December 5, 2019 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
‘Bittersweet closure’
Saint among us Cretin-Derham Hall honors Brother James Miller, who studied and taught there before he served in Guatemala, where he was murdered in 1982. He will be beatified by Pope Francis Dec. 7 in Guatemala. — Pages 11-14
Honoring immigrants Cathedral of St. Paul opens museum exhibit celebrating influence of Hmong and other nationalities on the local Church. — Page 5
A day for deacons Ten men prepare for ordination to the permanent diaconate Dec. 7 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. — Pages 15-18
Georgetown slave legacy Jesuit apology to descendants of those sold to pay off debt in the 1800s called “first step” toward “true healing and reconciliation.” — Page 19
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
From left, School Sisters of Notre Dame Marjorie Rosenau, Veronica Horvat, Yolanda Latessa and Bernadette Welter stand outside the convent at St. Francis de Sales in St. Paul they will be leaving Dec. 5 as they all move to Mankato, home of Our Lady of Good Counsel, one of the campuses of their community’s province. Sister Yolanda grew up just two-and-a-half blocks away and attended the parish school from second through eighth grade. She called the move a “bittersweet closure” and has fond memories of both growing up in the neighborhood and living at the convent for the last 24 years after her retirement. She choked up as she recalled hearing the school bell ring every morning, which signaled the time to start her daily walk to school. For more on the School Sisters’ history in the convent, see story on page 6.
Bishop Sirba remembered as ‘kind, gentle, faithful shepherd’ By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit
Laughter heals Comedian leans on humor and writes book about her journey of living with brain tumor discovered in 2017. — Page 24
K
ind, gentle, humble, holy. Those are some of the ways people describe Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, who died Dec. 1 after a heart attack at St. Rose in Proctor, where he was living at the rectory. He was 59. “We thought we were going to be blessed with him for a lot longer,” said Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens of St. Paul and Minneapolis, a close friend who grew to know Bishop Sirba when they served together at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul from 2006 to 2009. Born in Minneapolis and raised in Bloomington by his late father, Norbert, and his mother, Helen, now of St. Paul, Bishop Sirba had three siblings: Father Joseph Sirba of the Diocese of Duluth, John Sirba of Bloomington and Catherine Kelly of Cannon Falls. He served 23 years as a priest in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis before Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Duluth in 2009. Bishop Sirba was preparing to celebrate Mass at St. Rose on the first Sunday of Advent when he suffered cardiac arrest. Rushed to a hospital, he could not be revived.
BISHOP PAUL SIRBA • 1960 – 2019 DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
“Our faithful are in shock and they’re grieving, and rightly so, because they loved Bishop Sirba, and he was a very kind, gentle, faithful shepherd,” Father James Bissonette, Bishop Sirba’s vicar general, said in a statement. “I myself am grieving not only because like the other priests of the diocese I lost a good shepherd, but he was also a good friend, and he will be missed greatly.” The bishop’s funeral Mass will be 11 a.m., Dec. 6 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis will be the principal celebrant. “A native son who loved Christ and his Church, he will be missed throughout this archdiocese as well,” the archbishop said in a statement. “A man of prayer and discernment, he will long be remembered for his humble and compassionate Christlike service.” Bishop Cozzens said Bishop Sirba wasn’t altogether comfortable with the attention being a bishop brings, but he loved visiting with the people of his diocese and cared deeply for the priests, seminarians and others. A gentle and well-loved confessor and a practical, down-to-earth homilist, Bishop Sirba radiated goodness, Bishop Cozzens said. PLEASE TURN TO BISHOP SIRBA ON PAGE 7
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Catholicism was about to go through a period of great turmoil and challenge, so having the Holy House be brought from Nazareth and Galilee to Christian Europe perhaps was one way the Lord was going to strengthen the Catholic faith.
Father Glen Jenson, reflecting Oct. 31 on the Holy House, where, according to tradition, Mary was born, the Annunciation occurred and the Holy Family lived in Nazareth, and which, tradition holds, was carried by angels to Loreto, Italy, the night of Dec. 9-10 in 1294. Pope Francis recently added the feast of Our Lady of Loreto to the universal Church calendar. Father Jenson is pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul in Loretto, Minnesota, which was circuitously named for the Italian town. The parish honors Our Lady of Loreto via the names of its adoration chapel, a Catholic homeschooling co-op and the local Knights of Columbus council. Our Lady of Loreto’s feast day will be celebrated worldwide Dec. 10.
NEWS notes CNS
A CRIME AGAINST THE FUTURE A Marian statue that survived the 1945 atomic bombing is pictured on the altar before Pope Francis’ celebration of Mass at the baseball stadium in Nagasaki, Japan, Nov. 24. Pope Francis began his first full day in Japan with a somber visit in the pouring rain to Nagasaki’s Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park, a memorial to the tens of thousands who died when the United States dropped a bomb on the city in 1945. In the evening, he visited the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, honoring the tens of thousands killed by an atomic bomb there, too. “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings but against any possible future for our common home,” Pope Francis told several hundred people gathered with him in Hiroshima. Pope Francis visited the predominantly Buddhist countries of Thailand and Japan Nov. 19-26. Read about his trip on page 8.
325
The number of people who came to Fall Formation Day Nov. 21 at St. Bonaventure in Bloomington. The annual event for staff members of parishes and other Catholic organizations featured prayer, speakers and Mass with Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Father Larry Snyder, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, was the keynote speaker and addressed the overall theme of the event: “Be Compassionate as God is Compassionate.” Also speaking was Sheila Austin of Syracuse, New York, about her parish’s transformation when it answered its pastor’s challenge to help the city’s homeless. In addition, members of the executive committee for the Archdiocesan Synod gave a presentation about the synod and upcoming Prayer and Listening Events.
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The number of award winners who will be honored at Catholic Charities’ Saint Nicholas Dinner 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Hilton Minneapolis. The Pohlad Family Foundation will receive the Community Service Award, and Joan and Bill Reiling will receive the 2019 Life of Distinction Award. The Reilings have been serving Catholic Charities for nearly 40 years, starting with the opening of the Dorothy Day Center in downtown St. Paul. The Pohlad foundation is being honored for its “unwavering support and long-standing partnership in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul region,” according to Catholic Charities’ website. cctwincities.org.
200
The number of additional families St. Stephen’s Human Services in Minneapolis will be able to help thanks to a $5 million grant it received from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ charitable fund — the largest foundation grant the nonprofit has received in its nearly 50-year history. St. Stephen’s Human Services began as a ministry of St. Stephen parish in Minneapolis before becoming independent in 2002. St. Stephen’s, which works to help homeless individuals and families find permanent and affordable housing, will hire six more staff members as a result of the grant. It is the only Minnesota organization and one of 32 nonprofits nationwide to receive the one-time grant from the $2 billion fund Bezos launched last year. Although homelessness in Minnesota overall his risen steadily in recent years leading to a record high of 10,233, according to Wilder Research, the number of homeless families has decreased by 5% since 2015, with nonprofits such as St. Stephen’s working to help families find housing. CNS
PATRONESS OF THE AMERICAS This painting by artist Laura Vasquez Rodriguez as seen Nov. 20 is part of an exhibit in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles that will be open to the public until Dec. 16. The cathedral’s chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe houses the only piece of Juan Diego’s “tilma,” or cloak, in the United States. It is from the original cloak in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. St. Juan Diego’s feast day is Dec. 9 and Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day is Dec. 12.
CORRECTION A photo caption in the Nov. 21 issue misidentified a member of the Knights of Columbus who helped with the Knights’ Coats for Kids distribution event. The Knight in the photo is Scott Squire of St. Joseph the Worker Council 13359 in Maple Grove.
The Catholic Spirit is published semi-monthly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 24 — No. 23 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher MARIA C. WIERING, Editor-in-Chief JOE RUFF, News Editor
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The number of parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that have collected their goal amount for the 2019 Catholic Services Appeal Foundation campaign. These parishes will receive a combined rebate of more than $1.26 million from the CSAF. The campaign began in 1969 as the Archbishop’s Annual Catholic Appeal. Funds collected are used to support 20 designated ministries in the archdiocese that carry out the CSAF’s mission to serve the poor, support life and strengthen the Catholic faith. Pledges will be accepted until Dec. 31. Donors have until April 30 to send pledge amounts. As of Nov. 25, the campaign has reached $8.3 million of its $9.3 million goal, with a total of 30,410 donors pledging an average of $273. Last year, the campaign raised nearly $9.6 million. For more information or to donate, call 612-294-6622 or visit csafspm.org.
Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by The Catholic Spirit Newspaper. 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 semi-monthly by the Office of Communications, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106-3857 • (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, 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106-3857. TheCatholicSpirit.com • email: tcssubscriptions@archspm.org • USPS #093-580
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3
FROMTHEARCHBISHOP ONLY JESUS | ARCHBISHOP BERNARD HEBDA
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Saints in the making
Who knows how many future saints there are in our midst today? They dress like the rest of us, speak like the rest of us, and feel the cold like the rest of us. The person ahead of you at the check-out counter at Cub Foods could very well be a saint in the making.
Bishop Cozzens and I have to arm wrestle over visits to our Catholic schools. There are few things more uplifting than a school Mass and classroom visits at any one of our 79 elementary schools and 14 high schools. I’m encouraged by the creativity and faithfulness of our students and inspired by the commitment of our teachers and administrators. I’ve been wondering in recent weeks about the experience of my predecessors Archbishop Binz and Archbishop Roach. When they visited the Spanish classroom of Brother James Miller, or encountered him in the hallways of Cretin High School wielding a pipe wrench or plunger, or watched him teach the fundamentals of soccer to inexperienced teens, did they have an inkling that this Christian Brother would one day be beatified? There’s nothing in our archives to suggest that their encounters with this remarkable man were anything but ordinary. My hunch is that the rector at the St. Paul Seminary in 1917 had much the same experience of his young seminarian from Peoria, Illinois, Fulton Sheen, also soon to be beatified. The same could probably be said by those who 20 years earlier had shared a pew at St. Michael in the St. Croix Valley with the night guard at the Stillwater prison, Barney Casey, now better known as Blessed Solanus Casey. Who knows how many future saints there are in our midst today? They dress like the rest of us, speak like the rest of us, and feel the cold like the rest of us. The person ahead of you at the check-out counter at Cub Foods could very well be a saint in the making. One of the central developments at the Second Vatican Council was the emphasis given to the universal call to holiness — the pursuit of holiness has to be embraced by all baptized Christians. As is
Santos en ciernes El obispo Cozzens y yo tenemos que luchar con el brazo para ver quién puede visitar nuestras escuelas católicas. Hay pocas cosas más alentadoras que una misa escolar y visitas a los salones de clase en cualquiera de nuestras escuelas primarias y escuelas secundarias. Me anima la creatividad y la fidelidad de nuestros alumnos y me inspira el compromiso de nuestros maestros y administradores. Me he estado preguntando en las últimas semanas sobre la experiencia de mis predecesores, el arzobispo Binz y el arzobispo Roach. Cuando visitaron el aula de español del hermano James Miller, o lo encontraron en los pasillos de la llave de tubo o el émbolo de la escuela secundaria Cretin, o lo vieron enseñar los fundamentos del fútbol a adolescentes sin experiencia, ¿tenían la menor idea de que este hermano cristiano sería uno día ser beatificado? No hay nada en nuestros archivos que sugiera que sus encuentros con este hombre extraordinario fueron cualquier cosa menos ordinarios. Mi presentimiento es que el Rector en el Seminario de Saint Paul en 1917 tuvo la misma experiencia de su joven seminarista de Peoria, Fulton Sheen, que también fue beatificado a finales de este mes. Probablemente lo mismo podría decirse de aquellos que veinte años antes habían compartido un banco en San Miguel en el Valle de Saint Croix con el guardia nocturno de la Prisión de Stillwater, Barney Casey, ahora más conocido como el Beato
iSTOCK PHOTO | HYDROMET
stated in the Second Vatican Council document “Lumen Gentium,” “in the Church, everyone, whether belonging to the hierarchy or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’ (I Thes 4:3; cf. Eph 1:4).” Imagine that it is God’s desire that we would all be holy, all be saints! The Council made it clear that in speaking about holiness it was referring to a life lived in imitation of Jesus, following in his footsteps and conforming to his image by seeking the will of the Father in all things and devoting ourselves to the glory of God and the service of our neighbor. Whatever our daily work might be, whether it be that of a Spanish teacher, or a student, or a prison guard or an archbishop, it gives us an opportunity to unite ourselves freely and lovingly with whom “Lumen Gentium” described as “the very Christ who plied his hands with carpenter’s tools.” Given the universality of the call to be saints, it’s not surprising that the Church teaches about the equal dignity of the baptized and reminds us that we all, because of our common baptism, share in the priestly, prophetic and royal office of Jesus Christ. As we take an Advent break from our Pre-Synodal Prayer
Solanus Casey. ¿Quién sabe cuántos santos futuros hay entre nosotros hoy? Se visten como el resto de nosotros, hablan como el resto de nosotros y sienten el frío como el resto de nosotros. La persona que está delante de usted en el mostrador de salida de Cub Foods podría ser un santo en ciernes. Uno de los desarrollos centrales en el Concilio Vaticano II fue el énfasis dado al llamado universal a la santidad: todos los cristianos bautizados deben abrazar la búsqueda de la santidad. Como se afirma en Lumen Gentium 39, “... en la Iglesia, todos, ya sea que pertenezcan a la jerarquía o sean atendidos por ella, están llamados a la santidad, de acuerdo con el dicho del Apóstol: ‘Porque esta es la voluntad de Dios, tu santificación ‘(I Tes. 4: 3; cf. Ef. 1: 4). ”¡Imagine que es el deseo de Dios que todos seamos santos, todos seamos santos! El Concilio dejó en claro que al hablar de santidad se refería a una vida vivida en imitación de Jesús, siguiendo sus pasos y conforme a su imagen al buscar la voluntad del Padre en todas las cosas y dedicándonos a la gloria de Dios y El servicio de nuestro vecino. Cualquiera que sea nuestro trabajo diario, ya sea el de un maestro de español, un estudiante, un guardia de prisión o un arzobispo, nos da la oportunidad de unirnos libremente y con amor con “el mismo Cristo que juntó sus manos con el de carpintero herramientas.” Dada la universalidad del llamado a ser santos, no sorprende que la Iglesia enseñe sobre la igual dignidad de los bautizados y nos recuerde que todos, debido a nuestro
and Listening Events (with nine out of 20 under our belts), I am very aware of the way in which all of the members of our Church, as potential saints, are being called both to live out that sharing and to put the gifts that we have received from the Holy Spirit at the service of this local Church, particularly as we seek to discern a path forward. At each of the first nine prayer and listening events, we have heard about the importance of forming our children to respond to the call to holiness. I have been repeatedly reminded that our schools and parish religious education programs have to be giving the youngest members of our Church the foundation and tools that they will need, whatever their vocation might be, to respond throughout their lives to Christ’s call to follow him as disciples. The example of Brother James Miller, Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Blessed Solanus Casey should give all of us — the young and not-so-young — wellfounded hope that holiness can be lived in the course of everyday life in this archdiocese. Through their intercession, may we as a local Church grow in our hunger and thirst for holiness, and may many more credible witnesses of holiness in our midst be raised up for our encouragement and inspiration.
bautismo común, compartimos el oficio sacerdotal, profético y real de Jesucristo. Mientras tomamos un descanso de Adviento de nuestros eventos de oración y escucha pre-sinodales (con 9 de 20 bajo nuestros cinturones), soy muy consciente de la forma en que se llama a todos los miembros de nuestra Iglesia, como posibles santos, tanto para vivir ese intercambio como para poner los dones que hemos recibido del Espíritu Santo al servicio de esta Iglesia local, particularmente cuando buscamos discernir un camino a seguir. En cada uno de los primeros nueve eventos de oración y escucha, hemos escuchado sobre la importancia de formar a nuestros hijos para responder al llamado a la santidad. Me han recordado repetidamente que nuestras escuelas y programas parroquiales de educación religiosa deben brindar a los miembros más jóvenes de nuestra Iglesia los cimientos y las herramientas que necesitarán, sea cual sea su vocación, para responder durante toda su vida al llamado de Cristo de seguirlo como discípulos. El ejemplo del hermano James Miller, el arzobispo Fulton Sheen y el beato Solanus Casey debería darnos a todos nosotros, jóvenes y no tan jóvenes, una esperanza bien fundada de que la santidad se puede vivir en el curso de la vida cotidiana en esta Arquidiócesis. A través de su intercesión, que nosotros como Iglesia local crezcamos en nuestra hambre y sed de santidad, y que muchos más testigos creíbles de santidad en nuestro medio se levanten para nuestro estímulo e inspiración.
