The Catholic Spirit - March 31, 2016

Easter Blessing After temporary role, Archbishop Hebda named 11th leader of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda greets Mass attendees Easter Sunday at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis March 27. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

March 31, 2016

Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

INSIDE

Q&A with the next archbishop

Welcome Archbishop

2A • March 31, 2016

Archbishopdesignate Bernard Hebda kisses the foot of Paul Putzier March 24 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul during the footwashing ritual at Mass Holy Thursday, the day he was named archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The Holy Thursday appointment highlighted the connection between his new role and the Eucharist, priesthood and service, Archbishop Hebda noted. “It’s the Eucharist that brings us together. . . . The bishop is called to be that source of unity in his local Church, and where that takes place is at the table of the Lord.”

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“We are his people, the flock he shepherds.”

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March 31, 2016 • 3A

Archbishop sees surprise appointment a privilege, despite challenges

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit

S

Range of experience

tanding in the ambo of the Cathedral of St. Paul March 24, Archbishop Bernard Hebda told the faithful gathered for Holy Thursday Mass that he had often looked across the sanctuary and wondered who would eventually sit in the archbishop’s empty chair.

“Little did I imagine that I would be sitting there,” he said.

Earlier that day, the Holy See announced that Pope Francis had named Archbishop Hebda the new archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. An installation Mass is being planned for 2 p.m. May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

Until then, Archbishop Hebda, 56, will remain at the helm of the archdiocese as its apostolic administrator, a role he has held since the June 2015 resignation of his predecessor, Archbishop John Nienstedt, and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Piché.

Prior to the March 24 appointment, Archbishop Hebda was coadjutor archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, on track to take lead of that archdiocese with the anticipated retirement of Archbishop John Myers, who turns 75 in July. Archbishop Hebda has been dividing his time between Newark and the Twin Cities, but made it clear at the onset of his duties in Minnesota that his priority was the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as long as he was its apostolic administrator.

The Pittsburgh native called the archbishop appointment to St. Paul and Minneapolis a “shock,” because he never seriously entertained the idea of staying in Minnesota, he said, even though many in the archdiocese said they hoped he would.

“I . . . knew that Pope Francis had already given me responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Newark, so really that’s what I’d been thinking of all along,” he said.

“Monday evening we had our chrism Mass in Newark,

Prior to his appointment to Newark in 2013, Archbishop Hebda served as bishop of Gaylord, Michigan, from 20092013. From 1996-2009, he served in Rome in the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, which is responsible for canon law, serving for six years as council undersecretary.

He was ordained a priest in 1989 for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a law degree from Columbia University School of Law, and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. so I was already taking notes about what I would hope to do at next year’s chrism Mass. That was 12 hours before the nuncio called.”

Also shocking, he said, was the short time between the nuncio’s call and the Holy See’s announcement.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States, called him March 22, two days before the Holy Thursday announcement. The urgency, he said, was related to the encouragement Pope Francis wanted to show the archdiocese, he said.

“I think the Holy Father really wanted to show his closeness to the archdiocese, which was going to have to go through the Triduum without an archbishop,” he said. “While that’s still going to happen, because I’m not the archbishop until the installation Mass on May 13, the Holy Father’s action was a great encouragement to me and resolved the unsettling uncertainty that so often reigns in the vacant see.”

The archbishop said much of his role has been consumed by administrative duties, heightened by significant challenges the archdiocese has faced in the past year, including bankruptcy and criminal and civil charges. However, Archbishop Hebda hosted 10 listening sessions throughout the archdiocese in

October and November to gather information about the archdiocese’s strengths, challenges and hopes for its next archbishop, and compiled a report for Pope Francis to aid his decision making. A delegate from the nunciature also attended some sessions, calling them unprecedented in the bishop selection process.

Archbishop Hebda said he heard a range of views at the listening sessions that offered insights into the life of the archdiocese, which he expects to aid him as he transitions from apostolic administrator to archbishop. They also help him approach the role with humility.

“Remembering the qualities people had indicated that they would be looking for in their next archbishop, I’m somewhat intimidated to have been even considered for the post,” he said.

Among the challenges he’ll continue to face is the archdiocese’s bankruptcy, which it entered in January 2015 due to mounting claims of clerical sexual abuse, as well as criminal charges it faces related to a case of clerical sex abuse. Under Archbishop Hebda’s leadership, the archdiocese reached a settlement in December with Ramsey County on civil charges related to the same sex abuse case. The charges were filed simultaneously in June 2015.

“It’s still a long road that’s ahead of us. We’ve been . . . trying to deal with all of these things in a positive way that reflects who we are as Church,” he said. “I suspect that other people would be a better judge for how well we’ve done, but can attest that I have experienced a lot of cooperation and even some affirmation. When we entered into the settlement agreement for the civil charges, for example, I had the sense that many people in the archdiocese thought that we were moving in the right direction even though there’s still much that needs to be worked out.”

Despite the challenges, Archbishop Hebda told Holy Thursday Massgoers that the appointment is a “great privilege” and he is grateful to Pope Francis.

“Let us be renewed by God’s mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of His love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.”

Pope Francis

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4A • March 31, 2016

See change Now set to stay in St. Paul and not Newark, Archbishop Hebda looks to move local Church forward Interview by Jessica Trygstad and Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit

O

n March 22, Archbishop Bernard Hebda received a call from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the papal nuncio to the United States, with the news that Pope Francis had appointed him archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

The news was a shock, he said. As coadjutor archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, he had never seriously entertained the idea of being appointed to the vacant see in Minnesota, although he has served as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis since June 2015.

Archbishop-designate Hebda will be installed archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis at a Mass May 13. Until then, he remains the archdiocese’s apostolic administrator. He spoke with The Catholic Spirit as the news broke. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Read a longer version at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com.

Q. What was your reaction when you received the news you had been named our archbishop?

A. My reaction was one of shock for a number of

reasons. First of all, that the Holy Father would have that kind of confidence in me. Second, he had already given me the responsibility of preparing to lead the Archdiocese of Newark. Third, that things were moving so quickly. I had just been in Rome this weekend, and there were lots of people offering suggestions about who might be the next archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. That certainly made today’s appointment all the more unusual.

Q. You learned of the appointment March 22, and the Holy See announced it two days later, a faster timeline than usual. Why the urgency?

A. I think the Holy Father really wanted to show his

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

closeness to the archdiocese, which was going to have to go through the Triduum without an archbishop.

While that’s still going to happen, because I’m not the archbishop until the installation Mass May 13, the Holy Father’s action was a great encouragement to me and resolved the unsettling uncertainty that so often reigns in the vacant see.

The nuncio thought it would be a beautiful opportunity for the announcement to be made on Holy Thursday, when we focus on the Eucharist, when we focus on the priesthood and when we focus on service.

He said those three themes are so important in the life of any diocesan bishop.

Q. You’re also taking this role in the Year of Mercy.

What does that mean for you?

A. I think that the Year of Mercy has provided a great

context for the conferral of these new responsibilities and has prepared me to welcome them. It’s comforting to know that it’s the same Lord who has shown me his tender mercy who, through Pope Francis, is now asking me to accept these responsibilities. The Holy Father has been speaking a lot about how bishops need to be instruments of mercy, and he certainly has given that as a real focus for the ministry of a diocesan bishop.

Q. Where do you think we are in terms of handling claims of clergy sex abuse?

A. I think that the archdiocese already has a very

effective team and protocols for addressing these issues in a way that certainly appreciates the urgency of protecting children, but also in a way that respects the importance of acting in conjunction with our Church’s understanding of the priesthood and of the dignity of each human life. I would think that our team, whether we’re speaking about staff or the Ministerial Review Board, is as good as any in the country, if not in the world. And I have great confidence in them as they engage in very difficult work in a way that both appreciates the importance of what they’re doing and reflects a great love for the Church and those who serve in the Church.

Q. Last fall you held listening sessions with the

intention of gathering information for Pope Francis and the next archbishop. What did you learn and how will that information shape your leadership?

In this year of Mercy, we welcome you, Archbishop Hebda.

We look forward to working with you as we “Move always toward love of God and love of Neighbor without distinction.”

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Welcome Archbishop A. The first thing that I learned was that we have a

very involved laity in this Church that have a broad array of opinions, but always a great love for the Church and a desire to be part of her future. I was amazed at how easily and how well people articulated their ideas about the strengths and weaknesses of this local Church, and even their hopes for the Church to come.

That demonstrated to me that people had already reflected on those issues.

There is a deep appreciation for the history of this local Church and great pride in our educational institutions, charitable outreach and social justice. I thought all of those things were constants in each of the listening sessions. In some ways, there was a real uniformity of what was voiced, even though it reflected a great diversity as well.

Q. How has your work as apostolic administrator paved the way for your new role here?

A.

It’s not all that different from my other experience — of being a coadjutor. But as a coadjutor, you have a sense that you’re there to stay. I was wrong [laughs]. And here, in contrast, I had a sense that I wasn’t here to stay, and I was wrong.

But I think in both areas, what’s really helpful is that there is the opportunity to really get to know a staff, you get to know a little bit about parish life, and you get some insight into what people’s hopes and expectations are. You get to understand somewhat the lay of the land. So, in many ways, I’m really grateful for the opportunity I’ve had here in the past nine months or so to really get to know this Church.

Q. How will your role change — or will it — when you actually become our archbishop?

A. I think it will change, for a couple of reasons; first

of all, just in terms of focus. The role of the apostolic administrator­is basically to keep things moving forward. He’s not supposed to be an innovator; he’s supposed to maintain the good things that have already been going on in the local Church. I would think that

March 31, 2016 • 5A

At the moment, one of the things [I’m doing] is trying to discern why God and his Church have called me here — to see how I might be of some help to this local Church. the mindset of a permanent bishop would be very different.

I also think that having more time here will give me that opportunity to come to know the people of the archdiocese even better and to have a better sense of our parishes and schools and institutions, and also to have a better sense for the broader civic community. I haven’t had the chance to get to know all of the issues in our communities, and I know that always takes time. But now that I know I’m here to stay and that you’re stuck with me for the next 19 years, I think I’ll be much more interested in everything that’s going on — not just in the Twin Cities, but throughout the state and certainly throughout the counties of this archdiocese.

Q. How might your priorities change?

A. I think it’s moving from crisis and immediate

needs to more long-range planning. So, it’s the difference between running a sprint and running a marathon. In the time that I’ve been here, I’ve been trying not to harm the Church. But I think that the priority of moving forward has to be rather different: How do we really help the Church to grow? How do we help the Church to develop? How do we position ourselves to continue to be able to spread the Gospel of Christ to our grandchildren and their children and their children’s children?

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Bernard A. Hebda Our Prayers, Best Wishes and Partnership

Q. With the bouncing back and forth between Newark and here, has St. Paul started to feel like home?

A. People have been very kind; that’s helped. There

are some similarities to Pittsburgh, my home. That has also made it easy. I realize, however, that there’s so much of the archdiocese that I haven’t seen. I’ve had some experience, when I was in northern Michigan, of rural life. But there’s none of that in Newark, and so I look forward to experiencing our smaller communities and smaller parishes as well. And I know that’s a very important part of life here.

Q. What are you most looking forward to?

A. At the moment, one of the things is trying to

discern why God and his Church have called me here — to see how I might be of some help to this local Church. That’s not just the general question about “why be a priest?” or “why serve as bishop?” but rather, “why has the Holy Father and the Church asked me to be the archbishop of this local Church?” I’m hoping there are some talents, skills or experiences that I have that maybe I haven’t even seen that will later prove to be of some service to this local Church and the future that we have together.

Cardinal Newman has that great meditation that begins “God has created me to do him some definite service.” Basically he goes on to say, “I may not know it in this life, but I’ll know it in the next.” But for me, I’ve always really appreciated getting just some glimpse into the “why.” All of us have such complicated lives, yet there’s not one part of it that the Lord doesn’t know or love or use. I remember early on when I first entered seminary, I thought I must have wasted time in law school and while working as a lawyer. Who would’ve ever guessed I would be sent to an archdiocese where there are some legal issues? And while I certainly am not now engaging in the practice of law, that background surely helps me to appreciate what other people are doing for the Church.

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6A • March 31, 2016

Archbishop Hebda’s leadership draws praise from near and far The Catholic Spirit “Brilliant.” “Humble.” “Holy.” The words were used repeatedly by leaders in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to describe Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda, whom Pope Francis named their archbishop March 24.

Father Charles Lachowitzer, the archdiocese’s moderator of the curia, said the news brought him “great joy.”

“As we were going around doing the listening sessions a few months ago, the archbishop’s relationship with the people and his graciousness, his kindness, his humility, his faith, all of these things were immediately responded to by many of the people, saying ‘Can we keep you here?’” he said. “From those first listening sessions it was obvious that if he were selected by the Holy Father to be our next archbishop, we couldn’t have done any better.”

As apostolic administrator, Archbishop Hebda has worked closely with archdiocesan leaders, including Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who received the news while in Rome with family for his parents’ golden anniversary.

“It’s a great blessing; it’s like an early Easter,” Bishop Cozzens said. “It’s been such a joy to work with Archbishop Hebda so far, and to think that he gets to stay and be our shepherd is a great delight. My first words were, ‘Praise God.’”

Servant leader Joe Kueppers, the archdiocese’s chancellor for civil affairs, called the appointment “a great boost for the archdiocese.”

“This is going to move us ahead leaps and bounds,” he said. “Before, we were in a holding pattern. Now, we can really get an agenda and to the work we need to do to bring this Church where it needs to be.”

Archdiocesan leaders acknowledged that the

“It’s a great blessing; it’s like an early Easter. . . . It’s been such a joy to work with Archbishop Hebda so far, and to think that he gets to stay and be our shepherd is a great delight.

My first words were, ‘Praise God.’” Bishop Andrew Cozzens appointment comes during a difficult time for the archdiocese, as it works to resolve Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as well as criminal charges filed in June 2015 by Ramsey County related to a case of clergy sexual abuse. Under Archbishop Hebda’s leadership, the archdiocese reached a settlement with the county on related civil charges in December.

Because of the challenges, Archbishop Hebda is a good fit for the role, Kueppers said.

“He’s professional, articulate, but just so humble and holy,” he said. “His humility and his spirituality come through in everything he does. But he’s got a brilliant mind, and he’s trained in canon law and civil law, so he grasps the concepts really quickly, so you don’t have to explain anything. He’s miles ahead of you before you get anything out.”

Tim O’Malley, director of ministerial standards and safe environment, said the archbishop has been “fully engaged” in his office’s efforts.

“He’s a very thoughtful, deliberative man and has offered great insights into how it is that we can move forward in a very positive way,” he said. “So I know he will be fully supportive of our efforts to care for those who have been harmed in the past and to do everything possible to prevent any future harm. I think this is a real

positive day for everyone in this archdiocese to know that we have a man who’s genuine, humble and yet extraordinarily bright to help lead us to better days.”

Father Lachowitzer called Archbishop Hebda “a delight” to work with. “What you immediately experience when working with him is that he has integrated his faith with his service to the Church, first as a priest, and now as a bishop,” he said.

Several leaders remarked on the archbishop’s sense of humor. “He’s a joy to be around,” said Bishop Cozzens, who also complimented his listening skills and thoughtful decision-making.

Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet Carolyn Puccio, the archdiocese’s delegate for religious, called Archbishop Hebda “a man who knows how to interact with people.”

“Whenever he’s been in a group, large or small, there’s a care and a personal warmth,” she said. “And yet, he’s very brilliant, he’s very wise, very articulate, very strong, but able to do that in a way that’s very human and very humble.”

‘A gift’ from Pope Francis Duluth Bishop Paul Sirba, who was ordained for the archdiocese and was once a pastor in St. Paul and an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, called the appointment “great news.”

