New deacons 6 • Marriage Day 7 • Canonizations 24 May 8, 2014 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
The faithful walk with
Mary
With the State Capitol as a backdrop, Matthew Vogel, left, of St. Joseph in West St. Paul and Karl Hendrickson of Holy Trinity in South St. Paul help carry a statue of Mary at the start of the 67th annual Archdiocesan Family Rosary Procession May 4. The procession went from the capitol to the Cathedral of St. Paul, with Bishop Lee Piché walking with the marchers. The event also featured parts of the rosary in Spanish, with Latino Catholics joining in and members of Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul helping to carry the statue of Mary. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit
As a postpartum doula, local mom supports new parents • Page 5
See more pictures from the Archdiocesan Family Rosary Procession • Page 7
Mothers share how Mary has inspired them • Rediscover: section
ALSO inside
ACCW Convention
Salute to Graduates
Bible challenge
More than 200 women gather for the organization’s 82nd annual event.
Read reflections from high school seniors in the archdiocese. — Pages 9-16
Three men from the St. Paul Seminary compete on a national game show. — Page 21
— Page 8
Page Two
2 OVERHEARD
in PICTURES
“Be sure to remember this: Read a passage of the Gospel every day and go to Communion every Sunday to receive Jesus. Don’t forget! When you are sad, pick up the word of God. When you’re feeling down, pick up the word of God and go to Sunday Mass to take Communion, to participate in the mystery of Jesus.” SPECIAL PILGRIMAGE Brian Meyer, left, and Sam Nelson, both 7th-graders at Notre Dame Academy in Minnetonka, and Sam’s mom Kris Nelson, right, prayed in the crypt at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in New Franken, Wisc., near Green Bay. The 7th-grade class visited the shrine April 29 and 30. Before they left, they gathered the prayers of their church and school communities and prayed them at the hallowed site seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Photo courtesy of Jeanne Sharp
— Pope Francis, in his address to people gathered in St. Peter’s Square May 4
NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit
Bridging founder to be honored Bridging founder Fran Heitzman is the recipient of the 2014 Franciscan International Award. The award, which is given to honor a person or organization who, like St. Francis of Assisi, has made a difference in the world, will be presented at the annual Franciscan International Award dinner at the Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake May 8. Heitzman founded the organization — which provides quality gentlyused furniture to families and individuals who are transitioning from poverty or homelessness to stable homes — in 1987. He is a member of Pax Christi in Eden Prairie and still serves as an honorary member of Bridging’s board of directors.
Visitation student wins science honor SAINTS: Deacon John Belian proclaims the Gospel during a special 11 a.m. Mass April 27 at Holy Cross parish in northeast Minneapolis. The liturgy began a community celebration of the canonization of Sts. John Paul II and John XXIII. Festivities following Mass included a program by children from Pope John Paul II Catholic School and the Polish Saturday School, a display of John Paul II memorabilia, a performance by the Dolina Polish Folk Dancers and a community dinner. For full coverage of the canonizations, see page 24. Jim Rice/For The Catholic Spirit
WHAT’S NEW on social media
Matt Birk to receive Christ Brings Hope award
A Catholic Spirit Facebook post this week asks: What is the best advice your mom has given you or, what is the best advice you’ve given as a mom? Follow the latest news about the local and universal Church by following The Catholic Spirit on Twitter @CatholicSpirit. To see photos from the Transitional Diaconate ordination May 3, visit The Catholic Spirit on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/catholicspirit.
CORRECTION The editorial in the April 24 issue stated that the Associated Press Stylebook prefers the term “illegal immigrant” to describe individuals who have entered the country illegally. In fact, the stylebook prefers descriptors such as “living in a country illegally” or “without legal permission.”
The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 19 — No. 10 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT, Publisher ANNE STEFFENS, Associate Publisher JOE TOWALSKI, Editor
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Madeleine Logeais of Roseville, a junior at Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights, has received the Dean’s List Award at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST®) Robotics World Championship. She was named one of 10 students to win the 2014 award at last week’s competition in St. Louis, Mo. Madeleine is a co-captain of The Robettes, Visitation’s all-girl robotics team. Award recipients are chosen based on their leadership skills, commitment to FIRST ideals, contributions to their team, and their effectiveness in increasing awareness of FIRST within their schools and communities.
Super Bowl champion and pro-life advocate Matt Birk is the 2014 recipient of Relevant Radio’s Christ Brings Hope award. The annual award is presented by Relevant radio to an American Catholic who has worked with extraordinary dedication to bring the good news and hope of Christ to all. The award will be presented at the third annual Christ Brings Hope banquet at the Doubletree by Hilton, Minneapolis May 15.
Matt BIRK
Cristo Rey volunteer receives recognition
Rosemary Heille, a member of St. Lawrence Church and Newman Center in Minneapolis, has been recognized for her volunteer work by Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis. She received the school’s Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam Award (Jesuit motto: “For the greater glory of God”) at the school’s 2014 Spring Volunteer Luncheon. A retired school librarian, Heille has been one of the school’s volunteer librarians for the past three years.
Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by The Catholic Spirit Newspaper. Subscriptions: $29.95 per year: Senior 1-year: $24.95: To subscribe: (651) 291-4444: Display Advertising: (651) 291-4444; Classified Advertising: (651) 290-1631. Published bi-weekly by the Office of Communications, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102 • (651) 291-4444, FAX (651) 291-4460. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional post offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. TheCatholicSpirit.com • email: catholicspirit@archspm.org • USPS #093-580
3 A good deal of media attention was given last week to the deposition I made on April 2 and which was publicly released on Tuesday, April 22. For four hours, seven minutes and 15 seconds, I was questioned on a whole host of matters relating to clerical misbehavior from 1970 to the present. In a normal deposition, questioning is limited to the particular case being prepared for litigation. The case in question for me on April 22 involved an accusation of grave misconduct against a former priest, Thomas Adamson, made by a “John Doe #1,” abuse that allegedly occurred in 1976 or 1977. The questioning included any clerical misbehavior from 1970 to the present. This involved a substantial time frame during which I was not involved in this local archdiocese in any way, let alone as the archbishop, an office I have held since 2008.
THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE
While any deposition by its very nature is a grueling experience, I wish to state clearly and directly that I attempted during my questioning to answer all the questions put to me honestly and to the best of my recollection.
The demands placed upon the time and attention of an archbishop are multiple and serious. They are also time-consuming. OftenArchbishop times, delegation is necessary to accomplish John Nienstedt all that is required, and we have a dedicated staff to deal with the various matters at hand. Nevertheless, as archbishop, it is my responsibility to ensure that duties are fulfilled and oversight properly executed. For any mistakes made by me or by my team since 2008, I take this opportunity to state once again my deep regret as well as my firm commitment to the safety of children. I intend to take the steps necessary to ensure that the trust lost by so many is restored and strengthened. I also again promise to work diligently to ensure that our beloved priests are supported and that their reputations and rights are upheld. The vast majority of clergy serving within this local Church are men of integrity and fidelity, striving in the midst of oftentimes difficult circumstances to serve the people of God with honor and holiness. At the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ General Assembly in Dallas in 2002, I came to see the extent to which this crisis over clerical sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults had shattered the credibility of Church leadership. I knew it was time that as bishops, we had to act for a future that involves better protection of our children and youth. Like many of my confreres, I came home to initiate a whole series of action steps to ensure that changes were made. I still believe we made significant strides in this regard. Unfortunately, they were not enough. What I have learned since Sept. 28, 2013, has given me a new perspective of all that yet needs to be done.
The prevalence of pedophilia in our nation is staggering. In every fourth or fifth house in the Western world, some kind of sexual abuse is happening. It is a massive problem in our culture, not just in the churches. To quote Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI: “. . . pedophilia is not a celibate disease, not a gay disease, not a married disease, not a man’s disease, nor a woman’s disease. It’s a disease, pure and simple, and, like alcoholism, it cuts across all boundaries, affecting alike clergy and lay, men and women, gay and straight, married and celibate. Like alcohol, it plays no favorites. It’s a sickness and not a question of somebody who is celibate not having proper willpower or somebody who doesn’t have sex acting out because of that deprivation.” The classification of this disease is relatively new, first being described in the early 1980s. Many behavioral scientists think the main cause of the attraction to prepubescent children is not sex itself, but rather a trauma that the perpetrator experienced in his/her own childhood, who had his/her childhood stolen away. The effects on the victim are utterly devastating. It is the worst kind of “soul-violence.” The psychological scars run deep and are often permanent. So the situation that we currently face calls for compassion, respect, patience and understanding — first for the victim, but oftentimes for the perpetrator as well. We also have to be committed to healing and reconciliation. As a Church, we are all about proclaiming forgiveness and mercy. We have to be ready to say we are sorry for “For any mistakes made by the offense and to ask forgiveness of the offended. me or by my team since 2008, The moment within which we are living calls for purification, I take this opportunity to state pruning and humility. A spiritual director once told me, “You once again my deep regret as can’t be humble until you’ve been humbled.” I believe he was well as my firm commitment right. The cross of this past year has brought humiliation to our to the safety of children.” local Church. May it also bring humility and holiness. Archbishop John Nienstedt In referencing the cross, I must say that this past Holy Week offered new insights for me from that perspective. Jesus accepted the hatred, rejection and condemnation he was shown and he took it upon himself. But he gave it back as love, thus transforming it into a powerful force. Somehow, following his example, we all have to learn how to do the same. Perhaps my deposition of April 2 did not provide the right context to say all of this. After all, it’s not the nature or purpose of that exercise. But I hope these reflections help to fill in the gaps and to let you know that there is more to the story than you may find in the media. God love you!
From the Archbishop
May cross of past year bring us humility, holiness
Archbishop Nienstedt attends canonization ceremony in Rome — see page 24
Fight the blues with the Eucharist and Gospel, pope says Catholic News Service Receive Communion every Sunday and read the Gospel every day to keep discouragement and the blues away, Pope Francis said. “The word of God and the Eucharist always fill us with joy!” the pope said in his address to people gathered in St. Peter’s Square May 4 to pray the “Regina Coeli” with him. The pope spoke about the day’s reading from the Gospel of St. Luke (24:1335), in which two of Jesus’ disciples left Jerusalem, saddened and dejected by Christ’s death. Failing to grasp the truth of the prophets, the despairing disciples did not recognize the risen Christ when he appeared before them on the road to the village of Emmaus. However, when Jesus explained the Scriptures, and blessed
and broke bread with them, their “eyes were opened” and their hearts started “burning” with joy and hope. Often the same thing happens to people today, the pope said. Life’s difficulties and disappointments take their toll and people head to Mass burdened with problems and worries. “Life sometimes hurts us and we go there, toward our ‘Emmaus,’ feeling sad with our backs to God’s plan. We distance ourselves from God,” he said.
Christ offers his help But when people open themselves to the word of God, “Jesus explains the Scriptures to us and rekindles the warmth of faith and hope in our hearts, and, in Communion, he gives us strength,” the pope said. “Be sure to remember this: Read a passage of the Gospel every day and go to
Communion every Sunday to receive Jesus,” he said. “Don’t forget! When you are sad, pick up the word of God. When you’re feeling down, pick up the word of God and go to Sunday Mass to take Communion, to participate in the mystery of Jesus.” The word of God is always there to give direction and guidance “after our lapses” and Christ is always present in the Eucharist “to help us go forward on our journey,” despite the fatigue and letdowns in life, he said. Earlier in the day, the pope focused on the same Gospel reading in his homily during a Mass of thanksgiving for the canonization of St. John Paul. Speaking to Rome’s Polish community at the parish of St. Stanislaus, the pope said St. John Paul never lost hope or faith because his eyes were always fixed on God.
It’s true that everyone is a pilgrim on earth, Pope Francis said, but there is a difference between being a traveler heading toward a precise place with a trustworthy guide and an errant wanderer who lacks purpose and direction. “The Polish people know well that to enter into God’s glory you need to experience the passion and the cross,” Pope Francis said. St. John Paul followed this path “in an exemplary way” so that “his flesh, too, dwells in hope.” He said Christians become witnesses of hope when they encounter the risen Christ, who travels all roads in an effort to meet people on their journeys. “Jesus is the risen traveler who walks with us. Jesus is here today, he is here among us. He is here in his word, he is here on the altar, he walks with us,” the pope said.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Local
4 Twin Cities business leader, Gerald Rauenhorst, remembered for philanthropy The Catholic Spirit Twin Cities Catholic business leader Gerald Rauenhorst died April 24. He was 86. Born in Olivia, Minn., in 1927, he was one of eight children. He attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul, where he met his wife, Henrietta, a student at the College of St. Catherine. They were married at St. Mary in Bird Island in 1950. Henrietta and Gerald were married for 60 years and had seven children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Henrietta (Hanky) Rauenhorst died in 2010. Rauenhorst started his business, first called Rauenhorst Construction Co. and then The Opus Group, in the family home in 1953. Rauenhorst had strong connections to the University of St. Thomas, contributing to the vision of the law school on the Minneapolis campus. The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business is named for his company. He was a generous benefactor to the University of St. Thomas Gerald and St. Catherine University, RAUENHORST with several buildings bearing the Rauenhorst name. The St. Paul Seminary was the recipient of a $2 million gift from the Rauenhorsts. He was active in many Catholic organizations, including the Papal Foundation, the Minneapolis Suburban Serra Club, Serra International and the Knights of Columbus. Rauenhorst started a group of family philanthropies — GHR Foundation, The Better Way Foundation, Enkel Foundation, Opus Foundation and Opus Prize Foundation — that invest in closing the achievement gap through Catholic education, offering early childhood education in low-income communities and countries, providing stability for children in families, investing in community revitalization and other causes. Pope Paul VI named him a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1965, and Pope John Paul II named him a Knight of St. Gregory in 1983. A funeral Mass was May 6 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina. Memorials are preferred to the University of St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business, Marquette University’s College of Engineering Opus Scholars program, the Mayo Clinic’s Center on Aging, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Decline of family linked to drop in religious practice, author says By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit The decline of the family in the United States and other Western countries is a driving reason behind the concurrent drop in the practice of religion — a connection not acknowledged by many researchers attempting to explain the phenomenon of secularization in society, according to Mary Eberstadt. She is the author of “How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization” and delivered the keynote address May 3 at a conference hosted by the Siena Symposium for Women, Family and Culture at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. “To study the historical timeline is to see that religious vibrancy and family vibrancy go hand in hand,” said Eberstadt, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Ethics and Public Policy Center. “Conversely, so do religious decline and family decline.” Theories about secularization, some going back a century or more, have failed to account for the ebb and flow of Christianity, while some explanations for the decline of religion don’t add up, she said. Still, it is impacting society. “A newly aggressive secularism encroaches on religious people and religious practice across the boards in our courts, in our schools, in the circle of polite society and even on the international level.” To combat these problems, Catholics are called to do on the public stage what women by their nature have always done privately: perpetuate truth to one soul, one generation at a time, Eberstadt said.