OFFICIAL Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:
Effective November 15, 2019 Reverend Cyprian Czop, OMI, appointed parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Casimir and the Church of Saint Patrick, both in Saint Paul. Father Czop is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Effective November 18, 2019 Most Reverend Andrew Cozzens, appointed temporary parochial administrator of the Church of All Saints in Minneapolis. The previous pastor, Reverend Gerard Saguto, FSSP, has been assigned outside of the Archdiocese by his religious superior.
Effective November 19, 2019 Reverend John Schmidt, C.Ss.R., appointed parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Bridget in Minneapolis. This is in addition to his current assignment as pastor of the Church of Saint Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center. The previous parochial administrator, Reverend Thomas Santa, C.Ss.R., has been assigned outside of the Archdiocese by his religious superior.
SLICEof LIFE
4 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
LOCAL
DECEMBER 5, 2019
SLICEof LIFE
Let Advent begin Francis Schneider of Sts. Peter and Paul in Loretto makes an Advent wreath with two of his children, Xavier, left, and Luzia, during a German festival at the parish Nov. 30 called Christkindlmarkt. Run by two parishioners, JoAnn and Randy Schlosser, who lived in Germany for 16 years while Randy served in the military, the event featured food, music, games and crafts. “This is the first weekend in Advent, so it was a good time to do it,” JoAnn said. “It’s just magic, especially after dark. Because we had to move it indoors (because of poor weather), we got to take advantage of the dark for more hours.”
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LOCAL
DECEMBER 5, 2019
Exhibit honors local Church’s immigrant roots By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit When Father John Ubel was 11 years old, his parish, Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul, welcomed a refugee family displaced by the Vietnam War. Father Ubel, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, recalled that experience Nov. 17 in the basement of the Cathedral to an audience that included many Hmong immigrants from St. Vincent de Paul in St. Paul, which is part of the Cathedral parish and serves Hmong Catholics. Some of them came to the U.S. from their native Laos in the 1970s after spending up to several years in refugee camps in Thailand. “My mother began to tutor the (refugee) family in English,” Father Ubel said, “and it was an early introduction to what it means to be welcoming of people from all over the world who have found their way to Minnesota.” To help people understand the history of local immigrant communities and their contribution to both the Church and the Cathedral, the Cathedral opened an exhibit called “Immigrants and the Cathedral: I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me.” The free exhibit in the Cathedral basement is open to the public every first and third Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m., Thursdays from noon to 2:30 p.m. and Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. It is scheduled to run at least through spring 2020, though an end date has not been set. Featured in the exhibit is a Hmong wedding dress worn by Mai Jhoua Yang, whose husband, Deacon Nao Kao Yang, serves at St. Vincent de Paul. The two married in 1978, and both are immigrants from Laos who spent time in refugee camps before coming to the U.S. Mai Jhoua bought the dress from a woman she met at a refugee camp, and her grandmother made the blouse and apron. She also wore a silver necklace passed down from her mother, Shoua Vang, who belongs to St. Vincent de Paul with her husband, Xiong Yang Vang. “I feel honored and blessed to be able to show (the dress),” said Mai Jhoua, 59. “It’s very unique and special to be included in the history of the St. Paul Cathedral.” Another item in the exhibit is a statue of Mary dressed in Hmong attire, which sits in the same display case as the wedding dress. “The Hmong clothing items are amazing in their
Filipino Catholics prepare for Christmas with nine-day Mass devotion By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Khou Vang and her daughter, Angelica Xiong, of St. Vincent de Paul in St. Paul look at a Hmong wedding dress Nov. 17 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. The dress, worn by Mai Jhoua Yang, wife of Deacon Nao Kao Yang who serves at St. Vincent, is part of an exhibit at the Cathedral called “Immigrants and the Cathedral: I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me.”
intricacies. The amount of detail is beyond description,” Father Ubel said. Visitors also can watch a short video about the history and struggles of Hmong people who came to Minnesota and joined St. Vincent de Paul parish. The exhibit highlights the Shrine of Nations, the area of the Cathedral located behind the sanctuary with chapels recognizing ethnic groups significant to the founding of the Archdiocese of St. Paul in the 1850s. A 1907 Cathedral blueprint on display shows the six chapels slated to become the Shrine of Nations. The exhibit also features large images of the shrine’s statuary and stained glass, which are accompanied by explanations of the saints’ connections to each country and descriptions of the imagery in the stained glass. “I hope that visiting school groups, in particular, will take an 15 extra minutes to come downstairs to learn more about the immigrants whose sacrifices made this cathedral possible,” Father Ubel said. “The exhibit has some great stories about the design of the shrines and their history. It is fascinating.” He added: “We mustn’t forget our roots. The words of the late St. Paul philanthropist John Nasseff come to mind: ‘Never forget where you came from.’”
Local teens lead Scripture reflection before 20,000 peers By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit Teens and young adults from eight parishes in the Twin Cities spent Nov. 21-23 at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. And three of them spent about 15 minutes reflecting on Scripture before 20,000 of their peers. “I thought it was really cool how it was kids who believe the same things I believe, which is hard to find sometimes,” said Viviana Gonzalez, who — with fellow St. Therese in Deephaven parishioner Emil Liden and McKenzie Nguyen of St. AnneSt. Joseph Hien in Minneapolis — was selected in advance of the youth conference to lead those gathered in Lucas Oil Stadium in a Bible study on Luke 24, where Jesus meets two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus following his resurrection. The youths were joined on stage by another student and NCYC emcees Katie Prejean McGrady and Father Agustino
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 5
COURTESY STEPHEN LOC PHAM
St. Therese in Deephaven parishioner Emil Liden, left, and McKenzie Nguyen of St. Anne-St. Joseph Hien in Minneapolis lead a Bible study Nov. 22 at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis with emcee Father Agustino Torres. Torres, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal. Together they led smallgroup discussion for the students gathered in the stadium. The youths prepared for a month to lead the conversations. “They did just a beautiful job really pulling apart what the Scripture meant for them and how it made them feel, and how it made them recognize Jesus in their own journey,” said Amy
Schroeder, who directs youth ministry and faith formation at St. Rita in Cottage Grove and who led the archdiocese’s group to NCYC. She said she values the conference’s workshops, liturgies and speakers for being able to connect with students “who are just starting to meet Jesus” as well as those who are “trying to become saints.” “It engages them where they’re at, but it doesn’t leave them there,” she said. Bishop Andrew Cozzens joined the group of 121 youth and young adults from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. They were from the parishes of St. Anne-St. Joseph Hien; St. Francis de Sales, St. Paul; St. Gabriel, Hopkins; St. Joseph, New Hope; St. Peter Claver, St. Paul; St. Rita, Cottage Grove; St. Stephen, Anoka; and St. Therese. NCYC is organized by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington, D.C.
Dodge Flores remembers the nine-day tradition from when he was a child in the Philippines: waking early, going to Mass at the parish church and eating breakfast with fellow Catholics, all in the days leading up to Christmas. And while it’s been more than four decades since he immigrated to the United States, he and other Filipino Catholics are just a few years into their efforts to establish the full devotion in the Twin Cities. This year, nine different parishes around the metro area will host Masses for the tradition, known as “Simbang Gabi,” meaning “Mass at dawn.” As in the Philippines, most of the Masses will be followed by food. But they’ll take place in the evening, when people are more likely able to attend. “It’s the spirit of the upcoming Christmas,” said Flores, 72, president of the Filipino Catholic Community of Minnesota, which organizes the event. “One of our missions of the Filipino Catholic Community of Minnesota is to (promote) the religious culture of the Philippines,” Flores said, noting that Simbang Gabi does that. “People are coming and excited about it.” In the Philippines, the series of Masses takes place over the nine days leading up to Christmas. Because it’s a challenge to schedule additional Masses in parishes the week before Christmas, the local Simbang Gabi ends with a special 10th Mass not on Christmas Eve, but on the Saturday before Christmas, Dec. 21 this year. That 6 a.m. Mass is the only one in the local novena that will begin before sunrise. It’s known as the “Misa de Gallo,” or the “Rooster’s Mass,” a name adopted during the former Spanish rule of the Philippines. As a nine-day devotion, the Mass series is also a novena to Mary, and it brings together family and the parish, according to a FAQ about the Mass prepared by the Filipino Catholic Community of Minnesota. While local Filipino Catholics have celebrated some of the Masses associated with the novena since the Filipino Catholic Community of Minnesota formed in 1995, this is the third year it’s held all nine, Flores said. Attendance varies each night from 50 to 150 people, he said. And while it’s organized by the Filipino community, all Catholics are invited to the celebration, he said. The Masses will be prayed primarily in English. Unlike some immigrant groups, Filipino Catholics are not concentrated in one part of the Twin Cities, Flores said, which is why the Simbang Gabi Masses are being held in a different parish each evening. The Filipino Catholic Community of Minnesota also organizes a Mass in Tagalog at 3 p.m. on the last Sunday of each month. Father Victor Valencia, pastor of St. Jerome in Maplewood, serves as the community’s chaplain.
IF YOU GO Simbang Gabi Masses will be held at the following parishes: 7 p.m. Dec. 12: Guardian Angels, Oakdale 7 p.m. Dec. 13: St. Odilia, Shoreview 4:30 p.m. Dec. 14: St. Jerome, Maplewood 7 p.m. Dec. 15: St. Bonaventure, Bloomington 7 p.m. Dec. 16: Pax Christi, Eden Prairie 7 p.m. Dec. 17: St. Joseph, New Hope 7 p.m. Dec. 18: St. Louis King of France, St. Paul 6 p.m. Dec. 19: Epiphany, Coon Rapids 7 p.m. Dec. 20: St. John Neumann, Eagan 6 a.m. Dec. 21: “Misa de Gallo,” Guardian Angels, Oakdale; 5:30 a.m. caroling by the Cultural Society of Filipino Americans. A meal follows Mass; please bring a dish to share.
LOCAL
6 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Christmas Greetings
DECEMBER 5, 2019
School Sisters bid farewell to St. Francis de Sales 1884
St. Francis de Sales, the third German parish in St. Paul, is established, with a simple frame church, rectory, and combination school and convent. School Sisters of Notre Dame are sent to teach in the school and run the household. Classes begin with 134 children in three classrooms.
Cathedral of St. Paul
239 Selby Ave. • St. Paul cathedralsaintpaul.org Pre-Christmas Confessions Saturday, Dec. 21: 10 – 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 – 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23: 3:30 – 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24: 10 – 11:30 a.m. Christmas Eve: 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass with the Children’s Choristers Christmas Day: 12:00 Midnight Mass – Most Rev. Bernard A. Hebda, Celebrant (with Cathedral Choir (preceded by Carols at 11:15 p.m.) 10:00 a.m. Mass – Most Rev. Andrew H. Cozzens, Celebrant 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon - Masses with Organ and Cantor (9 a.m. Mass at the Saint Vincent de Paul campus) Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Tuesday, December 31: 5:15 p.m. (Vigil Mass) Wednesday, January 1: Masses at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 12 Noon
Basilica of St. Mary
88 N. 17th St. • Minneapolis 612-333-1381 • mary.org Christmas Eve: 3 p.m. Vigil Eucharist with organ, cantor and children’s choirs 5:30 p.m. Vigil Eucharist with Mundus & Juventus,contemporary and youth choirs 8 p.m. Vigil Eucharist with piano, cantor, flute and cello 11 p.m. Choral Music for Christmas with cathedral choir, organ, harp and flute 11:30 p.m. Vigil of Lights with organ and cathedral choir Midnight Solemn Eucharist with organ, cathedral choir, brass and harp Christmas Day: 7:30 a.m. Eucharist at dawn with organ, cantor, violin and soprano soloist 9:30 a.m. Solemn Eucharist with organ, cathedral choir, brass and strings Noon: Solemn Eucharist with organ, cathedral choir, brass and strings 4:30 p.m. Eucharist with music from around the world
St. Bartholomew Catholic Faith Community
630 E. Wayzata Blvd. • Wayzata 952-473-6601 • st-barts.org Christmas Eve: 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Christmas Day: 10:30 a.m. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God New Year’s Day: 10:30 a.m. Please join us to celebrate this blessed and holy season!
Nativity of Our Lord
1938 Stanford Ave. • St. Paul https://nativity-mn.org/christmas Christmas Eve: 3 p.m. (church and school auditorium), 5 p.m. and Midnight (11:30 p.m. prelude) Christmas Day: 7 a.m., 8:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Please join us on our patronal feast! Mary, Mother of God New Year’s Eve: 5 p.m. New Year’s Day: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m
Church of St. Rita
8694 80th St. S. • Cottage Grove saintritas.org Christmas Eve: 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. (with 8:30 p.m. prelude) Christmas Day: 9 a.m., New Year’s Eve: 5 p.m. Vigil Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God New Year’s Day: 9 a.m. All are welcome to celebrate the miracle of Christmas with us!
All Saints Catholic Church
19795 Holyoke Ave. • Lakeville God’s Greatness Revealed Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Holy Day of Obligation Christmas Eve: 4 p.m., 4:15 p.m. (Murphy Hall), 6pm (ASL), 11:30 p.m., Carols by the Choir, Midnight (with incense) Christmas Day: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.(with incense) Solemnity of May, Mother of God, Holy Day of Obligation New Year’s Eve: Vigil Mass 5 p.m. New Year’s Day: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Please join us to celebrate this blessed and holy season! Information provided by parish advertisers.
