The Catholic Spirit - February 4, 2016

Shakopee school burns mortgage 7 • Addiction recovery Mass 8 • Annulments addressed 14 February 4, 2016 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Archdiocese welcomes

two new Catholic schools

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

T

he Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis officially has gained two new Catholic schools: Chesterton Academy in Edina and Elizabeth Ann Seton Montessori School in West St. Paul.

After working for years to gain this status, the schools were granted the designation Jan. 29 by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, solidifying the relationship between the schools and the archdiocese.

Please turn to OFFICIAL on page 7

Elizabeth Trojack, right, head of school and lead guide at Elizabeth Ann Seton Montessori School in West St. Paul, works with kindergartners David Nelson, left, and Genevieve Onyeji in the atrium of the school, where students explore Catholic themes such as the Mass and lives of the saints. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

ALSO inside

Missionary of mercy

Mass at a snow altar

Drink for the thirsty

On Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis plans to grant Cathedral Rector Father John Ubel a special role in Year of Mercy.

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When snow stranded local pilgrims returning from the national March for Life, they organized Mass along a turnpike.

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Parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park manage Tanzania water projects from their home-based nonprofit.

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2 • The Catholic Spirit

PAGE TWO

in PICTURES

February 4, 2016

Biotechnology in the medical field must “never be used in a way that is harmful to human dignity nor driven only by manufacturing and commercial aims.”

Pope Francis in an audience Jan. 28 with members of the Italian National Bioethics Committee, which addresses the ethical and legal consequences of scientific research and helps prepare Italian legislation.

NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit

MCC’s legislative tour underway across state

PRAYING FOR LIFE Olivia Rome of St. Hubert in Chanhassen walks on the State Capitol mall Jan. 22 during a pro-life rally following the annual Prayer Service for Life at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Bishop John LeVoir of the Diocese of New Ulm led the prayer service. Rome attended with her mother, Tegwin, and sister Sophia. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Representatives from the Minnesota Catholic Conference are presenting its 2016 public policy objectives in a series of free events held in parishes across the state throughout the month. Titled “Life, Death and Everything In-Between,” the tour is designed to help Catholics “explore how we can better live with and for one another in our homes, communities and the public square through the lens of what Pope Francis and his predecessors refer to as ‘integral ecology.’” Annunciation in Minneapolis is hosting the tour at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18. For more information, visit www.mncc.org.

World Day of the Sick Mass Feb. 13 in New Brighton A Mass dedicated for the sick, caregivers, health-care professionals and chaplains will be held 10 a.m. Feb. 13 at St. John the Baptist, New Brighton.

Father Allen Paul Eilen and Father Joseph Johnson will concelebrate. The Mass and the reception following are co-hosted by Curatio and the American Association of the Order of Malta. For more information, call 651-373-5369.

Vianney Visit Feb. 18–20 at college seminary Young men ages 16-22 are invited to visit St. John Vianney College Seminary Feb. 18-20 for a look at seminary life. The visit includes Mass, daily prayer, classes at the University of St. Thomas and time with seminarians. To register for the free visit, call 651-962-6890. A referral from Father David Blume, the archdiocese’s vocations director, is requested for registration.

NCEA honors Immaculate Conception principal Jane Bona, principal at Immaculate Conception School in Columbia Heights, recently was named as a winner of the 2016 National Catholic Educational Association “Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award,” which recognizes excellence and distinguished service in Catholic school education. Bona was selected as a winner along with only 31 other Catholic school principals, teachers, staff and priests nationwide. She will accept her award March 30 at the annual NCEA convention in San Diego.

HERE’S THE PITCH Minnesota Twins mascot TC Bear waves goodbye to first-graders at Risen Christ Catholic School in Minneapolis Jan. 25. The visit was one stop on the annual Twins Winter Caravan.

Players Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier were also part of the visit, as was former player and radio announcer Dan Gladden. Jill Audette/Risen Christ Catholic School

Spring formation day registration open

WHAT’S NEW on social media Elizabeth Lev, an instructor for the University of St. Thomas’ Catholic Studies in Rome program who spoke at the St. Paul campus in September, shared “The Unheard Story of the Sistine Chapel” in a December TED Talk.

Shelly Gill Murray describes the “trip of a lifetime” for 16 Cristo Rey Jesuit High School students who traveled in November to Bogota, Colombia, for a cultural immersion experience at a school founded by Franciscan Sisters from Rochester and supported by Minneapolis-based Pathways to Children.

Parishioners of St. Michael in Farmington made about 150 tie blankets for hospitalized children and challenged All Saints in Lakeville to a work of mercy as part of the #MercyWorks Challenge underway in the archdiocese. Parishes, schools and other Catholic institutions perform a work of mercy and share it on social media with a call for another Catholic institution to also do a work of mercy. St. Michael responded to a challenge from St. John the Baptist parish in Savage.

The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 21 — No. 3 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher United in Faith, Hope and Love

MARIA C. WIERING, Editor

Parish clergy, staff members and leadership are invited to the archdiocese’s Spring Formation Day, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and/or 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 14 at Pax Christi in Eden Prairie. The theme is “Rebuild My Church: Missionary Discipleship and the Parish,” with presentations from “Rebuilt” authors Father Michael White and Tom Corcoran. Also speaking are Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Hosffman Ospino, assistant professor of Hispanic ministry and religious education at Boston College. The day program is $25 by April 1; the evening program is $10. Register at www.archspm.org/formationday.

English Christian morality play at Open Window Open Window Theatre in Minneapolis is producing “Everyman,” an old English Christian morality play, Feb. 19-March 20. Described as “an allegorical play that explores in a powerful and spiritually thoughtprovoking way the question of Christian salvation and what human beings must do to attain it,” the show is being billed as a “perfect play” for confirmation students and Lenten reflection. Ticket discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, visit www.openwindowtheatre.org.

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February 4, 2016

FROM THE BISHOP

The Catholic Spirit • 3

Make confession, works of mercy heart of Lent this year

“L

et us not waste this season of Lent, so favorable a time for conversion!” Pope Francis declared in his Lenten message.

Have you entered into this Jubilee Year of Mercy yet? I know many of you have joined me in making regular pilgrimages to the Holy Door at the Cathedral to receive the graces guaranteed to us by praying for mercy for our whole archdiocese. It’s OK if you haven’t yet, because Lent offers us a profound opportunity to enter more deeply into this Year of Mercy.

Pope Francis said that he desires “the season of Lent in this Jubilee Year be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy,” and he emphasized that this Lent invites us to draw closer to the love of Christ with our whole lives.

Pope Francis pointed out that the purpose of mercy is conversion. When God sees us in our sinfulness, he has compassion and draws near to us with his mercy, and invites us out of our sinful ways to begin to walk in his life and love and become more like him. Practically, we do this FROM THE by practicing the spiritual BISHOP and corporal works of mercy.

Bishop First and foremost, Lent is about our own Andrew Cozzens

conversion. Every day in prayer we hold up the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our own life like a mirror and recognize shortfalls. This is why I go to confession often. I am a sinner, and I fail to live the love of Jesus.

Confession and conversion People ask me, “How often should I go to confession?” I always answer, “More often!” As we grow closer to Christ we see more of our sinfulness and we feel the need to be cleansed more often in this beautiful sacrament. The sacrament becomes a beautiful encounter with the depth of God’s love for us. If we stay away for a while, then we begin to feel that we don’t need it.

As Pope Francis says quite strongly in his Lenten message: “The real poor are revealed as those who refuse to see themselves as such.

They consider themselves rich, but they are actually the poorest of the poor. This is because they are slaves to sin, which leads them to use wealth and power not for the service of God and others, but to stifle within their hearts the profound sense that they, too, are only poor beggars.”

Pope Francis has asked every diocese in the world to host 24 Hours for the Lord. He wants confessions available for 24 hours from March 4-5. As The Catholic Spirit announced in the last issue, we will be offering this beautiful sign of God’s mercy in both the Cathedral and the Basilica from noon Friday until noon Saturday.

Pope Francis encourages not only that we receive God’s mercy this Lent, but most especially that we practice mercy. He says, “In

While it is good to give something up for Lent, and daily fasting is certainly a part of a good Lenten discipline, I encourage you and your family to go to confession and do some regular corporal and spiritual acts of mercy. the corporal works of mercy we touch the flesh of Christ in our brothers and sisters who need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, visited; in the spiritual works of mercy — counsel, instruction, forgiveness, admonishment and prayer — we touch more directly our own sinfulness,” and “the corporal and spiritual works of mercy must never be separated,” because showing mercy is about conversion.

Pope Francis gives all of us two concrete resolutions this Lent: No. 1: Experience mercy through the sacrament of confession. No. 2: Show mercy through corporal and spiritual works of mercy. While it is good to give something up for Lent, and daily fasting is certainly a part of a good Lenten discipline, I encourage you and your family to go to confession and do some regular corporal and spiritual acts of mercy. Thus we will achieve Pope Francis’ desire for our Lenten journey — that we become merciful like our Father and not waste this time of conversion.

El corazón de la Cuaresma en este año, confesarse y hacer obras de misericordia

“N

o perdamos este tiempo de Cuaresma favorable para la conversión.” ¡El Papa Francisco declaró en su mensaje de cuaresma! ¿Ya ha entrado usted en este Año Jubilar de la Misericordia? Sé que muchos de ustedes se han unido a mí para hacer peregrinaciones periódicas a la Puerta Santa en la Catedral y recibir las gracias garantizadas a nosotros, orando por misericordia para toda nuestra Arquidiócesis. Está bien si aún no lo han hecho, porque la Cuaresma nos ofrece una oportunidad de entrar más profundamente en este Año de la Misericordia.

El Papa Francisco dijo que él desea que “la temporada de Cuaresma en este Año Jubilar se viva con más intensidad como un momento privilegiado para celebrar y experimentar la misericordia de Dios,” y enfatizó que esta Cuaresma nos invita a acercarnos al amor de Cristo con todo nuestro ser.

El Papa Francisco señaló que el propósito de la misericordia es la conversión. Cuando Dios nos ve en nuestra pecaminosidad, él tiene compasión y se acerca a nosotros con su misericordia y nos invita a salir de nuestros malos caminos para comenzar a caminar en su vida y en su amor y a ser más como él. Prácticamente, hacemos esto al realizar las obras de misericordia espirituales y corporales.

En primer lugar, la Cuaresma se trata de nuestra propia conversión. Todos los días

El Papa Francisco no solo nos anima a recibir la misericordia de Dios en esta Cuaresma, pero más especialmente a que la practiquemos. en la oración dejamos que el Evangelio de Jesucristo se refleje en nuestra propia vida como un espejo y reconocemos nuestras deficiencias. Es por esto que voy a confesarme a menudo. Yo soy un pecador y fallo en vivir el amor de Jesús.

La gente me pregunta, “¿Con qué frecuencia debo ir a la confesión?” Yo siempre respondo: “¡con más frecuencia!”

A medida que nos acercamos a Cristo vemos más de nuestro pecado y sentimos la necesidad de ser purificados con más frecuencia por medio de este hermoso sacramento. El sacramento se convierte en un hermoso encuentro con la profundidad del amor de Dios por nosotros. Si nos quedamos fuera por un tiempo, luego empezamos a sentir que no lo necesitamos.

Como el Papa Francisco dice muy enfáticamente en su mensaje de cuaresma: “el pobre más miserable es quien no acepta reconocerse como tal. Cree que es

rico, pero en realidad es el más pobre de los pobres. Esto es así porque es esclavo del pecado, que lo empuja a utilizar la riqueza y el poder no para servir a Dios y a los demás, sino parar sofocar dentro de sí la íntima convicción de que tampoco él es más que un pobre mendigo.”

El Papa Francisco ha pedido a cada diócesis en el mundo que participen en la iniciativa 24 horas para el Señor. Él quiere que haya confesiones disponibles durante 24 horas el 4 y 5 de marzo. Como lo anunció el Espíritu Católico en la edición pasada, vamos a ofrecer este hermoso signo de la misericordia de Dios en la Catedral y en la Basílica de las 12 del mediodía del viernes hasta las 12 del mediodía del sábado.

El Papa Francisco no solo nos anima a recibir la misericordia de Dios en esta Cuaresma, pero más especialmente a que la practiquemos. Él dice: “ tocamos la carne de Cristo en los hermanos y hermanas que necesitan ser nutridos, vestidos, alojados, visitados, mientras que las espirituales tocan más directamente nuestra condición de pecadores: aconsejar, enseñar, perdonar, amonestar, rezar — tocamos más directamente nuestro propio pecado,” y “por tanto, nunca hay que separar las obras corporales de las espirituales,” ya que muestran que la misericordia es acerca de la conversión.

El Papa Francisco nos da a todos nosotros dos resoluciones concretas esta Cuaresma: No. 1: La experiencia de la

misericordia a través del sacramento de la confesión. No. 2: Mostrar misericordia a través de las obras corporales y espirituales de misericordia. Aunque es bueno renunciar a algo durante la Cuaresma, y el ayuno diario es sin duda una parte de una buena disciplina de Cuaresma, animo a usted y a su familia a que vaya a confesarse y a que haga algunos actos regulares de misericordia corporal y espiritual. De esta manera vamos a lograr el deseo del Papa Francisco ‘para nuestro camino cuaresmal — que lleguemos a ser misericordiosos como nuestro Padre y no desperdiciemos este tiempo de conversión.

OFFICIAL His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bernard Hebda, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: Effective January 29, 2016 Reverend Vaughn Treco, appointed temporary parochial administrator of the Church of Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis. This is in addition to his current assignment as chaplain to Providence Academy in Plymouth. Father Treco succeeds the previous pastor, Reverend Thomas O’Brien, who is on a personal leave of absence.

4 • The Catholic Spirit

SLICEof LIFE

LOCAL

February 4, 2016

‘Stuck for a Buck’ Physical education teacher Blair Benecke, left, of Nativity of Mary School in Bloomington gets taped to the wall as part of an annual fundraiser for Pennies for Patients, which benefits children with leukemia and their families. The school’s three-week campaign culminated in the wall-taping event, called Stuck for a Buck, in which students could purchase pieces of duct tape for $1 and have teachers including Kathy Daggett, right, apply them.

In addition, students also could purchase whipped cream pies to throw in Benecke’s face for $20.

The school started participating in the event 16 years ago, when two teachers had children with leukemia, both of whom are survivors.

Nativity of Mary School reached this year’s goal of $7,300. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

February 4, 2016 in BRIEF ST. PAUL

Bidding window opens for chancery building, archbishop’s residence A U.S. bankruptcy court judge approved Jan. 28 the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ plan to enter into a time-fixed bidding process for one of its properties after receiving an initial bid from a Minneapolis developer for $2.75 million. Additional bids will be received through 3 p.m. March 18 for the chancery and archbishop’s residence, 226 and 230 Summit Ave., across from the Cathedral of St. Paul.

The proposed sale includes restrictions on the height of new construction and how the property may be used. Judge Robert Kressel also approved the archdiocese’s implementation of child protection measures central to a December settlement of civil charges the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office filed against the archdiocese in June. Because there will likely be additional expenses to implement the settlement agreement, it required court approval. “The significant social benefits far outweigh financial costs,” Kressel said during a hearing at the Minneapolis U.S. Courthouse. The archdiocese entered into Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in January 2015.

St. Thomas launches new brand ‘All for the Common Good’ The University of St. Thomas in launched a new brand, “All for the Common Good,” Feb. 2. The theme is rooted in Catholic social teaching and adapted from the university’s mission statement, which says its goal is to educate students “to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.” The brand emerged from the work of a 21-person task force that

LOCAL represented the university’s stakeholder groups. “In the Catholic tradition, the classic definition of the common good is a set of conditions that allows each and every member of a community to flourish,” UST President Julie Sullivan wrote in a forthcoming column for St. Thomas magazine. “This, in turn, depends upon an understanding of the nature and dignity of the person, and in the Catholic view each person is an image of God with the capacity to reason, choose freely, love and live in community. Thus, a ‘common good education’ seeks to cultivate respect, understanding and empathy for others. Such an education also seeks to equip students to understand and appreciate the common good of society and to encourage a lifelong commitment to protect and enhance the common good at every opportunity.”

Catholic Defense League files amicus brief in Supreme Court

Father John Ubel, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul, has been appointed a missionary of mercy by Pope Francis.

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

The Catholic Defense League of Minnesota filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 8 in support of the Little Sisters of the Poor. The religious order is suing the federal government over an Affordable Care Act provision requiring most employers, including religious ones, to provide employee health insurance coverage for artificial birth control, sterilization and abortifacients. The Supreme Court plans to hear the case, Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged v. Burwell, and six other related cases, collectively known as Zubik v. Burwell, March 23. The CDL’s brief suggests that by complying with the mandate, Catholic employers could be incurring automatic excommunication from the Church, which would constitute an “insurmountable barrier to religious freedom.” “The brief is an opportunity for Catholics to say something to the highest court in the land in defense of religious freedom,” said Val Baertlein, CDL executive director, in a Jan. 14 press release. “It helps bring the voice of Catholics into the public square.”