Recovering the culture The conference, “Women as Prophet and Servant of Truth,” featured talks from a variety of disciplines, said Deborah Savage, theology and philosophy professor at St. Paul Seminary and co-founder of the interdisciplinary faculty group founded at UST that is dedicated to rebuilding families and culture through scholarship and insights of the Catholic faith. “Each and every paper spoke to the critical role women need to play and, indeed, already are playing in the recovery of our culture,” she said. Some scholars have concluded that the elimination of religion is inevitable, reasoning that greater material prosperity would result in lower religious involvement. They also surmised that religious practice would decline following the world wars of the last cen-
“We must look for ways of arguing and evangelizing that reach across the usual lines.” Mary Eberstadt, author of “How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization” tury. History, however, hasn’t supported any of these theories, Eberstadt said. “What I’m proposing is that something about families — and actually more than one something — increases the likelihood that people will go to church and believe in God.” Christianity itself is intrinsically familial, Eberstadt said. “It both privileges the family in a unique way, and it tells its own story via family metaphors time and time again.”
Reaching out Deanne Wessel of St. Michael in Stillwater attended the talk and said more ministry is needed for the many who are familiar with the faith but have rejected it. “We’re dealing with people that are in the midst of a divorce from their faith,” Wessel said. “We need to really be ministerial and personal in sharing our stories and our own divorces [from the faith] along the way, etc. It’s kind of more of a personal approach I think for Catholics and just being willing to drop the name of Jesus and how much he means in our lives.” Men and women will respond to the challenge of rebuilding faith and family through their unique masculine and feminine gifts. But there is a need for patience and clarity in reaching out to others, Eberstadt said. “We must look for ways of arguing and evangelizing that reach across the usual lines,” she said. “This is emphatically not a call to capitulate so much as one iota of principle. But it is to say that the ability to see beyond ideas and into the human person, which is an ability women have intrinsically in virtue of being women, amounts to underutilized ammunition on behalf of the Church and on behalf of the truth.”
If you or someone you know has been
651.291.4497 sawyerg@archspm.org. May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Local Postpartum doula Hallie Rogers, right, visits with client Kelly Pennington, who gave birth to Willie Pearl in April. Rogers helps Pennington with household chores and finding resources new moms could use. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit
Mothering the mother
Local postpartum doula shares joys with new parents By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit For new mothers who feel like they have to do it all, Hallie Rogers has this to say : Don’t. “In our culture, we put a lot of value on a woman being able to bounce back from birth really quickly — get back in those skinny jeans, go to the mall two weeks postpartum and show the world that you’re hardly phased by this amazing event that just happened,” said Rogers, who attends Maternity of the Blessed Virgin in St. Paul, where she formed a mothers group. “Really, what is probably most helpful to a woman is for her to really rest the first two weeks and have all the support she needs to bond and heal,” Rogers said. When the 31-year-old isn’t at home caring for her two daughters — Genevieve, 3, and Mari, 19 months — she works as a postpartum doula for families with a new baby, offering support with everything from breast-feeding to folding laundry. Rogers shared the joy she receives in promoting the dignity and beauty of motherhood and the blessing of children while helping mothers in the throes of caring for an infant or who have a case of “the baby ate my brain.”
Bridging a gap Rogers started her business, Better Beginnings (betterbeginningsmn.com), in March 2013 before knowing what a postpartum doula was. (“Doula” is a Greek word meaning “woman’s servant.”) Realizing the beauty, but challenge, of being a new parent, and grateful for the help she and her husband Mike received from their mothers after the births of their daughters, Rogers wondered about the women who don’t have any support. “There’s just so much focus on pregnancy and birth,” said Rogers, who is certified with Doulas of North America. “And then I really felt in my experience as a mother that it was sort of like, ‘OK, you’ve had your baby, now go home. See you later. Good luck.’ No matter what the circumstances are of how this baby came to be, or how the pregnancy
went or how the birth went, you don’t necessarily instantly ease into motherhood.” Having felt called to bridge that gap in postpartum care, Rogers wants to help families “in the trenches” amidst tears, a sink full of dirty dishes, or even when life with a newborn (or two) is going well, but parents just need more sleep. Essentially, Rogers said, her goal is to work herself out of job — to help clients feel confident and “No matter what the empowered, even talking with them about ways they circumstances are can ask others for help. “I think most people want of how this baby to help when a baby is born — like ‘Yea, congratulations, came to be, or how let me know if I can help!’ — and most people the pregnancy went really mean that, it’s just that they might not actually or how the birth know how to do that,” Rogers said. “And so, I talk a went, you don’t lot about asking for specific things — ‘Great, could you necessarily instantly come over and bring me ease into milk and eggs? Could you come over and vacuum motherhood. while you’re here?’” Client visits can last up to Hallie Rogers, certified eight hours, but Rogers has postpartum doula found that a four-hour shift is just the right amount of time to be with mom and baby — and sometimes dad and other children — and to complete household tasks that were rightfully swept under the rug before the baby arrived. Kelly Pennington and her husband, Derric, weren’t aware of the role of a postpartum doula until they attended an informational session for Please turn to DOULA on page 22
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Local
One step closer The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis was filled to capacity May 3 for the ordination of eight men to the transitional diaconate. Seminarians are ordained to the transitional diaconate before their last year of preparation for ordination to the priesthood.
At left, after the ordination Mass, Deacon Jake Anderson blesses Dr. Christian Washburn and his sons, Thomas, 17; Petrus, 12; Aloisius, 11; and Ambrose 9. The Washburns are members of St. Agnes parish in St. Paul.
At left, John Powers kneels before Archbishop John Nienstedt for the laying on of hands. Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit
Above, newly ordained Deacons Bruno Nwachukwu, right, and Brother Alvaro Perez Silva walk to the pew reserved for the new deacons after the ordination rite. Brother Alvaro is part of Pro Ecclesia Sancta, a religious community based in his home country of Peru. He has been called by his religious superiors to the order of deacon. Also ordained were Byron Hagan, Peter Hughes, Thomas McKenzie and James Stiles.
You are in the prayers of Saint Agnes Church and School. May the Holy Spirit enlighten you and bless your service of God's Holy Word and ministry at the Altar of Sacrifice.
Congratulations Deacon Jake Anderson
Congratulations Deacon John Powers from parishioners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
May God bless you as you continue to prepare for the priesthood! From the parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint Paul
~ The Italian & Deaf parish ~ of NE Minneapolis
239 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul www.cathedralsaintpaul.org
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Local
Archdiocesan Marriage Day Celebration is June 7 The Catholic Spirit
Walking with our Blessed Mother Above: Flanked by members of the Knights of Columbus, parishioners from Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul carry a statue of Mary as they march down John Ireland Boulevard on their way to the Cathedral of St. Paul during the 67th annual Archdiocesan Family Rosary Procession May 4. The event, which started at the State Capitol, featured parts of the rosary in Spanish. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit Right: Pilar Monrroy, left, of St. Francis de Sales in St. Paul, prays the rosary with Ivan Solis and his son, Jonathan, also of St. Francis de Sales. Ivan Solis is Monrroy’s nephew. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit
The Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life will host its annual Marriage Day Celebration at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, at the Cathedral of St. Paul. The celebration of “the beautiful mystery of the mutual self-gift between a man and a woman” includes Mass, renewal of vows and a short reception. Ann and Paul Dickinson, parishioners of St. Joseph in West St. Paul, first attended the celebration last year when it fell on their 50th anniversary. The couple, who has seven children and seven grandchildren, plans to attend this year’s event. “The sacrament of marriage is forever; it gives you the graces to be a team,” Ann said. “You have to keep praying and going to the other sacraments for replenishment. It’s important that the archdiocese is supporting [married couples].” Couples married more than 50 years will be specially honored. Families and friends of honored couples are welcome to attend. Certificates to commemorate the sacrament of marriage, signed by Archbishop John Nienstedt, are available for couples married one or more years. To receive a certificate, please contact the Office of Marriage, Family and Life at (651) 291-4488 or flomos@archspm.org. For more information about the event, call (651) 291-4488.
Curious About China? Father Dave Tushar is again offering the opportunity to experience a true “Taste of China,” visiting Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai from Tuesday, November 4 to Thursday, November 13, 2014. The tour is through Hua Travel, a Chinese agency specializing in small group tours not a pre-packaged tour, but a customized small group tour with the same experienced Chinese tour guide during the entire trip. Beijing to Xi’an and air (economy) from Xi’an to Shanghai.
ForFor information, a brochure andand pricing, please callcall Father Tushar at (218) 384-4563 information, a brochure pricing, please Father Tushar at 384-4563 References from the 2013 tour are available. Deadline: July 1, 2014
NOTICE Look for The Catholic Spirit advertising insert from
CATHOLIC CHARITIES in all copies of this issue.
Come and Join the Celebration for the 40th Anniversary of
Father Tim Wozniak’s Ordination Celebrating at All Masses on May 31 and June 1, 2014. All are Welcome. St. Thomas Becket in Eagan, MN.
Send notice of your upcoming parish event to us: spiritcalendar @archspm.org May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Local
Women of faith gather for fellowship More than 200 women gathered at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton for the 82nd annual convention of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women April 30 and May 1. Participants heard several speakers — including Judy Cozzens, on how to raise a bishop, Kate Soucheray, a marriage and family therapist on everyday holiness, and Dr. Theresa Deisher on human trafficking in biomedical research. Bishop Lee Piché was on hand to celebrate Mass, install new officers and present the organization’s Lay Woman Volunteer awards.
Sue Vanyo, a member of St. Casimir in St. Paul, pauses after a song during the Mass May 1.
Photos by Dianne Towalski • The Catholic Spirit Above, Lucy Johnson, ACCW president welcomes participants to the Thursday morning sessions.
Lay Woman Volunteer Awards Geralyn Clasemann, Holy Childhood in St. Paul Karen McCann, Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul
Left, Jakki Ross from St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park listens to Kate Soucheray’s presentation.
Lorraine Nelson, pictured at left, Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale Joan Schultz, Sts. Joachim and Anne in Shakopee
NEW OFFICERS Betty Berge – 1st vice president • Carol Rusinko – ACCW treasurer Laurie Otte – Southeast Deanery president • Judy Beaudry – Northwest Deanery president • Lucy Baumbach – West Deanery president
Made in God’s image . . . even ogres Everyone is made in God’s image and likeness — even giant green ogres. That’s the message behind the rollicking rendition of “Shrek! The Musical” being performed this weekend at Visitation School in Mendota Heights. It’s a distinctly Salesian theme, reflecting the philosophy of St. Francis de Sales, founder of the Visitation order, who famously said, “Be who you are and be that well.” Sophomore Anna Evans, a member of St. Joseph in West St. Paul who plays Gingi (the gingerbread man), said she has reflected on the musical’s self-acceptance anthem and what makes her unique, a charge from director Wendy Short-Hays. “I can be who God created me to be and be that for other people. Even though we’re all different, we can all be one and work together toward a common goal,” Evans said. Photo by Chuck Nields, Nields Photography
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
“Shrek! The Musical” is being performed on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m., and the final performance is a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, May 11.
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graduates!
Salute to Graduates
Congratulations,
Read reflections written by high school seniors selected by their Catholic schools and parishes — pages 10-16
Catholic high school graduation ceremonies Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield • Baccalaureate Mass – 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, at Academy of Holy Angels with celebrant Father Mike Tix. • Commencement – 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8, at Academy of Holy Angels with speaker John (Jack) Friendshuh; 181 graduates. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, St. Louis Park • Baccalaureate Mass – 11 a.m. Sunday, May 18, at Marriott City Center, Minneapolis, with celebrant Father Tim Wozniak. • Commencement – 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Benilde-St. Margaret’s – William Haben Activity Center; 224 graduates. Bethlehem Academy, Faribault • Baccalaureate Mass – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Divine Mercy with celebrants Father Kevin Finnegan and Father Erik Lundgren.
a.m. Sunday, May 18, at Visitation Sisters’ Chapel with celebrant Father Nels Gjengdahl. • Commencement – 3 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at Visitation Commers Gymnasium with speakers Christina Capecchi Ries, class of 2000, and Bridget Sicard, class of 2014; 74 graduates. Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul • Baccalaureate Mass – 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, at Lumen Christi in St. Paul with celebrant Father John Forliti. • Commencement – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at the Cathedral of St. Paul; 322 graduates. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis • Baccalaureate Mass – 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 13, at Holy Name in Minneapolis with celebrant Father Nathan Wendt, S.J.
p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at DeLaSalle High School with celebrant Father Kevin Kenney, class of 1978. • Commencement – 6:45 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis with speaker Robert Gavin Jr., PhD, class of 1958; 137 graduates.