1885
Classrooms are added to the original school and convent, and a separate convent is built. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
The convent that housed School Sisters of Notre Dame sits at the other end of the block from St. Francis de Sales church in St. Paul. After the last four sisters leave Dec. 5, their 135 years of serving the school and parish will come to an end. By Debbie Musser For The Catholic Spirit As they walk through the convent, with its intimate chapel, outdoor garden, spacious kitchen and gathering spaces, the four School Sisters of Notre Dame are sentimental. “We prayed vespers together, had meetings at the table, talked about the day’s events, and played Yahtzee, cribbage and cards,” said Sister Bernadette Welter. “I never won,” retorted Sister Yolanda Latessa, prompting nods and laughter from her fellow sisters. Sister Bernadette, 78, Sister Yolanda, 88, Sister Veronica Horvat, 85, and Sister Marjorie Rosenau, 89, are the last School Sisters of Notre Dame community members to reside in the St. Francis de Sales Convent. The convent, located just off West Seventh Street in St. Paul, will close at the end of the year. The sisters are moving to Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mankato, a former provincial house for the School Sisters of Notre Dame international congregation. The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught school and served in the parish of St. Francis de Sales continuously for 135 years, dating back to 1884. A celebration of thanksgiving for their ministry and presence was held at the church Oct. 26. “The relationships we have had with the parish members and beyond over these years makes this a bittersweet closure,” said Sister Bernadette. Following a discernment process that began a year ago, the sisters made the decision to move, due to their age. They look forward to living at the “Mother House” in Mankato, with the chance to reconnect with other School Sisters of Notre Dame that they have known and worked with throughout their lives. Our Lady of Good Council is now one of four campuses of the Sisters’ Central Pacific Province, which formed in 2011 with the merger of four U.S. provinces, or
administrative regions. The Sisters’ Japanese region integrated into the province in 2013. Education is the main focus of the School Sisters of Notre Dame ministry. “Our constitution states that we are educators in all we are and do, and that we continually choose ways of living and serving that call to growth,” said Sister Bernadette. Sister Veronica taught in various grade and high schools, including from 1956 to 1959 at St. Francis de Sales. At that time, 18 sisters lived at the convent. “I recall teaching during the day and then going to St. Catherine College in the evening to study calculus,” she said. “I also remember parentteacher conferences. I was amazed that the students had such young parents, as my own parents were much older when I was born.” Sister Yolanda grew up attending St. Francis de Sales School before entering the School Sisters of Notre Dame community, one of 30 women from the parish who joined the congregation. She has lived at the convent for the past 24 years. “When they had the open house for the new convent in 1950, I remember going with my mom,” Sister Yolanda said. “I wanted to see it as I knew I’d probably live there.” Sister Bernadette notes that there are 45 School Sisters of Notre Dame in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, living in apartments and homes, while serving in education and on parish staffs as well as on social issues, health care and vocation work. The youngest of the four sisters, Sister Bernadette began her ministry as a primary grade school teacher. She most recently has worked at the West Seventh Community Center and has provided home health care services through several organizations. “Because of my age and energy, I might get asked to do some type of ministry in Mankato and am open to that,” she said. “At Our Lady of Good Counsel, we’ll have the opportunity to continue
1894
Eight sisters are teaching over 400 children at the school.
1915
Seventeen sisters are teaching 570 children at the school.
1920s
St. Francis de Sales reaches its peak enrollment of over 700 students.
1938
A new school for grades K-8 and a two-year high school is built, including 15 classrooms, a large auditorium, social rooms, club rooms and a bowling alley.
1950
A new convent is built with private rooms for 24 sisters.
1963
The two-year high school closes, and enrollment begins declining.
1988
St. Francis de Sales School and nearby St. James School consolidate to form St. FrancisSt. James United School. The convent houses a few sisters who teach at the school and other sisters who provide various ministries at the parish and in the community.
2011
St. Francis de Sales and St. James parishes merge to become Church of St. Francis de Sales.
2013
St. Francis-St. James United School, with 75 students, closes.
2019
School Sisters of Notre Dame leave St. Francis de Sales Convent. retirement and volunteer in a number of ministries and city outreach organizations.” Sister Marge, who has lived at St. Francis de Sales Convent since 2000, will miss the parishioners and parish staff who were welcoming, kind and generous to the sisters. “I’ll miss this choir, too,” said Sister Marge. “At Our Lady of Good Counsel, the choir will be all women’s voices, of course. “I’m looking forward to more time to pray and enjoy my hobbies in Mankato. And once I’m settled in, I’ll be chomping at the bit to start teaching again. There’s a learning center there, and I especially enjoy teaching reading.”
DECEMBER 5, 2019
LOCAL
Husband, wife recall Bishop Sirba’s ministry
BISHOP SIRBA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
“He had a very natural holiness. It wasn’t flashy, but it was authentic. He was authentically humble, which made him very approachable,” the bishop told The Catholic Spirit. Bishop Sirba’s death was a shock to many who knew him. Father John Ubel, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, told the congregation at the noon Mass Dec. 1 about the bishop’s death, saying he had learned of it just two hours earlier. He incorporated the sad news as part of his Advent sermon on the Gospel of St. Matthew and the Lord’s coming “at an hour you do not expect.” That passage hit particularly close to home, Father Ubel said. Several in the congregation gasped with recognition upon hearing the news. “He was one of the holiest priests, no, he was the holiest priest I’ve ever known,” Father Ubel said in his homily. After the Mass, Father Ubel said he and Bishop Sirba became friends while they lived and served at The Seminaries of St. Paul from 1994 to 1998, Father Ubel as co-director of vocations for the archdiocese and then-Father Sirba as a spiritual director at St. John Vianney College Seminary. They recently spent a week together in Europe, Father Ubel said, along with Father Sirba, honoring the lineage of the Sirba family along the borders of Austria and the Czech Republic. Father Tom McDonough, a retired priest of the archdiocese who served at St. Olaf in Minneapolis with then-Father Sirba in their first years as priests, also remained a fast friend. He told The Catholic Spirit that he and Father Ubel gathered with members of the
Matthew Kuettel was 12 when then-Father Paul Sirba was appointed pastor of his childhood parish, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin in St. Paul. It was summer 2000, and Kuettel became an altar server. Over the next six years, Father Sirba had “a remarkable impact” on Kuettel’s life, which led to Kuettel enrolling at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul to take a serious look at the priesthood. “He had a presence about him that exuded the joy of the Gospel,” Kuettel, 31, recalled. “You felt like you were encountering Christ. ... He was very rooted in his faith, and that was communicated when you were with him. And so, I think in those years it gave me a sense that there was something more to Christianity than just a set of beliefs, that there was a lifestyle with it as well. It was something that I MATTHEW KUETTEL wanted to follow.” Over time, Kuettel discerned that God was calling him to a different vocation: marriage. Bishop Sirba was part of that, too, witnessing Kuettel’s wedding vows in 2013 at Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul. Kuettel’s wife, Renae, got to know Bishop Sirba during marriage preparation, which included going up to Duluth to meet with him and share a meal. “He was always very welcoming and hospitable,” she said. “It was very easy to feel like you’ve known him for a long time even if you had just met him.” As the Kuettels, who now belong to Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, grieve the loss of Bishop Sirba, they will continue to experience his “comforting presence,” especially when they recall their wedding day and view photos of him. “When I look at his picture, I feel like you can just tell he was just a very kind, warm person that just loved people deeply, as well as God,” Renae said. “As a bishop, he was very busy. And, for him to take the time with us to talk through what we were doing (to get ready for marriage) meant a lot.”
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 7
‘NATIVE SON’ Born Sept. 2, 1960, in Minneapolis, Bishop Sirba attended Nativity of Mary Catholic School in Bloomington, Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield and the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He studied at the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul and was ordained a priest for the archdiocese in 1986. His service included: 1986-1990 — Associate pastor, St. Olaf, Minneapolis 1990-1991 — Associate pastor, St. John the Baptist, Savage 1991-2000 — Spiritual formation department, St. John Vianney College Seminary, St. Paul 2000-2006 — Pastor, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, St. Paul 2006-2009 — Spiritual director, St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul July 2009 — Vicar general and moderator of the curia for the archdiocese December 2009 — Ordained bishop of Duluth
Sirba family in St. Paul the night of the bishop’s death, praying and sharing memories. “I think the thing about Bishop Paul was, no matter who he was with, he was 100 percent himself and you felt like he was your best friend,” Father McDonough said, his voice breaking with emotion. “He was so kind and loving and interested in your life.” Father Ubel noted that Bishop Sirba would have celebrated his 10th anniversary as a bishop Dec. 14. “It’s a great loss for the Diocese of Duluth,” Father Ubel said. “He was greatly loved by the laity, clergy and religious alike.”
8 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 5, 2019
NATION+WORLD
Pope honors martyrs, missionaries, bombing victims in Asia By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service At the end of his trip to Thailand and Japan, Pope Francis said he found truth in the saying, “Lux ex oriente, ex occidente luxus,” or, as he roughly translated it, “the light comes from the East, and luxury, consumerism from the West.” Not wanting to be too harsh on the West, Pope Francis told reporters returning to Rome with him Nov. 26 that he did sense in the two Asian countries a different concept of time and a greater sensitivity to contemplation than he found in the West. “I think we Westerners need to slow down a bit,” he said. The “culture of hurrying” often means losing the ability to contemplate and that, in turn, means losing sight of beauty and poetry. Pope Francis’ own trip to Japan was delayed by decades. Several times during his stay Nov. 23-26, he spoke about how, as a young Jesuit, he had hoped to be sent as a missionary to Japan. His superiors thought that with his history of lung problems, he was not healthy enough. So, he did not make the trip until he was pope, almost 83 years old and about to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a Jesuit priest. With his visit to Thailand Nov. 20-23 before going on to Japan, Pope Francis flew more than 16,000 miles and gave close to 20 speeches. He celebrated a small Mass with his Jesuit confreres in Japan and Masses with tens of thousands of people in stadiums in Bangkok and Tokyo. He met the Thai king and the Japanese emperor and used as his official translators a nun who was his cousin and a Jesuit who was a former student. The formal and the personal came together in a special way Nov. 24 when he visited Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the two cities destroyed by the U.S. atomic bombings in August 1945.
spoke of peace but did not act to bring it about among the peoples of the earth.” On the flight back to Rome, Pope Francis signaled that he considered the speech to be a formal part of Church teaching, often called “the magisterium.” He said the immorality of the use or possession of nuclear weapons should be added to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In Nagasaki he also decried the horror of what happened and pleaded with government leaders to get serious once more about arms control and disarmament. Nagasaki also was the site of the martyrdom of St. Paul Miki and 25 others in 1597, the first of hundreds of Christians persecuted for their faith over the course of close to 200 years. The pope told people gathered at the martyrs’ memorial that the story of St. Miki and other Jesuit missionaries sparked his youthful dreams. While Pope Francis described himself as a “missionary pilgrim” and encouraged Catholics in both countries to be “missionary disciples,” he made it clear that he was not talking about preaching on street corners or passing out pamphlets. Missionary disciples are experts at dialogue and witness — both done with immense respect for the other’s religion and culture, he said. In Thailand to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam Mission, Pope Francis said the first missionaries to the country discovered that they were not among strangers, but among brothers and sisters they hadn’t realized they had. “A missionary disciple is not a mercenary of the faith or a producer of proselytes, but rather a humble mendicant who feels the absence of brothers, sisters and mothers with whom to share the irrevocable gift of reconciliation that Jesus grants to all,” the pope said.
CNS
Pope Francis lights a candle Nov. 24 as he leads a meeting for peace at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan. In Hiroshima, the pope heard the testimonies of an elderly woman and an elderly man who were teenagers when the bombs fell. On the flight back to Rome, he told reporters that it was “a real human catechesis on cruelty, cruelty.” After the sun had set at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and after the pope had laid a bouquet of white orchids and prayed in silence, he said, “With deep conviction I wish once more to declare that the use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings but against any possible future for our common home.” “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral, just as the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral,” he continued. “We will be judged on this. Future generations will rise to condemn our failure if we
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DECEMBER 5, 2019
NATION+WORLD
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 9
Mideast Catholic leaders call for peace, stability in region By Doreen Abi Raad Catholic News Service Amid deadly protests in Iraq, a people’s uprising in Lebanon and continued suffering in Syria, Catholic leaders of the Middle East called upon officials of their homelands to “ensure safety, peace and tranquility and stability for their citizens.” Meeting in Cairo Nov. 25-29, the Council of Catholic Patriarchs of the East addressed political, economic and social difficulties that many countries are suffering as a result of unrest, violence, extremism and terrorism as well as the situation of displaced people. Massive demonstrations against the political ruling class have plagued Iraq since Oct. 1 and Lebanon since Oct. 17. Despite some confrontations with security forces and supporters of established parties, protesters in Lebanon have largely been spared the violent crackdown seen in Iraq. There, about 400 people have died and thousands have been wounded in protests. In their final statement, the patriarchs called on the political authority in Iraq “to take courageous action to get the country out of this great crisis so that the bloodshed will stop and life will return to normal by building a strong state on sound foundations, in which true democracy, justice and human dignity prevails, combating corruption.” They also called for “revealing who killed and kidnapped peaceful demonstrators” and asked authorities to hand the killers “over to the judiciary.” The patriarchs appealed to all to work to “uproot the terrorist ideology of the Islamic State.” While acknowledging the “adversity and tribulation” in Iraq, the patriarchs encouraged Iraqi Christians “to take root in their land and preserve the heritage” of their ancestors. Turning to Lebanon, the patriarchs said they “support the demands of the Lebanese people in general and the youth in particular, in their movement,” expressing their hope that peace and patriotism be maintained. The Middle Eastern patriarchs urged Lebanon’s political authority to expedite the formation of a new government “whose first task will be to respond with the popular movement to find radical solutions to the current situation, by transcending personal and factional interests and working to achieve the common good, and freeing the national will from all outside interference.” The patriarchs also stressed the need for the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homelands. Lebanon is host to some 1 million Syrian refugees. While council members said they “are optimistic about the stability achieved in Syria in most of the country,” they expressed their pain regarding human suffering and damage caused by bombings. The patriarchs called on “all components of the Syrian people to join hands” to rebuild what is destroyed and to promote the economy. They also called on “global decisionmakers to stop interfering” in Syrian affairs and to help “all the good Syrians to work hard to recover Syria from its long-standing ordeal.” The council expressed “full support
for the Palestinian people tormented by the occupation.” “We reiterate our call on the international community to recognize the Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital, within the framework of the two states, and the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes,” the patriarchs said. As for Egypt, the Catholic leaders commended the Egyptian state’s achievements “that have contributed effectively to improving the situation of Egyptians” at all levels, including “practical steps” in consolidating the foundations of citizenship and society. During the meeting, the patriarchs met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and urged him to work toward reconciliation and dialogue in the countries of the Middle East, especially in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. They also met with Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II.
CNS
Iraqi demonstrators carry a wounded man during ongoing anti-government protests in Baghdad Nov. 14.
