Infertility panel 5 • Kenya delegation 7 • ‘St. George and the Dragon’ 20 September 25, 2014 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
God offers mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation to all who suffer, archbishop says
Masses of Healing, Reconciliation and Hope • 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton • 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Divine Mercy in Faribault
At first healing Mass, archbishop calls on faithful to bring others to oneness By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit Expressing regret for people who have suffered, Archbishop John Nienstedt emphasized the healing of the Eucharist and the need to receive the Lord’s mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation during a special Mass Sept. 22 at St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights. “It’s my conviction that it’s through the Eucharist, the celebration of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, where healing takes place,” he said at the Mass of Healing, Reconciliation and Hope for those wounded in clergy sexual abuse, the loss of a loved one, domestic abuse, divorce, abortion and other trauma. The Mass, attended by about 75, is the first of several healing liturgies that will take place in parishes around the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in coming months, said Father John Paul Erickson, the archdiocese’s director of worship. The next service is slated for 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton. Upcoming healing liturgies, which may be prayer services, adoration holy hours or Masses, will be announced. In his homily, the archbishop spoke of the love and forgiveness of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son. “It seems to me that Jesus is trying to tell us that God the Father is full of mercy and forgiveness and reconciliation,” the archbishop said.
We in turn are called to bring others to oneness through mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation, he continued. Speaking specifically to people wounded by clergy sexual abuse, Archbishop Nienstedt said, “For all those who have been victimized and for all those who are not heard when they try to tell people in the Church of that victimization, I want to say I’m sorry.” Citing Pope Francis, the archbishop said that for someone representing God to take advantage of another in this way is sacrilegious. “There’s no place in the Church for this,” he said. He added, “I want to offer this healing Mass for those who in any way feel wounded — wounded by broken relationships, wounded by divorce and abortion, wounded by domestic violence, wounded by prejudice or racism, wounded by neglect or anyone else. To all those, I also say I’m so sorry.” The archbishop encouraged all who’ve suffered to pray that they will receive God’s mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation so that they can become instruments of these gifts to others. “Brothers and sisters, my prayer tonight is that we can encourage one another and adore God and look into one another’s eyes and see the grace of reconciliation,” he said. Following the Mass, attendees had the opportunity to pray or speak privately with clergy or pastoral care lay staff, and obtain information on a variety of healing resources. Inviting those wounded by many forms of abuse to the liturgies is an acknowledgment that we all
need Jesus’ healing, Father Erickson said, adding that he hopes parishes will be involved in planning future liturgies. Dawn McGibbon said she came to the Mass to seek healing from verbal abuse and rejection, as well as for division in her family. “I really thought it was good,” said McGibbon, who is not a member of a parish. She said the Mass inspired her “to pray for people — my mother, sister — pray for my own children and tell others about the Mass.” Steve Kroyer of St. Patrick said the fact that the archbishop came to the parish in a simple, informal way made him feel more connected. The Mass gave Doris Kroyer, also of St. Patrick, the chance to reflect on others’ pain. “It lets you know, even though it was a small group of people [at the Mass], there are still a lot who are hurting out there.” Referring to the first reading of the Mass, she said, “We are all ambassadors. . . . Our job is to invite others” to the Masses. Joan Latvala of St. Agnes in St. Paul said she hopes the Masses continue. “We came to pray for the Church,” she said. “We love the archbishop and want to support him.” For all those attending regardless of their background, Archbishop Nienstedt offered a prayer of healing during the Mass: “Lord, hear the prayers of your broken people. Heal us, save us, give us hope.”
ALSO inside
Ebola crisis
80 years of ministry
Voter guide
St. Alphonsus parishioners send supplies to Africa. — Page 4
Brother Basil Rothweiler looks back on serving local schools. — Page 6
Minnesota Catholic Conference provides resourses to help on Election Day. — Pages 16-19
Page Two
2 OVERHEARD
in PICTURES
“The religious questions give you the framework that gives you the motivation to ask the science questions, gives you the confidence the science is going to work, and explains to you why I get this excitement at holding a rock from outer space.” Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, the new president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation
OFFICIAL His Excellency, the Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. MOVED TO TEARS Pope Francis embraces Franciscan Father Ernest Simoni during a visit to Tirana, Albania, Sept. 21. Pope Francis wept when he heard the testimony of Father Simoni, 84, who for 28 years was imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to forced labor for refusing to speak out against the Catholic Church as his captors wanted. CNS/L’Osservatore Romano via EPA
Effective September 15, 2014
Effective October 1, 2014
Retirement • Reverend Ralph Huar, granted the status of a retired priest. Father Huar has served the Archdiocese as a priest since his ordination in 1981.
• Reverend Antony Skaria, CFIC, appointed pastor of the Church of Saint John Vianney in South Saint Paul. This is a transfer from his current assignment as chaplain to Regions Hospital.
NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit
St. Agnes School, Providence Academy named to honor roll Two Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have been deemed “2014 Schools of Excellence” by the Cardinal Newman Society. St. Agnes School in St. Paul and Providence Academy in Plymouth have been recognized again by the organization for excellence in academics and Catholic identity. The Honor Roll was created by the Acton Institute in 2004, with the Cardinal Newman Society assuming it in 2012. All Catholic high schools in the U.S. are eligible to apply for the biannual award; honorees this year include 71 schools located in 26 states. Another Minnesota school, Chesterton Academy in Edina, was recognized. Part of the Cardinal Newman Society’s mission is “helping Catholic families and promoting faithful Catholic education.”
BISHOPS VISIT HOLY LAND Retired Bishop Bernard Harrington of Winona and retired Archbishop Eusebius Beltran of Oklahoma City stand in front of the Israeli separation wall near Jerusalem Sept. 12. Eighteen bishops went on a nine-day prayer pilgrimage for peace in the Holy Land. A member of the delegation said they left with a stronger resolve to advocate for peace and to urge the U.S. government to take a leadership role in ushering Israelis and Palestinians toward peace. CNS/Debbie Hill
WHAT’S NEW on social media This week, a post on The Catholic Spirit’s Facebook page asks, what are the most important issues to you in the upcoming midterm elections? Read the latest news about the local and universal Church by following The Catholic Spirit on Twitter @CatholicSpirit. What does a wedding at St. Peter’s Basilica look like? And what does Pope Francis say in a homily to the betrothed? Find out by watching a video at Catholic News Service’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ CatholicNewsService.
The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 19 — No. 20 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT, Publisher ANNE STEFFENS, Associate Publisher JESSICA TRYGSTAD, Editor
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
The Catholic Spirit announces retirement of longtime employee John Wolszon, longtime production supervisor at The Catholic Spirit, will retire in early October, bringing to a close nearly 40 years of service to the newspaper and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. When he began his employment, the newspaper was called the Catholic Bulletin and was printed solely in black and white. Color was added in the mid-1990s, along with a name change to The Catholic Spirit. In 2012, the newspaper and its staff became part of the archdiocese. One of Wolszon’s many achievements was winning the B. Charles Tierney Award in 2001, which is given to an archdiocesan employee to John WOLSZON recognize outstanding service. “I truly love my job,” Wolszon said at the time. “It’s the people I work with that makes this job work for me.” One of the first tasks for Wolszon, who lives in Stillwater, as he begins his retirement will be working on his annual Christmas light display. It’s legendary in his community, with people driving for miles to see it. 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 Coming up on Oct. 4, there is a wonderful opportunity for all Catholics to come together to renew our faith and lift up our hearts with fellow Catholics. There is an exciting slate of inspiring speakers and musicians at the 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration. Dr. Scott Hahn will lift you up with his talk about being Saved By Hope: The Joy of the Gospel and the New Evangelization. Curtis Martin will talk about Becoming Apostles for Christ in the Work Place. Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City will speak on Prayer as the Expression of Hope. Grandparents will not want to miss Jeff Cavins and Judy Cozzens giving practical guidance for bringing grandchildren and even grown children back to the faith. For women, Kelly Wahlquist and Alyssa Bormes will make a presentation on The Martha and Mary Face-Off: Balancing Your Active and Contemplative Lives. Matthew James Christoff and Father William Baer will fire up men for the New Evangelization. For girls in grades 7-10, former “America’s Next Top Model” TV star Leah Darrow will share about her personal conversion and mission as a ROLE model. Also, Father Mike Schmitz will be inspiring teens through his message Life is for living . . . so why not start now? And these are just a few of the many exciting speakers that day! And there’s more. The phenomenal young folk THAT THEY MAY artist Marie Miller is writing a special song for the ALL BE ONE day. The Catholic band Sonar will lead praise and worship music. And there are many other surprises, songs and skits, plus more than 120 faith-based Archbishop exhibitors! Come, be part of the New EvangelizaJohn Nienstedt tion that will build up our parishes and entire local Church. Lay involvement is more important now than ever — come be inspired to become even more engaged in our local Catholic community! Friday, Oct. 3, is a special evening for young adults to gather and hear Catholic speakers reflect on how to live the faith and participate in the New Evangelization. You can see a full listing of speakers and musicians for Oct. 3 and 4 at Rediscover-faith.org The theme of this year’s celebration is “Horizon of Hope,” which is taken from our Holy Father’s first advent message in which Pope Francis
simply states that we, as people of faith, are on a journey to a horizon of hope, “a hope that does not disappoint because it is founded on the Word of God. A hope that does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints! He is faithful!” Each of us needs to understand that hope is on the horizon and that our journey won’t disappoint. Our local Catholic community has lived through a challenging year. Many people are expressing discouragement because of negative news about how Church leaders have addressed sexual abuse and other misconduct in the Church. People are struggling with issues that divide them from family members and friends, distancing them from the Church, and even causing them to question God’s role in their lives. On the face of things, some might ask, “What do we have to celebrate?” But, of course, we do have something to celebrate! We celebrate Christ’s sacrifice in the holy Eucharist. We celebrate God’s gift of each day. We celebrate the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. We celebrate the great gift that is our Catholic faith, the transcendent road map for our journey to the horizon of hope. There are so many signs of hope throughout our local Church: from the good work of our Catholic schools and parish faith formation programs to NET Ministries and Saint Paul’s Outreach. From our 62 seminarians preparing for the priesthood to the hundreds of local Catholics who have explored and engaged in the faith through the Catechetical Institute. From dedicated staff and volunteers providing pastoral outreach in parishes throughout the archdiocese to the clergy serving honorably and tirelessly all across this local Church. Please ask for God’s guidance upon me and my brother priests in serving this local Church so that we may follow the model of our Good Shepherd; please ask for healing for those hurt by the Church and mending of the divisions in our faith family. Pope Francis reminds us that “Jesus, the hope, renews everything. So hope is a constant miracle. The miracle of what He’s doing in the Church. The miracle of making everything new: of what He does in my life, in your life, in our life. He builds and He rebuilds. And that is precisely the reason of our hope.” I hope you can join me and our fellow Catholics on Oct. 4 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. I believe the 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration will be a day that lightens our burdens, lifts our hearts and fills us with hope for the journey! As Pope Francis called us to do, “Let us rediscover the beauty of being together along the way.” May God bless you!
From the Archbishop
Christ is our reason for hope, cause for celebration!
Cristo es nuestra razón de esperanza; ¡motivo de celebración! Usted está invitado a asistir a Redescubre 2014: Celebración Católica, el sábado 4 de octubre El próximo 4 de octubre, tendremos una maravillosa oportunidad para que todos los Católicos nos reunamos para renovar nuestra fe y elevar nuestros corazones junto a otros Católicos. Contamos con una lista fascinante de oradores y músicos para Redescubre 2014: Celebración Católica. El Dr. Scott Hahn nos animará con su charla acerca de ser Salvados por la Esperanza: La alegría del Evangelio y la Nueva Evangelización. Curtis Martin hablará sobre cómo Convertirse en Apóstoles de Cristo en Nuestro Lugar de Trabajo. El Arzobispo Coakley de la ciudad de Oklahoma, hablará acerca de la Oración como Expresión de Esperanza. Los abuelos no querrán perderse la guía práctica de Jeff Cavins y Judy Cozzens acerca de cómo llevar a los nietos, e incluso a los hijos adultos, de regreso a la fe. Para las mujeres, Kelly Wahlquist y Alyssa Bormes harán una presentación acerca del Contraste entre Marta y María: Balanceando su Vida Activa y Contemplativa. Matthew James Christoff y el Padre William Baer van a entusiasmar a los hombres para la Nueva Evangelización. Para las jóvenes en los grados del 7-10, Leah Darrow anteriormente modelo y estrella de televisión en los Estados Unidos, compartirá acerca de su conversión personal y la misión como un modelo a seguir. Además, el padre Mike Schmitz entusiasmara los adolescentes a través de su mensaje La vida es para vivirla. . . ¿Por qué no empezar ahora? ¡Y estos son sólo algunos de los muchos e interesantes oradores de este día! Y hay más. La fenomenal y popular artista juvenil Marie Miller está escribiendo una canción especial para este día. La banda Católica Sonar estará al frente de la música de alabanza y adoración. Y hay muchas otras sorpresas, canciones y obras de teatro, además de ¡más de 120 expositores con artículos religiosos! Ven, se parte de la Nueva Evangelización que fortalecerá- nuestras parroquias y nuestra Iglesia local. La participación de los laicos es más importante ahora
que nunca — ¡Venga y déjese inspirar para que se sienta aún más comprometido con nuestra comunidad local! El viernes, 3 de octubre tendremos una noche especial dedicada a los jóvenes adultos para que se reúnan y escuchen a oradores Católicos reflexionar acerca de cómo vivir la fe y participar en la Nueva Evangelización. Usted puede ver una lista completa de oradores y músicos para el 3 y 4 de octubre en Redescubre-faith.org. El tema de la celebración de este año es el Horizonte de la Esperanza el cual fue tomado del primer mensaje de adviento de nuestro Santo Padre el Papa Francisco, en el que simplemente declara que nosotros, como personas de fe, estamos en un viaje hacia un Horizonte de Esperanza, “una esperanza que no decepciona, porque es fundada en la Palabra de Dios. Una esperanza que no decepciona, sencillamente porque el Señor no decepciona jamás ¡Él es fiel!” Cada uno de nosotros necesita entender que la esperanza está en el horizonte y que nuestro viaje no nos va a decepcionar. Nuestra comunidad Católica local ha vivido un año difícil. Muchas personas están expresando desaliento por las noticias negativas acerca de cómo los líderes de la Iglesia han abordado los casos de abusos sexuales y otras conductas indebidas en la iglesia. La gente está luchando con temas que los separan de sus familiares y amigos, alejándolos de la Iglesia, e incluso haciendo que cuestionen el papel de Dios en sus vidas. A primera vista, algunos pueden preguntarse: “¿Qué tenemos que celebrar?” Pero, por supuesto, ¡sí tenemos algo que celebrar! Celebramos el sacrificio de Cristo en la Sagrada Eucaristía. Celebramos el regalo de Dios cada día. Celebramos la presencia del Espíritu Santo en nuestras vidas. Celebramos el gran regalo que es nuestra fe Católica, la ruta trascendente para nuestro viaje hacia el horizonte de esperanza.