Noonan, author and columnist; 77 graduates. Saint Agnes School (K-12), St. Paul • Baccalaureate Mass – 11 a.m. Thursday, May 29, at Saint Agnes parish with celebrant Father Mark Moriarty.
Hill-Murray, Maplewood • Commencement – 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, at the Cathedral of St. Paul with celebrant Abbot John Klassen, OSB, of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville; 152 graduates.
• Commencement – 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Bandas Hall – Saint Agnes School with speaker Archbishop Alexander Sample, Archdiocese of Portland, Ore.; 63 graduates.
Holy Family, Victoria • Baccalaureate Mass – 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at St. Victoria with celebrant Father Doug Ebert.
St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights • Baccalaureate Mass – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at St. Thomas Academy with celebrant Father Thomas F.A. O’Brien.
• Commencement – 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Holy Family Catholic High School with speaker Kathryn Raddatz, class of 2006; 140 graduates.
• Commencement – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul; 121 graduates.
• Commencement – 8 p.m. Friday, May 23, at Bethlehem Academy – Van Orsow Auditorium with speaker Bishop Lee Piche; 50 graduates.
• Commencement – 2 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School with speaker Gloria Perez, president and chief executive officer of Jeremiah Program; 47 graduates.
Providence Academy, Plymouth • Baccalaureate Mass – 4 p.m. Friday, May 30, at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis with celebrant Bishop Andrew Cozzens.
Totino-Grace High School, Fridley • Baccalaureate Mass – 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at St. Odilia in Shoreview with celebrant Father Nick VanDenBroeke.
Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights • Baccalaureate Mass – 10:30
DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis • Baccalaureate Mass – 6:30
• Commencement – 8 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Providence Academy with speaker Peggy
• Commencement – 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Totino-Grace High School; 170 graduates.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Salute to Graduates
10 Samantha Letscher
Joseph McDonald
Benilde-St. Margaret’s in St. Louis Park
Saint Agnes School in St. Paul
Letscher attends Our Lady of Grace in Edina. Her parents are Tom and Sheila Letscher. She plans to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
McDonald attends Holy Family in St. Louis Park. His parents are Paul and Chris McDonald. He plans to attend North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
Turn to prayer.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. Our morning prayer at BSM reminds us that “we are in the holy presence of God.” It’s never routine; rather, it’s given me a deep appreciation of the many opportunities one day can bring to be Christ-like in word and deed.
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think? Both “Holy the Firm” and “An American Childhood” by Annie Dillard have rejuvenated my perspective of the world.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
My parents. I can’t imagine having a strong Catholic faith without them, because faith isn’t always easy. You need a support system, and even after 13 years of Catholic schooling, I can’t imagine the values I have learned in theology classes sticking without the constant support of
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
my parents.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? Welcome our questions.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why?
My favorite quote comes from Eleanor Roosevelt — “Do one thing every day that scares you.” I would love to get her advice about how to make a difference.
If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself?
Stop looking ahead; stay in the moment.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life?
I plan to major in biomedical engineering in college, and I hope to help ease the burden that sickness brings upon people in some way, big or small.
No matter how good or bad the situation may be, no matter how hopeful or bleak the outlook may seem, God is in control and knows what is best.
adults engaged in the life of the Church?
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Emphasize a more rich and full education on the teachings, tradition and history of the Catholic Church for youth and young adults.
Being a part of our 2012 state championship baseball team!
What is your favorite prayer?
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. This past spring break I was privileged enough to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with other boys from my school.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith? Father Moorman, God rest his soul, was a retired priest at my parish while I was in grade school. His devotion to his priestly duties, even while faced with many challenges and crosses, was an inspiration to me during the earliest years of the development of my faith.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young
The Memorare.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? Lord Robert Baden Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement. As a 13-year Scout, I have always held him in high regard.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? In the short term, I hope to graduate in four years, and in the meantime, become proficient in both Latin and Greek. In the grand scheme of life, I plan to follow God’s will for me to the best of my ability, enjoying every day that God has blessed me with!
Class of 2014
Maggie Johnson Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul Johnson attends Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul. Her parents are Nancy and Greg Johnson. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, College of Design.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
celebrating our 150th in 2015! '"3*#"6-5 ./ t 888 #"$"3%4 03( t (3"%&4 ČŞ
Congratulations to the Class of
2014!
Become Part of the Legacyy
Listen to others. To truly understand the world’s problems and how to solve them, we have to first make connections with people and learn their needs.
Salute to Graduates
Congratulations!
11
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Starting the American Cancer Society Relay for Life event at Cretin-Derham Hall. In our first year, we raised $6,000 for cancer research, which made all of the work very worthwhile.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school? By encouraging them to give blood and by co-chairing three of our blood drives. I am grateful for how supportive CDH has been.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
During the fall of junior year, I was a member of the cross country team. One day before practice, my friend and teammate shared the news that her mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. During that same time, my brother was home from college dealing with a concussion that he had gotten from playing football. I felt overwhelmed and helpless, even after praying for them. So, I decided to go to Mass in the chapel before school. The next morning I went and immediately felt at peace. I continued to go throughout the year, and daily Mass became a calming and healing experience for me. My friend’s mom went into remission, and my brother recovered from his concussion!
Cretin-Derham Hall • 550 S. Albert St. • St. Paul, MN 55116 • 651-690-2443 • www.c-dh.org
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think? “Water for Elephants� by Sara Gruen.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
My mom has shown me that through serving others, I can live out my faith.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church?
I think we should be encouraged to participate in the life of the Church. I find Mass to be more meaningful when I am involved, as an altar server or Eucharistic minister. The Church also needs to reach out to those who believe in living out their faith through service, because it is so important to serve others and spread our faith.
What is your favorite prayer? The Memorare.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? I hope to have a family, be an interior designer, and be well-traveled, all while growing in my faith and keeping my family and friends close.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Salute to Graduates
12 Andrea Lezama
Emily Kirsch
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis
Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria
Lezama attends Assumption in Richfield. Her parents are Armando and Gloria Lezama. She plans to attend Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.
Kirsch attends St. Joseph in Waconia. Her parents are Patrick and Ann Kirsch. She plans to attend Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Mo.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
Do everything for the greater glory of God, serve others and trust in God.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school?
A classmate was struggling with passing his classes. He thought that he wasn’t smart enough. I started to show him that I believed in him and that he was capable of having good grades. I would always encourage him to try his best. He says that if it wasn’t for me, he would still be failing and he would not be ready to graduate this year.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
I went on two Kairos retreat and three ACTS (Action, Community, Theology and Service) retreats. On these retreats I was able to see God’s love through others. Through these retreats, God also showed me that we are all special and that we have to love ourselves just how he made us.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
Monica Nelson Home-schooled Nelson attends Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake. Her parents are Brad and Deb Nelson. She plans to attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
Every experience is beneficial. No matter how difficult or joyful, everything helps you grow in one way or another.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Receiving second place at the National History Day competition last June in Washington, D.C.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school? Since I am home-schooled, I have been able to reach out to my siblings and friends in a different way. Whether it be helping them with schoolwork, or simply being someone they know they can turn to, I hope that I have had a positive impact on their lives.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
One is my mom, Gloria, and the other is Gema, a member from my parish that I view as mom. Both of them pray the rosary with such devotion. All what they know about God, they go and teach others about it. They both have beautiful hearts.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? Allow us to participate in different ministries in the parish. Someone in the Church has to invite us and make us a part of the community.
What is your favorite prayer? Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? Graduate from college and get a well-paying job, create a program that will help teenagers in difficult situations, and give back to my parents for all they have done for my siblings and me.
Ultimately, we have to trust in God’s plan.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Staying true to who I am and to my values.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. On my mission trips to Guatemala, Ethiopia and Haiti, my eyes were opened to the abundance of poverty and pain in this world, while also witnessing overwhelming joy and faith.
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think?
Immaculée Ilibagiza’s “Left to Tell” showed me how to fully turn to God during a time of trial.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
I would have a conversation with Corrie Ten Boom. During Word War II, she bravely helped many Jewish people escape the Holocaust.
Work in a career that brings me joy and fulfillment, engage in more international mission work, and live in such a way that others can see Christ through me.
By keeping the faith alive and relevant for our youth and young adults, I hope that they will continue to be engaged in the life of the Church. Recently I have noticed the youth taking charge and evangelizing to others. It has been beautiful to witness many young adults taking action and truly living out their faith. The young people of the Church are ready to go forth and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
My confirmation saint, St. Catherine Labouré, has been a great spiritual role model for me. I admire the way she willingly responded to Christ’s call, and gave herself unreservedly to his plan for her life. I strive for this holiness every day of my life, and I try to follow St. Catherine Labouré’s example.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why?
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church?
I have been able to be a part of my peer ministry group at the Church of St. Paul. This group has provided me with the opportunity to minister to my fellow peers and lead them closer to Christ.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
The Prayer to Your Guardian Angel.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life?
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church?
I recently read “33 Days to Morning Glory,” which helped me understand the importance of relying on the Blessed Mother and turning to her in times of need.
What is your favorite prayer?
My parents have taught me how to appreciate and live out my Catholic faith through everything I do.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think?
There needs to be a greater effort to assist the youth in understanding their faith so they do not become disengaged or misinformed. Additionally, using social media and incorporating more events such as Lifeline Masses put on by NET Ministries.
What is your favorite prayer?
years, what advice would you give yourself?
Mother Teresa’s prayer, “Do it Anyway,” is a beautiful prayer of entrustment to Christ to do his will regardless of difficulties.
I would tell myself to maintain a strong relationship with God through prayer, because this is one of the most important parts of the Christian life.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why?
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life?
I would be so grateful to have the opportunity to talk with Mother Teresa. Her life radiates joy and sacrifice, and I would want to be inspired to exemplify her life.
If you could go back in time five
1. After getting a college degree, get a job that I can enjoy. 2. Respond to God’s call for my vocation. 3. Strive for sainthood by radiating Christ’s light to every person I encounter.
13 Madeline Emanuel
St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights
Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield
Oncay attends Holy Name of Jesus in Medina. His parents are Steve and Trish Oncay. He plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Emanuel attends St. John the Baptist in Savage. Her parents are Tom and Cyndi Emanuel. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
No matter what happens, keep your mind on your goals and work hard.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school. Beating our rival, South St. Paul, in football to win the conference championship.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school? One of my friends dealt with a severe family issue, and I did my best to make sure he knew myself and others were there for him.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. The opportunity to enjoy Mass with my closest friends in a school I care deeply about is something I really cherish.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith? Vince Flynn was a great role model for me. Being friends with his son and getting to spend a lot of time at his house was truly a blessing. I can always remember
Kiera Joiner East Ridge High School in Woodbury Joiner attends St. Peter Claver in St. Paul. Her parents are Jocelina and Keswic Joiner. She plans to attend Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
Time heals all wounds, no matter how bad they may seem at the time.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
I learned how to be comfortable with myself, because in the end, I am the only one I need to rely on.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school? I was a student aide for a teacher who had a class of kids who were not doing well in school. These students were called “weird” and
him as someone who put family and faith first. He was the definition of generosity and selflessness, and was never afraid to remind someone of what really matters in life.
What is your favorite prayer? The prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? Dwight Eisenhower, due to his incredible foresight, care and service for his country, almost unrivaled list of accomplishments, and status as one of the most notable graduates of West Point.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? I want to fly Apache helicopters during my time in the Army, travel the world, and be looked upon as someone who is responsible and honest by all who know me. “freaks” in the halls because they really kept to themselves. But once I got to know each of them on a personal level, I learned that they were some of the best people out of the entire school. They were sweet and smart and determined to get better in school. We became good friends in that class, and I ended up leaving with an incredible amount of respect for each and every one of them.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. Throughout my high school experience, there have been three students at my school who have passed away. What really stuck with me was the way that the entire school came together to mourn these kids. And it was an amazing thing to watch because even in the face of great tragedies, there was still hope and love among us.
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think?
Never let someone else’s opinion have an effect on who you are.
to spend my service hours at a local assisted living home.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
At the end of my junior year, I was awarded the Mary Norris Lunde scholarship. This award was chosen by the Holy Angels staff and presented to one junior male and female who show respect, learn and accept differences between people, and firmly stand on what he or she believes in.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school?
I am on a peer counseling team at Holy Angels called Students Assisting Students.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. I lost my grandpa in September of my junior year of high school. My grandpa had spent the last nine months of his life in a nursing home. When I was selected to be a member of our campus ministry team, I decided
Salute to Graduates
Grant Oncay
Mother Teresa inspires me to continue to serve others and grow in faith.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? Princess Diana because she was known for her fundraising and charity, especially toward children and the ill.
If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself? “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? 1. Graduating from the University of Minnesota; 2. Becoming a dentist; 3. Having a family.