10 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
HEADLINES u Alleged abuse victim names former cardinal, Newark Archdiocese in lawsuit. A day after a New Jersey victims’ rights law went into effect, a 37-year-old man represented by Minnesota attorney Jeff Anderson filed a lawsuit against Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal who was Newark’s archbishop from 1986 to 2000. The suit also names the Archdiocese of Newark as a defendant. The plaintiff, John Bellocchio, alleges the now-laicized former prelate sexually assaulted him when he was 14 and then-Archbishop McCarrick was visiting Bellocchio’s parish in Hackensack. Dismissed from the clerical state by the Vatican in February, McCarrick has been accused of abusing or sexually harassing seminarians as a bishop and abusing children since early in his career of more than 60 years as a cleric. Anderson claims Bellocchio’s lawsuit is the first such suit to name McCarrick as a defendant. U.S. Catholics are waiting for a promised Vatican report on how it was possible for McCarrick to become an archbishop and cardinal when it seems that at least his sexual harassment of seminarians was widely known. On Nov. 28, during their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican, the bishops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin, brought up the impact on their priests and the faithful of the McCarrick case in a two-and-a-half-hour meeting they had with Pope Francis. u Beatification for Archbishop Sheen postponed. Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria said Vatican officials have told him the upcoming beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been postponed. A news release from the Diocese of Peoria said it was informed Dec. 2 that the Dec. 21 ceremony was being postponed “at the request of a few members” of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. At press time, details on what prompted the bishops to intervene were unknown. Pope Francis Nov. 18 approved the beatification ceremony for the popular archbishop, whose television program attracted millions of viewers nationwide and continues to be viewed in reruns in some markets. u Pope returns part of relic of Jesus’ crib to Holy Land. On Nov. 22, experts from the Vatican Museums extracted a small fragment from the relic of what has been venerated as Jesus’ manger. The relic, given to the Vatican in the seventh century, has been kept in a chapel under the main altar of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Pope Francis gave the relic fragment to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, which oversees the main churches and shrines associated with the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, said the relic would be used to “rekindle faith in Jesus between the different Christian communities of the Holy Land.” Catholics in Bethlehem had the opportunity to venerate the relic at Mass Dec. 1 at St. Catherine, adjacent to the Basilica of the Nativity, before the relic was put away until a proper location and protocol for it can be arranged. u Most Americans support life in prison over death penalty, says new poll. Released Nov. 24, the poll reveals a shift in the majority opinion on this issue for the first time in 34 years. Based on results from telephone interviews conducted Oct. 14-31 with a random sample of 1,526 adults in the U.S., it showed 60% prefer that convicted murders receive a sentence of life imprisonment, while 36% said capital punishment would be better.
NATION+WORLD This poll revealed religious divides on the issue and showed that Catholics, Jews, members of other non-Christian religions and the religiously unaffiliated preferred life without parole as a punishment over the death penalty. Only white evangelicals (59%) and white mainline Protestants (52%) expressed majority support for the death penalty. u Boston-area seminary report shows internal failures, no culture of misconduct. An independent inquiry into St. John’s Seminary in Braintree, Massachusetts, has been completed, finding some internal shortcomings regarding the governance and culture of the seminary, but no evidence of illegal activities or a culture of sexual misconduct by students or faculty members. The inquiry began in October 2018 after two former seminarians, John Monaco and Andrew Solkshinitz, published online allegations of “activities incompatible with the proper formation of men for the Catholic priesthood,” such as illicit sexual activity and excessive drinking. Monaco’s open letters to Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley were included in the appendix of the investigation report. In their report released Nov. 22, the investigators
said they “were provided unrestricted access to the records maintained by the seminary” and “received the complete cooperation from both the seminary and the archdiocese.” The report “largely confirmed” specific allegations made by Monaco, who attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and later St. John’s Seminary. However, the inquiry found that these were “isolated incidents” rather than part of a pervasive culture at the seminary, and that these cases were handled “quickly and appropriately.” u Vatican dicastery announces formation of new youth advisory body. The Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life announced it is setting up a specialized team of young Catholic leaders as advisers. The new international advisory body was established following a proposal in the final document of the 2018 Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment. The Vatican made the announcement Nov. 24, the feast of Christ the King. The Youth Advisory Body consists of 20 young leaders who participated in the various phases of the synodal process, including the international youth forum in June, and who are active in Catholic lay
DECEMBER 5, 2019 movements, associations, communities or their respective dioceses. u Tensions between Nicaragua government, Church high following mob violence. As hunger strikers for human rights — mostly mothers asking the government to release their political-prisoner children — seek refuge in Nicaragua’s churches, several churches, including the cathedral, have been targeted by pro-government mobs. The actions have inflamed tensions between the Catholic Church and President Daniel Ortega, whose Sandinista regime is targeting dissidents and attempting to stamp out dissent. The Ortega regime has sowed fear in Nicaragua over the past 18 months. It has violently suppressed protests, which started over objections to a reform of the Central American country’s social security program but morphed into demonstrations demanding Ortega’s ouster. Human rights groups estimate the crackdown on protests has cost more than 300 lives. The government, meanwhile, has branded the opposition and the Catholic Church as “terrorists” and “coup mongers.” — Catholic News Service
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 11
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A SAINT IN ST. PAUL
n Feb. 13, 1982, Brother James Miller was fixing a wall outside the school where he worked in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, when three masked gunmen shot him in the chest and neck, killing him. He was 37. Just two years prior, he had been living in St. Paul, teaching Spanish and coaching soccer at Cretin High School, which his order, the Christian Brothers, founded. His heart, however, was with the Brothers’ mission work in Central America, where he had already served twice before. And so he had gone back. Last year, Pope Francis recognized his death as martyrdom, which paved the way for his Dec. 7 beatification in Huehuetenango. Brother Miller had two teaching stints at Cretin, which merged with Derham Hall in 1987. The first was from 1966 to 1971,
during which he professed final vows to his community in 1969. The second was 1979 to 1980. In between, he worked in Nicaragua, twice, his time split by graduate studies at what is now St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona. He returned from Nicaragua to the Twin Cities in 1979 because his community thought his life might be at risk due to the Sandinista revolution. In 1980, he left Cretin again — first for Mexico and then Guatemala, where he worked at the school Casa Indigena, which was run by the Christian Brothers. His focus was on the leadership development of his indigenous students. He taught English, religion and art to secondary-level students, and he did school maintenance. A farm boy, he also began an experimental farm to help the students learn agriculture. His murder is thought to be in retaliation
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for his efforts with his fellow Christian Brothers to keep their students from being forced to join the military. The brothers who worked with Brother Miller in Guatemala said he didn’t get involved in the country’s politics, but that he was targeted because, as a religious brother, his work helped the poor. Three days after his death, Archbishop John Roach celebrated a funeral Mass for him in the Cathedral of St. Paul. (Read the homily on page 14.) Following Brother Miller’s beatification, a miracle attributed to his intercession would be required for his canonization and the formal title “saint.” The following pages provide a glimpse into Brother Miller’s life, death and his legacy at Cretin-Derham Hall. — The Catholic Spirit
BROTHERJA 12 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Work on Wisconsin farm prepared slain brother for service in Guatemala By Sam Lucero Catholic News Service
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efore donning the habit of a Christian Brother in 1962, Brother James Miller wore the bib overalls of a Wisconsin farm boy. While in his green work clothes, repairing a wall outside of the Casa Indigena De La Salle — his religious community’s school for indigenous boys in Huehuetenango, Guatemala — Brother Miller, 37, was gunned down by three men Feb. 13, 1982. Nearly 37 years after his death, Brother Miller will be beatified during Mass Dec. 7 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Huehuetenango. He will be the first American-born Christian Brother declared blessed. To his friends and family, Brother Miller was a farm boy through and through. He was also a deeply spiritual man who grew to love the poor, indigenous people of Guatemala, who, like him, were close to the land. “Jim was a man of faith. He lived and gave his life helping poor Indian boys learn the trade of farming so they could feed themselves,” said fellow Christian Brother Stephen Markham, who grew up on a farm in Iowa and entered the Christian Brothers the same time as Brother Miller. Born Sept. 21, 1944, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Brother Miller was the oldest of Arnold and Lorraine Miller’s five children. His siblings include brothers Bill and Ralph, and sisters Pat Richter and Louise Shafranski. Their father operated a dairy farm that, at its peak, had 68 cows, said Ralph Miller, who today operates the family homestead in Ellis with his brother, Bill. The siblings recall their eldest brother as full of faith. “He always wanted to be a priest at the start,” Ralph Miller said in a telephone interview. When Brother Miller was young, he used to play the role of priest and celebrate Mass. “Jim made a tabernacle from an old clock and a monstrance from a tinker toy set,” said Brother Markham. “When he was around 10 or 12 years old, he was halfway home from confession when he exclaimed, ‘Oh, I forgot to say my penance.’ So he knelt right down there on the road and prayed.” One of his duties on the farm was to tend to the chickens, said Brother Markham. “One day his brother Bill saw him kneeling over a hurt chicken and praying for it that it would not die.” Working with his hands and fixing things around the farm helped Brother Miller later on as a missionary, said Shafranski, his sister. “Jim’s background was a perfect fit,” she said in an email. “Not only did he have a true calling to the Christian Brothers, but the fact that he started from a humble farm background ... gave him the knowledge to know how to fix things. It also kept him grounded to the basics of land, faith and family.” He attended grade school in his hometown of Ellis, then entered Pacelli Catholic High School in Stevens Point in 1958. It was at Pacelli where Brother Miller was introduced to the Christian Brothers, who staffed the Catholic high school. After one year at Pacelli, he joined the preparatory novitiate. In September 1959 he was sent to Glencoe, Missouri. “In one day, I left the state of Wisconsin for the first time, took my first train ride and saw a building over four stories high,” Brother Miller wrote in a two-page autobiography for his religious community in June 1978. He finished his novitiate in Winona, Minnesota, in 1963, and earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Mary’s College,
Winona, in 1966. (Now it’s St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, which honored his memory with a student dormitory, “Residencia Santiago Miller.”) He was next sent to teach Spanish at then-Cretin High School in St. Paul. Brother Miller’s first exposure to Central America was in July 1969, when he spent the summer in Bluefields, Nicaragua, studying Spanish. He returned to St. Paul, but made his way back to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, in March 1974. During his five years in Nicaragua, Brother Miller helped build an industrial arts and vocational education complex; served as principal of a governmentowned high school, Instituto Nacional Bartolome Colon; and even volunteered as a local fire department chief. “Since I have quite a bit of experience in building construction, the Nicaraguan government recently asked me to supervise the construction of 10 new rural grade schools being built in the region,” he wrote in his autobiography. “I find a lot of satisfaction working among the very poor here in Nicaragua.” His association with the Nicaraguan government of Anastasio Somoza led to Brother Miller’s departure after the Sandinista revolution in 1979. He returned to St. Paul and taught one more year at Cretin before being assigned to Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Brother Paul Joslin was president of the Christian Brothers community in Huehuetenango when Brother Miller arrived in January 1981. “Brother James and I were the director and co-director of Casa Indigena,” which housed about 150 indigenous youth from the Guatemalan highlands who were training to be teachers, said Brother Joslin. Brother Miller, whose name in Spanish was “Hermano Santiago,” quickly found ways to put his fix-it skills to work, repairing plumbing and electrical problems at Casa Indigena. In a telephone interview, Brother Joslin recalled the tense buildup of fear following reports of pending violence, and the disbelief when he received word of Brother Miller’s murder. The “preferential option for the poor,” a pastoral challenge presented by the Latin American bishops in 1968, influenced the Christian Brothers to provide education to the indigenous children in Guatemala and also led to military retaliation, he said. Just days before Brother Miller’s assassination, the religious community was warned by a border patrol agent, whose office was located at a nearby army base, that members of a death squad were looking for one of the seven Christian Brothers in Huehuetenango. “We were forewarned, but despite that, the decision that we made individually and collectively, was to remain in Huehuetenango for as long as possible,” said Brother Joslin. On the morning of his death, Brother Miller informed Brother Joslin that he would accompany students on a picnic to celebrate Valentine’s Day. After returning, Brother Miller decided to fix a hole on a wall near the Casa Indigena entrance just one block from the cathedral on a crowded shopping street. “He had to get up on a ladder in order to do it,” said Brother Joslin. While on the ladder, three men walking past the entrance pulled out guns and shot him numerous times. Sister Madeleva Manzanares Suazo, a nurse serving at a nearby hospice, heard the gunshots and ran to find Brother Miller on the ground. He apparently died instantly. “When this happened, I was in the brothers’ house next to the school, which was one kilometer away from Casa Indigena,” said Brother Joslin. “When I got there, I can’t tell you how awful it was, the shock, but when I went to
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COURTESY ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Christian Brother James Miller is pictured wi Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Brother Miller at the Christian Brothers’ with his Spanish student Bill Sweeney in the 1967 Cretin High School St. Mary’s College (now St. Mary’s University of Minnesota) in Winona reach, to touch Santiago, there was a policeman standing there and he snapped at me and said, ‘Don’t touch him.’ “I did pick up the hat he was wearing ... and it was still full of sweat, as if he were still alive,” added Brother Joslin. The local bishop celebrated Mass the following day; more than 1,000 students, parents and friends of the Christian Brothers then processed to the local airfield. Brother Miller’s body was flown to Guatemala City, where two more Masses were celebrated. Brother Joslin accompanied the coffin from Guatemala to St. Paul, where Archbishop John Roach celebrated Mass Feb. 16 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. The body of Brother Miller was returned to Wisconsin for another Mass, then burial at St. Martin Cemetery in Ellis, one mile south of the farm where he was raised. In a memorial written shortly after Brother Miller’s death, Brother Markham said his friend “followed no other star but his own.” “He was proud of his farm background and never hesitated to share his farm stories, no matter who the audience,” he said. “He loved his roots, he loved his family dearly.” In December 1981, during a visit to Minnesota, when Brother Miller had knee surgery, Brother Markham “asked Jim if he wasn’t frightened by the thought of returning.” “Jim responded, ‘You don’t think about that, that’s not why you’re there. There’s too much to be done. ... If it happens, it happens,’” Brother Markham wrote. Brother Miller was one of more than 200,000 people killed during Guatemala’s 36-year civil war, which ended in 1996. He was the second Catholic missionary from the United States murdered in Guatemala.