Pope to commission Cathedral rector ‘missionary of mercy’

After backlash, Archbishop Nienstedt leaves parish

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit Following complaints by some Catholics and leaders of an organization for victims of clergy sexual abuse, Archbishop John Nienstedt left a temporary position with a parish in Battle Creek, Michigan, the parish’s pastor announced in a Jan. 21 letter.

“After discussion with the archbishop conveying the expressed concerns by the faithful people of our community, he offered to withdraw from the diocese and I agreed,” wrote Father John Fleckenstein, pastor of St. Philip Catholic Church in Battle Creek, to the area’s Catholics. “Archbishop Nienstedt has a deep concern for the Church, and in light of the unintended discord that his presence was causing, he decided that this would be the best course of action so the Church can remain focused on its mission.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Kalamazoo confirmed that Archbishop Nienstedt left the parish Jan. 21.

Father Fleckenstein announced Archbishop Nienstedt’s arrival to the parish Jan. 10 in his parish’s bulletin. He noted that the archbishop would be assisting him with some pastoral ministries for about six months, which would allow the pastor to complete projects for the Diocese of Kalamazoo and attend to some health issues. He said he has known Archbishop Nienstedt for 20 years, since the archbishop was pastor of a parish in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Archbishop Nienstedt resigned as leader of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in June following the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office’s filing of criminal and civil charges against the archdiocese alleging it had not protected children in the case of Curtis Wehmeyer, a former priest convicted of child sexual abuse. Bishop Lee Piché, an auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, resigned the same day. On the day of his resignation, Archbishop Nienstedt said he stepped down because his “leadership has unfortunately drawn away from the good works of

The Catholic Spirit • 5

[Christ’s] Church and those who perform them.”

Following the announcement that Archbishop Nienstedt would be temporarily assisting Father Fleckenstein, some Battle Creek-area Catholics, as well as leaders of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), publicly raised concerns about the nature of the criminal and civil charges, as well as an allegation made in 2013 that he had inappropriately touched a boy’s buttocks during a group photo in 2009. Archbishop Nienstedt denied the allegation and stepped aside from ministry while it was investigated.

Ramsey County did not file charges, and the archdiocese’s investigation found the claim to be unsubstantiated.

“A very regrettable circumstance of Archbishop Nienstedt’s presence within our community has been anger and fear,” Father Fleckenstein wrote in the Jan. 21 letter. “I’m proud of the good works of our parishes and our Catholic schools as well as our valuable place in our community. I wish for us to continue growing and striving. My hope is that we can move forward together.”

He said he wished Archbishop Nienstedt well and that “I know many of you do as well.” He also said that the archbishop “shared with me the deep gratitude he has for the hospitality he received from so many of our parishioners.”

In a letter published the same day to the Catholics of his diocese and especially those in Battle Creek, Bishop Paul Bradley of Kalamazoo apologized “for the hurt this situation has caused and the fears that have been raised.”

“It would never be my intention to bring harm to our beloved local Church. While I am personally convinced that at no time was anyone in danger, I acknowledge the concerns expressed,” he wrote. “I pray that with this matter now resolved, we will all be able to move forward. I want to regain your trust where that has been damaged or lost, and continue to strengthen our local Church here in the Diocese of Kalamazoo.”

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Father John Ubel, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, is about to become one of Pope Francis’ missionaries of mercy.

On Feb. 8, two days before Ash Wednesday, Father Ubel will travel to Rome to be part of a group of about 700 priests that will be commissioned by Pope Francis at an Ash Wednesday Mass Feb. 10 at St. Peter’s Basilica. More than 1,000 missionaries of mercy will serve worldwide.

“I’m really honored,” Father Ubel said. “I think that what will happen on Ash Wednesday will be a real sign of the universality of the Church.”

When Pope Francis announced the Year of Mercy, he noted that he intended to send out missionaries of mercy as part of the jubilee. “They will be a sign of the Church’s maternal solicitude for the people of God, enabling them to enter the profound richness of this mystery so fundamental to the faith,” he wrote in “Misericordiae Vultus,” the bull of indiction announcing the jubilee. “There will be priests to whom I will grant the authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See, so that the breadth of their mandate as confessors will be even clearer. They will be, above all, living signs of the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of his pardon.”

Father Ubel didn’t apply for the role, and he isn’t sure who nominated him. He also isn’t certain what specifically he will do as a missionary of mercy in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, but he is aware that the designation will allow him to remit canonical penalties associated with certain serious sins, such as abortion. More than that, he thinks it will be a chance for him to make mercy more visible from the pulpit and in the Church. “[Pope Francis] wants these priests to be able to preach mercy, he wants them to be heralds of joy and forgiveness,” Father Ubel said. “If this is what he is asking us to do, then the first thing I’m going to do is ask myself a question: Am I a herald of joy? Am I a herald of forgiveness? And, if not, why not? Or, how can I do so better?”

Father Ubel sees his role as being an ambassador for the pope in terms of mercy. One practical aspect is hearing confessions, which he does six days a week at the Cathedral — 4-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 3:30-5 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s a sacrament that has always been a very important part of my priesthood,” he said. “Already, since the start of the Year of Mercy, we have seen a significant uptick in the number of people who have availed themselves of the sacrament of penance. It’s already clear that this is having an effect.”

And, it doesn’t end with receiving absolution, he noted. It continues with showing mercy to others.

“I want people to know it’s really a two-way street,” he said. “It’s our reception of God’s mercy, but also our willingness to show mercy to others.”

6 • The Catholic Spirit

LOCAL

February 4, 2016

On the shoulder of the road of the Pennsylvania Turnpike on their way back from the March for Life in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis made an altar of snow that was used to celebrate Mass with other stranded travelers. The event received international media attention. Courtesy Jeff Ernste

Blizzard brings blessings in disguise Archdiocese group spearheads roadside Mass, spreads pro-life message

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit A group of teens and chaperones from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who got stranded in a snow-related traffic snarl on their way home from the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., have returned safely, and with memories of an impromptu roadside Mass.

Three buses carrying about 130 people left Washington after the Friday march Jan. 22, but didn’t beat the storm that slammed much of the East Coast into the weekend. At 8 p.m., they came to a stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh and hunkered down for the evening.

Bill Dill from the archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life said the group had plenty of snacks and fuel, but several people ventured out the next morning to get water. That’s when they noticed that many buses from the march were concentrated in their area. They struck up conversations with fellow pro-life advocates, many of whom were Catholic.

“You can imagine the fraternity among these people,” Dill said.

Jack Dorcey, a chaperone from St. Pius X in White Bear Lake, was on his way to find his niece on a bus from Omaha, Nebraska, when he stopped to talk with a man who turned out to be a priest.

“I couldn’t tell since he was bundled up,” said Dorcey, who has chaperoned the trip for all six years the archdiocese has sponsored it for high school youth. He and the priest came up with the idea to celebrate Mass.

The coordinating began.

Students already were playing in the snow, so Dill and Dorcey asked them to make an altar, which was no small feat in the powdery snow. “We couldn’t even do snowballs,” Dorcey said.

With help from a priest, students from Epiphany Church in Coon Rapids, including Hannah Hoekman, used pro-life signs from the march as shovels and then packed the snow for the altar so it wouldn’t collapse.

Once complete, they also laid the signs across the altar so that nothing would tip over. Using sticks, they made a cross to place against what they dubbed “John Paul the Great Hillside Chapel.”

“It was a whole joint effort that brought this Mass together and the most base meaning of Catholicism

On the Web To see video and more photos of the roadside Mass and local March for Life coverage, visit www.facebook.com/ TheCatholicSpirit.

— universal faith,” said Hoekman, 17, a senior at Anoka High School.

“No one diocese had everything they needed to have a Mass. We [the archdiocese] didn’t have a priest or hosts, but we had the inspiration,” Dorcey said. “Omaha had vestments, but not a Mass kit. It all came together within an hour. You could see and feel that the spirit was there.”

A priest scheduled to attend with the archdiocese was unable to make the trip due to illness.

Dill and his wife, Tiffany, walked along the roadside inviting people to Mass, which was celebrated by Father Pat Behm from the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, and concelebrated by at least six other priests. Dorcey estimates about 600 people from a handful of states attended.

“People just started filing in. It was really cool to look on both sides and see people just streaming in to come to Mass,” said Dorcey, who offered his umbrella during Mass to protect the Eucharist from the snow. Pat Millea, high school faith formation director at St. Michael in Prior Lake, played music.

Ahead of Mass, Dill said one of the priests was tasked with notifying the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown of their plans for the outdoor Mass, considering the unusual circumstances as well as canon law.

Dorcey said Mass was quick, but everybody who wanted to was able to receive Communion. By the end of Mass, the buses were starting to move. When they left, someone stuck a pro-life sign in the middle of the altar to commemorate the occasion.

The group got back to St. Paul Jan. 24. Their trip officially ended with a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul, celebrated by Father John Ubel, its rector.

While Hoekman was relieved to be able to take a shower and sleep in her own bed, she was sad to see the trip end. It was her fourth pilgrimage to the March for Life, and she noted that the usual camaraderie was enhanced by the extra 22 hours on the bus together.

Dill and Dorcey said overall attendance at the 43rd annual March for Life was disappointing. With more detailed forecasts available closer to the day of the march, many dioceses decided to cancel the trip, while others turned around as soon as they arrived.

“When we left on Tuesday [Jan. 19], the last prediction was 35 [degrees] and rainy,” Dill said. “It’s miserable, but not a reason not to go at that point.”

Dill said he was in communication with the bus drivers, chaperones and students the entire time, weighing their options as the storm approached.

“We weren’t in danger,” Dill said. “It was a question of when we would get home.”

The morning of the march, the group unanimously decided to stick it out through the march, during which the snow started. That’s when the bus drivers called Dill to gather the group to get ready to leave.

In addition to the rally, they were scheduled to attend a youth conference and have a free day in the nation’s Capital, both of which they missed.

Dill and Dorcey noted how pro-abortion advocates would chalk up the march’s low attendance as a victory, especially given the little coverage the event gets from media. “But then we got stuck in the snow, and God used it,” Dorcey said. “Our message got a lot further than it has in the past.”

“The fact that this blizzard Mass can come and help us to raise awareness not only for our Catholic faith and our unity, but also for our pro-life identity is amazing,” Hoekman said.

Even before the Saturday roadside Mass, Dorcey said group leaders talked to the students about how they would spread the pro-life message. Because most abortions happen on Saturday, he said, the group decided to offer up their experience of being stranded for the women who were scheduled for abortions that day, but who wouldn’t have them because of the storm.

Dorcey said that while group leaders had discouraged the students from bringing their cell phones, it’s technology that ultimately spread their pro-life message.

One student used Twitter to share about their roadside Mass. Soon after, a Twin Cities news station contacted her, and word spread from there.

“It was God working through a lot of hands,” Dorcey said. “It’s going to make getting kids to the march a lot easier. I’m sure we’ll see all kinds of fruit from this.”

In St. Paul, thousands march for women, babies on Roe anniversary With signs hoisted and maracas shaking, a drum line consisting of students from Blessed José Sanchez Del Rio High School Seminary in Mankato chanted pro-life messages to the beat.

The spirited group marched with thousands of others Jan. 22 along the near-mile route from the Cathedral of St. Paul to the Lower Mall of the Minnesota State Capitol, where Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, sponsor of the annual March for Life, led a program of speakers and laid out its legislative agenda for 2016.

The march commemorated the 58 million babies aborted in the U.S. since the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion on demand in

Roe v. Wade in 1973.

Following an invocation from Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, representatives from MCCL, the sole Minnesota affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, told the thousands of attendees that it will work to prohibit taxpayer-funded abortion, require abortion facilities to be licensed by the state and allow inspections, and prohibit the dismemberment abortion procedure.

House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, told the crowd to “stick together and work hard to end abortion,” adding that despite having a governor who supports abortion, there’s a pro-life majority in the House of Representatives and 100 percent of the

Republican caucus, making Minnesota a “pro-life state.”

MCCL encouraged pro-life advocates to attend the March 1 precinct caucus, where they can help choose party nominations for public office.

At the Prayer Service for Life that preceded the march, Bishop John LeVoir of New Ulm told a packed congregation in the Cathedral that because God created people in his image and likeness, “we’re part of creation and have an exceptional dignity, value and worth. Each of us is a reflection of God, and you can’t get more valuable than that.”

— Jessica Trygstad

LOCAL

February 4, 2016

New coalition backing school choice legislation

By Bob Zyskowski The Catholic Spirit A year ago January, 400 students applied for 200 spots in the ninth-grade class at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis. Of the 400, however, only 80 families had the financial means to pay the school’s tuition.

DeLaSalle was able to offer financial aid to another 120 students to fill the class, but Barry Lieske, president of the Christian Brothers school, said the numbers are telling.

“Access to our Catholic schools is in high demand from low- and middleincome families,” Lieske said.

Unfortunately, he added, “parents are making the decision, ‘We can’t afford the tuition.’ ” Lieske and leaders from Catholic and private schools in the Twin Cities area attended a Jan. 26 meeting at St. Pascal Baylon School in St. Paul to learn about a relatively new coalition and its efforts to win legislative approval for several school choice initiatives.

OAK, Opportunity for All Kids, established in January 2015, is an organization focused on building grassroots support and advocating for parental choice in education for all families. The collaboration includes the Minnesota Independent School Forum, Minnesota Catholic Conference, the

Minnesota district schools of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Institute for Justice and the Center for the American Experiment.

Multiple proposals Chas Anderson, OAK executive director, explained rationale and strategies the group is using to persuade Minnesota legislators about the need for additional school choice options for parents and students.

She pointed to studies that showed the addition of school choice options increase achievement in public schools, and to progress being made on several proposals in various stages of the Minnesota legislative process.

The proposals include: • Legislation to create education savings accounts for parents of children with disabilities.

• Legislation passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives to expand Minnesota’s Education Tax Credit to cover Minnesota families and include private school tuition as an allowable expense.

• A proposal to allow individuals and businesses to receive a tax credit for donating to charitable entities that award kindergarten to grade 12 scholarships to children from income-qualifying families.

Tim Benz, Minnesota Independent School Forum president, encouraged school leaders to actively support OAK’s efforts and to enlist the help of parents in contacting legislators to support the initiatives during the upcoming legislative session, which convenes March 8.

The meeting, during National School Choice Week, left Lieske guardedly optimistic.

The DeLaSalle president said he’s seen some of the same proposals pitched for the past several decades, “but the needle doesn’t move.”

“What’s impressive for me is the consortium idea,” Lieske told The Catholic Spirit. “We’ve had a lobby for Catholic schools before, but OAK is going to have more weight behind it. It’s going to require a greater focus on our shared interests, or we’re not going to get the attention of legislators.”

What’s also promising, he said, is the thoroughness of OAK’s approach, and that the organization understands the state’s legislative landscape.

“The ecumenical coalition is better positioned to promote school choice legislation,” Lieske said.

“If we’re serious about serving the poor,” he added, “we’re going to have to work together to pass proposals like we’ve heard today.”

Official Catholic status ties schools to bishop Continued from page 1 The decision brought joy to leaders of both schools.

“I’m very excited,” said Elizabeth Trojack, founder of Seton Montessori and its head of school and lead guide.

“It’s really just a dream come true.”

The prekindergarten and kindergartenlevel school opened in November 2011.

It enrolls 20 students with a waiting list of 10, Trojack said.

“There is strong potential for growth,” she said, adding that she hopes to find a facility with more space, both for more students and for expanding grades. It is located at 149 Thompson Ave. E. Chesterton Academy at 5300 France Ave. S. was founded in 2008 with 10 students. It now has 150 students in grades 9-12.

“No longer are we an outsider,” said Chesterton headmaster Dave Beskar, who came on board in July. “Now, we’re a part of the archdiocese, continuing to help and do our job well.”

With the addition of Chesterton and Seton Montessori, the archdiocese is home to 92 Catholic schools.

Becoming a Catholic school in the archdiocese is a process involving canon and civil law. In recent years, the archdiocese has also recognized as Catholic schools Ave Maria Academy in Maple Grove (2012), Cristo Rey in Minneapolis (2007), Providence Academy in Plymouth (2004), Way of the Shepherd Catholic Montessori in Blaine (2004), and Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria (2000).

Recieving recognition from the archdiocese was Chesterton Academy’s goal all along, said co-founder Dale Ahlquist, who also founded The

From left, Chesterton Academy sophomores Miriam Lash, Mary Blackman and Rita-Kateri Hipp listen to a lecture in December by Dale Ahlquist, one of the school’s co-founders. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit American Chesterton Society and maintains strong ties to the school.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the official recognition and sanction of the Catholic Church,” Ahlquist said.

Jason Slattery, director of the archdiocesan Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, said the recognition goes beyond just the signature of the archbishop.

“First and foremost, it’s an expression of a relationship that exists between a school that desires to teach in the name of the Church, and the local ordinary [bishop],” Slattery said. “This is really a recognition now that there indeed is a relationship between those two parties.”

The official status means schools like Chesterton Academy and Seton Montessori can call themselves a Catholic school and use “Catholic” as part of their title. They also become part

of a collaborative network of all the Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

It also means school leaders may be consulted by archdiocesan leaders, including Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens, the archdiocese’s vicar for Catholic education.