I just finished reading “Frankenstein” for my English class. It really changed the way I see people because the monster in that book was actually a benevolent creature that was ruined by society. It taught me to be accepting of people even if they are different.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
I taught a religious education class for preschoolers, and I really consider those children to be my spiritual role models. They are very small, and they need simple explanations for things, and this really helped me get to the core of my faith.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church?
The big thing to remember is to make the Catholic teachings relevant to the things going on in the lives of young adults, whether it be finding student teachers to help in class or as simple as finding adults who can bring things into
perspective.
What is your favorite prayer? “Now I lay me down to sleep” — I have been saying it since I was able to talk, and it really comforts me.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? I would have a conversation with Malcolm X because he was not afraid to fight for what he wanted, and that is something that I really admire.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Salute to Graduates
14 Jenna Brown
Patrick Buehler
Bethlehem Academy in Faribault
Providence Academy in Plymouth
Brown attends Divine Mercy in Faribault. Her parents are Timothy and Janet Brown. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Buehler attends St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. His parents are Nancy and Bob Buehler. He plans to attend Yale University.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? Respect is not something to be earned, it is freely given, and every human being deserves it.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school?
What is your favorite prayer?
I am a tutor for those who struggle with time management, completing their homework, and certain subjects they need extra assistance on. I am glad I reached out to those students in more than just school. I hope I made them feel welcomed and that they mattered.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. The ninth grade confirmation retreat was the significant changing point in my faith. I developed a deeper realization of Christ as the Eucharist, and I developed a deeper zeal for a relationship with God.
My great-grandma, Marie Brown.
St. Francis of Assisi prayer.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why?
I would have a conversation with Abraham Lincoln because, in my opinion, he is the most accomplished president.
If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself?
Do not let the miserable days enfeeble your overall contentment.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? Travel the world, graduate from medical school and write a novel.
Adam Babcock Prior Lake High School Babcock attends St. Michael in Prior Lake. His parents are Mark Babcock and Paula Moy. He plans to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
I was extremely confused on where I felt called to go to college, so I prayed a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux. I was actually in Madison, Wis., visiting my brother at UW-Madison. In the hotel, I went upstairs to my parents’ room, and the first thing I saw when I walked in was a pillow with a distinct rose stitched in, as St. Therese is known as the “Little Flower.” I did not have an epiphany moment on where to go to school, but I knew that I had not been
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
My grandma prays a rosary each day and has the humility vital to a loving and worthy presence at the source and summit of our faith, the Mass.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? It is undeniable that contemporary culture is vastly different than it was even 20 years ago. The meteoric rise of the Internet and social media is testament to that. The Church needs to adapt to this new age, not in its values, but in its messaging; it is essential that it stays true to its timeless principles.
Angel of God.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? I wish I had been present during the apogee of Ancient Rome to speak with Marcus Tullius Cicero and witness his invectives against Catiline.
If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself? Don’t simply step out of your comfort zone — leap!
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? 1. Get a pilot’s license. 2. Circumnavigate the globe. 3. Create a bucket list. And perhaps get a job in medicine or finance somewhere along the way.
Totino-Grace High School Archer attends St. William in Fridley. Her parents are John King and Lisa Archer. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Receiving the Minnesota Association of Student Councils’ scholarship.
I supported my friend in finding her way out of the party scene and into God’s plan.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
What is your favorite prayer?
Katessa Archer
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
What is the most meaningful way you have helped another student or students in your school?
I am honored and proud of the opportunity to work with the nonprofit startup Miya’mba Remedial Education for Cameroon, which aims to educate Cameroonian children with special needs for ultimate integration into society.
forgotten, and I simply had to be patient.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
My youth minister, Pat Millea, has given me the opportunities to lead, grow spiritually and share the joy I have found through God.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? Take the initiative to talk to youth, and simply be real with us and be willing to listen to what we have to say.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? I hope to go to World Youth Day in Krakow, spend some time doing missionary work in a developing country, and leave Earth a better place than it was before.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school. I am proud of fulfilling to the best of my ability the requirements of the four pillars of a Lasallian high school: faith, learning, service and community.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. The mission trip I attended to New York City where I learned to accept differences and rely on God to help me through difficult or uncomfortable situations.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith? My dad is my spiritual role model because not only has he instilled in me the value in having a Catholic faith, but he lets me explore my personal faith and continue my development.
What is your favorite prayer? Serenity Prayer.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I would like to know how to improve difficult situations for all minorities that still exist today.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? 1. Become a judge (possibly a Supreme Court justice) 2. Adopt a child with disabilities 3. Travel all around the world
15 Catherine Greenheck
DeLaSalle High School
Convent of the Visitation in Mendota Heights
Pucci attends Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis. His parents are Tony and Rita Pucci. He plans to attend DePaul University in Chicago.
Greenheck attends St. John Neumann in Eagan. Her parents are Mike and Sarah Greenheck. She plans to attend Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
Some people may be going through a lot, so I try to stay lighthearted and caring toward all that I come across. If I’m able to make a person smile who may be struggling in some way, then I feel that I’ve spread God’s love through that small act.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
Joy Biedrzycki, faith formation director at Our Lady of Peace parish. She taught me that God does not expect perfection, but does expect my best effort. Mrs. Biedrzycki was also one of the first people to teach me how to pray in such a way that I could feel God listening.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. It occurred in my sophomore year when my academic mentor
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? and the president of DeLaSalle, Brother Michael Collins, died. I loved him like family, and it was through my strong faith in God, along with the love and support from DeLaSalle, that I was able to get through that difficult time.
What are the top three things t hat you hope to accomplish in your life? To find a line of work in which I can work with youth and assist them in reaching their goals and finding success and happiness; to have a family of my own and be blessed with children; finally, to be able to share my belief that it can be fun and gratifying to give back to your neighborhood and church.
Nick Schroepfer Hill-Murray High School Schroepfer attends St. Ambrose in Woodbury. His parents are Matt and Carrie Schroepfer. He is still deciding where to attend college.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? Stay true to my morals.
Figuring out who I am and finding the confidence to believe in myself.
What book did you read in high school that most changed the way you think?
“The Latehomecomer” by Kao Kalia Yang. This is a memoir about a Hmong family immigrating to the United States. It made me think about how to be welcoming to new people into new places, and how to appreciate cultural differences,
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
My two good friends, Jeannie and Ellie, who also graduated from Visitation three years ago. Jeannie is
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
Serving as a faith formation catechist, working with 7th-graders at St Ambrose.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
I have been blessed with many mentors and role models in my faith. Teachers
my confirmation sponsor, and Ellie always encouraged me to show my faith, not hide it.
Salute to Graduates
Mike Pucci
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? By putting Catholic doctrine into simple terms that are easy for us to understand.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? I hope to be successful as a registered nurse, continue to be involved with my church’s youth ministry, and raise a family in Christ.
such as Mr. Cooper, Miss Moore, Mr. Ranweiler, Mr. Schaan, Mr. Deziel and Mrs. Johnson have all influenced different aspects of my faith.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? In the future I hope to get married and raise a family, live in another country for a period of time, and retire somewhere peaceful and warm.
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May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Salute to Graduates
16 Madeline Peters
Landon Hayes
East Ridge High School in Woodbury
Delano High School Hayes attends St. Mary in Waverly. His parents are Joan and Brad Hayes. He is still deciding where to attend college.
Peters attends St. Ambrose in Woodbury. Her parents are Ken and Treva Peters. She plans to attend the University of San Diego.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school?
It is much more rewarding to be independent and do your own thing than it is to follow the crowd.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
How to become a role model in my tightly knit community.
My mom is the strongest woman I know and never wavers in her faith.
I am proud of being the captain of the swim team two years in a row.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church?
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school.
Continue to host events such as World Youth Day and other youth conferences.
Being my younger sister’s confirmation sponsor was my first experience being a faith mentor to someone, and it was both challenging and rewarding.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith?
What is your favorite prayer? The Hail Mary.
What are the top three things that you hope to accomplish in your life? Travel to as many places as possible, become an architect and eventually raise a family.
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school.
Being voted Homecoming King was a great honor.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. I was involved in “Catalyst,” which was a group full of high school students who met before school on Wednesdays and went over Scripture and became more intuitive with our faiths.
Who is a spiritual role model for your Catholic faith? Before I entered the year of confirmation, Father Timothy
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May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Cloutier taught me a lot of great things about the Catholic faith.
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the Church? Youth groups are a great way to get the younger Catholics involved.
What is your favorite prayer? The Serenity Prayer.
If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself? Enjoy the little things because they are what mean the most.
17
Sex abuse panel to stress accountability, education
Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
The Supreme Court ruled May 5 that prayers said before town council meetings in Greece, N.Y., do not violate the Constitution. In their 5-4 decision, the judges noted a historical precedent to opening local legislative meetings with a prayer and stressed that the predominantly Christian nature of the prayers in the New York town were not coercive to those in attendance. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority, said the prayers delivered before public meetings in Greece, a suburb of Rochester, “evoked universal themes” such as “calling for a ‘spirit of cooperation.’” He also noted the historical precedence of such prayers, pointing out that the U.S. House and Senate have official chaplains and a majority of the states have the practice of legislative prayer. Kennedy wrote that the “inclusion of a brief, ceremonial prayer as part of a larger exercise in civic recognition suggests that its purpose and effect are to acknowledge religious leaders and the institutions they represent, rather than to exclude or coerce nonbelievers.” He said that unless the prayers “over time denigrate, proselytize or betray an impermissible government purpose” they will “not likely establish a constitutional violation.” He also wrote that because the town had followed a policy of nondiscrimination it was not required by the Constitution to search beyond its borders for those who could offer non-Christian prayers in an attempt to provide balance.
The new papal commission for protecting minors from clerical sex abuse will recommend stricter standards for accountability of abusers and those who fail to protect children, and will fight widespread denial of the problem within the Church, said Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston.
First Amendment case Public prayers have been offered in Greece by local clergy members before town council meetings since 1999. In 2008, two residents sued the town arguing that the prayers violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution. Since the lawsuit, the town has made an effort to invite a variety of faith leaders to present these prayers but the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2012 found the prayer practice unconstitutional and emphasized that the majority of the prayers were specifically Christian. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University and co-editor of The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment, said the majority “appeared to recognize that undue scrutiny of prayers by public officials was more likely to lead to establishment issues than opening invitations to individuals from diverse denominations.”
A woman prays in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City. During his pilgrimage to the Holy Land from May 24-26, Pope Francis will hold an ecumenical meeting at the church to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras. CNS photo/Debbie Hill
Hopes rise that pope, patriarch meeting renews unity effort By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
ence of European Churches, said he expected the two religious leaders would discuss the OrthoThe Orthodox bishop who is dox-Catholic ecumenical diacoordinating the upcoming pil- logue, as well as matters of “gengrimage to Jerusalem by Ecumen- eral interest,” including ical Patriarch Bartholomew of Christians in the Arab world. Constantinople said he hopes the The presence of Christians in patriarch’s May 25 meeting with the region has sharply diminished Pope Francis will give new impe- and grown increasingly precaritus to efforts for Christian unity. ous over the last decade, followBut he also said the two lead- ing the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the ers are likely to discuss a range of Arab Spring revolts against aucommon concerns, including thoritarian regimes and the Syrian the predicament of Christians in civil war. the Middle East, The patriarch conservation of and pope were the natural envilikely to discuss ronment, and de“Both are other “questions of fense of the tradicommon interest,” tional family. leaders that look including environ“We hope that mental problems and think beyond and “questions of this will not just be a meeting like family,” Metrowhat we do and the others, but we politan Emmanuel hope that this said. what we think. will give a new “We both have horizon for the the same view reThey have a relations between garding marriage our two sister as the marriage of a vision.” churches,” Orman and a womthodox MetroOrthodox Metropolitan an,” he explained, politan Emmannoting Patriarch Emmanuel of France uel of France told B a r t h o l o m e w ’s Catholic News 2013 Christmas Service in Rome. encyclical in “In a divided which he stressed world, we need unity.” children’s need for a mother and Patriarch Bartholomew, con- father. “And we know very well sidered first among equals by Or- that the pope is very much conthodox bishops, is a natural dia- cerned about the issues of the famlogue partner for Pope Francis ily and the foundations on which because the two men share im- the Christian family is founded.” portant personal qualities, MetThe meeting between the leadropolitan Emmanuel said. ers will mark the 50th anniver“Both leaders are very charis- sary of the encounter in Jerusamatic,” he said. “Both are leaders lem between Pope Paul VI and that look and think beyond what Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagowe do and what we think. They ras of Constantinople. The earlihave a vision.” At the same time, er meeting, which led both he added, “both have their feet churches to lift the mutual exdown to earth. They feel the need. communications that started the They are close to mankind.” East-West schism in 1054, Metropolitan Emmanuel, a opened the modern period of former president of the Confer- ecumenical dialogue.
U.S & World
Supreme Court ruling allows prayers before public meetings
“In some people’s minds, ‘Oh, this is an American problem, it’s an Irish problem, it’s a German problem,’” the cardinal told reporters May 3. “Well, it’s a human problem, and the Church needs to face it everywhere in the world. And so a lot of our recommendations are going to have to be around education, because there is so much ignorance around this topic, so much denial.” The cardinal spoke on the third and final day of the commission’s first meeting at the Vatican. Reading a statement on behalf of the entire eight-member panel, he said the commission planned to draft statutes for approval by Pope Francis to clarify the body’s “nature, structure, activity and the goals.” “The commission will not deal with individual cases of abuse, but we can make recommendations regarding policies for assuring accountability and best practice,” the statement said.
