VOL. 69, NO. 8
WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG
April 22, 2015
Missionaries in our midst
OMI’s seek to bring face of Christ to those they serve at White Earth Reservation By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND WAUBUN, MINN. — There are nearly 4,000 Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate serving in almost 70 countries throughout the world. More than 300 priests and brothers serve in various roles throughout the United States. Two of those priests are located in the Diocese of Crookston on the White Earth Reservation. Father John Cox and Father Joseph Hitpas serve as pastors for six parishes in the diocese. Father Cox is pastor of St. Ann, Waubun; St. Frances Cabrini, Big Elbow Lake; and St. Anne, Nay Tah Waush. Father Hitpas is pastor of Most Holy Redeemer, Ogema; St. Benedict, White Earth; and St. Theodore, Ponsford.
A FACE OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD “We are a Roman Catholic community of priests and brothers, and we’re dedicated to spreading God’s love in the world,” said Father Cox. “While people of wealth and moderate means have needs and we serve them as well, our particular care and concern is for the poor and marginalized. … They don’t have other resources to get their needs met.” The Oblates seek to meet those needs through collaboration with men and women of all faiths. “Any oblate anywhere in the world would say that our charism is to bring the good news to people who have not yet received it, and where the church is already established, our commitment is to those it touches least,” he added. “We’re in many places in the United States,” Father Cox said. “We’re in those places that are
INSIDE VOL. 69, NO. 8:
Father John Cox and Father Joseph Hitpas, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, pose for a photo at St. Ann’s, Waubun, one of six parishes served by the missionary priests. (Photo credit: Katrina Genereux/OND)
most in need, hence the White Earth Reservation.” According to Father Cox, serving the White Earth Reservation is a little different from some other reservations because it is considered an open reservation. “Among the people we serve
are people who are not of Native ethnicity,” he said, “We’re here primarily to build bridges between Native Americans and all others and to be a face of Christ to Native peoples that have a compelling, often heartwrenching, story. … Many remain in particular need of heal-
Pg. 3 - World Meeting of Families Catechesis Series Pg. 6 - World Day of Prayer for Vocations Ideas Pg. 8 - Diocesan Financial Report
ing, love, and affirmation … We have a big heart for that.” “I think you would find this in any parish, but especially in rural, smaller parishes, you’re going to find people who have needs,” said Father Hitpas. “There aren’t always a lot of resources available and so I think we see our mission as doing the best we can to meet their needs.” The Tekakwitha Center at St. Ann’s, Waubun, is one of their ministries that aims to help young people and families in the parishes they serve. The center serves as a base for the religious education program for all six mission parishes. Religious education classes for children in Kindergarten through high school are held each Wednesday. “Presently we have about 100 kids registered in the program,” said Father Cox. St. Ann’s is a convenient location since the junior high and high school are located directly across the street. The younger students ride a bus from the elementary school in Ogema. Classes for the younger grades take place right after school and the older students start at 6 p.m. The Oblates serve a light supper between the two class times for those who wish to stay or come early. “The purpose of the Tekakwitha Center, in a broader sense, is faith development,”
said Father Hitpas. “We also use some of the resources there to train catechists and do some adult education.” Part of their mission as Oblates is to work in collaboration with others to serve the poor. One program that the priests have been a part of in the Waubun area is a joint effort among the Oblates, the United Church of Christ and the Lutheran Church in Waubun to meet people’s practical needs. “We had evidence that many of the kids in our school system here have insufficient nutrition at home, and the vast majority of them qualify for free federal lunch, so there is some documentation of their need,” said Father Cox. “There was other evidence that really the only nutritional meals they were getting were at school.” The clergy association, working with the North Country Food Bank in Crookston has been able to provide monthly food supplements to children through a backpack program at the school. “Right now we’ve targeted 50 kids in our school system, who according to their records, are most in need,” said Father Cox. “At the present time our resources only permit us to provide this food supplement once a month. Our organization is very young. We’re trying to build our base of support and hopefully in time we’ll be able to increase the numbers of distributions and the number of people who receive, but we thought that was a good beginning.” “That’s a good example of … looking out for those most in need and doing it in a collaborative way,” said Father Hitpas. OBLATES: Continued on Page 7