“Bishop Cozzens is very excited and encouraged that these schools would persevere and come forward to pursue this relationship,” Slattery said. “I think it’s a great sign of hope, that families are looking for Catholic education and they desire their schools to have unity and a relationship with the Church.”

“What we’re seeing here is this great fruit of Chesterton and Elizabeth Ann Seton coming into the Church in this formal way,” he added. “Taking the title is a validation of this great desire to be part of the exciting mission of Catholic education.”

The Catholic Spirit • 7

Shakopee school retires $100K debt

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Shakopee Area Catholic School is now debt free. The school, along with the parish of Sts. Joachim and Anne in Shakopee, made a big push in January to pay off the final $100,000.

The final payment of Father Erik $92,000 was LUNDGREN made Jan. 26.

Father Erik Lundgren, the parish’s pastor, held a ceremonial burning of the mortgage after a 10 a.m. Mass Jan. 31 at the school gymnasium to kick off Catholic Schools Week.

“It’s pretty exciting, it’s just a big step forward,” Father Lundgren said.

“We’re delighted that we can roll it out as part of Catholic Schools Week. The general message is we think we’re one of the finest schools in the Twin Cities and it’s going to get only better. The way I like to put it is I consider it [retiring the debt] the snowflake on top of the tip of the iceberg.”

The largest Catholic education center in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the 100,000-square-foot school was built in 2003 on 30 acres at a cost of $13 million, with a mortgage of $4 million. It has an enrollment of 731 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade, with a maximum capacity of 900 students.

SACS formed in 1970 with the consolidation of schools from three Shakopee-area parishes: St. Mark, St. Mary and St. Mary of the Purification. The parishes have since merged to form Sts. Joachim and Anne parish.

School president Diane Lee, who has been on staff since 1990, said that retiring the debt will help keep tuition costs down by lessening tuition increases in future years.

“That’s a big plus for us,” she said.

“To have retired the debt, it’s just so many miracles and so many supportive people in order to do that.”

The ultimate goal is to be in a strong enough financial position so that “everyone that wants to come to our school can come,” Lee said.

Father Lundgren also hopes to serve Shakopee area’s growing Latino population, which includes many Catholic families. There are 32 Latino students enrolled at SACS. “We have a large Latino population,” he said. “The number of Latino families going to our school has increased significantly in the last year. I suspect that by next fall, we will have twice as many Latino families as we did two years ago.”

8 • The Catholic Spirit

LOCAL

February 4, 2016

Calix Society brings spirituality to recovery

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

[healing] ministry,” he added.

“Coupled with addiction and Addiction recovery of any kind, it’s very Jim Billigmeier has felt God’s hand Recovery Mass powerful and it can help people guiding him through recovery from move forward.” and Healing alcohol addiction, starting with his call Through prayer, recovery-related for help in 1980 and during all his Service spiritual teaching and fellowship at years of sobriety since then.

10 a.m. Feb. 13 monthly meetings at the Cathedral While Alcoholics Anonymous St. Pascal Baylon of St. Paul, Calix Society members continues to play an important role in 1757 Conway St., St. Paul bring the Catholic faith more fully his recovery, a Catholic organization into their recovery. About 35 for those affected by addiction called members attend the meetings, a the Calix Society has given him tools quarter of whom are members of and support for the spiritual aspects of recovery.

Al-Anon, a support group for families and friends of “God’s always there [holding] his hand out, and problem drinkers, Billigmeier said. it’s just up to you,” said Billigmeier, 73, a member of AA and other programs following the 12 steps, or St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi. “You have to principles for recovery, refer to a “higher power,” but grab his hand.” the Calix Society gives members the freedom to talk The Calix Society (“calix” is Latin for “chalice”) is about Church teaching and openly define their an international organization founded in higher power as Christ, said Tracy O’Kane, 56, a Minneapolis almost 70 years ago that began by Calix Society member and its secretary who belongs offering spiritual support to Catholics recovering to the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and Alfrom alcoholism. Now with nearly 500 members in Anon. the United States and Europe, it is open to anyone The Calix Society also promotes frequent reception affected by any form of addiction. of the sacraments, O’Kane said, adding that the Members of the Calix Society’s archdiocesan sacrament of reconciliation especially partners with chapter invite the local Church to its first Addiction several of the 12 steps.

Recovery Mass and Healing Service 10 a.m. Feb. 13 The Calix Society doesn’t replace 12-step programs at St. Pascal Baylon in St. Paul. for those in recovery, but aids with spiritual healing, “So many people are affected by addictions, and said Deacon Phillip Stewart, who has served as the there are all sorts of addictions out there,” said Archdiocesan Calix Society’s chaplain for eight years.

Stephen O., 56, president of the Archdiocesan Calix “As Catholics, Calix kind of fulfills that healing Society and a parishioner of St. Peter Claver in component as you recover from addiction through a St. Paul. “Many of us struggle in our lives with things Catholic perspective,” he said. we could receive healing for.”

The Feb. 13 Mass is an opportunity for anyone [Stephen O. belongs to AA, which asks members to recovering from addiction or its effects to learn avoid revealing their full identity in the media.] about the Calix Society’s support from those already “I believe the Holy Spirit works through that receiving it, Deacon Stewart said.

Happy Catholic Schools Week St. Hubert School • Chanhassen St. Stephen’s Catholic School • Anoka St. Jude of the Lake Catholic IB World School • Mahtomedi

At Mass, consecrated recognized for unique contributions

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit God calls each consecrated person to serve in a unique way, and the Church wouldn’t be what it is without them, Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn said at a Mass marking both the close of the Year of Consecrated Life and the annual World Day for Consecrated Life, usually celebrated Feb. 2.

“Each one of you knew God called you to do something very special — to love him out of your very special place, which no one else could do,” he said Jan. 31 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. “The Church is grateful to you. The Church looks upon you More online with love, deep love. We Read about how wouldn’t be where we consecrated religious are had it not been for celebrated the year in you, the consecrated, their respective and we thank you.” communities: www.

About 200 religious TheCatholicSpirit.com brothers, sisters, religious order priests, consecrated virgins, members of secular institutes and others participated in the Mass closing the yearlong celebration declared by Pope Francis to emphasize and honor religious vocations. Following Mass, 34 religious sisters and brothers were honored for jubilees.

Speaking to consecrated men and women at the Mass, Archbishop Flynn noted that “we are celebrating what you have given to the Church generously, the sacrifices you have made from your very young age.”

He also acknowledged that regardless of their vocation, Catholics are called to live their faith completely and generously.

Annulment Questions?

Staff members of the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal will be available for confidential consultation and to answer questions regarding the investigation into the possibility of nullity of the marriage bond (annulment process) at the:

Cathedral of St. Paul

239 Selby Ave, St. Paul February 10 • Ash Wednesday, during and after each Mass 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information contact the Tribunal at: 651-291-4466 No appointment necessary

Saint Mark’s Catholic School • Saint Paul St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School • Hastings Church and School of St. Peter • Forest Lake St. Wenceslaus Catholic School • New Prague Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School • Rogers

Thank you!

Celebrating students, families, parishes, teachers, and staff.

To learn more about the changes to the process, visit the Links page of the Tribunal web page, archspm.org/offices/metropolitantribunal

If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, your first call should be to law enforcement.

The archdiocese’s Victim Assistance Program is also available to offer help and assist with healing. For confidential, compassionate assistance from an independent and professional local care provider, please call (651) 291-4497.

catholichotdish.com

February 4, 2016

U.S. & WORLD

The Catholic Spirit • 9

Amid Zika virus scare, priests have mixed reactions to pregnancy recommendation

By Edgardo Ayala Catholic News Service The Salvadoran bishops have made no comment on a government recommendation to women to delay pregnancy because of the Zika virus, and priests contacted by Catholic News Service gave varied responses on their reaction.

The recommendation to not get pregnant “is illusory; the state doesn’t have a say regarding the private matters of the citizens, especially in regard to the procreation of children,” said Father Jose Antonio Ventura, pastor of St. John the Evangelist parish in San Juan Opico.

He added that the Salvadoran state has unsuccessfully tried to eradicate the mosquito, and their efforts should continue in that direction.

“If someone asks me for advice, I would say that the important thing is to get rid of the larvae, but I can’t say do not get pregnant,” he added.

Health officials have urged women to postpone their pregnancies for two years because the Zika virus can produce microcephaly, a rare neurological condition that causes smaller heads in newborns, affecting the normal development of their brain.

“So far, we have not been given any guidance by the bishops on how to deal with this situation,” said Father Simeon Reyes, vicar of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in San Salvador.

“One of the first tasks is to go to the cause, to combat the mosquito, but I would say a recommendation to postpone the pregnancies may also be appropriate,” Father Reyes said. He said he sees no malice or misconduct in advising all women not to get pregnant until 2018.

“The government just wants to prevent skyrocketing cases of microcephaly, once detected,” he added.

He said the suggestion of the health authorities is just that, a suggestion, not an obligation, and it is for the people to decide whether to take it into account.

“As a Church, we are in favor of life, as God made it clear,” Father Alfonso Guzman, pastor of Calvary Parish

in San Salvador, said. “These are not profound measures, we can’t go against God’s nature.”

The link between Zika virus and microcephaly was first seen in Brazil in October, and by the end of January more than 4,000 suspected cases were reported, the Brazilian government said.

The virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, Aedes aegypti, and was first detected in El Salvador in November. Since then, more than 6,000 suspected cases of Zika have been reported; three have been confirmed. Another 22 nations have confirmed the presence of the virus in the Americas.

Health officials said that among the 122 pregnant women who were under observation in El Salvador, 11 of them have given birth, and the condition of the babies is normal.

They have acknowledged that the country does not have the resources to carry out the tests to confirm the presence of the virus in the body, but added that they are working with Nicaraguan officials to develop such a test as soon as possible.

For two decades, El Salvador, a tropical country of 6.3 million people, has fought the same mosquito, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya viruses. The warm weather generates favorable weather conditions for the mosquito to develop.

The Ministry of Health’s delaying pregnancy recommendation is not considered an official policy of the Salvadoran government. A similar measure was announced in Colombia, Ecuador and Jamaica.

The government suggestion would imply that couples should use birth control methods if they want to avoid the risk of microcephaly.

In most of Latin America and the Caribbean, condom use among sexually active women who have never been married varies from 34 percent to 74 percent, according to a 2015 study by the New York-based Guttmacher Institute.

The Catholic Church is opposed to artificial birth control, but promotes natural family planning to space births.

Italians at ‘Family Day’ rally oppose proposed bill recognizing civil unions

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Rome’s Circus Maximus to protest against a proposed bill that would grant legal recognition to nonmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples and give them the right to adopt children.

Although not officially sponsored by the Catholic Church or any other religious group, the rally Jan. 30 did include men and women religious and at least one Italian bishop. Most of the participants were families, many carrying signs defending the rights of children to be raised by both a mother and a father.

The legislation, known in Italy as the “Cirinna” bill, includes a proposed clause that would allow for a nonbiological parent in a homosexual union to adopt a child conceived by his or her partner, either through artificial insemination or with a surrogate mother.

The event’s organizer, Massimo Gandolfini, told the crowd that the rally’s aim was not “to make war against anyone” and that traditional families are the backbone of society.

“The family cannot become a neglected institution; it is precisely the family that keeps our society standing,” he told the crowd.

The “Family Day” rally, which is credited with leading to the defeat of a similar civil union bill in 2007, received endorsements from Catholic leaders and politicians in the country.

According to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, the head of the Italian bishop’s conference, said Jan. 17 the rally was “absolutely necessary.” Days before the legislation was

People hold signs during the Family Day rally at the Circus Maximus in Rome Jan. 30. The rally was held to oppose a bill in the Italian Senate that would allow civil unions for homosexual and heterosexual couples. The sign in Italian says: “Wrong is wrong even if it becomes law.” CNS/Paul Haring to be debated on the Senate floor, Cardinal Bagnasco also addressed concerns over the proposed bill, saying the Italian constitution must be “appreciated and cherished.”

“Children have a right to be raised by a mother and a father. The family is an anthropological fact, not ideological,” he said.

Lamb blessing Pope Francis pets a lamb during the blessing of two lambs to mark the feast of St. Agnes at the Vatican Jan. 21. The wool from the lambs blessed by the pope will be used to make palliums for new archbishops from around the world. CNS

At close of congress, pope urges Catholics to be missionaries to world

By Simone Orendain Catholic News Service Pope Francis urged Catholic families and young people, especially in the Philippines, to go out and be missionaries to the world.

In a video message at the closing Mass of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu, Philippines, the pope said Christ’s presence is a promise of everlasting joy and peace, and a summons.

“It is also a summons to go forth as missionaries to bring forth the message of the father’s tenderness, forgiveness and mercy to every man, woman and child,” he said as the crowd of about 1 million focused on large video screens. “How much our world needs this message.”

With conflicts, injustice and “the urgent humanitarian crisis” of today, “we realize how important it is for every Christian to be a true missionary disciple, bringing the good news of Christ’s redemptive love to our world in such need of reconciliation, justice and peace,” the pope said Jan. 31.

Pope Francis said Filipinos have been an example of fidelity and deep devotion.

“They have also been a people of missionaries, spreading the light of the Gospel in Asia and to the ends of the earth,” Pope Francis told the Massgoers, who included delegates from more than 70 countries.

About 10 million Filipinos live or work in all continents, often practicing their Catholic faith in countries that are minority Christian.

Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon, Myanmar, was papal legate to the congress and celebrated the closing Mass.

He reiterated the pope’s message that those who attended the congress be renewed in “apostolic and missionary zeal.”

“The world sees hopelessness everywhere,” Cardinal Bo said. “Philippines needs hope. The Church needs hope. Our families need hope.”

The cardinal remarked, as he did throughout the congress, on the Philippines’ prominent place in the Church, especially in Asia.

During the video message, Pope Francis announced that the next International Eucharistic Congress would be in Budapest, Hungary, in 2020.

10 • The Catholic Spirit

U.S. & WORLD

February 4, 2016

Cardinal confirms some priests decline appointment as bishop

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Although the number is not high, it’s no longer “exceptional” to have priests turn down an appointment as bishop, said Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

Speaking Feb. 1 about the annual course his office sponsors for new bishops, the cardinal was asked about rumors that more and more priests are saying they don’t want to be a bishop and declining an appointment even when the pope, on the recommendation of Cardinal Ouellet’s office, has chosen them.

“Yes, that’s true. Nowadays you have people who do not accept the appointment,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t provide statistics on how often it happens, although he insisted the number was not huge.

Priests decline for a variety of reasons, Cardinal Ouellet said, pointing to the example of a priest who was chosen, but then informed the congregation that he had cancer and had not told others of his illness.

“It was a sign of responsibility not to accept the appointment,” he said.

Others decline because of something in their past or because they think they cannot handle the responsibility, he said. In the latter case, he said, “normally we insist” because often people are not the best judges of their own abilities. But when a person makes “a decision in conscience,” the Vatican respects that.

As for the type of priests Pope Francis and the congregation are looking for as candidates, Cardinal Ouellet said the pope “has insisted on the pastoral quality of the bishops. That’s very clear. It does not mean that they do not have to be masters of the faith because a bishops is, first and foremost, the first teacher of the faith in his diocese.

“But the capacity to relate to people, to establish dialogue, to start from the point where people are — this is a quality that is also requested,” he said.

[Pope Francis] “has insisted on the pastoral quality of the bishops. That’s very clear. It does not mean that they do not have to be masters of the faith because a bishop is, first and foremost, the first teacher of the faith in his diocese.”

Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

Pope Francis’ “charism is to be very compassionate, very close to people, but at the same time, he knows where he leads people: to our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

Cardinal Ouellet also confirmed that since at least 2010, the confidential questionnaire sent to local bishops and priests asking about a potential candidate for bishop includes a question about whether the potential candidate ever was in a position of having to handle an accusation of clerical sexual abuse made against another priest or church worker.

“We have to be able to verify that he is able to handle these cases well, that is to say, he does not have a mentality of covering them up or not reporting them or not taking them seriously,” the cardinal said.

As far as possible, the Vatican wants to know a potential bishop will take accusations seriously and deal with them appropriately.

Since 2001, all newly ordained bishops serving in dioceses that report to the Congregation for Bishops have been obliged to come to Rome in September for

an eight- or nine-day course for new bishops. More recently, the Congregation for Eastern Churches has co-sponsored the course and brought new Eastern-rite bishops to Rome for it. Every two years, new bishops in mission territories have a similar course sponsored by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, with some of the sessions overlapping.

The speeches, homilies and reflections from the September 2015 course were published recently in a book, “Witnesses of the Risen One.” Cardinal Ouellet said he hoped publishing the papers would help bishops in their ministry as well as elicit suggestions for improving the course.

More than 1,500 bishops have participated in the past 14 years, he said. While it includes sessions on finances, rapport with one’s priests and on preventing clerical sexual abuse, most participants say the most valuable part of the course was the opportunity to meet, discuss and pray with bishops from around the world.

“The goal of these meetings is to learn their new identity — that they belong to the college of the successors of the apostles,” Cardinal Ouellet said. “It’s an extraordinary moment of conversion for them.”