Cardinal SEAN O’MALLEY
Later, in response to a reporter’s question, the cardinal said such policies were necessary to fill gaps in Church law. “Our concern is to make sure that there are clear and effective protocols to deal with situations where superiors of the Church have not fulfilled their obligations to protect children,” he said. “There are, theoretically I guess, canons that could apply here, but obviously they have not been sufficient.” “Our concern about accountability is accountability for everyone in the Church, regardless of what their status is,” the cardinal said. The commission announced its plans to nominate additional members for appointment by the pope. Cardinal O’Malley said preserving the commission’s independence required a strong presence of lay volunteers, and that sitting members hoped to be joined by more victimsurvivors. So far, the only survivor on the commission is Marie Collins, Irish founder of an organization to help sex abuse victims.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Focus on Faith • Seeking Answers
18 SEEKING ANSWERS Father Michael Schmitz
Guilt and shame can lead to changing for the good Q. I struggle a lot with guilt
and shame. What should I do about it?
A. I have to immediately praise you for identifying how you have been feeling and wanting to do something to find peace. While there are times when the experience of shame can be absolutely debilitating, guilt and shame can also be very good things. Recently, Pope Francis pointed out how our experience of shame can reveal a profound truth about our humanity. He even called it “the virtue of shame.” He said, “shame is a true Christian virtue, and even human . . . the ability to be ashamed. . . . In our country, those who are never ashamed are called ‘sin vergüenza’: this means ‘the unashamed,’ because they are people who do not have the ability to be ashamed, and to be ashamed is a virtue of the humble.” At this point, I can already hear the jokes about Catholics and guilt. I don’t know if I can name one movie or TV show that portrays Catholics where the concept of “Catholic guilt” isn’t somehow woven into the story. My mom always says, “What is there that is ‘Catholic’ about guilt? It’s just ‘guilt!’ ” If I’ve done something wrong, I should feel guilty, shouldn’t I? I mean, what would you call it if someone could do something wrong and not feel guilt or shame? We call that a behavioral disorder. We call it “being a sociopath.” Needed indicator Experiencing guilt when we have done something wrong is a sign that something is going right, not that something has gone wrong. In this sense, guilt is like feeling pain
when you touch something hot; it is an indication that I should change what I am doing. But — and this is important — it is not the pain that is burning me, it is the heat. And it is not the guilt that is hurting me, it is the sin. The desire to avoid feeling bad about doing bad is a normal thing. But it is not a good thing. But, you aren’t made for misery either. Christ came to give us life to the full. He offers a greater joy than we could find anywhere else. So what do we do with feelings of guilt and shame? How do we move toward joy? First, I think it might be useful to point out the distinction between “guilt” and “shame.” They are similar, but they are not the same. Therefore, how we confront them is not going to be the same, either. I was listening to an interview with two counselors, and they offered the following definitions for understanding the differences between guilt and shame more accurately. They said that guilt is the awareness of having violated some objective standard. For example, I know that it is wrong to lie, but then I go ahead and lie anyway. I feel guilty about this because I am aware that I have violated the standard of honesty. Now, there is such a thing as true guilt and false guilt. False guilt is when I am holding myself to a false standard. Therefore, while an accurate standard is that I ought to be a person of prayer, there are people who feel guilty if they don’t “enjoy” prayer. But that is not a true standard. There are a couple of ways that we normally respond to guilt. We might argue with the standard and deny that a thing is really bad. We can distract ourselves from having to face our sin. Or we can admit our failure and confess our sin. We
“It is possible to step out from under guilt and shame, but it always involves being willing to tell the truth about our guilt and step into the light of God’s love.” Father Michael Schmitz
Bigstockphoto.com can repent.
Something to hide Shame, on the other hand, is more relational. Shame is the awareness of having failed in the eyes of another. That “other” could be another human being, God, or even myself. For this reason, the primary responses to the experience of shame are either to justify ourselves or to hide ourselves. We will either demand that the other condone our actions or that they don’t look at us; we don’t want to truly “be seen” by the one who knows our failure. With shame, as with guilt, there is true shame and “toxic” shame. Shame is toxic when it does not accurately reflect reality. For example, shame is toxic if I imagine that God’s vision of me is that I am simply an annoyance (or worse). I was recently speaking to someone who kept calling herself a “freak” because of a particular wound that she struggles with. This woman certainly finds it difficult to approach the God who loves her with any degree of joy. But her shame is not based in reality. A real sin has clouded her vision of herself to the point where she believes that she is her sin. What is the best response to
shame? Well, if shame moves me to justify or hide myself, then the best response is to choose humility and come into the light of God’s gaze. (Note: This does not mean going on “Jerry Springer.” That seems more like an attempt at self-justification.) It most likely means going to confession. Pope Francis put it this way: Confession “is an encounter with Jesus . . . who waits for us just as we are. . . . [Therefore] we must have trust because when we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, ‘Jesus Christ the Righteous’ . . . who supports us before the Father and defends us in front of our weaknesses. But you need to stand in front of the Lord ‘with our truth of sinners,’ ‘with confidence, even with joy.’” It is possible to step out from under guilt and shame, but it always involves being willing to tell the truth about our guilt and step into the light of God’s love. 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.
Lynn and Riley say:
Have YOUR Mom come in and feel special like us! Lynn from Faithful Shephard in Eagan and Riley from St. Joseph’s school in West St. Paul. 2014
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Happy Mother’s Day! Vicki Hoang is the owner of Tip Top Nails and a parishioner at St. Thomas Becket
19 Sunday, May 11 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14a, 36-41 1 Peter 2:20b-25 John 10:1-10
Sunday, May 18 Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 6:1-7 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 Monday, May 19 Acts 14:5-18 John 14:21-26
Monday, May 12 Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, martyrs; St. Pancras, martyr Acts 11:1-18 John 10:11-18
Tuesday, May 20 St. Bernardine of Siena, priest Acts 14:19-28 John 14:27-31a
Tuesday, May 13 Our Lady of Fatima Acts 11:19-26 John 10:22-30
Wednesday, May 21 St. Christopher Magallanes, priest, and Companions, martyrs Acts15:1-6 John 15:1-8
Wednesday, May 14 St. Matthias, apostle Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 John 15:9-17
Thursday, May 22 St. Rita of Cascia, religious Acts 15:7-21 John 15:9-11
Thursday, May 15 St. Isidore Acts 13:13-25 John 13:16-20
Friday, May 23 Acts 15:22-31 John 15:12-17
Friday, May 16 Acts 13:26-33 John 14:1-6 Saturday, May 17 Acts 13:44-52 John 14:7-14
Saturday, May 24 Acts 16:1-10 John 15:18-21 Sunday, May 25 Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21
SUNDAY SCRIPTURES Deacon Mitchell Bechtold
Live the life of love our Mother Church gives us “The Church is a Mother because she is a Bride [of Christ] who is forever bringing forth children of light, pillars of holiness, sources of inspiration, challengers of truth, and defenders of the Faith.” These words from Mother Angelica, founder of Eternal Word Television Network, are touching ones. How often we hear this title “Holy Mother Church.” This coming Sunday we celebrate the great joy of motherhood and honor those who bear this title. Our own birth mothers may be easy enough to identify and honor, but what of our spiritual mother, which is the Church? What does this mother of ours look like? In essence, it looks like us as we live our lives in holiness. “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed . . . .”
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Mass Schedule ENGLISH MASSES, 7 P.M.
May 22, 24, 26, 27, 29 M I SA EN ES PA Ñ OL, 7 P.M.
May 21, 23, 25 (6 p.m.), 28 Recitation of the Rosary 30 minutes prior to Mass. Special Blessing with St. Jude Oil May 29.
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Where there is Prayer, there is Hope!
As our Catholic tradition teaches, the apostles were the first bishops of the Church, with Peter remembered as our first pope. Their communion, faith and divinely-appointed authority are well imaged in these opening words of Peter proclaiming the good news of the risen Christ in the midst of his brother bishops. In the first reading, we hear of Peter and the apostles proclaiming the risen Lord in the synagogue. And by their proclamation, these men who are “pillars of holiness, sources of inspiration, challengers of truth, and defenders of the Faith,” brought forth children of light; saving those who might otherwise have been lost. And is this very act of evangelization not, spiritually, a maternal and life-giving act? Certainly it is. It is through our bishops, speaking in communion with one another and Christ, that our Church receives the certainty of her beliefs. Her beliefs allow her to be a mother. And yet, it is through the daily living of this faith, by all her sons and daughters (i.e., the baptized), that the Church is able to become a mother to so many. When, in the world, do we
Readings Sunday, May 11 Fourth Sunday of Easter • Acts 2:14a, 36-41 • 1 Peter 2:20b-25 • John 10:1-10
Reflection How can we honor the “Holy Mother Church”? And how can she inspire us to honor all mothers?
see Holy Mother Church? When a bishop teaches. When a Christian faithfully lives out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. When Christ’s followers defend those moral truths, which are certain and life giving, both in their words and deeds — in their holiness of life.
Focus on Faith • Scripture Readings
DAILY Scriptures
The Holy Mother Church is that bride who is joined in intimate communion with Christ. She is seen in the teaching tradition of the Church and then, with new life, witnessed in her baptized sons and daughters as they love God and neighbor. What our life of love looks like has been modeled for us by Christ and articulated extensively by our bishops and the teaching tradition of the Church. This life of love is now to be lived out in her members. It is for the Church to be a mother, and it is through our witness of faith that the world will come to see her as holy. Moved by the words of Mother Angelica, let us honor our Holy Mother Church this day by becoming those pillars of holiness, sources of inspiration, challengers of truth, and defenders of the Faith, which will communicate her holiness and beauty.
Deacon Bechtold is in formation for the priesthood at the St. Paul Seminary for the Diocese of St. Cloud. His teaching parish is the cluster of St. Stanislaus-Kostka, St. Edward, St. Mary and St. Francis near Bowlus. His home parish is St. Wendelin in Luxemburg.
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
This Catholic Life • Commentary
20 pharmacology. I don’t mean to scoff at these modern practices. Method, formula and science can get us some distance toward solving the problems we encounter in life. The problem is that no amount of human effort can solve all of our problems.
INTELLECT AND VIRTUE John Garvey
Hope in things unseen I’m teaching a slightly unusual college freshman course this spring called “The Virtues.” It’s not quite philosophy or theology, at least not after the typical academic fashion. It’s an attempt to present the virtues as something students might want to practice and not just study. We have spent a few weeks on each of the cardinal and theological virtues, looking at how they are presented in art, novels, movies and on television. We have also looked at their corresponding vices. The discussion of some virtues is relatively simple for even a pagan philosopher like Aristotle. Virtues are good habits acquired through repeated practice — as with temperance, for example. But theological virtues are more complex. One cannot acquire the virtue of hope by simply hoping and hoping. Theologians say that hope is a yearning for union with God — an abandonment of oneself in the hands of him whom we do not see.
And it is a virtue we will no longer need in heaven, where it is replaced with its perfect fulfillment. Poet Emily Dickinson pictured hope as “the thing with feathers” that alights with grace and “perches in the soul.” I think we have lost the understanding of this beautiful image, and our loss is symptomatic of a profound lack of hope. Instead of putting our hope in God, who cannot disappoint us, we place it in our endlessly disappointing selves. There’s an old name for this affliction: presumption. The Pelagian heresy, against which St. Augustine fought in the fifth century, held that we can attain both perfection and salvation by our own merit, without divine grace. One who thinks this way believes he has certainty already, and no need for hope. The modern variations of Pelagianism are too numerous to list, but they all have in common the presumption that we can solve any problem if only we apply the right
FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA Jason Adkins
There’s still hope for immigration reform this year Every day seems to bring some news that comprehensive immigration reform is either “dead for this year,” or “very likely to happen.” Republican leadership in the House of Representatives continues to indicate that something will be moving forward; but then it backtracks, only to then indicate again the following week that something is in the works. Still, there is strong hope that a comprehensive reform package will be passed in 2014 that will bring out of the shadows at least some of the approximately 11 million undocumented persons living in this country and put them on the path to citizenship. It is possible that, after the primary season or during the lameduck session after the elections, the political climate will be hospitable for moving legislation forward.
A moral imperative On April 1 of this year, Catholic bishops from around the country gathered at the U.S.-Mexican border for a Mass at Nogales, Ariz., to remember the souls of the more than
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
6,000 people who have died in the desert since 1998 seeking to enter America and escape poverty and ruthless violence, as well as reunite with their families. Those 6,000 lost represent a very painful reminder of the human consequences of a broken immigration system — a system that deports approximately 1,100 persons per day, totaling almost two million since 2008. The cost of these deportations runs to almost $5 billion per year. Clearly, the human and financial costs of this broken system are staggering and require action now — not next year. This window of opportunity is unlikely to last. We need our congressional representatives to show leadership and move our country forward toward a reasonable and just solution.
Not ‘amnesty’ Contrary to critics, comprehensive immigration reform is not and does not resemble “amnesty.” In the reform package already passed by the U.S. Senate, aspiring citizens must follow a rigorous, 13-year process that,
God’s grace
CNS photo method. Time magazine recently ran a cover story on “mindfulness,” the latest fad for coping with anxiety, depression and stress. Its proponents avoid talk of spirituality, the article said. They believe that if they work and parent “mindfully,” they can sharpen their attention just like they can build up any muscle that strengthens with exercise. If mindfulness is the modern virtue, it’s like temperance, not hope, in that one can simply become better by working at it. The same confidence in our ability characterizes the practice of cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy and psycho-
only upon successful completion, will allow them to have the opportunity to obtain citizenship. The process includes, among other things, paying back taxes and multiple sets of fines, demonstrating good moral character and staying out of crime, as well as learning English and demonstrating knowledge of American civics. Similarly, advocacy for immigration reform does not constitute advocacy for “open borders.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops does support enforcement provisions in any final legislative package, particularly a workable employer verification system. And, it does not oppose border enhancements, which should be coupled with an increase in visas for low-skilled workers, so that they can enter safely and legally.