Hay muchos signos de esperanza en nuestra Iglesia local: desde el buen trabajo de nuestros colegios Católicos y los programas de formación en la fe de las parroquias, hasta los Ministerios NET y la ayuda comunitaria de St. Paul. De nuestros 62 seminaristas preparándose para el sacerdocio a los cientos de católicos locales que han explorado y se han comprometido con su fe a través del Instituto Catequético. Desde el personal dedicado y los voluntarios que proporcionan asistencia pastoral en las parroquias de la arquidiócesis al clero que sirve honorablemente y sin descanso a toda nuestra Iglesia local. Por favor, pida a Dios que me guie a mí y a mis hermanos sacerdotes en el servicio a esta Iglesia local, para que podamos seguir el modelo de nuestro Buen Pastor; por favor pida por la sanación de los que han sido lastimados por la Iglesia y por la reparación de las divisiones en nuestra familia de fe. El Papa Francisco nos recuerda que “Jesús, la esperanza, renueva todo. Así que la esperanza es un milagro constante. El milagro de lo que él está haciendo en la Iglesia. El milagro de hacer nuevas todas las cosas: de lo que Él hace en mi vida, en tu vida, en nuestra vida. Él construye y reconstruye y esa es precisamente la razón de nuestra esperanza.” Espero que usted pueda unirse conmigo y nuestros compañeros Católicos, el 4 de octubre en el Centro de Convenciones (Convention Center) de Minneapolis. ¡Yo creo que Redescubre 2014: Celebración Católica será un día que aligere nuestras cargas, levante nuestros corazones y nos llene de esperanza en el camino! Como el llamado que nos hace el Papa Francisco, “Vamos a redescubrir la belleza de estar juntos en el camino.” ¡Que Dios los bendiga!
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Parishioners with African ties send supplies hoping to stave off Ebola By Bob Zyskowski The Catholic Spirit Jannie Seibure’s former neighbor in Liberia brought her Ebola-stricken brother into her home to care for him. The consequences were devastating. “The whole family died,” Seibure said. A parishioner at St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center, Seibure told how she’ll go on Facebook with her friends in her homeland and see that “someone we saw every day has died . . . people are dying every day.” The deadly spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa inspired Seibure, an accountant with U.S. Bank, to organize a drive at her parish to collect
Education is key to stopping the spread of Ebola By Bob Zyskowski The Catholic Spirit Native Africans who now call the Twin Cities area home said that stopping the spread of the Ebola virus will require a cultural change in their homelands. “If people hear someone is sick, they go to see them,” explained Tenneh Johnson, a Liberia-born nurse who works in Minneapolis. People regularly visit family, neighbors and friends by just walking into their homes without knocking and without invitation. And, if the family is eating, they are welcome to join them. “It’s the culture that got the disease spreading so fast,” admitted Jannie Seibure, like Johnson a parishioner of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center. Because the virus is spread through transfer of bodily fluids, according to the best science to date, the Please turn to EBOLA on page 23
materials that can prevent more people from being infected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, as of Sept. 14, there have been more than 5,000 confirmed cases and 2,630 deaths from the disease. Through the efforts of the parish’s Pan African Network, boxes at the doors of St. Alphonsus are filling with bottles of hand sanitizer, boxes of surgical gloves, containers of disinfecting wipes, hand soap, towels and bedding. All the items collected will be donated to Vision for the Hopeless International, a registered Minnesota nonprofit founded by another St. Alphonsus parishioner, Tenneh Johnson. Johnson, a nurse at Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis, has deep ties to the native country she calls “Mama Liberia.” “Lots of family,” she said, some who have already died from Ebola. The organization she started established an orphanage in Paynesville, a large suburb of Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. When health concerns became apparent, it opened a clinic as well. As of the end of July, the clinic was closed. “Our lab tech died,” Johnson said. “One of [the] nurses died. Two other nurses left because they were afraid they would become infected.” Plans are to re-open Oct. 1. Johnson describes Ebola as “an enemy you cannot see. You’re just waiting for death, not sure how to prevent it.” She said, “Being a Christian and a believer and a Catholic makes it more significant to be involved in fighting it.” Seibure echoed the posters on easels throughout the hallways at St. Alphonsus when she said her main goal is to keep people alive. “We’re hoping to get the materials we collect to Africa as soon as possible, so health care
St. Alphonsus parishioner. Tenneh Johnson donates items to help stop the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa. St. Alphonsus has a large African population, many of whom have lost family members and friends to the deadly Ebola virus. Parishioners are be gathering supplies to send to Liberia, such as plastic gloves, hand sanitizers, face masks, towels, bedding, plastic sheets, disposable bags and other items unavailable to many in the Liberian population because of the civil war and Ebola outbreak. Jim Bovin/For The Catholic Spirit workers will be safe,” she said. The women all expressed the hope that the Please turn to FAITH on page 23
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The archdiocese’s Office of Victim Advocacy and Victims Assistance is also here to offer you help and healing if you have been abused by a Catholic priest or another person in Church ministry. You may make a confidential call to 651.291.4497.
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5 Panel members include couples who have experienced infertility, doctor, adoption expert and priest By Jennifer Janikula For The Catholic Spirit Deacon Darrel and Chris Branch, parishioners at St. Gabriel the Archangel in Hopkins, spent 20 years hoping and grieving before they accepted that children were not part of God’s plan for their life. When Darrel and Chris got married in 1985, their dreams for the future included a house full of children. After 12 months without conceiving, a doctor confirmed that natural conception would be impossible for the young couple. After a few more years, their dream became a house full of adopted children. Unfortunately, the adoption agency required the full $15,000 fee in advance. Darrel and Chris did not have that much cash on hand and did not have enough equity in their home to obtain a loan. Four years later, when they were financially prepared to adopt, Darrel was diagnosed with cancer. The adoption social worker informed the Branches that the cancer diagnosis
dramatically reduced their chances of being selected by a birth mother as adoptive parents. “The doors kept closing,” Darrel said. “God had other plans for us.”
Prayer brings acceptance Daily prayer slowed and leveled the Branches’ roller coaster ride. Their prayer habit started with a shared daily rosary during Lent more than 10 years ago and has progressed to daily morning and evening prayers. “We had our ups and downs through married life, but when we started praying as a couple — joining together in prayer — we gradually found acceptance and healing,” Chris said. Ordained a deacon in 2004, Darrel looks back and sees God guiding him and Chris through their struggle. “It forced us to develop a deeper communication with each other and with God,” Darrel explained. “God was preparing us, in a way, for the diaconate. It was a big leap for us to follow what he wanted.”
Infertility support It’s no surprise that Darrel and Chris chose infertility outreach as one of their primary ministries as a diaconate couple. As hosts of the
infertility support group “In His Time,” Darrel and Chris have shared their story with dozens of couples over the last 10 years. The group, which meets on the second Monday of each month on the St. John the Evangelist campus of St. Gabriel the Archangel in Hopkins, offers understanding, compassion and guidance for couples working through infertility issues. Darrel and Chris will also participate in an infertility panel discussion from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the social hall on the St. Joseph campus of St. Gabriel. The event is sponsored by the St. Gabriel the Archangel pro-life committee and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Marriage, Family and Life. In addition to the Branches, the panel includes a second couple who has struggled with infertility, a Catholic adoption expert, a doctor with knowledge of Natural Family Planning, and Father John Floeder, who will summarize Catholic teachings about conception. Father Floeder, instructor of moral theology and dean of seminarians at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, hopes attendees will leave the event with a deeper understanding of the gift of life.
“The love of God for us as human beings is tremendous and overpowering,” Father Floeder said. “As Christ showed us, we can even be willing to take on things we wouldn’t choose. By showing life the value and reverence it deserves, struggle is always for a greater overriding ‘Yes!’ to life and love.” During the infertility discussion, Father Floeder, the Branches and other panel members will speak and answer questions. Refreshments, prayer cards and fellowship will follow the discussion.
Local
Infertility event will combine education, support, faith
For more information about St. Gabriel’s infertility panel discussion event and the infertility support group hosted by Chris and Darrel Branch, email kmeyesh@yahoo.com or sweetbranc@aol.com.
Infertility panel discussion Free and open to the public 7 – 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 St. Gabriel the Archangel, St. Joseph’s campus Social Hall 1310 Mainstreet, Hopkins For more information, contact Kathleen Esh at kmeyesh@yahoo.com.
Do we bet on hope? You betcha!
HORIZON of HOPE Friday, Oct. 3 (Young Adult Night) 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 8 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. Minneapolis Convention Center Be inspired by dynamic speakers and great music. Don’t miss out . . . Order your tickets TODAY! By phone: 651.291.4411 or Online: Rediscover-faith.org
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Brother Basil Rothweiler: Celebrating 80 years of ministry By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Barry Lieske was invited to interview for a girls basketball coaching job at DeLaSalle High School in 1979. After deciding to give school administrators the chance to woo him, he ran into a surprising obstacle as he headed to the Minneapolis school located on Nicollet Island: He couldn’t find it. “I went by the school a couple times before I realized it’s on an island, and the only way to get there was over the Hennepin Avenue bridge,” he said. Finally, he found his way into the parking lot and entered the building. Inside waited the man who would shape his career — and his life — for the next four decades: Christian Brother Basil Rothweiler, who came to the school in 1977 and was fighting to keep the school from closing. Lieske learned during the interview that Brother Basil was relentless when it came to securing what — and who — the school needed. “I met with Brother Basil, and he just would not take no for an answer,” Lieske said. “He had the [team] captains come in and meet with me. Really, I wasn’t looking to be a high school girls basketball coach. But, something impressed me about Basil’s Barry LIESKE commitment and his determination to get what was needed for the school and for the girls that were here. So, I relented and said, ‘OK, I’ll coach them this year.’ ” After a couple seasons, the school offered Lieske a full-time job as dean of students and athletic director. Varsity coaching positions in football and track were added to his girls basketball post. Today, Lieske is president of the school, having replaced Brother Michael Collins after he died in 2012. Gone are the days of having to beg and borrow to keep the school afloat. DeLaSalle has an annual operating budget of $8 million and runs in the black every year, Lieske said. This year’s enrollment is 772 students in grades nine through 12, almost double the number Brother Basil had when he started. What happened at DeLaSalle is just one example of how Brother Basil has served places in need. He recently celebrated his 80th jubilee at the Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in St. Paul, where he has spent the last several years. At age 97, he continues to inspire his many friends, some of whom visit regularly to remain connected to the man whose passion for the brothers and their Lasallian tradition carries on at several high schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “I met Brother Basil 25 years ago when I came to Cretin-Derham Hall [High School in St. Paul],” said school president Richard Engler, who had daily contact with Brother Basil at Mass and prayer services, with Brother Basil living at the brothers’ residence adjacent to the school and helping in the development office during retirement. “He just was the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever met. The way he treated
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Christian Brother Basil Rothweiler recently celebrated his 80th jubilee at the Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in St. Paul. Among his assignments during his years of ministry were positions as principal at both DeLaSalle High School and then Cretin High School. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit me and other people, the spirituality he has, he to me was a walking saint, a living saint. That’s what I would call him.”