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DECEMBER 5, 2019 • 13
A saint of their own Cretin-Derham Hall prepares for Brother James Miller’s beatification By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit
A COURTESY CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
COURTESY CRETIN-DERHAM HALL
ith a child in an undated photo in front of the Colegio De La Salle in juniorate formation house in St. Louis about 1960. Brother Miller yearbook. Brother Miller in his 1966 senior class picture at a. Father Stanley Rother, pastor of St. James the Apostle in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, was shot to death in his rectory July 28, 1981. Pope Francis officially recognized Father Rother, a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, as a martyr for the faith, and on Sept. 23, 2017, Father Rother was beatified in Oklahoma City. He was a friend of Archbishop Harry Flynn, who spoke often of his martyrdom. On Feb. 13, 2007, the 25th anniversary of Brother Miller’s death, Casa Indigena, the center he called home, was renamed Centro Indigena Santiago Miller. In an email, Shafranski recalled her brother telling her that he would return to Guatemala even though he faced danger. “I could be kidnapped, tortured and killed, or I could simply be gunned down,” she said he told her. “I knew Jim was very dedicated and committed to his students in Huehuetenango. There was no stopping him from going back.” Louise and Rich Shafranski will travel to Guatemala for the beatification Dec. 7. She is the only sibling who is able to attend. “The one thing I hope people (remember) is that Jim was a real person. He was a son, brother, Christian Brother and friend,” she said. “He had a hardy laugh, a ready smile, a quick wit, a good sense of humor, and was a genuine hard-working person. He was a man who felt happiness and sorrow, had great love for both family and the Church. He loved working with his hands, and was through and through a little farm boy at heart.” — The Catholic Spirit contributed to this story
man who scrubbed toilets and shoveled sidewalks at Cretin-Derham Hall is on his way to becoming a saint. The school is celebrating his beatification this month by elevating his presence on campus and further connecting students to his legacy. Christian Brother James Miller spent the 1960-1961 academic year at then-Cretin High School in St. Paul as a student during his preparatory novitiate with his religious community, and then he later taught at the school from 1966-1971 and again from 1979-1980. He taught Spanish, founded the soccer team and served as maintenance supervisor. Now, four members of Cretin-Derham Hall plan to attend their alumnus and former teacher’s beatification ceremony in Guatemala. Among them will be the high school’s president, Frank Miley. Reminders of the late teacher pop up throughout the school. The chapel is being renamed in honor of Blessed Brother Miller; staff is working with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to make the rededication official. The school commissioned a bronze bust of him, one of three by Twin Cities artist Alec Smith. The first was installed at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona, and the third is expected to be unveiled at the beatification in Guatemala. The courtyard in which the bust was recently installed at Cretin-Derham Hall is also being renamed after him. Meanwhile, the original icon of Brother painted by Nick Markell is displayed in the school’s “History Walk” alongside other noteworthy memorabilia. A reproduction hangs in the classroom where he taught. The students’ education on Brother Miller is enhanced spiritually. Multiple times a day they participate in a call-and-response invocation that now includes, “Blessed Brother James Miller,” “pray for us.” “He has a big footprint here,” Miley said, “and the beatification is making that footprint even bigger.” The administrator said he couldn’t hope for a more inspiring example to lift up to their students. “One of the things we’re in dire need of is heroes, especially heroes who point us to helping each other, loving each other and directing each other toward God.” His courage in the face of danger is particularly appealing to young men, who are more likely to engage in service opportunities that are challenging or feel risky, Miley said. “For young men, that sense of adventure is another element that Brother James embodies.” Brother Miller was a farm boy from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, whose work ethic prodded him to quietly help across campus: mopping floors, cleaning furnaces and plumbing. Students watched him lumber down the halls in his long black robe, tools strapped to his belt, and took to calling him “Brother Fixit.” No work was beneath him. He lived simply, wearing the same overalls every week. He coached soccer and taught Spanish. He related to his students, maintaining high standards that were softened by his ready humor and belly laugh. But the plight of third-world countries was no laughing matter. Brother Miller seized every opportunity to educate his students. They collected money for their mission schools, and Brother Miller spoke passionately about his dream of becoming a missionary. He never took for granted the luxury of being an American and had no patience for what today is dubbed “first-world problems,” said Donny Geng, who taught at Cretin during the same time and is now retired. “He was tired of the American cavalier-ness about education. It’s an entitlement.” Brother Miller’s knowledge of Central America expanded the teens’ horizons. “It was clear from the
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Frank Miley, president of Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, stands next to a bronze bust of Brother James Miller recently installed in the courtyard of the school. beginning that he was a champion of the poor and wanted desperately to serve down there,” said Christian Brother Pat Conway, a humanities professor at St. Mary’s University who was a student when Brother Miller began teaching. He was alternately firm and flexible. Once, Brother Conway was given a detention for missing school. As punishment, he had to take down hockey boards after school. Brother Miller knew the boy had been hospitalized at the time and discretely informed the dean. A few minutes later, the dean called out: “Conway, go home.” “It was that human side,” Brother Conway said. “He was very quiet about it.” He likewise remained relatively quiet about the danger of his mission work but confided in close friends. Once, a round of machine gun fire had sent him for cover, Geng recalled. “He said, ‘I never knew I could pray so fervently as when under my bed.’” Still, to teach at a Christian Brother school in Guatemala was the fulfillment of a dream. He felt purposeful and needed. Three days after his death, a crowd gathered at the Cathedral of St. Paul for his funeral Mass celebrated by then-Archbishop John Roach. “The beauty of the life of James Miller, and those who serve God’s poorest in that part of the world, is that they serve with faith and an absolute commitment to the belief that that’s where the Lord wants them,” the archbishop said. Service to the neighbor in need is a charism of Christian brothers that Cretin-Derham Hall tries to instill in its students, pointing to Brother Miller as a poignant case study. “We are really dedicated to keeping the notion of the needy right before our students,” Miley said, “and Jim would be part and parcel in this.” Food drives throughout the year are an obvious first step, but weaving service into the curriculum sets Cretin-Derham Hall apart, he said. Every Thursday, seniors leave for a two-hour window to serve those in need. “A requirement of that is they must be in one-on-one contact with human beings,” Miley said. “We believe that if you’re going to embrace the poor, you need to know them. I don’t know of another school that has embedded that in the program.” Harry Olander, a senior who belongs to Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul, is one of many who has benefited from this layered education, including a service trip to Guatemala. “It’s crazy to think that someone on their way to being a saint represents our school,” he said. “It’s inspiring because so many of the people we learn about in our faith are historical figures, and even though we learn about them, we don’t really connect with them,” he addd. “Brother James Miller is easy to relate to since he was a lot like us, walking the halls of our school.” In that common ground, Olander said, comes a challenge: “It makes you realize that each of us also has a big responsibility to help others, like God would want and like Brother James Miller did in his life. He was similar to so many of us, but he also took it to the next level to dedicate his life, even give his life, to what he believed.” It’s a story that will be repeated to each class at Cretin-Derham Hall. “It’s pretty cool that part of him and his way of being faithful is living on in our school today,” Orlander said.
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14 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Nick Markell had never heard of Brother James Miller when Cretin-Derham Hall first commissioned the acclaimed artist to paint an icon of the martyr. A combination of prayer and research went into his creative process, including a picture of the late missionary holding a lamb in Guatemala. Add to that the fact that the brother often wore overalls, and an image was emerging: the traditional ambiance of a religious icon with a contemporary twist, showing Brother James — titled “Hermano Santiago,” as he was known — donned in overalls with a gold numbus encircling his head and a lamb in his arms. “It made him more accessible,” said Markell, a member of St. Mary in Stillwater and owner of nearby Markell Studios. “Perhaps that’s why the image has taken off a bit.” Indeed, it has become the most widely known image of the Midwestern saint-to-be — an incredible outcome for a month-long effort painting with acrylic wash and gold leaf in his apartment while the sun set, incense filled the air and Gregorian chant played. Markell focused on Brother James’ prominent eyebrows and eyes. “I tried to
capture an essence of that,” he said. As he painted, the father contemplated the message behind the martyr. “He represented for me an every-day saint. There’s a certain status about being martyred, but this is possible for the every-day person. A lot of the icons I might do over the years are saints that seem out of reach — the great saints of history. But then you have an example of a recent saint who walked the streets with us, but their faith was strong and then died for it.” Meanwhile, the lamb remains a reflection of Brother James’ gentle, attentive outreach, embracing each child as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, did. The positive response to the icon continues to delight Markell. “(That’s) very touching, as an iconographer. I’m very grateful to have been involved,” he said. He’s also thankful to share his passion with others through workshops. His next local one will be held at his parish in February 2020. Learn more about Markell’s work at markellstudios.com. — Christina Capecchi
DECEMBER 5, 2019
Remembering a martyr On Feb. 16, 1982, Archbishop John Roach of St. Paul and Minneapolis preached the following homily in the Cathedral of St. Paul at a memorial Mass for Brother James Miller.
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e celebrate this evening the life and death of Brother James Miller, a man of peace and goodwill who lived a life of service to the Lord Jesus Christ, and who knows the true peace and fullness of the Kingdom of God. I express my sincerest sympathy to his family, to the Christian Brothers and to the thousands whom he served as teacher, friend and spiritual brother. I suggest it would be more than God asks of us if our joy in James Miller’s new life in Jesus Christ were not tempered by a deep sense of sorrow, pain and some powerlessness at the events which took his life. The insanity of the circumstances of his death, and the cowardice of his murderers shocks and angers; only the faith that sustained Brother James supports us through our tears to breathe thanks to Almighty God as he embraces James Miller in eternal life. Since 1681, the Christian Brothers have dedicated their lives to lifting people from ignorance and bondage. In life, James Miller took people from the hills and gave them a combination of knowledge and hope. In death, he fulfilled the vision of the founder of the Christian Brothers. He gave his life for the poorest of the poor. As educator and as Christian apostle he had touched the lives of many. Last Saturday the God who held his hands in his work in the name of Jesus Christ took his hands in death. I believe with all my heart that the God who graces his life will grace his death and will lift others to stand in his place to do what he did. You have to ask yourself how long this sickness and violence can continue. Those who struggle to assist people in raising themselves from an inhuman level of poverty, to change the course of their lives, live with the realization that progress will be slow. Week after week they experience the pain of people who live with the realization that life is cheap. The beauty of James Miller, and those who serve God’s poorest in that part of the world, is that they serve with faith and an absolute commitment to the belief that that’s where the Lord wants them. Brother James, like Archbishop Romero, the four women slain in El Salvador a year ago, Father Stan Rother and many other priests, brothers, sisters and lay catechists made a commitment to serve God’s poor. In doing so, they embrace the fear which must be a part of their lives. We need look no further than to their lives to find our heroes and heroines and, while I don’t use the word ‘martyr’ lightly, they would pretty well fit my description. They witnessed to his Gospel; they died in service of the Lord. At this moment, we who celebrate the death of James Miller must find healing in our faith. The only way of viewing death as a Christian is to view it through the eyes and through the life of Jesus Christ. Our faith does enable us to offer the prayerful hope that as James Miller has shared in the experience of the death of Jesus, he now shares life with him in his resurrection. St. Paul said to the Corinthians, “If our
faith in Christ is limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of people.” We must be allowed our grief for James Miller, but it would be an affront to his own realistic faith not to express that grief in terms of his sharing in the Resurrection. Christian life is incomplete without death. Brother James is now the complete Christian. In further describing death, Paul said, “Continually we carry about in our bodies the dying of Jesus so that in our bodies the life of Jesus may also be revealed. So death is at work in us, but life in you.” It seems to me that’s the precise description of Brother James Miller’s life and death. Day by day he and those with whom he worked lived in the shadow of death so that those whom they serve might know a renewed life in Jesus Christ. As I prepared this homily, I promised myself I would not politicize this celebration of life and death. It is impossible, however, to ignore the conditions which lie at the base of that tragedy. Last November, the bishops of the United States issued a statement on Central America. We were criticized in some quarters because we were charged with saying too much. Tonight in my mind and heart I feel we said too little. Must those who serve in Guatemala and places like it live in the constant fear that at any moment they may be the victims of violence by irresponsible people who respect neither others nor themselves? In God’s name this must stop. There will be other deaths. There will be other persecutions. The tragedy will be compounded if the day comes when the world is calloused in facing the death of the James Millers of this world. We cannot allow that to happen. We must challenge the political and economic structures which not only keep people under oppression but condone deliberate violence. The hard reality is that the real roots of violence are found in people’s hearts, and to change people’s hearts we have to change people’s values. If liberty is not treasured, if life is not valued, then violence will flourish. In this crisis of civilization, it is not possible to remain neutral or detached either as persons or as a nation. We are linked as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ with those who struggle to be free. We are also linked with them as citizens of a country whose government policy affects development, and in some instances non-development, in their countries. God knows violence begets violence, and not much more. Never peace. You and I must support those who fight the oppression of the poor, fight for the rights of those who have no rights. It is impossible to extinguish the flame of hope for freedom in people’s hearts, but we cannot afford the luxury of being spectators in that struggle. We must hold up the arms of our sisters and brothers who speak for and who work for God’s poor. Pray that a loving Father will change the stony hearts of oppressors. Pray for an end to this tragic insanity which prompted James Miller’s death. May the Lord who blessed his work in life grace him in death. May he rest in peace. Transcribed from the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 15
DEACONORDINATION
‘For the sake of the Church’
In their own words
Ten men to be ordained permanent deacons Dec. 7 at Cathedral By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit
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roclaiming God’s word, bringing the cares of the community to the Eucharist and the Eucharist to those in need, and serving in corporal and spiritual works of mercy. These are critical aspects of a calling to the permanent diaconate, and 10 men to be ordained Dec. 7 have heard and answered that call, said Deacon Joseph Michalak, director of the Institute for Diaconate Formation at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. All of the faithful are invited to the 10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul to celebrate the ordination, Deacon Michalak said. “This is an ecclesial moment,” he said. “This is not a private event. This is the Church calling men to be conformed to Christ, the servant. It has the same weight as a marriage or being ordained a priest. It is a vocation for the sake of the Church.” When ordained by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, the men will join 115 active and 50 retired but often still serving permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Most deacons have a dual assignment at a parish and in a non-parish ministry, such as serving the imprisoned, elderly and hospitalized, or engaging in evangelization efforts such as men’s ministry or education, Deacon Michalak said. Many deacons are married, others are not; many have jobs, others are retired. Through their ministries and role in the Church, deacons can bring Christ into
Recognizing the Dec. 7 diaconate ordination as a milestone in the lives of the candidates and the local Church, The Catholic Spirit asked the 10 candidates to reflect on their calling, its impact on them and on their families, and the faith and service they hope to share in their ministry. A brief introduction to each man and selected answers follow. To read more from the candidates’ reflections on their shared vocation, view the complete Q&As at TheCatholicSpirit.com. The responses have been edited for length and clarity. Photos by Dave Hrbacek.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Deacon Joseph Michalak prepares to read the Gospel passage Sept. 4 during the annual kickoff Mass at The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul. people’s lives in ways priests cannot, such as in their marriages, workplaces and other relationships, Deacon Michalak said. Formation for the permanent diaconate is five years, some of it alongside seminarians studying for the priesthood, and it is ongoing after ordination. To be considered candidates for the diaconate, men must be between 29 and 60 years old, in mature marriages or celibate, with a track record of service in the Church and a strong spiritual life. This class of 10 brings a wide variety of experience, including business owners, technology experts, musicians and engineers. Ages range from late 30s to 60s and all are married. Their wives, too, have been involved in their formation and bring their own perspective and ministries to bear on the
John Allgaier
experience, Deacon Michalak said. “This is a confident group of women with their own ‘giftings,’” he said. “They have contributed a lot, and I can see that in the future they will help their husbands and grow in their own ministries in the Church.” Each member of the class is committed to the Church and willing to serve and evangelize at a challenging time that includes grappling with clergy sexual abuse scandals, a cultural attack on the family and an erosion of freedom of religion, he said. “They love all that the Church is. They clearly are willing to suffer with the Church in these days of difficulty and trial,” he said. Deacon Michalak said their stance might be summed up along these lines: “Jesus said it would be tough, we know that, and we’re ready and available.”
