. and spaghetti dinner from noon to 4 p.m. WWW.STCHB.ORG.

Prayer/ liturgies Sant’Egidio Community Evening Prayer at St. Richard, Richfield —

every Thursday: 7 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S. Legion of Mary prayers in front of Planned Parenthood, St. Paul — Every Friday: 3 p.m. at 1965 Ford Parkway. For information, call (651) 439-9098. Rosary of the unborn at Pregnancy Choices LifeCare Center, Apple Valley — Every Thursday: 7:15 p.m. at 15026 Glazier Ave. For information, visit WWW.ROSARYOFTHEUNBORN.COM. All night vigil with the Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — February 3 and 4: 7 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday at 401 Concord St. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at St. Columba, St. Paul — February 5: 2 p.m. at 1327 Lafond Ave. World Apostolate of Fatima Vigil of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Jerome, St. Paul — February 3 and 4: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at 380 Roselawn Ave. For information, call (651) 772-2221 or WWW.FATIMAONLINE.ORG. World Day of the Sick Mass and blessing at the Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul — February 11: 10 a.m. at 239 Selby Ave. Bishop Lee Piché will preside. A reception will follow. Blue Mass at St. Michael, St. Michael — February 12: 8:30 a.m. at 11300 Frankfort Parkway N.E. Mass to honor emergency service personnel and their families. Sponsored by the St. Michael/Albertville Knights of Columbus. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at St. Bernard, St. Paul — February 12: 2 p.m. at 187 W. geranium St.

Prayer/ Singles Sunday Spirits walking group for 50plus Catholic singles — ongoing Sundays: For Catholic singles to meet and make friends. The group usually meets in St. Paul on Sunday afternoons. For information, call Judy at (763) 221-3040 or Al at (651) 482-0406. Singles group at St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn Park — ongoing second Saturday each month: 6 :15 p.m. at 9100 93rd Ave. N. Gather for a potluck supper, conversation and games. For information, call (763) 425-0412. 50-plus Second Sunday Supper event at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — February 12: 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. program at 4537 Third Ave. S. Celebrate Lincoln’s birthday with songs and stories of the Civil War. Cost is $10. Call (952) 884-5165.

Kinder story hour at St. Thomas More, St. Paul — February 10: 1 p.m. at 1065 Summit Ave. For students entering kindergarten. For information, visit WWW.MORECOMMUNITY.ORG. ‘Almost Maine’ presented at CretinDerham Hall School, St. Paul — February 10 to 12 and 19 to 19: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. The play, written by John Cariani, is composed of nine short plays that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical place called Almost, Maine. Tickets are $6 student/seniors and $8 for adults. 10th annual Empty Bowls Benefit at Cretin-Derham Hall School, St. Paul — February 15: Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. at 550 S. Albert St. Guests are invited to purchase a handmade ceramic bowl and then enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread, donated by local restaurants. Proceeds go to the Heifer Project. Free will donations of $5 to $10 per handmade ceramic bowl and meal are requested.

Other events ‘Bumping into God Outside of Church’ presented at the Chaska Community Center Theater, Chaska — February 2: Begins with a social at 6 p.m. followed by speaker Father Tim Powers at 1661 Park Ridge Drive. The event, sponsored by The Active Older Adults for Christ, is free. Donations will be collected for the local foodshelf. KC free Christian movie night at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — February 3: Screening of the movie, “Fireproof” at 7:30 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Free admission, concessions for sale. For information, visit HTTP://GOO.GL/5BAME. Archdiocesan newly married retreat at St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony — February 11: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 2739 Stinson Blvd. For couples married 0 to 7 years. Featured speaker is Relevant Radio’s “Father Rocky.” Also features a renewal of vows, breakout sessions, breakfast and lunch. Cost is $40 per couple. Register online at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG. One-day Retreat for Caregivers at Annunciation, Minneapolis — February 18: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 509 54th St. W. Retreat includes Mass followed by healing prayers, music, quiet time and more. Father Jim Livingston will present, “Refresh Our Hearts.” Cost is $15 and includes lunch. For information, call (651) 291-4543. Sponsored by the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life and Life Outreach to Persons with DisAbilities. Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office one-day winter teaching conference at Epiphany, Coon Rapids — February 18: 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at 1900 111th Ave. N.W. Featured speaker is Father Greg Paffel from Fergus Falls. Also features a variety of breakout sessions. Free will offering, lunch included. Call (952) 431-2372 to register. For information, visit WWW.MNCRO.ORG.