He said he saw “approachability and common sense” in Archbishop Hebda.

“He’s a gift for the archdiocese from Pope Francis,” Bishop Sirba said. “Through the mercy of God, Pope Francis heard the prayers of the people of the archdiocese and is sending them a shepherd, a very loving, good man. He will be someone who will walk with the people and be with them in their needs.”

St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler said it was helpful that Archbishop Hebda has gotten to know the archdiocese over the past nine months he has served as its interim leader.

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Welcome Archbishop “So far he’s provided caring and wise leadership to the archdiocese as apostolic administrator, and I’m sure he will continue to do so,” Bishop Kettler said.

“He’s got wisdom and seems to have a listening heart,” he added. “With his canonical and civil [legal] background, he’s bringing important gifts to the archdiocese.”

Retired St. Cloud Bishop John Kinney called Archbishop Hebda’s appointment “an answer to the prayers of the people of the archdiocese.”

Bishop Kinney, also ordained a priest for the archdiocese and who served as a pastor and auxiliary bishop in the Twin Cities, said the surprise announcement was “great news, wonderful news.”

“He has a very pastoral presence,” Bishop Kinney said, something that was evident when the archbishop held listening sessions around the archdiocese in October and November. “From everything I’ve heard, he’s done just an outstanding job working with both the priests and the people of the archdiocese,” he said.

Priests of the archdiocese who have been in a position to observe Archbishop Hebda during his tenure as apostolic administrator are complimentary about what they’ve seen of the archbishop-designate.

Father Steven Ulrick, pastor of Holy Name of Jesus in Medina, said he has been with Archbishop Hebda at various meetings.

“He’s a great guy, a man of faith,” Father Ulrick said.

“He has a shepherd’s heart. He’s a wise man with a gentle spirit, and I think that will serve our archdiocese so well.”

He said he’s found the archbishop to be a good listener who wisely guides and leads. “I appreciate that in him,” Father Ulrick said. “Pope Francis has been good to us.”

At St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights, pastor Father Robert Hart was “so excited, so overjoyed, so very hopeful” after learning of the appointment.

“He’s very pastoral and understanding,” Father Hart said, “and since he’s been here for a while he knows what we’re about.

“I like the fact that he knows [leading the archdiocese] is going to be a challenge and is willing to do it and

More online Visit www.TheCatholicSpirit.com for more stories about Archbishop Hebda’s appointment and ongoing coverage as he prepares for his May 13 installation as Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. didn’t shy away from the challenge,” he added.

Father Hart noted Archbishop Hebda’s humility may be his best attribute. “I think he’ll also bring a renewed spirit,” he said, “a renewed sense of trust.”

At the Visitation Sisters’ monastery in north Minneapolis, Sister Mary Frances Reis said she was very impressed by the way Archbishop Hebda responded to people’s comments during the listening sessions.

“I like what he said: that he’ll be happy to serve the priests, religious and empowered laity of the archdiocese,” she said. “He gets it.”

But that wasn’t foremost in her mind upon learning of Archbishop Hebda’s appointment.

“One of the first thoughts that came to my heart when I heard about his appointment was that I was so happy for the priests in the archdiocese,” the Visitation Sister said. “I think he will be a wonderful companion to our priests.”

Visitation Sister Karen Mohan, who was on the archdiocesan planning committee for the Year of Consecrated Life, said she was struck by the way Archbishop Hebda participated in all the events to which the committee invited him without any fanfare.

“I know he was probably squeezing the events into a busy calendar,” Sister Karen said, “but he made time for us, and it was very encouraging. Not only that, but when he came to things like our booth at the Basilica Block Party, everybody felt at home with him.”

One more thought occurred to Sister Karen: “Now I know the pope can change his mind!”

Jessica Trygstad, Maria Wiering and Bob Zyskowski contributed to this story.

March 31, 2016 • 7A

“Everyone who knows Archbishop Hebda recognizes that he is a gifted and caring person who tirelessly and pastorally serves the Church and her faithful in his ministry.”

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, who, as bishop of Pittsburgh, ordained Archbishop Hebda a priest in 1989

“The parishioners and general community of the Twin Cities have experienced what the people of Newark already have come to know — a happy spiritual leader who loves people, loves priests and religious, and who loves God and his Church.”

Archbishop John Myers of Newark, whom Archbishop Hebda was slated to succeed upon his retirement in July

“This man shines Christ’s love. He was always so inviting to others, and he became very well known since he would travel often to the parishes and schools throughout northern lower Michigan.”

Marie Hahnenberg, family life and respect life coordinator for the Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan, who worked with Archbishop Hebda there

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Women stand with Little Sisters as U.S. Supreme Court hears case

By Bridget Ryder For The Catholic Spirit

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s oral arguments were finishing in the U.S. Supreme Court March 23 in the Little Sisters of the Poor religious freedom case, women from the Twin Cities gathered in front of the community’s Holy Family Residence in St. Paul to stand in solidarity with the sisters and speak about women’s issues and religious freedom.

Linda Sitko, right, of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, dyes Easter eggs at the Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in St. Paul with resident Eleanor Matczynski, left, and Sister Amy Kaiser during a day of service March 23. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Related coverage

Happy Easter

from The Catholic Spirit

Despite win, local business owners continue fight • page 5B Crowd rallies outside U.S. Supreme Court • page 9B

More than 40 women — a mix of young women, including mothers with children in tow, and middleaged women — participated locally in a national day of service for the Little Sisters of the Poor, organized

by Women Speak for Themselves, a national grassroots effort to show that women in the United States value religious freedom over access to insurance-paid artificial birth control.

“We come here today to pray with and for the Little Sisters, to highlight their witness to our community, to emulate their beautiful example and to tell our neighbors and our lawmakers — judges, representatives, the president and everyone — that we stand with the Little Sisters in their struggle for religious freedom in our United Sates,” said Kristen Grant, a local representative of Women Speak for Themselves and parishioner at Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul. “When it comes to religious freedom, it’s a good hint that you’re on the wrong side if you stand against the Little Sisters.”

Please turn to MOTHER on page 5B

ALSO inside

Bishops at the Capitol

Mother Angelica dies

Housing the homeless

Minnesota’s bishops spend a day on the hill to discuss Church’s public policy priorities with legislators.

— Page 6B

‘Feisty and outspoken’ foundress of Eternal Word Television Network, 92, battled a long illness.

— Page 10B

Shoreview family opens their hearts and home to adopted children from across the globe.

— Pages 12B-13B

2B • The Catholic Spirit

PAGE TWO

in PICTURES

March 31, 2016

“The Lord is alive and wants to be sought among the living. After having found him, each person is sent out by him to announce the Easter message, to awaken and resurrect hope in hearts burdened by sadness, in those who struggle to find meaning in life. This is so necessary today.”

Pope Francis in his Easter Vigil message in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 26

NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit

‘Why Aquinas Matters’ April 4 at St. Thomas The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul will host a lecture 7 p.m. April 4 on “Wisdom and Fullness of Life: Why Aquinas Matters” at Woulfe Alumni Hall in the Anderson Student Center. Sponsored by the graduate program in Catholic Studies, the presentation will be given by its director and Catholic Studies and theology professor John Boyle.

Father Spitzer to explore creation in science STARS ARE CHAMPS From left, Academy of Holy Angels (Richfield) junior Megan Thompson (head tucked under player’s arm), sophomore Megan Meyer, senior Laura Bagwell-Katalinich, ninth-grader Emma Mastre, senior Sarah Spanier, sophomore Lauren Holtgren and ninth-grader Destinee Oberg celebrate the Stars’ 51-43 win over Winona March 19 at the University of Minnesota’s Williams Arena in the Class AAA girls state championship game. Courtesy David Frear

Philosopher and author Father Robert Spitzer is coming to the University of St. Thomas April 7 to give a lecture titled “Indications of Creation in Contemporary Science.” The event is hosted by the Classical Theism Project and will take place at 7 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center. The project is funded by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation and led by philosophy professors Gloria Frost and Timothy Pawl.

San Diego bishop to address common good San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy will discuss “Catholics and the Common Good: The Growing Ends of the Argument” 7 p.m. April 8 at Woulfe Alumni Hall at the University of St. Thomas’ Anderson Student Center. The lecture is part of a two-day symposium, “The Common Good Isn’t Common: Catholic Citizenship in an Individualistic Age,” sponsored

by St. Thomas’ Institute for Catholicism and Citizenship.

Night of prayer to focus on Camino pilgrimage A group of local Catholic women are organizing a night of prayer 7 p.m.

April 15 at St. Lawrence and Newman Center in Minneapolis. The focus will be on their upcoming summer pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago.

The night will be an opportunity for people to learn about the pilgrimage and submit prayer requests that the women will carry on their 500-mile walk across France and northern Spain.

MILESTONE • St. Rita, Cottage Grove ANNUAL RAFFLE The board of directors of Catholic United Financial congratulates the 89 schools from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota that raised more than $1 million as part of its annual raffle in which every dollar the schools raise stays in their communities. Twenty-five schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis participated. Pictured March 10 at Catholic United Financial’s St. Paul headquarters are, from left, Robert Krattenmaker, Patricia Kasella, William Lucas, Renee Brod, Michael Ahles, Michael Schmitz, John Maile, Harald Borrmann and George Gmach. Courtesy Catholic United Financial

WHAT’S NEW on social media People gathered to pray for the sanctity of life at the annual Good Friday prayer service at the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in St. Paul. See a video at www.facebook.com/thecatholicspirit.

The Catholic Spirit documented an eventful Holy Week, with Triduum liturgies and the announcement of Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda. www.instagram.com/ thecatholicspirit.

The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 21 — No. 7 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher United in Faith, Hope and Love

MARIA C. WIERING, Editor

In 1966, St. Rita in Cottage Grove began as small group that met for Sunday Mass at Park High School. Now, the parish community consists of more than 1,450 families. Built in 1970, the church’s first addition was completed in 1986 with an exterior of white stucco. The curved corners represent the warmth of Christ’s encircling love. The parish is celebrating 50 years with a special Mass 10:30 a.m. April 17. Father Rick Banker, pastor, is expected to concelebrate the Mass with Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda, several former pastors and Father Evan Koop, who grew up in the parish. A reception will follow. www.saintritas.org.

CLARIFICATION It was reported in the March 17 issue that Sister Mary Madonna Ashton would not travel to Washington to accept a 2016 National Women’s History Month award (“Health care pioneer: Sister Mary Madonna Ashton, state’s first female and non-physician commissioner of health, honored nationally”). Ultimately, Sister Mary Madonna made the trip.

Materials credited to CNS copy­righted by Catholic News Service.

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March 31, 2016

FROM THE ARCHBISHOP-DESIGNATE

The Catholic Spirit • 3B

As believers, we need to be joyful, fearless, persevering Church

T

hroughout these days of Easter, the readings at Mass remind us of the connection between being disciples of Christ and giving witness to his resurrection. Like Mary Magdalen, Simon Peter, John the beloved disciple and Thomas, we’re called to announce that the Jesus who suffered and died on the cross truly rose from the dead. It’s a story that tests our credulity (how many people do we know who have risen from the dead?). And yet, we know it to be true because of the eye witness testimony of that first generation of believers who saw the empty tomb, who were invited to explore the wounds in the hands and side of the risen Christ, or who shared a meal with him on the seashore and watched him eat the fish that he had prepared.

From generation to generation, that testimony has been passed on with great care in the Church — and today that privileged task falls to us.

As Blessed Pope Paul VI noted, we live in an age that “listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers.” If we are going to lead others to encounter the risen Christ, it’s because the way we live gives credibility to what we proclaim.

If we are not a joyful Church, a fearless Church, a persevering FROM THE Church, a self-sacrificing ARCHBISHOP-DESIGNATE Church, who is going to believe us when we speak about a God who humbled himself to take on Archbishop human flesh, who emptied Bernard Hebda himself on the cross, who

Celebrating the Triduum RIGHT From left, Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda prepares incense at the start of Holy Thursday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul March 24 with help from Joseph Connelly of the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity and Zach Morgan, Cathedral liaison for archdiocesan liturgies.

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit BELOW Archbishop-designate Bernard Hebda greets Massgoers after celebrating Easter Mass March 27 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. Dave Hrbacek/ The Catholic Spirit

washed the feet of his disciples, and who asked his Father from the cross to forgive even those who were persecuting him?

I am humbled by the opportunity that Pope Francis has given me to serve as shepherd of this flock as we together strive to give a more convincing witness to Jesus’ presence in this local Church.

In the days since that announcement, which providentially coincided with the sacred Triduum, I have been thanking the Lord for the many ways in which I have already been inspired by your witness.

I was in four different parish communities over the Triduum and all prayed beautifully. Their liturgies gave evidence of careful preparation and seemed designed to form us into a family of believers, united not only with our contemporaries, but also with our brothers and sisters around the globe and through the ages.

I was overwhelmed, moreover, by the joy of those whom I was privileged to baptize and confirm at the Easter Vigil, and impressed by the devotion and diversity of those who came to the Cathedral [of St. Paul in St. Paul] in such great number to experience the Lord’s healing in the sacrament of reconciliation. I was delighted to hear of the many charitable activities undertaken by our parishes, schools and youth groups, as so many went out of their way to be modern-day Veronicas or Simons of Cyrene for a brother or sister in need, recognizing in them the suffering Christ on his way to Calvary.

I was personally encouraged by the many expressions of congratulation and welcome as you learned of my appointment. I particularly appreciated your promises of prayers, and I already know that they are going to be necessary. The challenges before us are real and substantial, but the Triduum and Easter teach us that we have a God who is faithful to his promises and who brings

OFFICIAL His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bernard Hebda, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: Effective March 17, 2016 Reverend John Mitchell, appointed temporary parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Bridget in Minneapolis. The current pastor, Reverend Anthony Criscitelli, TOR, is on a leave of absence.

victory out of defeat. If we are faithful to him in giving concrete witness to Jesus’ resurrection, I am quite confident that our future can look very different from our present.

I pledge my best effort and hope that your strengths will compensate for my weaknesses and vice-versa. Please keep me in your prayers and be assured that you will be in mine as well. May God who now begins this good work in us bring it to fulfillment.

Editor’s note: Por extremas circunstancias, no hemos podido incluir la traducción en español del mensaje del arzobispo Bernard Hebda en esta edición. Sentimos mucho esta inconveniencia. Por favor visite la página web www.TheCatholicSpirit.com para ver la traducción en español.

4B • The Catholic Spirit

LOCAL

March 31, 2016

SLICEof LIFE

Easter blooms

Trish Pflaum of Bachman’s examines Easter lilies and Asiatic lilies at Bachman’s greenhouse in Farmington, where they are grown and sold to more than 75 Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Pflaum, greenhouse supervisor, said Bachman’s grew 8,000 Easter lilies this year, with 2,400 going to local churches. Visit The Catholic Spirit on Facebook for a related video. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Transforming Men for Nearly 40 Years We are twelve-step based in our approach to recovery from chemical addiction. Our founder, Father Martin Fleming, started a ministry in 1978 by providing people a place to rest and recover from alcoholism. These broken people were introduced to the healing power of what Father likes to call “The Centrality of the Jesus Event”.

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March 31, 2016

LOCAL

The Catholic Spirit • 5B

Business owners still seek mandate relief after wins

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit As the Little Sisters of the Poor hope the U.S. Supreme Court will exempt them from having to include contraceptive, abortifacient and sterilization coverage in their employee health insurance plans, two local Catholic business owners who fought the Department of Health and Human Services mandate and won last year say they still are unable to offer their employees health insurance.

Businessmen Stuart Lind and Tom Janas hope that a win for the Little Sisters would also grant relief for for-profit companies.

“My goal with the lawsuit was simply to be able to offer health insurance to my employees that does not contain any contraception or abortion coverage,” Lind said. “I still can’t do that today, so it really doesn’t feel like a victory at all.”