Holy Name of Jesus, Medina Allgaier, 60, credits his wife, Kelly, and God’s grace in helping him balance family, work and study for the diaconate. Recently retired with three adult children, he said he looks forward as a deacon to sharing with the Church the gifts and talents God has generously given him. Q. What inspired you to pursue the diaconate? A. M y life and calendar were busy with things “of this world” — family, work, activities. All good things, but more my will, not necessarily his will. I am grateful for my gifts from God — beginning with my wife and family. God has a will for all of us. I finally slowed down enough to hear his calling for me to become a deacon. Q. What made you certain this was your call? A. I almost immediately felt a peace that this decision was right for me and my family. Many of the barriers and conflicts that I anticipated with family, work and diaconate formation somehow resolved themselves. I came to understand that I was not doing this on my own. I put forward the effort, Kelly unselfishly supported me, and most importantly God cleared the hurdles in our way. Q. What areas of ministry are you especially interested in? A. Serving the “Lazaruses” who live among us.
Congratulations Deacon Joe Utecht
on your ordination to the Permanent Diaconate! From your brothers and sisters at Community of Christ the Redeemer
COMMUNITY OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER Catholic Lay Association of Christian Faithful
CatholicHotdish.com
Congratulations Deacon Michael Daly!
May Jesus and his immaculately conceived Mother abundantly bless your diaconal ministry! Sincerely in Christ, Our Lady of the Prairie Parish, Belle Plaine
DEACONORDINATION
16 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
John Bauch
Eric Cooley
St. Bonaventure, Bloomington Bauch, 60, admired the deacons serving in his parish, and a priest helped him understand the nature of such a calling: It isn’t another job, but becoming the person God created him to be. A project manager in information technology, he said diaconate formation has helped strengthen the bond between him and his wife, Lisa Anne, and deepened and enriched his prayer life. Q. Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church? A. Addressing homelessness for people of all ages. Without a safe, clean place to live, it is nearly impossible to raise a family, pursue education, get a job, or get the assistance (physical, mental, spiritual) needed to heal wounds and resume a life with dignity. Q. What has been the most challenging part of pursuing this vocation? A. I t is a large time commitment, and it takes a while to learn how to integrate it into your life along with all of the other commitments that you have. Q. What advice would you give another man discerning the diaconate? A. Go to one of the deacon information sessions, talk to a deacon, and spend some time in adoration and see what God might be saying to you.
DECEMBER 5, 2019
Michael Daly
Our Lady of the Prairie, Belle Plaine
St. Peter, North St. Paul The director of pastoral care at St. John the Evangelist in Little Canada, Cooley, 41, and his wife, Sarah, have four children. Drawn to service, Cooley said he felt called to ordained ministry but also to marriage. As he prayed about it, the idea of being a deacon arose and continued to grow over the years.
Daly, 53, said he feels called to serve the sick and the suffering, so they know “they are never alone and that someone is praying for them.” A tax, accounting and financial services expert, Daly said his wife, Maureen, stands with him, keeps him honest and on the path when the work gets heavy.
Q. What made you certain this was your call? A. Not only did I feel drawn to be ordained as a deacon, other people would suggest it to me. This included friends, fellow parishioners and clergy. As we continued to think and pray about it, we reached a limit discerning on our own and felt called to discern through formation. It’s not something we could figure out on our own, but with the guidance of those involved with formation it became clear.
Q. Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church? A. Strengthening the domestic Church, the family, by offering meaningful catechesis, especially with regard to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Church needs to help its people experience the beauty and grace-filled power of the sacraments.
Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to? A. In the person of Christ the servant, I look forward to embodying the flow of God’s grace from the eucharistic celebration to the faithful and likewise bringing their needs back to the same altar as an offering to our Father. I value being a bridge for others to Chris. Through listening to their hopes, dreams and struggles, I seek to convey that our God is deeply interested in them as persons.
JOIN US!
Q. What can the Church do to inspire other men to answer the diaconate calling? A. Whether serving on the altar, proclaiming the Word, or distributing holy Communion as extraordinary ministers, I believe these liturgical roles can be an inspiration to men who are being called not only to the diaconate, but other vocations as well. Praying the beautiful liturgy of the Mass, praying for vocations, praying for families and praying for marriages, will stir the hearts of those open to the call. The Holy Spirit hears our prayers.
CONGRATULATIONS Deacon Eric Evander
Deacon Bill Schroeder
May God bless you in your vocation as servants of the Gospel! With love and prayers from your home parish of Holy Family Joseph Wappes — Senior St. John Vianney College Seminary
Derek Gilde — Pre Theology The Saint Paul Seminary
If you are seeking clarity in your vocational discernment be sure to attend the Archbishop’s Discernment Retreat! We are seminarians of the Archdiocese who will be present to answer questions you have about life at the seminary and discerning a call to priesthood. Archbishop’s Discernment Retreat
For men who are seniors in high school and above.
Christ the King Retreat House, Buffalo Dec 28-30
Register at www.10000vocations.org
Plan your week with TheCatholicSpirit.com/calendar
DECEMBER 5, 2019
Matt Damiani
DEACONORDINATION
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 17
Eric Evander
Joel Neisen
St. Peter, Forest Lake
Holy Family, St. Louis Park
Damiani, 39, and his wife, Lisa, have eight children. A business manager, Damiani said diaconate formation has taught him to be open to moments of service and experiences of God’s presence when they are least expected. He hopes to be open as a deacon to God’s working in his family, job and ministry, and “to be ready to serve him at any moment.”
Evander, 59, urges men who are discerning the diaconate to spend time in an adoration chapel; letting the Lord know what is in their hearts; and to read Scripture, wait, listen and talk to someone already in ministry. An information technology expert, Evander and his wife, Diane, have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Q. What inspired you to pursue the diaconate? A. At the time I didn’t realize it, but I would trace it back to the priestly ordination of a friend of mine. During Mass I really felt drawn to be a servant of the altar, especially when the candidates for ordination were lying flat on their faces in the sanctuary. It was only a couple of years later that I could trace the thoughts of diaconate back to that experience. Q. What part of your formation has been the most rewarding? A. Going into the deep. Learning how to pray and going deeper and deeper into prayer has really helped me to grow as a man of God. I can look back at who I was at the beginning of the process and see that God has really changed me. In formation you quickly learn to let go of your plans and desires and eventually learn to love his plan. I wouldn’t be able to learn my faith, homily techniques, how to conduct any liturgical rites, etc. without that conversion.
St. John the Baptist, Savage
Q. What made you certain this was your call? A. P reviously one of the guys in my men’s prayer group said that I should think about the diaconate. I prayed about it of course, and decided to speak with Deacon Stephen Najarian and we had a nice conversation. After Mass about a month after meeting with him, he told me, “I think you are going to become a deacon.” I had also mentioned that I was considering the diaconate to my parish priest, Father Tom Dufner, and a couple of weeks later after Mass he said, “You are going to become a deacon.” My experience is that God will let me know three times in a clear way in order to catch my attention for something really important. Q. Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church? A. We are an extremely divided country and this is also true of our Church and our archdiocese, and even our families. Politics is not going to help us. Prayer and then listening is what will help heal the divide.
A software engineer, Neisen said he was first interested in the diaconate 20 years ago, but needs in his family required him to wait to pursue formation. Neisen, 59, and his wife, LuAnn, have five adult children and two grandchildren. Q. Who has been a model for your ministry? A. Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I was too young to remember the things he said, but I do remember that we had to watch his show when I was very young. In more recent years, with the advent of Catholic TV and YouTube, I have been able to watch and re-watch his shows. He had a down-to-earth style that combined wit, intelligence and an understanding of current happenings viewed through the lens of the eternal. More immediately, I would say that my spiritual director, Father Gerald Dvorak, has demonstrated a different kind of priesthood to me. He pours out his own life, almost inconspicuously, for his parish and the candidates that he directs. My pastor, Father Donald DeGrood, has been a great mentor, allowing me to serve as an acolyte so that I might better learn how to serve at the altar. He is a man who loves God and his faith and desires that others fall in love as well. Finally, my wife, LuAnn. I have come to realize over 36 years of marriage that she easily outgives me by a measure of at least two-to-one.
The Church of St. Peter in North St. Paul wishes to extend our
Congratulations to Deacon Eric Cooley
Keep the faith evergreen
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18 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DEACONORDINATION
DECEMBER 5, 2019
William Schroeder
Joe Utecht
Rodney Walker
Holy Family, St. Louis Park
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Hastings
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Hastings
Schroeder, 63, said that a prayer for vocations at Mass stirred his heart to seek out diaconate formation. He and his wife, Jackie, have seven children. He is retired from his work in manufacturing.
While serving as an adult leader during Mass at a Steubenville North Youth Conference, Utecht, 59, felt called a call to holy orders, and it initially confused him: He was married to Margaret and the father of five. Then he realized that God might be calling him to the diaconate, and he’s felt that call confirmed. He is a professional counselor and management consultant.
Over 30 years, Walker, 59, and his family moved three times, and at each of the parishes he attended, the pastor told him the same thing: “You will make a good deacon someday, but not yet.” Then, in 2014, he finally felt God calling him to apply for diaconate formation. An information technology consultant, Walker and his wife, Annette, have two adult sons and one grandchild.
Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to? A. Being a servant of the Church. Loving all of God’s people whether they are in the Church or not. Q. What areas of ministry are you especially interested in? A. Serving on the altar to gain the strength and wisdom to serve wherever God leads. Q. What role will your family plan in your new ministry? A. Kids are mostly all grown. My wife, Jackie, is very supportive and has a multitude of her own spiritual gifts. It is a true blessing to have the support of family. Q. What do you most hope to offer the Church through this vocation? A. A heart set on Jesus. To be known as a follower of Jesus.
Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to? A. Being a herald of the Gospel by proclaiming the Gospel during holy Mass. I would never have thought this would be my answer prior to going through diaconate formation. Now I have come to appreciate liturgy in a much deeper way, and to have such an integral part will be a great blessing. Q. Where do you see the greatest needs in the local Church? A. The needs of the local Church will become more evident as our archdiocese prepares for the Synod over the next two years. I was encouraged to see the process start as we celebrated Pentecost. We need a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, an awareness of the power and presence of God within us and a conviction that our true home is in heaven. As we become more aware of God’s tremendous love and mercy and the great gift of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we will see our local Church grow in ways that we could never ask or imagine.
Q. What aspect of diaconate ministry are you most looking forward to? A. Serving all as Christ did. And in doing so, helping people encounter the living Christ, here and now. Q. What areas of ministry are you especially interested in? A. Serving in various ways at the parish I am assigned to, getting to know parishioners, especially young families. In addition, I sense God calling me to prison ministry. During my internship at Washington County Jail, I felt most men I met with had a desire to grow in their relationship with Christ. That is a hard thing to do on their own. Christians are called to community and to support and guide each other. Many of these men came from a very different community where drugs and violence ruled. Helping these men find a better way, the way of Christ, remains in my heart.
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DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 19
FAITH+CULTURE
Issue of selling slaves ‘bigger than Georgetown,’ says descendant By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service
T
he issue of Georgetown University selling slaves more than 180 years ago to get out of a debt that could have shut down the institution is “bigger than Georgetown,” said one of the roughly 8,000 known descendants of those enslaved African Americans. “Because the truth sets us all free, in finding that out, we began to look at, study and impel the Jesuits to do something,” said Cheryllyn Branche of New Orleans, a retired Catholic school principal who is president of the GU272 Descendants Association — named after the 272 slaves known to be sold by Georgetown in Washington, D.C. — and co-chair of the GU272 Foundation Committee. “There was an apology, but for us, we needed more and we continue to seek more,” Branche said during a Nov. 15 webinar, “Open Wide Our Hearts — The Sin of Jesuit Slave Holding: Continuing the Conversation on Racism.” November was Black Catholic History Month. Jesuit Father Tim Kesicki, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, has been Branche’s dialogue partner for most of the past four years. Knowing the history of black subjugation in American society is one thing, Father Kesicki said, but “that history became very real when I learned for the first time through The New York Times and other media outlets of the sinful sale.” On Easter Tuesday of 2016, Father Kesicki issued an apology on behalf of the entire Jesuit community to the descendants. “The apology was just a first step, and we’re moving toward what truth, true healing and reconciliation looks like,” he said. In assessing the fruits of the dialogue thus far, Branche said, “We hope to be leaders in understanding how you reconcile something that is so gravely cynical. For all of us there has been a great deal of personal and spiritual recovery. Of course, we begin with ourselves as individuals.” She added that descendants “are not monolithic in
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Mulledy Hall, also known as Freedom Hall, is seen on the campus of Georgetown University April 4, 2017. The building has been renamed after Isaac Hawkins, the first enslaved person listed in the Jesuit university’s documents on its selling of slaves. thought. There are many thinkers and those who agree that a process like this is one that could drive meaningful change.” Similarly, Branche noted, descendants don’t show unanimity about the redress Georgetown and the Jesuits owe the descendants. There are some descendants who want cash now, she said, but “we cannot be paid for the lives of our ancestors. We prefer reconciliation because we have to reconcile our history, the truth, our work together.” “We think that (reconciling) the past, although it will
involve money, will be a trust,” she said, adding that “40 acres and a mule did not work” for freed slaves immediately after the Civil War. “The focus of our organization is a foundation and trust to last into perpetuity,” Branche added. Georgetown’s archives provide disturbing details on slaveholding, she said. “It continues to mystify me how a pregnant woman could be in the parlor of a priest’s home and could be whipped,” Branche said. “Something like that is unconscionable. It drives me visually to contemplate what happened.” Some of the priests’ actions were “brutal,” she added. “At the same time, there were priests who felt they were in relations (with slaves), but did not want them to be sold. There were acts of kindness, but there are acts of sheer brutality that make me tremble.” The dialogues with the descendants are similar to what Jesuits have experienced in Canada, Father Kesicki explained. “A lot of work that the Jesuits in Canada have done with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” he said, “particularly with their history in the boarding schools. There was abuse, but one of the great sins is the sin of assimilation, trying to assimilate into the dominant culture. That, I think, leads the way for us in North America as a very strong effort of the Jesuits with the First Nations.” The biggest takeaway for Branche in the ongoing dialogue is “relationship-building among the descendants, then leading the direction, in Jesus, is the direction that we want to go to. (It) is the one demanded.” She said, “We have to move forward by stepping out of our comfort zone, out of the status quo. ... Staying where you are and ... not making change is what’s holding us back.” Father Kesicki added that perseverance is important. “It’s a lifelong journey. It’s a lifelong journey that demands action,” he said. You can’t turn back. “You can’t turn back. We’re going forward.” “We’re committed to not turning back,” Branche said.
20 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 5, 2019
FOCUSONFAITH SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER TROY PRZYBILLA
‘Stay awake’ “Stay awake!” In the Gospel for this first Sunday of Advent, we hear Jesus tell us to stay awake. What does this mean? Many people stayed awake last Thursday night in order to get early deals on Black Friday. Is this what Jesus meant? A month from now people will be staying up late to watch a giant crystal ball drop in Times Square in order to welcome the New Year. Is this what Jesus meant? In the Gospel we are encouraged to stay awake spiritually. Advent is a period of time in our liturgical year that serves as a reminder of the important truth of our faith that Jesus is coming again. The very word “Advent” means “coming towards.” Jesus is coming, and all throughout Advent we are reminded to stay awake. We stay awake by the way we live our lives. St. Paul stresses this in his letter to the Romans. He writes, “Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For
ASK FATHER MIKE | FATHER MICHAEL SCHMITZ
Can I listen to Christmas music in Advent? Q. Can I listen to Christmas songs in Advent? I’ve heard people say that we shouldn’t even put up decorations before Christmas. What should I do?