top positions along the way, including provincial of the Midwest Province. He was principal at Cretin High School from 1970-’77 before moving to DeLaSalle, where he ‘Doing God’s work’ served as principal from 1977 to 1984. He returned to Cretin-Derham Hall to work in the It all started when Brother Basil, whose given development office from 1988 to 1994. name is Gilbert Theodore Rothweiler, was 17 and Brother Basil had a hand in saving DeLaSalle, a senior at Messmer High School in Milwaukee, which was struggling when he arrived. Wis. He found out that a group of high school “This school could have closed, and maybe students from Chicago was even should have closed,” going on a weekend visit the Lieske said. “Our budget was brothers were hosting at St. in deficit, the archdiocese Mary’s University of Minnesota was saying, ‘We’re not able in Winona, which the brothers “Brother Basil, I see to help you. You need to began operating just a year or two before. as a giant . . . not just handle your own finances.’ And, Basil just would not let Brother Basil boarded the us close, would not let it locally, but in the bus as the only student from fail.” his school. Brother Basil kept the world. He lived, he “We played basketball and doors open by keeping a touch football and just had a fought, he put in those firm grip on the simple idea wonderful weekend with the that he was, according to Christian Brothers from the midnight hours trying Lieske, “doing God’s work.” two Chicago schools,” Brother That conviction brought Basil recalled. “At the end of to make sure things him to the school at 6 a.m. the whole deal, I said, ‘What every day and kept him would I do if I wanted to worked out.” there until 10 p.m. become a Christian Brother?’ Lieske was in the office They said, ‘Well, write to the Barry Lieske, president of next door, working similar novice director.’ Just as simple DeLaSalle High School in hours and spending lots of as that. It was a go because Minneapolis time talking — and praying they were looking for — with the man who taught students.” him how to navigate In those days, it was disciplinary issues during a common for people to join a time when rebellious behavior was rampant in religious order right out of high school, some American culture. even attending high schools run by brothers “I just can’t emphasize enough that he just because of their interest in religious life. had a drive. He was not going to let anything After finishing his formation at the brothers’ get in the way of educating young people, facility in Glencoe, Mo., Brother Basil entered especially the poor,” Lieske said. “Brother Basil, the education field. It didn’t take long for him to rise to leadership positions. He became president of St. Mary’s in 1956 and held other Please turn to BROTHER on page 23
7 Archbishop Nienstedt among group to celebrate 10-year partnership with Diocese of Kitui By Bob Zyskowski The Catholic Spirit Lucy Johnson is excited — if nervous — about her upcoming trip to Kenya, Africa. Johnson, a pharmacist at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, a mother of seven and grandmother of four, has been active for more than 25 years in the Council of Catholic Women at her parish, St. Francis de Sales in St. Paul. As the current president of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, Johnson will be representing Twin Cities area Catholic women as one of 21 people from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who will leave next month to visit people in the Diocese of Kitui in south central Kenya. The trip is part of the ongoing partnership of the archdiocese and the Church in the Kitui diocese. “The whole focus is global solidarity,” Johnson said. “I’ve been to Thailand and Malaysia, but this is an opportunity to be there in their villages with the people,
Q&A The Catholic Spirit
Julie Woodruff, a parishioner of St. Joseph in Red Wing, visited Kitui, Kenya, during a previous diocesan global solidarity partnership trip. She will co-lead the 2014 delegation with Mike
not as a tourist but to be, to be one with them.” Since both the ACCW in the United States and the Catholic women’s groups in Kenya belong to the World Union of Catholic Women, Johnson sees the trip as a way to strengthen “the connectedness we have as Catholic women. We have the same purpose.” Mike Haasl, who is the global solidarity coordinator at the Center for Mission in the archdiocese, was one of the leaders of a five-session orientation for the Twin Cities group headed to Kenya. “The main reason for the visit is to get to know the Kenyans as people,” Haasl said.“Our image of them comes from [fundraising] commercials of children with flies on the faces and extended bellies, and that it must be horrible being in Kenya.” The partnership that began between the dioceses in 2004 is “building real human person-toperson relationship, faith-based Catholic person to Catholic person,” he said. By traveling to Kitui and going into villages and spending time in homes, “We see the people in their struggles, but also in their giftedness,” Haasl said. “We get a sense of their family life, their Haasl. Woodruff answered questions from The Catholic Spirit about the partnership:
Q. What is the benefit to the archdiocese? A. Our archdiocesan Global Solidarity Partnership with the Diocese of Kitui, Kenya, provides a wonderful opportunity for persons from all levels of our archdiocese to establish and
daily life, and we recognize their strengths, their capacity for leadership. “We know we are all brothers and sisters and recognize we are all walking together.” Archbishop John Nienstedt will make the trip to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the diocesan partnership. He will bless a new mission house for the diocese and help Kitui Bishop Anthony Muheria confirm some 200 people. “We’ll not only be looking back, but looking forward to what our partnership will be,” Haasl said. Delegations from the archdiocese visited Kitui in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Groups from Kitui came to
AFRICA
Local
Local delegation headed to Kenya, will mark anniversary Minnesota in 2006, 2009 and 2012. In the past, the visits have produced friendships between Minnesotans and Kenyans, but also an effective water preserving system for the arid African land, a curriculum for Minnesota students that taught about water conservation, and a school-toschool letter exchange between children in Kenya and children in Minnesota. During the visit this year, delegates to the global partnership will carry letters from Minnesota students to the Kenyan students, and they’ll discuss barriers that are blocking student-to-student email, Haasl said.
KENYA • Nairobi • Kitui
maintain friendships with our brothers and sisters in Africa. It also provides an avenue for our archdiocese to “live out” the U.S. Bishops’ pastoral letter, “A Call to Solidarity with Africa” (2001) and to strengthen the institutional relationship between the two dioceses. The diocesan partnership offers many ways for us to share our faith, our culture and our resources. We come from
different continents, but we are all members of one Catholic global family of faith. We share the same human need to belong, to be loved, to be listened to and to be treated with dignity and respect. We are inspired by the Kenyans’ commitment to education, small Christian communities and family; their Please turn to Q & A on page 24
On the web TheCatholicSpirit.com
• Read about the partnership between St. Joseph School in Rosemount and St. Patrick in Nguni (Diocese of Kitui, Kenya). CatholicHotdish.com
• Follow the daily blog from Kitui.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:3)
AYD14 will bring together teens from around the archdiocese for a day of faith formation and fun!
Kick off the 2014 school year right by celebrating the truth and joy of our Catholic faith. Let’s follow Pope Francis’ message to “be blessed [by being] happy.” October 25, 2014 • 1:30 – 9 p.m. (check-in starts at 12:30 p.m.) • University of St. Thomas • Cost: $10 Registration is by group only. Talk to your parish youth minister or campus minister to sign up! September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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OUR CATHOLIC FAITH: Something to Celebrate Catholic celebration has something for everyone The Catholic Spirit Thousands of locals Catholics will come together to celebrate their faith in a big way with music, speakers, exhibitors, Mass and more at the 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration Oct. 3 and 4 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The event aims to inform, inspire and mobilize all Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Calling it a “new beginning,” Jeff Cavins, director of evangelization and catechesis for the archdiocese, said the event is for all who need encouragement and want to take the next step in living their faith. “We need to continue on with the tasks of the Church,” Cavins said. “We’re casting a vision of hope while buoying up the faithful to show people the true face of the Church.”
Friday evening is for adults age 18 to 39 and features guests Leah Darrow, Marie Miller, Curtis Martin, Father Dave Dwyer, Cavins, Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Archbishop John Nienstedt. On Saturday, there will be sessions for women, men, Latinos, grandparents and children. Emily Cavins, Lisa Bromschwig and Beatriz Lopez, archdiocesan educators, will lead children in kindergarten through sixth grade on a “journey through the Bible.” Cavins said the celebration will kick off a number of “ground level” initiatives from the archdiocese’s new Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. The Rediscover: celebration is the office’s first big public event.
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Watch preview videos for: Friday, Oct. 3
Saturday, Oct. 4
All the work has been done for you. All you have to do is register. Visit www.rediscover-faith.org.
Catholic singer ‘can’t wait’ for Rediscover: event The Catholic Spirit
person either before or after your performance?
Marie Miller is one of the featured performers at the 2014 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration Oct. 3 and 4 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The 25-yearold singer and musician from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia will perform during the Friday evening session. She responded to the following questions from The Catholic Spirit.
A.
Q. What type of music do you like to listen to and who are your favorite artists? A. I listen to everything, and I love almost all types of music. My favorite artists are The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, Nichole Nordeman, and Nickel Creek.
Q. Why did you decide to come to the Rediscover: celebration?
Q. How long will you be in Minnesota and what else will you do while you’re here?
A. I love being a part of events that can really inspire and revitalize. We are so busy these days, and we need events like Rediscover: to bring our focus back on our relationship with the Lord.
A. It will be a quick trip. I have to be in New York City a couple days before the event, and I will be heading back home Saturday night.
Q. For a Virginia girl, Minnesota in October must be much more appealing than Minnesota in January, right? A.
Yes, but I will most likely be complaining it is too cold. I can be a wimp when it comes to cold weather.
Q. Talk about your music style and background. A. I call my music folk/pop because I grew up listening and playing both traditional bluegrass music and regular pop music. Q. What is it like to be nationally known and have your music play on local Christian stations such as KTIS here in the Twin Cities? A.
It’s a huge blessing! I am so happy that so many people are
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
There will be!
Q. What’s next for your musical career? listening to my music, and I hope it is a source of inspiration for them.
Q.
One of your most wellknown songs is “You’re not alone.” Talk about that song, what it means and how you came up with the lyrics.
A. “You’re Not Alone” is a song about being a good friend. It’s a song about compassion, and the power we have to help each other when our friends are going through tough times. Q. Where does your Catholic faith fit into all this? A.
It fits like a glove! St. John
Paul II’s letter to artists is my constant inspiration. He writes, “Beauty is a key to the mystery and a call to transcendence. It is an invitation to savor life and to dream of the future. It stirs that hidden nostalgia for God.” That is the goal of my music.
Q.
As a young adult yourself, how excited are you to play on Friday night for the young adult audience at the Rediscover: celebration?
A.
So excited! I can’t wait to visit with the young adults.
Q. Will there be any opportunity for those coming to the celebration to meet you in
A. Lots of shows and hopefully more beautiful events like this one. Q. What would you like Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to know about you? A. I have nine awesome siblings. I love C.S Lewis, John Paul II, Lord of the Rings, French fries, the Virginia countryside, documentaries and St. Joan of Arc. Q. Do you have any advice/ encouragement for young adult Catholics, such as those who will be coming to your performance here in Minneapolis? A.
Stay strong!
9 Enhanced ‘Essential 3’ roll-out part of implementing task force recommendations to better protect the young and vulnerable The Catholic Spirit About 800 clergy, business administrators, Catholic school principals and other parish and school leaders participated in three Safe Environment training sessions during the past week. At the sessions, leaders learned about enhancements to the “Essential 3” requirements and other efforts to protect the young and vulnerable in parishes, Catholic schools and other ministries within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The “Essential 3” are the requirements all archdiocesan, parish and Catholic school employees, as well as all volunteers who interact with minors or vulnerable adults, must meet:
employees.
“Protecting our children is so vital that we must continually improve. Enhancing the ‘Essential 3’ does just that. It helps us improve. These new requirements will sharpen our processes and will keep kids safer.” Tim O’Malley, director of ministerial standards and safe environment for the archdiocese
2. An acceptable background check; and
These requirements have been in place for several years in the archdiocese. Under the existing policy, as long as a person remained employed at the same place or didn’t have a break of more than a year in volunteer service at a parish or Catholic school, re-checks weren’t required. The enhanced “Essential 3” requires a background re-check, safe environment re-training and re-signing of the appropriate code of conduct every three years. These enhanced requirements will be phased in over the next four years.
3. Acknowledgment of an approved code of conduct.
The director of the new Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe
1. Safe environment training;
Environment, Tim O’Malley, who began work last week and attended the first training session, explained the enhancements. “Protecting our children is so vital that we must continually improve,” he said. “Enhancing the ‘Essential 3’ does just that. It helps us improve. These new requirements will sharpen our processes and will keep kids safer.” Updated codes of conduct were also discussed at the Safe Environment training sessions. In the final stages of revision are two updated codes of conduct for adults and one new code of conduct for youth volunteers and
Among recommendations released in a report last spring from the Safe Environment and Ministerial Standards Task Force, training should accompany the roll-out of the new codes.
Local
Local Church leaders participate in updated training
In the archdiocese, there will be a variety of training options, including online training and online code acknowledgment, meaning a person can read and “sign” the code from home or another place with Internet access. Online tracking of the “Essential 3” requirements is also scheduled to be in place for use by parish and Catholic school staff within the coming year.
On the web For more information about the “Essential 3” requirements and other efforts to protect the young and vulnerable, respond to the needs of victims/survivors and be accountable for the harm done by clergy sexual abuse, visit SafeCatholicSPM.org.
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Local
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Barb Harnett, a member of Maternity of Mary in St. Paul, hugs her son, Joe, during the sign of peace. Dianne Towalski/For The Catholic Spirit
Seven confirmed at Mass for Persons with Disabilities Bishop Lee Piché confirmed seven young people Sept. 14 during the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities at the St. Paul Seminary. “Jesus wants you to lift up the cross and let him speak to your heart,” Bishop Piché told the candidates and their families during his homily. “Let him remind you that you are not alone, you are loved, and you have something very, very wonderful to offer through your suffering.” The event was sponsored by the Archdiocesan Outreach to Persons with Disabilities of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life.
Molly Mazza, right, watches as Bishop Lee Piché shakes hands with her brother, Nolan Mazza, 17, after his confirmation. Dianne Towalski/For The Catholic Spirit
Congratulations
Congratulations
on being one of the 2014 Recipients for Champions for Life.
from The Church of Saint Agnes!
Kathleen Esh
From the parishioners and staff of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church
What’s your summit?
