The Catholic Spirit - February 13, 2014

Typhoon aid 8 • Archdiocesan annual report 17 • Men’s conference 25 February 13, 2014 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

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Capitol concerns 2014 legislative preview

Conscience protections, payday lending reforms among session priorities for Minnesota Catholic Conference

By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit Protecting the religious liberty of all Minnesotans.

Reforming payday lending practices that take advantage of the poor and vulnerable.

Restoring voting rights to former felons who have paid their debt to society and are trying to start a new life.

These are among the issues the Minnesota Catholic Conference will advocate for during the 2014 state legislative session, which begins Feb. 25.

The MCC, the public policy voice of the state’s Catholic bishops, also will continue to ramp up its education efforts and mobilization of Minnesota Catholics to help convince legislators of the need for laws that uphold the dignity of human life, protect the poor and advance the common good.

“It’s not sufficient for MCC to have lobbyists who communicate with legislators,” said Jason Adkins, the organization’s executive director. “We need to be supported by the voice of the people in the pews.”

The following are among the MCC’s priorities at the state Capitol this year: • Religious liberty/conscience protections With last year’s passage of a law legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, the MCC will advocate for strengthening religious liberty and conscience protection laws for those who object to the solemnization or celebration of such unions.

Without the protections, it’s possible that business owners — including bakers who decline to create wedding cakes for same-sex couples and florists who choose not to provide flowers for same-sex Please turn to NEW on page 14

Inspired to act?

Learn about issues of concern for Catholics and how to address them with legislators – page 14 Exercise your civic duty at local legislative events – page 16

ALSO inside

Seeing Stars

‘A Man for All Seasons’

Holy Angels family keeps the faith after dad’s stroke.

Drama about St. Thomas More gives historic events contemporary relevance.

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Gospel story coming to the big screen “Son of God” movie opens Feb. 28.

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Page Two

2 OVERHEARD

in PICTURES

“To be blessed means to be happy. In an age when we are constantly being enticed by vain and empty illusions of happiness, we risk settling for less and ‘thinking small’ when it comes to the meaning of life.

Think big instead. Open your hearts.”

— Pope Francis, in his message for World Youth Day 2014, which will be celebrated on a local level around the world, including on Palm Sunday at the Vatican

CHINESE NEW YEAR: Fathers CheLong Bai and RunBao Zhang pass out red envelopes following Mass Feb. 2 at St. Therese Chinese Church in Chicago’s Chinatown as part of a kick off of the Chinese lunar new year. A red envelope is a monetary or other gift given during holidays or special occasions. CNS photo/Karen Callaway/Catholic New World

“[Hockey] was just sacred in my home.

When I turn on a hockey game and I hear that sound of the ice . . . it’s transcendent. I always say that hockey is not a sport, it is an art form. It is like a chess game at lightning speed.”

— Sister Helena Burns, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul and Olympic hockey fan living in Toronto

NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit POPE IN CHOCOLATE: Pope Francis looks at a life-sized replica of himself made entirely out of chocolate in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican Feb. 5. Made of 1.5 tons of cocoa, the chocolate image was given to the pontiff during his general audience, according to Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano. CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters

Catholic Charities announces new board members Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the largest comprehensive social services organization in the region, announced Feb. 4 the appointment of five new board members effective Jan. 1, 2014.

Julie Heyroth Gasper is a semi-retired financial executive currently doing consulting work through Beautiful Hill Financial Consulting, LLC. She has been a long-time supporter and volunteer with Catholic Charities.

WHAT’S NEW on social media A Catholic Spirit Facebook post this week asks: How have you experienced God’s love in your life?

Follow the latest news about the local and universal Church by following The Catholic Spirit on Twitter @CatholicSpirit.

Bettina Hoye is a principal at Nelson, Tietz & Hoye, Inc. and has worked in commercial real estate for close to 30 years.

Nekima Levy-Pounds is a law professor at the University of St. Thomas, where she also directs the Community Justice Project. Her work involves advocacy, public policy, strategic problem-solving, and community engagement, to name a few across a wide variety of issues that impact the poor and the working poor.

Take a look back at the surprise resignation announcement of Pope Benedict. Watch the Catholic News Service video at http://bcove.me/l9oydyqc. For more CNS videos, visit catholicnews.com.

Tom Mahowald is senior vice president of strategy and product management for UCare, an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health coverage and services to more than 350,000 members in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

In her blog post, “Stuck confessing the same sins over and over?” Susan Klemond talks about what we need to do to keep from getting comfortable with our sins. Read it at CatholicHotdish.com.

Bob Tift is president of Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in St. Louis Park.

He has spent his entire career serving children and youth in educational, residential, medical and recreational organizations.

The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 19 — No. 4 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT, Publisher SARAH MEALEY, Associate publisher JOE TOWALSKI, Editor

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service.

All other materials copyrighted by The Catholic Spirit Newspaper.

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Archbishop John Nienstedt has not yet returned to writing his column. Bishop Lee Piché, auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, offers the following guest column for this issue.

This year, for the first time, the archdiocese is releasing its full audited financial report, as has been planned for months and communicated publicly in December 2013.

We are doing this because we are accountable to the people we serve.

Without the time, talent and treasure of the hundreds of thousands of Catholics who support the ministry of this local Church, we could not live out our mission to make the name of Jesus Christ known and loved.

The Catholics throughout this local Church are the Church.

The financial information contained in this edition of The Catholic Spirit and posted online covers the 2013 and 2012 fiscal years, which ended on June 30, 2013 and 2012.

Thanks to you, support for ministry across this local Church remains strong. Local Catholics’ steadfast support for ministry to fulfill the mission of the Church speaks to the unwavering faith of those who make up this local Church. Catholics understand that the tragic moral failure of a few does not define who we are as Catholics.

First, please note a few structural facts that may not be known to everyone. The most important thing for you to know is that the archdiocesan financial report covers the activities of the archdiocese’s Chancery Corporation.

Each parish, as well as certain other Catholic GUEST COLUMN entities located within the 12 counties of the archdiocese, is a separate Minnesota corporaBishop Lee Piché tion. This means parishes, as well as Catholic entities like Catholic Charities, most Catholic high schools and other Catholic organizations, operate as separate corporations and report their own financial information to their stakeholders.

It’s also critically important that you are aware that since March 2012, new internal controls have been put in place. They are enforced strictly.

Another important point is this: The information in this issue of The Catholic Spirit, as well as the information posted online, including the full audited financial report, while more expansive than that shared in the past, is still summary by its very nature.

Please know that independent auditors had access to all of our financial accounts before issuing an unqualified opinion on our fiscal year 2013 financial statements. An unqualified opinion means that an independent auditor finds that an institution’s financial statements are fairly and appropriately presented, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

In addition to the full audited financial report posted online, in this issue of The Catholic Spirit you will see an article describing financial

activities in detail, condensed financial statements and accompanying notes, and additional information about certain financial accounts that have elicited particular interest in recent months. Auditors had access to line items rolling up into those accounts, 1-515 and 1-516, (see statement “Detailed Accounting of Accounts 1-515 and 1-516,” page 19), just as they had access to line item detail for all other archdiocesan accounts.

The archdiocese wishes to thank members of the Archdiocesan Finance Council, the corporate board, and the College of Consultors for their continued diligence in financial oversight and counsel.

The Catholics of this local Church are generous — and their generosity makes possible the many good works carried out by the Church across our archdiocese, including: • Support for seminarians studying to become priests for this archdiocese; • Support for Catholic schools, tuition assistance for families, organizational support through the Office of Catholic Schools, and campus ministry; For the annual • Support for youth ministry programs that build report of the up the faith of our young people; including Archdiocesan Youth Day, which brings together hundreds archdiocese’s of area high school youth every year to praise God, Chancery grow in the faith, and find fellowship; • Support for Latino ministry outreach to meet the Corporation, spiritual needs of local Spanish-speaking Catholics at 23 parishes across the archdiocese; please see • Support for the work of Catholic Charities to pages 17 to 20. help the hungry, the homeless, the elderly, immigrants and at-risk youth; • Support for the many marriage, family and life programs and events that serve to strengthen marriage, build up families and promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death; • Support for the Rediscover: evangelization and catechesis initiative, which reaches out with joy to invite others to a full life in the faith.

The release of our full audited financial report, as well as additional information to explain particular points of interest, is part of our ongoing commitment to improve transparency and accountability, evidenced not only in our ongoing disclosure of clergy with credible claims of abuse of minors, but also through our commitment to improved financial reporting.

We are taking these steps because they are the right thing to do — because they help us to protect the young and vulnerable, care for victims of abuse, and restore trust among the laity, as well as our clergy who are serving honorably.

We have made a commitment to transparency because we are accountable to the people we serve. The archdiocese’s Chancery Corporation exists to support the people, parishes, Catholic schools, religious education programs and other Catholic organizations of our community in fulfilling the mission of the Church.

Thank you.

One year later, Pope Benedict enjoying retired life

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service In retirement, Pope Benedict XVI follows a daily schedule similar to that of any retired bishop or religious: He prays, reads, strolls, talks with people and offers them spiritual advice, the Vatican spokesman said.

Although he “lives in a low-key way, without public attention, that does not mean he’s isolated or enclosed in a strict cloister,” Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio.

Marking the one-year anniversary of Pope Benedict’s resignation Feb. 11, Father Lombardi and Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the retired pope’s longtime personal Pope secretary, spoke about the very normal BENEDICT daily life of a man who is in the unusual position of being a retired pope.

Archbishop Ganswein, who continues as Pope Benedict’s personal secretary while also serving Pope Francis as prefect of the papal household, summarized the retired pope’s day as filled “with prayer most of all, with study, with personal correspondence and visits.”

“The day begins with Mass, then with the breviary, followed by breakfast,” he told Famiglia Cristiana, a Catholic magazine.

“The morning usually is dedicated to prayer and study, to the mail and to receiving guests.”

Archbishop Ganswein and the consecrated laywomen who assist the retired pope join him for lunch at 1:30 p.m., and a nap always follows, he said. Pope Benedict spends the afternoon dealing with his correspondence and listening to music until 4 p.m., when he and the archbishop recite the rosary while walking in the garden behind the former Vatican convent where he lives. They eat dinner at 7:30 p.m. and watch the evening news at 8 p.m.

Archbishop Ganswein said Pope Benedict had told him he was retiring long before the Feb. 11 announcement, but under the strictest secrecy. “Instinctively, I said, ‘No, Holy Father, it’s not possible,’ but I realized immediately that he wasn’t communicating something he wanted to discuss, but a decision already made.”

The archbishop said the “VatiLeaks” scandal, which saw the publication of confidential papal correspondence and internal Vatican documents, “did not cause or even influence the resignation.”

“The pope did not flee a responsibility, but was courageous” enough to realize he no longer had the strength to carry out the papal ministry, he said.

Archbishop Ganswein also confirmed that Pope Francis and Pope Benedict speak frequently on the telephone.

From the Bishop

Being accountable to the people we serve

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OFFICIAL His Excellency, the Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Effective February 8, 2014 Most Reverend Andrew Cozzens, appointed “ad nutum episcopi” as parochial administrator of the Church of the Assumption in Richfield. Bishop Cozzens succeeds the Rev. Charles McCarthy, OFM Conv., who was transferred to another assignment outside of the Archdiocese.

Most Reverend Lee Piché, appointed “ad nutum episcopi” as parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Boniface in Minneapolis.

Bishop Piché will cover pastoral responsibilities while the current pastor, Rev. Mark Wehmann, is on a leave of absence.

Most Reverend Lee Piché, appointed “ad nutum episcopi” as parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Cecilia in Saint Paul. Bishop Piché succeeds Bishop Cozzens as administrator.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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Celebrating World Day for Consecrated Life

Above, Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Maria Chinweze Enujiofor hugs Visitation Sister Karen Mohan as they gathered for a blessing of candles.

Above, religious brothers and sisters from around the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis gathered to celebrate World Day for Consecrated Life Feb. 2 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. All women and men in consecrated life — including monastic life, the Orders of Virgins, hermits, and institutes devoted to contemplation, apostolic religious life and secular institutes — were honored, and those celebrating special anniversaries were recognized, including several 60th anniversaries, one 65th and a 70th. In 1997, Pope John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for those in consecrated life in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It is known as Candlemas Day — when candles are blessed symbolizing Christ, who is the light of the world. So, too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all people.

Right, Franciscan Brother of Peace Max Connolly prays after the candlelight procession.

Far right, School Sister of Notre Dame Paulissa Jirik, left, and Dominican Sister Martha Wiegand laugh with Archbishop Harry Flynn during the presentation of the gifts.

Photos by Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

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thecatholicspirit.com • archspm.org February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Hearing Tests Set for Senior Citizens Announcement — Free electronic hearing tests will be given all next week Monday thru Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

The tests have been arranged for anyone who suspects they are not hearing clearly.

People who generally feel they can hear, but cannot understand words clearly are encouraged to come in for the test, which uses the latest electronic equipment.

Everyone, especially those over age 55 should have an electronic hearing test once

a year. Demonstrations of the latest devices to improve clarity of speech will be programmed using a computer to your particular needs — on the spot — after the tests.

See (and HEAR) for yourself if newlydeveloped methods of correction will help you understand words better.

Tests will be performed at one of 20 convenient Greater Twin Cities Avada Hearing Care locations.

Call 1-877-328-9161

www.avada.com ©2013 2014 HHM, Inc. 304

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Holy Angels family keeps the faith after dad’s stroke

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit It’s Christmas Eve and winter is tormenting the Twin Cities.

White flakes are piling up and bitter winds are creating a life-sized snow globe. At 9 p.m., Denny De Nio looks out his window and decides it is time to act.

He makes his way out to the driveway of his Richfield home, grabs a shovel and goes to work.

Despite pleas to stay inside — plus offers to help — that come from his wife, Chris, and five children, he chooses to fly solo on his mission of removing the snow from his driveway.

At 1 a.m., he finishes the job.

Four hours? Nothing but an avalanche could take this long to clean up, right?

True — for an able-bodied man.

But, DeNio has a tough handicap in this case — use of only his right arm and limited function of his left leg.

Such a reduction in limb use would have kept most men indoors.

Not Denny. He insists on shoveling the driveway — alone — every time it snows.

Of course, his wife of 36 years doesn’t like the idea. But, she has learned it’s futile trying to talk him out of it.

“He is driven and obsessive about the snow shoveling, probably because he will not be able to do it if he doesn’t keep up with it,” she said. “We tell him to come in, but he rarely does, and says ‘I just need to get the driveway done.’ ” She cuts him some slack. After all, the reason for his condition, a stroke suffered on May 30, 2009, has taken away so much already, including the auto repair business that he started just a few years before the stroke and operated in his own garage.

Perhaps harder than the stroke itself is the simple realization that he never will regain the use of his left hand and arm. Thus, the 56-yearold lifelong auto mechanic who got his start at a local garage while attending Washburn High School in Minneapolis will never again tinker under the hood of a car.

Yet, all of his tools and equipment remain in the garage of his home on 68th and Blaisdell, which sits just across the parking lot from St. Peter in Richfield and its nextdoor neighbor, the Academy of Holy Angels.

Finding a reason And, like a massive oak tree, the roots from the DeNio household stretch deep and long from their home to these two Catholic institutions, which have played key roles in their lives and have helped them get through the dark times of both his stroke and the ensuing depres-

From left, Nina, Rebecca, Denny, Chris and Liz DeNio draw on their faith as they continue to deal with the effects of a stroke that Denny suffered in 2009.

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit sion when he had to face the end of his lifelong career and passion.

“He was very happy and very good at his job,” said Chris, 55, who met Denny — and dated him — while also attending Washburn High. “And, he couldn’t do it any more. The income just stopped, and also his ability to do what he’s done his whole life, which is fix cars. . . . He had a profound depression at that point, and that, for me, was the worst, where he didn’t feel that he had a reason to go on.”

This is the part of the story that draws tears from the female members of the family — Chris and daughters Nina, 30, Rebecca, 20, and Liz, 18. For them, it was hard enough seeing Denny lying helplessly in a bed for five days as doctors fought to stabilize him and minimize the damage done by bleeding in his brain. It was downright excruciating to later watch the joy run out of him like air hissing out of a leaky balloon.

“When it first happened, because our family was so close, I feel like I just strongly believed that there was a reason behind all of this, that something good was going to come out of this,” Nina said. “[But] I had a lot of doubt in my faith when there was the period of time where he was really depressed afterward.”

And yet, despite the pain, the DeNios knew they needed to trust in God and deepen the faith that has grown steadily since Denny and Chris converted to Catholicism from their Protestant upbringings and set their roots at St. Peter and Holy Angels.

All five children, including sons Denny, 35, and Drew, 33, went to grade school at St. Peter (now called Blessed Trinity), and all went on to Holy Angels, where Liz will finish a 20-year-plus run for the family when she graduates this spring.

The DeNios are emphatic in saying these two faith communities played a huge role in getting through the tragedy. A recent event may be the best example of what

others around them are doing to show support.

Inspired idea On Jan. 25, the Holy Angels competition dance team, called the Starliners, hosted a Catholic dance team event that serves not only as a dance competition, but also a fundraiser. The host of the six-school event, called the Catholic Jamboree, gets to pick the charity to which all the proceeds are donated.

Nina is the Starliners’ coach, so it was natural to have her pick the charity. And, no one would have blamed her for choosing the organization, called Inspire, that has helped Denny in many ways over the last few years.

But, it was not Nina who suggested giving the money to Inspire.

Rather, it was the parent of a Starliner who voiced the idea. Unanimous approval from the 27 girls on the team means that Inspire will get a check for more than $4,000 from the school.

The fact that the Starliners stepped up to play a key role should come as no surprise. All three of the DeNio daughters have been on the team, with Liz again bringing the run to an end. She is one of three team captains, with her older sisters also serving in that role during their Starliner days. The State Tournament is Feb. 14 and 15 at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, and the whole DeNio family will be there, with Liz making her last appearance as a Starliner.

“This year, with Nina, has been such a great year,” Liz said. “I’m really sad about it [coming to an end] because I just love it so much.”

Nina, who graduated from Holy Angels in 2001, started coaching dance at the school in 2002, and worked with the girls, including her two sisters, in the fall during the noncompetitive part of the school year.

She took over as the competition team coach this year and has tried to pass on the faith modeled by her parents to the girls on the team.

“We do pray in the practice room,” she said. “I have a book of daily readings, and I’ll look through and see if there’s a reading that applies to how I feel the team is doing.”

These days, the DeNios are doing much better, thanks to the adjustments they’ve made to Denny’s condition and a faith that anchors not just their own lives, but the lives of those around them.

“The family’s strength and faith remain consistent,” said Michael Kautzman, athletic director at Holy Angels who also has taught theology and worked in campus ministry — and lobbied hard to get Nina on board as the Starliners’ coach.

“I know there were interior struggles and things going on behind the scenes, but the manner in which they continued to love others and be positive and happy and joyful didn’t cease, which is amazing to me,” he said. “It was a witness to me that there is something deeper beneath this family.”

Others have noticed it, too, like long-time friend Ann Garland, who met the DeNios at St. Peter when Nina was just a toddler.

“Often, families break apart as troubles arrive — theirs is the model of how to pull together,” said Garland, who works at St. Peter.

Denny and Chris “help and love and pray and serve each other and have modeled that for 35-plus years, and the kids follow suit.

Friends see it and it changes them, co-workers see it and it changes them. The DeNios are realistic. The road ahead will be hard and frightening financially, but faith-wise and family-wise, it’s hopeful and strong.”