Interim measures possible Though immigration reform has not passed, steps can be taken in the meantime to safeguard the dignity of aspiring citizens. The USCCB continues to work with the Department of Homeland Security, urging it to modify (not abandon) its enforcement practices. For example, the USCCB has called on DHS to 1) practice prudent prosecutorial discretion, taking into account the ways in which deportation may separate children and families; 2) end the use of methods that exclude due process protections, especially with regard to those who have no criminal offenses and have built equities in this country; 3) reform deportation policies to ensure that
We need God’s help, but spiritual talk is unfashionable. New York magazine expressed something like disdain last fall when U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said he believed in the devil. No one dared criticize Pope Francis when he professed the same belief recently, but there were polite coughs to cover the sound. The idea that God is active in our lives is equally unfashionable, even among professing Christians. And yet if he is not, there is nothing to hope for. St. Augustine argued against Pelagius that we can only find real happiness with the grace of the Holy Spirit, who appeared at Christ’s baptism in the form of a dove. We cooperate in the practice of the virtue of hope when, instead of filling ourselves with more self, we make room in our souls for the thing with feathers to perch. Garvey is president of The Catholic University of America in Washington.
those who are returned are safe; 4) expand community-based alternatives to detention programs for those without serious criminal offenses; and 5) expand “know your rights” programming in detention facilities. Legislatively, Congress should end the “bed quota” requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain 34,000 people each day, thereby foregoing less expensive yet equally effective alternatives. The fiscal irresponsibility of the law, combined with the human cost of requiring detentions no matter what mitigating factors are involved, should make removing this provision a key interim step for Congress to take. At the state level, Minnesotans should be encouraging their elected officials to allow undocumented persons to receive provisional driver’s licenses (HF 348) that would allow them to do basic things we all take for granted, such as going to the store and attending church. A provisional license will also enhance worker mobility and create safer roads for everyone by ensuring applicants have the skills to drive.
What you can do Contact your congressperson and state legislators today about these important policy reforms, as well as pray and fast in solidarity with those who have braved difficult journeys and have suffered much to attain a better life for themselves and their families. Adkins is executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
21 By Jennifer Janikula For The Catholic Spirit Three men from the St. Paul Seminary will showcase their knowledge of Scripture during the upcoming season of “The American Bible Challenge” on Game Show Network. Seminarians Deacon Marc Paveglio, Chad VanHoose and Mark Pavlak joined forces last September after VanHoose got a call from a friend employed by the game show’s casting agency. She encouraged VanHoose to create a team and audition for the show. With enthusiastic support from seminary leaders, Deacon Paveglio, VanHoose and Pavlak decided to compete using the St. Paul Seminary’s team name “Sons of Thunder.” They prepared for three months, even enlisting the help of Jeff Cavins, director of the archdiocesan Office of Evangelization and founder of the Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study.
‘Happy Catholics’ In November, the team traveled to California to compete. After a few days of filming, the seminarians returned to Minnesota contractually obligated to remain silent about the results while producers and editors prepared the show for the May 22 season three premiere. Of the 54 contestants on set, the
Seminarians Deacon Marc Paveglio (from left), Mark Pavlak and Chad VanHoose pose on the set of Game Show Network’s “The American Bible Challenge.” Their team, Sons of Thunder, will compete on Episode 5, scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on June 19. Photo courtesy of Game Show Network Sons of Thunder stood out as the only Catholics. When time allowed, the clerics invited questions about the Catholic faith. “It was a really great opportunity to give a good, positive image of the faith and to show that we are happy, authentically Catholic and study Scripture,” VanHoose said. To limit contestant interaction and maintain secrecy, producers sequestered contestants in small rooms by team. To prevent cheating, contestants were forbidden from bringing books
into the rooms. But to pray the Liturgy of the Hours during the long days on set, the seminarians needed their breviaries (a book of prayers, hymns, Psalms and readings). Producers accommodated the seminarians by supervising their prayer time with the breviary. “They said, ‘Let us know when you want to pray. We’ll bring [the breviaries] in, watch you pray, then you can hand them back,’” VanHoose recalled. “The American Bible Challenge,” recently nominated for two Emmy
awards, draws millions of viewers each season. “No other show represents faith and Christian values in as entertaining a format as this show,” noted David Schiff, senior vice president of programming and development at Game Show Network. The Bible-based, family-friendly game has a charity component — teams don’t play for themselves, they play for others. “The teams have great stories,” Schiff said. “You get to know the teams and their charities. You get to know who they are and what Christianity and faith means to them.” After three seasons, Game Show Network has donated more than $1 million to various charities on behalf of “Bible Challenge” teams. Sons of Thunder chose NET Ministries as their beneficiary. VanHoose worked with the West St. Paul-based Catholic youth retreat ministry organization for six years and hopes to promote its mission. “The American Bible Challenge” premieres at 7 p.m. on May 22. Sons of Thunder will compete on Episode 5, scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on June 19. Tune in to find out if Sons of Thunder will advance to the semi-finals and raise thousands of dollars for NET Ministries. To find Game Show Network on your TV, use the channel finder at www.gsntv.com.
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Calendar
22 Music Mother’s Day Musical Bouquet at St. Olaf, Minneapolis — May 11: 9:30 a.m. prelude, 10 a.m. Mass. The St. Olaf Parish Choir will perform the masterwork Magnificat by Antonio Vivaldi and Ave Maria by Franz Biebl. Located at 215 S. Eighth St. University of St. Thomas Summit Singers A Cappella concert at St. Joseph, Rosemount — May 17: 6:30 p.m. at 13900 Biscayne Ave. W. Free-will offering helps support the parish mission trip to Haiti.
Prayer/ liturgy Healing Mass at St. Gabriel the Archangel -St. Joseph’s Church campus, Hopkins — May 20: Rosary at 7 p.m. followed by Mass at 1310 Mainstreet. Father Jim Livingston is the celebrant. Solemn Novena to St. Jude Thaddeus, at Holy Rosary, Minneapolis — May 21-29: The Novena will feature English (May 22, 24-27, and 29) and Spanish (May 21, 23, 25,
and 28) Masses at 7 p.m. each night, except May 25 is at 6 p.m. at 2424 18th Ave. S. The Novena will include the largest known relic of an apostle outside of Rome — the St. Jude arm relic, maintained by the Dominican Friars of the Central Province, USA. Healing Mass at St. Michael, St Michael — May 23: Rosary at 7 p.m., Mass at 7:30 p.m. at 1300 Frankfort Parkway. Father Peter Richards (pastor) and Father Nathan LaLiberte (associate pastor) will concelebrate.
Don’t miss More events online Additional parish and school events in the archdiocese can be found at TheCatholicSpirit.com/calendar.
Retreats Mini-Retreat: Believing Despite the Evidence at Benedictine Center, Maplewood — May 10: 9 a.m. to noon at 2675 Benet Road. Participants will examine the resurrection of Christ as a lesson in hope, and learn that the tomb was a beginning and not the end. Father Michael Byron, associate professor of theology at St. Paul Seminary and pastor of St. Pascal’s Church in St. Paul, will lead the retreat. Cost is $30. For
CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. Recurring or ongoing events must be submitted each time they occur. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and institutions. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your press release. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication in the calendar: • Time and date of event. • Full street address of event. • Description of event. • Contact information in case of questions. E-MAIL: spiritcalendar@archspm.org. (No attachments, please.) FAX: (651) 291-4460. MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit • 244 Dayton Ave., • St. Paul, MN 55102.
information, visit stpaulsmonastery.org. and click on Benedictine Center. Women’s, mother’s and daughter’s Easter retreat: ‘Jesus’ Resurrected Life in Us’ at Immaculate Conception, Lonsdale — May 17: 6:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at 116 Alabama St. S.E. Beginning with adoration and confession from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m., Mass at 8 a.m. followed by a light meal, and presentations. Presenter is Father McCabe. Sponsored by the IC-CCW. Bring your Bible. Free-will offering. Please contact the parish office at (507) 744-2829 or icparish@lonstel. com to register before May 14. ‘Lord, Teach Me to Pray’ retreat at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — May 17: 7:30 a.m. to noon at 4030 Jackson St. N.E. with Father Anthony Criscitelli, TOR. The event begins with Mass at 7:30 a.m., refreshments at 8 a.m, and the retreat from 8:30 a.m. to noon. There is no charge to attend. For more information, call (763) 788-9062 or visit www.ICCSonline.org.
Young adults West Metro Young Adults Theology on Tap at Mozza Mia, Edina — May 13: Doors open at 7 p.m. at 3910 W. 50th St. Ken
Fitzgerald will speak on dating and relationships. For information, visit www. facebook.com/events/779385362086722/ West Metro Young Adults Theology on Tap at Mozza Mia, Edina — May 20: Doors open at 7 p.m. at 3910 W. 50th St. Sister Mary Juliana Cox will speak on “Marian Devotion.” For information, visit www.facebook.com/events/293205330830232/ West Metro Young Adults Theology on Tap at Mozza Mia, Edina — May 27: Doors open at 6:15 p.m. at 3910 W. 50th St. Bishop Andrew Cozzens will be on hand for “Grill the Bishop.” For information, visit www. facebook.com events/300905480063264/
Other events Pro-Life Across America 17th annual Culture of Love banquet at St. John the Baptist, New Brighton — May 14: 6 p.m. at 835 Second Ave. N.W. Speaker is Dr. Theresa Burke, founder of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries. Cost is $60 per ticket. Call (612) 782-9434 for tickets and information. Grandparents Apostolate of Sts. Joachim and Anne presentation on Generational Healing at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — May 16: 8:45 a.m. at 1900 Stanford Ave. Deacon Mike Thoennes will be the presenter. Argument Club for Women at St. Hubert, Chanhassen — May 27: 6 p.m. social time, 7 p.m. debate starts at 8201 Main St. Topic is: Parents vs. State? Who gets to raise our children? The Annual Marion Movement of Priest Cenacle meeting at St. John the Evangelist, Little Canada — May 29: 7 p.m. at 380 East Little Canada Road. Includes the rosary, consecration, Mass followed by readings in the MMP book and fellowship afterward.
Doula hopes to expand pro-life mission to clients Continued from page 5 expectant parents. It mostly focused on birth doulas, but Rogers was there educating the group about what a postpartum doula can offer a family. “She mentioned a postpartum plan, which made me realize that I had been so focused on our baby’s upcoming birth that I had not put a lot of thought into how we would navigate the first few weeks as a new family,” said Pennington, who gave birth to Willie in April. “We decided that Hallie’s approach sounded like a good fit for us. “Hallie’s work with our family afforded us the time and space for all three of us to bond as a new family,” Pennington continued. “She also supported me as I gained confidence as a new mom.” In terms of payment, it’s not unusual to barter for goods and services in the doula community. Rogers offers discounts for adoptive families and military families, and has arranged payment plans. Some health insurance covers partial reimbursement. Rogers is proud to have served families who are affluent and those who qualify for
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
On the web Learn more about Hallie Rogers’ postpartum doula business, Better Beginnings, at betterbeginningsmn.com. food assistance. “I think people assume that you have to be wealthy to have any kind of doula service,” Rogers said. “It goes back to that cultural piece — it’s seen as a luxury. Increasingly, we’re seeing that it shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be a basic.” Although postpartum doulas are not medical professionals, Rogers said postpartum support could prevent and alleviate issues such as mood disorders and adverse physical conditions. “We’re not counselors, we’re not mental health providers, but we are a listening ear,” said Rogers, who added she would refer a client to a professional if any issue was beyond her scope.
A pro-life cause Because Rogers wants to be with
her daughters two full days per from different cultures. week, she works with clients part“I think it’s a vocation, I really time. But being passionately prodo,” Rogers said. “And it’s a life has her looking toward future vocation that I kind of didn’t business goals. expect to discover. I want to “I hope someday to assist evangelize in a way that’s out of women who do give their babies love and service.” up for adoption, because they’re still postpartum,” Rogers said. “They don’t have a baby, but they’re still dealing with a lot of the same issues, and CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS probably many really different, perhaps even harder issues.” Over 30 years experience As a former high school Specializing in serving the religious community English teacher, Rogers holds a place in her heart for teenage Audit & Reviews mothers, and eventually sees providing services pro bono or Agreed-upon Procedures with deep discounts. Consulting & Bookkeeping Assistance “[The mother] made this really brave and really difficult choice to carry this baby to term. And if she’s keeping that baby, she needs all the support she can get,” Rogers said. Additionally, Rogers would like to receive special training to extend this support to Scott R. Mason, CPA anyone who has suffered Telephone: 952-473-2002 infant loss through miscarriage info@baunedosen.com or stillbirth. And she would www.baunedosen.com love to have a team of doulas to offer services to families
BAUNE DOSEN & CO LLP
23 Archbishop attends canonization Continued from page 24
Q. Is there something in particular that sticks in your mind from the ceremony and the day? A. No. 1, Pope Francis’ greeting of Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict was concelebrating — the first time ever, I think, that two popes have concelebrated a Mass together. Pope Francis walked over and greeted him at the beginning before he walked up to the altar, so that was very moving. Then, Pope Francis in his homily talked about Pope John XXIII as being the pope who was open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and that Pope John Paul was the pope of the family. He mentioned that both of these men lived through tragic events in the 20th century, but they weren’t overwhelmed by them. That phrase struck me in a particular way, that
we can meet tragic events in our lives but with the prompting of God’s grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we don’t have to be overwhelmed by these things. I was struck by the positioning of the reliquaries next to the altar. There was a little stand that the two reliquaries stood on. One was a vial of the blood of Pope John Paul II and one was a piece of skin taken from John XXIII. These reliquaries were given due honor after the canonization had been completed. People came up and put candles in front of them and flowers to each side of them. That was very moving.