Mary Ball
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September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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By Sarah McCarthy Catholic News Service
abortion in that plan, and you don’t even know,” she said. Under the Affordable Care Act, state health care Members of Congress and pro-life leaders Sept. 18 issuers are prohibited from using federal funds to criticized the federal government for failing to pay for non-excepted abortion services, that is, ensure federally subsidized health plans will not those that are exceptions under Hyde. cover elective abortions. The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 “Health care should always support the dignity without Hyde Amendment-like protections. A day and life of the human person. It can never be about after he signed it into law, President Barack Obama taking a life,” said Melissa Swearingen, adviser and issued an executive order to applying the Hyde spokeswoman for the president of the U.S. amendment restrictions to health insurance Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph exchanges getting federal subsidies. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky. Despite the order, the GAO She joined in a news conference report identified more than held outside the Capitol that was 1,000 such plans that cover organized in response to a new “It’s not really fair that elective abortions. It also said report from the nonpartisan the Centers for Medicare and Government Accountability Office they’re taking money Medicaid Services, which is part showing that in several states, of the Department of Health subsidized health plans set up from you as a and Human Services, has under the Affordable Care Act’s provided limited guidance exchanges are covering abortions. taxpayer, and they’re about the rules relating to House members and pro-life coverage of abortion by health representatives convened to call on putting it into a care plans. the Senate to pass H.R. 7, the No The health care law also Taxpayer Funding for Abortion premium that you requires insurers to estimate the and Abortion Insurance Full cost of coverage of abortion per have to pay that has Disclosure Act. enrollee per month and to Passed by the House in January, collect from each enrollee a to cover abortion in the measure applies the principles premium for that coverage that of the Hyde Amendment to federal is “segregated from any other that plan, and you health programs, including the premium amounts.” The report Affordable Care Act. Since 1976, don’t even know.” said this is not being done. the Hyde Amendment has “Obamacare . . . as the pro-life prohibited the use of taxpayer Melissa Swearingen, adviser and community warned, is the dollars to fund federal subsidies to spokeswoman for the president of vehicle for the massive any part of a benefits package that the U.S. Conference of Catholic subsidization by the American includes elective abortions. Bishops taxpayers of health plans that The measure also would require pay for elective abortion,” said health plan enrollees be given full Susan Muskett of the National disclosure of the extent of coverage Right to Life Committee. “And of abortion services provided by their plan. those accountable for this are the lawmakers who Swearingen said the GAO report validated concerns voted for Obamacare.” the U.S. bishops have had that the federal health Congressman Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, criticized care law would allow abortion coverage, calling it “a the Obama administration’s handling of the issue. tragedy.” She also said it was “ridiculous” that people, “It’s curious that the administration’s response to whether they are pro-life or they support legal this report is not to deny that the law . . . allows the abortion, cannot find out if a subsidized health care funding of abortion. Rather the administration says plan covers abortion, even if it is their plan. it’s incumbent on the states and the insurance “It’s not really fair that they’re taking money from companies to comply with the law,” he said. “Well, you as a taxpayer, and they’re putting it into a it’s incumbent on this executive branch of premium that you have to pay that has to cover government to enforce the law.”
USCCB president suggests Sept. 28 as day of prayer for synod
U.S. & World
Senate urged to stop abortion coverage in health care plans
By Catholic News Service Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has joined Pope Francis and the office for the Synod of Bishops in encouraging a universal day of prayer Sept. 28 for the upcoming synod on the family. The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will take place at the Vatican Oct. 5-19. Archbishop Kurtz, head of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., called the synod “an important moment for the Church and for families.” Archbishop Kurtz will attend the synod as part of a U.S. delegation of bishops. “I welcome wholeheartedly this day of prayer for the synod fathers and for all who will participate,” he said in a Sept. 19 statement. “As the Church turns with special attention to the family, may God’s plan for marriage and the family be a source of hope and healing for all.” For the day of prayer, Catholics are encouraged to say a prayer to the Holy Family written by Pope Francis, and to pray the rosary each day of the synod.
On the web www.usccb.org Find intercessory prayers, as well as prayer cards with Pope Francis’ Holy Family prayer.
Pope calls for ‘globalization of charity’ to protect migrants By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service Pope Francis called for the “globalization of charity” through an international network to fight human trafficking and ensure the rights of migrants and refugees. The pope’s words appeared in his annual message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which in 2015 will be observed Jan. 18. The Vatican released the pope’s message, “Church Without Frontiers, Mother to All,” Sept. 23. “Large numbers of people are leaving their homelands, with a suitcase full of fears and desires, to undertake a hopeful and dangerous trip in search of more humane living conditions,” the pope wrote. “Such migration gives rise
to suspicion and hostility, even in ecclesial communities, prior to any knowledge of the migrants’ lives or their stories of persecution and destitution.” Pope Francis called on all to honor the “biblical commandment of welcoming with respect and solidarity the stranger in need.” “Jesus Christ is always waiting to be recognized in migrants and refugees, in displaced persons and in exiles, and through them he calls us to share our resources, and occasionally to give up something of our acquired riches,” he wrote. But individual and even national efforts to help migrants are insufficient, the pope wrote. “Migration movements, however, are on such a scale that only a systematic
and active cooperation between states and international organizations can be capable of regulating and managing such movements effectively,” he wrote. According to the United Nations, there were 232 million international migrants in 2013, representing a rise of 50 percent since 1990. At a news conference to present the pope’s message, Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, said that in 2013 the number of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons exceeded 50 million for the first time since World War II. “A more decisive and constructive action is required, one which relies on a universal network of cooperation, based on safeguarding the dignity and centrality of every human person,”
Pope Francis wrote. “This will lead to greater effectiveness in the fight against the shameful and criminal trafficking of human beings, the violation of fundamental rights, and all forms of violence, oppression and enslavement.” “It is necessary to respond to the globalization of migration with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he wrote. Pope Francis has made migration a signature issue of his pontificate. In July 2013, less than four months after his election as pope, he traveled to the southern Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, a major entry point for undocumented immigrants to Europe, to commemorate those who had died attempting to cross the sea from North Africa.
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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U.S. & World
CHICAGO
Bishop Cupich named to succeed Cardinal George as Chicago archbishop Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Blase Cupich of Spokane, Wash., as the ninth archbishop of Chicago. He will succeed Cardinal Francis George. The appointment was announced Sept. 20 in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Cupich, 65, will be installed in Chicago Nov. 18 during a Mass at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. In 1971, Archbishop Cupich obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from then-College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Cardinal George is 77, two years past the age when bishops are required by canon law to turn in their resignation to the pope. He retains the office of archbishop until his Bishop Blase successor’s installation. CUPICH His health concerns stepped up the process of searching for his successor. Cardinal George introduced Archbishop Cupich (pronounced “Soo-pich”) during a news conference at the Archbishop
Quigley Pastoral Center in Chicago the day the appointment was announced. “Bishop Cupich is well prepared for his new responsibilities and brings to them a deep faith, a quick intelligence, personal commitment and varied pastoral experiences,” Cardinal George said.
WASHINGTON
Studies confirm religion increases longevity, marriage does, too Study after study has confirmed that those who are involved in religion and those who are married are healthier, physically and mentally happier and live longer than those who are not. “The health benefits of marriage are so strong that a married man with heart disease can be expected to live, on average, 1,400 days (nearly four years) longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart,” said Dr. Scott Haltzman, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University in Providence, R.I. “The advantages for women are similar,” Haltzman added. Couples with higher levels of religiosity “tend to enjoy greater marital satisfaction, fidelity and stability, with less likelihood of domestic violence,” according to a
compilation of studies by the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think-tank. Religious belief and practice are also associated with lower divorce rates, lower levels of teen sexual activity, less abuse of alcohol and drugs, lower levels of many infectious diseases, less juvenile crime and less violent crime, the foundation said.
VATICAN CITY
Pope forms panel to streamline marriage annulment process Two weeks before the start of an extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family, the Vatican announced the formation of a special commission to reform the process of granting marriage annulments. “The work of the commission will start as soon as possible and will have as its goal to prepare a proposal of reform of the matrimonial process, with the objective of simplifying its procedure, making it more streamlined, and safeguarding the principle of the indissolubility of matrimony,” said a Vatican statement Sept. 20. The new body’s work will address what Pope Francis has identified as a key challenge in the “pastoral care of marriage.” The pope told reporters in July 2013: “There is the legal problem of marriage nullity, this has to be
reviewed, because ecclesiastical tribunals are not sufficient for this.” Pope Francis related the problem of annulments to the situation of divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, whose predicament he said exemplifies a general need for mercy in the Church today. According to Church teaching, such Catholics may not receive Communion unless they obtain an annulment of their first sacramental marriage or abstain from sexual relations, living with their new partners as “brother and sister.”
Pope names five women to International Theological Commission Pope Francis, who has said the Catholic Church has “not yet come up with a profound theology of womanhood,” named five women, a record number, to the International Theological Commission. One of the women is U.S. Mercy Sister Prudence Allen, former chair of the philosophy department at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. On Sept. 23, the Vatican released the names of 30 theologians who will serve a five-year term on the commission. Women have served on the panel since 2004, but until now, there have never been more than two.
Rediscover The Light Within Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
13 Sunday, Sept. 28 Twenty-sixth Sunday in ordinary time
Deacon Alvaro Perez Silva
Readings • Ezekiel 18:25-28 • Philippians 2:1-11 • Matthew 21:28-32
To walk the walk Who doesn’t love getting a new cell phone? The constantlyupgraded features are just amazing — bigger screens, adaptable displays, new gadgets and so forth. The more the better, right? Why is that? Because the more options and improvements we have, the better able we are to customize our phone and set it up just the way we like it. Well, at least until a new phone comes out, and we realize that even more options are possible. The phenomenon of the new cell phone reveals something about human nature. It reveals our desire for options — to have things our way, at our pace and in our time. It speaks of the value of free will and choice. Our readings for Sept. 28 direct our attention toward free will and choice. God sets a path for us, and we are free to follow it or not. God gave us free will because we need it
to be able to truly love his will and follow it in a genuine way — not because we are obliged to follow it or because it benefits us, but out of love for God, because we recognize that he directs our lives as a loving father. This is great news! I am free — free to choose whatever I like. Well, not really. We can desire many things, but as rational creatures we are called to use our whole being to find out what God wants from us, “so that [we] may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Our freedom carries with it a responsibility because it is a gift from God. Our free will gives us the capacity to act with integrity (holistically) as rational beings. We can do great things with our free will. We can direct our choices for the good of others, and ultimately,
DAILY Scriptures Sunday, Sept. 28 Twenty-sixth Sunday in ordinary time Ezekiel 18:25-28 Philippians 2:1-11 Matthew 21:28-32 Monday, Sept. 29 Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 John 1:47-51 Tuesday, Sept. 30 St. Jerome, priest, doctor of the Church Job 3:1-3,11-17, 20-23 Luke 9:51-56
THE TWIN CITIES’ BEST Bilingual Mass at 10:30 a.m.
Reflection In our daily lives, it’s important to speak the truth. But how do we go further and act as true Christians should?
we achieve salvation with those small but significant decisions we make each day. As the first reading reminds us, “He shall surely live, he shall not die.” In the Gospel reading, we see two brothers who say one thing, but do something different. God praises the one who changes his mind and obeys. It is not enough to speak the truth; we must act on it. St. James reminds us of this when he exhorts us to “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22). A true Christian is a mix of both brothers. He not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk. Our discipleship becomes real
Deacon Perez Silva, PES, is in formation for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His teaching parish is St. Mark in St. Paul. His religious community is Pro Ecclesia Sancta.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 St. Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin, doctor of the Church Job 9:1-12, 14-16 Luke 9:57-62
Sunday, Oct. 5 Twenty-seventh Sunday in ordinary time Isaiah 5:1-7 Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43
Thursday, Oct. 9 St. Denise, bishop, martyr, and his Companions, martyrs; St. John Leonardi, priest Galatians 3:1-5 Luke 11:5-13
Thursday, Oct. 2 The Holy Guardian Angels Job 19:21-27 Matthew 18:1-5, 10
Monday, Oct. 6 St. Bruno, priest; Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, virgin Galatians 1:6-12 Luke 10:25-37
Friday, Oct. 10 Galatians 3:7-14 Luke 11:15-26
Friday, Oct. 3 Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5 Luke 10:13-16 Saturday, Oct. 4 St. Francis of Assisi, religious Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 Luke 10:17-24
BOOYA
As well as assorted American and Hispanic food. Games for all ages
Sunday, Oct. 5 Highland Park Pavillion
Festival begins at 11:30 a.m.
St. Francis de Sales Booya and Fall Fiesta St. Paul Police Band performs at 1:00 p.m.
when we conform our lives to the life of Christ. It is not founded in delivering grandiose speeches. After all, Christ’s purpose in life was to obey the Father. He offers us the perfect example of an authentic and integrated life — he talked the talk and walked the walk. As he said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).
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Remember that story you read in The Catholic Spirit last month? Last year? Have total recall. Search “ARCHIVES” at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com
Tuesday, Oct. 7 Our Lady of the Rosary Galatians 1:13-24 Luke 10:38-42 Wednesday, Oct. 8 Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 Luke 11:1-4
Focus on Faith • Scripture Readings
SUNDAY SCRIPTURES
Saturday, Oct. 11 Galatians 3:22-29 Luke 11:27-28 Sunday, Oct. 12 Twenty-eighth Sunday in ordinary time Isaiah 25:6-10a Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 Matthew 22:1-14
Theology Day. Find out. The Liturgical Reading of the Gospel of Mark
Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Pax Christi Catholic Church, 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie 6 p.m.: check-in, 6:30-9 p.m.: presentation The Gospel of Mark has most often been read as simple and rational, a text of existential faith in which the climax is Peter’s individual, isolated confession that Jesus is the Messiah (Mark 8:29). But could Mark also be read as a story full of symbolism and complexity, not so much about individual existential faith but communal sacrament and mystery? This presentation will explore alternate interpretations of the Gospel of Mark. Charles Bobertz, Ph.D, is professor of New Testament and Patristics at Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary and the undergraduate Department of Theology of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. He received his B.A. from Saint John’s University in 1980 and his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1988. He co-edited, with David Brakke, Readings in Christian Communities: Essays on Interpretation in the Early Church, published in 2002. His newest book, A Liturgical Reading of the Gospel of Mark, will be out this fall.
FREE but registration is required: www.csbsju.edu/sot or 320-363-3570
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
Focus on Faith • Seeking Answers
14 deliberations.
SEEKING ANSWERS Father Kenneth Doyle
Why the Church doesn’t ordain women; disrespect in church Q. As a practicing Catholic,
what should be my answer when my Protestant friends ask me why my Church does not ordain women to the priesthood?