Pg. 10 - Sister Florentine Goulet Obituary Pg. 12 - Word to Life Faith Sharing Commentary Pg. 15 - May Prayer Calendar and Scriptures
2 April 22, 2015
A
COMMENTARY
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
Voice from the Valley BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER
EASTER SEASON Alleluia! Christ has risen as he said, alleluia! As we continue our Easter celebration, I hope that these days of warmer temps and singing birds fill you with joy. God’s goodness truly bursts out all around us. Not only were those first disciples of Jesus completely surprised when they saw the risen Jesus, they were also completely surprised by the “outburst” of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had told his disciples that he would suffer and die and rise on the third day, but they couldn’t imagine it actually happening. Jesus had also told his disciples that he and the Father would send them the Holy Spirit but, again, they really couldn’t understand what that meant. And so, the disciples were surprised by the risen Christ and they were surprised by the marvelous signs of the Holy Spirit’s presence in tongues of flame, a mighty roaring sound, the room shaking when they prayed, people speaking in tongues and people hearing what was spoken in their own language. We take delight these days in the presence of the risen Christ with us. We are the blessed ones
Jesus spoke about to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen but have believed.” (Jn 20:29) We don’t see Jesus in the risen flesh, but we know he is with us just the same. So too for the Holy Spirit. We don’t see the exterior extraordinary signs that those first disciples witnessed, but we know the Holy Spirit is within us and all about us, and so our Easter celebration continues. FAMILY LIFE Many families enjoyed time together this Easter, and some family members travelled long distances to be home and together for Easter. Soon I will be speaking at a Family Faith Night at St. Philip’s Parish in Bemidji. I will speak about how the healing ministry of Jesus continues now in the Church, with a special emphasis on the healing sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. Certainly there are many moments in the life of a family that cry out for healing. Hurts happen and healing reconciliation is needed. Sickness happens and healing in body and spirit is prayed for. One petition that I am asked to pray
for almost daily is for the reconciliation and healing needed for members estranged from a family or estranged from the Church because of differing beliefs. Yes, families need the healing of Jesus. In a letter to families, speaking of the upcoming Synod on the Family to be held in October 2015, Pope Francis said: “This Synodal Assembly is dedicated in a special way to you, to your vocation and mission in the Church and in society; to the challenges of marriage, of family life, of the education of children and the role of the family in the life of the Church.” He asked us to “pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important work.” In September of this year, the World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadelphia. This is the world’s largest gathering for families and is held every third year. This year’s theme is: “Love is our mission: The family fully alive.” We do pray that our families may be little communities of love, healthy and fully alive.
PRAYER FOR THE WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES: God and Father of us all, in Jesus, your Son and our Savior, you have made us your sons and daughters in the family of the Church. May your grace and love help our families in every part of the world be united to one another in fidelity to the Gospel. May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of your Holy Spirit, guide all families, especially those most troubled, to be homes of communion and prayer and to always seek your truth and live in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In preparation for the World Meeting of Families, a catechesis – or teaching – on the family has been put together and all six Catholic dioceses of Minnesota will be reviewing the
teaching in the months ahead. I know you will find it rewarding. May St. Joseph, patron saint of families, watch over all our families. Amen.
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BISHOP’S CALENDAR
Our Northland Diocese is a semi-monthly newspaper committed to publishing Good News for the purpose of strengthening and furthering the Reign of God in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston.
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VICTIM’S ASSISTANCE STATEMENT If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, your first call should be to law enforcement. If you have been abused by a Catholic priest or another person in Church ministry, the Diocese of Crookston Victim’s Assistance Coordinator is also available to offer you help and healing. Please contact Louann McGlynn at 218281-7895 (24-hour confidential number) or Lmcglynn@crookston.org.