Moral objections Lind’s objective is to resume health insurance coverage he had to stop because of the mandate for the 21 employees at his Minnetonka-based medical device company, Annex Medical. Lind, like the Little Sisters, rejects the HHS “accommodation” in which he is asked to notify the government of his moral objections so that the government would order the issuer of his company’s health plan to provide the coverage.

Lind and Janas, along with a Houston, Texas-based owner of a Minnesota company, have had different outcomes since their victories following the June 2014 Supreme Court decision in favor of Hobby Lobby Stores when the court ruled that “closely held” forprofit companies may assert rights to oppose the mandate under a 1993 federal law protecting religious freedom.

HHS introduced the mandate in 2011 as part of the Affordable Care Act. Because the business owners each have fewer than 50 employees, the ACA doesn’t require them to provide health insurance. While they oppose the mandate because it violates Church teaching, they consider providing health insurance part of their responsibility as Catholic employers.

Tom The business JANAS owners may not have won complete exemption from the mandate through their cases, but the government has been ordered to pay their legal fees, said Erick Kaardal of the Minneapolis law firm, Mohrman, Kaardal & Erickson, P.A., who has represented the three, along with plaintiffs in five of the six other Minnesota HHS mandate cases. In Minnesota, “we’ve had eight victories against the federal government,” said Kaardal, a parishioner at St. Mark in St. Paul. “We’ve redeemed the system.”

Lind, who belongs to All Saints in northeast Minneapolis, said he compensates his employees for the lack of insurance. The mandate and related changes have been time consuming, he said, adding that without health insurance, it’s harder to recruit employees.

But he sees the challenge as an opportunity to stand up for his faith.

“It’s not that I am a businessman most of the time and sometimes my faith takes over,” he said. “Every single decision I make when I’m at work is made with the goal of pleasing God.” Janas, a member of St. Maximillian Kolbe in Delano, sold two businesses, in part to avoid the mandate. He bought

his current dairy barn equipment business, Storms Welding and Manufacturing of Cologne, more than two years ago. After receiving from the court a permanent injunction against the mandate in 2015, he met with insurance agents, but none would write a contraceptive-free policy, partly because he has only 16 employees.

Unable now to offer a plan, Janas, like Lind, gives employees a stipend toward their health insurance and has considered private health insurance and a health insurance cooperative.

To avoid the mandate, Deacon Greg Hall, a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, considered buying more expensive private insurance for the 30 employees of American Manufacturing, based in St. Joseph, Minnesota. But his insurance provider agreed to amend his plan to exclude the contraceptive coverage.

In 2010, Deacon Hall’s company, which makes mud pumps and parts, provided equipment for the rescue of 33 miners trapped in a collapsed Chilean mine, the subject of the recent film, “The 33.”

“Going through the Chilean mine rescue was being in God’s hands,” he said. “When we were able to save 33 men in an impossible situation, that is really what gave me and my wife strength to take on the federal government.”

Concerns across the country Whatever the outcome of the consolidated case brought by the Little Sisters and other religious nonprofits, legal experts say it likely will have important ramifications for religious freedom.

Nationwide, 50 for-profit and 56 nonprofit lawsuits have been filed against the mandate. There are no Please turn to DEACON on page 23B

Mother superior: Sisters ‘overwhelmed’ by show of support Continued from page 1B The Denver-based Little Sisters, who operate nursing homes for the elderly poor, and 36 other groups are contesting the 2011 Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. The Department of Health and Human Services has offered an “accommodation,” also known as a “work-around,” that allows objecting employers to acknowledge their opposition to contraceptive coverage by notifying HHS in a letter.

A third party would then provide the coverage. The Little Sisters and other plaintiffs object to that, calling it a burden on their free exercise of religion, because they are still involved in allowing coverage they find morally objectionable.

In St. Paul, the day of service started with a time of witness and prayer outside the main entrance of the nursing home, where the 10 women who served in the morning had gathered.

After Grant’s opening statement, each woman expressed her own solidarity with the religious community.

“I don’t know one employee who is

disgruntled with their health care right now,” said Bobbie Hallman, a nurse at Holy Family Residence and member of Transfiguration in Oakdale.

Jeanette Leighton, a parishioner at St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi who has a law background, said she was upset about the Little Sisters’ situation with the federal government.

“This is an egregious violation of the sisters’ rights,” she said.

Many participants also said they wanted to show support for the sisters because the violation of their religious freedom affects everyone.

“If the government is willing to go after the Little Sisters of the Poor, none of us will be safe from tyranny,” said Leslie Lynn, a parishioner at St. Agnes in St. Paul.

Grant organized the volunteers, who spent the day working side-by-side with the sisters. Volunteers were divided into two shifts — adult women in the morning and families in the afternoon.

The volunteers visited with residents, attended Mass, served lunch and dyed Easter eggs with residents.

Nursing student Maria Weber-Choals, who attends the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, plans to specialize in

gerontology. She said restrictions on religious freedom have other implications, ones that could affect her professional work. For instance, a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide was recently introduced, but then removed, in the Minnesota Legislature.

Mother Maria Francis Pale, provincial superior, said the sisters were overwhelmed by the show of support that came not only from the volunteers, but also from people who made donations and sent messages of prayer and support as they await a decision that could affect their future, as well as for those for whom they care.

“One of the Little Sisters said, ‘Thank you. You take a lot of the stress away from us,’” Mother Maria Francis said.

She asked for prayers as the court deliberates.

Grant said that if the government isn’t willing to accommodate the sisters, it will be a loss to the country. The Little Sisters have been serving in St. Paul since 1883.

“They will find a place that wants them to serve; I hope it’s us,” she said.

— Catholic News Service contributed to this story

in BRIEF MINNEAPOLIS

Two Franciscan priests placed on leave from ministry Two Franciscan priests serving in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have been placed on leave related to a two-year Pennsylvania investigation into sexual abuse in the Diocese of AltoonaJohnstown. Father Anthony Criscitelli, TOR, pastor of St. Bridget and St. Austin in Minneapolis, was placed on leave March 15 after he and two other Franciscan priests were charged in Pennsylvania with child endangerment. On March 22, Father Bradley Baldwin, TOR, pastor of St. Gerard in Brooklyn Park, was placed on temporary leave of absence by his Franciscan superior due to unresolved questions regarding his role in the case. Both priests’ leave is related to the supervision of a member of their religious community, Brother Stephen Baker, who has been accused of abusing dozens of minors from Catholic high schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Brother Stephen was assigned to St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights from 1977 to 1981 and was accused of abusing a boy there.

According to the archdiocese, it has no record of any misconduct by Father Criscitelli or Father Baldwin in the archdiocese. The other Franciscan priests charged with Father Criscitelli have also served in the archdiocese: Father Robert D’Aversa was parochial vicar of St. Bridget from 1984 to 1985, and Father Giles Schinelli was pastor of St. Gerard from 2002 to 2010.

ROSEVILLE

Pastor returns to ministry after being cleared of abuse claim Father Robert Fitzpatrick has been reinstated to public ministry after an abuse claim made against him was found unsubstantiated, Archbishopdesignate Bernard Hebda announced March 17. In August, Father Fitzpatrick, pastor of Corpus Christi and St. Rose of Lima in Roseville, was accused of sexually abusing a minor in the 1980s. He denied the claim. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis contacted law enforcement, and Father Fitzpatrick took a voluntary leave of absence. The Ministerial Review Board reviewed the case and “determined that there was not a reasonable basis to find that the alleged abuse occurred,” Archbishop Hebda said in a statement. Tim O’Malley, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment, concurred with the board and passed the recommendation to Archbishop Hebda, who also supported the board’s conclusions and ordered the priest’s return to ministry.

Archdiocesan officials are working with Father Fitzpatrick “to determine the best way to reintegrate him into ministry.”

6B • The Catholic Spirit

LOCAL

March 31, 2016

MN bishops talk issues with state leaders

Physician-assisted suicide bill pulled, fight remains, says MCC

By Joe Towalski For The Catholic Spirit

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit

For Minnesota’s bishops, a recent day of meetings with Gov. Mark Dayton and state legislators in St. Paul was an opportunity to build relationships and discuss the Church’s public policy priorities.

“The funny thing about being a Catholic at the Legislature is that you find things you agree about with almost every legislator, and you find things that you can make a legislator uncomfortable with as well,” said Bishop Andrew Cozzens of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

He attributed this to the foundation of Catholic social teaching. “Our ideas are based on the Gospel,” he said, “and that doesn’t know any party lines.”

When the state’s Catholic bishops come together, they speak with a voice that represents many people of faith, he said, adding that “it’s especially important to us as Catholics to try to influence the common good, to try to bring the truth about human dignity to our society and to our laws, so we have a more just society.”

The bishops met with Dayton over breakfast March 16 at the governor’s residence in St. Paul. Later in the morning, they broke into pairs to visit with legislators at the State Office Building and Minnesota Senate Building while restoration work continues at the Capitol.

The day was organized by the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota. Also participating in meetings with legislators were Bishop Donald Kettler of St. Cloud, Bishop John LeVoir of New Ulm, Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, Bishop John Quinn of Winona and Bishop Michael Hoeppner of Crookston.

The meetings come as deadlines loom in April for committee action on bills and legislators debate spending decisions in light of a $900 million budget surplus.

In their meetings with Dayton and legislators, the bishops focused on a number of priorities that promote human dignity, the common good and policies consistent with the Year of Mercy proclaimed

by Pope Francis. These include establishing a legislative commission to study the potential impact of commercial surrogacy on women and children, increasing cash grants available through the Minnesota Family Investment Program and expanding educational opportunities for all children.

“People hear a lot about the achievement gap in Minnesota and how bad it is, and it is one of the worst in the country — that is, the gap between students of color and minority students, and the rest of the students in what they achieve,” Bishop Cozzens said. “What people don’t know is that in north Minneapolis, which is one of the most difficult neighborhoods in our state . . . you have Ascension Catholic School. If you go to the public school in north Minneapolis, you have a 40 percent chance of graduating high school. If you go to Ascension, you

After more than three hours of emotional testimony March 16 from both proponents and opponents of a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota, the bill’s sponsor withdrew it from committee consideration, saying it wasn’t ready for a vote.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference celebrated the move, but Jason Adkins, its executive director, said Minnesotans need to learn about the issue and prepare for the bill to be refiled next year.

“It’s important that people educate themselves about the pitfalls of the bill and the flaws of the bill that really make it a risky, dangerous and complicated proposition,” he said. “Once . . . the barbiturates are prescribed, there’s no oversight as to what happens next. The bill is not about compassionate care; it’s about allowing someone to get a vial of pills and go home to die, potentially alone.”

Compassion and Choices, a national organization that promotes “aid in dying” legislation, has targeted Minnesota for focused advocacy, Adkins said.

Introduced last year by Sen. Chris Eaton, DFLBrooklyn Center, the Minnesota Compassionate Care Act, S.F. 1880, was heard by the Minnesota Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The state’s House of Representatives reportedly decided not to hear a companion measure.

Testifying in support of the legislation was Dan Diaz, husband of Brittany Maynard, 29, who made headlines last year after moving from California to Oregon to access legal physician-assisted suicide after she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She died Nov. 1, 2015, after taking drugs prescribed to end her life. Diaz invoked his Catholic faith as a reason he wouldn’t judge another’s end-of-life decision.

The Catholic Church opposes physician-assisted suicide, a position affirmed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in its 2011 statement, “To Live Each Day with Dignity.”

Others who testified for the legislation described the suffering of dying parents and loved ones.

The legislation’s opponents said efforts were better focused on improving palliative care to ease or eliminate dying people’s suffering. Several people expressed offense at their medical conditions or those of dependents fitting the legislation’s criteria for reasons one would seek death. Many, including doctors and health care professionals, expressed legal and medical concerns that the practice could be manipulated or abused, or that people would choose death out of fear of medical bills or burdening others with their suffering.

“We become better people when we bear each other’s burdens, not when we bury people because they are burdens,” testified Elizabeth Bakewicz, who said she has terminal brain cancer, epilepsy and Graves’ disease. “I am more than a burden. I am a human being, and I request that you vote against this bill.”

Bishop Andrew Cozzens talks with Sen. Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) March 16 outside her office at the State Office Building in St. Paul. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Q&A with Bishop Andrew Cozzens Bishop Cozzens shares his takeaways from visits with lawmakers at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com.

have 100 percent chance of graduating from high school.”

Bishop Cozzens said Catholic schools not only help Catholic students get out of poverty, but all students who enter through their doors.

“If the governor would include tuition in his education tax credit, that could help stabilize these very fragile urban schools, because tax credits are for poor families, and this is about helping poor families get a good education for their children and giving them choices,” Bishop Cozzens said.

He added that while Gov. Dayton disagreed on the need, he did agree to visit Ascension School.

“I want him to see it,” Bishop Cozzens said. “I think it’s going to help when he sees those kids to say, ‘Why can’t we help those kids?’”

As Americans prepare for this fall’s elections, the bishops are encouraging Catholics to educate themselves about the issues and the candidates and to get involved in the political process.

It’s important to not be discouraged by the tenor of the current national political conversation, Bishop Cozzens said.

“It’s really easy today, especially with the way the national election is going and the great divisions that exist, to give up on politics,” he said. “But democracy is a process that requires us to get our hands dirty . . . and it’s really important that we have that one-on-one encounter with the people who are making our laws.”

For more information, visit www.mncc.org and click “2016 Legislative Session.”

— Maria Wiering contributed to this story.

∙ 9050 93rd Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN ∙ 763-425-3970 ∙

LOCAL

March 31, 2016

The Catholic Spirit • 7B

Faribault parish feast celebration ties in World Youth Day pilgrims

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit

Jane Bona, principal of Immaculate Conception School in Columbia Heights, reads to third-grader Tony Rodriguez, left, and second-grader Kirubel Ermias. Spending time in the classroom is a regular part of her duties as principal. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

NCEA honors principal Columbia Heights leader recognized for steering school on course

By Jessica Weinberger For The Catholic Spirit Five years ago, enrollment at Immaculate Conception School in the first-ring suburb of Columbia Heights was at a record low, and its future was unclear. Veteran educator and Immaculate Conception parishioner Jane Bona joined a committee to help evaluate the viability of the school and walked away with a new title — principal.

“I always knew I wanted to return to Catholic education,” said Bona, who went to Catholic grade school at St. Charles Borromeo in nearby St. Anthony. “But I didn’t realize that God’s plan was to call me right back to my own parish.”

Through Bona’s faith-filled guidance and passionate push for new students, enrollment is up 84 percent, and 147 students walk through the doors of Immaculate Conception each day with an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary overhead.

The spirit of this small but mighty school has been renewed thanks to Bona, who was recently honored with 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 was to accept the award in San Diego at the annual NCEA convention March 29-31.

Gary Wilmer, associate director for governance and human resources in the archdiocesan Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, was a part of the committee who selected Bona as the official candidate of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis nominated by the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education.

“This is really a total vocation for Jane,” Wilmer said. “She’s very inclusive in wanting to involve the entire community, and that’s really what turned Immaculate Conception around.”

Bona speaks with pride and emotion about her time at Immaculate Conception, a place where she says everyone knows everyone’s name.

Individual prayer requests are highlighted in her newsletter, and the staff of 15 works to meet the needs of each individual student. In recommending her for the award, teachers described her as a hands-on leader known for her collaborative approach and strong listening skills.

Most important, they noted, is that she makes decisions based on what’s best for the students who sit in the desks each school day.

“Jane believes that a strong Catholic school needs to tell its story to current families, parish members, alumni, community stakeholders and the archdiocesan community, and she is always looking for ways to do that,” said Father John Mitchell, pastor of Immaculate Conception.