A. Catholics believe that the ordained ministry has its origin in Christ’s choice of the Twelve Apostles. Why Jesus selected only males for this sacramental and teaching ministry, no one can say with certainty. But the Church feels bound by the decision of its founder and by its earliest and consistent tradition. There were proponents of female priests in the first four centuries of the Church’s history, but always the response from Church leaders was the same: That’s not our call to make, not our prerogative; the action of Jesus is normative. Even Eastern Orthodox churches, which split with Catholics on several theological issues, never questioned that the priesthood was reserved to males. Some would argue that if Jesus were alive today when society has a greater appreciation of women’s dignity and gifts, he would have picked some women among his apostles. But that forgets the fact that the historical Jesus had no problem being controversially
countercultural: he chose Matthew — scorned by society as a tax collector — and welcomed several women, including Mary Magdalene, as close companions and friends.
Q. Within the past year, I have seen a tremendous amount of talking and socializing while people are seated in church awaiting the priest’s arrival for Mass. Parents are even conversing with their children during the priest’s homily. In the Communion line, individuals stop to shake the hand of someone they know and chat while the Eucharist is being distributed. One man, arriving in church and walking up the aisle to find a pew, was talking on his cell phone as if he were out on the street. What kind of example does this set for the young people in attendance? Thank you for addressing this total lack of reverence.
So the Church’s teaching has nothing to do with gender equality and everything to do with Jesus and the history of the Church. St. John “. . . the Church’s Paul II in a 1994 apostolic letter teaching has explained that since even the nothing to do with Virgin Mary was not given the gender equality ministry and mission proper to and everything to the apostles, the decision by Jesus do with Jesus and was surely not a statement on the the history of the relative dignity and holiness of the Church.” sexes.
Certainly the goal of a parish is to create a community of faith, so it is natural and good for people to greet each other and “catch up a bit” when they meet at church. For that reason, newer churches are often constructed with a larger “lobby” so that folks can chat when they first arrive and then be quiet once they enter the church proper. In the parish where I serve, our church was built in the late 1990s, at a time when we were being encouraged to create a separate chapel for the Blessed Sacrament (as a sign of special reverence and as a more intimate space where parishioners could stop for daily visits).
A. The real
“villain” in your story is the man on the cell phone: That is not only irreverent, it is downright rude. Nearly three years ago in this column, I addressed the importance of quiet before Mass in answer to a similar question from a different reader, but perhaps we all need a
The downside, though, when the Eucharist is not reserved in the church proper, parishioners may regard the larger space as an “auditorium” and converse at sidewalk decibels. So just before Mass is to begin, I announce something like this: “We are gathered this morning to share our faith in the risen Lord and to thank God for the blessings in our lives. Let’s take a moment now to quiet our hearts and to place ourselves consciously in the presence of God.”
Pope Francis, in his 2013 reminder. exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” even while reaffirming the The General Instruction of the teaching on a male-only Roman Missal in No. 45 express it priesthood, added a critical this way: “Even before the nuance. He said that decisioncelebration itself, it is a making should not be linked to praiseworthy practice for silence to ordination and urged that women be observed in the church, in the CathSpDolly-Sept25-Oct23_Layout 1 9/17/14 11:39 AM be given a greater voice in Church sacristy, in the vesting room and in
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adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred celebration in a devout and fitting manner.”
Then we have 20 or 30 seconds of complete silence before the procession to the altar begins. Father Doyle writes for Catholic News Service. A priest of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., he previously served as director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Hill-Murray School President Hill-Murray School (2625 Larpenteur Ave. East, Maplewood, MN, 55109) seeks a new President to begin July 1, 2015. Hill-Murray School is a vibrant co-educational community of 717 students supported by 65 faculty members and 29 staff members. Rich in its traditions, proud of its Benedictine and Lasallian heritage, committed to academic excellence and its numerous co-curricular opportunities, Hill-Murray prides itself on being a community where students are “Known, Loved, and Respected.” The President is the school’s Chief Executive Officer reporting to the Board of Trustees and is responsible for all aspects of the school’s operations. At an important time in the school’s history, the next President will have the opportunity to shape the future directions of Hill-Murray and to leave a lasting impact by bringing a spirit of innovation and a clear voice that will help define how Hill-Murray can most successfully serve students and families in the years ahead. Preferred candidates will possess: 5+ years of senior administrative leadership responsibility, and 15+ years of professional experience; an impeccable reputation for honesty and integrity; a Master’s Degree or higher; knowledge of best practices in private secondary education; familiarity with the financial, marketing, and development operations of schools or nonprofits; a strong and well-articulated Catholic faith; outstanding oral and written communication skills; impressive interpersonal skills, including personal warmth, resiliency, and sense of humor. Please address all inquiries to: John Mackenzie, Educators’ Collaborative jmackenzie@educatorscollaborative.com 614/207-1006.
catholichotdish.com
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Jason Adkins
Building Babylon’s good without bending to its gods The finest book of the late Richard John Neuhaus (though not his most well-known) is “American Babylon,” published posthumously in 2009. The book helpfully guides the reader through the challenges of living as an “exile” — both in the world and in a nation sometimes inhospitable, or even outright hostile, to a society grounded in the Gospel. Neuhaus’ insights are even more indispensable today as we consider how we can continue to serve others and work for the good of our nation without bending to its “gods” — the idols, powers and principalities that are held up as the keys to health, happiness and prosperity.
Strangers in a strange land Throughout history, Christians have often felt like outsiders even within their own nations. In appearance, they may seem indistinguishable from those around them, but their mode of being is different, often times conflicting with the mainstream culture. To illustrate this tension, Neuhaus points us to the secondcentury “Letter to Diognetus,” an early example of Christian apologetics: “[Christians] live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor
From the Pew to the Polls The Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, is hosting the following events: • 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina. • 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19 at St. John the Baptist in Savage • 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Event and resource materials are free. For more details, visit www.mncc.org and click “Events.”
under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them, their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose them. They share their meals, but not their wives. . . . They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven.” As the Letter to Diognetus notes, though Christians love all men, “all men persecute them. . . . To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. . . . The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures. Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.” Many Catholic Americans cannot help but feel a sense of alienation from their neighbors and from a culture that increasingly ridicules religion in general — and Catholicism in particular — and is now beginning to impose social and legal penalties on the practice of the Faith. Further, our society promotes the crudest forms of “enjoyments” for our consumption, and it often has little regard for the dignity of the human person, justice, or the common good. Though many overstate just how bad things are here (comparatively, it is not that bad — yet), and may similarly neglect the genuinely good things going on in America today, it sometimes can truly seem as though we are living in a modern-day Babylon.
Living in sin . . . well Comparing today’s America to other times and places, such as ancient Rome or 19th-century Britain, is an easy tool that talking heads lean on for prognostication. But often, people fail to see the full lessons of those historical examples. We may invoke the image of Babylon, but forget some key parts of the story. Father Neuhaus reminds us of the acts and deeds of the Jews living in exile in Babylon, as well as the instructions God gave them while they were there, and exhorts us to take counsel today from this witness of Scripture. Though forced into service by
King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel and his Jewish friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, served Babylon with honor and distinction. As Neuhaus notes, these fellows put up with a lot, even having their names changed in less than flattering ways. But they had their limits. They would not defile themselves with unclean food or bend the knee to false gods. They were punished and tested by being thrown into a “burning fiery furnace,” but God honored their righteousness. They had worked for the good of the city — even one that was deeply corrupt and which had enslaved the best and brightest of their people — without bending to its “gods.” God had likewise spoken to the people in Babylonian exile through the pen of the prophet Jeremiah and instructed them similarly. He told them: “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruits. Take wives and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters. Increase there; do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the Lord, for upon its welfare your own depends” (Jeremiah 29:5-7). What is striking about this passage is what God is asking his people to do — lay foundations — even in exile in a foreign land and even as they hoped and desired to return to Israel. The examples of gardens and marriage are not chosen by accident. Lay down roots; be fruitful and multiply. God is telling his people that though Babylon is not their home, and that they are different from those around them, they must work for the good of the city in which he has planted them. In doing so, they will find their own good as well. God’s exhortation to the exiled Jews of Babylon and its import for our own day is clear. Isolating ourselves and trying to keep “Babylon” out is neither practicable nor desirable for
Christians. Nor can we, as laypersons, ignore the good of others and of society as a whole and hide out in a sectarian bubble while everything crumbles. God calls most of us into prudent engagement with the broader culture, even a hostile one where it seems we can only improve things at the margins. The challenge is to continue working for the city’s good without bending to its gods. As social and legal mandates to violate our faith and the moral law continue to increase, the pressure will grow to simply “sprinkle a little incense” and avoid the “burning fiery furnaces” of our day: media ridicule, professional penalties and social scorn. Little compromises here and there that ultimately lead people to losing their identity as a disciple will be a constant temptation.
This Catholic Life • Commentary
FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA
“Many Catholic Americans cannot help but feel a sense of alienation from their neighbors and from a culture that increasingly ridicules religion in general — and Catholicism in particular — and is now beginning to impose social and legal penalties on the practice of the Faith.”
Through prayer and discernment, each Christian must be vigilant in keeping the Faith so that he or she can continue to be salt and light to the world, and to live well, even when surrounded by sin.
Adkins is executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
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Voter’s guide 2014
“Politics, according to the Social Doctrine of the Church, is one of the highest forms of charity, because it serves the common good.” —Pope Francis, Daily Homily, September 16, 2013
The Minnesota political cycle will
move into full swing this fall. At the general election in November, voters will head to the ballot box to select men and women they believe will best lead our local communities, our state and our nation. Many important political offices will be up for election this year, including one of two Minnesota seats in the United States Senate. All eight seats in the Minnesota congressional delegation will be on the ballot, as will all 134 in the Minnesota House of Representatives. State level officers including governor, attorney general and secretary of state will also be on the ballot, along with several judicial positions. Both Pope Francis and the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, otherwise known as “Catholic social teaching,” have stated that politics should uphold human dignity and serve the common good. It is due to this pursuit of the common good that Catholics have a responsibility to participate in the democratic process, as the outcome of this year’s political races will shape policy decisions for years to come. The deliberations that take place in St. Paul and Washington, D.C., and the laws that result from those debates, can either hinder or elevate the moral fiber of a community, the state and the nation. Thus, it is important for Catholics and all people of faith and good will to exercise their right as Americans and to participate in the act of voting. American history is blessed with social movements that were guided by conscientious citizens acting according to their beliefs. The significant contributions
made by religious persons in the public square are a testament to the pluralism and diversity of the state and the nation. The founding of the United States, the abolitionist movement, the drive for women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement were all aided by religious persons and communities seeking to advance justice and the common good. Offering its contribution to conversations about what may be best for society, the Catholic Church promotes and defends the dignity of all persons, from conception to natural death. In order to promote human dignity at every stage, the Minnesota Catholic Conference and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops address policy matters pertaining to religious liberty, immigration, education, human life, economic justice, marriage and health care, among others. This guide seeks to address these issues in the context of the forthcoming elections and challenges readers to ask important questions of those who are running for office. This publication strongly encourages Catholics to evaluate their political candidates through the lens of Catholic social teaching and to vote for candidates based upon a well-formed conscience. Doing so requires each person to consult that law inscribed in their heart by God “ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1776). The following pages are intended to highlight important policy issues and to aid Catholics in their effort to promote the common good and to improve their communities by participating in the 2014 elections.
Voter’s guide 2014
THE ISSUES, THE CANDIDATES & YOUR VOTE 2014
The Catholic Spirit
Voter’s guide 2014
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September 25, 2014
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Religious Liberty Political partisanship often turns the average citizen away from participating in the political process. Too frequently, issues are only seen as Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative. Religious liberty is not a partisan issue, nor is it ideological. The United States of America was founded on the principle of religious freedom and no political party can claim it as its own. Allowing religious institutions to operate according to their mission without interference from the government is a more accurate understanding of the often used phrase “separation of church and state.” In recent times, regrettably, the First Amendment constitutional right to religious liberty has come under attack. At both state and federal levels, adversarial organizations and policies have sought to exert greater state authority over religious organizations and the manner by which they operate, such as abiding by sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) laws when they receive government contracts. Such intrusion poses significant concern for religious organizations and their freedom to serve the poor and vulnerable in accord with human dignity and the Church’s teaching. The right to serve the public according to a religious organization’s mission and conscience is a hallmark attribute of religious liber-
ty. Additionally, the right of the people in the pew to live their faith in every aspect of their life must be protected. Here in Minnesota, business owners who decline to offer facilities or services for samesex wedding ceremonies have been threatened with legal action and, in at least one case, have already been punished with heavy fines by the state. Some Minnesota legislators have promised to introduce legislation in 2015 that mirrors the federal HHS preventive services mandate, and which requires employers to provide contraceptives and abortifacient drugs in their health plans. These troubling trends must be resisted and important rights of conscience and religious liberty must be protected and defended by elected officials. We should not have to always rely on courts to protect our most basic freedoms. Where does the candidate stand on the right for religious institutions to operate and serve the general public in a manner that is consistent with the organization’s faith-based mission? Where does the candidate stand on the right of individuals to live their faith in their school, their place of employment, in their chosen profession or in their business?
It is therefore fitting that when the Bill of Rights was ratified, religious freedom had the distinction of being the First Amendment. Religious liberty is indeed the first liberty.1
Immigration In his 2014 message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis offers a reminder that Jesus, Mary and Joseph — the Holy Family — experienced first-hand the life of migrants. Today, many families migrate to the United States to flee religious persecution, economic depression, lack of resources and employment, unstable governments and dire poverty. A broken American immigration system has also contributed to a national problem. In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, while accepting the legitimate role of the government in protecting its borders and intercepting unauthorized migrants, believes that comprehensive immigration reform is needed.