Local

Seeing Stars

A new calling One thing that has encouraged the family is Denny’s sense of humor. Jokes roll fluidly off his lips, even during the toughest days of the journey. A vibrant sense of humor is hard-wired into his brain, and the stroke has not tamed it.

“It was the one thing that never did disappear,” Chris said. “The minute he opened his eyes from the induced coma, the first thing he did was start joking around. The nurse said, ‘My name is Kate.’ He said, ‘What’s your last name?’ She said, ‘Witt.’ And, he said, ‘Do you have a brother named Nit?’” Thanks to faith, family and friends, there will be plenty more jokes coming out of Denny’s mouth in the years to come, even though he will never hold a wrench in his left hand again.

“It was extremely hard to know that I wasn’t going to be able to do that again,” said Denny, who got his first job at a service station while in high school. “I felt like that was my calling, and so to have that taken away was really, really hard.

Now, I have to find my new calling.”

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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A little goes a long way

“And we really stretch the dollars.”

Participants are asked to contribute to programs — usually $5 or $10.

“We’re not giving things away.”

Preparing leaders

Latino Ministry provides for needs, prepares leaders

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit A chance conversation with a couple from St. Stephen parish in Minneapolis brought Elisa Delgado back to the Church. And at the Easter Vigil April 19, two of her four children will be baptized.

When that couple, Maria Vega and Jorge Matute, met Delgado last summer, her husband, the family’s sole provider, was being deported to Mexico and she wondered how she would care for the family on her own. It didn’t take long for Vega and Matute to realize how much love and compassion Delgado needed.

The following Sunday, Delgado was at Mass with her children. In October, three of them were attending faith formation classes, and Delgado began attending adult faith formation classes.

She also joined Te Escucho (I Listen to You), a healing program offered by Sagrada Familia (Holy Family), a family and pregnancy apostolate at St. Stephen. At one of the meetings, Delgado, who speaks only Spanish, shared that it was the first time in several years that she felt cared for and loved; she felt at home.

These programs are possible in part because of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Latino ministry outreach, which receives a portion of the money collected through the annual Catholic Services Appeal — this year, $350,000 if the $9.3 million goal is reached.

(To learn more about the appeal, visit csafspm.org.)

Latino ministry uses many of its funds and resources for parish pro-

A young girl tries her hand at breaking open a piñata at the second annual Latino Family Day Aug. 25, 2013, at Como Park in St. Paul. The event is funded in part by contributions from the annual Catholic Services Appeal. Dianne Towalski/The Catholic Spirit grams that help Latino immigrants acclimate to American culture. That entails everything from teaching about expectations to establishing relationships with the local police department to offering Spanishspeaking Masses at the archdiocese’s 23 Latino parishes.

According to Estela Villagran Manancero, who serves in the archdiocesan Office of Parish Services and assists with Latino ministry, worshiping in one’s native language is important for people to feel connected and comforted, especially if they’re here alone.

“For us, family is a very big

thing,” said Villagran Manancero, who emigrated from Uruguay 33 years ago. “We live with our parents, we live with our grandparents. . . . So when families arrive here — [often] first the father, then five years later the mom and children — they are completely alone. This is an opportunity for us to evangelize, for us to teach, and for them to feel part of this community, which is now their support, their family.”

Villagran Manancero said the money it receives from the CSA is vital.

“Without that help, we could not run all these programs,” she said.

Through initiatives such as the Catechetical Institute (modeled after the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute), Biblical Institute and Pastoral Leadership Institute, Latinos have the opportunity to grow in their faith and emerge as leaders to work and volunteer in parishes.

Last year, the 150 candidates enrolled in the Catechetical Institute exceeded the 50 spaces Villagran Manancero had planned for, forcing a change of venue.

In the Pastoral Leadership Institute, formed in 2002, participants meet with a their pastor to determine the parish’s needs and then develop and complete a project to fulfill them. In the process, participants learn about the structure and organization of the Church, and how to run a meeting, recruit volunteers and fund-raise — skills they’re able to carry into other areas of their lives.

And because of the response she has received from participants in the Biblical Institute, Villagran Manancero is planning a higherlevel, second-year program.

“I see already a remarkable change in the people that are coming to take [the institutes],” Villagran Manancero said. “They feel more secure in their knowledge to teach. Many of them are catechists, so they’re the ones that are teaching the children in the parishes. . . .

So, absolutely, they have a better understanding of our Catholic faith.”

The Latino ministry also coordinates five annual marriage preparation retreats, conducts regional summer programs for more than 350 Latino Catholics, hosts the annual Latino Family Day (which 2,500 people attended last year), and organizes a regional retreat for Catholic Latino leaders.

“There’s life in the Church,” Villagran Manancero said. “The Catholic values are very much respected and alive. The impact that we are making in the young families is an investment in our youth and leaders of the Catholic Church.”

Annulment Questions?

Cathedral of St. Paul 239 Selby Ave, St. Paul

March 5, Ash Wednesday 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. — 7 p.m.

If you have been abused or victimized by someone representing the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, we want to hear from you.

We are here to offer you help and healing. We will also help you make a formal complaint of abuse to this Archdiocese or assist you in contacting another archdiocese/diocese/eparchy.

Please call me, Greta Sawyer, on my confidential phone line, 651.291.4497, or email me at sawyerg@archspm.org.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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The Catholic Spirit

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis complied with mandatory reporting laws in the case of former pastor Curtis Wehmeyer, it said in a Jan. 30 statement that reaffirmed the findings announced a day earlier by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

The archdiocese’s compliance with reporting laws was acknowledged at a St. Paul press conference Jan. 29 attended by Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and St. Paul Police Chief Tom Smith.

“We have continuously made ourselves available to law enforcement to address any outstanding questions they may have on the matter, and we know, based on the body of facts of the case, that the findings announced yesterday by civil authorities are accurate,” the archdiocese’s statement said.

The statement was released the same day attorney Jeffrey Anderson filed a lawsuit against both the archdiocese and Wehmeyer on behalf of one of Wehmeyer’s victims.

At a press conference Jan. 30, Anderson called Choi’s decision not to charge archdiocesan officials “defective and deficient.” He accused Archbishop John Nienstedt and other Church officials of failing to observe mandatory reporting laws, lying and obstructing justice.

“Mr. Jeffrey Anderson’s assertions regarding the archdiocese are false, inflammatory, and misleading,” the archdiocese said. “We take particular exception to his unfounded assumptions regarding the intent and actions of Archbishop Nienstedt, who has been resolute in his commitment to strictly adhering to both canon and civil laws. We wish to reassert that we have cooperated with civil authorities and will continue to do so. We have a shared interest in protecting children and caring for victims.”

Wehmeyer, a former pastor at Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, pleaded guilty in 2012 to sexually abusing two minors and possessing child pornography. He was sentenced in 2013 and is serving a fiveyear prison term.

State law requires mandated reporters — which include clergy members — to report suspected child abuse to the proper civil authorities within 24 hours, unless the communication is “privileged,” such as a communication made within a sacramental confession or other pastoral relationship.

Anderson referenced a Church document during his news conference that called into question the timeline of the archdiocese’s reporting of Wehmeyer’s abuse. The document was written by former chancellor for canonical affairs Jennifer Haselberger.

According to the archdiocese, the document reflects her perception of

the timeline, which is inaccurate based on information and documentation provided to police.

The earliest that a representative of the archdiocese was made aware of a specific allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by Wehmeyer was on the morning of June 19, 2012, the archdiocese said. The information, however, was provided to a priest of the archdiocese within a privileged communication.

The archdiocese said it sought a waiver of the privilege so it could report the matter to police. The privilege was waived by the mother of the victim, the only person who could do so, on the afternoon of June 20. This allowed the archdiocese to make a formal report to police the same afternoon regarding the allegations shared within the context of the privileged communication.

“Undeniably, the report was made immediately thereafter,” the archdiocese said. “We have provided a detailed timeline to law enforcement with clear supporting documentation and stand ready to provide any additional information they may need.”

In a separate case, the Washington County Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Father Jonathan Shelley after investigators found that pornographic images on his computer didn’t depict minors.

Father Shelley has been on leave since the investigation began. A previous investigation by police also found no evidence of child pornography on computer disks the archdiocese turned over to authorities.

An assistant Washington County attorney also concluded there were no images of minors, as did a review by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Facts coming out A memo regarding the Wehmeyer case distributed by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office at its Jan. 29 press conference outlined the sequence of events leading up to Wehmeyer’s arrest — from the time his sexual abuse of a child was disclosed to the archdiocese to the time the police wrote their official report on the matter on June 21, 2012.

The memo cites a June 20, 2012, email between Deacon John Vomastek and a police commander referencing an earlier discussion between the two about the allegation the child made against Wehmeyer and explained that Wehmeyer would be relieved of his duties the next day.

Deacon Vomastek told The Catholic Spirit he again alerted police before leaving for the parish with Father Kevin McDonough on June 21 to tell Wehmeyer to leave the church’s premises. The official report written by St. Paul Police is dated the same day, according to the memo.

“It is clear that the archdiocese reported the abuse within 24 hours of receiving the abuse information directly from [the child],” the memo said.

“It’s good to see that the facts are finally coming out,” said Deacon Vomastek, who served on the St. Paul Police Department for 33 years. “An investigation is all about finding the truth. It’s about documenting what events transpired. It sounds to me now that they’re finally making headway in determining what, in fact, happened.

And I feel good about that.”

“All we want to do is to do the right thing,” he added. “We want to uphold the law. We want to make sure we have a safe environment for kids. We want to make sure victims are cared for. We want to be transparent. These are all the things we continue to strive for.”

Looking ahead, Deacon Vomastek said, “we have some tremendous opportunities to forge relationships with law enforcement to continue to work better with them, and to continue to work on the way we communicate and coordinate our efforts so that we can work together and so we’re all on the same page.”

There have already been such opportunities in recent weeks.

Archdiocesan officials have had at least three meetings with representatives from the St. Paul Police Department since December, according to Joe Kueppers, the archdiocese’s chancellor for civil affairs.

There has also been a “significant amount” of communication through emails, phone calls, letters and faxes.

“Right now, the channels of communication between us and the St. Paul Police Department are wide open and functioning very well,” Kueppers said.

“We have always been willing to work with the police,” he said, whether in St. Paul or other cities in the 12 counties that comprise the archdiocese. “At no time were we not.”

Local

Authorities: Archdiocese followed mandated reporting requirements

Reaching out to victims Choi called for all victims of any form of abuse to immediately come forward to civil authorities. Kueppers said that a person who becomes aware of an accusation of child sexual abuse should first contact civil authorities.

The point was reiterated by the archdiocese in a Jan. 29 statement.

“If you suspect child sexual abuse, immediately contact the county social service agency or police; it is not your role to investigate,” it said.

“Our website also has made contacting authorities easy by providing phone numbers for these civil authorities. We agree that reporting must always err on the side of protecting the victim and preventing harm.”

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

8

U.S. & World

‘Think big,’ ‘open your hearts,’ pope says to youth

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

From left, Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, talks with Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, chairman of Catholic Relief Services, as they inspect a shelter in Barangay Cabarasan Guti, a community in Tanauan, Philippines, Feb. 6. CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn

Philippine cardinal: Typhoon recovery can show the world a united Church

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service An emotional Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila welcomed U.S. Catholic leaders reviewing Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts, saying that the work to rebuild devastated communities can show the world a Church united in the service of people in need.

With tears welling up as he described the utter destruction he saw during a visit to Tacloban soon after the Nov. 8 typhoon swept in from the sea with 195-mile-an-hour winds and a tsunami-like storm surge, Cardinal Tagle reminded the international delegation Feb. 3 that storm survivors can teach visitors about the importance of perseverance and maintaining faith in God. “I don’t know how we could make the whole world realize how much we could help. For a few days [during my visit] we knew it was possible for humankind to be together, to be one, to feel for one another and to transcend the barriers, all the baggage, the history that religion, that politics, the financial economy has imposed on everyone,” Cardinal Tagle said in a meeting at the offices of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

“In that regard we saw the response and demand here,” he told a delegation of more than a dozen representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Australia. “There is so much hope for the world. We just prayed that this will be sustained and will not become sporadic, only occasional. We hope it becomes a lifestyle to be spearheaded by Christians.”

Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., USCCB president, who was leading the delegation on its weeklong visit to the Philippines, told the cardinal that the U.S. Church wanted to work side-by-side with Filipinos in the long recovery process.

“We know there is one church and we want to be partners with you,” he said.

U.S. parishes still are collecting funds, most of which have been designated for humanitarian needs. USCCB officials project that about $9 million will be raised in

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

parish special collections for the recovery effort.

Meanwhile, CRS has raised about $48 million, including $28 million from private donors and $20 million from public sources, reported Joe Curry, the agency’s country representative in the Philippines. All of the funds are being used for humanitarian needs, he told CNS.

Long recovery ahead Cardinal Tagle acknowledged that recovery and rebuilding is likely to take years because the devastation was so great, reaching across 12 dioceses in the central part of the country. In some locales, 90 percent of buildings and homes — more than 550,000 in all — were smashed into matchsticks.

As of Jan. 29, more than 6,200 people had died and more than 28,600 were injured in the storm while nearly 1,800 remained missing, according to the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. More than 4 million people were displaced by the storm.

Damage was set at $877 million by the council.

Two tropical storms swamped parts of the same regions in January, forcing some who lost their homes in November and were living in tents to flee to higher ground again.

Cardinal Tagle said natural disasters are the norm for the island nation and that he has come to see how important local parishes have become in offering shelter and becoming centers for sanitation and hygiene, the distribution of food and support for displaced people.

“At least for me,” he told the delegation, “it has become a special lesson, because in moments like these a place of worship also becomes a place of charity. The place is made sacred not by sacraments and prayer but by the belief that we can find a refuge here. It is our home.”

Compounding the challenges, the cardinal added, is the trauma experienced by priests, women religious and lay leaders at parishes, who are struggling with their own losses of family, possessions and secure housing.

The “poor in spirit,” the pure and the merciful, whom Jesus described as “blessed,” are the same people the world considers to be “losers,” Pope Francis told Catholic young people.

But Jesus offers his followers the true path to happiness, and faith in him “will allow you to expose and reject the ‘low-cost’ offers and approaches all around you,” the pope said in his message for World Youth Day 2014.

The message, released Feb. 6 at the Vatican, focused on the beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Pope Francis has chosen the beatitudes from the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew as the themes for World Youth Day 2014-2016. This year and next, World Youth Day will be celebrated on a local level — on Palm Sunday at the Vatican — and in 2016 it will be an international gathering in Krakow, Poland.

Choosing Christ “To be blessed means to be happy,” the pope said. “In an age when we are constantly being enticed by vain and empty illusions of happiness, we risk settling for less and ‘thinking small’ when it comes to the meaning of life.

“Think big instead,” he told young people. “Open your hearts.”

“Young people who choose Christ are strong: They are fed by his word and they do not need to ‘stuff themselves’” with money, possessions and fleeting pleasure, the pope said.

“Have the courage to swim against the tide. Have the courage to be truly happy,” he said.

To be poor in spirit, the pope told young people, they must learn to be free or detached from material things, living simply, be concerned about the essentials, but “learning to do without all those unneeded extras.”

Poverty in spirit also requires “a conversion in the way we see the poor,” which means meeting them, listening to them, caring for them and offering them both material and spiritual assistance, he said.

9 Rice Bowl Lenten program features app and recipes

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service

The Vatican said it would continue to adhere to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and give an attentive response to the U.N. committee monitoring adherence to the treaty, despite what it views as unfair criticism and suggestions from the committee that would violate Related Church teachcommentary: ing.

The Vatican ‘Caring for will follow the children or procedures caring for foreseen by culture the treaty warriors,” “with openness to critipage 23 cisms that are justified, but it will do so with courage and determination, without timidity,” said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.

Father Lombardi issued a statement Feb. 7, two days after the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child insisted the Vatican was not doing enough to prevent clerical

sexual abuse of children and even suggested that, for the good of children, the Catholic Church change its teaching on abortion, contraception and homosexuality.

Committee members went “beyond their competence and interfered in the doctrinal and moral positions of the Catholic Church,” the spokesman said, adding that the committee’s suggestions reveal an “ideological vision of sexuality.”

“Certainly, while the Holy See was the object of an initiative and media attention that, in our view, was unjustly pernicious, it must be recognized that the committee itself has attracted serious and wellfounded criticisms” for its Feb. 5 report, Father Lombardi said. Many Catholic commentators encouraged the Vatican to withdraw its adherence to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Lack of understanding In 1990, the Vatican became one of the first countries to ratify the children’s rights treaty because of the Church’s historic commitment to the good of children, Father Lombardi said. Not recognizing all the Church has done for centuries through its schools, hospitals and

charitable agencies is to ignore reality.

While the Vatican “will continue its commitment” to fulfilling the requirements of the treaty, he said, it cannot pretend that the committee’s observations did not present “serious limits.”

The committee “did not adequately take into account the responses — both written and oral — given by representatives of the Holy See” before and during a Jan. 16 hearing in Geneva, he said.

The recommendations, he said, demonstrated a lack of understanding about how the Holy See is different from other states that signed the convention.

The Vatican, Father Lombardi said, has repeatedly explained in detail to the committee and to other U.N. agencies that it has direct legal jurisdiction over those who live and work in the small territory of Vatican City State. While it has canonical and spiritual jurisdiction over Catholics around the world, priests and bishops are subject to the laws of their own nations.

“Is this impossible to understand or do they not want to understand it?” he asked. “In both cases, one has a right to be surprised.”

Catholic Relief Services is taking a new approach to its annual Rice Bowl program for Lent.

Weekly recipes created by a celebrity chef of sorts — Father Leo Patalinghug, host of Grace Before Meals, a family apostolate focused around meals — this year have been linked to Rice Bowl, the 39-year-old CRS campaign to raise awareness about hunger and raise funds to combat hunger and poverty.

Five recipes — one for each week of Lent — and short videos about them by Father Patalinghug will be available on YouTube or the CRS website and will feature low-cost, meatless ingredients.

In addition to the recipes, CRS has a free Rice Bowl app available for smartphones and tablets. It will allow users to schedule delivery of daily reflections during Lent, set and track progress toward a Lenten goal, and view the recipes or see stories about people whose lives have been changed by the program, said a CRS release.

The app can be downloaded at iTunes or the Google Play Store or at crsricebowl.org/app.

U.S. & World

‘Unjust’ criticism won’t force Vatican to drop children’s rights treaty, spokesman says

Church / Ministry Jobs

THE ARCHBISHOP HARRY J. FLYNN CATECHETICAL INSTITUTE

LEARN & LIVE SERIES PRESENTS

Crisis and Difficulty: A Time for Growth Presented by Deacon Joe Michalak Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7-9 p.m.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church in St. Paul This event is free and open to the public. Bring a friend! www.cistudent.com

Staff Accountant – PASC -FT Location: Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis- Chancery Offices; St. Paul, MN This position is responsible for the preparation, production and maintenance of client parish financial records through the use of Archdiocesan centralized financial software systems. This position provides client parish financial information to the Parish Accounting Service Center (PASC) Manager and assists client parish leadership in fulfillment of their parish, archdiocesan and regulatory reporting requirements. Essential functions include, but are not limited to: verification, approval and/or posting of AP, AR, and GL transactions for client parishes; monthly reconciliation of expense, revenue and balance sheet accounts; assist in the review of client parish financial information for preparation of monthly executive financial report; participate in planning, budgeting, internal controls and regulatory mandates.