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Foundation will coordinate its work with other funds, advisory council CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

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ments for the need-based scholarships and creating an application process. In a talk last August laying out his vision for Catholic schools, Archbishop John Nienstedt noted that in 2011, a local parent survey participated in by more than 2,500 parents or guardians of school-age or soonto-be-school-age children found that tuition costs were the most significant negative factor associated with Catholic schools in their school decision-making process. The foundation hopes its work will make Catholic school education more accessible to families that want one for their children. The foundation board, which will include educators, pastors and other community leaders, hopes to have its first meeting prior to May 1 and its first “significant fundraiser” within the next year, Rauenhorst said. She anticipates the foundation will be ready to accept applications for scholarships beginning with the 2013-2014 school year. There will be a small initial grant in 2012-2013, which will be a transitional year. The foundation has begun receiving funds and has set up an account with the Catholic Community Foundation to hold those assets. “When we look at the need currently, we would like in 10 years to have this foundation probably at $30-$40 million so that we could really fund Catholic education,” Rauenhorst said. The total amount of scholarships available for Catholic school students could range from $3-$5 million annually based on rough estimates, Rauenhorst said. Some foundation funds might be directed to additional initiatives, such as innovative school programming, but the foundation will not be raising money to construct new school buildings or renovate existing ones.

“This is not a bricks-and-mortar foundation; we’re not going to be out there building schools,” she said. “We’re supporting the students and the education environment that they’re in.”

Working together The Aim Higher Foundation will coordinate its work with the Catholic Community Foundation, which sponsors a tuition assistance program, and other funds such as the 2009 Pohlad Family Foundation grant and 2008 Legacy Grant that aid urban Catholic schools. Each of the latter grants annually provides approximately $1 million in school aid and tuition assistance. The foundation also will work closely with the newly formed Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Advisory Council. “They will help us look at what the needs are, so we can help support students financially,” Rauenhorst said. A parent who has sent her own children to Catholic schools, Rauenhorst said she feels a new confidence and enthusiasm for Catholic education in the 15 months since the archdiocese’s strategic plan for parishes and schools was announced, and in light of recommendations made last August by the Catholic Schools Commission. “I realize for some schools, it’s been very difficult over the past several years, especially given the economic downturn,” she said. “Some have had to downsize, some have had to join forces with other Catholic schools, and some have actually had to close. “We’re going to continue to have very strong, high-quality Catholic schools,” she added. “Archbishop Nienstedt is committed to keeping Catholic schools open and making them affordable to everybody. That’s a movement we can all get behind, and I’ve decided that this is what I’m committing my time and energy to right now because I want to see it succeed.”

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Haiti quake survivors leave camps for place to call home By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service

It took two years, but Haitian earthquake survivor Sonya Mallebranche has a place she can call home again. It’s only three rooms, making it less than perfect, Mallebranche admits, especially for four adults and three toddler grandchildren. But Mallebranche, 51, finds it far better than living in a tattered tent in the fetid, dusty camp known as Petite Place Cazeau alongside hundreds of others displaced by the powerful Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake that leveled much of the region around Port-au-Prince. “I’m so much more comfortable. Now I can sleep peacefully. Now I have my family with me,” Mallebranche told Catholic News Service in January via cell phone from her new home. “I am really happy to have that house,” she said through a translator.