“A priest who is ordained a bishop comes to Rome to learn that from now on he has a universal responsibility as a member of this college,” the cardinal said.

The new bishops, he said, also are excited to meet the pope who appointed them.

“Every pope has his gifts and this influences the way younger bishops act,” Cardinal Ouellet said. “One identifies with the style” of the pope who nominated him and often tries to make choices he thinks the pope would make in ministry, lifestyle and — especially with Pope Francis — in ways of communicating; “he breaches boundaries in proclaiming the Gospel,” the cardinal said.

Vocations crisis needs prayer, not despair or lax admissions, pope says

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Respond to the crisis of vocations with intensified prayer, not despair or a lax admissions process, Pope Francis told women and men religious.

He said he is tempted to lose hope, too, asking God, “What is happening?

Why is the womb of consecrated life sterile?”

But he warned against fast fixes, saying some religious “congregations experiment with ‘artificial insemination,’” in which they accept anybody, leading to a host of problems.

The vocations process must be done “with seriousness, and one must discern well that this is a true vocation and help it grow,” he told members of religious orders, secular institutes and consecrated virgins Feb. 1 in the Vatican audience hall.

The pope met with some 5,000 men and women taking part in events in Rome to mark the close of the Year of Consecrated life, which began Nov. 30, 2014, and ended Feb. 2, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the Jubilee of Consecrated Life.

Handing his written text over to Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Consecrated Life and Institutes for Apostolic Life, Pope Francis said he preferred to speak from his heart “because it’s a bit boring to read” a prepared talk.

Both his prepared text and his impromptu talk highlighted the three most important “pillars” of consecrated

A nun talks with Pope Francis during an audience with women and men religious at the Vatican Feb. 1.

The audience was an event of the Year of Consecrated Life, which concluded Feb. 2. CNS/Paul Haring life: being prophetic, being near all people and having hope.

It is important to be obedient while being prophetic, which is always about following God and reflecting his divine love, he told his audience.

Obedience for a religious is not the same as “military obedience,” he said; it’s about giving one’s heart and seeking

to discern what is being asked.

If the rules or requirements are not clear, then one must speak with one’s superior and always obey the final word, he said. “This is prophecy — against the seeds of anarchy, which are sown by the devil.”

Just doing whatever one feels like is “anarchy of the will,” which is “the

child of the devil, not God.” Jesus wasn’t an anarchist, the pope said; he didn’t round up his disciples to fight against his enemies. While he pleaded that God “take this cup from me,” he still requested his father’s will be done.

Likewise, the pope said, if members of a religious community are asked to obey something that doesn’t sit well, then — he gestured taking a big pill and gulping it down. “Since my Italian is so poor I have to speak sign language,” he smiled, adding that “one must stomach that obedience.”

Being prophetic is telling and showing the world that “there is something truer, more beautiful, greater and better that we are all called to,” he said.

Consecrated men and women are called “not to distance myself from the people and live in comfort,” but to be close to Christians and non-Christians in order to understand their problems and needs, he said.

However, when it comes to offering love and attention, the sisters and brothers who live in one’s community get priority, he said, especially elderly members who may be isolated in an infirmary.

The pope thanked religious men and women for their work, especially consecrated women. “What would the Church be if there were no sisters?” he asked, recalling their presence in Catholic hospitals, schools, parishes and missions around the world.

February 4, 2016

U.S. & WORLD

Bioethics center says Britain moving toward genetically modified babies

By Simon Caldwell Catholic News Service A Catholic bioethics institute has accused the British government of moving toward the creation of genetically modified babies after scientists were given permission to alter the DNA of embryos in experimentation.

The Anscombe Bioethics Centre, an Oxford-based institute serving the Catholic Church in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, denounced the development as “yet more destructive experimentation on human embryos.”

“Experiments to edit the genes of human embryos represent a further step towards the creation of GM babies,” said a Feb. 1 statement by David Jones, director of Anscombe.

“This move is only the latest step after attempts to clone human embryos, to create human-animal hybrid embryos and to create three parent embryos,” he said in a statement to Catholic News Service.

“Each step has been accompanied by exaggerated promises to cure or prevent diseases, but the real result is simply more unethical experimentation on human beings at the earliest stage of their development,” Jones added.

He said gene editing would be legitimate “only where it is safe and beneficial for the individual patient

and not where it aims to affect future intervention will effect development in generations.” the week that follows as the embryo “The real promise of ‘gene editing’ multiplies from one cell to about 250. techniques is the hope of ethical and The purpose is to identify the roles effective therapy of children or adults of particular genes in the hope of who were born with conditions that improving in vitro fertilization success currently have no rates and to try to cure,” he continued. reduce the number of “Research should miscarriages. All “Each step has been focus on embryos used during development of safe experiments must be accompanied by and effective somatic destroyed within a gene therapy, not on exaggerated promises week. yet more destructive China has experimentation on previously attempted to cure or prevent human embryos.” to edit the human Jones’ comments diseases, but the real germline, but the came in response to a decision by the HFEA result is simply more Feb. 1 announcement makes Britain the that the Human first country in the unethical Fertilization and world to set up a Embryology regulatory framework experimentation on Authority, the for undertaking such regulatory body research. human beings at the overseeing in vitro Paul Nurse, fertilization and director of the Crick, earliest stage of their said in a Feb. 1 experiments on human embryos, will statement posted on development.” permit researchers at the institute’s website the Francis Crick that he was delighted David Jones, director of the Institute in London that the research Anscombe Bioethics Centre to modify the DNA could go ahead. of newly conceived He said that it was embryos. “important for The scientists aim to use a technique understanding how a healthy human to turn off genes in one-day-old embryo develops and will enhance our embryos to determine how such understanding of IVF success rates.”

The Catholic Spirit • 11 in BRIEF DUBUQUE, Iowa

Sisters’ billboards bring pope’s message to Iowa caucuses As the eyes of the nation focused on the Iowa caucuses Feb. 1, the 13 congregations of Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley wanted to capture the attention of participants to call for an end to environmentally destructive policies and practices. They did so by placing more than 20 billboards in strategic locations throughout the state, southwest Wisconsin and western Illinois. The billboards, posted in January and into February, carry the message “Standing with Pope Francis; Caring for Our Common Home,” referencing his latest encyclical, “Laudato Si’.” The Catholic Sisters for a Healthy Earth Committee, which represents the communities of women religious sponsoring the campaign, initiated the plan for the billboards.

LOS ANGELES

Pro-life law firm defends California center in Planned Parenthood suit A Chicago-based law firm known for supporting pro-life causes will defend the Center for Medical Progress in a federal racketeering lawsuit filed Jan. 14

by Planned Parenthood against the center. Last year, the Irvine-based center released undercover videos alleging Planned Parenthood affiliate officials committed improprieties regarding fetal tissue and organs. Thomas More Society, a nonprofit public interest law firm, said Jan. 20 that Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit against the center’s founder, David Daleiden, and his fellow undercover investigators is tied to the National Abortion Federation’s existing attempts “to shut down free speech and to cover up evidence of the abortion industry’s crimes in aborted baby parts trafficking.” The National Abortion Federation last August filed suit against the center and received a temporary restraining order against its release of additional videos.

FLINT, Mich.

Catholic agency on front lines helping with Flint water crisis Following the discovery of lead in the city of Flint’s drinking water, relief organizations have been working day and night to provide safe water to those living and working in the community.

Standing at the front of the battle is Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties in the Lansing diocese.

Vicky Shultz, CEO of Catholic Charities, said the health and safety issues continue to be a “major crisis,” and the organization is distributing bottled water and gallons of water, as supplies allow, to families and individuals in need.

Community members across the diocese are urged to provide aid in the form of donating cases or gallons of water, water filter kits and replacement filters, or monetary donations.

— Catholic News Service

12 • The Catholic Spirit

Acts o

Giving drink to 60,000 — Local couple’s nonprofit provides clean water to Tanzanians Part three in a 14-part Year of Mercy series highlighting local Catholics who live out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

By Bridget Ryder For The Catholic Spirit

W

hen Jim Vanderheyden retired from a 32-year engineering career with Honeywell in 1994, he had a list of 38 things he wanted to do. Founding an international humanitarian aid organization was not on it. Nevertheless, in 2006, at the age of 71, he and his wife, Katie, parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park, turned a chance trip to Tanzania into a charity that has brought clean water to more than 60,000 people.

“I thought if we could do that much good with a little money and a little organization, we just have to come back here,” Jim, 81, said of their first visit to Tanzania and their decision to start the Tanzania Life Project.

Characterizing the Vanderheydens’ work as a little organization would be an understatement, though.

It all started in 2004 when Ben Mlula, a native of Tanzania and an Episcopalian priest, found himself stranded in Minneapolis. His flight canceled, he spent the night with a fellow Episcopalian priest who happened to be a good friend of Lisa Vanderheyden, one of Jim and Katie’s eight children. On a subsequent visit in 2005, Mlula told his host and her friends about the lack of clean water and other problems in his village. The Americans responded by raising money and organizing a group to visit the village in May 2006. They had a vague idea of building a cistern to capture rain water, but with little technical expertise among them, the purpose of their trip and what they would be able to accomplish seemed unclear.

“If my dad hadn’t been there, we probably wouldn’t have gotten that much done on that first trip,” recalled Lisa, 52.

Knowing her father’s experience as an engineer, she had invited her parents to join the adventure.

“I suppose the idea was let’s go and help the guy out and then we’ll take a quick couple days in the animal park, because we will probably never come back,” Jim said.

‘I like challenges’ In preparation for that 2006 trip, Jim was immersed in figuring out how to build a water system in Mlula’s village, Mtumba. His experience of getting men to the moon while working in Honeywell’s Apollo program had taught him how to innovate and organize, but this was his first venture into international planning.

“I had an awful job getting ahold of the right person. It was kind of a challenge, but I like challenges,” he recalled.

After two months of dead ends, Jim reached the local engineering office in Dodoma, the administrative capital of the country, about 15 miles away from Mtumba.

Overcoming cultural differences, time zone changes and language barriers, he learned through emails and phone calls that Mtumba had a well. The German government built it in the 1960s, but for years it had been mud-clogged with a broken pump. He was also able to set up a meeting with the local authorities for when he arrived in Tanzania.

He would have nine days to get water flowing.

On the ground, the advance planning paid off. With the help of Mlula, an estimate for the needed repairs was waiting in his hotel room in Dodoma. At the meeting, Jim contacted the water department to do a full-scale exploration of the well. Later, as the work progressed, he hired a digger. A week into their trip, they were still waiting for water. Then on day eight, it streamed out of the well line.

“Ben was standing on top of the reservoir, and he went

crazy,” Jim recalled. “No one could believe it. It had been off for so many years.”

Per Tanzanian regulations, water from a well must flow for 24 hours to ensure the well’s sustainability before it can be saved in a reservoir. But no one waited. Children came running and women lined up with gallon buckets to capture every drop of water they could. John Boyer, another member of the group and a professional photographer, snapped a shot of children happily examining the running water. The image has become an icon for the Vanderheydens. (See photo at right.)

“It was a turning point in life,” Jim recalled. “We saw these kids come running to not waste any water. Then, our friend Ben said there’s hundreds of villages like this, and many don’t even have a well.”

That’s when the Vanderheydens knew they’d have to come back.

‘Everyone should have clean water’ When they returned to Minnesota, the Vanderheydens immediately started forming a nonprofit to continue the work. The following winter, Mlula appealed to Jim for more help. The village was running low on food. Jim made another trip to Tanzania to survey the situation and bring what aid he could.

“At the beginning, we weren’t really sure what our mission was going to be,” he said, adding that the needs of villages in Tanzania are so great that it’s difficult to know where to begin.

ABOVE Jim Vanderheyden holds one of hundreds of books that Tanzania Life Project gave to a primary school in Mtumba, Tanzania. Courtesy Jim and Katie Vanderheyden

In the early years, along with building wells, TLP delved into other development projects. Though solar ovens and a tractor to help with farming weren’t as effective as they’d hoped, partnering with other organizations for microfinancing the entrepreneurial small business projects of women and HIV/AIDS patients has been successful, as have legal, education and mediation programs. TLP has also supplied textbooks and made improvements to the village schools. Water, though, has always been its central focus.

“When you go over there and see that they have nothing and dirty water,” said Katie, 81, “we felt that we couldn’t come home and drink clean water and have them drinking dirty water. Everyone should have clean water.”

Without a central source of clean water, villagers dig shallow wells or collect water from dirty lakes. Often, the water is far from the village and hazardous to collect.

Waterborne diseases are rampant. Looking at the big picture and Jim’s skill set, they determined that supplying one of life’s most basic needs was the most effective way to be of service.

“If people have a fundamental problem [with] water, surely there is something I can do. I guess I had the

background,” Jim explained.

The Vanderheydens are involved in every aspect of running TLP, from taxes to fundraising to navigating the complexities of African society. It’s a full-time job.

“Just deciding what village to help is a very hard and political decision, and you don’t know what is going on [on] the ground,” Lisa explained.

That’s where Jim relies on faith and prayer.

“He calls them ‘God moments’,” said their son, John

of

Mercy

February 4, 2016 • 13

and counting LEFT Tanzanian children collect running water from a well made possible through the Tanzania Life Project. The image has become an icon for Jim and Katie Vanderheyden, the organization’s founders. John Boyer/Courtesy Tanzania Life Project BELOW Jim and Katie Vanderheyden, parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park, founded the Tanzania Life Project, a nonprofit organization that provides clean water to Tanzanian villages. Courtesy Jim and Katie Vanderheyden

TANZANIA and then suddenly a donation comes through or two factions come to an agreement.

“Everything we’ve done from day one, you can just feel the guiding hand. You wonder, ‘What am I going to do?’ and you get there and you know what to do. You know when the Lord is on your side,” Jim said.

Motivated by faith, empathy

A Tanzanian man fetches water in a surface well hole, which the Tanzania Life Project made possible. Courtesy Jim and Katie Vanderheyden Vanderheyden, 56, who has been involved with TLP from the beginning and lives in Austin, Texas.

It happens time and again. A financial need will arise or a disagreement in Tanzania will block the water project,

Each well costs approximately $100,000 and takes a year to complete. The villagers start the work by digging the trenches for the well lines. With two annual fundraising drives going out to 18 lists of people, many of whom are family and friends, TLP is able to help about one village a year. To date, TLP has supplied water to nine villages in Tanzania.

Last year, TLP started its biggest project yet — the Igandu Project, which will service a cluster of three villages and bring water to 12,500 people. It is slated for completion this year. More than 80 villages have applied for assistance.

From the outside, the Vanderheydens don’t give the impression of being intrepid African travelers responsible for more than $1 million in foreign development. Pictures of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren decorate the walls of their apartment in a retirement community in Osseo, testifying to the couple’s 61 years of marriage. Only a collection of handmade African art — gifts from villagers — in the small office that is the American headquarters of TLP show their connection with Tanzania.

“He’s someone who has always been taking the lead, and his faith has always been a part of that,” John said of his father.

The couple has attended daily Mass since high school, and Jim has been a retreat captain at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo for 35 years. They also volunteer at Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis.

According to their children, empathy, commitment and a strong faith motivate their parents.

“He’s a very, very empathic person,” Lisa said.

Jim just wants to do what he can to help. “You work hard,” he said, “and just hope you don’t get in God’s way.

For more information about the Tanzania Life Project, visit www.tanzanialifeproject.org.

The Catholic Spirit’s Acts of Mercy series is made possible in part through a grant from the National Catholic Society of Foresters. Learn about the organization at www.ncsf.com.

Give drink to the thirsty

By Father Michael Van Sloun To give a drink to the thirsty is the second corporal work of mercy. It was named by Jesus when he spoke to his disciples about the judgment of the nations (Mt 25:31-46) and he mentioned it four times. This physical need goes hand-in-hand with feeding the hungry.

Over one-half of the average person’s body is made up of water. There is water in the cells, between the cells and in the blood vessels. Water needs to be resupplied each day because Father Michael water is lost through the kidneys and urine, the lungs VAN SLOUN and respiration, the skin by diffusion and sweat, and the intestine by solid waste. Inadequate fluid intake leads to decreased saliva and thirst, loss of fluid volume and electrolyte imbalance. As dehydration worsens, it can lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and — in severe cases — even death. In light of the crucial role that water plays in health, it stands second on the list of corporal works of mercy.

Jesus highlighted the importance of giving a drink to the thirsty when he said, “Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple, amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward” (Mt 10:42).

Jesus considered it a good deed to give a drink to the apostles, his followers and missionaries, and Matthew considered it a good deed to give a drink to the members of his newly established Christian community. By extension, it is a good deed to give a drink to anyone, believer and nonbeliever alike.

To offer a drink is a gracious act of hospitality. It places the other person ahead of one’s self, and it is a simple and thoughtful expression of love.

Jesus explained, “Whoever receives you receives me” (Mt 10:40a). When we give a drink to someone who is thirsty, we give a drink to Jesus himself, and when we love our neighbor, we love Jesus. Those who perform this work of mercy will receive a glorious reward, a place in the kingdom.

The foremost example in sacred Scripture of giving a drink to the thirsty is God’s miracle in the desert when Moses struck the rock and water flowed from it (Ex 17:6). God’s mercy reaches to the heavens (Ps 36:6), and it is through God’s mercy that we are given water to drink (Ps 36:9b).