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OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
DIOCESAN
April 22, 2015
3
For family of disabled teen, daily struggles teach ‘incredible love’ By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
John and Ann DeJak take their oldest son, Thomas, out in front of their Richfield home and strap him into a stroller. They make sure he’s bundled up on this brisk spring day. They also remember to take his bottle, which helps keep him calm. He coos with delight as they head down the driveway and into the street. He flashes a big smile, then purses his lips to kiss his mother. It’s an endearing scene, but a bit out of the ordinary — Thomas is 15 years old. Born with a condition affecting the joints called Arthrogryposis, he has limited use of his arms — he can do little more than swing them — and also has a developmental disability. His parents say he has the intellectual capacity of a 1-year-old, and that probably won’t ever change. Despite Thomas’ need for aroundthe-clock care, Ann and John describe their son with joy, and say they did not waver in their desire to have more children. Seven more came after Thomas: John Paul, 14, Helen, 12, Julia, 10, Meg, 7, Joseph, 5, Anna, 3, and Francis, 1. The family belongs to St. Agnes in St. Paul, where three of the children go to school. John is headmaster and teacher at Holy Family Academy in Monticello. “We wanted a large family,” said Ann, 41. “We were hoping for many children. That was our thought from the beginning. “[Tom’s condition] didn’t change anything, quite frankly. We didn’t even wait long until the next one came along. We were very, very open.” Thomas’ due date was Oct. 1, the feast day of Ann’s favorite saint, St. Therese of Lisieux. Four and a half months after Thomas was born — and just three days after his release from the hospital — Ann took a pregnancy test and found out No. 2 was on the way. That child, whom they call “J.P.,” is now 14 and very close to his older brother, even though he often crawls out of bed late at night when Thomas starts banging on his bedroom door. The banging is one of Thomas’ most frequent methods of communication. He can’t use words, so he expresses himself with drumbeats on the doors. “I love him, he’s awesome,” said J.P., who is homeschooled this year and plans to attend Holy Family Academy next year. “We play all the time.” For the DeJak family, tackling the daily chores associated with Thomas’ care draws them to the heart of what their Catholic faith is all about. “I think [in] taking care of such a dependent child, you get down to the
CATECHESIS ON THE FAMILY:
GOD MADE US FOR LOVE AND JOY By Jean Stolpestad
John, left, and Ann DeJak of St. Agnes in St. Paul enjoy a walk with their son Tom, the oldest of their eight children. (Photo credit: Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit)
WANT TO GO?
To register for the Diocese of Crookston’s pilgrimage, or for more information, go to: http://www.crookston.org/wmf
WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES SERIES: Our Northland Diocese will run a series of articles, in conjuction with publications from all Minnesota dioceses, highlighting the 10 themes of the catechesis and profiling families throughout Minnesota. To learn more about the catechesis document, Love is our Mission, go to: http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/about-the-event/catechesis/
nitty gritty of what love is, in terms of day in, day out caring [for him] despite the difficulty,” Ann said. John put their lifestyle — and the opportunity to practice virtues such as patience daily — in simple terms. “Being heroic is changing the diaper,” he said. And washing the soiled bed sheets, Ann added, noting that laundry is a daily chore. Despite the trials, there is unmistakable joy in their family life. It grows in the midst of chaos that often leaves Ann and John with little time for themselves, and no hope of a vacation from the demands that come with a fully dependent child. “I would say the joy is in the little things,” Ann said. “The joy is on Tommy’s face. The joy is in his freely given smooches all the day long. The joy is [in] those rare moments where you see
the older sister helping the first-grade younger sister with homework because they know mom is way too busy.” And, maybe most of all, the joy is in seeing how the children have rallied around their older brother who is unable to care for himself. It was most eloquently expressed in a first-grade letter written by Margaret when her teacher asked students to describe their dreams for their lives. “Meg writes as a first-grader, ‘My dream is to help my brother. I want to take care of him when I am older.’” Ann said. “That’s something I didn’t teach. We just live it. We do it with joy. “There are some days when it’s very, very difficult. But, part of the joy is the hope that we have for Tommy in the next life. This isn’t all for nothing. His suffering has great merit, and teaches incredible love.”