Return to some normalcy Mallebranche’s family was among 460 families that have moved from the camp into long-term housing since November under a pilot program initiated by Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ overseas relief and development agency. Called “Ann Ale Lakay,” Creole for “Let’s Go Home,” the program is designed to address a variety of needs in addition to long-term housing by preparing camp dwellers frustrated by months of living in squalid conditions for a return to some sense of normalcy. CNS photo / courtesy CRS The program incorporates two professional psychologists and 12 social workers Residents of Petite Place Cazeau camp for Haitians displaced by the powerful January 2010 earthquake load a truck with belongings last December as they move to a new permanent home. A pilot program initiated by Catholic Relief Services is helping to guide earthquake survivors in resolving families return to normal life with the help of counseling, rent vouchers and health care support. conflict, managing money and overcoming the sense of loss that lingers two years as they get settled, said Niek de Goeij, after disaster disrupted their lives. head of programming central for CRS in “We realized there was a lot of fear about Haiti. moving out of the camps, about restarting The program stresses the importance of their lives after the earthquake,” explained budgeting for that expense — about $30 Luke King, CRS country director in Haiti. for six months of family coverage — so “People were concerned about how to go that when a health care need arises, famabout returning to a normal life.” ilies are not faced with the choice of bySamuel Petit-Homme, deputy resettle- passing a visit to a doctor or to sell a posment manager for CRS, helps administer session to cover care. the program, which he said takes about De Goeij explained that the resettlesix weeks from introduction to moving ment program was a natday. Before camp resiural follow-up to the dents are enrolled, social agency’s effort that saw workers and psycholoabout 10,500 transitional Sonya gists work with camp I’m so much shelters built at several loMallebranche and local political leadcations around the quake sits in her new ers to explain how it more zone. While that enhome in Portworks and what it’s deavor resulted in more au-Prince, Haiti, meant to accomplish, he comfortable. than 50,000 Haitians beafter spending said. two years in a ing relocated from camps, Now I can As families complete camp for agency officials realized people the program, they are ofpeople needed additional sleep displaced by fered a $500 voucher to assistance to re-establish the powerful assist with their relocatheir lives, he said. peacefully. January 2010 tion. They are urged to “It’s an emotional expeearthquake. approach a property rience to see the people Now I have CNS photo / owner to negotiate a move out,” he said. “Peocourtesy CRS yearlong rental agreeple cheer when they my family ment. move out of the camps around Port-au-Prince. Aid agencies and time to help people return home.” King said some heads because they’re getting the Haitian government estimate that with me. Mallebranche said she now lives in of families have proven into a regular house. about 500,000 people — one third of the more peaceful surroundings, giving her to be strong negotiators, “People doubt whether 1.5 million left homeless by the quake — plenty of time to play with her grandsons, SONYA MALLEBRANCHE coming to terms on an Haitians are motivated to remain in the camps. a 15-month-old and twin 3-year-olds. Haitian earthquake survivor agreement that costs less move out. To me it’s an But King said he is seeing more urgent The daily headaches she attributed to than the $500 being ofeye-opener to see that efforts by various agencies working with fered. Families can then pocket the differ- when people have a genuine opportunity the government to provide permanent the excessive heat in the camp have disappeared. And the putrid smell of the ence while CRS pays the rent directly to to exit the camps and [move] into their housing. property owners. neighborhood, they jump at it,” he said. “The government has gotten very in- camp that she said forced her to leave her Families also get health insurance covThe resettlement program has put a volved in this return process as well,” he tent during daylight hours is gone. “I’m feeling really good,” she said. erage for six months through the program small dent in the camp population in and said. “There’s a lot of momentum at this

“

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“I’m here to put my feet in the direction of what my heart believes.” Heather Wilson, 28, a member of a nondenominational Christian church in Pennsylvania who attended the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23

Overheard 24

Quotes from this week’s newsmakers

The Catholic Spirit

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Sole-ful donations for Haitians

Jim Bovin / For The Catholic Spirit

Claire Frances Baker, a ninth-grader at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, sits atop a pile of the 950 pairs of shoes she collected during a Catholic Schools Week Mass at the school Jan. 31.