Water is a precious commodity in the arid lands of the Bible. It was customary to offer water to a traveler immediately upon their arrival. The prophet Elijah made such a journey when he went from Israel to Zarephath of Sidon. When he reached his destination he asked a widow there, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink” (1 Kgs 17:10), and she did as Elijah had said (1 Kgs 17:15). In other biblical examples, Rebekah gave a drink to Abraham’s servant (Gen 24:18), Obadiah supplied drink to 100 prophets (1 Kgs 18:4), and Boaz had men fill vessels for Ruth (Ruth 2:9).

This corporal work of mercy is as easy as politely offering a guest, “Can I get you something to drink?” It can be done by giving a baby a bottle, pouring a glass of milk or giving ice chips to someone on their deathbed.

It is also important to avoid wasting water.

Access to clean drinking water is a major problem in many places throughout the world, and other aspects of this work of mercy include wells, pipelines and water treatment facilities.

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.

14 • The Catholic Spirit

LENT

February 4, 2016

Annulment questions? Answers available Ash Wednesday Tribunal staff at Cathedral Feb. 10

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit

O

n Ash Wednesday, representatives from the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will be available before and after Masses at the Cathedral of St. Paul for questions related to marriage annulments. It’s the ninth year the office has held the event, but it’s especially appropriate for the Year of Mercy, said Father Michael Johnson, the tribunal’s judicial vicar.

Tribunal staff members will be stationed in the baptistery and the Pietà chapel in the Cathedral’s vestibule throughout the morning and afternoon Feb. 10. Masses are 7 a.m., noon, 5:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Many Catholics who have been away from the Church return for Mass and ashes on Ash Wednesday, explained Amy Tadlock, a tribunal judge.

“Lent is that time when people are trying to get right with the Lord, and there’s an opportunity for them to come and get the annulment process started or find out some more information about it,” she said. “It’s often a motivating factor for people.”

In the past, people’s questions have ranged from specific questions about their own circumstances to general queries on behalf of family and friends.

This year, Catholics might have new questions about the changes Pope Francis made to canon law codes governing the annulment process. News reports have described a quicker, simpler process, but there’s no onesize-fits-all when it comes to declaring marriages null, the archdiocese’s experts said.

Judicial, yet pastoral The Metropolitan Tribunal is an archdiocesan office that addresses issues related to canon, or Church, law.

Much of that work includes investigating and assessing the validity of marriages for Catholics seeking annulments.

“The tribunal occupies an unknown, very misunderstood, very confusing institution within the Church,” Father Johnson said. “Because of that, it’s intimidating for people . . . . There’s kind of a mystique for people about what we do,” which is why tribunal staff members make themselves available in the familiar setting of the Cathedral for the Ash Wednesday event.

The office holds similar events in parishes throughout the archdiocese.

The annulment process — and annulments themselves — is also widely misunderstood, and tribunal staff members find themselves correcting widespread misinformation about the cost, length and process. People think it costs a lot of money, takes years and years, both spouses have to cooperate, or a declaration of nullity renders children born of the union illegitimate, all of which are false, Tadlock said.

Catholics who are divorced are also not automatically excommunicated, as was the case under the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which was revised in 1983. Despite the change, some people approach the tribunal fearing they won’t be able to have a Catholic funeral without an annulment.

Annulment is also not “Catholic divorce,” Father Johnson said. It’s determining whether the sacrament of matrimony actually took place at all.

“People think we’re looking at what came out of the marriage — the pain, the suffering, the experiences they had in their marriage, and that’s not actually what we’re looking at,” he said. “We’re actually looking at what goes into the marriage that led up to the exchange of consent, and that’s our primary focus. What happened after that moment sheds some light on what happened, but we only look at that aspect of what happened to the extent that we need to.”

The annulment process is a judicial process, but it is pastoral as well, Father Johnson said. The tribunal also collaborates with pastors to ensure people going through the annulment process have pastoral support.

In the Church, the process dates to the 12th century, but it was adopted from a process perfected by the Romans, Father Johnson said.

“The truth and understanding that comes from that [the annulment process] is actually a very pastoral thing that then allows them to move forward with the certainty that they didn’t have.”

Father Michael Johnson “Some people are taken aback that there’s a structure to it, a formality to it, that they weren’t expecting, and they’re intimidated by that,” Father Johnson said.

He added: “They have a question in their life, whether their marriage to this person was valid. The tribunal exists to help them answer that question. The truth and understanding that comes from that is actually a very pastoral thing that then allows them to move forward with the certainty that they didn’t have . . . . People who have gone through the annulment process, provided that they were handled in a professional, respectful way, come to a great peace often times.”

Changes to canon law In September, Pope Francis announced changes to canon law that affect annulment proceedings. They took effect Dec. 8, the opening day of the Year of Mercy.

He changed 20 canons, marking the third set of changes since St. John Paul II promulgated a comprehensive update to the code in 1983. In most cases, the changes mean a simpler process, but one that will still take time, local tribunal judges cautioned.

Prior to the “new norms,” an annulment case was processed by two courts — typically first in the seeker’s home diocese — the “court of first instance” — and the second in another diocese’s tribunal, in a “court of second instance.” Both tribunals had to find a marriage invalid for an annulment to be granted.

Under the new norms, a court of second instance is not needed to confirm the first court’s finding, unless one of the parties affected by the annulment seeks to appeal it to a second court.

The Metropolitan Tribunal receives about 125 annulment cases each year as a court of first instance, but has taken on 350-400 cases each year as a court of second instance for all other dioceses in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The workload bogged down tribunal judges, and the average annulment process was taking about two years. Without all cases automatically being evaluated by a second court, the Metropolitan Tribunal expects to reduce that average time to less than a year, but emphasized that each case is unique.

On Sept. 8, the day Pope Francis announced the changes, the tribunal had a backlog of 191 cases in its court of second instance that hadn’t been touched. As of Jan. 21, there were 17.

“It’s huge,” Father Johnson said of reducing the backlog. “That allows us to dedicate more resources now to instructing first instance cases.”

The canon law changes affect all annulment cases that had not received a sentence as of Dec. 8, Father Johnson said.

The Tribunal judges acknowledged that a second court gave them confidence in the procedure, but it also sometimes complicated the process, such as in cases where the second court agreed to the same outcome, but for different reasons. In those situations, the case was referred to a third court — or as many courts as it took to result in two courts granting the same sentence for the same reasons.

It’s the stuff on which harrowing legends of the 50year annulment were built.

The change in process is a sign of Pope Francis’ “great

and profound trust” in his tribunal judges, Father Johnson said. It also allows the court of second instance to focus on the cases that have a legitimate dispute, he said.

Another major canon law change allows a tribunal’s judicial vicar to present cases in which the nullity of marriage is obvious to the bishop for a declaration of nullity. This abbreviated annulment process would affect only a small percentage of cases, Father Johnson said.

According to a Catholic News Service report, the conditions for the abbreviated process include: when it is clear one or both parties lacked the faith to give full consent to a Catholic marriage; when the woman had an abortion to prevent procreation; remaining in an extramarital relationship at the time of the wedding or immediately afterward; one partner hiding knowledge of infertility, a serious contagious disease, children from a previous union or a history of incarceration; and when physical violence was used to extort consent for the marriage.

Fees and time frames Pope Francis has made clear that financial hardship should not prevent anyone who needs to from going through the annulment process. About one-third of tribunals in the U.S. charge for the annulment process.

In the archdiocese, the annulment process costs petitioners $600, although the actual costs incurred range from $2,000-$3,000, the difference subsidized by the archdiocese and its benefactors. The archdiocese may waive some or all of the fee based on the party’s ability to pay.

How much the party paid has no bearing on the annulment process, Tadlock added; tribunal judges often don’t have access to that information.

The archdiocese cannot change its fee while undergoing Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The tribunal plans to re-evaluate its fee after the archdiocese emerges from Reorganization, Father Johnson said.

There’s no perfect time for a person to seek an annulment, tribunal judges said. Some people seek it while they’re going through a civil divorce; others wait decades or until they are engaged to be remarried.

In cases where the marriage in question took place decades ago, finding witnesses can be difficult, complicating the process, said Father James McConville, the Metropolitan Tribunal’s adjutant judicial vicar.

Addressing those cases will be simpler under the new norms, he said.

Tribunal judges advised against waiting until another wedding is being considered because of the length of time an annulment might take and its uncertain outcome. They acknowledged, however, that people who are recently divorced might have raw emotions and less circumspection.

It is important for people who need to go through the annulment process to do so, Father Johnson said.

The pope’s linking of annulment process changes with the Year of Mercy signals his intention, he added.

“It’s a clear recognition that the laity have a right to know their status, and knowing where you stand in the Church is a great act of mercy,” he said. “It’s a great act of pastoral charity.”

LENT • COMMENTARY

February 4, 2016

The Catholic Spirit • 15

The tone ashes set for Lent: a journey into a new, fuller life

By David Gibson Catholic News Service

Food for thought

As the flames from a bonfire’s logs begin to die down and finally die out, it seems initially that only ashes remain. But closer inspection typically reveals that glowing embers remain alive under the ashes.

With effort, and with added twigs and logs, these embers often can be fanned back into flame. So it is important not to sell ashes short, so to speak, not prematurely to declare a fire entirely dead.

This image of burnt but glowing embers underscores a basic Lenten theme: Faith’s flame always can be renewed. Pope Francis employed this image in a 2014 Holy Week homily for priests.

Drawing from St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, Pope Francis said, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God that is within you” — in this case the priest’s gift of “gladness” and “joy.”

This gift, he said, “can lie dormant, or be clogged by sin or by life’s troubles, yet deep down it remains intact, like the embers of a burnt log beneath the ashes, and it can always be renewed.”

A tone is set for Lent when worshipers’ foreheads are marked with ashes on Ash Wednesday. What spark of new life hides beneath the ashes, waiting to be fanned into flame by individuals, families or communities?

For people of faith, Lent poses that question relentlessly.

Death to life Lent sets the stage for a journey into a new, fuller life.

Christ died and rose to new life. Christians believe that in this way he established a pattern that holds true for everyone.

Pope Francis strongly believes that responding to the needs of others is a pathway to new life. He mentions this in his message for Lent 2016, pointing out that Lent unfolds this year during the Church’s Year of Mercy.

“Faith finds expression in concrete, everyday actions meant to help our neighbors in body and spirit: by feeding, visiting, comforting and instructing them,” he writes. But how are these merciful actions a path to fuller life for those who practice them?

The pope explains that particularly “in the spiritual works of mercy — counsel, instruction, forgiveness, admonishment and prayer — we touch more directly our own sinfulness” and thus “receive the gift of realizing that [we] too are poor and in need.”

The serious hurts that weigh people down assume

A woman receives ashes at St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony on Ash Wednesday Feb. 18, 2015. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit multiple forms. What these hurts tend to share is a capacity to make it feel as if life has reached some kind of discouraging endpoint and to rob people of hope.

Lent affirms, however, that new life can arise from the many painful “deaths” that people experience here and now. It can arise from the ashes of their disappointments, fears, mistakes, anger or sense of loss.

Somewhat paradoxically, the deadened ashes that set Lent’s tone underscore this possibility. Thus Lent parallels and builds upon life as we know it.

Lent is a season for reawakening to all the hope faith holds for life in this world and the next. God, as Pope Francis insisted late in January, never is indifferent, never turns away from human suffering.

Think of people who experience a devastating sense of failure, perhaps after a job loss. This can be unbearably painful. Over time, though, a crisis like this often leads to a new self-awareness.

Then, with a fresh perspective on themselves and a new appreciation for their best interests and finest talents, many make a new start toward a happier life.

Think also of husbands and wives whose marriages drift listlessly downward. Their communication diminishes; they take less interest in each other. Still, many of these marriages will survive and actually thrive.

That is because many couples, reaching a point of crisis, wake up to the possibility that they can restart

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Even though Ash Wednesday — Feb. 10 this year — is not a holy day of obligation, it is one of the most wellattended days in any given parish. However, the ashes and their meaning should remain with us throughout our Lenten journey, even though sometimes we forget it as soon as we wipe the ashes from our foreheads.

Remember that without ashes — without repentance and an effort to renounce sin — there is no Easter.

In “God for Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Lent and Easter” (Paraclete Press, 2013), Beth Bevins says that ashes signify death but also our “status as sinners.” Yet they’re also reminders of the other side of the coin: our hope in the Easter and a resurrection.

The symbol of ashes, the practices we are to take up at that time, “is meant to assist in the process of cleaning our hearts and preparing our spirits for the celebration of Easter,” she writes.

— Catholic News Service their marriages, perhaps aided by outside counseling and the caring support of friends and families. By giving up habits that damaged them as couples, their marriages start to grow again.

Lent reminds Christians that life is full of starting points. Naturally, it does not always feel that way; sometimes it feels that life is at an awful standstill.

Late in 2008, with the recent, great economic recession wreaking ravages of fear and hopelessness in households everywhere, Cardinal Adam Maida, now Detroit’s retired archbishop, spoke of this. He wrote: “Wherever there is death, there is also reason for hope and resurrection, new birth and new life. After a fire 200 years ago devastated our then-frontier settlement of Detroit, Father Gabriel Richard wrote [of the city]: ‘We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes.’”

Those words became the city’s motto.

Christians view Lent as a journey out of lifestyles that allow little room for God, for serving others’ needs, or even for taking an accurate account of one’s own dignity and worth. It is a journey away from hopelessness. At the same time, Christians view Lent as a journey into the new life of love — the new creation — that a rapidly approaching Easter signals.

Gibson served on Catholic News Service’s editorial staff for 37 years.

16 • The Catholic Spirit

LENT

February 4, 2016

Pope: Live your faith during Lent, perform works of mercy

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

Resources online

Lent is a time of conversion and a time to deepen one’s faith, demonstrating and sharing it through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, Pope Francis said.

“Faith finds expression in concrete everyday actions meant to help our neighbors in body and spirit,” the pope said in his message for Lent, which begins Feb. 10 for Latin-rite Catholics.

Feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, welcoming strangers, offering instruction, giving comfort — “on such things will we be judged,” the pope wrote in the message, which was released at the Vatican Jan. 26.

Particularly during the Year of Mercy, he said, Catholics are called to recognize their own need for God’s mercy, the greatness of God’s love seen in the death and resurrection of Christ, and the obligation to assist others by communicating God’s love and mercy through words and deeds.

“The root of all sin” is thinking that one is god, something often expressed in a total preoccupation for accumulating money and power, the pope wrote. And just as individuals can be tempted to think they don’t need God, social and political systems can run the same risk, ignoring both God and the real needs of human beings.

“Love alone is the answer to that yearning for infinite happiness,” Pope Francis wrote. It is the only response to the longings “that we think we can satisfy with the idols of knowledge,

“Faith finds expression in concrete everyday actions meant to help our neighbors in body and spirit.”

Pope Francis

power and riches.”

“The danger always remains that by a constant refusal to open the doors of their hearts to Christ who knocks on them in the poor,” he said, “the proud, rich and powerful will end up condemning themselves and plunging into the eternal abyss of solitude, which is hell.”

But through acts of mercy and charity, “by touching the flesh of the crucified Jesus in the suffering,” he wrote, “sinners can receive the gift of realizing that they, too, are poor and in need.”

“In the corporal works of mercy we touch the flesh of Christ in our brothers and sisters who need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, visited,” he wrote. “In the spiritual works of mercy — counsel, instruction, forgiveness, admonishment and prayer — we touch more directly our

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As part of its celebration of the Year of Mercy, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum — the office that promotes and coordinates Catholic charity — has developed materials for a retreat day for people engaged in Church charitable activity. The materials are online at www. corunumjubilaeum.va and can be adapted for use by a group, a parish or a diocese.

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CNS own sinfulness.”

In the Christian life, Pope Francis said, “the corporal and spiritual works of mercy must never be separated.”

Mercy deepens faith Cardinal Francesco Montenegro, president of Caritas Italy and head of the archdiocese that includes the Italian island of Lampedusa, told reporters at a Vatican news conference that the pope’s message, like the Bible, “does not stop simply at reaffirming that God is merciful, but clearly indicates that his children must be merciful, too, by living a greater love, especially by taking care of the little ones, the poor and defenseless.”

The cardinal said that from his own experience as archbishop of Agrigento, he has seen how people’s faith and joy have grown and become contagious

“The works of mercy are a very simple, concrete, direct, alive, daily, easy, accessible-to-all way of living the Jubilee of Mercy,” he said. “The works of mercy describe what we as Christians can actually do every day, and that is why I find them so fascinating.”

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Msgr. Giampietro Dal Toso, secretary of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the office that promotes and coordinates Catholic charity, told reporters that Pope Francis wants to help Catholics rediscover the traditional corporal and spiritual works of mercy, which seemed to have been left on the shelf with dusty old books. Maybe, he said, “it was no longer fashionable” to preach about the daily actions of believers or maybe “our ecclesial practice has become quite institutionalized and politicized.”