A good reform package would create more opportunities for migrants to enter, live and work in the U.S. so that law enforcement will be better able to focus on those who truly threaten public safety. Comprehensive reform should offer a pathway to citizenship (not “amnesty”) for the almost 11 million undocumented people living in the United States who aspire to be citizens. It should also be family-based, meaning the number of years it currently takes for family members to be reunited after separation must be reduced. Finally, truly comprehensive reform must address the root causes of migration, such as violence and political unrest in the countries of origin; economic
and trade policy; as well as the need for social reform and integral development. Immigration will continue to be a national concern until foreign and domestic units of government reform their laws in a manner that upholds the dignity every human being deserves. Where does the congressional candidate stand on comprehensive immigration reform and the need for expedited family reunification? At the state level, where does the candidate stand on giving undocumented persons greater access to health care and transportation options to protect their dignity and support their families?
The migrant is a human person who possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance.2
Human Life We know that human life is sacred and inviolable. Every civil right rests on the recognition of the first and fundamental right, that of life, which is not subordinate to any condition. 3
Though Minnesota has historically been a leader in enacting pro-life legislation, those efforts have stalled in recent years. Bills that would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks; ended taxpayer funding of abortion; licensed and regulated abortion clinics; and prohibited coverage of abortion in the Minnesota health insurance exchange (MNSure) have either died in our state Senate or been vetoed by the governor. Still, perseverance and educational efforts on these critical issues must continue in order to defeat ongoing threats to life, primarily those that come under the erroneous and misleading guise of “reproductive health care” or “reproductive freedom.” In several other states, abortion rights advocates have sought to diminish, if not totally eliminate, laws that have contributed to the protection and defense of unborn human life. Every Christian has a duty to support the unborn, the infirm, the vulnerable and the elderly. This respect for life should compel our communities to reject violence of any kind, including gun violence, which has caused overwhelming loss and agony for so many families and communities. A society free from abortion and other forms of violence is a goal toward which elected officials can work to better protect its citizens and uphold the dignity of every person. Assisted suicide and capital punishment represent direct attacks on human life. Although both are currently prohibited by Minnesota law, candidate positions on these matters should be
evaluated by the Catholic voter. Where does the candidate stand on the need to enact legislative limits on abortion and the abortion industry? Where does the candidate stand on efforts to defend life from conception to natural death, such as supporting laws that seek to reduce gun violence and opposing efforts to legalize physician-assisted suicide?
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Voter’s guide 2014
Labor & Economy According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in the State of Minnesota has continued its gradual decline from 5.1 percent in June 2013 to 4.5 percent in June 2014. Although unemployment has decreased and the economy continues to slowly recover, most of the economic gains have not been distributed across the socioeconomic spectrum. In general, the very wealthy continue to make gains while the wages of most other workers have remained stagnant or have even declined. Many Minnesota families struggle to make ends meet. Elected officials, especially through formulation of the state budget, have considerable influence on policies and public funding for programs that serve the poorest and most vulnerable in society. The last two years have seen the passage of important legislation aimed at combating poverty and fostering economic security, such as an increase in the minimum wage, record levels of public funding to combat homelessness and an increase in the Working Family Credit to reduce marriage penalties. Still, new and creative ways to address poverty and foster greater participation in the labor market and in the benefits generated by the economy must continue. Similarly, legislation to curtail the usurious and exploitative practice of payday lending is still in need of enactment. As the Gospels outline, Catholics are called to stand up for those most in need. One way we can do this is by heeding Pope Francis’ call to “resolve the structural causes of poverty.”5
The Catholic Spirit
Health Care
This includes times when lawmakers are making important decisions that directly affect the most economically vulnerable in our communities. People of the faith community should encourage constant evaluation of economic decisions and institutions based on their ability to protect and respect human dignity. Where does the candidate stand on promoting policies that protect the state’s most vulnerable citizens? Where does the candidate stand on social and economic policies that foster economic participation and the creation of jobs that provide decent working conditions and just wages?
Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor. 4
Restorative Justice In addressing the criminal justice system, the Church has called for an approach that promotes redemption, restoration, and rehabilitation rather than simply a mechanism of punishment.8 Offenders should be held accountable for their crimes, but also given the opportunity to grow, take responsibility, and demonstrate remorse for what they have done. Greater support needs to be given to programs that prevent crime, engage at-risk youth, and treat substance abuse. Additionally, programs that prepare an individual for probation or parole, and that assist the person with reintegration into society, are also in need of support. These programs address the significant barriers that often keep parolees from becoming healthy and productive members of society. At the same time, Catholics must be sensitive and responsive to the needs of victims and their families, who have been impacted by crime and violence. Victims and their families should be supported and encouraged to participate throughout the criminal justice process as part of the healing process. Where does the candidate stand on sentencing guidelines and parole practices that take into consideration an individual’s potential threat to society, rather than simply relying on mandatory minimum sentencing? Where does the candidate stand on prisoner rehabilitation and re-entry programs that include continuing education, adequate personal identification, transportation, housing, and employment assistance, as well as restoring the right to vote for ex-offenders who are now living and participating in our communities?
We are all sinners, and our response to sin and failure should not be abandonment and despair, but rather justice, contrition, reparation, and return or re-integration of all into the community. 7
The Catholic Church has spoken in favor of health care access for nearly 100 years, first becoming active on the issue as far back as 1919. The social doctrine of the Church considers health care a basic human right, one that is necessary for the proper development of life and important for full human dignity. Significant reform and expansion of the state Medicaid program in 2013 has given a greater number of low-income citizens health care access that might have otherwise been unattainable. The creation of MNSure (Minnesota’s implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act) will allow some 450,000 previously uninsured residents to qualify for a health plan. The plan grants participants access to 10 essential health benefits, including emergency services, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs and pediatric services. Minnesota has also taken advantage of the ACA by transitioning MinnesotaCare into the creation of a basic health plan. The Minnesota Catholic Conference played a key role in the creation of MinnesotaCare, and the changes to the program expand coverage and enhance benefits to low-income adults and lawful immigrants who do not qualify for Medicaid. The creation of the ACA has increased access to health care for many; yet, the implementation of the act has also created significant concerns for religious liberty through the administration’s HHS contraception mandate. And the act still does not create access to health care for undocumented persons. Going forward, it is important to ensure that health care access is affordable to all, that health care does not violate the sanctity of life, and that religious groups maintain their right to offer health benefits that are consistent with their mission and principles. Where does the candidate stand on promoting policies that increase access to affordable health care for low- and moderate-income individuals and families? Where does the candidate stand on allowing religious groups, closely-held businesses and individuals to be able to provide health care without compromising their religious convictions?
Health care policy must protect human life and dignity, not threaten them, especially for the most voiceless and vulnerable.6
Children and Families In May 2013, the Minnesota Legislature redefined the state’s civil marriage laws to include same-sex couples. In many states around the country, federal judges are striking down marriage laws that limit marriage to the union of one man and one woman. Both are troublesome developments that favor altering the purpose and structure of the civil institution of marriage, changing it from an institution that primarily protects a child’s right to be known and cared for by his or her mother or father to one that is instead focused on merely endorsing the romantic inclinations of adults. By contrast, the Catholic Church offers an understanding of marriage as being rooted in the unique love that a man and a woman can give to each other as husband and wife in a union that is ordered toward the good of the spouses and to the creation and flourishing of children. Though the government does not create families or the institution of marriage, it has a compelling interest in bringing men and women together in a complementary union that has both individual and community benefits. A permanent and virtuous union fostered by husband and wife is a model of solidarity and communion and provides a dynamic that makes the family the first school of social life for children, and that helps to advance the common good. The Church recognizes that because of tragedy, sin and the brokenness that we all experience, families come in different forms and do not always reflect the ideal of “mother, father, and child.” Single parents work each day to care for their children, often in difficult circumstances, and our communities should provide them with support and encouragement. Other families have courageously adopted children and incorporated them into their family life. Still, the
natural family is the bedrock of society, and policies that support the well-being and rights of children “to be conceived, carried in the womb, brought into the world and brought up within marriage,”10 and which uphold marriage as the lifelong, fruitful union of one man and one woman are always necessary. Where does the candidate stand on the authentic meaning of marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman? Did he or she vote in 2013 to allow same-sex marriages? Where does the candidate stand on policies that protect the stability of the marriage bond and the best interests of children, such as limitations on no-fault divorce and surrogacy arrangements?
Defending the institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a question of justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community and the rights of parents and children alike.9
Voter’s guide 2014
The Catholic Spirit
September 25, 2014
Education
Providing a child with a quality education is one of the most important responsibilities of parents. In Catholic teaching, parents are the primary educators of their children. Policies are necessary that give parents the option to choose the educational setting they decide is best for each individual child. School choice programs are exploding around the country, with 18 states and the District of Columbia having enacted programs that give parents more educational options than just public schools. Almost
every state in the Midwest is expanding parental choice in education, but Minnesota is lagging behind. The consequences of Minnesota’s failure to create educational opportunity are having enormous consequences on the most vulnerable. Minnesota, with fewer educational options for low-income families than many places in the Midwest, has the highest reading gap in the United States between white and both African-American and Latino students. Opportunity scholarships for low-income families, tuition tax credits, tax credits for businesses organizations and individuals who donate to scholarship organizations, educational savings accounts for students with disabilities and other programs would open new doors for families in need of more options. Every child in Minnesota, enrolled in public or non-public schools, deserves a quality education. Nonpublic schools are not competitors, they are partners. State policies that guide education policy must be fair, just and treat all students equally, and with individual dignity.
Where does the candidate stand on expanding school choice options such as tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarship programs or vouchers? Does the candidate oppose efforts to reduce pupil funding received by students in non-public schools for busing, textbooks, and health care? Does he or she oppose costly and unnecessary mandates on nonpublic schools that threaten their institutional integrity, such as so-called “anti-bullying legislation?”
Broadening educational choice is a matter of justice — especially for those who do not have equal access to education opportunities.11
19
From the Pew to the Polls The Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, is hosting the following events: • 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina. • 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19 at St. John the Baptist in Savage • 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Event and resource materials are free. For more details, visit www.mncc.org and click “Events.”
Agriculture and the Environment Americans are more conscious than ever of their responsibility to be good stewards of the environment. Years of successful public awareness campaigns and the work of tireless advocates have ensured that protecting creation is at the forefront of public discourse. Many landmark pieces of legislation have been passed in the last 50 years, including the federal Wilderness Act, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Yet, debates continue at the local, national and international levels about how to address environmental challenges such as climate change, the byproducts of hydraulic fracturing, soil and water contamination, air quality and the global competition for scarce natural resources. Similarly, in protecting creation, attention must be paid to the proper management of agricultural resources and ensuring food security for all. The Church has indicated that these discussions are decisive and that they are “about the future of God’s creation and the one hu-
RESOURCES: FORMING YOUR CONSCIENCE Minnesota Catholic Conference: Catholic Social Teaching tinyurl.com/MCCsocialteaching United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship tinyurl.com/USCCBcitizenship The Holy See: A Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life tinyurl.com/vatican-political-life
Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.12 man family. It is about protecting both the ‘human environment’ and the ‘natural environment.’ It is about our human stewardship of God’s creation and our responsibility to those who come after us.” The United States Catholic bishops have stated that the following considerations should guide debates about environmental policy: “stewardship and the right to
Bishops: Political Activity Guidelines tinyurl.com/USCCB-guidelines GETTING INVOLVED Minnesota Catholic Conference: MCC’s Catholic Advocacy Network Action Center tinyurl.com/MCC-action Minnesota Catholic Conference: Ways to get involved tinyurl.com/MCC-involved United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: USCCB Action Center tinyurl.com/USbishops-action
LEARNING ABOUT THE ISSUES AND CANDIDATES
tinyurl.com/MNvoting
Minnesota Catholic Conference: Minnesota legislative bill tracker tinyurl.com/MCCbills Project Vote Smart votesmart.org United States Conference of Catholic
Where does the candidate stand on the importance of enacting policies that foster sustainable agricultural practices, and the promotion of family farms and local agriculture? Where does the candidate stand on policies that promote the use of alternative and renewable sources of energy?
Footnotes:
The Holy See: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church tinyurl.com/vatican-social-doctrine
Minnesota Catholic Conference: Current Legislative Priorities mncc.org/current-priorities/
economic initiative and private property”; the needs of “future generations”; “population and authentic development”; and “caring for the poor and issues of equity.”13 Underscoring the urgency of the situation, Pope Francis recently said that if we destroy creation, then creation will destroy us. Prudent attention must be given to environmental and agricultural policy debates, as a proper human ecology cannot take shape unless it is fostered by a healthy natural ecology.
Minnesota Secretary of State: How to register to vote
JOIN US! BECOME AN MCC CATHOLIC ADVOCACY NETWORK MEMBER TODAY Network membership is free and provides access to Catholic resources that you can trust, including brief, monthly E-Update newsletters, legislative Action Alerts that provide step-by-step instructions on how to take action, and a legislative Action Center that helps you look up your lawmaker's contact information, tracks bills and more! Brief, monthly E-Update newsletters that include:
• Event listings • Useful educational resources for your family, parish or Catholic school • Commentary on current policy issues through a non-partisan, Catholic lens • Information on how to help advocate for and shape public policy Legislative Action Alerts that provide: • Status on key legislation during federal and state Legislative Sessions • Easy, clear instructions on how to “take action” • “Advocacy 101” tips on how to talk about policy issues of concern for Catholics • Pre-written communications that can be personalized and quickly sent from the Network online system to your Senator, Representative, or other elected officials An online Action Center that features: • A bill tracker to watch legislation of interest to the Catholic Church in Minnesota • Search tools for looking up your legislative district and elected officials • Ongoing advocacy campaigns and take action tools • Downloadable and printable catechetical and advocacy-based materials for families, parishes and schools To sign up, visit www.mncc.org and then click on the MN Catholic Advocacy Network icon.