Qualifications: Requirements: B.S. in Accounting/Finance; minimum of 2 years of experience in Accounting (AP/AR/GL); proficient in MS Office. Preferred: 5-7 years of experience in Accounting (AP/ AR/GL); proficient in Logos; knowledge of Roman Catholic Church and related organizations, structures and hierarchy.

Accounting Manager - FT Location: Divine Mercy Catholic Church; Faribault, MN Accounting Manager will be responsible for payroll and benefits, A/R, budgets, month end close out and financial reporting for the parish and school. Additional responsibilities include oversight of the accounting system, meeting with finance committees, and audits. Qualifications include, but are not limited to: accounting degree, experience with accounting software, strong experience in Microsoft Office with a focus on Excel, as well as strong organizational, office and computer skills. A practicing Catholic in good standing is preferred. A four-year degree in accounting or equivalent job experience is preferred. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience.

Director of Worship - FT Location: Guardian Angels Catholic Church; Chaska, MN This position requires both liturgical and musical knowledge. Responsibilities include planning Parish liturgical celebrations including weekend Masses, funerals, weddings, school liturgies and baptismal liturgies; directing and training all current cantors, developing and directing an adult choir, and two youth choirs; provide leadership and supervision to all parish musicians and musical groups; and creating worship aides. Qualifications: Strong understanding of the Roman Catholic Liturgy, GIRM, traditions and rituals. Must be able to read music and exhibit competence in and knowledge of music. Need to be able to work independently, be detail oriented, organized, and ability to multi-task. Proficient in Microsoft Office and Finale. Must be able to communicate effectively with volunteers and staff.

Bachelor’s degree in music, liturgy, theology or equivalent experience. Proficient keyboard skills on pipe organ and piano desired. Ability to speak Spanish a plus.

For more information on these and other job openings, or to apply online, please visit www.archspm.org/careers.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Focus on Faith • Scripture Readings

10 SUNDAY SCRIPTURES Deacon Marcus Milless

Jesus teaches us how to overcome sin On the Mount of Beatitudes, Jesus teaches the crowds about the new law of Christian living. But he stresses that the Old Testament law hasn’t passed away. In fact, he says the old law is alive and well. “I haven’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it” (Matthew 5:17). If we read the rest of the Gospel of Matthew, we learn that he fulfills the obligation of the Ten Commandments — he honors God, keeps holy the Sabbath, honors his mother and father, and doesn’t murder, commit adultery, steal, lie

or covet. Yet, is this what Jesus means by fulfilling the law?

Jesus gives us the answer in the same passage: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment,’ but I say to you . . . whoever says ‘You fool!’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.”

For Jesus, fulfilling the law requires more than abiding by the Ten Commandments. It requires that we root out the very cause of our sin. In this sense, Jesus makes the law more difficult and

demanding. How can we meet these demands? By relaxing the demands?

No, brilliant teachers don’t relax the laws that bring their students to encounter the truth, even when their students don’t understand how the law connects to the truth.

Rather, they enter into the hearts and minds of their students, see their stumbling blocks, and charitably help them overcome those stumbling blocks. Christ Jesus is no different in this manner. He is able to reveal to us the little sins or stumbling blocks that keep us from fulfilling the big commands.

Jesus isn’t naïve, though. He knew that simply teaching the cause of sin wouldn’t be enough to help us overcome the power of sin.

So, Jesus entered into sinful humanity, suffered and died to win for us the grace to overcome our sin. In this way, he is unlike any brilliant teacher; he is the Son of God made man, whose love gives us the grace to fulfill the law.

Without his love, the new law is impossible to fulfill.

The sacraments we receive are signs of Christ’s great love for us.

They give us the grace to live in union with him. The six moral precepts of today’s Gospel measure how we are responding to that grace. For they measure how we receive Christ’s love and share it with our neighbors. When we fail to meet this measure, we need to turn to the Spirit, “who scrutinizes everything” to give us the grace to encounter Christ’s love anew. If we do this, we will experience fulfillment.

As St. Paul beautifully describes, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Deacon Milless is in formation for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His home parish is Church of the Epiphany in Coon Rapids, and his teaching parish is St. Francis Xavier in Buffalo.

Readings Sunday, Feb. 16 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time • Sirach 15:15-20 • 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 • Matthew 5:17-37

Reflection How does Jesus challenge us to fulfill the old and new laws? How can we successfully do so?

DAILY Scriptures Sunday, Feb. 16 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 15:15-20 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 Monday, Feb. 17 The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order James 1:1-11 Mark 8:11-13 Tuesday, Feb. 18 James 1:12-18 Mark 8:14-21

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Wednesday, Feb. 19 James 1:19-27 Mark 8:22-26 Thursday, Feb. 20 James 2:1-9 Mark 8:27-33 Friday, Feb. 21 St. Peter Damian, bishop, doctor of the Church James 2:14-24, 26 Mark 8:34–9:1 Saturday, Feb. 22 The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle 1 Peter 5:1-4 Matthew 16:13-19

Sunday, Feb. 23 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 Matthew 5:38-48 Monday, Feb. 24 James 3:13-18 Matthew 9:14-29 Tuesday, Feb. 25 James 4:1-10 Mark 9:30-37 Wednesday, Feb. 26 James 4:13-17 Mark 9:38-40

Thursday, Feb. 27 James 5:1-6 Mark 9:41-50 Friday, Feb. 28 James 5:9-12 Mark 10:1-12 Saturday, March 1 James 5:13-20 Mark 10:13-16 Sunday, March 2 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 49:14-15 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Matthew 6:24-34

11

Father Kenneth Doyle

Three godparents?

How binding are Catholic movie ratings?

Q. My son’s girlfriend of two

years has been attending Mass with us on a regular basis. She is now enrolled in weekly instructional classes and is scheduled to be baptized in a few weeks as a Catholic.

She had asked a couple who are longtime family friends to be her godparents, but neither one of them is a Catholic. She understands now that she will need a practicing Catholic as her official “sponsor,” but was told that only two godparents can sign her baptismal certificate and feels awkward about telling the couple that one of them cannot sign.

What should she do?

A. First, we should be clear on

the rule that governs such a situation. But we could also consider whether, while still following the

rule, some accommodation might be made out of pastoral sensitivity.

The rule is clear: In the church’s Code of Canon Law, No. 873 states that “there is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.”

The next section, No. 874, goes on to explain that a sponsor must be a baptized Catholic, at least 16 years of age, who has received the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation and who is living a life in conformity with the church’s teaching. It also says that a baptized non-Catholic may participate in the ceremony together with a Catholic sponsor, but as a “witness” to the baptism rather than a sponsor.

The reason for requiring that a sponsor be a practicing Catholic is that the sponsor takes on the responsibility of assisting the baptized person’s continued growth

Q. What is a Catholic’s obligation regarding the movie ratings issued by the Catholic News Service? Are they binding?

For example, is it a sin to see films rated “O – Morally Offensive”?

A. The ratings are meant as guidelines. They do not bind in

conscience. At the same time, they offer a valuable resource, particularly for parents in choosing what is appropriate for their children. The ratings and reviews evaluate a film from a spiritual, moral and artistic point of view against the background of the Church’s teachings and of Judeo-Christian values. So, I don’t believe that a faithful Catholic should take them lightly.

After you have read a review, I would recommend deciding whether to attend based on what you know of yourself, avoiding what might be troublesome morally.

Films are classified as “O” or “morally offensive” when they “feature excessive violence, gratuitous sexuality or are laden, for no artistically valid reason, with non-stop vulgarity,” according to the ratings page of Catholic News Service. Films that directly contradict Church teaching on such matters as suicide, adultery, euthanasia, abortion or violent revenge also get this rating, “no matter how lauded some of them may be by the secular press.”

Focus on Faith • Seeking Answers

SEEKING ANSWERS

in the Catholic faith. So, in the situation you present, the Catholic party would be the sponsor and one member of the non-Catholic couple could be the official “witness.”

But here is my suggestion. In some cultures (Filipino is the one I’m most familiar with), it is customary for several close family friends to stand with the child at the christening, in addition to the two official “sponsors.”

They do this as advocates for the child, endorsing his or her entrance into the church and pledging to support the person’s development in the Christian faith. So why not do that with this couple?

Assuming that they are baptized non-Catholics, why not have them both stand with the young woman at her baptism, endorsing her choice, along with the Catholic “sponsor”? The couple could decide for themselves which of them will be the official “witness.” That name will go on the certificate and in the parish’s baptismal register, but they both will understand they have played a key role in the young woman’s ceremony.

Such a rating is not given lightly, so I would say that rarely would seeing a film rated “O” be justified.

Father Doyle writes for Catholic News Service. A priest of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., he previously served as director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Focus on Faith

12

Popular devotion is key factor in sainthood process

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service The sainthood process is long and technically complicated, and ultimately requires the approval of the pope, but the whole procedure is driven by Catholics in the pews and, especially, those on their knees.

The Congregation for Saints’ Causes and the official promoters of causes — known as postulators — do the paperwork, but if there is no evidence of widespread devotion to a candidate, no visits to the person’s grave, no reports of favors and even miracles received through the potential saint’s intercession, the cause just sits there. Even for centuries.

Jesuit Father Marc Lindeijer, assistant postulator of sainthood causes for his order, says he has no problem waiting.

On the contrary, as far as the Dutch priest is concerned, the more time passes, the more certain the church can be of the lasting importance of a candidate’s witness.

“I think the process has to be long and complicated,” he said.

The solemn declaration that a specific person is in heaven with God and is worthy of global Catholic devotion “has to be treated with care.”

“It’s not as if the Vatican is asking for a canonization, it’s the people,”

he said.

Nothing happens without grassroots pressure at the start.

Getting help That helps explain why members of religious orders occupy most of the places on the Church’s calendar of saints, and why lay saints are so few.

“One could say a religious order is a mightier lobby for a cause,” encouraging its members and the people they serve to pray to the habited holy one and report back any favors received, Father Lindeijer said.

Generally for canonization, the church requires a demonstration that the popular devotion to a candidate has extended over a long period of time. Canonization, Father Lindeijer said, “is not a stamp of approval” for how someone lived his or her life, but is a way for the Church to hold that person up as an example for today’s Catholics and the Catholics of tomorrow.

For example, the Diocese of Macerata, Italy, recently concluded the preliminary phase of the cause of its native son, Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci, the 16th-century missionary to China.

The cause also has received strong support from Chinese bishops, Father Lindeijer said.

However, he worries that outside of Macerata and China, Father Ricci

“It’s not as if the Vatican is asking for a canonization, it’s the people.”

Jesuit Father Marc Lindeijer

is admired for his scholarship and culturally sensitive approach to missionary work, but not necessarily venerated as holy.

To promote his cause successfully, Father Lindeijer will need to answer the question: “Are people praying to Matteo Ricci?”

More than miracles “Massive popular devotion” is even more important than verified miracles in deciding whether or not to canonize someone, Father Lindeijer said.

When “the cult is clear and many people receive many graces praying to them,” the pope can waive the requirement of a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession.

For instance, Pope Francis will canonize Blessed John XXIII April

27 even though there is no papal decree recognizing a specific miracle; he is expected to do the same later this year with Blessed Jose Anchieta, a late 16th-century missionary to Brazil, and Blesseds Marie de l’Incarnation and Francois de Laval, who were missionaries in Canada in the 1600s.

Father Lindeijer said he considers setting aside the miracle requirement a less serious exception than shortening the waiting period after a candidate’s death.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law stipulated that a sainthood cause could not open until 50 years after the candidate’s death.

Pope John Paul shortened the period to five years, but set even that aside for Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

A month after Pope John Paul’s death, Pope Benedict XVI announced he had set aside the waiting period for his predecessor’s cause.

“I’ve never believed in ‘santo subito,’” Father Lindeijer said, referring to the calls for Pope John Paul’s canonization immediately after his death.

“Fame comes and goes, and fame of sanctity, as Pope Benedict rightly said, is something that should be growing,” he said. “When that phenomenon can be proven, it shows that the Holy Spirit is at work.”

Divine Mercy Catholic Church and School seek full-time Accounting Manager and full-time Parish Administrator Accounting Manager will be responsible for payroll and benefits, A/R, budgets, month end close out and financial reporting for the parish and school. Additional responsibilities include oversight of the accounting system, meeting with finance committees, and audits.

Successful candidate will have an accounting degree, experience with accounting software, strong experience in Microsoft Office with a focus on Excel, as well as strong organizational, office and computer skills. A practicing Catholic in good standing in preferred. A four-year degree in accounting or equivalent job experience is preferred.

Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience.

The full time Parish Administrator position is responsible for the oversight direction of the administration of the parish and school including human resources, finances, facilities and leadership. This individual must be able to assist the leadership in articulating a vision committed to stewardship (tithing) and Catholic schools.

Successful candidate must be a practicing Catholic in good standing; have a college degree in business or administration; five (5) years of experience in church or business management role; and five (5) years of experience in supervision of personnel. Individual should be highly organized, effective communicator, experienced in computer systems, and have the ability to successfully develop and manage volunteers. Salary is commensurate with experience and education.

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, three references and credentials by February 18, 2014 to: Search Committee, Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 4 SW 2nd Avenue, Faribault, MN 55021 or email at asmith@ divinemercy.cc.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT CLASSIFIED ADS CAN TURN YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS INTO CASH Call The Catholic Spirit at 651-291-4444

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheCatholicSpirit Stay connected.

Follow The Catholic Spirit on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ CatholicSpirit February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

13 Vocation as scholars

Colleges and universities should not overlook importance of liberal arts, says St. Thomas professor

“Higher education is being enslaved to the idea that every student is just there to become a professional. That is not education, that is training. And that is fundamentally different from the Catholic understanding of the human person.”

By Katherine Talalas Catholic News Service Few documents of the Second Vatican Council have impacted Catholic education as greatly as “Gaudium et Spes,” said a panel of speakers Feb. 2.

“No other document gives us the crucial role of Catholic higher education in the church,” said Massimo Faggioli, an assistant professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

Faggioli was one of three speakers on a panel that addressed the topic “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Advancing the Insights of ‘Gaudium et Spes.’”

He was joined by Maryann Cusimano Love, associate professor of international relations at The Catholic University of America in Washington, and Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA. The panel discussion came on the second day of the annual conference of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, held Feb. 1-3 in Washington.

“Living the Vision of ‘Gaudium et Spes’” in Catholic higher education was the overall theme of the meeting.

Massimo Faggioli, assistant professor, University of St. Thomas

Bringing faith to life “Gaudium et Spes,” the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was the last document of Vatican II to be promulgated, in December 1965.

The document, whose Latin title means “joy and hope,” was intended to lay out the church’s relationship to a rapidly changing society.

According to the panel it has a great deal to teach Catholic educators.

In fact, “the document reads as if it could have been written yesterday by Pope Francis” said Cusimano Love.

So what insights does the document have to offer Catholic universities?

First, “Gaudium et Spes” can be

implemented in the personal vocations of professors and academics.

Cusimano Love encouraged educators to be what she called “‘pracademics,’ bringing the practice of the Catholic Church into [their] research and teaching practices.”

Second, “Gaudium et Spes” calls for civic engagement and advocacy by universities, which are considered political actors. “If we are not in the public square, there is a huge voice that is missing,” said Father Snyder.

Lastly, “Gaudium et Spes” asks universities to produce graduates who can “interpret the signs of the times,” as described in Chapter 16, Verse 3 of the Gospel of St. Matthew.

Faggioli, who teaches the history of modern Christianity at St. Thomas, said that colleges can do so by “having more courses in history and literature.”

Though there has been a trend in recent years among Catholic universities to focus on job-specific training, Faggioli believes this should not be done at the expense of a liberal arts education.

“If we are only trained to do a job, we will be enslaved by signs of the times,” he said.

Colleges & Careers

Vatican II document holds lessons for Catholic educators

In his remarks during the panel discussion and afterward to Catholic News Service, Faggioli said that a broad Catholic education should not be limited to undergraduate formation.

“Catholic colleges and universities should be more emphatic in helping students pursue their vocations as scholars,” he explained.

“Higher education is being enslaved to the idea that every student is just there to become a professional,” he reiterated. “That is not education, that is training. And that is fundamentally different from the Catholic understanding of the human person.”

Speaking of the Catholic responsibility for developing conscience, he said if educators fail in this with their students, then “after us, there is nothing.”

INFORMATION MEETING — Thursday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.

Holy Spirit Church Gathering Space, 2405 Walden Way, St. Cloud

12 DAYS TO GERMANY & AUSTRIA Oct. 6-17, 2014 SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR: FATHER TOM KNOBLACH

Green Bay Marian Eucharistic Conference & Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Champion Wisconsin, Oct. 2-5. Motorcoach SPEAKERS: DR. SCOTT HAHN, FR. MICHAEL GAITLEY, MOTHER ADELA GALINDO + OTHERS Note: No Fargo Conference is scheduled for this year.

EWTN + WEEKEND RETREAT Retreat Master Father Mitch Pacwa Birmingham, Alabama May 14-15

JeriCo Christian Journeys • 19091 Island View Drive • Mora, MN 55051

1-877-453-7426

Benefit Banquet

Register to attend at www.spoweb.org or call Nancy at (651) 451-6114 x113

“

E-mail: Colleen@jericochristianjourneys.com www.jericochristianjourneys.com

Evening of March 4, 2014

Finding a community of students who are enthusiastic about living a faithful life and who truly care for those around them has sparked in me a new desire to live my life in a distinctly Catholic way.”

— Nicole

thecatholicspirit.com February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

2014 Legislature

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New outreach coordinator will visit parishes to network Continued from page 1 ceremonies — could face significant penalties.

These business owners do not intend to deny basic services to people with same-sex attraction, Adkins said. They object, however, to being forced to contribute specifically toward a same-sex ceremony that violates their deeply held moral beliefs about marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

“The Minnesota Department of Human Rights has plainly said they will punish individuals, businesses and other organizations that refuse to provide goods or services for a samesex wedding,” Adkins said. “This is something that should be corrected immediately by our state Legislature.

This is a terrible injustice.”

• Payday lending reforms During the difficult economic times of the last several years, the number of payday lenders — businesses that offer short-term loans due on a borrower’s next payday — has expanded, Adkins said.

Payday loans are typically more expensive than other methods of borrowing and, if unpaid, can put borrowers in serious debt trouble.

The lenders, however, often make large profits.

“There’s nothing wrong, of course, with profits, per se, but if it’s profits based on taking advantage of people in difficult financial situations and lending money at high rates of interest — what we call in the Catholic tradition ‘usury’ — then there is definitely a problem with that, and we’re concerned about people falling deeper into a debt trap,” Adkins said.

“That has consequences for individuals and families, but also for the broader society,” he said. ”Increases in consumer debt, poverty, and bankruptcy filings affect the common good.”

The MCC supports legislation that would, among other things, cap the number of payday loans that a person could take from a payday lending institution, Adkins said.

“Currently, the average payday loan customer takes out about nine

Join the Minnesota Catholic Conference in reaching out to state legislators this session

loans a year, which is strong evidence that people aren’t simply bridging a financial gap, meeting a temporary financial crisis, or using it to buy something they want to purchase,” he said. “They’re using it to pay off basic utilities and other necessities, such as grocery bills — again, deepening that debt trap.”

• Felon disenfranchisement reform In Minnesota, approximately 63,000 people are denied the right to vote under state law due to a past felony conviction, Adkins said. Seventy-five percent of these people have served their prison terms and are now living in the community, whether on parole or probation.

They often have difficulty securing housing and employment, which is one of the reasons the MCC supported “ban the box” legislation last year, forbidding employers from asking a prospective employee about his or her criminal history until the applicant is selected for a job interview.

