Youth Day 4B • Lourdes pilgrimage 10B • Memorial Day 11B-13B May 22, 2014 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
Listening to abuse survivors, building trust important for healing, vicar general says By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit
In Holy Land, Pope Francis will focus on unity, not ignore conflict
Palestinian peace process and the plight of the Middle East’s shrinking Christian population. The Vatican has emphasized that the pope’s main purpose on the trip is to meet in Jerusalem with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, considered first among equals by Orthodox bishops. The official logo for the papal visit is an icon of the Apostles Peter and Andrew, patron saints of the churches of Rome and Constantinople, joined in a fraternal embrace. Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew are scheduled meet four times during the pope’s threeday visit. Their private meeting May 25 will mark the 50th anniversary of the encounter in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople, which opened the modern period
of ecumenical dialogue. At an ecumenical service that evening, representatives of the three churches who share custody of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher — Catholic, GreekOrthodox and Armenian — will pray together at the site of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. The event will be “extraordinarily historic,” according to the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, since the three communities normally observe strict separation when they worship in the church. Despite the focus on relations among Christians, Pope Francis’ brief visit will not take in the northern Israeli region of Galilee, where most of Israel’s Christians live. Both St. John Paul and Pope Benedict included the region on
Search for Christian unity
Christians in the Holy Land
Israeli-Palestinian peace
The pope will meet four times with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The region’s Christian population has sharply diminished in the last decade.
The pope will likely address the issue in his speeches and private remarks.
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service On Pope Francis’ first trip to the Holy Land, May 24-26, his agenda will focus on the search for Christian unity, particularly between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. But inevitably, in a region so rich in history and so fraught with conflict, he will address other urgent issues, including dialogue with Jews and Muslims, the Israeli-
Please turn to MINNESOTA on page 9B
The Issues
A goodwill gesture by parishioners at St. Paul in Ham Lake has brought together a leader of the local Church and victims of clergy sexual abuse. Father Charles Lachowitzer, vicar general of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, attended the gathering that parishioners hosted at the church in early May. It included prayer, song and members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests sharing their stories. It’s listening to survivors’ stories that will help forge relationships and guide the Church in creating and maintaining safe environments, Father Lachowitzer said. “Safe environments,” he added, “include those of survivors’ networks that serve to empower victims.” “For the last seven months or so, so much of my work has been pieces of paper and files and reports and meetings . . . which bring to reality that this is a serious issue in our local Church,” said Father Lachowitzer, who also met with abuse victims when he served as a pastor. “But to have faces, to have people standing there and speaking so courageously, honestly, with passion, anger — that was my biggest experience there. The faces on it really gave a sense of what kind of impact, lifelong, this type of tragedy has on people.”
Hearing with the heart Among SNAP members present was Bob Schwiderski, the group’s state director. Father Lachowitzer had met with Schwiderski last fall and again after the parish gathering. He said that in the meetings, Schwiderski has taught him to create an “even playing field” by asking victims to help the Church. “And so that’s what I say now through Bob to SNAP: We need help. And we need you to help us. You need to tell your stories and keep being a voice in our ears so it goes to our hearts, so that what we do Please turn to PASTOR on page 19B
ALSO inside
Becoming better, not bitter
Putting faith into action
Rosary comes alive
Bob Labat reaches out to other parents who have lost children after losing four of his own. — Page 5B
The Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute is shaping new leaders, disciples for the Church. — Page 6B
Dire hospital situation leads man to deep devotion to Mary. — Rediscover: center section