1 “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty: A Statement on Religious Liberty.” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, March 2012. 2 Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the 96th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2010). 3 Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Italian ProLife Movement. 11 April 2014. 4 Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to His Grace Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. 14 June 2013. 5 “Evangelii Gaudium,” Apostolic Exhortation of His Holiness Pope Francis. 24 November 2013, at 202. 6 Access to Health Care. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Justice, Peace and Human Development, February 2013. 7 “Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice.” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, November 2000. 8 Ibid. 9 Address of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota and the Dakotas. 9 March 2012. 10 “Donum Vitae.” Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 22 February 1987, at II, A, 1, iii. 11 “A Just Beginning for All: A Series of Messages on Education from the Bishops of Michigan.” October 2000. 12 Wednesday Audience of His Holiness Pope Francis. 22 May 2014. 13 “Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2001.
Faith & Culture
20
Local artist takes on challenge of bringing dragons to life By Josie Bungert For The Catholic Spirit Jennifer Soriano is a mother, artist and teacher in West St. Paul who can now add illustrator to her list of artistic triumphs, as her first illustrated book, “St. George and the Dragon,” is on the market. Despite originally studying studio art and education at the University of Dallas, Soriano, who grew up in north Minneapolis, ultimately decided against teaching and dropped her emphasis in education her final semester in school. Then, upon returning to Minnesota, an old friend asked her to teach. She went in for an interview and told them she would teach for a year. “And now it’s 14 years later, and I’m still teaching art,” said Soriano, of St. Joseph in West St. Paul who is married with four children. During her many years of teaching at Trinity School at River Ridge in Eagan, Soriano has continued to take classes and participate in shows. But even with this intense involvement, Soriano was looking for someone to guide her in the direction she wanted to go, which recently led her to graduate studies. Soriano said when you teach, it can be hard not to be a student, too. Now as a student herself, she can better relate to those she teaches. “[It’s] good for my students to see I’m taking education seriously, and I expect them to as well,” she said. Soriano is pursuing a master’s degree in illustration through Academy of Art University, which incidentally aligned with working on illustrating a book. “St. George and the Dragon” is a traditional, Christian story brought to life by Soriano’s elaborate illustrations. (See book review below.) Good friend Michael Lotti contacted her a few years ago, well
Jennifer Soriano, an art teacher at Trinity School at River Ridge in Eagan, is the featured illustrator of the children’s book “St. George and the Dragon” by Michael Lotti. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit before she enrolled in a master’s program. He was hoping to write a book and include her as the illustrator. On top of her commitment to helping with the art and illustrations, Soriano deeply appreciated the storyline and how she was contributing to a religious book for children. “As a parent, it’s kind of nice to be involved in something that’s sort of ‘updating,’” Soriano said. “I like this idea of bringing a story to life, filling in this gap in a place where we are sort of lacking for children. “You can see why kids are attracted to things outside the Church, because the quality is much better,” Soriano continued. “It would be really nice to see Christian artists to add to that quality. It’s a tougher market in one sense . . . . It
would be nice to help boost that area in faith rather than bemoaning it and walking away.” Even though the book is completed and available for purchase, Soriano’s work with illustrating books of this nature is just beginning. “I would like the illustrations to become a bigger part of my life, slowly increasing. . . . Even if I’m not physically teaching, there’s a teaching aspect to it, which I like,” she said. Soriano is in discussion with Lotti about another book, and she also has her own book ideas. She wants to have a similar impact that “St. George and the Dragon” did, as she believes there’s a “huge lack” of books of this nature for children growing up in the Church. She is
contemplating books covering female biblical characters, or women from history — topics that provide positive role models for teenage girls. “When we look at movies, when we look at books, there’s male characters,” Soriano said. “I feel like that’s true in many things for young women. I’d like to kind of emphasize that a little more. I’d like to do something of that nature down the road.” These ideas will be two to three years in the making, the new illustrator said, as she is still completing her master’s degree and working on a variety of other projects. For now, Soriano has many projects to occupy her “free” time, alongside teaching, going to school and being a mom.
‘St. George and the Dragon’: a tale for all ages By David Paul Deavel For The Catholic Spirit Girls will, generally, enjoy or dutifully read books more oriented toward male interests; the opposite is not true. Thus, it is always a distinct pleasure to discover a book I know will appeal to my boys, especially a book dealing with Christian faith. Michael Lotti’s new novel, “St. George and the Dragon,” fits the bill perfectly. Like all truly good children’s or young adult fiction, it will interest all ages. I know because I read it aloud to my three oldest boys. They, my wife (listening in), and I loved it. Lotti, an Eastern Orthodox writer and former teacher at Trinity School at River Ridge [in Eagan], introduces the book as “a story and not the story, for no one knows much about Saint George.” We know George was a Roman soldier and Christian martyr who lived in modern-day Turkey around 300 A.D. “All the stories,” Lotti adds, say he defeated a dragon. The book, then, is historical fiction with a bit of guesswork and imagination about the details. But George definitely kills a dragon. Lotti’s George begins the story as Marcellus, a young Roman officer fresh from battle, readying himself to
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
return to his father’s estate in Galatia and marry childhood sweetheart Regina. Girls will immediately sense interest here. But boys aren’t left out. Marcellus’ honor and courage are revealed when the commanding officer asks about his own behavior during the recent campaign against Persian Sassanids: “And you personally, Marcellus? I’ve heard reports that you went first into the enemy’s camp. Not every tribune would have done that.” Marcellus worries about the fate of the Empire. Two groups bother him. The first are Christians, whom co-emperor Galerius (under Diocletian) is campaigning to eradicate from military life. Marcellus thinks this unwise. He thinks Christians are better soldiers, more honest and reliable, less prone to drinking or gambling. The other group, fictional but plausible, is a mysterious dragon cult. Upon Marcellus’ return home, he finds his intended bride is a member. Torn between the desire to please her and his growing sense of the dragon’s malevolence, Marcellus is simultaneously drawn to the Christians on the family estate. Because Marcellus doesn’t sacrifice to him, the dragon raids the estate, taking sheep and wounding or killing Please turn to BOOK on page 21
About the book “St. George and the Dragon” by Michael Lotti, illustrations by Jennifer Soriano; Create Space Independent Publishing Platform, 2014; soft cover, 149 pages; $9.95.
On the web To read Deavel’s full review, visit www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/3249/ dragon_empire_soldier_lord.aspx
21 Continued from page 20 slaves. While the dragon’s physical threat drives the action, the choice of spiritual allegiance dominates Marcellus’ mind. A slave’s funeral is the hinge of Marcellus’ decision. Marcellus hears the local bishop speaking of a “Jewish peasant” as “the Lord.” Not Julius Caesar. Not Diocletian. Marcellus’ doubts are over. He knows he can’t submit to the dragon — his engagement and military career are over. After another dragon raid, Marcellus realizes his only option is to attack. Inspired by a dream, he asks for baptism before mounting the assault. Christened with a new name, George, he sets out with five slaves who are former soldiers. Jennifer Soriano, a local artist and parishioner at St. Joseph in West St. Paul, complements Lotti’s text with capable drawings. She wisely depicts the baptism and not the final battle in her penultimate illustration, a reminder that the real fight is for the human soul. But Lotti’s description of the final combat with the dragon doesn’t disappoint. George leads troops again — and delivers the final thrust. But the story really is about how Marcellus becomes George. It’s that transformation and conversion in a culture that thinks Christian faith weird and perhaps dangerous that matters for all of us. In today’s culture, I want my boys to read this kind of imaginative engagement with the saints. The great thing is, I know they will, because they did. Deavel is associate editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, and adjunct professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Hosting date nights a way for parishes to help couples keep their bond strong By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service For many Catholic married couples, the training they received for their vocation started and ended with the required marriage preparation classes they took as engaged couples. But as divorce rates remain steady and couples face numerous struggles in their marriages, some parishes are recognizing the need to give married couples more resources to navigate challenges or keep their love alive. One outreach is the simple notion of encouraging married couples to go on dates, which they might vaguely remember doing when they first met and long before their kids’ soccer or karate schedules, escalating bills or sheer exhaustion took over. Some parishes are hosting date nights once a month or quarterly. They often provide child care, dinner or appetizers and guest speakers or video presentations and time for discussion. These sessions often come with the caveat that couples should try to carve out time for themselves before the next session. When Prince of Peace Parish in San
Antonio hosted its first date night last February, 120 couples showed up. “Since then, we’ve been averaging about 40 to 50 couples a month,” said Gil Montemayor, who coordinates the parish program with his wife, Diana. And that’s on Friday nights in Texas, where football is a major event. “We don’t change it. Friday seems to work as date night,” he said. The Prince of Peace date night program uses resources from San Antonio-based Covenant iStock photo of Love Ministry, which provides parishes with material to strengthen marriages. The ministry, which began 15 years ago, is used in 64 parishes in the U.S., offering training programs and date night catechetical materials. Steve Pokorny, director of Covenant of Love, said the effort brings couples back to what they first envisioned their marriage to be. “Most married people don’t date,” he said, stressing the importance of just bringing couples together to do something for themselves. “This is not just for couples in trouble; all of us need to spend time together.”
Faith & Culture
Book review
If you’re going to do good, do it well. St. John Paul II Champions for Life
Awards Luncheon
Download our Plan by Age Charitable Giving Guide at www.ccf-mn.org for ideas to make a lasting charitable impact on causes close to your heart.
Plan by Age charitable giving guide
2014 St. John Paul II Champions for Life Awards winners: Join Bishop Andrew Cozzens and keynote speaker Alyssa Bormes as we honor our pro-life advocates!
Youth/Young Adult Madison Schulte, St. Jude of the Lake – Mahtomedi Pro-Life Couple, Family or Catholic Affiliated Group Peter and Lulu Daly, Lumen Christi – St. Paul Pro-Life Professional Mary Ball, St. Agnes – St. Paul
Proud sponsors of the ReDiscover: Catholic Celebration!
WHERE GIVING LASTS FOREVER
Pro-Life Volunteer Kathleen Esh, St. Gabriel the Archangel – Hopkins Presented by the Office of Marriage, Family and Life
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. St. Peter Catholic Church, Mendota Registeration ONLINE: events.archspm.org/champ-for-life-2014 OR CALL: 651-291-4506
Visit our booth to learn more and register to win a $250 grant to the nonprofit of your choice.
WWW.CCF-MN.ORG
|
651-389-0300
Tickets INDIVIDUAL:
$35
TABLE FOR 8:
$280
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
22
Calendar
Prayer/liturgy Let Your Light Shine with Bishop Andrew Cozzens — Sept. 27: 9 a.m. Mass at St. Albert the Great, 3200 E. 29th St., Minneapolis. Mass, talk and an informal discussion with a question and answer period in the social hall. The event is free, but a free-will offering will be taken. Please register by calling (612) 243-9411. Mass for St. Therese at St. Peter’s Church — Oct. 1: 7 p.m. at St. Peter, 6730 Nicollet Ave. S. in Richfield. Reception and an exhibit will follow. For information: (612) 866-5089.
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.
Fourth annual Blessing of the Animals — Oct. 4: 11 a.m. at St. Joseph, 13900 Biscayne Ave. West, Rosemount. On the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. Those in attendance are encouraged to dress up in animal costume. K-9 exhibition from 10 to 11 a.m. and a petting zoo.
How can I know God’s will? School of Discernment Retreat — Oct. 3 to 5: Benedictine Center, 2675 Benet Ave. in Maplewood. Includes sessions on the practice of discernment, reflections, quiet time and one-on-one meetings. The teacher is Kathleen Cahalan, author and professor of theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville. The $250 cost includes lodging and meals. For more information and to register, visit www. stpaulsmonastery.org and click the Benedictine Center tab; call (651) 777-7251; or email benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org.
Young adults
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. EMAIL: spiritcalendar@archspm.org. (No attachments, please.)
Theology on Tap Series, West Metro Young Adults — Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28; Nov. 11, 18: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and talk starts at 7:30 p.m. at Mozza Mia Pizza Pie and Mozzarella Bar, 3910 W. 50th St., Edina. All young adults (ages 18-39) are invited.
School events
MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit • 244 Dayton Ave., • St. Paul, MN 55102.
Other events
Retreats
Marriage Encounter Retreat — Oct. 4 to 5: Mount Olivet Conference and Retreat Center in Farmington. For a listing of additional retreats, visit www.marriages.org or call (651) 454-3238.
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.
Don’t miss More events online
The St. Thomas Women’s Club annual garage sale fundraiser — Oct. 1 to 3:
Oakdale. Take a journey through the entire Bible, going deep into each period of salvation history. $42/person or $80/couple. Call Marilyn Crow at (651) 731-0501 or email JCstudy@ transfigurationmn.org.
Fourth annual Cathedral Festival of Lights, St. Paul — Sept. 26: 6 to 9 p.m. at the St. Paul Hotel (350 Market St. in downtown St. Paul). For ticketing information, visit www. cathedralheritagefoundation.org. Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (50 percent off from 4 to 8 p.m.); Friday, Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ($4/bag day). St. Thomas the Apostle at the parish center, 20000 County Road 10 in Corcoran, the corners of County Road 10 and County Road 116.
Speakers Dinner and Dialogue with Father John Forliti — Sept. 27: 5 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Olaf, 215 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis. Discover how your life is informed by the wisdom of Catholic social teaching. Cost: $10. Register by calling the parish office at (612) 332-7471 or emailing Joan Miltenberger at jmiltenberger@saintolaf. org.