“People who are no longer incarcerated should be able to vote,” Adkins said. “We have already decided that they should be living in the community. From our perspective, it’s a justice issue and in a spirit similar to other issues like ‘ban the box,’ where we really take seriously the desire to restore and rehabilitate people, reintegrate them into society, and give them a second chance. It may even reduce crime.

This is an important topic on which the Church needs to be speaking.”

• Non-public school pupil aid A bill introduced in the House last month during the interim — H.F. 1923 — seeks to repeal non-public pupil aid for transportation, textbooks, counseling and health services, and telecommuni-

cations and Internet access services.

The MCC is watching the bill, Adkins said, although chances are low that it will move through the Legislature this year.

“It’s been a long tradition in Minnesota to provide certain types of aid to each individual student whether or not he or she attends public schools, so we are concerned that such a bill revoking this important public benefit was even introduced, ” he said.

“It should be a reminder to all those invested in Catholic schools to be vigilant and attentive to legislative developments affecting non-public education,” he added.

“We’re always monitoring legislation that could impose government mandates on Catholic schools, working to ensure that the right of parents as ‘first educators of their children’ is preserved in the public schools, and continuing to work to raise awareness about the importance of school choice.”

• Economic security, housing The MCC will continue to support measures to improve family economic security, create affordable housing, reduce homelessness and increase the minimum wage, as well as funding for child care assistance, Adkins said.

On issues related to poverty, the MCC often collaborates with the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, a Minneapolis-based interfaith public interest group that seeks to influence legislation supported by all four of its sponsoring bodies. The MCC is one of four JRLC sponsors, along with the Minnesota Council of Churches, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, and the Islamic Center of Minnesota.

The MCC supports the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless in its efforts to secure bonding funds for affordable housing, Adkins said.

The coalition is seeking $100 million for housing, while Gov. Mark Dayton proposed $50 million for housing in his bonding bill announcement last month.

Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis is seeking part of the

funding for its Dorothy Day Center ReVision initiative, which includes three new buildings to provide a longer-term solution to homelessness in the Twin Cities.

• Surrogacy contracts Last year, the MCC opposed attempts to legitimize surrogate birth contracts in state law, and it will continue to monitor the issue this year, Adkins said.

“We’re concerned about surrogacy for the same reasons that we’re concerned about human trafficking,” he said. “It represents the commodification of women and children. Some have said that commercial surrogacy falls somewhere between indentured servitude and slavery, and I think that’s exactly right.”

Surrogacy contracts often take advantage of women in financial need, he said. Current Minnesota law is unclear about whether such contracts are legally valid.

Other initiatives The MCC will continue to advocate on behalf of several issues on the federal level, including the need for comprehensive immigration reform, Adkins said. It opposes the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate and encourages passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The MCC also offers several resources for Catholics who want to stay updated on state and federal public policy issues and influence specific legislation.

Resources include the Catholic Advocacy Network, a Facebook page and Twitter account (@MNCatholicConf), and two blogs: “The Lighthouse” (lighthouse.mncc. org), which offers commentary on a wide range of public policy issues of interest to Catholics, and “The First Freedom Project,” devoted to issues related to religious liberty.

The MCC recently hired an outreach coordinator, Kathryn Mollen, who will visit Minnesota parishes and work to build a “human advocacy network” to complement what the MCC offers electronically, Adkins said.

Talking points to consider for three social issues of concern for Catholics: Protecting religious liberty “Please create broader accommodations for the religious liberty and consciences of individuals who decline to solemnize or celebrate a same-sex marriage. The redefinition of marriage in Minnesota was supposed to only allow same-sex couples to marry and not infringe upon the personal freedom of others.

Extending existing conscience rights in Minnesota to cover those who prefer not to participate in a same-sex marriage is logical and fair.”

Restoring the right to vote “Please support legislation (HF 491/SF 107) that restores voting rights to Minnesotans who were convicted of a felony yet are no longer incarcerated. HF 491/SF 107 gives Minnesotans with criminal convictions a stake in the community and in decisions that affect their lives. It helps foster political participation of minority communities disproportionately affected by the current system, and it might decrease the likelihood that past offenders will commit another crime.”

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Preventing and helping to end homelessness “The most basic moral test of any community is how it treats its most poor and vulnerable.

Homelessness prevention is the most humane and cost-effective approach to addressing homelessness. One way to do this is to enact policies and resources that promote economic security and housing stability to prevent and end homelessness. Please support $100 million in bonds for affordable housing and raise the minimum wage this session.”

The Catholic Advocacy Network is an initiative of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota. To join the advocacy network and get tips on how to talk to legislators, visit mncc.org.

Themes of Catholic Social teaching Catholic social teaching is central to our faith, and is based on — and inseparable from — our understanding of human life and dignity. These teachings are derived from: the Gospels and the words of Christ; papal statements and encyclicals; and Catholic bishops’ statements and pastoral letters. Catholic social teaching calls us all to work for the common good, help build a just society, uphold the dignity of human life and lift up our poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters.

The following paragraphs describe the seven themes of Catholic social teaching.

1

4

2

5

LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, every person’s life and dignity must be respected and supported from conception through natural death. We believe that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

CALL TO FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION The human person is not only sacred, but social. How we organize our society — socially, economically, legally and politically — directly affects human dignity and the ability of every human person to grow in community. Marriage and family, the foundations for social life, should be strengthened and supported. Every person has a right to participate in society and a corresponding duty to work for the advancement of the common good and the well-being of all.

2014 Legislature

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DIGNITY OF WORK The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. To uphold the dignity of work, the basic rights of workers must be respected — the right to productive work, to fair and livable wages, and to organize and join a union.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Every person has a fundamental right to life — the right that makes all other rights possible. Each person also has a right to the conditions for living a decent life — food, health care, housing, education and employment. We have a corresponding duty to secure and respect these rights for others and to fulfill our responsibilities to our families, to each other and to our larger society.

6

OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE

3

SOLIDARITY We are one human family. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Our love for all of our brothers and sisters calls us to seek a peaceful and just society where goods are distributed fairly, opportunity is promoted equally and the dignity of all is respected.

Scripture teaches that God has a special concern for the poor and vulnerable. The Church calls on all of us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. This preferential option for the poor and vulnerable should be reflected in both our daily lives and public policies. A fundamental measure of our society is how we care for and stand with our poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters.

7

CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION

Source: Minnesota Catholic Conference. This information has been adapted from: “Catholic Teaching and Principles,” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The world that God created has been entrusted to all of us. Our stewardship of the earth is a form of participation in God’s act of creating and sustaining the world. In our use of creation, we must be guided by a concern for generations to come.

We show our respect for the Creator by our care for creation.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

2014 Legislature

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Group to host Rally for Religious Liberty at state Capitol Members of Ham Lake parish want to inspire, educate with speakers

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit Members of a grassroots group, Light for Freedom, are taking their message to the state Capitol Rotunda Feb. 24, the day before the new legislative session, with a Rally for Religious Liberty. Suzanne and Jeffery Bartels, parishioners from St. Paul in Ham Lake, formed the group last fall.

Planning to show their support at the rally are members of Colorado’s Little Sisters of the Poor, the group of nuns that recently received an injunction from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a mandate in the Affordable Care Act that would require them to provide their employees with insurance coverage for conLearn more traception, violating the teachings of their faith.

• lightforfreedom.org “I just felt that the fact that they could be present • Search “Light for there would speak so Freedom” on Facebook clearly to everyone about what we’re really doing, and how threatened we are,” said St. Paul parishioner and Light for Freedom member Sharon Balk.

“To have these beautiful Little Sisters who care for elderly people who can’t afford care . . . I mean, there’s a visual of why we need to be passionate about this and what’s at risk for us.”

Suzanne Bartels said Light for Freedom reached out to a variety of speakers in order to convey the rally’s theme of unity. The group acknowledged that promoting religious liberty isn’t just a Catholic cause, so the rally’s local speakers represent different religions and political parties.

On the agenda are John Tolo of the SafeCity Project, Jason Adkins of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, Autumn Leva of the Minnesota Family Council, Gary Borgendale of KKMS 980 AM, Pastor Mike Smith of Redeeming Love Church in Maplewood, Trevor Rubenstein of Good News for Israel, and Sen. Michelle Benson. They will lead attendees in a program of education, encouragement and prayer.

Jeffery Bartels said the average person concerned about infringements on First Amendment rights might not know how to get involved. That’s why

Communicating with legislators Who represents me at the Minnesota Legislature?

To find out, visit gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts

Do • Be brief. Never write more than one page.

• Make your letter neat and easy to read (type or print).

• Make sure you understand the legislative process • Identify the issue at the top of the letter and cover only one issue per letter. If you have more than one issue to be address, write separate letters for each issue.

• Remember, you’re the expert; make your letter informative.

• Identify yourself and the reason for your expertise.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

members of Light for Freedom want to provide information, raise awareness and build a network so people don’t feel isolated.

“Hopefully, they see the rally, see the website or Facebook, and then they get more involved, think about it when they’re voting, that kind of thing,” he said.

Reaching out to all people of good will When Light for Freedom started last fall as a ministry at St. Paul parish, words of the Founding Fathers and current Catholic leaders inspired Suzanne Bartels to act.

She cites a June 24, 2013, National Catholic Register article in which Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia said laypeople need to take the responsibility to lead in matters concerning threats to their faith.

“Bishops can counsel and teach,” he said, “but their role in practical political affairs like the fight for religious liberty can only be indirect and secondary. If laypeople don’t love their Catholic faith enough to struggle for it in the public square, nothing the bishops do will finally matter.”

Archbishop Chaput’s words had the same effect on fellow parishioner Patti Urick.

“This is something that has been transpiring for several years for most of us,” she said. “We’ve been aware of it, we just didn’t know what to do until we heard what the bishops had [wanted] us to do as laypeople. It kind of opened up our hearts.”

Urick is concerned about her grandchildren’s future to practice their faith without fear. She credits her Catholic faith for calling her out of her comfort zone to speak and act on behalf of religious liberty.

Balk, who has a son in the Navy, was disturbed by the news of chaplains being forbidden to voluntarily celebrate Mass during the government shutdown last fall.

“When our brave young men and women are on the front lines for us, and they’re being denied these rights, it’s very troubling,” she said.

That issue and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate are among several that sparked the group’s formation.

Suzanne Bartels points to the backlash Phil Robertson of the A&E show “Duck Dynasty” received from his comments about homosexuality, and re-

• Get right to the point. For example, you may wish to begin your letter like this: “I hope you will support (oppose) HF or SF___.” Give your reasons for supporting or opposing the measure. Tell your legislator why you think the bill, if it becomes law, will help or hurt you, your children, your business or your community.

• Use terms they will understand and avoid using abbreviations.

• Offer to be of assistance. Offer to testify if there is a hearing regarding the issue with which you’re concerned.

• Ask for a reply if you want one. However, keep in mind how many meetings and hearings your legislator must attend. They will call or write to you as soon as they are able.

• Be polite and reasonable. Lawmakers can’t please everyone. They may disagree with you. Try to respect their views. Don’t lose your temper, even on paper. Tell your legislator what you think and why, but be polite.

• And finally, be sure to say “thanks.”

Get involved Policy briefings – learn, engage, advocate (Catholic Charities) 7– 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 St. Thomas Becket in Eagan 7– 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 St. William in Fridley 6:30– 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 St. Olaf in Minneapolis For more information, visit cctwincities.org/ policybriefings

Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Legislative Day 9:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 Hayden Building, 328 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul Register at archspm.org

Day on the Hill – annual policy briefing and lobby day (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition) 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday, March 13 Register at jrlc.org cent laws redefining marriage and forbidding the “harboring” of undocumented immigrants. (Read more at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website, usccb.org/freedom.)

“We’re being censored in the public square,” said parishioner Pat Moore. “It starts with religion, but it’s pervasive.”

Nearly 100 people attended Light for Freedom’s kickoff event last fall. Aside from the rally, the group reaches out to fellow parishioners and community members through parish bulletins, its website and Facebook page, biweekly meetings and a monthly rosary. Its patrons are St. Thomas More and Our Lady of Victory.

“These people here have taken an initiative . . . and they heard the call and wanted to respond,” said Father Tim Norris, pastor at the Church of St. Paul. “I am certainly here to guide them and support them. They can do so much more than I can do here.”

Light for Freedom’s Rally for Religious Liberty is from 2 to 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24, at the State Capitol Rotunda in St. Paul.

Don’t • Don’t use form letters or post cards. Use your own words. Legislators say, “I’d rather get one short, simple, handwritten letter than a hundred form letters that organizations urge people to write. The letters come in stacks 300 deep. Even if they’re handwritten, they’re word for word the same.” Also, use personal or business stationery, or a plain sheet of paper.

• Don’t threaten legislators. Legislators say, “Some folks don’t know how you stand on an issue, but they’ll attack you right off the bat. They’ll say, ‘Vote for HF____ or else,’ and you may already think it’s a wonderful idea. Or they’ll write, ‘Why aren’t you supporting this bill, you fool?’ and you’re the sponsor of the bill. Threats and insults don’t work.”

• Don’t address a legislator as “Congressman.”

Source: Minnesota Legislature website — leg.state.mn.us

Archdiocesan Chancery Corporation Annual Report • 2012 – 2013

Financial officer report

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The following comments elaborate on the financial statements of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Chancery Corporation for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. Condensed financial statements are included in this issue of The Catholic Spirit. The full audited financial statements with footnotes and auditors’ opinion are posted at archspm.org on the Administration and Finance page.

By Thomas Mertens, CFO, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

audits were performed by two different firms during that 15-year time period.

It also is important to note that since March 2012, new internal controls have been put in place to safeguard assets and these controls are enforced strictly.

Archdiocesan leaders have made a firm commitment to create a culture of transparency and continue to make strides in this regard, as evidenced now by the release of our full audited financial report for the first time in our history.

Since I arrived at the archdiocese in late 2012, along with the Archdiocesan Finance Council (AFC), I have made recommendations regarding financial best practices, including measures to improve transparency regarding financial data of the archdiocesan Chancery Corporation. Work was underway in this area when I arrived, and I have What’s new this year? made it my top priority to continue this important The archdiocese’s Chancery Corporation has effort. shared summary financial information in various To this end, we are formats in The Catholic Spirit since 1988. releasing our full audited Here’s how the archdiocese’s Chancery financial report for the Corporation financial information shared in this issue first time. I believe this is is different from what was shared in past years: critically important in

Financial condition At June 30, 2013, the financial condition of the archdiocese is solid even with the contingent liability related to litigation stemming from the unprecedented third “open window” in the civil statute of limitations for alleged sexual abuse.

The financial result of operating activities in 2013 resulted in a deficit of $3,872,000. The deficit can be attributed to the increase in reserves of $3,950,000 to cover potential liability related to civil litigation.

assuring our many > For the first time, the archdiocese will share the stakeholders that we are full audited financial report for the Chancery accountable to them and Corporation, which can be found on archspm.org, we are good stewards of including: the gifts entrusted to us in • Statements of Financial Position, Statements of service of the mission of Activities, and Statements of Cash Flows; the Church.

The recommendation to • Full notes to financial statements — including release the full audited information on litigation claims payable and financial report is detailed financials of the General Insurance supported fully by the Program Trust; archbishop and the AFC, a • The independent auditors’ report. body made up primarily of lay accounting and > The archdiocese is also sharing in a separate finance professionals. The statement more detailed information than what is Revenue AFC unanimously in the full audited financial report regarding Total Operating approved the accounts that have become the subject of public Revenue for 2013 was recommendation in interest: accounts 1-515 and 1-516. Outside $35,494,000 as compared October 2013 at its independent auditors had access to line items to $32,179,000 in 2012. monthly meeting. As has rolling up into accounts 1-515 and 1-516, just as Fees and Program Revenue been the practice for more they had access to line item detail for all other increased $2,551,000, due than 25 years, in February, archdiocesan accounts. to revenue generated by the archdiocese releases The Catholic Spirit after it financial information became part of the regarding the previous Chancery Corporation on July 1, 2012. fiscal year and publishes it in The Catholic Spirit. For the past several years, condensed financial statements The primary sources of revenue, Parish Assessments and related notes have been published. This year, we and the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA), were up 4 again are including the condensed financial statements percent and 6 percent respectively in 2013. The increase and notes, along with this commentary article, but in assessments reflects increased contributions at encourage you to go online to archspm.org to see the parishes during the modest economic recovery that full audited financial report. began in 2010. CSA revenue, as reported, is after deductions for rebates to parishes and allowances. On a The archdiocesan financial report covers the activities of the archdiocese’s Chancery Corporation. Each parish, pre-deduction basis, the CSA generated $10,118,000, which was $174,000 more than the CSA generated the as well as certain other Catholic entities located within previous year ($9,944,000 pre-deduction). The growth the 12 counties of the archdiocese, is a separate in net CSA income speaks to the consistent generosity Minnesota corporation. This means parishes, as well as of the local Catholic community to the designated Catholic entities like Catholic Charities, most Catholic ministries supported by the CSA. high schools, and other Catholic organizations operate as separate corporations and report their own financial It is very important to note that beginning with the information to their stakeholders.

2014 CSA, all contributions to the CSA will be held by the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation (CSAF), an Our financial statements were audited by the independent 501(c)(3) organization which was independent certified public accounting firm of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, who have issued an unqualified established recently. CSA contributions will be used for the benefit of designated ministries of the CSAF and for opinion. An unqualified opinion means that an no other purposes, honoring donor intent. Funds used independent auditor finds that an institution’s financial to prepare for potential litigation costs do not come statements are fairly and appropriately presented, and from contributions through the CSA. More information in accordance with generally accepted accounting is available at csafspm.org. principles (GAAP).

For at least the past 15 years, the earliest for which Contributions through unsolicited gifts and bequests records are readily available, independent accountants decreased slightly and unrealized losses and lower have been given full access to all of our financial records income from mutual fund fixed income investments in order to perform an audit, in each case giving us an resulted in a decrease of $608,000 in Investment unqualified opinion on our financial statements. These Income. The archdiocese maintains a conservative

investment philosophy to pursue continued growth in assets without unnecessary exposure to volatility. For this reason, we primarily are invested in fixed income mutual funds, which did not see the growth equities enjoyed in 2013.

Operating expenses Operating Expense totaled $39,366,000 in 2013 as compared to $30,672,000 in 2012. Program Services costs increased $2,650,000 while Support Services costs increased $6,044,000, year over year.

The increase in Program Services costs relates to an expansion of the Communications and Community Relations office, which brought The Catholic Spirit into the Chancery Corporation and resulted in expenses related to its production being included in archdiocesan financials. This increase also was due to costs related to the Rediscover: evangelization and catechesis initiative, and continued improvements to data, fundraising, and accounting systems at the archdiocesan level that benefit parishes and Catholic schools across the archdiocese.

The archdiocese did not provide $1,000,000 of support to the Cathedral of St. Paul parish to reduce debt, as it did in 2012, which explains the decrease in Community Services expenses.

The increase in Support Services costs year over year is due to the $5,000,000 increase in Litigation Reserve Expense. This $5,000,000 change is the result of the 2013 expense of $3,950,000, due to an increase in reserve and the 2012 negative expense of $1,050,000, due to a reduction in the prior year reserve.