Claire Frances Baker, a ninth-grader at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, has been collecting shoes for an orphanage in Haiti since an earthquake hit there in 2010. It started out as a community service project for the school — the goal was to collect 250 pairs — and soon grew into something much bigger. She had collected 12,575 pairs before the Jan. 31 Mass. Baker has started working with Soles4Souls, a charity organization that collects shoes and distributes them to those in need. It is currently running a competition — whoever collects the most pairs of shoes between Jan. 1 and May 15 will earn a trip with the organization to Haiti to deliver shoes. Baker’s goal is to collect 20,000 pairs by April 30. The next collection event is a Community Shoe Drop on March 18 at St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park. “I believe I have been blessed in my own life with a lot of things,” Baker said. “And I am grateful that I can help others so much less fortunate than me.”

Catholic Athletic Association Hall of Fame inducts new members tournament. Whisler is currently director of student activities at Mahtomedi High School. For reservations and information about the hall of fame dinner, call Mark Courtney at (651) 227-1741.

Father Joncas honored for theological scholarship SINN

WHISLER

Ruth Opatz Sinn and Jeff Whisler both played grade school sports in the uniforms of St. Peter School in North St. Paul, and both later were successful high school coaches at Hill-Murray School in Maplewood. Monday evening, Feb. 13, both will be The inducted into the Catholic Spirit Catholic Athletic Association Hall of Fame at a dinner at the Mendakota Country Club. Sinn, head women’s basketball coach at her alma mater, the University of St. Thomas, played both basketball and softball in the CAA league in grade school. After coaching at Hill-Murray, she led a winning program at Apple Valley High School before taking the UST post. Whisler played both hockey and baseball at St. Peter. He coached HillMurray to the state hockey title in 1991, the final year of the one-class

News Notes

Father Jan Michael Joncas, composer and associate professor of Catholic studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, has been chosen as the 2012 Sophia Award recipient. The Sophia Award is one of the highest honors Washington Theological Union grants to a scholar whose work defines national excellence in theological scholarship contributing to the ministry of the FATHER JONCAS Catholic Church. Father Joncas, 60, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, will be honored at the 16th Sophia Award and Lecture at Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12. He recently began writing for The Catholic Spirit about new works by local composers of religious music. He is the author of three books and more than 200 articles and reviews in journals such

as Worship, Ecclesia Orans and Questions Liturgiques.

Basilica happy there will be no Vikings stadium near Gov. Mark Dayton has taken the proposed Vikings stadium sites near the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis off the table. Father John Bauer, rector of the Basilica, said in a statement Jan. 24 that he was “pleased” with the decision and “very grateful for [Dayton’s] leadership on this challenging issue.” Father Bauer called on parishioners and community members to contact government officials to voice concerns about two proposed Vikings stadium sites near the basilica, particularly the Linden Avenue site some 300 feet away. The concerns with the proposed sites included the increase in traffic that would make it hard for parishioners to get to Mass and other activities at the basilica; the Linden Avenue site would have affected the Basilica Block Party, which raises money for the ongoing restoration of the building; and concerns about structural damage to the building during construction of a stadium that close to the church.

White Bear Lake couple among those still missing Jerry and Barb Heil, parishioners of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake, are among those still missing after the Costa

Concordia cruise ship sank off the coast of Italy Jan. 13. “We so badly want Mom and Dad to be found so that we can bring them home,” the family said in a blog update Jan. 25. “The last few days have yielded the recovery of several passengers, but we have received no notification that they have located Mom and Dad.” About 450 friends and parishioners of St. Pius X gathered to reflect on the lives of Jerry and Barb Heil at a prayer service Jan. 18. On the blog, members of the Heil family expressed gratitude for the continued prayers and support of the community.

Seminarian instituted to the Ministry of Reader Nicholas Vasko, a seminarian of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, was instituted to the Ministry of Reader during a Mass at the Pontifical North American College in Rome Jan. 15. Vasko, who is in his first year of theological studies at the college, was one of 66 seminarians instituted. The Ministry of Reader is one of the ministries seminarians receive as they proceed towards diaconal and priestly ordination. The reader proclaims the Word of God during Mass, instructing children and adults in the faith and preparing them to receive the sacraments.