Since the dawn of time, people have desired to find meaning and purpose for their lives. In our age of competing and conflicting philosophies, Catholics unabashedly proclaim a deep confidence in knowing the way, the truth and the life. We fully believe that we are created out of love for love. We are made for joy. Claiming this joy means seeking the way of God, who is the source of joy both here on earth and for all eternity. In a world of anxiety and doubt, Jesus is trustworthy. In the midst of daily struggles and surrounded by temptations to follow “another way,” decidedly living God’s will produces an immeasurable gladness within us. The most foundational reason for our human dignity lies in our call to communion with God. It takes an intentional act on our part to know God, to seek him and then to choose his will. We have many notable examples from the lives of saints, who were more joyful when they clung to the heart of Christ, even in difficulty. We also have beautiful examples in our neighbors and friends. Perhaps you know the story of a young husband and wife who were strongly pressured to have an abortion because the doctors feared their child was going to have severe medical issues. The couple refused and chose to endure a difficult pregnancy. Yet, they did not despair. They found joy even though they were concerned about what the future would bring. God’s love never ceases to call us onward. That child is now an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis, Bishop Andrew Cozzens. Our call to joy will be at the heart of our pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families Sept. 22-28 in Philadelphia. Join us as we celebrate with the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Be inspired by some of the greatest Catholic speakers and thinkers of our time. Be a part of this historic event, which has the potential to shape the way we live marriage and family for generations. Jean Stolpestad is the director of the Office for Marriage, Family and Life for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
4 April 22, 2015
COMMENTARY
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
Washing our hands of religious liberty The debate over the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act has brought us clarity. If you have wondered to what extent some advocates for “tolerance” will “tolerate” genuine pluralism of opinion about the nature of marriage, gender, and human sexuality, you have your answer: very little. SILENCING CONSCIENCE Exhibit A, the now (in)famous small-town Indiana pizzeria owners who said they could not, in conscience, cater a same-sex wedding, and who have since shuttered their business indefinitely due to media onslaught and harassment by activists. Exhibit B, New York Times columnist Frank Bruni’s April 5 op-ed entitled, “Bigotry, the Bible, and the Lessons of Indiana.” In it, Bruni argues orthodox (or what he calls “conservative”) Christianity is the biggest impediment to the advancement of LGBTQ rights. Bruni approvingly cites one author and gay philanthropist who chillingly commands that “church leaders must be made to take homosexuality off the sin list.” Doing so will allegedly prevent further “harm” to LGBTQ persons, who, according to Bruni, should not have to wonder whether they are “saved” or “damned.” We can thank Frank Bruni for confirming that the ultimate aim of same-sex marriage activists is to completely silence the voice of conscience.
FAITH
IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE
By Mr. Jason Adkins Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference
Both the fear of having one’s reputation destroyed and the fear of financial loss to persons and institutions are tools that some activists acknowledge will be used against those who do not embrace their new “orthodoxy.” IS THERE A RESPONSE? Ten years ago, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) wrote the Good Friday meditations for the Stations of the Cross at the Coliseum. Ratzinger’s meditation on the First Station, in which Jesus is condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, is particularly noteworthy in light of the mob of irrationality and hatred that we see around us. He says: “Pilate is not utterly evil. He knows that the condemned man is innocent, and he looks for a way to free him. But his heart is divided. And in the end he lets his own position, his own selfinterest, prevail over what is right. Nor are the men who are shouting and demanding the death of Jesus utterly evil. Many
of them, on the day of Pentecost, will feel ‘cut to the heart’ (Acts 2:37), when Peter will say to them: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God ... you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law’ (Acts 2:22). But at that moment they are caught up in the crowd. … And in this way, justice is trampled underfoot by weakness, cowardice and fear of the diktat of the ruling mindset. The quiet voice of conscience is drowned out by the cries of the crowd. Evil draws its power from indecision and concern for what other people think.” Many are uncomfortable with the intolerance coming from those attacking religious liberty, including some supporters of same-sex marriage. Most people do not embrace the zealotry of the few who claim that a belief in marriage is between a man and a woman is the same as racism. But the campaign to undermine these voices and views by depicting Christians and others as bigots unworthy of protection under the law will continue.