The Chancery Corporation is involved in various lawsuits relating to claims of alleged sexual abuse. For known claims there is no practical means to determine the likelihood of outcome. Under accounting standards, when no amount within a particular reserve range is a better estimate of a particular outcome than any other amount, we are required to use the minimum amount of the range for our accrual. We have not accrued any amount for unknown claims as these cannot be reasonably determined due in part to the unprecedented third “open window” for civil sexual abuse claims in Minnesota. We are not able to look to dioceses in other states for guidance because no other state has had as many “open windows” during which the civil statute of limitations has been lifted.

These accruals are management’s estimates and not intended to be indicative of the actual legal outcomes of the individual cases. Losses from unknown claims could be substantial. We will tender the defense of these claims to our insurers whenever possible. However, claims can go back to a time period in which insurance may not have been available or coverage limits were minimal. Most cases which have surfaced to date relate to alleged incidents 20-30 years ago; some are related to incidents alleged to have occurred more than 50 years ago.

In addition, Support Services costs increased year over year as a result of expenses related to the transition in leadership for the Chancellor for Civil Affairs and the Chief Financial Officer, in which the incumbent and new leaders were each drawing salaries for a period of time.

Following is a narrative that explains the services the various offices and programs of the archdiocese provide to serve Catholics and our larger community in support of the mission of the Church.

Accompanying the narrative is a chart depicting the expenditures by program.

Report continued on next page

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

18

Archdiocesan Chancery Corporation Annual Report • 2012 – 2013 Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Operating Revenue FY 2013 (in Millions) $35.5 Million

Continued from page 17

Program Services Clergy Services - $8,364,000 The role of this office is to assist the archbishop with support and formation for priests and deacons in all aspects of ministry and pastoral care.

Seminarian Formation: There are currently 65 men in formation for the priesthood in service of our archdiocese. While this number changes throughout the discernment process, our archdiocese has one of the largest enrollments of seminarians of any diocese in the country. Expenses include a portion of the cost of tuition, room and board for men at The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity and St. John Vianney College Seminary.

Center of Clergy Formation: Institute of Ongoing Formation for Clergy and the Institute of Diaconate Formation comprise the Center of Clergy Formation.

Each entity of the center provides an integrated approach to priestly and diaconate formation, including gatherings and support for newly ordained priests, programs to assist new pastors in their role, and ongoing formation opportunities for priests and deacons throughout the archdiocese.

Continuing Education: This includes continuing education opportunities; a sabbatical program; international enculturation; and a biennial presbyteral assembly.

Chaplaincies: There are 10 priests and one deacon in full- or part-time ministry at hospitals and correctional facilities throughout the archdiocese. Numerous other priests and deacons volunteer their time in this ministry. They offer the sacraments and spiritual support during some of the most difficult times in peoples’ lives. Last year, thousands of people throughout our community were served by archdiocesan chaplains.

Specialized Ministries: This includes the Office of Vocations, support for international clergy, and retired clergy.

Accounts to support priests credibly accused of sexual abuse and other misconduct, as well as those struggling with addiction and other behavioral issues, and provide services to victims of clergy misconduct are included in Clergy Services. (See Statement from the Archdiocese regarding accounts 1-515 and 1-516 on page 19 for more information.)

Community Services - $2,438,000 The archdiocese helps men, women and children

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

most in need within our local community, including the poor, hungry, homeless, and those with special needs. The archdiocese does this through cash and noncash support to Catholic Charities and CommonBond Communities (a housing agency for low- and moderateincome families, the elderly, and the disabled). In addition, emergency support is provided to parishes stressed by debt or operational issues.

Catholic Education - $6,547,000 The Office of Catholic Schools supports the education and formation of children at Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This support includes: Catholic identity review and support, leadership development and assistance in implementing academic programs. The Office of Catholic Schools also provides programmatic oversight to promote innovation and excellence in local urban Catholic schools.

Parish Services - $2,238,000 The Office of Parish Services provides consultation, planning and leadership development opportunities to parishes throughout the archdiocese. One example of this is the GROW initiative, which encourages parishes to develop and implement robust pastoral and strategic plans.

The archdiocese supports outreach ministry to various groups and members of the archdiocesan community, including Latino ministry, Indian ministry, the Commission on Black Catholics, the Venezuelan mission, and Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, deaf ministry, and other groups and coalitions.

As one example: the Latino Ministry Advisory Council, led by the Vicar for Latino Ministry, oversees support and programming at 23 Latino Ministry parishes throughout the archdiocese. These 23 parishes offer the sacraments, catechesis and spiritual support to tens of thousands of Spanish speaking people throughout the local Church. Latino Ministry also oversees special days of celebration of the faith and family throughout the year. In addition, Latino Ministry runs biblical, catechetical and pastoral leadership development institutes for members of the Latino community to grow in the faith and engagement in the Church.

Central Services - $6,352,000 The Department of Central Services provides support and services to the Chancery Corporation staff and the parishes. The department includes the offices of: the Chancellor (the civil and canonical counsel for the archdiocese); computer services; metropolitan tribunal who work with those seeking annulments; human

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Operating Expense FY 2013 (in Millions) Program and Support Services $39.4 Million

resources and benefits; the Parish Accounting Service Center (which provides contract accounting services to parishes and schools); and maintenance.

Also covered in this category are administrative services to the General Insurance Program Trust, the lay and priest pension plans, and the Archdiocese Medical Benefit Plan Trust, as well as dues to the Minnesota Catholic Conference and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Marriage, Family and Life - $1,250,000 This department assists the laity and parishes through programs supporting: marriage preparation, family, youth and young adults, respect life, pro-life groups, biomedical ethics and outreach for disabilities.

The Office of Marriage, Family and Life also sponsors the annual Archdiocesan Youth Day that brings together hundreds of local high school-aged teens to praise God, grow in the faith and find fellowship. In addition, this office helps coordinate local representatives attending World Youth Day, the National Catholic Youth Conference and other youth events.

In 2013, the archdiocese provided $200,000 in financial assistance to a broad coalition to support marriage in the state of Minnesota. The sources of these funds did not come from parish assessments, the Catholic Services Appeal, or restricted donations to the archdiocese.

Communications and Community Relations $3,608,000 The Office of Communications fulfills the role of Community Relations by helping convey the teachings of the Church and fostering two-way communication between the archdiocesan Chancery Corporation and the faithful, parish and school leaders and staff, and others in our community. It does this through The Catholic Spirit (the official archdiocesan bi-weekly newspaper) multiple websites, social media, video, radio, e-newsletters and other communications vehicles.

On July 1, 2012, The Catholic Spirit newspaper became part of the Office of Communications. The move increases efficiency and will reduce expenses over time.

Rediscover: is an ongoing pre-evangelization, evangelization, and catechesis initiative that supports outreach to all Catholics and provides formation opportunities to deepen their faith by complementing the good outreach and formation work already being done by parishes, Catholic schools and ministry organizations throughout the archdiocese. Attendance topped 15,000 for the 2013 Rediscover: faith Speakers Report continued on next page

Archdiocesan Chancery Corporation Annual Report • 2012 – 2013 Continued from page 18 Series, the 2013 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration at the St. Paul RiverCentre reached capacity of 5,000, and more than 130,000 people from all 50 states and nearly every country on earth have visited Rediscover-faith.org.

In addition, more than 7,000 smartphone users have downloaded the Rediscover: app and an estimated 5,000 listeners tune in weekly for The Rediscover: Hour, which is produced by the archdiocese in cooperation with Relevant Radio.

Support Services General and Administrative - $3,040,000 The offices of the archbishop, bishops, vicar general, accounting services, finance and general administration are included in the General and Administrative reporting. Changes to the allowances for potentially uncollectible amounts due from parishes and other entities also are reflected in this category.

Development and Stewardship - $1,581,000 This office is engaged in leadership development, informational resources, including the Stewardship Toolkit, and consultation services for parish and school development and stewardship efforts, as well as fundraising for the archdiocese.

In 2013, this office supported the Catholic Services Appeal. Beginning with the 2014 Catholic Services Appeal, the Appeal will be managed by the independent Catholic Services Appeal Foundation.

Non Operating Expenses General Insurance Program Trust The General Insurance Program Trust of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis provides comprehensive, uniform coverage of all of the parishes and certain related entities within the boundaries of the archdiocese, as well as the Chancery Corporation.

The program is a trust, of which the Chancery Corporation is the trustee. The coverage includes building and contents, burglary, personal property,

student accident, auto, public library, boilers and workers’ compensation. The net assets of the program are held for the benefit of the participants because the participants have contributed those funds in exchange for obtaining insurance coverage.

In addition, there is an Archdiocese Medical Benefit Plan Trust for lay employees, which is a separate legal entity and as such is not included in the Chancery Corporation financial report.

Both the General Insurance Program Trust and Archdiocese Medical Benefit Plan Trust currently have reserves in excess of our historical loss experience as a result of positive financial results over the past few years. For this reason, billing for general insurance has been reduced by 30 percent and billing for the lay employee benefit plan has been reduced by 20 percent.

This billing reduction will be in effect from January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 (the end of FY 2015). The billing will continue to be analyzed and will be adjusted accordingly.

19

ease, if they so choose. The archdiocese pays interest to parishes on these funds and allows parishes to withdraw such funds on demand within 30 days of requesting a withdrawal.

Net increase in cash from operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities was $766,000, on $35,416,000 of annual expenditures in 2013.

In Summary The archdiocese again saw an increase in resources from assessments and the Catholic Services Appeal.

Those resources, which are directly related to the generosity and devotion of the Catholic faithful, have increased steadily since 2007.

The combination of expense control and increases in resources has permitted the archdiocese to reduce external debt by $6,400,000, return $2,700,000 in deposits to parishes, and increase the cash balance by $4,800,000 since 2008. During the same period, the contingent liability under guaranteed parish and school debt decreased by $30,000,000.

Due to a renewed adherence to best practices and dedicated focus on strategic planning efforts aimed at increasing sustainability on the part of parishes, Catholic schools, and the archdiocesan Chancery Corporation itself, the archdiocese remains in a strong financial state as of June 30, 2013.

The archdiocese is grateful for clergy and lay leaders throughout the local Church who work to strengthen sustainability in support of the mission of this local Church. That mission is to make the name of Jesus Christ known and loved by promoting and proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed through vibrant parish communities, quality Catholic education, and ready outreach to the poor and marginalized.

Financial Position Net Assets of the archdiocesan Chancery Corporation were $41,490,000 at the end of 2013, or $1,444,000 less than a year earlier. The decrease was due mainly to the Litigation Reserve Expense of $3,950,000, offset by the strong performance of the General Insurance Program Trust.

After adjusting the change in Net Assets for revenue and expense items that did not provide or require cash and activities of the General Insurance Program Trust, operations in 2013 provided cash of $1,455,000. In addition, $977,000 was realized from the repayment of a loan by a Catholic high school and $1,254,000 was used to improve archdiocesan property, equipment, and systems. The bulk of this spending was for computer equipment and software development. The archdiocese used $493,000 of cash to pay parishes that requested funds from their parish demand deposit accounts. These accounts allow parishes with excess funds to deposit such funds with the archdiocese for their administrative

Thomas Mertens was appointed chief financial officer of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in December 2012, and he served in this capacity during the 2nd half of the fiscal year covered in this report.

Statement from the archdiocese Detailed accounting of accounts 1-515 and 1-516 Certain financial accounts, numbered 1-515 and 1-516, have elicited interest in recent months. The total 1-515 and 1-516 expenses for the past 10 years is $8,813,492 or 2 percent of Chancery Corporation revenue during the same period. This does not include payments by our insurance carrier directly for related legal services and victim settlements. (See related account 1-515 and 1-516 expense chart.)

Account 1-515 provides for counseling and other victim support services, as well as victim settlements, for victims of sexual abuse by clergy when the victim was a minor. It also provides for living expenses for a few men no longer in ministry who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

In FY 2013, 1-515 expense was $224,739. In 2012, it was $176,086.

During the past 10 years, expenses in 1-515 totaled $6,200,066. Of that total, $2,332,859 was for victim settlements, $1,777,679 went to victim support, $566,318 went to legal services, and $1,523,210 went to priest living expenses.

Account 1-516 covers expenses related to a broad range of issues, for example: alcohol addiction; gambling addiction; and sexual conduct with an adult. It provides for living expenses for men who are dealing with addictive and behavioral issues. Some of these men have been removed permanently from public ministry. Account 1-516 also provides for

Chancery Corporation Accounts 1-515 and 1-516 1-515 Bishop’s Charter - Victim Settlements - Victim Support - Legal Services - Priest Living Expenses Total 1-516 Priest Misconduct - Victim Settlements - Victim Support - Legal Services - Priest Living Expenses Total

Total

Past 10 Years

2012

$2,332,859 1,777,679 566,318 1,523,210 6,200,066

$ 13,829 23,418 138,840 176,086

$

$176,500 518,742 209,213 1,708,970

$ 10,960 21,118 197,896

$

2,613,426

229,975

307,021

$8,813,492

$406,061

$531,759

counseling and other victim support services, as well as victim settlements, for victims of clergy misconduct other than sexual abuse of a minor.

In FY 2013, 1-516 expense was $307,021. In 2012, it was $229,975.

During the past 10 years, expenses in 1-516 totaled $2,613,426. Of that, $176,500 went to victim settlements, $518,742 went to victim support, $209,213 went to legal services, and $1,708,970 went to priest living expenses.

Of the $8,813,492 total in expenses for accounts 1-515 and 1-516 during the past

2013 35,884 17,629 171,226 224,739 1,735 75,023 230,263

decade, $2,509,359 went to fund settlements for victims and $2,296,421 went to pay for counseling and other support services for victims. This is 54 percent of the total amount of expenses for accounts 1-515 and 1-516.

Since the Office of Advocacy and Victim Assistance was established in 1992, it has provided referrals and paid for many victims of clergy abuse and other ministry-related misconduct to receive psychological counseling, spiritual direction, and other services to help victims heal.

A total of $3,232,180 in 1-515 and

1-516 expenses went to room and board and other living expenses and treatment services for men accused of sexual abuse or other misconduct. The cost of living expenses of men in ministry is ordinarily covered by the parish or other organization where he is serving. When a man is removed from ministry, the archdiocese assumes that expense. The archdiocese is required under Church (canon) law to care for such men.

Christian compassion also calls us to care for these men. Most important, we are called to care for victims of sexual abuse and other Church ministry-related misconduct.

Accounts 1-515 and 1-516 are not secret and have been included in the consolidated income statements of the archdiocese publicly reported on an annual basis. However, chancery employee access to the details of these accounts is handled with discretion for a number of reasons including the protection of victims who are receiving support for counseling and other services. Certain details about other spending in those accounts are confidential, as is the case with personnel matters not requiring disclosure — just like the personnel files of any organization. Outside independent auditors have always had access to line items rolling up into accounts 1-515 and 1-516, just as they had access to line item detail for all other archdiocesan accounts.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

20

Archdiocesan Chancery Corporation Annual Report • 2012 – 2013

Condensed Statements of Activities

Notes to condensed financial statements

Years Ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 2013

2012

OPERATING REVENUE Contributions Parish Assessments Catholic Services Appeal, Net of Parish Rebates Fees and Program Revenue Investment Income, Net Change in Value of Perpetual Trust Other Income Operating Revenue

$3,782,083 14,093,473 8,109,237 7,733,609 350,235 109,564 1,315,875 35,494,076

$4,075,741 13,528,072 7,586,403 5,182,218 958,373 (108,116) 956,748 32,179,439

OPERATING EXPENSE Program Services: Clergy Services Community Services Catholic Education Parish Services Central Services Marriage, Family and Life Communications and Community Relations Total Program Services

8,363,611 2,437,926 6,546,707 2,237,501 6,352,029 1,249,532 3,607,855 30,795,161

8,067,019 3,615,844 6,187,198 2,042,821 5,892,966 1,607,538 731,541 28,144,927

Support Services: Litigation Reserve Expense General and Administrative Development and Stewardship Total Support Services Total Operating Expenses

3,950,000 3,039,873 1,580,930 8,570,803 39,365,964

(1,050,000) 2,335,637 1,241,460 2,527,097 30,672,024

Change in Net Assets from Operating Activities

(3,871,888)

1,507,415

NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY General Insurance Revenues General Insurance Expenses Change in Net Assets from Non-Operating Activities

8,272,436 (5,844,483) 2,427,953

8,180,599 (6,591,728) 1,588,871

$(1,443,935)

$3,096,286

CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

Condensed Statements of Financial Position As of June 30, 2013 and 2012 Assets Cash Contributions Receivable, Net of Allowances Accounts Receivables, Net of Allowances Loans and Notes Receivable, Net of Allowances Litigation Insurance Claims Receivable Investments Beneficial Interest in Perpetual Trusts General Insurance Program Assets Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets Land, Property and Equipment, Net Total Assets

2013

2012

$9,510,724 1,824,513 6,918,664 1,387,600 700,000 17,380,741 1,363,754 9,531,198 163,003 10,521,188 $59,301,385

$6,666,786 1,390,480 7,234,584 2,283,826 17,264,667 1,254,190 9,150,469 419,061 10,304,976 $55,969,039

$3,059,393 5,300,000

$2,563,430 650,000

4,567,492 1,575,656 3,177,535 131,714 17,811,790

4,537,132 1,611,349 3,670,963 2,635 13,035,509

Net Assets Unrestricted: General Insurance Program Board Designated Undesignated Total Unrestricted Temporarily Restricted Permanently Restricted Total Net Assets

17,782,881 5,181,047 13,813,768 36,777,696 2,828,253 1,883,646 41,489,595

15,354,928 5,571,552 17,894,398 38,820,878 2,338,570 1,774,082 42,933,530

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

$59,301,385

$55,969,039

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Nature of organization The financial statements include all administrative and program offices and departments of the Corporation named the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis (the Chancery Corporation). Parishes, their related schools, and other separately incorporated and operated Roman Catholic entities within the 12-county area of the Archdiocese are not under the fiscal or operating control of the Chancery Corporation and, therefore, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, are not included in the Chancery Corporation’s financial statements. Certain members of the Chancery Corporation are on the board of trustees of some of such other Catholic entities.

Basis of presentation The financial statements of the Chancery Corporation have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting. The Chancery Corporation reports information regarding its financial position and activities according to three classes of net assets: unrestricted net assets; temporarily restricted net assets; and permanently restricted net assets, based on the existence or absence of donor-imposed restrictions.

Financial statements The financial statements of the Chancery Corporation for FY 2012 and FY 2013 were audited by independent certified public accountants who rendered an unqualified opinion on the financial statements. An unqualified opinion means that an independent auditor finds that an institution’s financial statements are fairly and appropriately presented, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

The accompanying condensed Statement of Financial Position and condensed Statement of Activities are prepared from the audited financial statements but, in the interest of brevity, do not contain a similar level of detail and are not accompanied by complete explanatory footnotes. In order to see the full footnotes, please refer to the archdiocesan website at archspm.org.

Accordingly, the opinion of the independent certified public accountants is not presented. It, too, can be found on our website.

General Insurance Program Trust The Chancery Corporation, along with parishes and other Catholic entities operating within the boundaries of the Archdiocese, participate in the General Insurance Program Trust (the Program). The Program is a trust, of which the Chancery Corporation is the Trustee, that provides comprehensive, uniform coverage for all of the participants.

The net assets of the Program are held for the benefit of the participants, as the participants have contributed such funds in exchange for obtaining insurance coverage. The coverage includes general liability, employment practices, building and contents, burglary, personal property, student accident, auto, public library, boilers, and workers’ compensation.