Having celebrated the school’s 75th anniversary in 2015, Bona said there’s room to grow, and she plans to focus on answering the evolving needs of students, fostering professional growth and development for the staff, and continuing with their marketing ideas, all while staying true to their Catholic identity. Mark 9:23, “All things are possible for one who believes,” commonly serves as the staff’s unofficial mantra for encouragement when faced with challenges.

Bona said she’s humbled and grateful for the NCEA recognition, one she assures belongs to the entire school community.

“It’s really a reflection of the whole community and the spirit of Immaculate Conception,” Bona said.

“Immaculate Conception is a beacon of light in this area and the community that we’re in.”

Justin Stroh wants Catholics to experience Divine Mercy Sunday the way his parish, Divine Mercy in Faribault, does every year, only more so in Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy.

Through the feast day established by St. Pope John Paul II in April 2000 when he canonized St. Faustina Kowalska, Stroh hopes the Church will begin to embrace the significance of the divine mercy — that Jesus’ mercy is greater than human sin.

“It wasn’t just a nice idea of a pope who’s died. It came from the very heart of Jesus Christ,” said Stroh, the parish’s faith formation director, referring to the visions of a polish nun described in the “Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska.”

On Divine Mercy Sunday April 3, the parish will host a celebration from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. that will include confession and eucharistic adoration, a display of its life-sized divine mercy icon and first-class relics of St. Faustina, readings from her diary, the sung Divine Mercy Chaplet and Mass with Bishop Andrew Cozzens.

Stroh noted the parish’s direct connection to St. Faustina. The parish’s founding pastor, Father Kevin Finnegan, went to Poland and received a first-class relic — a bone fragment — from St. Faustina’s order, Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. As a young, uneducated nun in the 1930s, St. Faustina received revelations from Jesus, who asked her to record his message of divine mercy, which turned into the diary and then the image of Jesus with red and white rays streaming from his heart.

“All of her prayers that she received from the Lord always had the context of her and the world,” Stroh said. “Jesus

Feast of Divine Mercy For a list of parishes praying divine mercy chaplets and hosting celebrations April 3, visit www. thecatholic.com/divinemercy or www.3oclockhour.org. was saying, ‘Your mission is to do this for the world.’ That sense of mission is sinking in, that the Lord is calling the parish to be something for the world.

The reality of that seems to be at the forefront.”

The parish is inviting as special guests about 250 pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who will travel to Krakow, Poland, July 25-31 for World Youth Day. “That’s the sense of the heart of Jesus calling the pilgrims and then looking toward the epicenter of mercy in the world, which is Krakow,” said Stroh, the archdiocese’s World Youth Day pilgrimage leader. Bishop Cozzens is the pilgrimage’s spiritual director.

As part of the celebration, the parish also will show an episode of “The Second Greatest Story Ever Told,” which details the history of the divine mercy devotion and its tie-ins to St. John Paul II. “Everyone is seeking an absolute meaning . . . and that absolute meaning, of course, is the very mercy and justice of God, that’s Jesus Christ,” Stroh said. “So, what we’re celebrating on Divine Mercy Sunday is to be immersed deeper in the mystery of that wherever we are. The Lord meets us there. Not everyone has to have that figured out.”

Polish hymn inspires upcoming Blaine concert The Catholic Spirit An original composition based on a song heard in the birthplace of the divine mercy devotion will be part of a Year of Mercy concert Divine Mercy Sunday, April 3, at St. Timothy in Blaine.

The 4 p.m. concert will include music that reflects God’s love and mercy, narration with excerpts from Pope Francis’ proclamation of the jubilee year, and a multimedia presentation to enhance reflection.

An 18-piece orchestra and members of the parish’s five choirs — 100 musicians in all — will perform, said Therese Jorgensen, parish music director.

Jorgensen, whose maiden name was Piotrowski, said the idea for the concert was “put in my heart” when she visited Poland four years ago. “It was inspired by the Holy Spirit,” Jorgensen said.

She heard a tune sung at the end of the Divine Mercy Chaplet at several churches in the Krakow area, the part of the country where St. Faustina

Kowalska reported apparitions of Jesus, who asked her to promote God’s divine mercy.

The melody “stuck with me,” Jorgensen said, “and I felt called to write a piece around it for this concert.” Jorgensen’s composition was orchestrated by St. Timothy parishioner Jakob Landry. “A lot of the music has to do with surfacing the mercy of God in our lives,” Jorgensen said.

Much the same as the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the purpose of the concert is to encourage listeners to heed Jesus’ call to seek mercy, to trust in Christ’s mercy and to be merciful to others, she said. “So many people today think they are not worth it, that they are not worthy of God’s mercy,” she said. In presenting the concert, she hopes people “get the message of God’s awesome mercy and to trust in that mercy.”

“My hope is that [those who attend] can be open to the spirit and the call of mercy in their lives,” Jorgensen said, “and be inspired to that effect by the music, the visuals and the script.”

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Crowd outside Supreme Court rallies against federal contraceptive mandate

By Kurt Jensen Catholic News Service In the end, the women religious decided it would be good to sing after all.

That wasn’t on the agenda for the sunny, 90-minute rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington March 23 in support of the plaintiffs in Zubik v. Burwell. But it had a calming effect and sometimes even silenced a competing rally in support of the government, so it seemed like the right thing to do.

There were several spontaneous renditions of “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” “God Bless America” and “God Bless the USA” from the Little Sisters of the Poor and groups of Dominican and Carmelite sisters.

On March 2, a rally of more than 3,000 participants surrounded and attempted to drown out a pro-life rally of about 200 during oral arguments on a Texas abortion law. This time, the proportions were reversed.

A competing rally organized by the National Women’s Law Center, the American Humanist Association and Catholics for Choice, among other groups, had many fewer participants than the several hundred who turned out in support of the Little Sisters and the other plaintiffs, including Oklahoma Wesleyan University, East Texas Baptist University, Southern Nazarene University and Geneva College, a Presbyterian institution, and the Archdiocese of Washington, the dioceses of Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania, and Priests for Life.

Mother Regina Marie Gorman of the Carmelite Sisters of Los Angeles, who delivered the closing prayer, announced, with a big smile, that it would be apt for all the Catholics to sing the Marian antiphon “Salve Regina,” traditionally sung after evening prayers.

“Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae” (“Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy”) was a serene conclusion to an orderly rally punctuated with chants of “Let them serve!” as the court heard oral arguments in the case brought by several Catholic and other faith-based entities against the federal government’s requirement that most employers, including religious employers, cover contraceptives for their workers.

The Denver-based Little Sisters, who operate nursing homes for the elderly poor, and 36 other groups are contesting the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the case has an uncertain future with the possibility of a 4-4 court deadlock, which means the rulings of the circuit courts, all but one of which have gone against the plaintiffs, will be upheld.

The Department of Health and Human Services has offered an “accommodation,” also known as a “workaround,” that allows objecting employers to acknowledge their opposition to contraceptive coverage by notifying HHS in a letter. This allows a third party to provide the coverage. The Little Sisters and other plaintiffs object to that, calling it a burden on their free exercise of religion, because they are still involved in allowing coverage they find objectionable.

“Today the Little Sisters make their last stand,” said Mother Mary Assumpta Long of the Dominican Sisters of Mary in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“Filling out a piece of paper is not the issue.

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The Catholic Spirit • 9B

Pope asks government to ensure safety of Christians in Pakistan

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

Women religious and others demonstrate against the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate March 23 near the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. The court heard oral arguments in the Zubik v. Burwell mandate case.

CNS/Jaclyn Lippelmann, Catholic Standard Complicity is wrong and it is wrong in itself, and the government cannot make this otherwise.”

“The Supreme Court,” she continued, “is not the arbiter of sacred Scriptures.”

Mother Assumpta’s words were echoed inside the court, as Chief Justice John Roberts remarked of the plaintiffs, “They think that complicity is sinful.”

“Our request is not uniquely Catholic or religious.

It’s American,” said Elise Italiano, executive director of communications for The Catholic University of America, another plaintiff.

Sister Loraine Marie Maguire, mother provincial for the Little Sisters of the Poor, released a statement that said, in part, “We find ourselves in a situation where the government is requiring us to include services in our religious health care plan that violate some of our deepest held religious beliefs as Little Sisters,” she said.

“We don’t understand why the government is doing this when there is an easy solution that doesn’t involve us — it can provide these services on the (health care) exchanges.”

At a special afternoon Mass for the Little Sisters at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore struck a cautionary note in his homily: “It’s fair to say that this momentous issue of religious freedom has occupied much of our time and much of our energies,” he said. But the decision is now “in the hands of God.” Archbishop Lori, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, was in the courtroom for the oral arguments. “For all of us, especially those of us who are not lawyers, it’s a glimpse into the complexities of the law,” he said.

Reflecting on Holy Week, he added, “And so we do find rest in Jesus, even as controversies swirl around us. It’s never been easy to follow Jesus, and perhaps it never should be.”

“So let us be of good cheer,” he concluded. “Let us dare to hope. Let us dare to rejoice.”

Pope Francis appealed to the government of Pakistan to take steps to ensure the safety of the country’s Christians and other minorities the day after a terrorist bombing killed at least 70 people and injured more than 300 who were spending Easter afternoon in a public park.

In Lahore, Pakistan, “Easter was bloodied by a hideous attack, which massacred many innocent people, mostly families belonging to the Christian minority — ­ especially women and children — who were in a public park joyfully celebrating the Easter holiday,” the pope said.

After reciting the “Regina Coeli” prayer with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square March 28, the pope condemned the Lahore attack as a “cowardly and senseless crime.” Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Taliban, said it carried out the attack and specifically targeted Christians celebrating Easter.

“Violence and homicidal hatred lead only to pain and destruction; respect and brotherhood are the only paths that lead to peace,” the pope said.

Before leading the crowd in reciting the “Hail Mary” for the victims and their families, Pope Francis asked the people in St. Peter’s Square to pray that God “would stop the hand of the violent, who sow terror and death, and that in the world there may reign love, justice and reconciliation.”

Later the same day, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed “tremendous sorrow” about the attacks.

Bishop believes Salesian priest kidnapped in Yemen still alive Catholic News Service The bishop who leads the apostolic vicariate that includes Yemen said he has “strong indications” that Salesian Father Tom Uzhunnalil “is still alive in the hands of his kidnappers.”

Bishop Paul Hinder, head of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, told Catholic News Service March 28, “I have no confirmation that anything happened Good Friday” and added that rumors appear to be untrue.

Father Uzhunnalil, an Indian, was kidnapped March 4 from the home for the aged and disabled run by the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, Yemen. Four Missionaries of Charity and 12 others were murdered in the attack.

Speaking from his office in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Bishop Hinder said it appeared that in late March a rumor began in India that militants connected to the so-called Islamic State group planned to crucify Father Uzhunnalil on Good Friday. The rumor spread around the world through social media. Leaders of the Salesian order in India said March 21 that there was no evidence to support the reports and asked people to refrain from “spreading false rumors.”

10B • The Catholic Spirit

U.S. & WORLD

March 31, 2016

Mother Angelica, EWTN founder, dies Easter Sunday at age 92 Catholic News Service Mother Angelica, who founded the Eternal Word Television Network and turned it into one of the world’s largest religious media operations, died March 27 at age 92.

Feisty and outspoken, she was a major controversial figure in the U.S. Church in the closing decades of the 20th century. At the same time, the international scope of EWTN’s media operations gave her a ready calling card at the Vatican.

Mother Angelica had been ill for years. In 2001, she underwent an operation to remove a blood clot in her brain after she suffered her second major stroke. It left her with partial paralysis and a speech impediment.

Last November, she was placed on a feeding tube as she continued to battle lingering effects of the strokes.

Mother Angelica died at her order’s Our Lady of Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama, where she “was surrounded by the prayers and love of her spiritual daughters, sons and dear friends,” said a statement from the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.

Jeff Cavins, speaker, author and former director of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, worked with Mother Angelica at EWTN for six years. Calling her a “woman of prayer” with an “intense devotion to Jesus,” he said he learned a lot from her.

“She would rather spend a day in the presence of Jesus in a quiet chapel than stand in the limelight,” Cavins said. “If you have watched Mother on her many shows, you know her, because she was the same on TV as in the halls of EWTN. She was courageous, tenacious and holy. Her insistence on giving Jesus her best was at the center of every decision she made, and her unwavering faith provided a remarkable example to others on how a modern-day disciple can live.”

On March 29, Mother Angelica’s body was received in a ceremony at the piazza of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament at the monastery. Her body will be transferred to her order’s cloister for a private visitation with the Poor Clares.

A public visitation and recitation of the rosary was to take place March 30 and 31 in the shrine’s upper church. Bishop Robert Baker of Birmingham was to lead an evening vigil service and rosary March 31.

A morning funeral Mass will be celebrated April 1 in the upper church by bishops and clergy from around the world. Father Joseph Mary Wolfe, a Franciscan Missionary of the Eternal Word, will be the homilist.

Following her funeral, Mother Angelica’s body will be interred in the shrine’s Crypt Chapel.

“This is a sorrow-filled day for the CathSpBeauty-Mar17-Sep-2016_Layout 1 entire 3/9/16 EWTN 12:17 family. Mother has always, and will always, personify

Mother Angelica, founder of the Eternal Word Television Network, is pictured in a 1992 photo. At 92, she died March 27 at the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration monastery in Hanceville, Alabama.

CNS files EWTN, the network which she founded,” Michael Warsaw, chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

“Her accomplishments and legacies in evangelization throughout the world are nothing short of miraculous and can only be attributed to divine providence and her unwavering faithfulness to our Lord,” he said.

In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross to Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill Steltemeier, then-chairman of EWTN’s board of governors, for distinguished service to the Church. The cross, whose name is Latin for “for the Church and the pope,” is the highest papal honor that can be conferred on laypeople and clergy. Because of ill health, Mother Angelica received the award in her private quarters.

Mother Angelica was equally at home giving a scale model of her satellite dish to St. John Paul II or ruffling the feathers of high-ranking Church officials with whom she disagreed.

In 1997, she got into a public squabble with Cardinal Roger Mahony, then archbishop of Los Angeles, when, on her TV show “Mother Angelica Live,” she criticized his pastoral letter on the Eucharist, saying it was confusing about the real presence of Christ.

In 1993, she termed “blasphemous” a Churchsponsored World Youth Day event during St. John Paul II’s visit to Denver because a mime troupe used a woman to portray Jesus in a dramatized Way of the Cross. She said the event showed the “destructive force” of the “liberal church in America.”

The criticism sparked Archbishop Rembert Weakland, then head of the Milwaukee archdiocese, to call her attack “vitriolic.”

Mother Angelica often said she accompanied her faith with a “theology of risk” that gave her the resolve to undertake large projects without any clear indication she would succeed.

“We have lost the theology of risk and replaced it with a theology of assurance” that says “you have to know what’s going to happen before you embark on something new,” she said on one occasion.

Mother Angelica was born April 20, 1923, as Rita Rizzo in an Italian neighborhood in Canton, Ohio. She described her childhood as rough. Her father abandoned the family when she was young, and her parents eventually divorced. She lived with her mother and said their existence was marked by poverty.

“We lived in rat-infested apartments — our life was so hard. I was interested in survival, so I didn’t do well in school. It’s hard when you’re hungry and cold to study,” she recalled in 1987.

In 1944, she joined her religious order and professed her solemn vows in Canton in 1953 as Sister Mary Angelica of the Annunciation.

In 1962, she founded Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, a move which she said was to fulfill a promise to Christ if she emerged from an operation able to walk.

— The Catholic Spirit contributed to this story

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only be beneficiaries, but above all, they must be empowered to become dignified agents of their own development and important drivers of sustainable development,” Archbishop Bernardito Auza told the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women March 18.