Q. Is there something you’d like Catholics of our local church to know about this event, something that maybe they didn’t get from secular news coverage but something that perhaps you observed while you were there? A. Basically, the fundamental call of the Second Vatican Council was a call to holiness for all people. Even while these two men were popes and great men in their own right, it underscores the fact that we’re all called to be
Archbishop John Nienstedt at the canonization ceremony in St. Peter’s Square for Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II. Submitted photo saints. These men were certainly very holy men, but they were very human men, too. They both had such humor, and they enjoyed life, and they enjoyed people. I think it reminds all of us that in our own way, in our own particular vocation, we are called to be holy people, to be saints.
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The Last Word
24
Sainthood celebration
Archbishop: We are all called to holiness Archbishop John Nienstedt concelebrated the canonization Mass April 27 for St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII with Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI and some 150 cardinals and 700 bishops from around the world. The Catholic Spirit interviewed the archbishop by phone the next day from Rome.
Q. Describe the scene in St. Peter’s square for the ceremony. Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass of Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 27. CNS photo/Paul Haring
Pope Francis canonizes ‘pope of the family’ and ‘pope of openness to the Spirit’ Catholic News Service Canonizing two recent popes in the presence of his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis praised the new Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II as men of courage and mercy, who responded to challenges of their time by modernizing the Catholic Church in fidelity to its ancient traditions. “They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century,” the pope said April 27, in his homily during Mass in St. Peter’s Square. “They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful.” St. “John XXIII and John Paul cooperated with JOHN PAUL II the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the Church in keeping with her original features, those features which the saints have given her throughout the centuries,” he said. Speaking before a crowd of half a million that included retired Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis praised St. John for his best-known accomplishment, calling the Second Vatican Council, which he said “showed an exquisite openness to the Holy Spirit.” “He let himself be led, and he was for the Church a pastor, a servant-leader,” the pope St. said of St. John. “This was his great service to JOHN XXIII the Church. I like to think of him as the pope of openness to the Spirit.” Pope Francis characterized St. John Paul as the “pope of the family,” a title he said the late pope himself had hoped to be remembered by. Pope Francis said he was sure St. John Paul was guiding the Church on its path to two upcoming synods of bishops on the family, to be held at the Vatican this October and in October 2015. The pope invoked the help of the two A woman helps her son to kiss the sculpture of St. new papal John Paul II in Oviedo, Spain, April 27, the day Pope saints for the Francis canonized Sts. John Paul and John XXIII. synods’ success, CNS photo/Filip Klimaszewski, Reuters
May 8, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Retired Pope Benedict XVI embraces Pope Francis before the canonization Mass. CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters and he prayed, “May both of them teach us not to be scandalized by the wounds of Christ and to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of divine mercy, which always hopes and always forgives, because it always loves.” Pope Francis has said the agenda for the family synods will include Church teaching and practice on marriage, areas he has said exemplify a particular need for mercy in the Church today. The pope repeatedly mentioned mercy in his homily, which he delivered on Divine Mercy Sunday, an observance St. John Paul put on the Church’s universal calendar in 2000. The Polish pope died on the vigil of the feast in 2005 and was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2011. In addition to Pope Benedict, making only his third public appearance since he resigned in February 2013, Pope Francis’ concelebrants included some 150 cardinals and 700 bishops. During the canonization ceremony, which took place at the beginning of the Mass, devotees carried up relics of the new saints in matching silver reliquaries, which Pope Francis kissed before they were placed on a small table for veneration by the congregation. St. John’s relic was a piece of the late pope’s skin, removed when his body was transferred to its present tomb in the main sanctuary of St. Peter’s Basilica. Floribeth Mora Diaz, a Costa Rican woman whose recovery from a brain aneurysm was recognized by the Church as a miracle attributable to the intercession of St. John Paul, brought up a silver reliquary containing some of the saint’s blood, taken from him for medical testing shortly before his death in 2005.
A. The first thing you noticed when you looked toward the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica were these beautiful drawings of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. They were very nicely framed in beautiful flowers. Italians have a perfect knack for being able to use flowers to enhance a situation, and that was certainly true yesterday. Then you looked at the square. It was just packed — people standing, elbow room only. Two of our seminarians, Tim Wratkowski and Nick Hagen, went down the night before and spent the whole night standing up in the square so that they had a decent sight of the Mass. I’ve heard estimates of a half million to nearly a million people [attending] so you really couldn’t very well move around. We had special passes to get through on a bus, but even that took a little bit of time. Q. Just seeing that many Catholics come together for something like this — does it give you a real sense of hope? A. It’s a great tribute to the popularity of these popes, and I think it’s a great sign of the vitality of the Second Vatican Council. These were the two popes that sort of bookended the Second Vatican Council — Pope John XXIII being the one who called the council and Pope John Paul II being the one who gave it direction and saw that the council was implemented according to the mind of the Church. It was a great sign of the vitality of the Church. There were a lot of young people there, a lot of Polish people. That they were the predominant [pilgrim group] wouldn’t surprise anybody, I don’t think, because of the great esteem that the Polish people have for Pope John Paul II. It was a great day, a great blessing. So many people said that throughout the day — that it was just a great, great blessing. Please turn to ARCHBISHOP on page 23
Mary Learning more about our faith The Catholic Spirit’s 4-page Rediscover: pullout section in each issue highlights a new Rediscover: theme for you and discuss with others. Coming up May 22: Why should I pray the rosary?
Blessed Virgin Mary deserves our deep love, devotion
“B HEART OF THE MATTER Father Michael VAN SLOUN
ehold, your mother” (John 19:26). As Jesus hung upon the cross, he conveyed a parting message of paramount importance to the Beloved Disciple — and to all of us. Mary is not only the mother of Jesus; she is the mother of every believer. As our mother, Mary deserves our deepest love and devotion, admiration and respect — something our prayers to Mary express. We can never tell our mother enough: “I love you!” While prayers to Mary extend affection, reverence, approval and esteem, they are not prayers of worship and adoration — prayers that are reserved to God alone. Mary serves in a special intercessory role. It is common to say that we pray “to” Mary, but in many cases it is more accurate to say that we pray “through” Mary. Mary was assumed up to heaven, and because of her place next to her son Jesus, and because of his deep love for his mother and his eagerness to listen to her, Mary, more than any other saint, is able to receive our prayers and then carry them to her son on
The Catholic Spirit • May 8, 2014
our behalf. It is possible to pray directly to God, but because of our own personal sinfulness, it is to our advantage to have our prayers brought to Jesus by one who is pure, holy and immaculate.
Prayers and devotions Two Marian prayers hold very privileged places and are used extensively: the “Magnificat” or “The Canticle of Mary” (Luke 1:46-55) — the prayer that Mary offered herself at the time of the Visitation — and the rosary, which features the “Hail Mary.” Both are scripturally based. The “Magnificat” is taken directly from the Gospel, and the “Hail Mary” quotes several Gospel verses. “Hail Mary” was the greeting of the archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:28), and “full of grace” and “the Lord is with you” are words that Gabriel used to address Mary. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the
Rediscover-faith.org
Please turn to MARIAN on back page of section
“Mary was assumed up to heaven, and because of her place next to her son Jesus, and because of his deep love for his mother and his eagerness to listen to her, Mary, more than any other saint, is able to receive our prayers and then carry them to her son on our behalf.” Father Michael Van Sloun
What Mary means to me Six women reflect on how the Blessed Mother guides and inspires them as parents
My daughter knows who her ‘go to’ mom is for insight, strength
Like Jesus’ mother, I’m content to quietly do God’s will PAULA BERRY
Holy Family, St. Louis Park As the mother of a daughter and two disabled sons, Mary is very important in my life. She’s a model of virtue, not only as a person, but as a mother. Little is known of her life while raising Jesus. She didn’t bring attention to herself, despite being the mother of God. I discovered my vocation is like hers. I’m not called to be rich, famous or stand out as I raise my children. I’m of little importance to public perception. I go unnoticed. I’m perfectly content with that — now. I wasn’t always. I asked God what he wanted of me. Did he want me for a grandiose job — to be a public figure, start an organization, be a spokesperson for the disabled? God continually told me, “Do what you are doing.” I began to question myself. Was I unqualified for such a job? Did I lack the talent? Personal reflection and God’s prompting showed me otherwise. God has different plans for me. My vocation is to be like Mary as she raised Jesus — in the shadows. I am called to live virtuously and be an example to my children. To love, nurture, and teach my children. It means a life of routine. Day-to-day monotony. It isn’t glamorous, but it is essential to our lives. It means laundry, changing diapers, week-long stints in the hospital with children, dealing with doctors, mountains of paperwork, sleepless nights, teaching prayers and catechism as well as ABCs and 123s, and more. It is what God is calling me to — acts of service with great love. Not in public where it’s applauded and recognized, but at home where it goes unnoticed. Mary is our example. She loved, fed, clothed, taught, and nurtured Jesus. She molded his human nature. The result was perfection — our Savior! Mary expects no praise, no recognition. She doesn’t draw attention to herself, but to her son: “Do whatever he tells you.” She loves Jesus and asks us to do likewise. Loving my children isn’t always easy. My heart is pierced like Mary’s. Sometimes their words or actions sting. Things happen to them that pierce like a sword. Though there is pain and suffering, though I struggle and fall, I continue to love and serve my children and my Lord. I’m content. I’m happy doing God’s will. I follow Mary saying, “Let it be done unto me according to thy word.” Working in the shadows does not make you or your job less important — if you do it with great love. “The smallest act of pure love is of greater value to the Church than all other works united together.” — John of the Cross.
Breast cancer diagnosis keeps Mary ‘by my side’
Holy Family, St. Louis Park
During the month of May, I naturally reflect on motherhood. My mom and my mother-in-law both celebrate their birthdays in May and, on top of that, Mother’s Day occurs on the second Sunday in May. This year, motherhood takes on a new excitement since days ago I became a grandmother for the first time. I am filled with gratitude to the Lord for these special, beautiful and extraordinary influences in my life. While I have gained much wisdom, encouragement and first Mother’s Day celebration, I know that she knows her is Mary, the mother of our Lord. I have learned to rely on h We represent four generations of mothers who have a love pray the holy rosary regularly. My own devotion to Mary began when I received a rosa great enthusiasm, I learned to recite all three sets of myster time, a seed was planted deep in my heart. For whatever reason, my devotion did not last through j “Hail Mary” and other devotional prayers, I no longer pray Many years later, when my husband began to pray the r tradition of my Catholic faith. Once again, I enthusiastical tool in my prayer life. I distinctly remember, on our 20th anniversary hiking tr could memorize the now four sets of the mysteries of the r regular part of my devotion to Mary. I’d always asked for M understanding of what true devotion to her meant was gro In 2013, it blossomed when my husband and I decided Jesus Christ Through Mary According to St. Louis De Mon Conception, we knelt before a statue of the blessed mothe Through Mary, my heart was lit on fire for our Lord all o I am becoming closer to her son, Jesus Christ. I am so grate beautiful devotional gift of the rosary in order to honor he times.
Blessed Mother is ‘my constant prayer warrior’
RHONDA ZWEBER St. Michael, Prior Lake
Holy Week is still fresh in our hearts, and so is the agony that our Blessed Mother must have endured as she watched as her son was crucified. I continue to try to understand the love that Mary had for Jesus and the pain she went through losing him. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like losing one of my girls: Ashley, 19, Hailey, 17, and Sally, 11. And, yet, by the grace of God, Mary accepted his plan, and that’s what I’m asked to do, too. Part of his plan is my vocation as a mother. I’m certainly not a perfect mom, but as I keep Mary’s love and commitment to her child in my heart each time I need to make a difficult decision for my daughters’ best interest, I can count on her to guide me with the words that are exactly what they need to hear to understand my perspective and concern for them. Since my diagnosis of breast cancer seven years ago, my faith has grown steadily and now, because my breast cancer has metastasized to my bones and stomach lining, I am beginning a new chemotherapy treatment, and the trust I have that Mary is by my side has never been stronger.
NADINE REINHARDT
MONICA WOLNEY St. John Neumann, Eagan
Facing this serious illness could have made me a bitter person, but I chose to become a better person. I strive to be like Mary as I interact with others. Through my CaringBridge site, (www.caringbridge. org/visit/rhondazweber) I share my faith with readers, hoping to make a difference in their day and encourage them to develop their relationship with Jesus through Mary. I try to imitate Mary’s devotion to her son, by being present in my girls’ lives. I listen to an exciting story about how Ashley evangelized a friend at school; or frustrating moments when Hailey doesn’t understand why abortion is legal; or Sally’s sadness as she shares her fear of losing me to cancer. I think the grace I’ve received as I walk my road to Calvary has given me the opportunity to show my girls how to live a life of grace and gratitude — even though I have my cross to carry.
