July 26, 2018 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Seminary names Omaha priest new rector By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
‘Humanae Vitae’ at 50 Exploring the landmark 1968 encyclical affirming the Church’s teaching on marriage and contraception. — Pages 9-14
Celebrating Solanus Local parishes granted special permission to commemorate Blessed Solanus Casey’s first feast day July 30. — Page 5
More than money CCF president’s takeaways from the Third Vatican Conference on Impact Investing. — Page 6
Philly foster care Pennsylvania judge rules that a Catholic agency must consider same-sex couples for foster parents. — Page 7
The nun and NFP OB-GYN sister spent career educating teens how fertility works. — Page 15
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ather Joseph Taphorn will be building on two decades of rich priestly experience when he assumes the role of rector of the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in January. Ordained a priest in 1997, Father Taphorn served in a variety of pastoral and administrative assignments in the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, before being named to his present assignment as director and pastor of the St. John Paul II Newman Center in Omaha, which serves students at local colleges. Father Taphorn, 47, was one of three finalists who emerged from a broad search process that began in late April when Msgr. Thomas Richter, who had been slated to assume the rector position in June, was unexpectedly recalled to assume new responsibilities in his home diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota. Sixty names were submitted in response to the request for recommendations. Archbishop Bernard Hebda said that he was edified that “so many priests, religious and faithful of the Archdiocese [of St. Paul and Minneapolis], as well as seminarians, alumni, seminary faculty and bishops of our province took the time to not only suggest names but also to express their views on the qualities essential for the next rector.” From those names, three candidates were invited to participate in a process that Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who served as chairman of the search committee, called “very intensive.” They were each questioned by the same three teams of interviewers, drawn from seminary board members, faculty members and staff and the members of the search committee. Bishop Cozzens noted that all were impressed by Father Taphorn. “It’s certainly true that I knew Father Taphorn from my own history, and I knew that he would be a good candidate,” Bishop Cozzens said. “But, it was really the search committee that saw his gifts and skills, and recommended him to the archbishop as their No. 1 candidate.” Father Taphorn brings some “very unique gifts” to the table, Bishop Cozzens
Father Joseph Taphorn of the Archdiocese of Omaha brings more than 20 years of priestly ministry experience to his new role as rector of the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. He visited the seminary July 16 to meet with faculty and staff. said, including “vast experience in working with priests,” strong intellectual ability and recognition of the importance of lay formation. On top of that are personal attributes, such as humility, authenticity and holiness. Bishop Cozzens noted that Father Taphorn “wasn’t afraid to show that he’s a person who has weaknesses and has learned to grow from those weaknesses.” Another member of the search committee, Deacon Ramón Garcia of St. Stephen in Anoka, is excited to have a rector who is proficient in Spanish. He noted that Father Taphorn spent time in his hometown of Cuernavaca, Mexico, and studied Spanish there. Deacon Garcia called the appointment of a Spanish-speaking rector “a Latino moment.” He also believes that a rector who speaks Spanish and is familiar with the culture and people can help foster vocations within the Latino community. “He has a compassionate heart, and [that] will be very, very important for the Spanish [speaking] community,” Deacon Garcia said. “Almost half of the Catholic Church is Hispanic, so we’ll be the future [of the Church]. And now, here in
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Minneapolis-St. Paul, we have a rector in the heart of formation [who knows Spanish]. ... Knowing the Hispanic family is a tremendous blessing for us.” Search committee member Therese Coons of St. Anne in Hamel wrote in an email to The Catholic Spirit that Father Taphorn will be a “joyful Catholic leader of our seminary.” She was struck by his “many gifts” and noted that he has a strong desire to serve lay students. The seminary has 62 lay students enrolled in its degree programs in theology, pastoral ministry and religious education. Plus, it is home to the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, which offers a two-year program for hundreds of students every year. “Father Taphorn has a pastoral heart committed to the formation of both seminarians and laity,” she wrote. “In the interview process, Father Taphorn spoke enthusiastically of the importance of the laity and their complimentary role in ministering to God’s people. He told personal stories of how valuable the laity has been in his own ministry.” PLEASE TURN FATHER TAPHORN ON PAGE 5
Pulled from the sea, migrant’s rescue puts spotlight on Italian policy By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Tweeting with hashtags that translate as “Closed ports” and “Open hearts,” Italy’s interior minister disputed claims that the Italian government was complicit in leaving a migrant to die in the Mediterranean Sea as she clung to a board from a destroyed fishing boat. Matteo Salvini, the minister, has given strong support to Italy’s policy of having the Libyan coast guard patrol its own shores, pushing back refugee boats or taking the migrants and refugees back to camps in Libya. He also has worked to prevent rescue boats from docking in Italy until other European countries agree to take a share of
the migrants onboard. Salvini and others credit the Italian policy with leading to a sharp decline in the number of migrants and refugees arriving on Italy’s shores. The 17,838 migrants and refugees who arrived between Jan. 1 and July 18 represent an 86.5 percent decline from the number of arrivals in the same period in 2017 and an 84.8 percent decline compared to the same period in 2016, according to figures compiled by the Department of Public Security and posted on the Interior Ministry website July 18. But the numbers did not bump from the front pages of Italian newspapers the photographs of Josefa, a migrant from
CNS
A crew member of the Spanish nongovernmental organization Proactiva Open Arms comforts a rescued African migrant July 17 in central Mediterranean Sea. The main mission of the NGO is sea rescues of refugees who arrive in Europe PLEASE TURN TO MIGRANTS ON PAGE 7 fleeing wars, persecution or poverty.