Education and adequate health must not be denied to any woman or girl, Archbishop Auza said. The Catholic Church and its worldwide network of schools, clinics and hospitals, and homes for the elderly and people with special needs, remain committed to promoting quality education and providing health care for women and girls, especially in developing countries and areas of conflict, he said. In addition, the archbishop said, women and girls continue to experience violence, including rape as a weapon of armed conflicts, trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced abortion, forced marriage and forced conversion to other faiths, and he called for such actions to stop.

Rally outside White House Easter Egg Roll seeks end of family detention Addressing about 100 people standing outside the White House March 28, Beatriz Mejia, a native of El Salvador, called on the United States to recognize that the thousands of mothers and children like her who have fled Central America in search of safety pose no threat to America. “We have come here from an unjust situation,” said Mejia, the mother of a 7-year-old son, who spent months in one of the family detention centers open since mid-2014 in the Southwest U.S. but now lives in the Washington area awaiting a hearing on her case. “Many of us have lost our loved ones because of the violence we are experiencing.” She said through an interpreter that she was the victim of an attempted murder in her homeland and the incident caused her to flee northward. Mejia’s testimony came at a rally planned by the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Representation and Advocacy Project as President Barack Obama hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll for hundreds of children. Rally organizers said they chose the day and the site to highlight how children being held in the detention centers did not have the freedom to participate in any Easter celebration.

A child holds a sign in Washington near the White House March 28 during a demonstration calling on the Obama administration to put an end to the detention of immigrant families. CNS/Tyler Orsburn

Poland, U.S. working to ensure safety of World Youth Day pilgrims

UNITED NATIONS

World Youth Day organizers in the United States and Poland remain in touch with diplomatic and security officials in their respective countries to ensure that pilgrims will remain safe during the festival of faith in late July. Security is expected to be extremely tight in Krakow, Poland, the WYD host city, as authorities in both countries work to prevent any incident that would

threaten visitors, said Paul Jarzembowski, World Youth Day USA coordinator and assistant director of youth and young adult ministries for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He said current information indicates no threat to the celebration, scheduled for July 26-31.

About 2 million people, including 30,000 Americans, are expected for the 14th international gathering of young people to celebrate their Catholic faith. The USCCB will conduct a webinar on safety and security at 2 p.m. April 14. Information is at bit.ly/1UrnhZE.

Vatican diplomat calls on U.N. to ensure women are not ‘left behind’ The Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations called on nations to ensure that women and girls living in vulnerable settings are not “left behind” as the world strives to meet its next set of sustainable development goals by 2030. “These women should not

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Pope to refugees: Despite differences, all are God’s children In a moving gesture of brotherhood and peace, Pope Francis washed the feet of several refugees, including Muslims, Hindus and Copts. Gestures, like Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, “speak louder than words,” he said during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper March 24. Coming together, he added, is another gesture meant to show a desire to live in peace as brothers and sisters despite people’s different cultural and religious backgrounds. Hundreds of refugees were outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the pope as he made his way into the courtyard of the Center for Asylum Seekers at Castelnuovo di Porto, about 15 miles north of Rome. Prior to his arrival, the pope sent some Easter presents for the center’s guests: 200 chocolate Easter eggs, a wooden chess board, and several autographed soccer balls and baseballs.

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Home of love multiplied Part five in a 14-part Year of Mercy series highlighting local Catholics who live out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

By Christina Capecchi • For The Catholic Spirit Photos by Dave Hrbacek • The Catholic Spirit

G

retchen Thibault will never forget the news footage 17 years ago that altered her family forever: a CBS News special showing a Romanian orphanage where malnourished toddlers were tied up in cribs.

“It was like, ‘Poof!’” she said. “Something changed. At that moment I realized I had a special spot in my heart that was just waiting to be used. It was filled with love.”

She and her husband, Dan, followed that love, which eventually led through a thicket of doubts to four adoptions: a Guatemalan toddler in 2000, a local newborn with Down syndrome in 2006, a Ukrainian 3-year-old with Down syndrome in 2010 and a Ukrainian 4-year-old with Down syndrome in 2013.

During that period, the Shoreview couple also had their fifth biological child, now 13, bringing the grand total to nine children, the oldest of whom is 22.

As their house filled, the love kept multiplying, say the Thibaults, who belong to St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony. Perched on Turtle Lake, their bustling home centers around an extended dining-room table lined with seven chairs, two high chairs and two benches. It can be upstaged by the piano room, where Ricky, a husky 9-year-old with red hair and blue glasses, performs impromptu guitar concerts, drawing from a vast repertoire and seldom lacking an audience. “It’s crowded, but not overly crowded,” said Chuck, a senior at St. Agnes High School in St. Paul.

The Thibaults are quick to point out that their openness to life does not mean they are holier than thou. “We are like every other family with a variety of struggles, some small and some big,” said Gretchen, 47, a stay-at-home mom. “God just moved our hearts, and we needed to respond.”

“We cringe when people say things like, ‘Oh, you have an amazing family.’ Or, ‘You’re saints!’” added Dan, 49, a corporate tax consultant. “We don’t feel that way. We just know we have commitment.”

The sacrifices they’ve made to expand their family have been richly rewarded. “If anyone really understood the amount of love that has grown in our hearts and in our minds for these children with Down syndrome, they would go great distances to have them as well,” Gretchen said. “It can be tiring at times, but we never feel they are a burden. We feel honored to be able to love them as they are.”

Hearts of service When Dan and Gretchen wed in 1992, the high-school sweethearts chose a theme for their union: servants of God. (Richard Gilliard’s hymn “The Servant Song” still moves Gretchen to tears.) The cradle Catholics welcomed new life again and again and again, leaning on their faith to guide their parenting and strengthen

From left front, Maggie Thibault runs to a local park with Stas (in stroller), Dan, personal care attendant Brittany Wiitala and Ricky. Back le

Stas, right, enjoys a playful moment with personal care attendant Brittany Wiitala.

Jenny gives Susha a ride on her shoulders.

their marriage. Praying as a couple each morning, they learned, helped them feel connected through the day.

Their first adoption — adding a dark-skinned toddler to their four biological children — was “the most intimidating,” Gretchen recalled. “We had never had a child who wasn’t ‘flesh and blood.’ We didn’t know what it would be like.” She and Dan recognized what emerged: a capacity to love without distinction. Jenny was part of the family in every way, deeply and fully.

Their new daughter made Dan and Gretchen look at the world differently. “There was this extra warmth for people of all races,” she said.

When they felt called to consider another adoption, Dan suggested a child with Down syndrome. He had a brother with Down syndrome who died at a young age, and the Thibault family had always described Gary as the best thing that ever happened to them. It was time for Dan, then a father of six with considerable

breadwinning pressures, to not just articulate that belief but act on it.

Ricky brought joy they had never before imagined, putting everything into perspective for the well-educated parents and their high-achieving, homework-laden teens. “We’re all expected to fit in this box,” Gretchen explained. “When your typical kids are outside that box, it’s so scary. You’re like, ‘Get back in the box. People notice you’re not in the box!’ When you have a child with special needs, it’s like, ‘They’re not in the box, nobody expects them to be in the box.’ They’re free to be who they are. They can just go ahead and reach whatever their maximum is.”

With seven children, Dan and Gretchen felt their plate

The Catholic Spirit’s Acts of Mercy series is mad National Catholic Society of Foresters. Learn abo

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March 31, 2016 • 13B

To shelter the homeless

By Father Michael Van Sloun

“If anyone really understood the amount of love that has grown in our hearts and in our minds for these children with Down syndrome, they would go great distances to have them as well. It can be tiring at times, but we never feel they are a burden. We feel honored to be able to love them as they are.”

Gretchen Thibault

eft: Chuck Thibault (holding Susha), Bobby and Gretchen.

to Ukraine to adopt Susha, a tenderhearted blonde whom they first glimpsed on a Facebook video. They stayed at the rectory of a Catholic cathedral named God The Merciful Father.

Looking back, said Gretchen, she can see how they were prepared for four adoptions one step at a time.

“When you open yourself up once, God stretches you a little further. I have no idea what’s next, but I also trust that God will help us deal with it.”

Short term, it means gearing up for a family trip to Florida, where travel and pool time pose some dangers to the youngest kids. “I’m prepping with all of my guardian angel prayers,” Gretchen said. (She also credits their earthly helpmates: three personal care attendants who keep the family functioning throughout the week.)

It also means planning a wedding for their firstborn, whose March 13 proposal inspired a re-enactment between Ricky The Entertainer, dropping on bended knee, and his mother. Not only is Ricky funny, but he’s also affirming, said Jenny, a St. Agnes sophomore. When she puts on a dress for church, she can always count on Ricky to compliment her. “Why can’t all guys by like this?” she said, smiling.

Pieces of a journey

Ricky plays Mass in the living room in front of family members.

was full. Then the 2010 earthquake in Haiti shook their hearts open again. They considered adopting a Haitian child, but ultimately were led to Ukraine. Their oldest daughter, Lizzy, found herself on a website called Reece’s Rainbow, a Maryland-based organization that promotes international adoption of children with Down syndrome and other special needs. A trip to Stas’ Ukrainian orphanage was horrifying, like a 1950s mental institution: toddlers with shaved heads gnawing themselves, some tied down, others curled into the fetal position. They felt grateful for the chance to provide a loving home to 3-year-old Stas, who has surprised them over the years by being so attuned to their emotions.

Three years later Dan and Gretchen made another trip

de possible in part through a grant from the out the organization at www.ncsf.com.

Longer term, Dan and Gretchen keep striving to pay it forward. They helped start Philomena House in St. Paul, which shelters homeless pregnant women for no cost.

They are also involved with a Wisconsin-based Catholic mission to Ukraine called Chalice of Mercy, helping to build a therapy center for children with disabilities in Stas and Susha’s hometown. They are also organizing a medical exchange program for Ukrainian students to spend time in the United States, live with a doctor, receive training on the spiritual dimension of their work and get to know the youngest three Thibault children, all of whom have Down syndrome. It’s all part of building a culture of life, Gretchen said. “To see how God aligned all the pieces of this journey is amazing.”

The journey has planted seeds in the Thibault kids that will bear fruits in untold ways. Several of the teens say that, one day, they could see themselves adopting.

Already they can see how their diverse family has made them more understanding of people who don’t look or sound like them. They’re quick to befriend a peer being teased. For Chuck, that homegrown compassion recently compelled him to give a Chipotle gift card to a homeless man in St. Paul.

Nearly 24 years ago, when Dan and Gretchen said “I do” and committed themselves to be servants of God, they never could’ve imagined what they were saying yes to. It’s been an incredible ride — and it could make a believer of anyone. To surrender control to God, to summon him each morning and thank him every night, to let his mercy thaw the frozen ground in your heart, is to gulp up lots of grace.

“While we have a large family, I know that not everyone is called to that,” Gretchen said. “Not everyone is likely called to adoption. But I do feel that we are all called to more than we think we are capable of.”

The corporal works of mercy are charitable deeds that provide for the bodily needs of others, and standing at the top of the list of critical bodily needs are food and shelter. The fourth corporal work of mercy is to shelter the homeless, also known as to harbor the harborless. In the Gospel, it corresponds to, “I was . . . a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35). A roof over one’s head provides protection from the elements as well as safety and security.

Shelter comes in a wide variety of forms depending upon the time in history and the geographic location: caves, tents, thatched roof huts, igloos, teepees, log cabins, house boats, Father Michael apartments, barracks, VAN SLOUN dormitories, shacks with tin roofs and palaces.

It is a terrible problem to be without adequate housing, and one of the most striking examples is the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph could not find shelter when they went to Bethlehem: “There was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2:7). Accorded no mercy, their substandard shelter was a stable or a cave. When they fled to Egypt (Mt 2:13-15), again they were without shelter, and it is presumed that through the tender mercy of Jews of the Diaspora, they were given a place to stay.

They eventually settled in Nazareth and enjoyed a permanent home.

After Jesus left Nazareth, he needed shelter. Jesus alluded to his personal challenge with adequate housing when he remarked, “The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (Mt 8:20; Lk 9:58). As an itinerant preacher, Jesus had no home of his own.

Many believe that when he was in Capernaum, he found shelter as a long-term guest in the home of Simon and Andrew (Mk 1:29), and while he was in Jerusalem he found shelter as a guest in the home of his dear friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus in Bethany (Lk 10:38; Jn 11:5). His hosts were angels of mercy.

During my time in Chicago in the major seminary, I had a friend in a religious order who volunteered as a driver of a Red Cross relief truck.

He invited me on a ride-along. Whenever the Chicago Fire Department responds to a house or apartment fire, the Red Cross rushes to the scene, and if a family has lost its place to stay, the Red Cross provides shelter. It was heartwarming to witness mercy in action.

There are so many who lack adequate housing: victims of disasters, the poor, the unemployed, the foreclosed, the disabled, military veterans, abuse victims, the mentally challenged and, today, thousands of refugees, particularly from Syria.

There are many charitable groups that serve the homeless: Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services and Mary’s Place, just to name a few. It is a corporal work of mercy to volunteer or offer donations to these organizations.

Mercy begins at home. It is as simple as parents providing shelter to their own children. Another way is to welcome an aging parent or a sick relative into one’s home.

Many saints, such as St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, are inspiring examples of providing care for those without shelter.

St. Joseph is the patron of the homeless. If we hope to travel the road to sainthood and if we hope to please Jesus so as to “inherit the kingdom prepared . . . from the foundation of the world” (Mt 25:34), he asks us to shelter the homeless.

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

2016

Senior Housing Guide March 31, 2016 • Page 14B

Aging prompts need to exercise mind, body and spirit

By Sarah Hinds Catholic News Service

A

s people age, they should not only make efforts to be physically and mentally sharp, but they should also consider ways to take stock of their spiritual health.

There has been plenty written about the need to keep the brain and body active, and these theories are continually backed up by new studies.

For example, a study published in 2013 and conducted by the Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas at Dallas examined the memory and mental capacity of 200 older adults over a period of time. The study showed their mental abilities improved the most when they were assigned a variety of activities or asked to learn a new skill.

Those who simply spent time conversing with friends or playing simple board games did not show significant improvement.

So, despite age, one’s mind can stay young and sharp with efforts to keep it active and challenged. A new hobby or skill — like photography, “Buses, bingo quilting or learning a new card game — is a and brownies great way to keep the mind up to speed as do not pass” as time progresses. ministries for Regular exercise also can keep the brain retirees. running smoothly with age.

Richard Johnson, Catholic A study conducted psychological clinician and in 2011 at the counselor University of Illinois determined that 45 minutes of exercise at least three days a week can actually “increase the volume of the brain” and helped people better perform skills such as planning, scheduling, multitasking and memory.

But Christians know that mental and physical abilities are not the only things that matter.

Christian introspect For many people, spirituality is key to a vital old age. In fact, aging is often referred to as a spiritual

journey. A study by the National Council on Aging in 2000 found that 67 percent of seniors felt that having a rich spiritual life contributed meaning to life. The majority of baby boomers in the study also said that, when “thinking about their later years,” having a rich spiritual life will be very important.

Because older adults have more time on their hands to reflect on life’s meaning and to focus on the end of life, spirituality is often a natural focus.

But that doesn’t mean it is always given close attention.

Richard Johnson, a Catholic psychological clinician and counselor who has been writing and teaching about retirement for more than 30 years, firmly believes that the second half of life is “about spiritual development.”

He described it as a time when people become more introspective. Catholics, in particular, he said, should be asking: “How is Christ operating in my life right now? How does my daily routine reflect that?”

Johnson, who lives in St. Louis, said those who fail to take care of their spiritual health experience

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CNS “lifelessness, mental confusion and irritability.”

He also said parishes need to do a lot more to address the spiritual needs of seniors in the same way they reach out to parish youth and ethnic groups.