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FOCUS ON FAITH

February 4, 2016

SUNDAY SCRIPTURES

Jean Denton

Build Christ’s community where it’s needed most In the Gospel for Feb. 7, Jesus calls his first disciples to follow him and join his mission to bring all people to God’s way of life.

His offer is convincing: Having the audacity to teach experienced fishermen how to fish, he demonstrates that if they follow his direction, they’ll achieve a greater haul than they could attain by themselves.

Jesus’ message is to all of us: Trust that by following his way you will draw

people into his fold.

By contrast, a refrain we often hear in our social enterprises today, “Build it, and they will come,” is based on a belief in the pre-eminent power of our own will — through marketing.

However, any city planner will tell you: Build it in the wrong place and “they” won’t come, no matter how slick your marketing.

I learned how wise planning creates healthy, vibrant communities from my

The Catholic Spirit • 17

friend Joel, a longtime city planner.

Indeed, communities hire planners to direct development and growth to best serve the people’s needs; build to enhance their lives and they’ll not only come, but they’ll also participate.

No wonder Joel, also a devoted Christian, understands how to respond to the call to build and develop Jesus’ community. He knows that Jesus’ instruction to “put out into deep water” means to go where God is most needed.

Joel and his wife chose for their faith community a small church in a struggling low-income neighborhood where the people were open to God’s grace and just waiting to be “caught.”

Indeed, Jesus’ way brought in a large haul there.

Joel showed me a small neighborhood park that he and fellow church members developed, with the city’s blessing, on city property across the street from the church.

A local landscape architect volunteered to design the park. Then at-risk teens

Sunday, Feb. 7

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings • Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 • 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 • Luke 5:1-11 from the neighborhood joined with the church youth group to do the landscaping with plants and materials donated by local suppliers. Children from the nearby grade school created and installed small outdoor sculptures, and other businesses contributed a sprinkler system and benches.

As the park became a center of neighborhood pride and activity, more people came to the church, drawn by the congregation’s embrace and care for its community.

This Catholic News Service column is offered in cooperation with the North Texas Catholic of Fort Worth, Texas.

DAILY Scriptures Sunday, Feb. 7 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 5:1-11

Wednesday, Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday Joel 2:12-18 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Saturday, Feb. 13 Isaiah 58:9b-14 Luke 5:27-32

Tuesday, Feb. 16 Isaiah 55:10-11 Matthew 6:7-15

Friday, Feb. 19 Ezekiel 18:21-28 Matthew 5:20-26

Thursday, Feb. 11 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Luke 9:22-25

Sunday, Feb. 14 First Sunday of Lent Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Romans 10:8-13 Luke 4:1-13

Wednesday, Feb. 17 Jonah 3:1-10 Luke 11:29-32

Saturday, Feb. 20 Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Matthew 5:43-48

Monday, Feb. 8 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 Mark 6:53-56

Friday, Feb. 12 Isaiah 58:1-9a Matthew 9:14-15

Monday, Feb. 15 Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Matthew 25:31-46

Thursday, Feb. 18 Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Matthew 7:7-12

Sunday, Feb. 21 Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Philippians 3:17—4:1 Luke 9:28b-36

Tuesday, Feb. 9 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Mark 7:1-13

SEEKING ANSWERS

Father Michael Schmitz

What should I do for Lent?

Q. Lent is right around the corner, and I never seem to know what to do for the season. I’ve tried giving things up, but it always seems a bit hollow.

What should I do?

A. I think we all face this challenge.

We can find ourselves walking the tightrope between something so impossible that we end up abandoning it in a week and something so minimal that it is essentially worthless.

In addition, it can be hard to be honest about our motives. Are we giving up something out of love of God or because we would like to lose some weight? Are we doing this thing “just to see if we can make it”?

What is Lent for? What is the point of the whole thing, anyway?

Broadly speaking, Lent was originally the last step for people who were preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil Mass. After roughly three years of preparation, the final weeks leading up to Easter were called a time of “purification and enlightenment.” Those futureChristians would examine their lives more thoroughly for areas where they

needed to be purified from things that interfered with God’s will in their lives.

And they would strive to learn more about who God is and the life of Christian discipleship.

So the original purpose of Lent was to become more and more conformed to God’s will. What in my life needs to go?

What needs to get stronger? How can I live like Christ?

Author Stephen Covey reminded his readers to “begin with the end in mind.”

What is your end? What is the goal? The goal is to become more like God, to become a saint. This needs to be your goal. Knowing yourself and knowing where you need to grow, which Lenten disciplines will help you become the saint God is calling you to be?

Let’s make this as simple as possible.

Jesus talks about three areas that are indispensable regarding the Christian life: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. For Lent, do one thing in each of these three areas.

Prayer: What is one way that you can pray every day throughout Lent that will strengthen your relationship with Christ?

Again, this is not merely about

“challenging yourself.” This is about asking, “What will help me get to know the Lord better?” You know yourself. You know what will actually help you grow.

For the last couple of years, in addition to my normal prayer time, I spend an extra 15 minutes slowly reading and reflecting on the Gospels at night. It isn’t huge, but it really helps.

Fasting: While we are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, your “fast” can be almost anything. If you have a difficult relationship with food, feel free to choose a penance that is unrelated to nourishment. A penance can be any time we say “no” to a good and natural desire out of love for God. For example, someone might decide to only check their email (or social media, or their smart phone) at certain times during the day. This would be an act of discipline and sacrifice oriented toward purifying their heart. Your penance could be not sweetening your coffee. Another penance could be getting out of bed the moment the alarm goes off and not hitting the snooze button.

Almsgiving: While both prayer and fasting could be seen as being all about you, almsgiving is oriented toward the good of others. Who could you help this Lent? While this could be actually giving money, it could also be giving time. I know of people who have decided to write one letter per day throughout Lent.

They decided that these letters would be positive notes of encouragement and gratitude.

Of course, almsgiving could also be

supporting the material needs of others.

There are groups everywhere who need the support of Christians. One note: If you participate in Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl, do it like Jesus. In other words, do it on purpose. Make the decision to place money in that little cardboard box — not just the change you don’t want, but even the money that you do want. If you crack it open at the end, you should only see silver and green.

One more thing: Please don’t get all hung up on “I can’t tell anyone what I’m doing for Lent because I’ll become prideful.” First, answering someone’s question isn’t the same thing as “wanting to appear to others to be fasting”; you are just answering a question. Secondly, the things you are doing for Lent are probably pretty unimpressive. I mean, you might be the hardcore Catholic on your block, but if you remember that St. Francis of Assisi (and others) spent one Lent eating literally nothing, people knowing that you have given up beer isn’t likely to give you a big head. It is probably more humbling to have to admit the smallness of what you have been called to.

Ultimately, the question is, “God, what can I decide to do during this season that will make me more like you?”

Father Schmitz is director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Reach him at fathermikeschmitz@gmail.com.

18 • The Catholic Spirit

THIS CATHOLIC LIFE • COMMENTARY

February 4, 2016

LENT

Elizabeth Kelly

Contemplating the last words of Jesus on the cross I don’t know if this story is true but it seems plausible, so I’ll repeat it here.

The famous and mightily beloved singer/songwriter James Taylor was giving a concert when someone in the audience yelled out, “I love you, James!” Things fell very quiet for a moment and Taylor looked up from his guitar and said very simply, “Oh yeah?

What makes me sad?”

His surprising response was well formed. What is the measure of loving someone? St. Thomas Aquinas tells us we love when we “will the good of another.” We say that we love someone when we truly desire their good. And one important aspect of that desire, as Taylor — who knew a fair amount of suffering — was so keen to point out, is knowing in a real way what causes one to suffer. We do not really love someone until we come to know them in their suffering and, in this way, take a share in it.

This is one of the most important, precious and often final ways that we are invited into the knowing of a person: We come to know them in their

suffering, the suffering of death.

In some respects, this is the invitation of Lent. We are invited to come to know Jesus and keep him company in his suffering and death, this most intimate personal space of all. And what a spectacularly generous gift.

Because who do you invite into your suffering but those you love the most?

Who do you call to your bedside when you are sick and all hope is lost, but those you love and trust the most?

Many of you reading this column have lost loved ones. No doubt, the last words of your loved ones were very precious to you. Or, on the occasions where words were not possible, maybe the last look you shared, the last squeeze of their hand, a final caress became their “last words.”

When someone we love is dying, these last encounters remain with us in a way that little else does. It is a deep desire of the human heart to say goodbye well, with fullness, to say all that needs to be said. What is our final encounter, then, with the dying Christ?

The English priest and Catholic

TWENTY SOMETHING

Christina Capecchi

Oh what a tangled web: rising above Instagram envy Melina Birchem has uploaded 777 images to her Instagram account over the past two years: sushi, Starbucks, her new tattoo, rosary beads, cowboy boots.

Sometimes the juxtaposition is jarring.

A glowing monstrance, a chilled margarita. A snapshot from waitressing, a prayer journal documenting her consecration to the Blessed Mother.

As a freshman at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, Melina has tried to moderate her use of social media, deleting the Facebook and Twitter apps from her iPhone and abandoning Snapchat altogether.

Instagram has been harder to rein in, admits the psychology major, an amateur photographer and selfdescribed “beauty seeker” who is among more than 400 million users drawn to the 5-year-old photo-sharing social network.

“I have one of those love-hate relationships with Instagram,” Melina said.

It captures her adventures, connects her with friends and kindles her faith.

But sometimes it sends Melina down a

destructive path, like when it leads her to bikini photos that erode her selfesteem. Even following friends can induce pangs of envy. “I’m constantly seeing rings and relationships popping up on my Instagram. It can make me feel very single.”

It’s easy to get stuck in the honeycomb of Instagram feeds, where six degrees of separation becomes two taps — from someone you know to someone who knows someone you know, then a total stranger with an expensive wardrobe and a nice tan. The filters create a fun-house mirror of comparison, rendering you short and squatty.

They’re the ones out making great memories — picking apples, lounging poolside, kissing beneath a Ferris wheel.

You’re the one in sweatpants stalking them from the couch.

Instagram has created a culture of unabashed voyeurism. To comment on a picture with the popular hashtag “goals” is to openly covet. It’s often a one-word comment, an evolution from the “I like this” of a facile Facebook

When someone we love is dying, these last encounters remain with us in a way that little else does. It is a deep desire of the human heart to say goodbye well, with fullness, to say all that needs to be said. What is our final encounter, then, with the dying Christ?

convert Robert Hugh Benson (18711914) asserts something very striking and most helpful when we come to reverently consider the crucifixion.

He says that we are watching not just Christ’s death, but our own death, too — our own interior tragedy. And if that’s true, we might also assert that we are watching not just Christ’s death and not just our death, but also our capacity to forgive: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

We observe our capacity to surrender: “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Our deep longing for communion with the Beloved: “I thirst.” Our capacity to serve to the very thumbs-up to “I want to be this.” Yet the word “goals” connotes a rigorous academic pursuit, making it perfectly acceptable, even witty.

“That hashtag is a pet peeve of mine,” Melina said. “It’s a code for comparison and envy. It’s like, ‘Why are you striving to be someone else when God meant you to be you? You are precious in his eyes!’”

Melina is trying to reclaim the hashtag by occasionally tagging her posts with “Catholicgoals,” a tonguein-cheek reminder of what really matters — sacraments, prayer, friendship. She resists the temptation to curate her Instagram feed in order to project a perfect life, realizing that wouldn’t be healthy for her or friends who would view it. “You’re never going to have good conversations with people if you’re not willing to be vulnerable.”

Melina believes we’ve become too passive about toxic influences. “We’re scared of certain consequences that may or may not happen if we make a first decision to cut off that which kills us,” she said. “I want to challenge us to become bolder in seeing what is hurting us physically, emotionally, spiritually and then doing something about it.”

That may mean unfollowing a feed that’s bringing you down or giving up Instagram for a week. For Melina, such measures are part of a deliberate effort to stay rooted in her identity as a daughter of Christ. When she’s bombarded by Cosmo covers at the grocery store check-out, she turns away and recites Song of Solomon: “You are beautiful, my love, there is no flaw in you.”

istock end, to love to the very end, to live lives of service and self-donation: “It is finished.”

As we enter into Lent, I will be reflecting in greater depth on this precious, last encounter with Christ on the cross, his last words to his most faithful friends. Next time, “Father, forgive them.”

Kelly is an award-winning speaker and the author of five books, including “Reasons I Love Being Catholic.” She is trained as a spiritual director in the Ignatian exercises and leads retreats with a particular focus on helping women to flourish in their faith.

It’s easy to get stuck in the honeycomb of Instagram feeds, where six degrees of separation becomes two taps — from someone you know to someone who knows someone you know, then a total stranger with an expensive wardrobe and a nice tan. The filters create a fun-house mirror of comparison, rendering you short and squatty.

Sure, she’d like to lose weight, but when Melina looks in the mirror, she focuses on her chocolate brown eyes and her bright, all-consuming smile.

“There’s a joy in my smile that reminds me of a woman in love,” she said. “I love the way God made me and the way his joy in me is infectious.”

Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights and the editor of www.SisterStory.org.

THIS CATHOLIC LIFE • COMMENTARY

February 4, 2016

EVERYDAY MERCIES

Alyssa Bormes

Build an altar Each year it’s a little different. Some years the anniversaries pass quietly; this year they were harder. On that December day after Mass when I told my friend that my younger child would have been 25 years old, the intensity of my tears surprised me. It was the same just a few months earlier when my older child would have been 26. The two “counselors” who spoke of the relief that abortion gives never mentioned that the ache of anni versaries intensifies after your own mother dies. Maybe they didn’t know.

they would lead up to the prayer service at the Cathedral, and later the march in St. Paul. Did I want to join them? “It can be a weird day for me; let me tell you tomorrow.” That night, prayer gave me solace; “This year will be different.” The next day I told her to count me in.

On Friday, Jan. 22, a group met for morning Mass at the Cathedral, went to breakfast, returned for a tour of the Cathedral, and joined the prayer service and the march.

As the March for Life approached this year, another teacher mentioned a morning of activities she was planning;

I teach at Chesterton Academy, and our students have a day away from classes in order to attend the March for

Ache of loss, joy in mercy

Life. We had 26 students who went to the national march in Washington, D.C., with parent chaperones. There was one student who joined her parish on one of the archdiocesan buses that went to Washington, and the rest of the students went to the march in St. Paul.

At the prayer service, tears visited me again. It was the ache of having lost my mom, but it was also the joy in knowing that I have been forgiven, and that my children have been entrusted to the mercy of God. “Mercy” kept ringing in my heart, as did, “This year will be different.”

At the march, I met my Silent No More sisters and brothers. Their hugs are so powerful, as are the hugs of the strangers who thank us. This is mercy.

All of the students who went to Washington got stranded in the snow.

Most were in a hotel, but Rebecca was on one of the buses caught on the turnpike, the one with Bill Dill, our archdiocesan youth events coordinator. Relating the story to our class, Rebecca said, “And then Bill Dill said, ‘Build an altar,’ and so we did.” As they built, Bill found a priest

The Catholic Spirit • 19

‘Mercy’ kept ringing in my heart, as did, ‘This year will be different.’ on another bus, and then there was Mass on the side of the road for hundreds (see page 6). And the march that the media love to ignore couldn’t be ignored because of that altar and that Mass.

In God’s providence, my answer to prayer, “mercy” and “this year will be different,” met the Holy Spirit-inspired words of Bill Dill: “Build an altar.” With bus after bus stuck between car after car, there was a moment where the veil was lifted. Souls changed. Conversions happened. Thank you Bill; that altar was an epicenter of mercy.

Bormes, a member of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, is the author of the book “The Catechism of Hockey.”

WORD ON FIRE

Father Robert Barron

‘The Revenant’ and the search for a higher justice Editor’s note: This commentary piece contains some spoilers for “The Revenant,” which is currently showing in local theaters.

Alejandro Iñárritu’s new film “The Revenant” is one of the most talked about movies, and for good reason. The opening 20 minutes, which feature a frighteningly realistic Indian attack and a horrifically vivid mauling by a grizzly bear, are absolutely compelling viewing.

And the remainder of the film is so involving that this viewer, at least, felt physically sick as he followed the sufferings of the main character.

The story revolves around a fur trapper from the early 19th century named Hugh Glass (very convincingly played by Leonardo DiCaprio). After being nearly killed by a bear protecting its cubs (in the mauling referenced above), Glass is bandaged up and then carried on a crudely constructed litter through miles and miles of rugged country in the middle of winter.

So sick is he and such an encumbrance to his colleagues that many in the party wonder whether it might be better simply to kill him. But Glass’ son, a halfwhite, half-Indian teenager named Hawk, vigorously defends his father. Eventually, however, Fitzgerald, one of the strongest advocates for eliminating Glass, makes his move, murdering Hawk in cold blood and placing Glass in a shallow grave, convinced that the profoundly injured man would never manage to extricate himself.

But in the first of a number of resurrection/re-birth scenes, Glass crawls out of his grave and, despite his appalling injuries, manages to make his way. What

follows is like something out of Dante’s Inferno or the book of Job. When he tries to take a drink, the water runs out of the wounds in his neck; when he seeks shelter in a cave, Indians find him and he is compelled to escape down a fastflowing stream while arrows whiz by his head; when we think he is relatively safe, he is attacked again and forced to escape on horseback right over a steep cliff, killing the animal and leaving himself even more grievously injured; exposed to lethal cold, he eviscerates the horse and sleeps in the confines of the carcass, etc., etc.