Workshops Jeff Cavins’ Bible Timeline — Sept. 30 through April: 24-week study, Tuesday morning and evening session: 9 to 11 a.m. or 7 to 9 p.m., Sept. 30 through April at Transfiguration Church, 6133 15th St. North,
The Shortest Marathon in White Bear — Sept. 27: 11 a.m. begins in front of St. Mary’s Church at Bald Eagle Ave. and Third Street. This one-block race is for the benefit of the White Bear Area Emergency Food Shelf and is open for all ages. For a $35 donation for adults and $15 for children under 12. To pre-register, visit www.whitebearfoodshelf.org. Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge — Sept. 27: 11 a.m. at Transfiguration Church soccer field, 6133 15th St. N. Oakdale. The Knights of Columbus Council #4374, East Side St. Paul, is sponsoring a “Soccer Challenge” open to all Boys and Girls ages 10 to 14. For more information, call Bill Krammer Jr. at (651) 675-7651. Amya Theater presents “There’s No Place Like Home” — Oct. 1: 6:40 p.m. at St. Odilia, 3495 Victoria St. N., Shoreview. A 45-minute play about homelessness performed by current or former homeless actors. A question and answer session will follow the play. Free admission. For information, contact Jerome Tiller at (763) 572-8740.
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Household Manager: The Stillwater Catholic Worker Community is seeking a compassionate, energetic woman to live in and manage the Our Lady Queen of Peace House, a home for women and children in transition. This is a full-time volunteer position, but room and board are provided. For more information please contact Kim @ (651) 270-1981. C7755 Hill-Murray School President. Please see display ad on page 14 of this edition. C3530
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
GREAT CATHOLIC SPEAKERS CD of the Month Club Lighthouse Catholic Media Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins and more! $5/month includes shipping Subscribe online at www.LighthouseCatholicMedia .com/cdclub Please Enter Code: 1195 C1198
Sweeney’s Hardwood Floors
Autumn will soon arrive! Spruce up your home with new or refurbished hardwood floors: 10% off labor. Sweeney (651) 485-8187. C10435
HANDYMAN WE DO 1,162 THINGS AROUND THE HOME! Catholic Owned Handyman Business: We will fix/repair remodel almost anything around the home. Serving entire Metro. Call today. Mention this ad and receive 10% off labor. Handyman Matters (651) 784-3777, (952) 946-0088. C12068
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651-291-4444 PRAYERS NOTICE: Prayers must be submitted in advance. Payment of $ per line must be received before publication Thank you Jesus, BVM, St. Anthony and St. Jude for prayers answered. OKA C3887 Thank you SHJ, BVM, St. Jude, and St. Padre Pio for prayers answered. LS C9962
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23 Ebola education Continued from page 4
A parishioner of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center receives the Eucharist from Redemptorist Father Steven Nyl. St. Alphonsus has a large African population, some of whom have lost family members and friends to the deadly Ebola virus. Jim Bovin/For The Catholic Spirit
Faith and opportunities have inspired people to act Continued from page 4 world community will unite in helping the West African nations educate their people about how to prevent the spread of the disease. (See related sidebar.) “If people don’t act now it will be a disaster,” Seibure said. “My neighbor has had five family members die already.” Maya Ignabode said her faith has her involved in the effort to collect the diseasepreventing material. Vice president of the parish Pan African Network, Ignabode pointed to Jesus’ words that there is no greater love than to give your life for another. “Somebody’s dying, somebody’s life is depending on what I give,” Ignabode said. “If I can save one life, I want to do it.”
casual, friendly, welcoming attitude toward others enables the transmission of bodily fluids such as perspiration and saliva. Johnson said the people of West Africa need to be educated to wash their hands more frequently, not to touch people who are perspiring, not to use the same utensils as others, and not to allow children to play in crowded places. “The “The education education piece is big,” Johnson piece is big. We said. “We need to do the need to do the awareness.” Both Seibure awareness.” and Johnson said Tenneh Johnson they were elated to learn that the United States is sending military troops to train people in effective ways to prevent the spread of the disease. “This disease is new to the people,” Seibure said. Johnson added, “They didn’t believe Ebola is real.” When she spoke via a Skype connection with friends in Liberia, they questioned the truth of her comments about Ebola, wanting to know if the U.S. government had put her up to it. With world travel as it is today, the importance of fighting Ebola before it spreads beyond Africa is urgent, the members of St. Alphonsus’ Pan African Network said. “We are fighting Ebola not to save Liberia,” offered Maya Ignabode, “but ourselves. “Even if it is not here, we cannot wait until it comes to our door.”
The native African women said they feel especially responsible to help those in their homelands. Because they’ve been given the opportunity for a better life in the United States, they believe it is their duty to try to extend that better life to others. Ignabode, a native of the Central African Republic who works for Target Corporation, said the way she looks at the situation, “God sent us here for a reason. “Nothing that has happened in my life is by accident. God is giving us the voice, the courage to do something,” she said. “People there are praying — God is using us over here as an answer to their prayers.” Online donations are being accepted at www.visionforthehopelessintl.org.
Brother Basil a tireless promoter of religious vocations Continued from page 6 I see as a giant . . . not just locally, but in the world. He lived, he fought, he put in those midnight hours trying to make sure things worked out. “He was, at the beginning, a teacher, and always a teacher. He taught me, he taught me to teach others. He taught me to pass on his impact on people. He was a lighthouse, but he got others to become lighthouses, too. He inspired people to take up the hard work of educating young people at a time when they didn’t want to be educated.” Early in his career at DeLaSalle, Lieske
learned that he wasn’t the only person who had trouble saying no to Brother Basil. He recalled a time when the two visited a local steel yard to find some metal pieces to repair a shed. Brother Basil boldly strode in, asked for the person in charge, and proceeded to solicit a gift of steel. Later, he called in a DeLaSalle alum, Russ Dalsin, by now a successful businessman, to help finance vans to shuttle the sports teams to games. After a conversation with Brother Basil, Dalsin wrote a check to cover the cost of two 15-passenger vans.
Along with being an ardent fundraiser, Brother Basil was a tireless promoter of religious vocations, especially to the Christian Brothers. “He wanted me to join the brothers my first year here,” Lieske said. “I wasn’t married yet. He asked every young man to join the brothers. Every young man I ever knew that he knew, he took it upon himself to invite them.” In Lieske’s case, there was one problem back in 1979 — he wasn’t Catholic. Raised Methodist, he was devout in his denomination. But, that eventually
changed after several years at DeLaSalle. First, he married a Catholic, Barbara Loso, who had graduated from the school two years before he arrived. Then, he had conversations with a priest serving as chaplain at the school. Those people, along with, of course, support from Brother Basil, led to Lieske joining the Church in the mid-1980s. Lieske now jokes that the only reason Brother Basil let him off the hook of joining the brothers was the fact that he married a DeLaSalle alum. And, Brother Basil would no doubt be pleased that Lieske’s three daughters all graduated from DeLaSalle.
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
The Last Word
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Day trip to Iowa grotto: fun and contemplative By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit In late August, I convinced some friends to go on a day trip to a small northern Iowa town about 200 miles from the Twin Cities to see the Grotto of the Redemption. I was excited to see this 100-year-old spiritual, artistic and geological wonder in West Bend, Iowa, designed and constructed — mostly by a German priest — with thousands of rocks and precious stones. My friends were interested, too, but as I learned later in the day, they had a slightly different perspective. A grotto is “an artificial recess or structure made to
Above Detail of a pillar near the Stations of the Cross grotto in West Bend, Iowa. Susan Klemond/For The Catholic Spirit Right The Trinity Grotto, built in three half circles in honor of the Three Divine Persons, features a shrine to the Blessed Mother. It is the first grotto built by Father Paul Dobberstein, who created it as part of a promise to Mary for curing him of pneumonia when he was a seminarian. Susan Klemond/For The Catholic Spirit
Q&A
Continued from page 7
vibrant liturgies; their resilient nature in the midst of challenging circumstances; their willingness to help one another; and their desire to be fully present with one another. We can learn from their warm hospitality, their ability to find joy in ordinary things, their eagerness to share their faith, and their grateful attitude: “I get to go to Mass” not, “I have to go to Mass.”
Q. What’s the benefit to your parish? A.
Our parish is very active in charity and justice ministries. Many of our “Life Teen” teens have provided service on mission trips within the United States. The partnership between the Archdiocese of St. Paul and
September 25, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit
resemble a natural cave.” The Grotto of the Redemption is really nine of these structures connected, each depicting a different aspect of the Old Testament or Christ’s life. In 1912, Father Paul Dobberstein started crafting the grotto — concrete covered by a wide variety of rocks, petrified wood and other materials. Today, the grotto and grounds take up two city blocks. Father Dobberstein’s work has drawn a lot of attention. As many as 50,000 people from all over the country and world visit the grotto annually. The grotto is owned by the Diocese of Sioux City and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Efforts are under way to have it declared a diocesan shrine, according to Harry Bormann, grotto board president. The grotto’s size and design are amazing, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but focus on the individual rocks arranged in patterns on all its surfaces. From calcite and rose quartz found in the Dakotas to agate, azurite, malachite, and many crystals, the grotto is a rock lover’s dream. There are precious stones and rocks from around the world, including many Father Dobberstein mined himself at U.S. locations. But the grotto is more than rocks, which my friends were discovering. The grotto dedicated to the Blessed Mother, with its beautiful dome, was the favorite of some among my group, as well as Bormann. “If you’re having a bad day, you can go in there and look up; you’ll be better pretty quick,” he said. Each unique grotto offers a place for contemplating a particular story or mystery, including the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth, Stations of the Cross, and Adam and Eve. In front of a statue of Moses in the Ten Commandments grotto are stalactites from South Dakota. The nearby church, Sts. Peter and Paul, contains the Christmas grotto depicting the Nativity with precious stones, including a 300-pound amethyst. There are other grottos in the Midwest, some of them inspired by Father Dobberstein’s work, said Lisa Stone, of Preservation Services Inc. in Neshkoro, Wis., which is involved in preserving
Minneapolis and the Kitui Diocese has provided our parishioners an opportunity to be active members of a global faith community. Our parish has financially supported the Kitui Water Project. In 2011, I was a delegate to Kitui. In 2012, many parishioners opened their hearts, homes and workplaces to two Kenyan visitors. This year, three parishioners will be traveling with the archdiocesan delegation to Kitui. Our parish is also providing one of the 26 chalices that will be given to the parishes in the Kitui Diocese. Several of our parishioners have commented that our using the chalice during liturgy, prior to giving it to the Kenyan people, has been very symbolic of our eucharistic bond with our friends in Kitui.
Q.
What benefit do you personally take away from the partnership?
A. Being involved in the partnership has had a positive impact on my life. Having seen, firsthand, the
the grotto. The grotto is “an amazing amount of work and materials that were gathered, a really fine aesthetic that inspired so many builders and really contributed to a sensibility and a great collection of sites and environments throughout the upper Midwest,” she said. The grotto is inspirational, Bormann said. “If you look at this and imagine that somebody put every piece of rock in there by hand, and if you look at the size and the scope of this and you think about how dedicated they were to building the grotto, it really makes you stop and think how good God is to you.” Grotto board member Ethel Klepper agreed. “It’s just a religious experience,” she said. “It’s handmade and something beautiful. There’s not another one like it any place in the world.” The grotto is open all year. Visitors can take a 45-minute tour from May through mid-October and on weekends into November, depending on the weather. Larger group tours are available by appointment. A donation is suggested for tours. Visiting the grotto, Rod and Kelli Jensen of Audubon, Iowa, noticed Father Dobberstein’s workmanship. “It’s just incredible the amount of time he put into it,” Rod said, adding that he was considering bringing his Methodist Sunday school class for help in explaining the faith. My friends reminded me that our trip to the grotto had been a pilgrimage. With contemplation, Ann Lazor of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony said, “You don’t see immediately what’s there, but spend time, and things pop out. The longer you’re there, you discover more depth and different layers of beauty and faith.” Therese McCann of St. Joseph in West St. Paul said, “For a pilgrimage, it’s far enough that you’re going somewhere, but not too far that you can’t do it in one day.” Pilgrimages to places like the grotto strengthen our faith, said Jenny Hirsch of Holy Family in St. Louis Park. “Each stone is like a prayer,” she said. For more information, visit www. westbendgrotto.com. For tour availability, call (515) 887-2371.
challenges of extreme drought, HIV/ AIDS, and food shortage in Kitui, I view life through a different, deeper lens — one that clarifies what is truly important in the big picture. I spend less energy fussing over trivial matters. After witnessing the Kenyans’ cheerful spirit in the midst of scarce resources, I find myself re-examining my values and being more mindful when making choices about how I spend my time, energy and resources. And, I am ever more grateful for access to clean water and health care, for good roads and for the freedom to worship.
Q. Is there someone in Kitui with whom you keep in contact? Who? Why? A. I keep in contact with Joyce Mwikali Mukaiwa Mutui, head teacher at the Kitui School for the Deaf, and Sister Stellamaris Mwelu Muthama, an administrator at the Muthale Mission Hospital. Both of them stayed in our home during the 2012 Kitui delegation
visit to our archdiocese. Joyce and I relate to each other’s roles as a woman, wife, mother, teacher and parishioner. I am a registered nurse, so Sister Stella and I share about working in a faith-based health care setting.
Q. What are your expectations of this particular visit to Kenya? A. I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends from Kitui, to making new friends, to participating in the 10-year anniversary celebration of the partnership, and to helping our new group of delegates experience the Kenyan culture. I am open to whatever the Holy Spirit has in store for the partnership during our upcoming visit to Kitui. I encourage anyone who is interested in participating in the diocesan partnership to contact the Center for Mission for more information. Visit www.centerformission.org.