“Buses, bingo and brownies do not pass” as ministries for retirees, he said, referring to many of the programs in place at parishes, which he added would not appeal to today’s baby boomers.

The late Sister Angelita Fenker, a member of the Sisters for Christian Community who wrote several books on aging before her death in 2013, emphasized that in today’s culture, “where youth is worshiped and getting older is considered a disease,” Catholics should see that aging serves a “distinct purpose” in a life of faith.

Sister Angelita noted that spiritual health is just as crucial as physical and mental health and suggested that Catholics view aging as a gift to be cherished rather than an inevitable burden.

“As long as we choose to love — God, self, others and creation,” Sister Angelita wrote, “we’ll never grow stale and stagnant.”

March 31, 2016

SENIOR HOUSING

The Catholic Spirit • 15B

Indians shed tears, share stories as Kolkata honors Mother Teresa

By Saadia Azim Catholic News Service With folded hands, Margeret Rose stood praying near Blessed Teresa’s statue near the entrance of the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity.

Local residents had joined the sisters and Kolkata Archbishop Thomas D’Souza March 18 for a special Mass marking the announcement that Blessed Teresa’s canonization had been approved at the Vatican and scheduled for Sept. 4 in Rome. After Mass, men and women took turns visiting the order’s exhibition room and learned of options to volunteer at the homes run by the Missionaries of Charities worldwide.

But Rose, 74, remained indifferent to the flurry of activity. She was deep in prayer to Mother Teresa, with large tears flowing down her cheeks. After half an hour of prayer, she was finished.

“Mother was a saint always, and I have been praying to her even when she was alive,” said Rose, who daily walks along congested streets to reach the home with the wide gates. The Missionaries of Charity headquarters was Mother Teresa’s residence until her death in September 1997. “I owe my life to her. Her touch was magical, and I live till today only because of that saintly magic.”

“The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace,” recited those who attended the Mass.

A sense of elation gripped the air as people talked about their association with the 60-year-old building and with Mother Teresa. Outside, a drug addict in an inebriated state lay on the road and shouted, seeking forgiveness in her name. A young sister in her white and blue-bordered sari went out to help the man. She tried

to bless him and guide him into the home.

“He is a homeless [man] on drugs,” she said later. “We are trying to help him out. He has started coming here regularly for his medicines.”

Sunita Kumar, a renowned artist, has been associated with the Missionaries of Charities for the last 36 years. A practicing Sikh married to a practicing Hindu, she had been vociferously and voluntarily serving as the official spokeswoman for the Missionaries of Charity for the last 30 years. She has drawn numerous sketches of Mother Teresa recognizable by her trademark petite frame in her white and blue-bordered sari.

Displaying one of her best artworks on Mother Teresa, she said: “Most of them were signed by Mother, but Mother had just one question for me, ‘Where are my eyes and my lips, not marked in the sketches?’ And I had explained to her then that ‘I saw the saint in you.

You do not need physical features to get identified.’

“In fact her presence was so colossal that I never felt the need to draw features to explain her presence. She was always recognizable,” she added.

Kumar, now a grandmother, said she personally experienced a miracle from Mother Teresa.

“Just two hours before Mother’s death, I had asked her to pray for my young child suffering from Hepatitis B then. But after Mother was gone, we checked him out of curiosity, and it was gone from his body. My child recovered, and I cannot forget this miracle ever,” she said.

Before the Mass, young novices carried their prayer books and bowed before the statues of Mother Teresa in the corner of the chapel on the first floor of the headquarters. People entering the chapel blessed themselves with holy water.

The chapel is near Mother Teresa’s tomb, where petals

Sunita Kumar poses for a photo with her painting of Blessed Teresa March 18 at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India. Kumar said she once told Mother Teresa she did not paint the nun’s physical features because she recognized her as a saint. CNS/Saadia Azim of flowers write “Jesus thirsts for you” on the marble.

After Mass, the sisters touched the tomb, bowed, prayed quietly and left.

Amid recent incidents in which Hindu nationalists accused Christian missionaries of conversion, Kumar said Mother Teresa “practiced a philosophy of humanity where she never asked her followers to convert to her faith. I prayed with her in the same chapel where she always asked me to pray the way I knew.

“She has always been the saint as I know her,” Kumar added.

We Mend Bodies and Spirits Throughout the Benedictine Health System, our residents, patients and their families are welcomed and treated with love and respect. As one of the largest Catholic senior care organizations in the United States, with nine communities within the Twin Cities, we believe our Benedictine Core Values of Hospitality, Stewardship, Respect and Justice are not just posters on the wall; those values guide the work we do every day.

We provide high quality senior living services, including independent and assisted living, long-term care, short-term care, memory care, in and outpatient therapy as well as adult day services.

For more information or to schedule a tour: Benedictine Health Center at Innsbruck 1101 Black Oak Drive | New Brighton 651-633-1686 | bhcinnsbruck.org

Cerenity Senior Care – White Bear Lake 4615 2nd Avenue | White Bear Lake 651-232-1818 | CerenitySeniorCare.org

Benedictine Health Center of Minneapolis 618 E. 17th Street | Minneapolis 612-879-2800 | bhcminneapolis.org

Interlude Restorative Suites 520 Osborne Road NE | Fridley 763-230-3131 | Interluderestorativesuites.org

Benedictine Senior Living at Steeple Pointe 625 Central Avenue | Osseo 763-425-4440 | steeplepointe.org

Regina Senior Living 1175 Ninninger Road | Hastings 651-480-4333 | regina-seniorliving.org

Cerenity Senior Care - Humboldt 512 Humboldt | St. Paul 651-220-1700 | CerenitySeniorCare.org

St. Gertrude’s Health and Rehabilitation Center 1850 Sarazin Street | Shakopee 952-233-4400 | stgertrudesshakopee.org

Cerenity Senior Care – Marian of Saint Paul 200 Earl Street | St. Paul – Mass six days a week 651-793-2100 | CerenitySeniorCare.org

To review the full list of communities and services go to: bhshealth.org 001-226 Metro Ad v4.indd 3

2/22/16 8:35 AM

16B • The Catholic Spirit

SENIOR HOUSING

March 31, 2016

Seniors plug into new forms of technology

By Julia Willis Catholic News Service Although stereotypically labeled as late subscribers to new forms of technology, many older adults have become interested in adapting to an increasingly digital world.

According to a 2014 Pew Research Center report, six in 10 seniors now go online, and 47 percent say they have a high-speed broadband connection at home. In addition, 77 percent of older adults currently have a cell phone.

While many seniors are making technological strides, the study also demonstrates that Internet and cell phone use greatly depend on a person’s financial status, educational attainment and age.

Some 68 percent of Americans in their early 70s go online regularly, but Internet use falls to 47 percent among 75–79-year-olds.

In addition, affluent and well-educated seniors are more likely to use technological tools. Ninety percent of seniors with an annual household income of $75,000 or more go online regularly, and 87 percent of seniors with a college degree surf the Web. In contrast, only 39 percent of seniors earning less than $30,000 annually go online, and 40 percent of seniors who have not attended college use the Internet.

Although older adults face a number of hurdles as they try to adapt to new technologies, Catholic seniors seem particularly interested in keeping up with the tweets of Pope Francis and maintaining contact with distant relatives through texting.

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona maintains independent living senior housing sites that have become home to a tech-savvy group of older adults. According to site staff, most seniors are now using cell phones, and an estimated 40 percent of residents currently use email, Internet and texting.

CNS While some seniors allow technical tools to become an integral part of their daily lives, many choose to avoid the Internet and cell phones because they are fearful they will not be able to use them on their own.

These types of fears fueled Catholic Charities of Hawaii to develop a beginner’s iPad class to help

seniors learn how to use the product.

Dianne Lim, program coordinator at Catholic Charities’ Lanakila Senior Center in Honolulu, said the class came about because “some of the more ‘tech savvy’ seniors at the senior center expressed an interest in learning more about what an iPad has to offer, and a couple had received one as a gift from their children but did not know how to operate it.”

She said she asked the seniors who already owned an iPad what they were using it for and found out they were mostly using it for games.

“I wanted to show them just how powerful a tool they had at their fingertips,” she said.

Although the class is mainly focused on the iPad, Lim explained that the instructor accepts questions about all forms of technology during monthly meetings and has also helped seniors learn more about smartphones and computers.

“It’s fun to watch their eyes light up when they learn something cool and new they didn’t know they could do before on their devices,” Lim said. “The class truly promotes the dignity of our seniors by expanding the range of what they can do with the technology that is in front of them. The seniors like the fact that they receive easy, step-by-step lessons and leave the class feeling like they have learned a lot.”

One participant in the class told Lim that she is grateful for the instruction she has received throughout the program.

In an email she said: “Seniors have difficultly transitioning from what they have learned to the skills necessary to navigate through a fast-changing technological world. Our granddaughters use texting as a means of communicating with us, and the information I have received throughout this class has broadened my knowledge of technology as a whole.”

Visit any of our

Senior Living Communities throughout the Twin Cities.

Maple Grove, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Lilydale, Oak Park, Shoreview, West St. Paul, St. Paul From independent living to assisted living and memory care, we provide our residents with the opportunity to live happy, healthy lives in a safe, secure environment, while remaining as active and independent as possible.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule a tour!

SouthviewCommunities.com

SENIOR HOUSING

March 31, 2016

To our readers

The Catholic Spirit • 17B

“To change the world, we must be good to those who cannot repay us.”

The descriptions of senior housing and services in this section were provided by the facilities and service agencies, which are responsible for the accuracy of the content.

The Catholic Spirit

Pope Francis

MJ Properties of St. Paul, LLLP Walk to Mass daily when you live at 1440 Randolph Ave. in St. Paul’s Highland Park. Our newly remodeled and value-priced apartments are perfect for today’s independent seniors, age 55 and older.

Adjacent to Holy Spirit Church, 1440 Randolph provides a quiet, simple, yet elegant atmosphere for independent seniors who wish to “stay in the neighborhood” or live close to a Catholic church and have ready access to the sacraments. Nearby are parks, restaurants, fuel, car repair, pharmacy, groceries, coffee houses, medical/dental offices, beauty/barber shops and more.

At 1440 Randolph, you can enjoy a modernized elevator, underground heated parking and outside garages, state-of-the-art monitored smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, new appliances, friendly on-site management, mini health clinic, fitness center and resident lounge with Wi-Fi access and cable TV. The community is a great value for anyone on a budget!

For more information or to schedule a showing, please call MJ Properties of St. Paul at 651-690-4961.

Nominations for the 2016 Leading With Faith awards are being accepted through May 2 at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com or by calling 651-251-7709 for more information.

L if

e is participating • loving

enjoy

Benedictine Health System

ing • sharing • living

A memory care residence of distinction

The Benedictine Health System is one of the largest Catholic senior care organizations in the country, operating more than 40 communities in six states, including nine in the Twin Cities.

BHS is a mission-based, nonprofit health system headquartered in Minnesota, sponsored by the Benedictine sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth.

BHS provides complete long-term care services for aging adults, including independent housing, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.

For more information, visit www.bhshealth.org.

Gianna Homes Minnetonka & Plymouth 952.988.0953 www.giannahomes.org

STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

Walk to Daily Mass When You Live at 1440 Randolph Ave! Reasonably priced, spacious 1 & 2 BR Apartments* for Independent Seniors 55 and Better. Come see our stylish and modern kitchens! On a bus line, within blocks of supermarket, Walgreens Pharmacy, local coffee shops, Cretin Baseball games and just a little further Highland National Golf Course and the Grand Avenue Shops!

• ELEVATOR • Underground heated/outside garages* • On-site Management • State-of-the-art Monitored Fire & CO System

*When available.

651-690-4961

The Best Kept Secret in Highland Park!

Located adjacent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church and School, in the lovely Highland Park area, this building provides a quiet, simple, yet elegant living atmosphere for independent seniors of 55 and Better who wish to "Stay in the Neighborhood" or live in close proximity to a Catholic Church and the Sacraments.

Guests are greeted by classical music just inside the entry of the building's upscale, smartly appointed and warmly finished Lobby. Summer months on our quaint patio offer the calming sounds of a graceful fountain beside an inviting cafe table and umbrella in addition to a bench upon which to rest and enjoy the sunset at the close of each day.

For more information, contact MJ Properties of Saint Paul, LLLP

www.1440apartments.com

MJ PROPERTIES OF SAINT PAUL, LLLP

18B • The Catholic Spirit

SENIOR HOUSING

March 31, 2016

Sholom Sholom is a nonprofit organization providing a continuum of residential, social and health care services, primarily for older adults.

Sholom’s two campuses — Shaller Family Sholom East Campus in St. Paul and Ackerberg Family Sholom West Campus in St. Louis Park — offer housing and a whole host of services for seniors, including senior apartment homes, assisted living, enhanced assisted living, memory care, HUD-supported senior apartments, short-term rehab, skilled nursing care and hospice care.

The campuses offer a vitality and aquatics center with warm water therapy pool, in-house and community-based home health care services and adult day services.

For more information about the Shaller Sholom East Campus, call 651-3282000; for the Ackerberg Sholom West Campus, call 952-935-6311.

St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery St. Vincent de Paul Church in Brooklyn Park is proud to have a beautiful cemetery that dates back to 1856.

In 2014, there was an expansion that included garden and courtyard sections with 300 new traditional grave sites, 70 cremation grave sites and a beautifully designed columbarium containing 300 niches for cremation. The expansion includes new opportunities to remember and commemorate loved ones, with monuments and walkways, as well as a location for outdoor Mass and other liturgical services.

For more information, call 763-425-2210 or visit www.saintvdp.org.

Epiphany Senior Housing

YOU’RE INVITED!

Epiphany Senior Housing in Coon Rapids is just minutes north of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. We are a faith-based organization with the privilege of an indoor link to Epiphany Church.

We offer independent living, assisted living and memory care to seniors.

Epiphany Senior Housing offers a wide range of services in a homelike setting where privacy is respected. Assisted living and memory care services are planned with each resident to reflect personal needs and choices.

We would love the opportunity to give you a tour and learn about you and your housing needs.

For more information or to schedule a tour, call 763-755-0320 or visit www.epiphanyseniorhousing.org.

Crest View Senior Communities

Annual

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NOTICE

Look for The Catholic Spirit advertising insert from KNOM RADIO in all copies of this issue.

Crest View Senior Communities is a faith-based not-for-profit organization that has been providing services to older adults since 1952.

Crest View Senior Community in Columbia Heights offers a continuum of care and services, including senior housing, assisted living, home care, memory care, rehab care and skilled nursing care.

Crest View is developing a new campus of service for older adults in Blaine that will open in fall 2016.

For more information, visit www.crestviewcares.org, or call 763-782-1601 for Columbia Heights or 763-755-0712 for Blaine.

SENIOR HOUSING

March 31, 2016

The Catholic Spirit • 19B

Gianna Homes

Our expansion includes contemplative gardens and courtyard areas with traditional graves, cremation graves and a beautifully designed columbarium with more than 300 niches for cremation.

A highly-trained team of health care professionals ensures that Gianna Homes residents receive the best care available. The registered nurses, certified nursing assistants and physical therapists, along with massage therapists, musicians and staff members, provide nurturing stimulation, prayer, laughter and friendship around the clock. Gianna Homes embraces a whole-life approach to care for seniors with memory loss. Come and see for yourself the spirit that permeates our homes.

For more information about our Minnetonka and Plymouth locations, contact Anne Marie Hansen, our president and founder, at 952-988-0953 or anne@giannahomes.org.

St. Benedict’s Senior Community Find out more at: www.saintvdp.org/cemetery or (763) 425-2210

St. Benedict’s Senior Community’s mission is: “Our actions are guided by the belief that ‘All Shall be Treated as Christ.’”