As Christians, we must remain in the truth of Christ and strengthen the voices of those arguing for religious liberty by being credible witnesses ourselves — never succumbing to hatred or fear, never shouting in anger, but in everything showing charity. We must be the voice of conscience in our homes, schools, communities, and in the halls of government. In closing his meditation on the first station of the Cross, Pope Benedict gave us the following prayer that can serve as our own examination of conscience: “Lord, you were condemned to death because fear of what other
people may think suppressed the voice of conscience. So too, throughout history, the innocent have always been maltreated, condemned and killed. How many times have we ourselves preferred success to the truth, our reputation to justice? Strengthen the quiet voice of our conscience, your own voice, in our lives. Look at me as you looked at Peter after his denial. Let your gaze penetrate our hearts and indicate the direction our lives must take. On the day of Pentecost you stirred the hearts of those who, on Good Friday, clamored for your death, and you brought them to conversion. In this way you gave hope to all. Grant us, ever anew, the grace of conversion.”
Contact your legislators today and urge them to support the following bills by sharing the messages below: SF 348/HF 437: SUPPORT A LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON SURROGACY “Please support SF 348/HF 437, which would establish a legislative commission for surrogacy. Our state has already identified the need to take a more serious, in-depth look at the many concerns associated with gestational agreements like surrogacy contracts. A legislative commission to study surrogacy is the right next step to help ensure Minnesota is protecting potentially vulnerable women, children, and families from the unintended consequences of some surrogacy arrangements.” The Catholic Advocacy Network is an initiative of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota.
Graduation Season ... wasn’t 1978 just last year? I graduated in 1978. In the next few weeks I will have GREAT nephews graduating high school in Perham and Detroit Lakes. Notice, I said GREAT! It seems as though the calendar has become a fan in my office, the months fly by so quickly. I have always said I could never be a parent. My children would live in a rubber room until they were 50 or more! It is certainly by God’s grace that parents are able to let go of their child’s hand as they take their first steps, climb the bus for kindergarten on the first day, deal with a broken heart or disappointment at school, take the car out on their own for the first time, and attend their first prom. And now graduation; it must
LIFE FIRST
By Father Don Braukmann Parochial Vicar - St. Philip’s Parish, Bemidji and St. Charles Parish, Pennington
be God’s pure grace when a parent does their best to celebrate an event that, in some ways, scares them to death! I know some parents truly rejoice that their “baby” is heading out the door, but I am convinced that is a small minority. Graduation reminds me of the fact I am getting older; that a parent’s time as the center of their child’s life comes to
an end; that I cannot protect the little one I once held in my arms from the arms of a world too often determined to take them down. Yes, for me, it is one of those events when I see the cup of life as half empty … sad to say. Years ago I received a graduation announcement which included some excellent words of advice. It is a great reflection
entitled, “What Parents Learn.” I share it here with parents who have placed their trust in God and who have done all they can to help their child walk, head held high, into the world. We gave you life, but cannot live it for you. We can give you directions, but we cannot be there to lead you. We can allow you freedom, but we cannot account for it. We can teach you right from wrong, but we cannot decide for you. We can offer you advice but we cannot accept it for you. We can give you love but we cannot force it upon you. We can teach you to share, but we cannot make you unselfish. We can teach you respect, but we cannot force you to show honor. We can advise you about friends, but we cannot choose them for you. We can advise you about sex, but we
cannot keep you pure. We can tell you about drink, but we cannot say “no” for you. We can warn you about drugs, but we cannot prevent you from using them. We can tell you about lofty goals, but we cannot achieve them for you. We can teach you about kindness, but we cannot force you to be gracious. We can pray for you, but we cannot make you walk with God. We can tell you how to live, but we cannot give you eternal life. Dear graduates, walk with Christ, stand with his Church, speak the truth, be humble, and know that no matter what the world throws at you, it first threw it at Christ and, as this season reminds us, the tomb is empty, the victory is his … and ours!