A. This is something that I have considered for a
long time. The “Christmas season” seems to begin earlier and earlier in our culture. Of course, by “Christmas season,” I mean the season of decorations, songs and selling us things. The consumer season of Christmas seems to begin right after Halloween, plows through Thanksgiving and ends abruptly on the afternoon of Dec. 24. This is a direct contrast to the liturgical season of Christmas, which begins on the evening of Dec. 24 and continues until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 12 this year). We’ve all lived through this before. We are so partied and celebration-ed out by the day after Christmas that it seems like there is very little to continue celebrating. In addition, so many of our celebrations are more social and cultural than they are religious that we don’t even know how to celebrate the actual liturgical season of Christmas. Because of this, Advent becomes (in our actual day-to-day lives) the time we “celebrate Christmas.” OK, clearly we’ve got this backwards. As a result, there are many people who take these kinds of things seriously who will tell you that it is not good to listen to Christmas songs or put up decorations during Advent. I get it. And if that is your practice, that’s great. But I think that we can live Advent even better than that. The Church describes Advent as the time preceding the season of Christmas during which the faithful prepare to celebrate the feast of the Lord’s first coming into the world, prepare to receive the Lord worthily in holy Communion, and prepare themselves for his Second Coming at the end of time.
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DAILY Scriptures Advent is meant to be a time to detach from the desires of the flesh so that we can become more attached to God, who is the fulfillment of all of our desires.
our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day.” Advent is meant to be a time to detach from the desires of the flesh so that we can become more attached to God, who is the fulfillment of all of our desires. As the liturgical color changes in Advent, it is a good reminder and opportunity to reflect on the direction of our lives and change what needs to be changed. So, what does it mean to stay awake? It means a changed life that is conformed to Jesus Christ, who has come among us, and eagerly anticipates his coming again when we will “go rejoicing into the house of the Lord.” Father Przybilla is pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony.
Basically, this is a season of preparation. Advent is given to us so that we can prepare — prepare to celebrate Christmas well, prepare to receive holy Communion well and prepare to die well. What would help you be more prepared to celebrate Christmas well? Would songs help? Would decorating your environment in such a way that it reminded you of the upcoming season help? Would fasting help (so that the feast would be that much more longed for)? Let this be the place you begin to answer the question: with the end in mind. Advent is a season to be even more intentional about preparing to receive Christ in the Eucharist as well as possible. What would help you receive holy Communion more worthily? Would songs or decorations help? They might. I know a lot of people who pray with music. There are many songs that can open up the heart to prayer and can draw a person into singing Scripture. Would going to confession help? (Hint: Absolutely it would, and it is likely necessary for many of us.) But here is the real kicker for me: Advent is a time to prepare for Christ’s return at the end of time, or at the end of the time you have left on this planet. Advent is a time to prepare for the moment you die. I invite you to consider this prayer exercise this Advent: Imagine that, instead of just getting ready to celebrate Christmas this year, what if you knew that you were going to die on Dec. 25? This is your new Advent exercise: Your “death day” is Dec. 25, now how will you live Advent? Will decorating your house help you prepare for your death? Will listening to Christmas songs help you become ready to wake up dead on Christmas morning? Will going to any and every Christmas party help you? This is not about a rule of “no songs” or “no decorating.” Not at all! (I’m not a Grinch about those things.) This is about beginning Advent with the real purpose of Advent in mind. If we reduce this season to a list of do’s and don’ts, then we aren’t really entering into what the Church has given us in the gift of Advent. You are going to die on Dec. 25. Now, how are you going to live each moment from this moment until that moment so you are prepared to see the Lord of the universe face to face? Father Schmitz is director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Reach him at fathermikeschmitz@gmail.com.
Need inspiration for Advent? Find resources for your journey at TheCatholicSpirit.com/advent.
Sunday, December 8 Second Sunday of Advent Is 11:1-10 Rom 15:4-9 Mt 3:1-12 Monday, December 9 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Gn 3:9-15, 20 Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday, December 10 Is 40:1-11 Mt 18:12-14 Wednesday, December 11 Is 40:25-31 Mt 11:28-30 Thursday, December 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe Zec 2:14-17 Lk 1:26-38 Friday, December 13 St. Lucy, virgin and martyr Is 48:17-19 Mt 11:16-19 Saturday, December 14 St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 Mt 17:9a, 10-13 Sunday, December 15 Third Sunday of Advent Is 35:1-6a, 10 Jas 5:7-10 Mt 11:2-11 Monday, December 16 Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a Mt 21:23-27 Tuesday, December 17 Gn 49:2, 8-10 Mt 1:1-17 Wednesday, December 18 Jer 23:5-8 Mt 1:18-25 Thursday, December 19 Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a Lk 1:5-25 Friday, December 20 Is 7:10-14 Lk 1:26-38 Saturday, December 21 Sg 2:8-14 Lk 1:39-45 Sunday, December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent Is 7:10-14 Rom 1:1-7 Mt 1:18-24
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 21
COMMENTARY TWENTY SOMETHING | CHRISTINA CAPECCHI
Rudolph to the rescue: the triumph of an under-deer Robert May was painfully aware of the distance between his dreams and his reality. The 34-year-old Dartmouth graduate had long fantasized about writing the great American novel. Instead, he was working a mediocre job as an ad man for Montgomery Ward, cranking out forgettable copy about silk sheets and white shirts. He lived in a tiny Chicago apartment with his ill wife and young daughter. One day in 1939, May’s boss tapped him for an unexpected assignment. For years Montgomery Ward had bought coloring books and distributed them at stores as a Christmas giveaway. This time around executives decided to save money by creating their own booklet — and asked May to write it. His thoughts turned to the Lincoln Park Zoo. When he took his 4-year-old, Barbara, she was drawn to the deer. He also channeled his own childhood insecurities that remained poignant; he’d been teased as a small, shy boy. An underdog story like the Ugly Duckling appealed to him. Then, looking out onto the flickering street lights one foggy winter night, came the inspiration: “A nose! A bright red nose that would shine through fog like a floodlight,” he said. May wanted an alliterative name for his reindeer and considered Reginald — too British — and Rollo, which sounded too jolly for a misfit. Rudolph was still colorful but more sympathetic. The tale had a decidedly plaintive, Depression-era tone, describing an outcast who “wept” at his peers’ taunting. May delved into the psychology of his characters, penning a more dramatic narrative arc than we find in
SIMPLE HOLINESS | KATE SOUCHERAY
A renewed dedication to Advent
We are thoroughly into the season of Advent and we may not have taken out the Advent candles, the blue cloths or the Advent calendar. Instead, we might have gotten so caught up in our list of to-dos and already feel so overwhelmed by the needs of this brief time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that we have not acknowledged this short-lived season of preparation for the coming of Christ in our hearts. Nevertheless, we can pause today, reconnect with the purpose of the season and get on track. Begin today to take a breath, and know you will get everything done that you expect or need to complete in the days ahead — or you can let it go and know it was not as important as it seemed to be. One day at the beginning of a new school year when I was teaching middle school and high school religion, I said to another religion teacher: “I have all the time I need to get everything done I have to get done.” We looked at each other after I said that and we both just laughed, as if in disbelief, because we both knew that I could not pull all-nighters in the days before my
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May delved into the psychology
of his characters, penning a more dramatic narrative arc than we find in the famous 1949 song recorded by Gene Autry and the beloved 1964 stop-action TV special narrated by Burl Ives. iSTOCK PHOTO | SIAATH
the famous 1949 song recorded by Gene Autry and the beloved 1964 stop-action TV special narrated by Burl Ives. Readers see Santa’s fog-induced struggles: “He tangled in tree-tops again and again.” We also see his diplomacy, recruiting Rudolph by praising his “wonderful forehead” and proving “extra-polite.” The sweetness of Rudolph’s redemption is spooned out so liberally it reveals May’s lingering boyhood wounds. “It was his opinion of himself that gave rise to Rudolph,” his daughter, Barbara, later said. Where Autry simply sings “then all the reindeer loved him,” May offers more detail: “The funny-faced fellow they always called names and practically never allowed in their games was now to be envied by all, far and near. For no greater honor can come to a deer ... .” If that’s not enough, he lets Rudolph land his Christmas-night flight right in front of “his handsomer playmates,” noting that “those bad deer who used to do nothing but tease him would now have done anything ... only to please him!” Even more: “They felt even sorrier they had been bad when Santa said: ‘Rudolph, I never have had a deer quite so brave or so brilliant as you.’” He is promptly declared “Commander-In-Chief,” a
title May types in capital letters. May took great care with each stanza, running them by Barbara. When his wife died in July, his boss told him to stop working on the booklet. May refused to quit. “I needed Rudolph more than ever,” he wrote. In late August, he finished the story. Ward seized it as a lesson for his clerks, celebrating in an in-house memo Rudolph’s “service, the right attitude and a desire to do his best.” The book was a huge hit, and the retailer printed more than 2 million copies that Christmas season 80 years ago. May was eventually given all rights to Rudolph, which provided a good livelihood. He experienced a dramatic arc of his own with profound spiritual underpinnings: remarrying a devout Catholic, converting to Catholicism and having five more children, one of whom became a nun. His biography can encourage anyone who feels crippled by the gap between hopes and reality. It reminds us to trust in the bigger picture, in the One who isn’t done writing your story.
students arrived. However, if we could embrace this attitude during this season and give ourselves permission to let go of the unimportant things and do only the essentials, we would likely feel more relaxed and content today, as well as the day we set the table and welcome our guests. Take a moment to look at your favorite Catholic websites and find out what they provide regarding daily Advent prayers and reflections. Print out the instructions they offer and begin today to integrate the suggestions into your daily routine, as well as that of your family members. If a guide asks you to light a candle, just catch up to where we are in the liturgical season and let go of any guilt or shame elicited by busyness and distraction. Catch up with your Advent calendar and open the little boxes or doors, consume the chocolate or read the prayers, and then try to stay connected each day throughout the remainder of the season. Take out your blue cloths, which were initially intended to signify hopefulness, and set them on your table or wherever they will be seen and revered for the remainder of the season. Allow this reminder to help you pause each day to recognize the holiness and hopefulness they are intended to elicit. Advent is a short, all-too busy season that seems to catch most of us by surprise, and we are often illprepared to enter into the sacredness it intends to bring out in us. It is our moment in the year when we have the opportunity to intentionally pause to acknowledge the coming of Christ in our hearts. We joyfully prepare for his arrival as an infant into our lives, bringing forth a freshness, a responsiveness of humility from us that inspires and enriches our spiritual journey, one of trust in the mystery of God’s presence. The season of Advent
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Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights.
Take time today to dedicate yourself to acknowledging the season of Advent. Bring out the candles, use the Advent calendar, lay out the blue cloths and enter into the holiness of the season. is a time of preparation for his coming, and our willingness to offer ourselves humbly to his extension of love and compassion has the opportunity to alter and enhance the entire upcoming year. He does not want us to focus on that future, but only the present, because our response to his invitation to acknowledge and celebrate Advent is our preparation to humbly welcome him into our hearts and allow him to transform us, the decisions we make and the clarity with which we approach difficult decisions. Our willingness to be transformed through his humility is the great mystery of our faith. There is nothing we can do to create this moment of holiness because that moment is created through his grace. Our gift to him is our willingness to humbly receive the gift he offers and be present in return to him. If we are too overwhelmed by the busyness of the season, the greatest gift of the season may remain unopened. Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a member of Guardian Angels in Oakdale. She holds a master’s degree in theology from The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul and a doctorate in educational leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
22 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
COMMENTARY
DECEMBER 5, 2019
FAITH AT HOME | LAURA KELLY FANUCCI
When it comes to giving, less is more Every year my sister and I make the same promise to each other. “One year, we’re not going to do presents at all,” we declare over the phone. “And it will be the best Christmas ever.” Our kids are all still at home, eager Christmas lovers, so we haven’t yet been able to make good on our dreams of a gift-free holiday. But I daydream of a December free from shopping lists and shipping stress. I know I’m not alone. The average American will spend $700 on Christmas gifts this year. This season of cheer is also an overload of consumption. Ironically, the greatest gifts on the first Christmas were given freely. Mary and Joseph’s love for Jesus. The shepherds’ wonder. The angels’ glorious song. The star’s guiding light. The goodness of God incarnate. Could we celebrate Christmas by giving less to each other and keeping the focus on faith and family? It can be tricky to transform long-standing traditions, especially when it comes to the holidays. But it also brings a breath of fresh air to let the Holy Spirit inspire our exchanges of love in new ways. Years ago, our family switched to celebrating the octave of Christmas. Now we open one present each morning for the eight days from Dec. 25 through Jan. 1. The kids love this tradition, running downstairs every morning to see what small surprise might be waiting under the tree. Rather than buy each child eight presents, we’ve found that we can fill up the octave with gifts from grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. We start with stockings on Christmas morning and then add a few gifts from us: books for everyone one day, a surprise outing another night. Switching to the octave — from one manic morning of unwrapping — has been such a gift for our family. We get to stretch out the Christmas celebration. We avoid the Dec. 26 “letdown.” We’ve put the focus back on enjoying time together. If you’ve ever felt stressed by December shopping (or felt the regret from credit card statements in January), consider bringing this question to prayer: How does my celebration of Christmas honor the Christ Child — the humble baby born into poverty?
THE LOCAL CHURCH | DEACON MICKEY FRIESEN
Seeing God in the face of a child
“Lord of hosts, restore us; let your face shine on us, that we may be saved” (Ps 80:20). The season of Advent calls us to be open to the coming of God’s presence. The people of the Bible believed that God would meet them face to face. Jesus is the face of God that comes to us at Christmas as the infant child of Bethlehem bereft of shelter and forced into exile. The face of the child Jesus reflects the many “holy innocents” of his time and all times that are powerless to overcome the forces of darkness that rob them of safety, joy and hope for the future. All who did see God in the face of the child Jesus were changed by the encounter. Today, there are still so many holy innocents who live in fear for their lives and struggle to see a hopeful future. They are the collateral damage of war, corruption and civil strife. They are God’s children
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It can be tricky to transform long-standing traditions, especially when it comes to the holidays. But it also brings a breath of fresh air to let the Holy Spirit inspire our exchanges of love in new ways.
iSTOCK PHOTO | ZOLGA_F
Might the Spirit whisper ways that you could celebrate differently this year?
uSimplify your gift-giving. Buy secondhand or fair trade items. Try homemade gifts or regifting something you own. (Our extended family has found more fun with a goofy gift exchange — limited to things we already own or purchases under $10 — than with anything else on Christmas Day.)
uFollow an easy formula for kids if you can’t resist buying gifts: something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Four simple categories for fun. However you choose to celebrate Christmas, let your faith guide your giving. Buying less is a great first step: to focus on Christ, resist greed, and bring relief to your budget and the environment. “Christmas is preferring the silent voice of God to the noisiness of consumerism,” said Pope Francis. When it comes to giving, we need this good news — now more than ever.
uGive the gift of time. Sharing an experience with a loved one brings more lasting memories than most presents we can wrap. (Hint for grandparents: A museum membership or tickets to an event can be a welcome alternative, especially when parents feel overwhelmed by the influx of new toys.)