Seeking revenge What is driving him during this entire ordeal is a burning desire for vengeance against Fitzgerald, the man who killed his son and left Glass himself for dead. He will face down every obstacle and withstand any assault so that he might bring this wicked person to justice. In this, he comes to imitate the bear with whom he had grappled to the death.

Throughout the central section of the film, Glass is clad head to toe in furs, shuffles and grunts his way through the wilderness, eats animals and fish raw. He has become the grizzly, roused to fury because of an attack on his offspring.

The pivotal moment of the film occurs when, at the end of his strength, Glass encounters a Pawnee warrior who feeds him and shelters him during a ferocious storm. In conversation afterward, Glass learns that his benefactor had himself lost his entire family at the hands of the Sioux tribe. Filled understandably with rage and a desire for vengeance, the Indian concluded, nevertheless, that

Leonardo DiCaprio stars in a scene from the movie “The Revenant.” The Catholic News Service classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. CNS “vengeance is best left to the Creator.”

In a dream/fantasy sequence just after this conversation, Glass finds himself in the midst of the ruins of a Christian church, where he spies and embraces Hawk, reaching out, as it were, across the divide to a transcendent world, where the Creator rules. Without giving away too much more of the plot, suffice it to say that Glass tracks down Fitzgerald and engages in mano-a-mano combat with him until he remembers what the Pawnee had said and allows his wounded counterpart to drift down the river.

Vengeance vs. ‘higher justice’ The film carries a crucially important message, especially for our secularist time, namely, that, as Evelyn Waugh put it in “Brideshead Revisited,” “the supernatural is the real.”

The Revenant is unremittingly honest in its portrayal of people caught in the awful reality of this fallen world, which is marked through and through by violence, suspicion, hatred, revenge and the constant struggle to survive in the context of an indifferent nature. For the denizens of this universe, the correct mottos are indeed “kill or be killed” and “love your friends but hate your enemies” and “an eye for an eye and a

tooth for a tooth.”

If there is no God, as Fitzgerald suggests to one of his underlings, survival at any cost, the law of the jungle, is the supreme law. But if there is a dimension that transcends nature, if there is a God who provides a moral compass and presides over human affairs, then one can let go of vengeance and seek a higher justice. The film ends just as this consciousness of God dawns on Glass.

How much of human history has been dominated by revenge, which produces an endless cycle of violence? And how present is this dynamic in the struggles of today: Muslim factionalism in the Middle East, anti-Christian violence in Africa, terrorism everywhere?

Nothing within fallen nature will ever break us free of these cycles. Only an openness to the transcendent God, a higher power to whom we can entrust our thirst for justice, will solve the problem that most bedevils the human heart. The slowly-dawning awareness of this truth is the greatest re-birth undergone by Hugh Glass, and watching it happen is a very good reason to see “The Revenant.”

Bishop Barron is an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

20 • The Catholic Spirit

THIS CATHOLIC LIFE • COMMENTARY

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Kathryn Mollen

Surrogacy and the throwaway culture Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has waged a war on the “throwaway culture,” in which anything can be commodified and given a dollar value, and where life itself can be, in his words, “considered a consumer good to be used and then discarded.”

The commercial surrogacy industry is a product of the throwaway culture. In surrogacy arrangements, a baby can be bought and sold, a woman’s body can be used as a human incubator, and those with the most wealth — i.e., the surrogacy industry — are in charge of the decisions. A surrogacy arrangement can cost between $100,000-$150,000, with only a small portion going to the surrogate mother. A good majority of the money goes to the surrogacy industry itself, a multi-billion-dollar, everexpanding international business.

This international business lobbies to create laws in states like Minnesota that would enable the surrogacy market to continue to grow unchecked by giving legal recognition to surrogacy contracts.

Often, these contracts create an imbalanced preference favoring the industry’s financial interests over the surrogate mother’s well-being, not to mention the well-being of the unborn

child. Recognizing this danger, some countries are starting to clamp down on the surrogacy industry.

For example, the European Parliament recently condemned surrogacy, concluding that the practice “undermines the human dignity of the woman since her body and its reproductive functions are used as a commodity.”

Heedless of a global movement in which countries such as Canada, India, Cambodia, Mexico and many European states have either banned or restricted the practice, our nation’s leaders have refused to take steps to protect citizens from the dangers of surrogacy. Without federal regulations banning or restricting the practice, states have cobbled together inconsistent laws — most that favor the industry and enable its growth.

In California, for instance, two separate cases recently emerged in which surrogate mothers were pressured to abort one of the three fetuses they were carrying. When both mothers refused, the would-be parents’ attorneys threatened to sue them for breach of contract, claiming they were liable for money damages unless they complied.

One of the mothers, Melissa Cook, is

MAKING SENSE OF BIOETHICS

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

The mystery of male-female complementarity James Parker came out at age 17 and later entered into a relationship with another man. He worked as a gay activist for a while, but his personal experiences of intimacy and human sexuality eventually led him to grasp that “samesex marriage just doesn’t exist; even if you want to say that it does.” He concluded that trying to persuade those with homosexual inclinations that they can have marriage like heterosexual couples is basically to “hoodwink” them: “Deep down, there is no mystery between two men, ultimately.“ This striking insight helps bring into focus the authentic and remarkable mystery we encounter in the joining of husband and wife in marriage. That abiding mystery touches on their oneflesh union and reveals an inner fruitfulness, enabling them to contribute together something greater than either can do alone, namely, the engendering of new life in the marital embrace.

Ultimately, that life-giving mystery

flows from their radical male–female complementarity.

St. John Paul II commented on this “mystery of complementarity” when he noted how “uniting with each other [in the conjugal act] so closely as to become ‘one flesh,’ man and woman, rediscover, so to speak, every time and in a special way, the mystery of creation.”

The personal and bodily complementarity of man and woman, along with the “duality of a mysterious mutual attraction,” reminds us, again in the words of the pope, how “femininity finds itself, in a sense, in the presence of masculinity, while masculinity is confirmed through femininity.”

In recent times, nevertheless, the importance of the bodily and spiritual complementarity of man and woman has come to be diminished and even negated in the minds of many, largely due to the diffusion of contraception.

This way of intentionally impeding our own procreativity has effectively

now challenging the constitutionality of California’s surrogacy contracts, saying, “I no longer view surrogacy arrangements in the same favorable light I once did. . . . [I] think that the basic concept of surrogacy arrangements must be re-examined, scrutinized and reconsidered.”

Similar stories continue to surface with increasing frequency.

Last year, the Minnesota Catholic Conference assisted legislators in introducing a bill that would do exactly what Cook said was necessary: establish a study commission to “re-examine, scrutinize and reconsider” surrogacy arrangements. The bill was drafted to be a bi-partisan, fact-finding mission where the practices of the industry could be brought to light — a commonsense approach necessary to protect children, women and intended parents from the potential harms of surrogacy arrangements.

Despite the fact that this bill proposed nothing but the study of surrogacy, the industry strongly opposed it. If surrogacy arrangements are without any negative consequences, as proponents contest, their vehement opposition to examining the issue more closely leaves us to wonder what the industry has to hide.

This session, the surrogacy industry will undoubtedly try to block the creation of a commission again. The question will be, are we as Catholics willing to call our legislators, go to their offices and attend hearings to stand up for the vulnerable, oppose a throwaway culture, and insist that — at a minimum — our legislators study this issue?

February 4, 2016

Tell legislators to protect vulnerable women and the best interests of children Contact the Judiciary and Health, Human Services, and Housing Committee chairs and urge them to support the following bill by sharing this message: SF 348: Support a legislative commission on surrogacy “Please support SF 348, which would establish a legislative commission to study surrogacy arrangements. The commission is structured to be a bi-partisan, fact-finding mission where the practices of the surrogacy industry can be examined and the Legislature can take a more serious, in-depth look at the many concerns associated with surrogacy. This is a commonsense approach necessary to protect potentially vulnerable women, children and families from the potential harms of surrogacy arrangements.”

Contact: Sen. Ron Latz – sen.ron.latz@senate.mn or 651-297-8065 Sen. Kathy Sheran – sen.kathy.sheran@ senate.mn or 651-296-6153 For more information, visit www.mncc.org/actioncenter.

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

diminished and even undermined our ability to perceive the inner order and interpersonal meaning of our own sexuality. St. John Paul II once described the root truth about human sexuality as that “characteristic of man — male and female —which permits them, when they become ‘one flesh,’ to submit at the same time their whole humanity to the blessing of fertility.”

The routine promotion of contraceptive sexual relations across all strata of society has effectively collapsed the mystery of sexuality into the trivial pursuit of mutually-agreed-upon pleasurable sensations. It has managed to reconfigure that sexuality into, basically, sterile acts of mutual auto-eroticism. Men and women, neutered and neutralized by various surgeries, pharmaceuticals or other devices, no longer really need each other in their complementary sexual roles, with homosexual genital activity claiming the status of just another variant of the same game. This depleted vision of our sexuality strips out the beautiful mystery at its core and diminishes our human dignity.

Human sexuality clearly touches deep human chords, including the reality of our solitude. In the depths of the human heart is found a desire for completion through the total spousal gift of oneself to another, a gift that profoundly contributes to alleviating our primordial sense of human solitude. Both St. John Paul II and Pope Francis have noted how the deeper mystery of communion that we seek through intimacy is connected

to this desire to overcome solitude. We are ultimately intended for communion, so our experiences of human solitude draw us into relationship, and beckon us to an encounter with the other.

Yet the union of friendship that arises between two men, for example, or between two women, while clearly important in helping to overcome solitude, can be predicated only on nongenital forms of sharing if their friendship is to be authentic, fruitful and spiritually life-giving. Genital sexual activity between members of the same sex fails to communicate objectively either the gift of life or the gift of self.

Such activity countermands authentic intimacy by collapsing into a form of consensual bodily exploitation, contradicting the very design and meaning of the body in its nature as masculine or feminine. It represents, in fact, the lifeless antithesis of nuptial fruitfulness and faithfulness.

The beauty and meaning of every sexual encounter in marriage, then, is rooted not only in faithful and exclusive love, but also in the radical complementarity of spouses manifested in the abiding mystery of their mutual procreativity.

Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did postdoctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, and serves as the director of education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

CALENDAR

February 4, 2016 Dining out St. Wenceslaus Church soup supper — Feb. 6: 4:30–7 p.m. at 215 Main St. E., New Prague.

Boy Scout Troop No. 288 pancake breakfast — Feb. 7: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of St. Michael Church/Community of Saints Regional Catholic School, 335 Hurley St. E., West St. Paul. Information: 651-457-2334.

Mardi Gras pancake breakfast — Feb. 7: 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S., Richfield.

Information: www.strichards.com/events.

Annual sauerkraut supper and live music — Feb. 9: 4–8 p.m. at Holy Cross Church, 1630 Fourth St., NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Knights of Columbus #4967 Fish Fry Friday — Feb. 12: 4–7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic School cafeteria, 2620 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul.

Guardian Angels Church Men’s Club annual beef and sausage dinner — Feb. 14: 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at 217 Second St. W., Chaska. Information: www.gachaska.org.

Parish events Men’s “Fat Friday” — Feb. 5: 7 p.m. at St. Agnes Church, 535 Thomas Ave., St. Paul. Food, Scotch, beer and cigars. Free poker tournament with prizes. RSVP: 612-381-6964 or anthonyjamesalt@gmail.com.

Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibit — Feb. 5, 6 and 17: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at Holy Spirit Church, 515 Albert St. S., St. Paul. Information: www.holy-spirit.org/easter.

Valentine’s dinner, speaker and dance — Feb. 13: 5–11 p.m. at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 1725 Kennard St., Maplewood. Information: www.presentationofmary.org.

KC bingo — Feb. 14: 1–3:30 p.m. at Mary Queen of Peace Church –St. Martin campus, 21201 Church Ave., Rogers.

Ham bingo — Feb. 20: 5:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Helena gym, 3200 E. 44th St., Minneapolis. Information: 612-729-9301.

ALPHA: dinner, videos and discussion about life, faith and God — Mondays, Feb. 22–May 9: 6:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Michael Church, 611 Third St., Stillwater.

Information: www.stmichaelstillwater.org.

16th anniversary of eucharistic adoration chapel

celebration Mass and potluck — March 5: 4 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church, 2119 Stillwater Ave., St. Paul.

Information: Marlene Wacker at 651-738-0677, ext. 13.

Prayer and worship Addiction recovery Mass and healing service — Feb. 13: 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at St. Pascal Baylon Church, 1757 Conway St., St. Paul. Chili lunch to follow.

Information: 800-398-0524 or secretary@CalixSociety.org.

Mass for World Day of the Sick — Feb. 13: 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 835 Second St. NW, New Brighton. Prayer and blessing with water from Lourdes and a reception will follow Mass. The sick, caregivers, health care workers and chaplains are welcome. Hosted by Curatio, an Apostolate for Catholic Health Care Professionals, and the American Association of the Order of Malta. Information: 651-373-5369 or emailcuratioevent@ gmail.com, or www.curatioapostolate.com.

franciscanretreats.net.

Lenten retreat: “Disciple” — Feb. 13: 8 a.m.–3 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 380 Little Canada Road, Little Canada. Information: www.stjohnsoflc.org.

“Shape of the Divine: A Retreat with Clay” with Sister Virginia Matter — Feb. 14-15 at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Information: 651-777-7251 or benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org, or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Women’s weekend mercy-themed retreat — Feb. 19–21 at 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake.

Information: www.franciscanretreats.net.

School of Lectio Divina: “How to Encounter God in a Deeper Way” — Feb. 19-24: 1 p.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Information: 651-777-7251 or benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org, or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Widows and widowers Agape Mass and dinner with Father Al Backmann — Feb. 20: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. Peter Church, 1250 South Shore Drive, Forest Lake.

RSVP to Lisa at 651-982-2229 by Feb. 12. Information: www. stpeterfl.org.

Retreat for pastoral ministers: “Befriending Your Limits” — March 4-5 at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Information: 651-777-7251 or benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org, or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Retreats

Schools

Men’s weekend retreat: “God’s Tender Mercy: Opening Our Hearts” — Feb. 5-7: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 to 1 p.m. Feb. 7 at 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake.

Information: 952-447-2182 or www.franciscanretreats.net/ mens_retreats.aspx Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend — Feb. 5-7: 8 p.m. Feb. 5 – 3:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. Information: www.twincitieswwme.org.

Frassati Catholic Academy open house and spaghetti dinner — Feb. 4: 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 4690 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake. Information: 651-429-7771 or pgallivan @frassatiwbl.org, or www.frassati-wbl.org.

Holy Trinity School open house and kindergarten information night — Feb. 4: 6:30 p.m. at 745 Sixth Ave. S., South St. Paul. Information: www.holytrinitys.org.

Speakers

Morning of reflection – “Forgiveness: A Way to Imitate Christ” — Feb. 6: 7:30 a.m. continental breakfast followed by speaker Guy Gruters at Guardian Angels Church, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. Information: www. guardian-angels.org.

Morning of Reflection with Laura Sobiech: “How God Answered a Mom’s Small Prayer in a Big Way” — Feb. 20: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at Guardian Angels Church, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. Information: www.guardianangels.org.

“Embracing the Holy Time of Lent” — Feb. 7: 4–6 p.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood.

Information: 651-777-7251 or benedictinecenter@ stpaulsmonastery.org, or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Other events

Married couple’s retreat — Feb. 12–14 at 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. Information: www.

Mental Health Film Festival: Mental Illness and the Arts — Feb. 4: 6–8 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary, 88 N. 17th St., Minneapolis. Information: www.mary.org.

St. Paul’s Outreach 30th Anniversary Banquet —

The Catholic Spirit • 21 CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication.

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 ONLINE: www.thecatholicspirit.com/ calendarsubmissions

MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102

A note to readers As of Jan. 1, 2016, The Catholic Spirit no longer accepts calendar submissions via email.

Please submit events using the form at www. thecatholicspirit.com/calendarsubmissions Feb. 9: 6–9 p.m. at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. SPO alums Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Sister Gloria Therese will be honored.

Advanced registration required: support.spoweb.org/ mnbanquet.

Minneapolis Deanery Catholic Culture Day — Feb. 10: 10–11:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, 1701 Fifth St. NE, Minneapolis. Tour of St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral open to all women and men, followed by optional lunch at Sarna’s Restaurant, 40th and University Ave. NE, Columbia Heights. Reservations for lunch required: Sue Harrison, 763-789-4945 by Feb. 7.

Information: www.accwarchspm.org.

FISH fies & LENTEN dinners Feb. 12 Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Knights of Columbus No. 4967 — 4–7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic School cafeteria, 2620 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information: www. saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

March 4 Guardian Angels Church (Oakdale) — 4:30–7 p.m. at 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. Information: www.guardian-angels.org.

Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Pius X Church Fish Fry — 4:30–7 p.m. at 3878 Highland Ave., White Bear Lake. Information: www.churchofstpiusx.org.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information: www. saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners

Feb. 26

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information: www.saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners

St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

Feb. 19 Guardian Angels Church (Chaska) — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at First Street and Cedar Ave., Chaska.

Guardian Angels Church (Oakdale) — 4:30–7 p.m. at 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. Information: www.guardianangels.org.

Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Mary Queen of Peace Church–St. Martin campus Knights of Columbus — 5–7 p.m. at 21201 Church Ave., Rogers.

Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Knights of Columbus No. 4967 — 4–7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic School cafeteria, 2620 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information: www.saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

March 11 Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Knights of Columbus No. 4967 — 4–7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic School cafeteria, 2620 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Pius X Church — 4:30–7 p.m. at 3878 Highland Ave., White Bear Lake. Information: www.churchofstpiusx.org.

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information:

www.saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners

St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

St. Pius X Church — 4:30–7 p.m. at 3878 Highland Ave., White Bear Lake. Information: www.churchofstpiusx.org.

March 18 Guardian Angels Church (Oakdale) — 4:30–7 p.m. at 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. Information: www.guardian-angels.org.

Holy Cross Church — 5–7 p.m. in the parish’s Kolbe Center, 1630 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Information: www.ourholycross.org.

Holy Family Maronite Church Lebanese dinner — 4:30–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights.

Knights of Columbus No. 4967 — 4–7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic School cafeteria, 2620 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church enchilada dinner — 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St., St. Paul.

Information: 651-228-0506 or www.olgspchurch.com.

St. Albert the Great Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. Information: www.saintalbertthegreat.org/fish-dinners St. John the Baptist Church — 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Information: www.stgens.org.

St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

March 25 (Good Friday) St. Matthew Church — 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 507 Hall Ave., St. Paul.

22 • The Catholic Spirit

February 4, 2016

Kids’ questions become book by Pope Francis

Poor Clare sister, 102, was talented weaver, painter

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

The Catholic Spirit

Children may say the darnedest things, but when it comes to questions about faith, they can make even the most learned parents and priests pause.

“These are tough,” Pope Francis said when presented with questions from 30 children from around the world.

Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, who went through the questions with the pope, said half the time he was stumped when thinking about how he would have responded.

But the pope wasn’t.

The questions, illustrated with the drawings of the children aged 6-13, and the pope’s answers will be published March 1 as the book “Dear Pope Francis.”

“What did God do before the world was made?” one child asked.

“Do bad people have a guardian angel, too?” asked another.

In the book, coordinated and published by the U.S.-based Loyola Press, Pope Francis responds to those and 28 other queries; some of the questions are theological, others are practical and a few are about the pope personally, including what he wanted to be when

he grew up.

Father Spadaro heads La Civilta Cattolica, a To the question Jesuit journal filled with about what God was articles on philosophy, doing before creation, theology, literary the pope said, “Think criticism and political of it this way: Before theory. He has never creating anything, God worked with young loved. That’s what God children and said he was doing: God was was in awe of how the loving.” pope handled the Questions about questions — taking Jesus, war and peace, them seriously and and heaven also are responding to them included, though “Dear Pope Francis,” which honestly and clearly.

Father Spadaro was includes drawings by children ages Some of the pope’s keeping those under 6-13, will be published March 1.

CNS answers, he said, are wraps. “inspired.”

Some of the personal “This is important,” questions made Pope Francis laugh, and Father Spadaro said. “It says a lot about the pope’s answers to those questions the magisterium of Pope Francis; he made Father Spadaro laugh, the Jesuit knows his ministry can reach children.” said. The pope admits in the book that when he was small he wanted to be a At the request of Loyola Press, Father butcher because the butcher his Spadaro asked Pope Francis last May if grandmother bought meat from had an he would be willing to do the book. apron with a big pocket that seemed to Loyola Press then reached out to be full of money. dozens of Jesuits and collaborators The children’s questions are “simple, around the globe, asking them to solicit but not silly,” said Father Spadaro, who questions and drawings from children. discussed them with Pope Francis and In the end, 259 children in 26 countries recorded his answers. submitted questions.

“Feisty, tough and, oh, so tender, always quick to say, ‘I am sorry.’”

That’s how Sister Helen Weier described fellow Poor Clare Sister Anne Condon, who died Jan. 11 at Saint Therese of New Hope. She was 102.

Born Bernice Condon in Minneapolis June 10, 1913, she entered the Poor Clare Monastery in Sauk Rapids in 1931 and came to the Twin Cities in 1953 to establish the order’s community in Bloomington.

Throughout her time with the Poor Clares, she was known as a talented weaver and painter, producing beautiful hangings for the chapel.

“She was ever a woman of strength, a strength that helped others to walk upright and stand tall in trust, humble faith and great love,” Sister Helen said during a eulogy before Sister Anne’s funeral Mass at St. Bonaventure in Bloomington Jan. 22. “She didn’t flaunt her piety, yet it ran deep as an ocean.”

She is survived by 11 St. Clare Sisters, plus nieces and nephews.

Interment is in Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights.

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FAITH & CULTURE

February 4, 2016

The Catholic Spirit • 23

Basilica parishioner describes directing ‘Love and Mercy’ film Interview by Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Basilica of St. Mary parishioner and movie producer and director Bill Pohlad will participate in the annual Mental Health Film Festival at the Basilica, 6 p.m. Feb. 11. He will show “Love and Mercy,” the 2014 film he directed about the life of Brian Wilson, lead singer of the Beach Boys. The movie documents both Wilson’s musical success and his struggles with mental illness. It illustrates his relationships with both his future second wife, Melinda Ledbetter, and his psychotherapist, Dr. Eugene Landy. The movie was produced by Pohlad’s production company, River Road Entertainment. Pohlad talked to The Catholic Spirit about the movie and his experiences in directing it.

The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Q. What got you interested in Brian

Wilson and directing a movie about his life and journey with mental illness?

A.

I’ve always been a music fan and I was also a fan of the few documentaries that got to give you a look inside the creative process of making music. I loved those because of my interest in music as well as film. So the prospect of trying to recapture that golden era of Brian’s music is really what intrigued me initially.

But then, the story [emerged] of the man and the struggles that he faced, the mental health issues and how he fought and how Melinda came to his rescue.

Those elements really solidified my interest in it.

Q.

How much contact did you have with Wilson?

A. He was involved in the process

throughout, both he and Melinda.

Initially, we had to get his rights and his approval. Whenever you’re facing the prospect of having your life presented in a film, you’ve got to be sure that you’re very comfortable with the filmmaker. In the early stages of us investigating doing this film, I sat down with Brian and Melinda and talked to them about what my vision was. I was honest with them.

Getting him to be comfortable with my

wwwTheCatholicSpirit.com

“It’s a movie about a human being who, throughout his life, has faced some very difficult challenges with his mental health.”

Bill Pohlad

vision and with me was the key to it.

Then, he was involved throughout. Not like you would think. He doesn’t have much ego. He’s very humble and simple.

He just really loves his music.

Throughout the process, we kept him involved, to make sure it was going in the direction that was true to his life. It was a good balance of him being involved, but not being overbearing.

Q.

Why is this a good fit for the Basilica Mental Health Film Festival?

A. It’s a movie about a human being

who, throughout his life, has faced some very difficult challenges with his mental health. He suffers from an issue called schizoaffective disorder. It’s not schizophrenia, but it has some of the same qualities of schizophrenia. So, he hears voices, he has different feelings and some emotional challenges and has throughout his life.

Q. How does the title connect to the movie and how are love and mercy illustrated in the film?

A. The title comes from the name of a

song that Brian wrote during this period when he was in the care of Dr. Landy.

Why he named that song that and what his feelings were at the time, one can only speculate on. But, it struck a cord with both Oren [Moverman], the writer, and me as being very appropriate given what the movie was trying to say.

Love and mercy are what he needed at the time, which is a reflection of the lyrics of the song. But, it’s something much more than that. That’s a little too simplistic.

Both the stories of Brian in the ‘60s when he was in his 20s and the ‘80s when he was in his 40s, [there were] struggles that he was going through and the reaction of people around him, primarily Melinda. She at that time in that era represented love and mercy to him. I think that’s where he came up with the idea of the song. We thought that was well reflected in the movie’s title.

Q. Does your Catholic faith influence your creative process?

Mental Health Film Festival The fourth annual Basilica of St. Mary Mental Health Film Festival takes place on four Thursdays in February at 6 p.m.

Feb. 4: “Brushes with Life: Art, Artists and Mental Illness,” featuring Philip Brubaker, writer, and Deirdre Haj, producer. Representatives from Vail Place, InterAct and the Basilica’s mental health ministry will also be available for the Q&A session.

Feb. 11: “Love and Mercy,” featuring director and Basilica parishioner Bill Pohlad.

Feb. 18: “Iris,” featuring a Q&A session after the screening.

Feb. 25: “The Soloist,” featuring a Q&A session after the screening.

A. I’m sure it does. Absolutely. I was

raised Catholic and I hold it close to my heart, my faith and my relationship to God. But, I don’t specifically or logically mix the two [faith and filmmaking]. I don’t live my life that way. My Catholic upbringing and my Catholic life is a part of who I am, but it’s not one that I hold out separately and do the things I do in my life specifically because of that. It’s just part of me.

Q. What does it mean to you to be able to show your film at the Basilica?

A. It’s exciting on a personal basis, as a

parishioner and a longtime member of this community. I have a very strong connection to the Basilica, a very strong personal connection throughout my life.

And so, it’s like coming home in a lot of ways. There’s some nervousness about showing it to people that you know or people that you’re connected with in other ways. But, there’s a thrill to it, too.

I’m excited, proud and honored to be part of the festival. It’s really a great thing.

Q.

How did working on the film impact you?

A. It’s a huge learning experience. That’s

what life is about to me, exploring and interacting with this great big, beautiful world and everybody involved in it.

Interacting on a deeper level with some of these people, particularly Brian and Melinda, and getting to know them and what they went through and how they reacted to those things, and how they approach life and challenges, is fantastic.

It’s a great gift to be able to experience those things. Definitely, you learn from it and you take all that in. It definitely impacts my life. The things that come to mind are things like Brian’s modesty or humility and, to some degree, his childlike innocence. Brian definitely has that.

He’s not caught up in ego or the celebrity of it all. All along, he just has kept it very simple.

24 • The Catholic Spirit

THE LAST WORD

1. Include God in your marriage. Our

mission as spouses is to help each other get to heaven. Without God, that is not possible. To help with our mission, ask God to help you become the lover he would be to your spouse. Then do what it takes to follow his advice.

to 23beways a better Valentine

2. Have a shared mission and write it

down. We regularly make plans and goals for work, personal growth and financial security. Your marriage is the heart of all of these. What is the mission and purpose of your marriage? God has brought you together for a purpose; where is he taking you? What do you want to achieve as a couple? Spend time with your spouse charting your course.

3. Be there for your spouse. We have many

responsibilities every day and we work with many others in service, in our work and with those who educate our children. You are your spouse’s most precious ally. Pray for your spouse in different moments of the day, asking for grace to be poured into his or her heart.

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, The Catholic Spirit invited local marriage-focused organizations to share practical tips for Catholics seeking to build stronger marriages. The following 23 suggestions come from the Cana Family Institute, Marriage in Christ, Retrouvaille and Couples in Christ. Read more of their advice at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com.

— The Catholic Spirit

4. Know yourself. You are your spouse’s helpmate, a

gift for the journey. Commit yourself to a program of daily prayer and reflection, focusing on a virtue and looking for ways to practice it each day and, if at all possible, work with a spiritual director to seek to know and follow God’s will to love and cherish your spouse each day. Pray to be given the grace to become the spouse you’re called to be. Keep a gratitude journal by writing a specific thing your spouse does each day you are thankful for. At some point, you could give it to your spouse as a sign of your gratitude.

5. Live as a team. Marriage heals through the

sacramental grace you received on your wedding day.

You and your spouse bring together the head and the heart of your family, a strength for providing the flourishing environment for bringing children into the world and forming them to know they are loved by our heavenly Father. Regularly talk about how you’re doing as a couple emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and in the intimacy you share with each other. Plan how you need to form your children in virtue and service to others. Read a good book together; it makes for great conversations. Going to Mass every Sunday as a family requires a team — mom and dad — to manage all of the preparation necessary to arrive on time.

6. Maintain respect and appreciation for each other.

“Please” and “thank you” go a long way in response to daily household activities like cooking a meal, doing the dishes, mowing the lawn and plowing the driveway.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated and valued by their spouse. Plus, “a thankful heart is a happy heart.” When you have a disagreement with your spouse, remember that you are here to help each other get to heaven. A little humility goes a long way in a marriage.

7. Learn together. Read good, solid Catholic books

and attend talks and conferences on marriage, personality types, gender differences, etc. The more you know about human nature, the better you will understand and love yourself and your spouse. The time and effort to educate yourself will pay off.

10. Do the things you used to do when you were

courting. Wink at your spouse across the room. Leave little notes for your spouse to find. Tell your spouse that you are in love with him or her.

11. Be attentive. Decide not to text someone else while you are talking to your spouse. It’s rude.

12. Compliment your spouse in front of your children.

13. Communicate. Develop the ability to describe

your feelings so your spouse hears and understands the true reasons of the feelings you are experiencing.

Understand that there is a reason why they feel as they do. Often, anger is a secondary feeling to a deeper hurt.

14.

Nurture your faith life. Seek a closer relationship with God, individually and as a couple, in order to receive and experience the graces he can give, including patience, wisdom, mercy and forgiveness, compassion, generosity and sacrificial love. Nurturing faith can happen through prayer, regular Mass attendance together, growth and development through reading Scripture or other spiritual readings, meditation and using the sacraments of Eucharist and reconciliation.

15.

Look in the mirror. Instead of looking at your spouse and pointing out everything they do that upsets you, stop and look at yourself and ask, “What am I doing to influence this situation and what can I do

Connect with our sources Cana Family Institute is a Brooklyn Park-based apostolate that offers services and programs, including Familia, that support marriage and family. www.canafamilyinstitute.com

8. When you hurt one another, don’t just say, “I’m

Couples in Christ is the Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake’s small-group ministry for married couples. www.churchofsaintpaul.com/couples-in-christ

9. Build friendship by asking each other to share

Marriage in Christ is an Eagan-based organization that offers a five-week seminar on fostering friendship with God and one’s spouse. www.marriageinchrist.com

sorry.” Say, “Honey, I was wrong to do that. Please forgive me.”

memories. Ask each other, “What do you remember about our first date?”, “Do you remember our first kiss?”, “What do you remember about the first time you saw me?”

Twin Cities Retrouvaille is a program for couples wishing to rediscover a loving marriage relationship. www.tcr-mn.org

February 4, 2016

differently to get a different outcome?” It is difficult to truly look at ourselves and determine how our actions may influence our spouse’s behavior. Be flexible and open to change.

16. Curb outside influences. Don’t let your

children’s activities become the center of your marriage relationship. Something similar can be said of your own self interests. Don’t let your marriage suffer from time commitments to individual activities. Find common interests with your spouse that you can share and spend time together.

17. Ask for help when needed. If you have ongoing

struggles and problems communicating in your marriage, it is OK to seek help, whether that means counseling, speaking with your pastor or attending the Retrouvaille program. Many people wait too long before asking for help.

18. Love each other unconditionally. Marriage is a

commitment to give 100 percent of yourself to the other person unconditionally, whether the spouse is able to give 100 percent or not. Love is choosing to love each other during times when your spouse falls short or when you are having a difficult time liking each other.

Love that is not conditional, or dependent upon expectations, promotes healing and acceptance, and this type of love strengthens spouses to grow in love with each other even more.

19. Value each other and your marriage. Don’t

forget to still be a couple once the children arrive. Take time for nurturing your marriage without the kids occasionally. It doesn’t need to be expensive or even involve money. But be sure to be husband and wife, not just mom and dad. Having the kids see how much their parents love each other and value their marriage is one of the very best gifts you can give your children. You are modeling marriage for them every day with your devotion.

20. Pray together. Even if it’s a regular meal grace

that grandma taught you. Pray an Our Father before bed. Pray a rosary together. Pray with your own words your gratitude for your spouse or how you want God to bless and help him or her. Go to church together. Talk about your sacrament, how God is making you — in your marriage — to be a sign of his covenant love for a world that desperately needs to know true love.

21. Do the little things. The greatest thing that a

husband can do for his children is to love their mother (and vice versa for wives). Do the little things for her because true love is visible, like opening a car door, giving flowers on special occasions and praising her in the presence of the children. The little things in marriage make a big difference.

22. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Keep outside

pressures, such as work, out of the home so that it’s a peaceful place to be. We are all imperfect and have our faults and flaws. Don’t expect your spouse to be just like you. When we are courting, we seem to be oblivious to all the little annoying habits that later may start to bother us. Instead, understand that we are all different, and value the uniqueness of your spouse. Look at the positive attributes that attracted you to your spouse in the first place.

23. Create a support network of friends who also

value traditional marriage. Having Catholic values in our society can be challenging; rely on your spouse, relationships with people at church and your relationships with other faithful Catholics to stand strong in your values. You could consider forming a group of married friends to support, study and share.