With foundational values and beliefs rooted in the tradition of the Catholic faith, St. Benedict’s Senior Community welcomes people of all faiths. Our campus features retirement, assisted living and memory care apartments. Amenities include a chapel, theater, general store, fitness center, club room and enclosed outdoor courtyard. We take pride in building lasting relationships with our tenants. We take the time to get to know you and your lifestyle needs. We believe exceptional service still counts!

For more information or to schedule a tour, call 763-295-4051.

The Glenn Hopkins and Minnetonka With the founding principles of a belief in the dignity and value of each individual and the understanding that every senior desires to live in a welcoming, vibrant and supportive community, The Glenn Hopkins and The Glenn Minnetonka offer a senior community that is not just a place to stay, but a place to live.

Offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, care suites and adult day services, you’re sure to find your ideal retirement lifestyle.

Our senior communities provide a spiritual environment in which people of all faiths are welcome. Mass, interfaith services, rosary, Bible study and beautifully designed chapels for quiet reflection and prayer are a few of the amenities supporting your spiritual journey.

Our Community Life Programs embrace the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and community stewardship roles in seniors’ lives through scheduled bus outings and numerous recreational opportunities.

For more information or to schedule your personal tour, please contact: The Glenn Hopkins – 952-933-3333, www.theglennhopkins.com The Glenn Minnetonka – 952-352-1000, www.theglennminnetonka.com

St. Therese

www.thecatholicspirit.com

The McReavy Family

Family owned and operated for over 150 years, WashburnMcReavy is dedicated to serving families with caring and professional funeral services.

Please contact us at any of our 17 metro area locations for more information about our services, or visit our website at www.washburn-mcreavy.com.

St. Therese is a nonprofit Catholic organization that has focused on the wellbeing of individuals since it opened in 1968.

We provide secure, stress-free living and the very best in senior care and housing with a commitment to each individual. St. Therese offers a full continuum of programs and services that are available in your own home or in one of our community settings.

St. Therese serves individuals throughout the metro area with locations in New Hope, Brooklyn Park, Robbinsdale, Shoreview and Woodbury.

For more information, visit www.sttheresemn.org.

Blaine Pre-Arrangement Center 763-231-0506 10450 Baltimore Street NE Bloomington 952-884-8145 2300 W. Old Shakopee Road Columbia Heights 763-789-4436 4101 Central Ave NE Coon Rapids 763-767-1000 1827 Coon Rapids Blvd Eden Prairie 952-975-0400 7625 Mitchell Road Edina 952-920-3996 5000 W. 50th & Hwy 100 Hopkins 952-938-9020 1400 Mainstreet New Brighton 651-636-9821 706 4th Ave. NW Nokomis Park 612-721-1651 1838 E. Minnehaha Pkwy

Northeast Minneapolis 612-781-6828 2901 Johnson Street NE North Minneapolis 612-529-9691 1600 Lowry Ave N. Robbinsdale 763-537-2333 4239 W. Broadway Uptown 612-377-2203 2301 Dupont Ave S. Crystal Lake Cemetery 612-521-3677 3816 Penn Ave N., Minneapolis Dawn Valley Memorial Park 952-941-7686 9940 Bush Lake Road, Bloomington Glen Haven Memorial Gardens 763-533-8643 5125 W. Broadway, Crystal Hillside Cemetery 612-781-1999 2610 19th Ave NE, Minneapolis

info@washburn-mcreavy.com

Trojack Law Office, P.A. A three-step strategy is used with each client.

First, we emphasize counseling, taking time to understand each person’s needs. Second, we assist in keeping the plan current. Third, we show our clients how they can pass along their wisdom as well as their wealth.

John Trojack will work hard to help you give “what you own, to whom you want, when you want and the way you want.” To ensure an “estate plan that works,” he maintains a formal updating program. And, the office assures you of fully-disclosed and controlled costs.

For more information, call 651-451-9696.

20B • The Catholic Spirit

FOCUS ON FAITH

SUNDAY SCRIPTURES

Jeff Hensley

‘My Lord and my God’ Jesus is risen! He is risen, indeed!

And that seems to be much of what the readings for April 3 reflect.

The Gospel relates the account of Thomas coming to faith when Jesus appears before him and the other disciples. Jesus offers Thomas the opportunity to put his finger on his hand, to put his hand into his side. But Thomas doesn’t need the proof he had

earlier said he required. His response to Jesus is, “My Lord and my God!” The chapter closes with the writer saying, “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.”

March 31, 2016

When I came into the Catholic Church in 1974, I had already witnessed many great things Jesus had done in my life. In the intervening decades, I have seen him act again and again in my own life and the lives of those around me, often in amazing ways. Prayers have been answered, difficult situations that should not have worked out well did.

For example, once on ice-coated streets, moving downhill at 20 miles per hour, the pickup I was driving went from sliding sideways on a collision course with the trunks of five substantial cars into the one open lane on the far right side of the intersection and coming smoothly to a stop, as though there were no ice on the road at all.

I believe my experiences and similar ones of those who read this are part and parcel of those books that the next

Sunday, April 3

Divine Mercy Sunday Readings • Acts 5:12-16 • Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 • Jn 20:19-31

chapter of John refers to as being more than the whole world could contain. It was all brought about by the obedience of the son of God, who laid down his life to take it up again in its resurrected form, that we, too, might have life in his name.

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

DAILY Scriptures Sunday, April 3 Divine Mercy Sunday Acts 5:12-16 Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 Jn 20:19-31 Monday, April 4 Annunciation of the Lord Is 7:10-14; 8:10 Heb 10:4-10 Lk 1:26-38

Tuesday, April 5 Acts 4:32-37 Jn 3:7b-15

Friday, April 8 Acts 5:34-42 Jn 6:1-15

Wednesday, April 6 Acts 5:17-26 Jn 3:16-21

Saturday, April 9 Acts 6:1-7 Jn 6:16-21

Thursday, April 7 St. John Baptist de la Salle, priest Acts 5:27-33 Jn 3:31-36

Sunday, April 10 Third Sunday of Easter Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41 Rev 5:11-14 Jn 21:1-19

SEEKING ANSWERS

Father Michael Schmitz

Learning to be alone well is part of Christian discipleship Q. I try to follow God in the way that it seems like he is calling me to, but I find that I am often walking alone. I am not surrounded by people who are pursuing God like I believe I am called to. Am I doing something wrong?

A. Thank you for this question. I think that your experience is not unusual. At the same time, there could be a number of reasons for this, and it is important to weed through “unnecessary loneliness” to what might be called “necessary loneliness.”

There are times when we are the cause of our own problems. This can easily happen with people who are pursuing Jesus above all. We might needlessly isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. We are called to be “in the world, but not of the world,” and that is a hard road to walk. It takes a good deal of wisdom to be able to navigate which parts of the world one ought to avoid and which parts one should not only tolerate, but also engage with. Often, this means a bit of trial and error. It also means seeking counsel from people who have walked this road before you.

There are also times when people will shut themselves off from certain elements of everyday life or popular

culture for very good reasons. There are times when it is necessary to walk away from certain relationships for the sake of one’s soul. Those are very real decisions that many Christians will have to make, even to the point of walking away from family members if the situation calls for it. You would not fault an alcoholic for leaving behind his drinking buddies for the sake of his sobriety, or a teenager who leaves behind a destructive relationship for the sake of her well-being. In similar fashion, there might be relationships Christians need to leave behind for the sake of their souls.

Knowing when we need to “be different” or “walk away” is a difficult task, but it is important to learn. There are times when we need to see sin where no one else notices it, but it is not saintly to see sin where there is no sin.

But a Christian is going to be lonely, because being lonely is a part of the human experience.

Walk alone with Christ Feeling loneliness is the result of two important factors. First, we are made in God’s image (a communion of love), which means that we are made for relationship. Second, we live in a fallen world where relationships are broken.

Because of this, each person must carry

Monday, April 11 St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr Acts 6:8-15 Jn 6:22-29 Tuesday, April 12 Acts 7:51–8:1a Jn 6:30-35

Wednesday, April 13 Acts 8:1b-8 Jn 6:35-40

Saturday, April 16 Acts 9:31-42 Jn 6:60-69

Thursday, April 14 Acts 8:26-40 Jn 6:44-51

Sunday, April 17 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 13:14, 43-52 Rev 7:9, 14b-17 Jn 10:27-30

Friday, April 15 Acts 9:1-20 Jn 6:52-59

their own interior cross in solitude.

While we might walk in the midst of many other people, the deepest part of our very selves remains largely unknown by others. And so we often walk alone.

It is one of the duties of life to learn how to be alone, and to be alone well.

There are many people who have learned to “cope” with being alone, but they have not learned how to do this well.

Many of us will turn to television (or Netflix, can I get an “amen,” anybody?) or to a thousand other little distractions and diversions. We might turn to alcohol or the computer or fantasy football or gossip or over-work or being a busy-body.

Longing to be consoled You will never be happy until you learn how to be alone. Until then, we constantly fill ourselves with an abundance of things that are “almost good enough.”

Even Jesus had to walk this path.

While he had significant relationships and deep friendships, there were times when he not only needed to be alone with his Father, but there were also times when his friends could not walk with him. Whether it was because they were too weak (in the Garden of Gethsemane) or because he had a specific Way of the Cross they could not walk (handing his Spirit over to the Father on the cross), Jesus knew isolation and loneliness.

And while he still sought out his friends’ companionship, he did not abandon his mission in order to be consoled by their presence.

While his loneliness was painful, and he longed to be consoled, Jesus did not swerve from his path in order to console himself. As a follower of Christ, part of your own discipleship will involve this same resolve: the commitment to not swerve from your path in order to console yourself.

If you are human, you will walk alone.

If you are a Christian, you will be called to certain journeys, which must be walked alone. If you are a saint, you will learn how to walk alone well.

Q&A

And this is a serious problem. We don’t know how to be alone well. In fact, Blaise Pascal once noted, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

You can ask yourself: Do I need the TV on constantly? Do I need music playing in the background? Do I need someone to talk to always? Do I need to be constantly occupied? Can I just sit alone with my thoughts? Can I sit alone and talk with God? One task we all have to accomplish is to learn how to walk alone with Christ.

This does not mean forced isolation, but it means learning how to be content with the isolation of the cross. It means learning how to find real communion with Jesus Christ. While there have always been those, like hermits, who are called to deep isolation, the Christian does not have to seek out isolation. But we must learn how to embrace it when it finds us.

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.

THIS CATHOLIC LIFE • COMMENTARY

March 31, 2016

The Catholic Spirit • 21B

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Jonathan Liedl

Bishops’ visit to Capitol models faithful citizenship When the bishops of Minnesota had breakfast with Gov. Mark Dayton and met with legislators at the State Capitol in mid-March, they weren’t just “keeping up appearances.” Beyond the pleasantries and the occasional photo-op, the day was a powerful encapsulation of the mission of the Minnesota Catholic Conference: to protect human dignity and advance the common good by living out the Church’s right and responsibility to participate in public conversation about laws and policies.

The bishops themselves have a unique responsibility to work for the good of everyone in our state — Catholic and non-Catholic alike. We are our brother’s keeper, and bishops must be leaders in our community.

But the bishops aren’t only leaders, they’re also teachers, and their legislative visit modeled for all of us what it means to be faithful citizens. In fact, shaping public discourse is a task properly suited to the laity, as the Church has reminded us regularly since the Second Vatican Council. As Pope Francis tells us, “A good Catholic meddles in politics.”

The Church proposes, it doesn’t impose Faithful citizenship in the form of legislative advocacy means proposing principled policies, not engaging in religious debates. Therefore, during their meetings with elected officials, the

bishops didn’t focus on catechesis.

Instead, they advocated for concrete policy proposals that aim to tangibly promote human flourishing from “womb to tomb.”

Among the various issues discussed, the bishops urged legislators to create a fact-finding commission to study the risks of commercial surrogacy; they lobbied for a modest increase to the Minnesota Family Investment Program’s cash grant, which supports low-income families; and they asked that tuition be added as an eligible expense in the existing K-12 education tax credit in order to expand educational opportunities for kids from low-income households.

To be sure, the bishops’ legislative positions are not the only matters on which a Catholic may advocate or become engaged. There are thousands of bills introduced each year, and the bishops take positions on a small number of them. This underscores the fact that it is the laity, not the clergy, who have primary responsibility for employing their competencies and gifts to shape the public square.

Nonetheless, the policies the bishops encouraged lawmakers to adopt are instances of the Church’s social teaching being applied concretely, and serve as teaching moments for the rest of us. Not only are these proposals drawn from Catholic principles, but they’re also prudent and have a good chance of being passed into law.

EVERYDAY MERCIES

Alyssa Bormes

St. John Paul II and the call of Divine Mercy Sunday In 2005, Easter was on March 27, and Divine Mercy Sunday was on April 3.

It’s the same this year. It will be 141 years before this will happen again. See if you can recall Easter 2005. For me, it will always be bright in my memory.

It was a beautiful spring day. I had one of the last chairs in St. Peter’s Square for Easter Mass. The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, was quite ill; he would not be celebrating the Mass. At the end of Mass, the Swiss Guard marched into the Square and faced his window. And then he appeared. The Holy Father came to bless us.

It would be the last time I saw the pope.

On April 2, we were at the square just

before 9 a.m. and were there at 9:38 p.m. when the Holy Father died. We remained in the square for a midnight prayer service and returned at about 6 a.m. for Mass. I was about 10 feet from the front; there was only one barrier in the square that day. However, the crowd was already pushing, and I didn’t have the strength to sustain it.

I walked back to the Colonnade, on the way meeting my friend, Sister Marie Kolbe. We each sat on either side of the base of one of the giant pillars.

By 10 a.m., the crowd became so thick for the Mass that there was only room for us to stand on our little slivers of stone.

I had never seen a denser crowd in

Expand educational opportunities for all kids Ask legislators to add tuition to the K-12 education tax credit Our state must make greater efforts to ensure that all children can attend schools where they can thrive. No child should be denied a good education because their family doesn’t make enough money or they live in the “wrong” neighborhood. An important step in the right direction would be to add tuition to the existing K-12 education tax credit. Making this change would allow all parents, regardless of their economic status, to send their children to a school that best suits the child’s needs.

Our elected officials need to know that expanding the K-12 education tax credit to include tuition is a must-have for the children and families of our state. Call your legislators and tell them to make sure that this important provision stays in the final tax bill. To find out who represents you, call 651-296-2146 or 1-800-657-3550.

Therefore, the bishops’ legislative positions should be understood as a helpful resource for Catholics who want to foster just laws but sometimes don’t know what bills should be on their radar.

Our proposal to you Knowing what bills to support is only part of shaping the political process; you also need to know who to contact and the right time to do so.

Although MCC staff cannot directly set up your appointments with legislators like we did for the bishops, we actively facilitate opportunities for you to connect with those who represent you. If you haven’t done so yet, becoming part of the Catholic Advocacy Network is an easy and effective way to join your voice with your bishop and tens of thousands of other Catholics across the state who are also working to enact just policies.

Furthermore, when speaking to elected officials from your district, you have an advantage that the bishops

the square. We just couldn’t move.

Just a reminder, at most times in the square there are a series of barriers to control the crowd. However, on that day there was only the one barrier at the front. The crowd kept pushing into the square.

For Communion, the priests usually use the spaces between the barriers to get the Eucharist to the faithful. On this day, there were a number of them who moved through the crowd to the area of the obelisk.

Sister and I decided to spiritually go to Communion, as we were nearly blocked from movement.

Then the most amazing thing happened. The immovable crowd began to allow aisles to and from the area with the Eucharist. The aisles radiated from this spot. From my elevated perch, it looked as if I were watching a heart pumping blood.

Blood goes to the heart to be fed, so it can return to feed the body. On that Divine Mercy Sunday, the day after our beloved pope died, the faithful were moving to the heart of the Church.