Other programs

Liabilities and Net Assets Liabilities Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Litigation Claims Payable General Insurance Program Claims Payable and Other Liabilities Amounts Held for Others Under Agency Transactions Parish Demand Deposits Deferred Revenue Total Liabilities

The audited financial statements with footnotes and auditors’ opinion are posted at archspm.org on the Administration and Finance page.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis (the Archdiocese) was first established as a diocese by the Holy See in 1850 (originally Minnesota and the Dakotas) and elevated to an archdiocese 38 years later.

Now comprising a 12-county area, there are 188 parishes and 91 Catholic schools (including elementary and high schools) within the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is home to roughly 825,000 Catholics, hundreds of clergy and religious men and women, and thousands of lay leaders, employees and volunteers who serve in the parishes, Catholic schools, and many other ministries.

The mission of the Archdiocese is to make the name of Jesus Christ known and loved by promoting and proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed through vibrant parish communities, quality Catholic education, and ready outreach to the poor and marginalized.

The Chancery Corporation acts as a conduit for special collections in the parishes designated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (“USCCB National Collections”) or for local purposes. During 2013, $1,500,000 was contributed by parish communities for such collections and sent to the Chancery Corporation for remittance to the intended recipient. This amount includes $270,000 for service of debt at the Cathedral parish resulting from the building restoration.

Commitments The Chancery Corporation has entered into a number of contracts with lending institutions to assist affiliated parishes and schools with credit for facility additions. This includes loan guarantees that aggregate approximately $54,500,000 at June 30, 2013.

21 Two types of cases

the Little Sisters of the Poor echo many of the First Amendment legal arguments raised in the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood cases.

But they were not what the Supreme Court court addressed in its Jan. 24 action to continue an injunction. That three-sentence order issued by the court as a whole continued an emergency injunction granted Dec. 31 by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

are at different points in the legal process

By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service The Supreme Court is involved in two types of issues related to claims by employers who say they should not have to provide coverage of contraceptives in their workers’ health insurance plans because it violates the employers’ faith-based moral objections.

Both matters revolve around requirements in the Affordable Care Act that employer-provided health insurance include coverage of contraceptives, sterilizations and other types of birth control opponents say can induce an abortion.

The law, the main provisions of which took effect Jan. 1, includes rules that allow an exemption for some religious employers that fit certain criteria.

Other nonprofit, faith-based institutions that are not exempted because they don’t fit the criteria have the option of signing a waiver, which the government calls an accommodation and directs a third party to provide to their employees the contraceptive coverage they find objectionable.

Some religious institutions, including the Catholic Health Association, have accepted the exemption and waiver options. CHA in July said it would help its member organizations comply with the accommodation. Others say the provisions don’t adequately protect religious rights and have sued the federal government.

Hundreds of plaintiffs The Becket Fund, a religious liberty law firm that represents many of the plaintiffs who have sued the federal government over the mandate, counts 91 lawsuits representing about 300 plaintiffs. Half are by for-profit employers, half by nonprofits.

Because the final rules for how the health care law applies to nonprofits weren’t released until June 28, legal challenges by nonprofit entities are many months behind the lawsuits filed on behalf of forprofit employers, who are not covered by any of the exemption options.

While many of the nonprofit

Supreme Court’s order

Bigstock photo suits — such as that by the Little Sisters of the Poor — have been through the federal courts for an initial ruling about whether the employers must comply with the mandate while the legal cases proceed, none have yet worked their way through lower courts to the point of appeal to the Supreme Court on the merits of the challenges.

Thus, in the first cases to reach the Supreme Court on the nutsand-bolts of the legal challenges, on March 25 the court will consider the claims of two for-profit employers who say they should not be required to provide coverage to which the owners have moral objections.

Those cases, brought by Hobby Lobby Stores, and Conestoga Wood Specialties, challenge the contraceptive insurance mandate on behalf of owners who say it infringes on their religious rights to have to provide coverage that they believe is immoral. Both companies are privately held and family owned.

At issue in both cases will be First Amendment arguments that the contraceptive mandate violates the owners’ Free Exercise rights as well as their rights under a 1993 law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, the Green family won a ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said their chain of

more than 500 arts-and-crafts stores and Mardel, a chain of 35 Christian bookstores, could proceed with seeking an injunction protecting the companies from meeting parts of the contraceptive mandate issued by the Department of Health and Human Services as part of the health care law.

The Christian family that owns Hobby Lobby does not object to covering contraceptives for its employees. It already does that; they object to being required to cover birth control drugs that are considered abortifacients.

The second case, Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius, is an appeal by the Hahn family, the Mennonite owners, of a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that they had to comply with the contraceptive coverage requirement.

The circuit court ruled that as a forprofit, secular corporation, Conestoga Wood and its owners are not protected by the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment.

As of Jan. 28, dozens of entities with an interest in the outcome of the cases had filed “amicus,” or friend-of-the-court, briefs raising various legal arguments. Those included the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and another by a group of 67 Catholic theologians and ethicists.

The legal claims being made by

This Catholic Life

Courts continue to weigh HHS mandate

The order addressed only the issue of whether the Little Sisters must submit required paperwork to qualify for an exemption from the contraceptive mandate. Their coplaintiffs are Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Benefits Trust, which manages the religious order’s benefits.

The Supreme Court’s order said the federal government is enjoined from enforcing the provisions being challenged, pending final resolution of the case in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The sisters’ challenge to the mandate itself now goes back to the 10th Circuit.

The Supreme Court’s action means that until the 10th Circuit rules, the employers in the case need only inform HHS in writing that they are “nonprofit organizations that hold themselves out as religious and have religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptive services.”

The Supreme Court’s order said specifically it was not addressing the merits of the case itself, only the injunction issue.

The Becket Fund, which represents the Little Sisters of the Poor in their lawsuit and plaintiffs in other suits, describes the Little Sisters case as a class action representing more than 400 Catholic institutions whose benefits are managed by the Christian Brothers. A class action must, however, be affirmed as such by a court.

Legal analyst Lyle Denniston, writing for the SCOTUSblog, a blog on the Supreme Court, said Jan. 27 that lower courts have not approved the lawsuit as a class action, and that was not addressed by the Supreme Court. He noted that the Justice Department, which is defending the federal government, has said it would not object if other employers sought similar injunctive relief.

The Catholic Spirit is inspiration that uplifts the heart www.TheCatholicSpirit.com February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

This Catholic Life • Commentary

22 GUEST COLUMN George Weigel

A date to remember Papal approbation being no bad thing, I was delighted to learn that Pope Francis, in a homily a few weeks ago, had suggested that his congregants learn the date of their baptisms and celebrate it — which is precisely what I have been proposing to audiences around the country this past year when discussing my book “Evangelical Catholicism.”

I usually begin by confessing that marking and honoring the date of my baptism hadn’t really occurred to me until a quarter-century or so ago, when I began working with evangelical Protestants on pro-life and religious freedom issues and noted that some of them had an interesting way of introducing themselves at a meeting.

Whereas the normal American way of breaking the ice is to say, “I’m John Doe and I work at Boeing” or “I’m Jane Smith and I’m an attorney,” these folks would begin rather differently: “I’m John Doe/ Jane Smith and I was born again on such-and-such-a-date,” usually in the past 10 or 15 years.

Contrarian that I can be on occasion, when things got around the table to me, I’d say, “I’m George Weigel and I was born again on April 29, 1951 — at which point I was 12 days old.”

Which got a few interesting conversations going about sacramental regeneration, etc.

Then, when I was working on the biography of John Paul II and was reminded that the first thing he had done on returning to his home parish in Wadowice as pope was to kneel and kiss the baptismal font, memories of those men and women who remembered the day of their rebirth in Christ as a crucial way of identifying themselves came back to me.

And I started taking April 29 much more seriously (shocking an usher when, on the 50th anniversary of my baptism, I went to the church where the deed had been done — amidst great caterwauling on my part, I’m reliably informed — and asked him to help me find the baptismal font, which had been moved in a post-conciliar renovation, so that I could kiss it).

As I explain to my audiences after I ask how many of them know the date of their baptism (average “yes” response: 3 percent of any group), baptism and the new evangelization, baptism and mission, go together.

We are baptized into mission and for mission. Indeed, viewed through the prism of the new evangelization, the day of our baptism is the

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA Kathryn Mollen

Regulating payday loans promotes human flourishing Recently, Pope Francis has denounced usury as contrary to human dignity and a “dramatic social ill” because it takes advantage of another person in desperate financial situations.

Usury, or the practice of lending money at exploitatively high interest rates, has become increasingly widespread over the past decade as families struggle with economic insecurity. And, though most states have laws regulating usury and capping excessive interest rates, these laws do not necessarily address all exploitive and abusive lending practices.

If laws and regulations fail to address all abusive lending practices that exist, then we as Catholics must oppose usurious practices that exploit people’s financial problems for profit.

In Minnesota, payday lending is a growing industry practice that re-

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

quires prudent regulation.

In this sluggish economy, many people have been living paycheck to paycheck and have turned toward payday lending as a way to get by. A payday loan is a small, two-week loan that is meant to cover a borrower’s urgent needs such as rent, mortgages, utilities or medical payments.

Payday loans are marketed as short-term, quick and easy ways to help borrowers get to their next paycheck. All borrowers need to do is prove they have a bank account and a job. The typical borrower, however, is generally unable to pay back the loan in two weeks and will return to the lender to take out another loan. Upon doing so, the borrower is charged an additional fee.

On average, a borrower will return nine to 10 times a year to a payday loan shop. According to the

day of our being commissioned as missionary disciples.

This link between baptism and mission is made explicit in the biblical readings at Mass for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the A cycle, the Old Testament reading is from one of the Servant Songs in Isaiah, establishing the link between the baptism of Jesus and the mission of the Servant of the Lord: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. . . .”

il; and God was with him.”

The very next verse — “And we are witnesses to all that he did” — points out our responsibilities as missionary disciples: We, too, are to “do good” and to help heal “all those who [are] oppressed by the devil.”

As Pope Francis reminds us, we are to be like medical workers in a battlefield hospital after a terrible battle. We are to offer others the possibility of encountering the mercy of God, and the possibility of learning the truths about right-living that the encounter with the divine mercy affords us.

CNS photo/Lisa Johnston, St. Louis Review Then, in the reading from Acts, Peter tells Cornelius about “the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the dev-

Baptism is baptism-into-mission.

Thus a papally-endorsed suggestion from your scribe: Learn the date of your baptism, celebrate it each year — and be re-energized for mission because of that celebration.

Joint Religious Legislative Coalition white paper on payday lending, Minnesota law allows borrowers to take out back-to-back loans that, when repeated multiple times, lead to staggering fees and make payback impossible.

Ninety-nine percent of payday loans are made to repeat borrowers who have become stuck in a lending trap from which they are unable to climb out. The problem is obviously not in the loan itself, but repeat borrowing that the practice encourages.

By design, payday loans trap consumers in a downward spiral of debt.

As Catholics, we need to ask ourselves if that type of business practice is harmful to our community, and, if so, what can we do to change the laws regulating payday lending.

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that the purpose of a law is to lead citizens toward virtue and goodness. The law, he reasoned, is a moral teacher that plays a central role in how we order our lives in our businesses, relationships and communities.

Currently, laws surrounding payday lending do not encourage healthy business practices. The mere presence of a willing lender and willing consumer does not make a practice right or promote human flourishing.

Fortunately, there will be a bill

brought before the Legislature this session that aims to better regulate payday loans by capping the number of these loans a borrower can take out and ensuring that a borrower has the ability to repay the loan, among other provisions. This reform to lending practices in our state will create a set of laws that encourages businesses to participate in healthy lending practices and will ensure that borrowers can take out loans without getting stuck in too deep a debt trap.

In his recent apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” Pope Francis condemned what he calls economies of exclusion and inequality. In essence, he says we need to re-evaluate economies that encourage competition and survival of the powerful at the expense of the powerless. True and healthy economic growth needs to encourage relationships of solidarity and friendship within our businesses.

Therefore, it is necessary for us as Catholics and Minnesotans to support laws that encourage, rather than discourage, healthy business practices such as the current proposal to limit usurious practices in payday lending.

Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Mollen is the policy and outreach coordinator for the Minnesota Catholic Conference.

23

Christina Capecchi

Come in from the cold: finding mercy in the city It’s 15 below with a wind chill of minus 39 when I arrive at the cathedral tonight. The holy water is partly frozen.

Perched atop Summit Hill in St. Paul, the Cathedral of St. Paul is the mother church of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, a Vatican-appointed National Shrine of the apostle Paul and a towering presence in the capital city.

And tonight, the first Monday of January, it is a refuge for 18 homeless people who will sleep on cots in the basement choir room.

When I join them, they are snacking on yogurt parfait, chicken salad and Ritz crackers, quietly visiting as a curly haired toddler scoots around. “Toy Story” plays on a corner TV, and a teenage mom feeds her 10-month-old daughter, whose eyelashes are speckled with yogurt.

I strike up a conversation with a woman wearing a pink hooded sweatshirt and holding a 2-year-old named Lucy. She tells me two things: first, she’s afraid her daughter has a high fever, and second,

she’s Catholic. Her daughter was named after the woman’s late grandma, Lucille Anna, a devout, rosary-praying Catholic. Being in the cathedral, she says, feels like a homecoming.

The 12-year-old sitting at my right seems equally comfortable in the gold-leafed church. “I love it,” he tells me.

When I ask his name, he warms at the question. “Everyone wants to know my name. I’m making a whole bunch of friends,” he said.

I am reminded of a century-old quote from Archbishop John Ireland, who dreamed of a cathedral on a hill and commissioned its building: “There should be no one who, entering the Cathedral, is not able to say, ‘It is mine.’”

Tonight, it belongs to this brighteyed boy, Charles, who squirts a mound of whipped cream on his yogurt parfait, gobbles up a second one and does a victory dance when he beats me in pingpong. Archbishop Ireland would be pleased.

“We want to be responsive,” Fa-

COMMENTARY Sister Mary Ann Walsh

Caring for children or caring for culture warriors?

Sexual abuse of a minor is a sin and a crime, and no organization can become complacent about addressing it. The Catholic Church has certainly done more than any other international organization to face the problem and it will continue to lead in doing so.

In the United States, the number of cases of sexual abuse of minors by clergy has plummeted. This is in no small part due to the fact that millions of Catholic children have been instructed on safe environments and tens of thousands of adults who work with them in the Church have gone through background checks and safe environment education.

In 2012, for example, dioceses and religious institutes conducted background checks on 99 percent of clerics, 97 percent of educators, 95 percent of employees and 96 percent of volunteers. Every diocese

has a victim assistance coordinator who assists those who have been abused, and a safe environment coordinator who works to prevent abuse from occurring again.

The Vatican also has shown resolve in addressing the issue. Pope John Paul II changed the age of maturity in Church law so more abuse cases could be prosecuted. Pope Benedict called on every bishops’ conference in the world to develop policies. Pope Francis recently announced a commission to strengthen the Church’s handling of sexual abuse.

Religious freedom A report from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child highlights the problem of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.

Unfortunately, the report is weakened by including objections to

ther John Ubel, rector of the Cathedral, says when I ask about Project Home, the local interfaith program that houses families like Charles’ who are on a waiting list for a more permanent shelter. “It’s one thing to preach the Gospel, but we also have to live it.”

Mercy-ing That’s the message behind Kerry Weber’s new book published by Loyola Press, “Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job.” In it, Kerry, the 31-year-old managing editor of the Jesuit magazine America, chronicles her attempt to practice all the corporal works of mercy while maintaining her regular life.

“It’s not always easy and sometimes it involves sacrifice,” she tells me. “It’s being willing to give up some of those small things — not saying, ‘I’ll never watch TV again,’ Catholic teaching on such issues as gay marriage, abortion and contraception.

This seems to violate the U.N.’s obligation from its earliest days to defend religious freedom. In 1948, the organization adopted its Universal Declaration of Human Rights that declared that “everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”

Certainly the U.N. charge to defend religious freedom includes defending the Church’s right to determine its own teachings. Defense of religious freedom is no small matter in a world where people, including children, get murdered for simply going to church. That’s what happened last September when militants killed 81 people, including children, attending Sunday school at a Christian church in Peshawar, Pakistan.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child is correct to voice concern over sexual abuse and is to be commended for its efforts. It would have credibility, however, if it also worked to protect the most basic right of a child: the right to life.

Would that it made headlines because of concern for minors being trafficked in the world’s sex trade and children dying from starvation and dysentery from impure water.

When the U.N. committee strays into the culture wars to promote

but realizing there’s a good kind of tired and a bad kind of tired. The good kind is when you go to bed thinking you’ve done something to help build the kingdom of God. The bad kind is when you’re thinking, ‘Ooh, I should’ve stopped binge-watching “House of Cards” two hours ago.’”

Kerry was inspired by the wideranging interview of Pope Francis published in America last September, especially his creation of the gerund “misericordiando” — “mercy-ing” — a word she added to her Twitter bio.

Mercy-ing, she says, begins by being present, by looking for little ways you can dignify a stranger or lend a hand. It begins by following the lead of a church that opens its doors and rolls out the cots on the coldest nights.

This Catholic Life • Commentary

TWENTY SOMETHING

Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights. She can be reached at www.ReadChristina.com. abortion, contraception and gay marriage, it undermines its noble cause and trades concern for children to concern for organizations with other agendas. What a lost opportunity.

“The Committee on the Rights of the Child is correct to voice concern over sexual abuse and is to be commended for its efforts. It would have credibility, however, if it also worked to protect the most basic right of a child: the right to life.”

Sister Mary Ann Walsh

Sister Mary Ann, a Sister of Mercy, is the director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This column first appeared on the USCCB Media Blog at usccbmedia.blogspot.com.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Faith & Culture

24

‘A Man for All Seasons’ looks at the life of St. Thomas More

By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit Religious liberty and separation of Church and state are topics that have made headlines lately. But these issues have concerned people for hundreds of years.

Open Window Theatre’s next production, “A Man for All Seasons,” which opens Feb. 14, is the story of Sir Thomas More — who became St. Thomas More in 1935 — and his struggles with these same issues in the 1530s.

“We’re dealing with some interesting issues today regarding the government’s role or control over issues of personal belief and conscience,” said Jeremy Stanbary, the theater’s artistic director. “This play really grapples with those issues and deals with those issues

Dates and ticket information When Feb. 14 – March 16. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 7:45 p.m., Sunday performances at 2 p.m.

An additional 2 p.m. matinee will be on Saturday, March 15.

Where Open Window Theatre,1313 Chestnut Ave., #102 in Minneapolis.

Tickets $14 to $24, with discounts for advance tickets, students, seniors and children; available at openwindowtheatre.org or by calling (800) 838-3006.

Doors open 40 minutes prior to each performance.

in a very dramatic way.”

Written by Robert Bolt in the late 1950s, “A Man for All Seasons” has been performed on Broadway and was made into an Academy Award-winning feature film in 1966 and a TV movie in 1988.

The play concentrates on the historic events surrounding Sir Thomas More, the chancellor of England, beginning in 1529. At the time, King Henry VIII was pursuing a divorce so he could marry Anne Boleyn. More disapproves, but keeps silent. Parliament then passes an act requiring subjects to swear an oath to King Henry’s rule in England over the Church and to the validity of his divorce and remarriage. More refuses to sign the oath and is eventually put to death for treason.

“He was toeing a very fine line, but it was a line of silence,” Stanbary said. “He was trying to save himself and his family and his conscience and his soul and everything through a very guarded silence, really using the law to his advantage. And he did it perfectly and yet, in the end, it of course didn’t save him.”