My first “encounter” with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was back when Peter and I were engaged to be married. At the time, I was struggling with a few of my own personal faults, lackings and failures, and so Peter and I were praying together for God’s direction in my life as a woman and a future wife and mother. During that prayer time with my fiancé, I received a vision, or picture, of Mary in my mind. She was sitting down, peacefully, wearing a blue gown, bowing her head and looking down at a beautiful white rose in full bloom on her lap. The image gave me such peace and hope, even though I had never had any kind of relationship to the Blessed Mother before this time. I felt that God the Father and his son Jesus were showing me who to look to as an example and for help in my walk as a woman of God. As the years went on, in almost every situation I was in, I met someone who had a devotion to the Blessed Mother. It intrigued me, and so I started praying the rosary as often as I could, using a beautiful little guide one of my friends had given me.
The Catholic Spirit • May 8, 2014
I was blown away prayer times were! I guess, because I som offending God by u and relying on his m But slowly, I came actually pleased and was learning to love he does. What I also the rosary became m
Mary opens my heart to work God wants me to do MARTHA FRITZHUSPEN St. John the Baptist, New Brighton
d experience to pass on to my daughter for her “go to” mom for insight, help, strength and joy her as do my earthly mothers and my daughter. e and devotion to our Blessed Mother and all
ary on my first holy Communion day. With eries with the accompanying prayers. At that
junior high. While I never stopped saying the yed the rosary and soon even forgot how. rosary, I was encouraged to renew this dormant lly began to use this wonderful, sacramental
rip to Hawaii, quizzing each other so that we rosary. Soon, the rosary once again became a Mary’s intercession for help as a mother, but my owing. to read “Preparation for Total Consecration to ntfort.” On the feast of the Immaculate er and made our consecration. over again. Through our spiritual mother Mary, eful to have our blessed Mother and the er in my personal as well as our family prayer
y at how powerful my It was a bit frightening, I mehow thought I may be using this form of prayer mother for so much help. e to realize that he was d glorified in the fact that I e and trust his mother as o found was that praying my most powerful tool for
Consecration to Mary first came onto my radar about 10 years ago. I made it through St. Louis de Montfort’s 33-day preparation then, and I said the consecration prayer, but my approach was mostly to check the prayers off my to-do list as I prayed them. I wanted to deepen my faith, but I didn’t really understand the reasons for Marian consecration, so it didn’t make much of a difference in my life at that time. Then, a few years ago, I came across a new approach to preparation for Marian consecration. Reading and praying through 33 Days to Morning Glory, I discovered a completely new understanding of devotion to Mary. Again, I completed the 33 days of preparation, and I consecrated myself to Mary. This time, though, I did it with the full understanding that I was giving myself to Jesus, through Mary. Since then, I have continued to develop appreciation for the role Mary plays in my life as a child of God and as a mother. For me, Mary is the model of Christian motherhood. She said “yes” to God without hesitation, and she trusted that God would help her raise Jesus and provide for their needs. As a single mother, I often experience the difficulties and doubts that come with raising a child on my own. When I feel alone and discouraged, or when providing for my daughter and myself seems overwhelming, or when I feel stuck in the circumstances of my life, I turn to Mary for guidance and support. She opens my heart to the work God is doing in my life. Most importantly, having consecrated my life to Mary, I have now entrusted myself and my daughter to her. Sometimes, I’m tempted to think I need to have it all together or work things out on my own, but I know that isn’t possible. I’m not in control, and I simply cannot “do it all myself”— especially as a single mom. I know my daughter belongs to God, not to me. He has placed her in my care for a period of time, but he is the one in charge.
praying for my children and husband. As I prayed through the mysteries, the Holy Spirit would lead me in how to intercede for each member of my family. It was as if Mary’s mother’s heart was intertwining with my own, and that she understood how to pray along with me and for me and my family as only a mother could. During these past few years, three of my children were going through some really difficult things in their lives. At times, it was all I could do to hold it together, while doing my best to love and help them through this time. During one evening while in confession, I was pouring my heart out to the good priest, feeling completely overwhelmed with what was before me as a mother. I just didn’t have what it took! I was in a certain “agony.” The priest lovingly turned my attention to a picture behind him of Mary and Jesus in different scenarios of their life together. As my eyes moved up the picture, I could relate to all of those scenes. But finally, at the top was Mary’s agony while she held her bruised and bloodied son, after she had just witnessed his betrayal, his torture and his death. I said, “Yes, I’ve seen that face in the mirror before! That is me!” It was then that I understood more fully what a gift I had been given in my heavenly mother. As a woman, she is my hope, she is my example of unconditional faith and trust, and she is my constant prayer warrior, holding me up with love and prayer as I journey on in this wonderful vocation of motherhood.
Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit When I turn to Mary and surrender to her care, I feel a strong sense of peace that she wraps both my daughter and me in her motherly embrace. I know that Mary will continue to bring both of us closer to her son. Mary accepted God’s will in complete trust and obedience. When I speak to her in prayer, I ask her to help me join in her “Fiat!”— I want to respond to her son each day as I pray, “let it be done to me according to Your word.” Mary pondered all things in her heart, so I can look to her example to develop an interior life focused on quiet prayer and reflection. Distractions arise, but I continue to entrust myself and my daughter to Mary’s care. I have learned that spending time in silence before her son will help me be the mother he wants me to be. Above all, Mary submitted herself to God. Her will was conformed to his will. I want to be open to God’s plan for my life, so I rely on Mary to help me trust in him and grow in holiness. Consecration to Mary has helped me give myself more fully to her, so she can guide me and bring me closer to her son. Every day, I ask Mary to help me love Jesus more. This nurtures my desire to imitate Mary’s loving obedience. As I strive to be more “Marian” in my spiritual life and as a mother, I continually thank Jesus for the gift of his mother.
Mary is my gentle guide through good times and struggles KATHLEEN FOLEY
St. John the Baptist, New Brighton Our Blessed Mother Mary is, for me, the epitome of humility and grace under pressure. In any area of my life, if I start to think that no one else understands or that I cannot handle it, I turn to Mary. Mary’s kindness and gentleness have helped me grow in my faith over the last 10 years. I had been away from the Catholic Church for nearly 20 years when she ever so subtly gave me the idea to start making rosaries. Praying the rosary every night drew me back to the Church. Countless prayers and meditations include Mary, and she will always direct us to Jesus. One version of the Stations of the Cross helps us ponder the way of the cross from her perspective, which has given me the deepest sense of love for her and for Jesus. Similarly, the Seven Sorrows of Mary help us consider the events of her life and that she had no idea what was in store for her when she said, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) I have found her able to relate to anything I might experience as a mother. With my husband of 15 years and two children, ages
23 and 5, I realize more every day that she can empathize with any struggle and rejoice with even the smallest happy moments. One day in particular captures her profound influence in my life. While in labor with my daughter, who was arriving five weeks early, her heart rate suddenly dropped and within minutes I was rushed to the operating room for an emergency C-section. Though the situation was frightening, I found myself praying the “Hail Mary” over and over again. I was calm and I trusted God’s plan. Later, I discovered her birthday is the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The Gospel of John records one of the best directives ever: “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 5:2) While simple, the challenge is to be focused on Jesus to the extent that we know what to do in any situation. So, when I feel overwhelmed with my many responsibilities, concerned with the health of my family members, and wonder what I am supposed to do — I know I can turn to Mary and she will gently guide me to Jesus.
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More presenters added to celebration The Catholic Spirit Three more guests have been added to the lineup for the 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration slated for Oct. 3-4 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The speakers are: Leah Darrow — a former professional model who appeared on the reality TV show “America’s Next Top Model.” Darrow is an international Catholic speaker who dares audiences to live according to the Gospel. She speaks to people of all ages about mercy, Leah conversion, human dignity, DARROW modesty and chastity. Darrow is particularly inspired to share these ideas in light of Pope John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body,” and do her part in the call for a New Evangelization. Kelly Wahlquist — a dynamic Catholic speaker who weaves personal stories and Scripture with practical advice to inspire audiences to become witness of the Catholic faith. Wahlquist is the program manager for the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, co-creator of Kelly WAHLQUIST the Hearts Afire Parish-based Programs for the New Evangelization, and writer for The Integrated Catholic Life, and CatholicMom.com. Jeff Cavins — an internationally known speaker and author, Cavins is the director of evangelization for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He founded the Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study, as well as other books and videos about the faith, and hosted long-running shows on EWTN and Relevant Radio. He also serves as director of the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute. Other speakers include Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, Father Dave Dwyer, Father Stan Fortuna, Scott Hahn, Curtis Martin and Father Mike Schmitz.
Register now Visit www.rediscover-faith.org. For those without access to the Internet, call the Rediscover: Program Support Helpline at (651) 291-4411. At a special break-out session for women on Saturday, Oct. 4, Darrow and Wahlquist will highlight the message of hope Catholic women have to share. “I’m thrilled to be speaking at the event with Leah Darrow,” Wahlquist said. “Leah and I have spoken together at other women’s conferences, and the combination of her passion, along with the joy of the message and the excitement that surrounds the opportunities Marie that await women in sharing that message, is the recipe for one MILLER incredibly inspirational break-out session for women. And I imagine that recipe will also involve a few surprises, some laughter and hopefully, some chocolate!” Folk artist Marie Miller will perform during the Friday evening session geared toward adults in their 20s and 30s. Miller began performing with her family at age 12. Ten years later, her music enlivens audiences nationwide with what has been called a perfect balance of “youthful style with mature songwriting.” The 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration will bring together Catholics to celebrate Mass, hear engaging speakers, and learn about opportunities to become more active in the faith. Break-out sessions for youth, young families and men, along with “Redescubre,” a special segment for Latinos, also will be featured on Saturday. For more information, visit www.rediscoverfaith.org.
Marian songs, hymns offer ways to pray fruit of your womb” are words that Elizabeth used to honor Mary (Luke 1:42). While it is always possible to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary in our own words, there is a rich collection of Marian prayers that are available. A partial list of Marian prayers that are highly recommended includes the “Memorare,” the “Hail, Holy Queen,” the “Angelus,” and the “Litany of Mary,” also known at the “Litany of Loreto.” There are special prayers associated with devotions to Mary. Some examples include the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows or the Seven Sorrows of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the scapular, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Songs and hymns are one of the best ways to pray with, to and through Mary. There are a number of major Latin Marian hymns that have been used extensively throughout the centuries: “Salve Regina,” “Alma Redemptoris Mater,” “Ave Regina Caelorum,” “O Sanctissima,” “Ave Maria,” “Regina caeli,” “Ave, Maria Stella,” “Salve, Mater misericordiae” and the “Stabat Mater Dolorosa.” There are many, many Marian hymns, but some of the most-used and most-loved hymns include: “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above,” “Immaculate Mary,” “Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly,” “Virgin, Full of Grace,” “I Sing a Maid” and “Hail Mary: Gentle Woman.” Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.
Mary and the moments of a parent’s life Many statues of Mary have exactly the same look: the blue and white robes, the veil, the arms extended outward. This image of her is so ubiquitous that it’s practically part of our Catholic DNA. There’s an undeniable comfort in seeing the same Mary everywhere we turn. But Mary has more than just one pose and one look. Her life as the mother of God involved a wide range of experiences, from the happy to the harrowing. Since becoming a mom myself, I’ve discovered that there is a Mary to correspond to nearly every moment of a parent’s life. There’s the Mary of the Annunciation, a surprised, probably scared young woman saying “yes” to PRAYER the unknown. That Mary speaks to my own experience of starting a JOURNAL family. While I was thrilled by the positive pregnancy test, I also knew I Ginny was saying yes to something that KUBITZ MOYER would challenge and stretch me in ways I could not possibly anticipate. Does Mary understand that combination of excitement and trepidation? Absolutely. There’s Mary on the road to Bethlehem, hunched over on a donkey and searching for a place to shelter for the night. She’s the Mary who had to roll with the punches, who had to adapt quickly in very trying circumstances. I’ve never had to give birth in a barn, thank goodness, but when a canceled flight meant I had to spend the entire night in an airport with a 9-monthold, I learned a lesson in How to Cope When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned. (I didn’t handle it with Mary’s aplomb, but I’m learning.) There’s Mary at the Wedding at Cana, nudging her adult son to perform his first public miracle. She’s never seen him do one before, but she knows, with that steely core of certainty that moms have, that he can. Like Mary, moms the world over encourage kids to do things they’ve never done before: walk, use the potty, read, ride a bike without training wheels. We have faith in what they’re capable of doing, and our confidence matters. There’s Mary standing at the foot of the cross, an excruciatingly painful Mary to contemplate. She’s there for the moments when our child is hurting, or worse. In the face of this Mary, all I want to do is hunker down and pray: pray for those who have lost children, for the children who are lost and for an end to all violence that rips at mothers’ hearts. Then there’s the Mary we never get to see in the Gospels, the Mary who reaches to hold her resurrected son. What must that meeting have been like? I picture a woman sobbing with joy, almost unable to believe that she’s actually touching her boy once again. Thanks to Easter, any mom who identifies with Mary’s loss of her child can hang on to the promise that she’ll enjoy a similar reunion someday and thank God for that. So, as we celebrate Mary during the month of May, remember that we aren’t celebrating a woman who remains frozen in place. We’re honoring a woman who rode the waves of motherhood, a woman who reaches to meet us wherever we are. Kubitz Moyer blogs at RandomActsofMomness.com.
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The Catholic Spirit • May 8, 2014
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