They were in Rome, being fed by the Eucharist.

On that Divine Mercy Sunday in

don’t: You’re the one who put them into office in the first place (and will decide if they stay there).

As many of the bishops remarked during the visit, your representatives want to have conversations about legislation with their constituents. In many instances, legislators may not have a clear-cut opinion on an issue and are content to stay in partisan holding patterns. Hearing that their constituents feel strongly about a particular policy can shake elected officials out of this complacency and prompt them to make a stand for human dignity and the common good.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference aims to propose principled policies and equip Minnesota Catholics to support them. Won’t you join us?

Liedl is communications manager at the Minnesota Catholic Conference. To access the bishops’ legislative priorities and join the Catholic Advocacy Network, visit www.mncc.org.

Rome, there was a sense of the call to those who either physically or spiritually were fed by the Eucharist, that there was a duty to in turn go to feed the body, the Body of Christ. This Divine Mercy Sunday has the same call.

And, in the words that were never far from St. John Paul II, “Be not afraid!”

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

22B • The Catholic Spirit

CALENDAR

Dining out

CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated 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 when describing your event.

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

All-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner — April 1:

7 p.m. at Immaculate Conception, 4030 Jackson St. NE, Columbia Heights. 763-788-9062 or www. iccsonline.org.

Music

Retreats

Rich In Mercy: A Concert Celebration — April 3:

Women’s discernment retreat — April 2: 8 a.m.–3:30

4:30–7:30 p.m. at St. Ignatius, 35 Birch St. E., Annandale.

4–5:30 p.m. at St. Timothy, 707 89th Ave. NE, Blaine. www.churchofsttimothy.com.

p.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 9900 Lyndale Ave. S., Bloomington. www.10000vocations.org.

Parish events

Married Couple’s Weekend Retreat — April 8-10:

Barbecue bingo — April 1: 6:30–8:30 p.m. at

St. Odilia, 3495 N. Victoria St., Shoreview. www.stodilia.org.

Annual spring craft sale — April 2: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1725 Kennard St., Maplewood. www.presentationofmary.org.

“Building Bridges: Confronting Islamophobia” — April 3: 1–2:30 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary, 88 N.

calendarsubmissions

17th St., Minneapolis. 612-317-3477 or www.mary.org.

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

“The Original Image of Divine Mercy” film screening with Bishop Andrew Cozzens — April 3: 12:45 p.m.

ONLINE: www.thecatholicspirit.com/

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.

Healing Mass with Father Jim Livingston — April 12:

and 7 p.m. at Mary Queen of Peace, 21304 Church Ave., Rogers. 763-310-7665 or gina.rickert@gmail.com.

Reduce-reuse rummage sale — April 7-9: 4–7 p.m.

April 7; 9 a.m.–2 p.m. April 8, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. April 9 at 840 19th Ave. N., South St. Paul.

Holy Name Spring Salad Luncheon — April 9: 11:30

a.m. at Garvey Hall, 3637 11th Ave. S., Minneapolis. www.churchoftheholyname.org.

St. Joseph the Worker children’s spring/summer clothing and toy sale — April 9-10: 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

Saturday and 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sunday at 7180 Hemlock Lane, Maple Grove. www.sjtw.net/ childrens-clothing-and-toy-sale.

Prayer and worship Divine Mercy Sunday devotion — April 3: 3 p.m. at

St. John the Baptist, 680 Mill St., Excelsior.

952-474-5834.

“Abundant Life, Vibrant Mind” with Dr. Henry Emmons — April 16: 9 a.m.–noon. at St. Catherine

University, Coeur de Catherine Ballroom, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul. www.loyolaspiritualitycenter. org.

Nativity Grandparents Apostolate of Sts. Joachim and Anne with presenter Father Lenny Andrie — April 18: 8:45 a.m. at Nativity of Our Lord, 1900

Retreat and Conference Center, 29847 County 2 Blvd., Frontenac. 651-345-4582 or www. villamariaretreats.org.

Women’s April Weekend — April 22-24: 7:30 p.m.

Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake.

952-447-2182 or www.franciscanretreats.net.

Marriage Encounter — April 23-24: 9 a.m. Saturday

to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Olivet Conference & Retreat Center, 7984 257th St., Farmington.

651-454-3238 or www.marriages.org.

Schools St. Jude of the Lake Catholic School open house — April 5: 9–11:30 a.m. or 12:30–3 p.m. at 600

Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi. 651-426-2562 or www.stjudeofthelake.org/openhouse.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School kindergarten round-up — April 5: 6:30 p.m. at 2072 Hamline Ave. St. Rose of Lima Catholic School middle school (grades 6-8) information night — April 5: 7 p.m. at

Minneapolis. Mary Ann at 612-724-5465 or www.churchoftheholyname.org.

525 Jackson St., Anoka. RSVP Kevin Setterholm, 763-757-9786 or ksetterholm@q.com.

“Creative Light for your Spiritual Journey” — April 22-24: 6 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday at Villa Maria

Guardian Angels Spring Fling — April 23: 6–11 p.m.

Holy Name Centennial Lunch and Memories — April 24: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at 3637 11th Ave. S.,

“Living the Faith in a Secular Society” presentation from Jason Adkins (Minnesota Catholic Conference) and dinner — April 7: 6–7:30 p.m. at St. Stephen,

Salad luncheon with speaker Nancy Jo Sullivan — April 16: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at St. Patrick, 3535

N., Roseville. 651-646-3832 or www.mysaintrose.net.

at Chaska Event Center, 3210 Chaska Blvd., Chaska. www.gaspringfling.org.

Speakers

7:30 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 6385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. 952-447-2182 or www.franciscanretreats.net.

St. Albert the Great high tea — April 17: 2–4 p.m. at

2836 33rd Ave. S., Minneapolis. 612-724-3643.

March 31, 2016

2072 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville. 651-646-3832 or www.mysaintrose.net.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School pre-kindergarten information night — April 7: 6:30 p.m. at 2072

Hamline Ave. N., Roseville. 651-646-3832 or www.mysaintrose.net.

Way of the Shepherd Catholic Montessori School Just Desserts Gala: A Night of Montessori Discovery — April 8: 5:30 p.m. at 701 Bunker Lake

Blvd. NE, Andover. www.wayoftheshepherd.org/ just-desserts-gala.

72nd St. E., Inver Grove Heights. 651-453-0770 or sswillenbring@comcast.net.

Stanford Ave., St. Paul.

“Love One Another: The Call to True Discipleship” with Father Michael Byron — April 19: 7–8 p.m. at

St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood.

651-777-7251 or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Conferences, seminars, workshops Remarriage/Blended Family Seminar — April 2:

9 a.m.–12 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary, 88 N. 17th St., Minneapolis. Nancy at nkeller@mary.org or www.mary.org.

“Growing through Loss” — Thursdays: April 7-May 12: 6:45–9 p.m. at St. Joseph of the Lakes, 171 Elm

St., Lino Lakes. www.growingthroughloss.org.

“Good Zeal and Beginnings: The Rule of St. Benedict” — April 17: 1–3 p.m. at St. Paul’s

Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. 651-7777251 or www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

Earth Day Retreat and Symposium — April 23: 8:30

a.m.–2:30 p.m. at Pax Christi, 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie. www.paxchristi.com/earthday.

Young adults Cathedral Young Adults (ages 18-39) Debate Night “Should we keep the Death Penalty?” — April 6:

6:30–9 p.m. at O’Gara’s Bar and Grill, 164 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. www.facebook.com/ events/1021470931228018/.

Other events Pro-Life Across America Culture of Life Banquet — April 13: 6–8:45 p.m. at St. John the Baptist

Church, 835 Second Ave. NW, New Brighton. www.prolifeacrossamerica.org.

Singers from The Saint Paul Seminary Chorale (David Jenkins, director) and St. Thomas’ Schola Cantorem (Aaron Brown, director) will join the orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota (Paul Boehnke, director) for a performance of “Cantata No. 4, Christ Lag in Todesbanden,” by Bach. Rev. Michael Joncas, University of St. Thomas Artistin-Residence, will offer theological and musical commentary on the cantata.

Co-sponsored by St. Thomas’ Sacred Arts Festival.

Free and open to the public. www.saintpaulseminary.org Parking is available in Lots P, X and Y and in the Anderson Parking Facility (Cretin and Grand).

March 31, 2016 The Catholic Spirit • 23B

Deacon says faith compels decisions, practices

Vatican: Pope Benedict is frail, but his mind remains ‘perfectly lucid’

Continued from page 5B Minnesota nonprofit cases, according to the Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a non-profit, public-interest law firm protecting religious expression that represents a number of mandate plaintiffs, including the Little Sisters of the Poor.

On March 23, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case involving the Little Sisters, Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, East Texas Baptist University, Geneva College, Southern Nazarene University, Priests for Life, the archbishop of Washington and other plaintiffs.

In 2013, the Supreme Court granted the Little Sisters temporary relief from the mandate. The sisters have now asked the court for protection from the accommodation. If they lose their case and don’t comply, Deacon Greg they will face $70 million in IRS HALL fines, according to the Becket Fund.

The plaintiffs’ lawyers argued before the court that one-third of American employees don’t have contraception coverage because corporations including Visa, Exxon and Pepsi aren’t required to comply with the mandate. They also argued that the government can provide artificial birth control directly through its ACA health insurance exchanges.

A 4-4 court decision would go against the nonprofit

“As [St.] Augustine says, right is right even when no one’s doing it, and wrong is wrong even when everybody’s doing it.”

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

Deacon Greg Hall

plaintiffs, but a win could mean for-profit relief as well, said Thomas Mathews of the St. Cloud law firm Hughes Mathews Greer, P.A., one of the attorneys representing Deacon Hall.

Depending on the court’s expected June 30 ruling, Kaardal said he and his clients may sue over the accommodation.

“If the Supreme Court goes our way, then all these things will be resolved in our favor,” he said. “If it goes south on us, we’re going to have problems.”

Janas hopes a Little Sisters win and a new U.S. president will result in changes to the mandate, enabling him to find a plan that he believes truly benefits employees’ health.

Regardless of the outcome, Deacon Hall said, “Our faith compels us. As [St.] Augustine says, right is right even when no one’s doing it, and wrong is wrong even when everybody’s doing it.”

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Although retired Pope Benedict XVI is growing more frail, there are no particular concerns or worries regarding his health, a Vatican spokesman said.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, issued a statement March 25 following an interview with Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the retired pope’s personal secretary, in which the archbishop said Pope Benedict was slowly “fading.”

“In April, Pope Benedict XVI turns 89 years old.

He is like a candle that is slowly, serenely fading, as it happens with many of us. He is calm, in peace with God, with himself and the world,” Archbishop Ganswein told an Italian magazine.

The retired pope’s personal secretary added that Pope Benedict still retains “his refined, subtle sense of humor” and remains fond of cats.

“Contessa and Zorro, two cats that live in our gardens, come often to say hello to the pope emeritus,” he said.

After questions were raised regarding the aging pontiff’s health, Father Lombardi said his condition “does not raise any particular concerns.”

“Of course, it is part of the effects of old age and a gradual, growing fragility of the physical condition as with any elderly person,” he said. “[Pope Benedict’s] mind is perfectly lucid as we recently witnessed in his extraordinary interview with an Italian publication.”

In that interview, published in mid-March with Belgian Jesuit Father Jacques Servais, Pope Benedict reflected on the theme of mercy as a “sign of the times” that shows how, deep down, people still experience a need for God. “Mercy is what moves us toward God, while justice makes us tremble in his sight,” he said.

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24B • The Catholic Spirit

THE LAST WORD

March 31, 2016

A scene from “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” an acclaimed 1928 silent film based on the record of the saint’s 1431 trial in Rouen, France. The Oratorio Society of Minnesota will pair the film with music for productions at the Cathedral of St. Paul and the Basilica of St. Mary.

By Melenie Soucheray For The Catholic Spirit

I

n 1899, Archbishop John Ireland preached in the cathedral of Orleans, France. A guest of the French government, he commemorated the 470th anniversary of the English’s raising of the Siege of Orleans, a French victory long credited to the actions of a 17-year-old peasant girl-turned-military leader, Joan of Arc. The Archbishop of St. Paul recounted not only her virtues, especially patriotism, but also his deep affection for the yet-to-be-canonized saint, as he had learned her story as a young seminarian studying in France.

It seems especially fitting, then, that the Maid of Orleans is the focus of a unique visual and musical production to be held in April in the co-cathedrals the archbishop commissioned. Presented by the Oratorio Society of Minnesota, “Voices of Light: The Passion of Joan of Arc” combines Carl Dreyer’s iconic 1928 silent film with the 1994 choral music of Richard Einhorn.

The productions are 8 p.m. April 15 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, and April 22 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis.

Joan of Arc (1412-1431) figures prominently in 15thcentury French history when France and England were embroiled in the Hundred Years’ War. She was a mystic who reported visions, including those of Sts. Michael the Archangel, Catherine of Alexandria and Margaret of Antioch. The saints urged Joan to live a pious life and to lead France in retaking the crown from England.

In 1429, she convinced Charles, the French dauphin, to let her fight. She was at his side two months later when he was crowned.

The following year, French and English collaborators captured Joan during battle. When Charles VII turned his back on her, Joan was tried on several charges, including heresy and dressing like a man. In 1431, she was burned at the stake in Rouen, France. In 1456, Joan was retried and found innocent, and named a

Music and

martyrdom Choir and orchestra to enhance drama of classic silent film at Cathedral, Basilica martyr. She was beatified in 1909, and in 1920, the Church canonized her and named her patroness of France.

Music modern yet ancient St. Joan’s canonization sparked renewed interest in her life and place in French history.

In 1928, Carl Dreyer, a Danish silent film director, produced “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” based on the historical record of Joan’s trial. The film is widely considered a masterpiece of its genre.

Matthew Mehaffey, artistic director of the St. Paulbased Oratorio Society of Minnesota and professor of music at the University of Minnesota, said the movie was once thought to be lost. But in the 1980s, the film was found and restored. Then, in 1994, Richard Einhorn, a young American composer, saw the film in a museum.

David Fielding, the Oratorio Society programming administrator and a choir member, added that Einhorn

thought music would make the film more relevant to contemporary audiences. He felt compelled to compose “Voices of Light” in a matter of months.

“I can hear things, just in the types of note combinations that he uses, that sound like 14thcentury French music,” Mehaffey said. “At the same time, [Einhorn] uses what I would say is a more modern style. The 20th-century term would be ‘minimalist.’ He takes a very small pattern and repeats it many times, slightly altering one note or one rhythm that kind of suspends time for the listener and kind of makes it hard to place it into a historical time period.

Even though it’s modern, it kind of feels ancient.”

Einhorn composed the work in Latin and French for choir, soloists and orchestra. Fielding said it has been performed internationally hundreds of times, leaving audiences profoundly moved.

Because an important aspect of any production is the ambiance and audience experience, Mehaffey and Fielding explored several venues and chose the cocathedrals. Both parishes work at forming community partnerships, a philosophy shared by the Oratorio Society. Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, a French architect, designed both buildings.

The Cathedral of St. Paul also has a physical tie to St. Joan of Arc: a stone from the Castle of Rouen, where she was imprisoned.

Mehaffey explained, “The style of the music is ideal in [the churches’] acoustics. Soaring parts, the monophonic chants, will sound absolutely right in these spaces.”

The Oratorio Society’s choir consists of 90 volunteer voices. The organization has hired some musicians for the production as well as audio-visual professionals.

Large screens will be erected in the sanctuaries. The spaces will be lit only by the movie images.

“The orchestra and the singers will be behind curtains,” Mehaffey explained. “It will be as if the building is singing to the people.”

For ticket information, visit www.oratorio.org.