Intimate setting The Minneapolis theater’s black box space puts the audience just feet from the actors.

“You lose that sense that you are watching a show so much as you feel like you’re in the room, you’re part of show, and it really comes alive.” Stanbary said. “The audiences are constantly remarking that they feel like . . . they were right inside the room with the actors in the show.”

Charles Numrich, who plays the Duke of Norfolk, More’s best

Charles Numrich, left, who plays Sir Thomas More’s good friend the Duke of Norfolk, reads a scene during an early rehearsal with Gabriele Angieri, who plays Sir Thomas More. Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit friend, looks forward to seeing how the audience reacts to the intimate setting. Last season, he appeared in “Mercy Unrelenting.”

“Having performed here before and seeing the impact this space has on people . . . it’s going to be very interesting to feel the audience reactions,” he said.

Director Joe Hendren worked with Stanbary to scale back the production to fit the space.

“We try to explore the idea of just stripping away all the extra, the extraneous surface and really getting at the characters and exposing the humanity of the characters,” Hendren said. “That’s something that really appealed to me.”

Although the story is based on real events, it’s not an historical document. It takes place over six

years, but has been condensed into two hours. Changes were made to move the story along and make it more interesting.

To simplify the story, More’s family includes only his second wife Alice and his daughter Margaret. None of his other four daughters or his first wife are mentioned. Doing so makes the relationship between the characters stronger, said Hendren.

“As much as time has changed, human nature hasn’t,” Stanbary said. “Human nature is the same, and I think that there is a lot that can be learned and drawn from the characters in the show and the display of human nature . . . and how people deal with dramatic and remarkable and grave circumstances.”

‘Son of God’ brings Gospel to life on the big screen

By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit Faith formation teachers searching for good discussion material for adults and teens as well as a night outside the classroom would do well to take the group to see “Son of God,” a beautifully filmed movie about the life of Jesus from his birth, through his ministry, crucifixion and resurrection.

The movie, due in theaters Feb. 28, comes from filmmakers Roma Downey and her husband, Mark Burnett, who created the 10-hour miniseries “The Bible,” which was a ratings success last year when it aired on the History cable channel.

This time they bring the life of Christ, played by Diogo Morgado, to the big screen. Morgado, who also portrayed Christ in “The Bible,” turns in a compelling performance, capturing the charisma of the rabbi from Nazareth who attracts crowds by his preaching and performing miracles — actions that ultimately attract the attention of Temple

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

leaders and Roman authorities, who ultimately feel threatened by Jesus’ ministry and message.

The movie faithfully follows the Gospel narratives and features beautiful cinematography and an orchestral score from Oscar awardwinning composer Hans Zimmer.

Many of the actors from “The Bible” reprise their roles in “Son of God,” including Darwin Shaw as the devoted yet sometimes-weak Peter, Sebastian Knapp as John, Adrian Schiller as Caiaphas, Greg Hicks as a particularly brutal Pilate, and Downey as Jesus’ mother, Mary.

While the beginning of the movie highlights many of the parables and scenes from Jesus’ early ministry, it’s the scenes from Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem through his crucifixion and resurrection that offer particularly powerful imagery, giving moviegoers much to reflect on as the Lenten season begins.

In their efforts to create awareness and support for the movie, its backers have created an

official website (www. sonofgodmovie.com) that features the film’s trailer, group and advance ticket information, a discussion guide and resources to help promote the film.

The website also features a number of endorsements from

religious leaders, including Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. “It is a joy to watch this film bring alive the pages of the Gospel and help us see what those who lived at the time of Jesus experienced,” he said. “Personally, I would recommend to individuals, but particularly to families, this wonderful story of the ‘Son of God’ in order to be inspired all over again with the story of God’s love for us.”

On its website, the Archdiocese of Washington features catechetical video guides based on the film that have been prepared by Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield in conjunction with the the archdiocesan offices for catechesis and communication.

Visit www.adw.org/sonofgod.

For a list of local theaters showing “Son of God” and show times, visit www.sonofgodmovie.com/advancetickets.html. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG13 due to some intense sequences related to the Crucifixion.

25 Brian Bonin wants to help attendees keep life in check

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit Having grown up with hockey, St. Paul native Brian Bonin had what many men only dream about. He was a standout high school and college hockey player and played for a short time in the National Hockey League with both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild.

But he didn’t take the time to appreciate and engage in his Catholic faith until he was injured and had to retire early in 2005.

At the annual Archdiocesan Men’s Conference March 22, Bonin will present “Men of this World or Men of God: Where are the Sports of Today Leading You and Your Family?”

The event is sponsored by the archdiocesan Office for Marriage, Family and Life.

As a husband and father of three boys — ages 12, 9 and 7 — he wants to re-examine what families are doing and teaching.

Four key points that Archbishop John Nienstedt addressed at last year’s conference resonated with Bonin. The archbishop called for men to provide, protect, nurture and lead. During his testimonial, Bonin will talk to men about how to figure out that balance.

“The nurturing and the leading — we’re doing a terrible job of that, I think,” Bonin said. “What are we nurturing in our families?

You can figure that out by what you’re doing. So, write it down, list it out — what are your priorities, what are you doing? Do you get to Mass every day, do you just go once a week, do you say your prayers before every meal, do you say a rosary before bed? How often

are you running around to practices, how often do you say no to your children?”

Bonin wants to open a conversation with attendees Brian to help put BONIN priorities in check. He said in general, sports can take over our lives if we let them. At the conference, he plans to share his experience firsthand.

“I was just kind of walking through life with a lukewarm faith,” he said. “As much as I would’ve said I’m a pretty good Catholic . . . I don’t think I was necessarily a very good Catholic at all.”

Bonin said he wants to help attendees gain perspective in what he calls a chaotic world. That means evaluating how we’re filling holes in our lives. He’ll encourage attendees to share their stories, too.

Keynote speaker and University of St. Thomas alum Douglas Bushman from the Augustine Institute in Colorado will present “Set a Steady Course.”

The event is from 8 a.m. to noon at the Anderson Fieldhouse on the University of St. Thomas campus.

It includes adoration, confession, Mass, fellowship and, of course, food.

“This is all about being guys,” Bonin said. “I hope to empower as many as I can.”

Faith & Culture

Former pro-hockey player to speak at Men’s Conference

To register online, visit www. archspm.org; adults are $20 and students are $10. For more information, call (651) 291-4488.

Musical travels storied path from Italy to Bloomington ‘Francesco’ has U.S. premiere on parish stage

By Jennifer Janikula For The Catholic Spirit The U.S. premiere of “Francesco, the Musical” will hit the stage for six performances at St. Bonaventure in Bloomington starting Feb. 27. Based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the musical shares lessons about gratitude, humility and finding joy, even in struggle.

Originally staged in a custombuilt, multi-million dollar theater in Assisi, Italy, in 2000, the musical has a history that includes Barney the Dinosaur, Cirque du Soleil and an Oscar award-winning writer.

“Francesco’s” creator is Richard C. Leach, a Catholic multi-media mogul from Illinois and one of the original creators of the children’s TV program “Barney and Friends.” He envisioned the musical production as a way to share the story of St. Francis and help the people of Assisi after earthquakes destroyed much of the city in 1997.

Leach recruited a talented team to bring St. Francis to life, including Oscar award-winning writer of “Life is Beautiful,” Vincenzo Cerami, and Cirque du Soleil composer Benoit Jutras.

After six months and 180 critically acclaimed performances in Assisi, Leach intended to promote the musical worldwide.

Unfortunately, Leach died before he saw “Francesco” tour the globe.

Now Leach’s son, Richard Lyons, has taken the reigns.

“Before my father passed away, I promised him I would make ‘Francesco’ a business success,” Lyons said. “I promised that it would survive and self-replicate.”

Lyons appreciates the story of St. Francis and sees the popularity of religious dramas like “The Passion of the Christ” as evidence of a spiritual hunger for faith-based entertainment.

“You can study ‘Francesco’ on paper, but this musical brings him to life right in front of you,” Lyons explained. “His story is relevant in today’s commercial society — he had everything in life and gave it all up.”

‘Francesco’ comes to Bloomington More than 10 years after the original production in Assisi, Italy, “Francesco” will be restaged by the Heaven Help Us Players, a joint venture between the Bloomington parishes of St. Bonaventure and Nativity of Mary.

Pam Fourniea, the musical’s artistic director from St. Bonaventure, calls the production a “labor of love” that had many small miracles pave its path.

“Miracles, one after another, made this show possible and timely,” Fourniea said. “Everything just came together to help us share this wonderful story of St. Francis.”

Since “Francesco’s” original score was written in Italian, the Heaven Help Us Players needed to translate the entire production into English in order to successfully stage the play. Karen Thompson, director of music and liturgy at St. Bonaventure, was pleasantly surprised to learn that four people in her choir know Italian. Over the course of three months, the team

Patrick Fix, center, of St. Agnes in St. Paul, and Bob Pintozzi, right, of St. Bonaventure in Bloomington rehearse a scene from “Francesco, the Musical” at St. Bonaventure. Fix plays Francesco, the main character, while Pintozzi plays the Sultan. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit logged 50 hours to complete the translation.

“Some songs really fell into place,” Thompson said. “Others were so difficult because the meter and rhythm were complex. In Italian, it takes 10 syllables to say the same thing that is only five or six syllables in English.”

Thompson looks forward to the end result, which she said is a rich and well researched story of St. Francis that offers relevant lessons for all people.

“St. Francis reminds us that God is present in all things,” Thompson explained. “Everything Francis does is done in joy, even death. He challenges us to be holier and be more for God.”

Performances Feb. 27 – March 1, March 8 at 7 p.m.

March 2 and March 9 at 2 p.m.

Ambrose Hall, St. Bonaventure, Door 9 901 E. 90th St., Bloomington $12 adults | $10 seniors and children (Family pricing negotiable) For more information and to order tickets online, visit www.nativitybloomington.org and click “Francesco.”

For more information about the origin of “Francesco, the Musical,” visit www. sanfrancesco.us.

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

26

Calendar

Parish events The Rose Ensemble presents ‘Martin’s Cloak: Chant, Poetry and Prose from Medieval Tours, France’ at St. Agnes, St. Paul — February 14: 8 p.m. at 548 Lafond Ave. 13th-century saga of Saint Martin, a fourth-century man who was canonized, not because of the way he died, but because of the way he lived. Call (651) 225-4340 or visit RoseEnsemble.org for tickets and information.

Other performances at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis February 15 and Holy Cross, Minneapolis February 16.

A Spiritual Evening for Women at St. Helena, Minneapolis — February 18: Dinner at 6:30 p.m. and speaker at 7:30 p.m. at 3204 E. 43rd. St. Kelly Wahlquist will give a talk on “Mary, Our Guiding Star.” Cost is $5 for both the dinner and speaker. Reservations required.

Call (612) 729-7344 by Feb. 17.

‘Kids Count Presentation: How Income Inequality is Affecting Minnesota’s

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5900 W. Lake St. Program is for girls ages 10 to 13 and their moms. Cost is $15 per family. Register at www.hfcmn.org.

Men’s breakfast at St. Helena, Minneapolis — February 22: 8:30 a.m. at 3204 E. 43rd St. Father John Floeder speaks on “Moralism vs. Morality: Why Speaking the Truth is Not Enough.” Cost is $5 for the breakfast. Call (612) 729-7321 to register by noon, Feb. 21.

Women’s Club Morning of Reflection at Guardian Angels, Oakdale —February 22: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 8260 4th Street N. Event features speaker Patti Wiens sharing her experience as an abandoned child who finds God. Lunch catered by the Lake Elmo Inn. Tickets are $20, visit http://guardian-angels.org.

Catholic Man Night at Immaculate Conception, Watertown — February 28: Begins at 6:30 p.m. with, “Pains and Sufferings of Jesus Christ,” at 109 Angel Ave. N.W. Also includes adoration, confession and a meal.

CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication.

Recurring or ongoing events must be submitted each time they occur.

LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and institutions. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your press release.

ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication in the calendar: • Time and date of event • Full street address of event • Description of event • Contact information in case of questions. E-MAIL: spiritcalendar@archspm.org (No attachments, please.)

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

Children’ at Guardian Angels, Oakdale — February 20: 7 to 8:30 p.m. at 8260 4th Street N. Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota discussion about how economic inequality is affecting the well-being of Minnesota children.

For information, visit www.guardianangels.org.

Level 1 ‘All in God’s Plan’ program at Holy Family, St. Louis Park — February 21: 7 to 9:30 p.m. at 5900 W. Lake St. Program is for boys ages 11 to 14 and their dads. Cost is $15 per family. Register at www.hfcmn.org.

Former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon and Father Bill Baer will speak at St. Raphael, Crystal — March 1: They will present “On and Off the Field Leadership and Strong Virtue = Strong Leadership” at 7301 Bass Lake Road. Optional Mass at 8 a.m. with confessions to follow. Also sports- related auction items, autograph session and tailgating food. Advance tickets $20 adults/$15 students. $5 increase at the door. Register online at www. holyspiritacademy.org, or call (763) 220-2402.

Level 1 ‘All in God’s Plan’ program at Holy Family, St. Louis Park — February 22:

Two-day Lenten Mission featuring nationally known performer Frank Runyeon

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February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Don’t miss • More events online Additional parish and school events in the archdiocese can be found in the Calendar section of TheCatholicSpirit.com.

at St. Patrick, Inver Grove Heights — March 2 and 3: Frank Runyeon will perform 3 separate one-man plays based on the Gospels.

Pasta lunch March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and appetizers March 3 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

All are welcome. For information visit www. churchofstpatrick.com or call (651) 455-6624.

Retreats Council of Catholic Women Day of Reflection at St. Alphonsus, Brooklyn Center — February 22: Mass at 8 a.m. followed by continental breakfast at 7025 Halifax Ave. N. Speakers include Peter Vodenka on his family’s escape from behind the Iron Curtain and Sister Margaret Roozen on the founding of Lil Farm, a refuge for children in crisis. Cost is $12 and includes breakfast and lunch. Call (763) 561-5100 to register before Feb. 16.

Day of Recollection for Caregivers at Annunciation, Minneapolis — March 1: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 509 54th St. W. Presentation is, “The Healing Power of Christ.” Includes Mass, adoration, conferences, reconciliation.

Cost is $15 and includes lunch. Sponsored by the Archdiocesan Outreach to Persons with Disabilities. For information, call (651) 2914543. Registration deadline is Feb. 24.

Meetings St. Paul Deanery of Catholic Women meeting at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — February 20: Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. at Stanford Avenue and Prior Avenue S. Dr. Deborah Savage presents, “John Paul II Speaks to Women.” Mass at noon followed by lunch.

Cost is $12. To register, call (651) 261-2534.

School events Open house at Faithful Shepherd School, Eagan — February 11: 10 a.m. to noon at 3355 Columbia Drive. For students entering kindergarten through 8th grade. Visit www.fscsmn.org.

Open house at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — February 26: 5 to 7 p.m. at 4030 Jackson

St. NE. For students entering pre-K through eighth grade. For information, call (763) 788-9065 or visit ICCSonline.org.

Other events Ignation Associates informational meeting at St. Frances Cabrini, Minneapolis — February 16: 2 to 4 p.m. at 1500 Franklin Ave. S.E. Information about becoming an Ignation Associate will be provided by current associates. For information, call (651) 644-2357.

Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute ‘Learn & Live’ talk at Holy Spirit, St. Paul — February 19: 7 p.m. at 515 S. Albert St. Deacon Joe Michalak will present, “Crisis and Difficulty: A Time for Growth.”

50th ordination anniversary celebration for Father Michael Ince at Holy Trinity, Waterville and St. Andrew, Elysian — February 23: 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Andrew and 10:30 a.m. Mass at Holy Trinity. Open house reception from 2 to 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity, 506 Common St. Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Legislative Day at the Hayden Building, St. Paul — February 27: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 328 Kellogg Blvd. Features speakers on current issues including healthcare, immigration, transportation, anti-bullying and assisted suicide. Cost is $15, register by Feb. 25 at (651) 291-4545.

World Apostolate of Fatima 2014 Marian Congress ‘You Can Change the World’ at St. Joseph, West St. Paul — March 1: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1154 Seminole Ave. Includes Mass, confession, Rosary and three talks. Register at www.fatimaonline.org. Call (612) 419-7677 for more information. Cost: $30, $10 for college/ high school students; scholarships available.

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College works to help others

Praying for the sick

Contiued from page 28

Bishop Lee Piché gives a blessing to Nancy Goers, a member of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, after a special Mass for World Day of the Sick Feb. 8 at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton. Ed Kocourek, back, a member of the Order of Malta, a lay Catholic order that works with the sick and the poor, assisted. The Mass, sponsored by Curatio, an apostolate of Catholic health care professionals, was a chance to pray for the sick and allow caregivers to come together. Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

Budervic contacted the local fire department in New York, which in turn spoke with Tyler’s family. The family was so moved by the team’s offer to help that they invited the coach and players to attend.

Several members of the Lakers basketball team volunteered to be pallbearers, but Budervic had to whittle them down to five.

The players who traveled nearly 1,600 miles round trip to pay their respects to Tyler and show support for his family and friends were Chris Jones, Austin Allen-Walker, Darius Barnes and Aaron Davis. One player wished to remain unnamed.

Budervic said he and his players met privately with Tyler’s mother, father and stepfather shortly before the funeral at St. John of Rochester Catholic Church in Fairport, N.Y. “They personally thanked us for coming,” Budervic said. “That was really a surreal moment for me and the players. I think that was when

it really hit us. She (Tyler’s mother, Crystal Vrooman) gave each of us a hug. It was just a very emotional moment.”

Among the digital images transmitted around the world was one of Budervic and the players serving as pallbearers at the funeral.

Budervic said he wishes all the things people do to help others could receive as much attention, especially efforts by those in the Silver Lake College community, whether it be the school’s president, Chris Domes; faculty, staff and students; or the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, the order that sponsors the school.

“Helping others is what we do at Silver Lake College. If someone needs help, we will help them,” he said. “With our program, it’s first and foremost about life lessons — our core values are compassion and community; basketball comes second.”

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February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

The Last Word

28

Boy’s heroism spurs Wisconsin players’ trip to New York for his funeral

By Benjamin Wideman Catholic News Service For the first 20 minutes of their 12-and-a-half-hour bus ride from upstate New York back to Manitowoc, Wisc. head coach Phil Budervic and five members of the Silver Lake College of the Holy Family men’s basketball team sat silent.

It was a time for reflection, considering what they’d just been part of.

“And then that’s when I asked them, ‘How did it make you feel to put a smile for a few minutes on the faces of a family going through the worst day of their lives?”

Budervic said. “One of the players said, ‘It was the best feeling in the world to do that.’ That’s when I knew we had done the absolute right thing to go. We helped a family and paid our respects to a true hero.”

It was only one day earlier, on Jan. 28, that the Silver Lake College contingent boarded a bus and traveled close to Rochester, N.Y., to honor 9-year-old Tyler Doohan, a

February 13, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

boy none of them knew but whose heroism touched people’s hearts around the world.

On Jan. 20, the fourth-grader was sleeping over with several other people at his grandfather’s trailer home in Penfield, a suburb of Rochester, when a fire broke out at about 4:45 a.m.

Tyler went through the trailer and helped save six people, including two children. He went back in to try to save two remaining relatives — one of whom had lost a leg because of diabetes and used a wheelchair — but none of the three came out alive.

Budervic was looking at his computer screen when news about the tragedy flashed on the screen.