Fanucci is a mother, writer and director of a project on vocation at the Collegeville Institute in Collegeville, Minnesota. She is the author of several books, including “Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting,” and blogs at motheringspirit.com.
Here are a few ideas to ponder: uGive to others first. Prioritize your charitable giving before deciding how much to spend on family and friends.
whose faces still long to be saved. Consider the faces of the children of Syria who have been pawns in a civil war since 2011. As the regional powers and ideologues of religious extremes wage attacks and counterattacks, a whole generation of children are being abandoned to a life of misery. Since 2017, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been in a relationship of solidarity with the Archdiocese of Damascus in Syria. This land where Jesus and St. Paul walked is being reduced to rubble. Archbishop Samir Nassar fears especially for the children of Syria who have been born and brought up during the war and have known no other life. He says, “Before the beginning of the violence in 2011, Syrian children looked at life with such joy and hope. Now the same faces bear the expressions of fear, bitterness and worry.” Archbishop Nassar says that the faces of the children show fear because they have faced the death of parents, friends and neighbors. Uncertainty continues to shape daily life and the ever-present possibility of forced exile. The face of fear remains constant in the face of unending violence and day-today instability. The archbishop also sees bitterness in the faces of children who feel that the world is indifferent to them, and has forgotten and abandoned them. There is so much misery and poverty. They are bitter because their schools are ruined and their chances for
“
Before the beginning of the violence in 2011, Syrian children looked at life with such joy and hope. Now the same faces bear the expressions of fear, bitterness and worry. Archbishop Samir Nassar
education and dreams of a better life seem out of reach. He says the faces of these children show that they are worried about an uncertain future. They witness the multiplication of social problems, the breaking up of families, the inability to draw on community support and pursue a stable work or economic life. At Christmas time, we proclaim the coming of Christ among us, peace on earth and good will toward all. Let us pray and be open to the faces of the children of God, the holy innocents, who still long to be saved. Can we meet them face to face in some way that will change us to be able to bring forth that peace in Syria and beyond? Deacon Friesen is director of the Center for Mission in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 23
CALENDAR Music
FEATURED EVENTS Permanent deacon ordination: — Dec. 7: 10 a.m.–noon at the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. Ten men who have completed their formation in the Institute for Diaconate Formation will be ordained permanent deacons by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. After Mass, the deacons will gather in various parts of the Cathedral for greetings and blessings. For more infomation, visit archspm.org/permanent-deacon-ordination. Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Advent Morning of Reflection — Dec. 7: 8:30 a.m.–noon at St. Patrick, 6820 St. Patrick’s Lane, Edina. Leading the event is Father James McConville, who serves as parochial vicar at St. Agnes in St. Paul. The event will end with a closing Mass at noon. Cost is $25. For more information, call 651-291-4545. To register, visit archspm.org/accw2019advent. St. John’s Concert Series Part 2: “From Darkness to Light” — Dec. 13: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist, 680 Mill St., Excelsior. This second concert in a four-part series will feature Christopher Weldon, a Juilliardtrained concert pianist who will perform works by Brahms, Chopin and Liszt. For more information, visit stjohns-excelsior.org/parish/ concert-series-part2. “Goodness Radiates: Advent Morning of Reflection for Mothers of Young Children” — Dec. 14: 8:30 a.m.–noon at St. Raphael, 7301 Bass Lake Rd. Crystal. The event includes breakfast, Mass and guest speakers, including Kristen Soley, Katie Danielson, and Deacon Alan and Anne Nicklaus. Cost is $20. For more information and to register, visit canafamilyinstitute.com/events. “Daughters of the King: A Women’s Advent Morning of Reflection with Liz Kelly” — Dec. 14: 8 a.m.–noon at Good Shepherd, 145 Jersey Ave. S., Golden Valley. The free event will feature author and speaker Liz Kelly, who will give two talks: “Little Girl, Arise: Reclaiming a Childlike Faith” and “Keeping Watch By Night: What The Shepherds Can Teach Us About An Advent Heart.” For more information and to register, visit goodshepherdgv.org.
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio — Dec. 7: 7:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More, 1079 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Tickets at bachsocietymn.org. St. Catherine University Candlelight Christmas Concert — Dec. 7: 8 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Chapel, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul. stkate.emscloudservice.com. St. Catherine University Women’s Choir presents “Lo, a Rose!” — Dec. 8: 2 p.m. at St. John the Baptist, 215 Broadway St. N., Jordan. Proceeds to benefit the missionaries from St John the Baptist going to Ghana, Africa. sjbjordan.org. University of St. Thomas Christmas Concert: “Comfort and Joy” — Dec. 8: 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. Tickets at 612-371-5656. stthomas.edu. A Festival of Lessons and Carols: “Listen to the Angels Sing” — Dec. 13: 7 p.m. at St. Bartholomew, 630 E. Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata. Special guest Father Michael Joncas. st-barts.org. Luke Spehar Christmas Concert — Dec. 17: 7:30 p.m. at Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights. brownpapertickets.com.
Caramel Rolls, Crafters and Children’s Games — Dec. 8: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Holy Spirit, 502 S. Albert St., St. Paul. holy-spirit.org. Advent Vespers — Dec. 8: 3 p.m. at St. Thomas More, 1079 Summit Ave., St. Paul. morecommunity.org. All Things Christmas Sale — Dec. 8: 10:15 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. Peter, 1405 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. stpetersmendota.org. Day of Mercy — Dec. 11: 7 a.m.–9 p.m. at St. Ambrose, 4125 Woodbury Dr., Woodbury. Confession, adoration and light refreshments throughout the day. saintambroseofwoodbury.org. St. Thomas More Christmas Toy Drive — Dec. 14 at St. Thomas More, 1079 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Donations accepted through Dec. 13. To volunteer on Dec. 14, email womensgroup@morecommunity.org. Live Nativity — Dec. 15: 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph, 23955 Nicolai Ave. E., Miesville. Will feature Jesus, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Wise Men and animals. Choir will sing Christmas carols. Visitors are encouraged to bring donations for the Hastings Family Services Food Shelf. Light supper will be served in parish hall. Reconciliation will be available in the church starting at 6 p.m. stjosephmiesville.com.
Dining Out
Prayer/worship
Christ Child Luncheon — Dec. 6: 10:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. Ignatius, 35 Birch St. E., Annandale. Proceeds to MCCL, Elevate Pregnancy and Family Resource Center, Options for Women Cornerstone. stignatius.com. Benefit breakfast — Dec. 8: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. at KC Hall 1910 S. Greeley St., Stillwater. Hosted by Cub Scout Pack No. 132 and Stillwater Knights of Columbus. Proceeds to help purchase Christmas decorations for St. Michael and St. Mary churches. kc1632.mnknights.org. Pancake breakfast and bake sale — Dec. 15: 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 E. Roselawn Ave., Maplewood. stjerome-church.org.
Parish events All Saints craft fair — Dec. 7: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at 19795 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville. Concessions available. St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Bazaar — Dec. 7: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at 9100 93rd Ave. N., Brooklyn Park. saintvdp.org. Holy Cross Christmas Craft and Bake Sale — Dec. 7-8: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Dec. 7; 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Dec. 8 at 1621 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis. Presented by Holy Cross Council of Catholic Women. ourholycross.org. St. Hedwig Christmas Fair — Dec. 7-8: 9:30 a.m– 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 9 a.m.– noon Dec. 8 at St. Hedwig, 129 29th Ave. NE Minneapolis. Bake sale, Christmas Fair, kids’ room, refreshments. ourholycross.org.
Practice-based spiritual formation group — Second Tuesdays through Dec. 10: 7–9 p.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. benedictinecenter.org. Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration — Dec. 8: The Basilica of St. Mary and Ascension in Minneapolis will celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe with music, dance, liturgy at the Basilica, 88 17th St. N., Minneapolis: 3:45 p.m. the Banderas and traditional Aztec dancers on the Basilica plaza with procession into the church; 4:30 p.m. bilingual Mass with music by La Familia Torres-Peña; 5:30 p.m. fiesta in Teresa of Calcutta Hall. mary.org. St. Cecilia Church Advent Evensong in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Dec. 8: 7 p.m. at 2357 Bayless Place, St. Paul.
Retreats Advent Day of Prayer — Dec. 5: 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. franciscanretreats.net. Serenity Retreat — Dec. 6-8: at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. “The Blessings of Recovery” presented by Sister Linda Fischer, ASC. franciscanretreats.net. Retrouvaille Marriage Retreat — Dec. 6-8 at Dakota Ridge Best Western Hotel, 3450 Washington Dr., Eagan. tcr-mn.org.
CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. We cannot guarantee a submitted event will appear in the calendar. Priority is given to events occurring before the next issue date. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and organizations. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your submission. Included in our listings are local events submitted by public sources that could be of interest to the larger Catholic community. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication: uTime and date of event uFull street address of event uDescription of event uContact information in case of questions ONLINE: THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM/CALENDARSUBMISSIONS MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106
Men’s silent weekend retreat — Dec. 6-8 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. “Broken, Blessed and Sent,” presented by King’s House preaching team. kingshouse.com. Women’s Advent Morning of Reflection — Dec. 7: 8:30–11:30 a.m. at Presentation of Mary, 1725 Kennard St., Maplewood. “Becoming a Woman of Hope: Lessons from Mary and Elizabeth” presented by Nancy Jo Sullivan. presentationofmary.org. Men and women’s silent weekend retreat — Dec. 13-15 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. “Living a Trinitarian Lifestyle,” presented by Father Daniel Renaud, OMI. kingshouse.com. December Men’s Retreat — Dec. 13-15: at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. Presenter Father Ron Mrozinski. franciscanretreats.net.
Speakers Advent Parish Mission — Dec. 7-9 at St. Albert, 11400 57th St. NE, Albertville. Featuring Marcellino D’Ambrosio. Attend one or all three of the talks. churchofstalbert.org. Depression Support Coalition Speaker Series: “Take Back Your Holidays” — Dec. 12: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. Richard, 7540 Penn Ave. S., Richfield. depressionsupportcoalition.org.
Other events Christmas at the Monastery — Dec. 14: 3–7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, St. Paul. Supports the ministries of the Community of St. Benedict of St. Paul’s Monastery.
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24 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
DECEMBER 5, 2019
THELASTWORD
Laughter the best medicine
LEFT Jeannie Gaffigan, author of “When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People” is pictured in an undated publicity photo. In the book, the co-writer and producer of comedy specials, two books and a television series with her husband and business partner, Jim Gaffigan, recounts the unexpected discovery of a pear-sized tumor in her brain in 2017, her threeday journey from learning about its existence to surgery, her complicated recovery and how she got through it all with faith, family and humor.
In health scare, Jeannie Gaffigan relied on combined dose of faith, humor
BELOW The cover of “When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People,” by Jeannie Gaffigan.
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service
J
eannie Gaffigan didn’t initially set out to write a book about having her brain tumor removed. It is a story that pretty much rolled out of her usual observations on life, faith and family that have been such an integral part of what she’s been doing for the past several years as the co-writer and producer of comedy specials, two books and a television series with her husband and business partner, Jim Gaffigan. “When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People,” released Oct. 1, recounts the unexpected discovery of a pear-sized tumor in Gaffigan’s brain in 2017, her three-day journey from learning about its existence (almost by accident) to surgery and a complicated recovery where she was unable to eat or even drink water for six months. “Obviously when I was sitting there looking at my MRI scan and saw that thing in my brain, I did not think of a joke immediately,” she said. But in retrospect, thinking that it looked like a pear, she said, was “kind of funny but at the time I couldn’t even believe it; it seemed like something out of a movie.” Gaffigan, a mother of five who is accustomed to seeing humor in everyday observances, could have easily hit the panic button with this “emergency medical situation,” as she describes it. But, she didn’t. She was even able to see humor in it — from the unglamorous dry shampoos at the hospital to the feeding tubes that her husband joked could be part of a new cooking show. She is convinced that the only way she could jump from crippling fear of what was happening (or could happen) to a pretty calm acceptance of it — and even an ability to see absurdity and grace in the new routines and giving up her own control — stems from the strength of her Catholic faith. As she put it: “When you recognize that God gives you ways to cope with hardships, you can’t just crawl into bed and say: ‘Just handle my life for me, it’s hard.’” Gaffigan recognizes that her sense of humor, which she described as her “lens at which I look at life and marriage” is a gift from God, but still, she hadn’t intended to write about her way of looking at this particular situation, at first. Prior to the 10-hour surgery and lengthy stay in the intensive care unit, she had been in the process of writing a book about what it was like to keep it together as a busy mom and wife of a touring comedian. All of that was put on hold after a visit with her children to their pediatrician, who ended up recommending that Gaffigan get her head examined,
CNS
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I’m not trying to dunk someone into the baptismal font and ... handcuff them to their RCIA classes; I’m just telling my story. Jeannie Gaffigan
literally, for her recent inability to hear out of one ear. That initial test then put everything in fast forward with little time to think about it. In one interview, Gaffigan said that as she was being wheeled into surgery, she was telling her husband her computer passwords and about ordering groceries online, fearing he wouldn’t know how to keep the household going. During her recovery, she promised her publicist she would finish the book she started, but he told her to put that aside noting her bout with a brain tumor couldn’t just be another chapter; it had to be its own story. Fortunately, it was a story Gaffigan had already been trying to piece together for her own sake — trying to remember what exactly had happened in the chaos of it all. She thought she was no different from pianists who might write songs about a personal tragedy to help them therapeutically. Her initial manuscript was a lot more Catholic, she said, but in the end, she made the book for everybody. “I made it more universal, so what that did was it brought it out of the Christian section of the bookstore and put it more in the comedy section,”she said. And to Gaffigan, that’s evangelization, not proselytizing. “It’s like saying: ‘Look, I don’t know what you would do, but this is how I did it.’ And I feel like that’s more gentle, and I feel like people are more open to that. There’s no secret. I’m not trying to dunk someone into the baptismal font, and you know, handcuff them to their RCIA classes; I’m just telling my story.” Different publishers said they were interested in prolonging publication of the book more for Mother’s
Day 2020 to see where she was at that point, but Gaffigan wasn’t interested. “In a year, I will have a different book in me,” she said, adding: “This is what happened; this is where I’m at right now, then I want to move on, because I can’t just sit there and dwell on the fact that I had brain surgery even though it’s an important part of my life. The train is moving; I’ve got to move on.” And the train — with five kids, work, volunteering and her husband’s comedy tour — is moving rapidly. Gaffigan, who says she has recovered from the surgery but jokes that she still misses the daily nurse care, spoke to Catholic News Service Nov. 14 by phone. For now, she is laser-focused on her family and a personal calling that she feels strongly about: working with young people in the community and in her parish at the Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, because she is concerned that young people in the Church seem to fall off the radar in the gap years between confirmation and young adult programs. Gaffigan concludes her book saying she is grateful for the tumor, which not only gave her a second chance but a deeper appreciation for her faith, family and the ability to swallow water. Between the lines throughout the book is Gaffigan’s message that “all of this is just temporary, and you don’t realize that until you almost lose it.” “If I can convey that message to people who are doing just fine, that’s even more of a victory than (reaching) people that are facing a big obstacle,” she said.
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