“I saw the face of that boy and read about what he did, and it just moved me to tears,” Budervic told The Compass, newspaper of the Diocese of Green Bay. “I thought, ‘We have to do something, this boy’s a hero — a hero in every sense of the word.’”

Please turn to COLLEGE on page 27

Above: Members of the Silver Lake College of the Holy Family men’s basketball team in Manitowoc, Wis., carry the coffin of Stephen Smith after the Jan. 29 funeral Mass for Smith, Tyler Doohan and Lewis Beach at St. John’s of Rochester Catholic Church in Fairport, N.Y. Right: Members of the Penfield Fire Department wait to enter the church holding the helmet they made for Doohan to present to the youngster’s family at the funeral Mass.

CNS photos/Annette Lein, courtesy Democrat and Chronicle Media Group

iconic prayers Learning more about our faith The Catholic Spirit’s 4-page Rediscover: pullout section in each issue highlights a new Rediscover: theme for you and discuss with others.

Coming up Feb. 27: How can I deepen my prayer life during Lent?

Our Father, Hail Mary reveal essential truths about faith

T HEART OF THE MATTER Father John Paul ERICKSON

he Church’s tradition of prayer is deep, wide and rich. Hymns, psalms, blessings, invocations, litanies — prayers of all kinds and shapes can be found in the jeweled treasure trove of supplications that belongs to Holy Mother Church.

To be sure, the prayer of prayers is the Holy Mass, which is, after all, the prayer of Jesus Christ, who joins himself to all of the baptized in his one sacrifice of praise.

But the countless other prayers and devotions of the Church also demand respect and reverence, as they have fed a myriad of believers throughout the millennia, sustaining them in their struggle to be holy.

Certainly, one must include the Lord’s Prayer — given by Christ himself to the Apostles when they begged him to teach them how to pray — among the most iconic of these prayers. However, one would be remiss if one did not also include the Hail Mary, another biblical prayer, and the Glory Be, also known as the Doxology.

The Catholic Spirit • February 13, 2014

Two important reminders The Our Father, also known as the Lord’s Prayer, is prayed three times a day in the public liturgy of the Church — morning prayer, Mass and evening prayer. But these powerful words are also recited many times more every day in the private prayer lives of countless men and women as they endure tragedy and celebrate triumph.

The Lord’s Prayer begins with two critical reminders for the believer. God is a father, and he is not only my father, but also the father of my brother, my friend, and, yes, even my adversary.

This fatherhood of God, revealed by Jesus Christ, manifests to us more than a creator God. The True and Living God is the One who loves, nurtures, protects, adopts and forgives. This God does not just love, nurture, protect, adopt and forgive me; he is, after all, not simply my father. He is rather our father, a God who lavishes his Please turn to PRAYERS on back page of section

Rediscover-faith.org

“To be sure, the prayer of prayers is the Holy Mass . . . .

But the countless other prayers and devotions of the Church also demand respect and reverence, as they have fed a myriad of believers throughout the millennia, sustaining them in their struggle to be holy.”

Father John Paul Erickson

Don’t forget Church’s common prayers “Ritual, how could we do without it? . . . Just as a husband may embrace his wife casually as he leaves for work in the mornings, and kiss her absent-mindedly in his comings and goings, still that kiss on occasion turns to rapture, a burning fire of tenderness and love.” (Dorothy Day, from “The Long Loneliness”) To us Catholics, ritual is part of our spiritual biology. Dorothy Day uses the simple (yet beautiful) rituals of marriage to illustrate the incomparable power of ritual in our prayer. But many of the prayers of the Church are so well CELEBRATING known that we can forget their So, it is worth polishing up CATHOLICISM value. a couple of these golden prayers to rediscover the ways they help Pat us know our loving God.

MILLEA

‘Hail, Holy Queen’

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!

Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

“Hail, Holy Queen” (or “Salve Regina”) is the beautiful prayer that ends the holy rosary with a lovely flourish. This prayer offers us the words to honor Mary in her beauty and virtue and, at the same time, pray that we might grow in that same virtue through the grace that her Son offers. And above all else, “Hail, Holy Queen” reminds us of the truth — namely, that Mary is our mother of mercy, that we are fallen and sighing sons and daughters of our Lord, and that Mary’s love, brought forth fully in Christ, can help make us worthy of his great promises.

‘Night Prayer’ Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

While this prayer is more “off the grid,” its beauty is only matched by its simplicity. Every ordained and consecrated person is familiar with this prayer, since it serves as the antiphon surrounding the Canticle of Simeon during compline (night prayer). But even lay people can dedicate their day to God with these words.

Our family has made this simple prayer part of the fabric of our bedtime routine, to the point that our daughter had it memorized when she was 2 years old.

What better way to send our loved ones to bed than to call on God to watch over our waking and our resting? What better way to end our day than offering our night as a gift to God as well?

Prayers such as these can easily be lost in plain sight, like the book on the shelf we see so often that we forget where to find it. Take some time this week to pray these prayers and let God reveal their meaning in a new way to you and your loved ones.

Millea is the director of high school faith formation and confirmation at St. Michael parish in Prior Lake. He and his wife, Kenna, are presenters of “How to pray,” part of the Rediscover: faith 2014 Speakers Series.

Daily drive time paves road

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Sometimes, deepening your faith can be as simple as taking the right travel route to work every morning.

For almost 10 years, Brett Lamport drove Highway 3 northbound from his home in Apple Valley to his job in Eagan.

The round trip brought him right past St. Thomas Becket in Eagan twice a day, five times a week. Having little faith to speak of in the early years of making that trek, he eventually felt beckoned by the suburban church, even though he actually never had met any staff or parishioners there.

In fact, the mere sight of the building brought about a profound change in his spiritual life.

Eventually, he became a Catholic there and now regularly visits the church’s adoration chapel, not to mention the sanctuary for Mass.

The first spark came when he began to wonder if the daily sightings of St. Thomas Becket’s church building were for a reason.

“I would drive by this church every day. I kept on thinking, ‘Gosh, I have to go there,’” said Lamport, 44, who is married with three children and now lives in Woodbury. “Then, I said, ‘Well, before I just walk in, I should probably learn more about being Catholic and what that means.’ I was actually listening to Relevant Radio one morning. I’m like, ‘Well, these people talk a lot about being Catholic. I should listen to this for a while.’

“I was listening to that on my way in to work. One of the priests was talking about the Hail Mary and the significance of that prayer. And, it popped into my head: ‘Well, maybe memorizing the Hail Mary would be a great way for me to start.’ So, I memorized the prayer and I just started saying it over and over again on my way to and from work and in the parking lot on my way into work. It almost seemed like not long after that, a month or two, I was here in RCIA.”

Led to the Church Thus, it was one of the Church’s iconic prayers that hooked Lamport on Catholicism and led him to become Catholic at the Easter Vigil in 2011 at St. Thomas Becket.

Now, not a day goes by that he doesn’t say at least one Hail Mary, either by itself or as part of praying the rosary.

“I have a very strong devotion and attachment to Our Lady,” he said. “I feel that it’s her that brought me here, it’s her that’s guiding me, and she’s always around me in some way, shape or form. So I find myself, as a result, being very attached to Marian prayers — the Hail Mary just being one of them. There’s a whole host of them.”

In the last three years since joining the Church, he has broadened the list of iconic prayers that he routinely uses. Others include the Angel of God and prayers contained in the Liturgy of the Hours. When he takes his daily prayer time at 5:50 every morning, it’s a sure bet that the words of one of these prayers — or all of them — will cross his lips.

“I think one of the great things about these iconic prayers, and the reason they are iconic prayers, is that they work,” he said. “And by work, I mean bring you to a closer relationship with God.”

Mending relationships Sometimes, these prayers can help improve human relationships as well. Recently, he witnessed a dramatic turnaround in his relationship with his parents, Ken and Ildi, who live in Fort Collins, Colo.

Up until recently, things were rocky, to say the least.

The Catholic Spirit • February 13, 2014

But, he feels consistently praying these iconic prayers brought about meaningful reconciliation.

“My parents and I were not getting along for a fair number of years,” said Lamport, who was born and raised in upstate New York. “We really weren’t speaking to each other. The whole time that happened, I had been praying for them and also asking God to help me because I wasn’t in a state where I could figure out what to do. I didn’t know how to fix this problem, and I was concerned that my efforts would just make it worse.”

Then, in December, his parents decided to come for a visit and agreed to go to lunch with Brett — their only son — his wife Molly and their children. Later, Molly told Brett that she was not planning to go to the lunch. In fact, it was only an hour before they were scheduled to leave the house that she changed her mind and joined Brett and the kids.

Brett said the family relationships now are “much, much better. My wife has spoken to my family on the phone a few times. I speak with them regularly.

They’re thinking about another visit sometime in the next couple months, and I’m looking to go out there at some point in the near future.”

He traces it all back to prayer, which has had a ripple effect in his own family as well. Molly, who grew

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Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

think one of the great things about se iconic prayers, and the reason they iconic prayers, is that they work. And work, I mean bring you to a closer relationship with God.” Brett Lamport

utheran, goes to Mass with him and is consideroining the Catholic Church. One of his daughlso joined, and his son was baptized at St. Thomcket.

ing together

s son, though only 3 years old, already is showstrong interest in the prayers his father recites. outine includes prayer in the evening, with faand son opening a prayer book together. y son likes to fall asleep next to me,” Lamport “He’ll nestle in my arm and I’ll read him a book.

I’ll read him another book, sometimes four or

five books depending on the night. And then he’ll say, ‘Daddy, open prayer book.’ And, that’s when I break out the Liturgy of the Hours book.”

While Brett reads, his son drifts off to sleep, which Brett believes is the perfect way for the two to end their day. But, there is plenty of prayer moments during the rest of the day as well, with brief conversations with God taking place at his desk or in the company lunchroom.

“I’m stopping my day and saying, ‘God, I want to speak with you,’” he said. “I consider prayer an integral part of my day. Being a Catholic is who I am. It doesn’t stop because I’m at work.”

It may seem simple, but Ramport thinks there’s much to be gained by turning to God briefly during the course of the day — and using the iconic prayers of the Church as the means. He strongly encourages others to try it, and to reap the benefits he has received.

As we merged onto the highway for our long car ride, my mom reached up and grabbed the familiar beads hanging from the rearview mirror.

“We’re going to say the Rosary everyone,” she announced to the not-too-eager passengers — my two older brothers and me. We were young, but had grown accustomed to this ritual of praying the rosary every time our car ride exceeded 30 minutes. When loud sighs and complaining didn’t work, we discovered the trick of pretending we were asleep so we wouldn’t have to recite the monotonous prayer (that would likely put us to sleep anyway).

As we got a little older, our outward protestations ceased, but I could still feel my chest tighten when the announcement was made and I knew I had to turn off the radio and recite the repetitive series of Our Fathers, Hail PRAYER Marys and Glory Bes for the next 20 minutes.

The rosary, along with many other iconic JOURNAL prayers I was required to memorize as a young child — The Apostle’s Creed, St. Michael the Angela Archangel, etc. — became to me an almost DEENEY autopilot response void of any deep meaning.

I began to ask the questions: “What am I actually saying?” “What is the tradition behind these prayers?”

“Why do we as Catholics even have so many prayers?”

These questions remained with me for quite some time until a recent experience opened my eyes. I embarked on a study abroad semester in Rome — a city rich in Catholic tradition. Since I was there What prayer of the Church have through a Catholic Studies you come to appreciate more program, I was immersed in over time? Why do you think you prayer; some I had said all my have a greater appreciation for it? life, like the rosary, and some I had never heard before.

Around every corner was a beautiful church that held the relics of saints — the authors of these familiar prayers.

During my four months in Rome, the recitation of prayers began to spark significance. For the first time, I recounted these prayers while I witnessed their beginnings, emerging from those who had walked these very same roads before me.

Suddenly, my world seemed to open up and become bigger with the realization that the words we were reciting aren’t empty statements but deep reflections from the lives of the apostles and saints, who have had profound influence in shaping the Catholic tradition that stretches beyond the walls of this ancient city to our lives here and now.

It is here that I learned iconic prayers such as the rosary are not about repetition but meditation. The “mysteries” of the rosary are named so because the meditations bring to mind the sweet fragrance of the life of Christ through the eyes of his mother.

The foundation of the Church, the foundation of these prayers, is a beautiful treasury of conversations between the human heart and Christ. It is the icons of the Church — Mary and the saints — who are meant to help us realize the full reality of Christ’s love at work in the world.

Sometimes now, when I’m driving by myself, I feel a stir within me and I reach for the rosary beads on my review mirror. I begin to murmur the familiar words that no longer bring me unease, but comfort, for I know that these words hold the same meaning and heartfelt expression as they did when they were first proclaimed.

In prayerful devotion to Mary and the saints, we ask for guidance, that each of the words we recite encapsulate the deepest cries of our hearts and teach us to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s love.

Deeney is a senior at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and an intern for the Office of Communications of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

“A great thing for people to do in general is to pick one or two of these prayers and memorize them and say them periodically, even if it’s in the car on your way to work,” he said. “I think when you make the effort to do that, God responds.”

Rediscover-faith.org

Prayers reveal truths of faith

Rediscover: ‘Why Pray?’

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit Prayer is as essential as eating, breathing and being happy — and the way to happiness is through God and prayer, said Father Bill Baer, pastor at Transfiguration in Oakdale, speaking this month as part of the Rediscover: faith 2014 Speakers Series on prayer.

Prayer is less about technique and more about meeting the living God — the source of happiness — and letting him lead, Father Baer said during his Feb. 4 talk “Why Pray?” at St. John Neumann in Eagan. It is one of two talks about prayer offered at parishes around the archdiocese through the ongoing Rediscover: initiative.

“There are reasons why every single one of us here might struggle and might wonder why prayer indeed is something for somebody else, somewhere else,” Father Baer said.

“Prayer is not about a technique.

Prayer is about God.” The Lord draws us to prayer in different ways. But in order to pray, we need to know who he is and separate him from false gods, Father Baer said.

He reminded the nearly 300 attendees that in Old Testament times, people worshiped idols that couldn’t speak or answer prayers. “And who wants to pray to a thing?” he said.

“Who wants a relationship with a thing and not a person?”

There’s a temptation to talk to

ourselves and pray without God, Father Baer said. “Before I attempt prayer, let’s get clear — God is not only first, God existed before us, God made us, fashioned us. But when it comes to prayer, as with everything else, God starts the prayer.”

The Lord also reveals himself through events in our lives, and heals and reconstructs our souls through trials we face, said Father Baer, adding that God doesn’t stop pursuing us, and we shouldn’t stop praying, even if it seems tedious.

He suggests praying first thing in the morning and before bed — the two “hinges” of the day. And he encourages making Sunday, the Lord’s day, truly a day of rest.

Debbie Lentsch of St. Joseph in West St. Paul, who said she wants to deepen her prayer life, said perseverance is important, especially during a difficult time. Her husband, Jeff Lentsch, also emphasized not giving up. “Unless you never get off the ground, it’s not so important how well you do it. It will come,” he said.

“God slowly captures more and more of our hearts and our lives,” Father Baer said. “He teaches us, he shows us, he encourages us, he places in us at times dryness, and the things of this world no longer satisfy us. He does whatever it takes for that small, small seed of prayer to grow and become something most fruitful.”

love upon all who call upon his holy name.

The Hail Mary — or in Latin, the Ave Maria — is also an iconic Catholic prayer. Most of the prayer, recited over and over again in the great litany that is the holy rosary, comes directly from Sacred Scripture, specifically the words of the Angel Gabriel and Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, as they are found in the Gospel of Luke (1:28, 42).

While the final lines of the prayer are not direct quotations of Sacred Scripture, they do remind us of a most important dogma of the faith, solemnly defined by the Church in the Council of Ephesus: Mary is the “Mother of God.” Private prayer should come from the heart, to be sure. But the believer should also ground her prayer in the Word of God and in the revealed truths of the faith. The Hail Mary, spoken in honor not only of the Immaculate One but also in praise of the One who has made our Lady holy, has a unique capacity to enable the believer to do both.

Glory Be emphasizes Trinity The Glory Be, otherwise known as the Doxology, was once used much

more frequently within the Mass, as it was used to conclude the chanting of psalms and various prayers within the Liturgy.

All the same, the use of the Glory Be continues in the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours — a series of psalms and prayers offered by the Church’s ministers and religious every single day.

But again, it is also used many times each day by Christians and by Catholics throughout the world, as they seek to give thanks to God for his many gifts and to praise him for his majesty and awe.

Like the Hail Mary, the Glory Be communicates to the believer great doctrinal and dogmatic truths.

Namely, God is three persons, all of whom are equal in majesty, power and divinity.

The Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be — all of these prayers should be recited frequently by Catholics as they seek, like so many before them, to faithfully offer prayers and supplications for themselves, their loved ones and for the world.

Father Erickson is the director of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Worship.

Rediscover: ‘How to Pray?’

Prayer involves our identity in the Lord

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit The keys to fruitful, authentic prayer don’t lie in a particular method.

Rather, they involve discovering and deepening our relationship with God, knowing who we are in him and being open to the mission he has for us, according to Pat and Kenna Millea, who spoke at the Rediscover: faith Speakers Series Feb. 10 at Holy Name of Jesus in Wayzata.

The couple, who attend Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis, shared with more than 200 attendees how prayer has been central to their lives as a couple and as a family. Their talk, “How to Pray?” complements the series’ “Why Pray” talks offered at parishes around the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis through the ongoing Rediscover: initiative.

“We look for a technique to help us pray, but it would be better to just spend that time praying,” said Pat, who directs high school faith formation and confirmation at St. Michael in Prior Lake. “It’s not so much how to pray with step-by-step instructions, but who we’re connected to.”

Understanding our mission — for

life and for each day — requires knowing our identity, which is who we are rather than what we’re doing, Kenna said. If our daily life is structured around prayer, we’ll be in the best position to discover God’s mission for us, she said.

When our prayer and our mission are integrated, “We’ll be able to do great things for God to the extent that we pray,” Kenna said. “The success of our mission hinges upon our prayer.”

Prayer will not be all “warm fuzzies” she added. “Some days, I know the best I can do is just throw myself into the presence of God and say, ‘Lord do what you can.’”

Debi Koshiol of Mary Queen of Peace in Rogers also planned to bring the message of prayer to her family. “We all pray,” she said. “We could deepen our prayer.” Koshiol appreciated the idea of using music in prayer. “I know many songs by heart, but do I really listen to them?”

Roger Litchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran said the talk encouraged him to “talk to God on a more personal level,” and to pray with his wife, Jodie. For her part, Jodie plans to invite her 20-something children to attend the next talk on March 3 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina.

The Catholic Spirit • February 13, 2014

Why Pray

prayer

Presented by Father Bill Baer Monday, February 24 Our Lady of Grace, Edina Tuesday, February 25 St. John the Baptist, New Brighton

How to Pray Presented by Pat and Kenna Millea Monday, March 3 Our Lady of Grace, Edina Tuesday, March 4 St. John the Baptist, New Brighton All Rediscover: faith 2014 Speakers Series talks begin at 7 p.m. and run 90 minutes, including hospitality time.

Cor Jesu These evenings are a unique opportunity to experience Cor Jesu, meaning “Heart of Jesus,” as we worship Christ in community with the Church through Eucharistic adoration, confession, praise, benediction and fellowship.

Tuesday, March 11 Cathedral of Saint Paul, Saint Paul Tuesday, March 25 St. Hubert, Chanhassen Tuesday, April 8 All Saints, Lakeville All Cor Jesu evenings begin at 7 p.m. and end around 9 p.m.

Rediscover-faith.org