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
COMMENTARY
April 22, 2015
5
Do tell: The great story of Jesus Every spring the Bishop of Crookston gathers the priests for a few days of study. This year, with the permission of the Bishop and in collaboration with the Continuing Education Committee for Priests, the Office of the New Evangelization invited Sherry Weddell to be the main presenter for the Spring Priests’ Study Days. Sherry Weddell is the founder of the Siena Institute and an internationally recognized speaker and author on the New Evangelization in Parish/Diocesan life. Perhaps her most widely known book is entitled: Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus. (Our Sunday Visitor Press) If you haven’t yet read it, and you’re curious to know more about the New Evangelization, I suggest it as “must” reading. Sherry begins Chapter 10 of that work citing the experience of a friend of hers who had a conversation with a coworker which astonished him and which illustrates well the context and need for a New Evangelization. This man’s coworker was a college educated
CREDO
A NEW EVANGELIZATION WITNESS
By Father Robert Schreiner, S.T.L. Director of the Office of the New Evangelization
professional woman immersed in a clearly Christian context. When the popular song by Joan Osborne – “What if God Was One of Us,”– began to play, the conversation began. Sherry tells it this way: “Mark’s coworker looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, ‘Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a story?’ Mark said, ‘What?’ She replied, ‘Suppose God became a human being. Wouldn’t that make a great story?’ She was genuinely surprised when Mark explained that her ‘story idea’ was in fact, the GREAT STORY that has dominated Western history for 2,000 years.” But it is dominant no more, it seems. More and more often the parishes of our own Diocese are having the experience which
our urban parish counterparts have been experiencing for about two decades now. There is a marked increase in the number of adults and families entering the RCIA process (i.e., the means of entering into full communion with the Church) who come to us having been told little or nothing about Christ. That tells us something of the culture’s deepening secularization. But somewhat even more alarmingly: not infrequently, many of those folks who have never been told about Jesus were baptized! That tells us something about ourselves as disciples of Christ. It illuminates for us the profound need for a New Evangelization within the Church. It must be an evangelization directed not at
the people just mentioned who blessedly come to our parishes and the RCIA to find Jesus, but an evangelization directed at those of us already in the pews. It is essential that every one of us allows the Holy Spirit to kindle within us the flame of faith so as to courageously and lovingly tell the great story of Jesus. Sherry Weddell reflects on her friend Mark’s experience with his co-worker writing, “We must be clear: The purpose of evangelization is NOT waking up a generic ‘faith.’ Evangelizers seek to bring people to an encounter with the person of Jesus of Nazareth, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, and risen from the dead. Our own personal witness can help illuminate and make living, compelling and believable aspects of Jesus’ story, but it cannot take the place of Jesus’ story.” Within this view, (and consistent with Sherry’s work and the work of so many others who are shaping the way of the New Evangelization consistent with Pope St. John Paul’s call) parishes and parish leaders
must undertake a serious shift from one of “maintenance to mission.” Which is to say, parishes can no longer approach parish life from the same-old paradigms and programming. Instead, parishes must become schools of missionaries. They must undertake from stem to stern, so to speak, a vision shift which holds as the key to everything done in a parish day’s work the forming of intentional disciples who are prepared to give a credible witness to the great and saving story of Jesus Christ and lead people to an authentic and deeply personal encounter with him who alone can save. Pope St. John Paul’s way of stating this would be something along the lines of: parishes and their pastors must set all pastoral programming in relationship to holiness – which has great consequences. As schools of prayer, parishes must ready the disciples of Jesus to make a courageous and bold witness to Him, even to the point of shedding their blood.
PLEASE
pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life
wants your news and advertisements! Find 2014-15 publishing dates and submission deadlines on the web: http://www.crookston.org/ond/ The next OND submission deadline is: Wednesday, April 29 by 12:00 p.m. Email: Janelle C. Gergen, Associate Editor jgergen@crookston.org
6 April 22, 2015
DIOCESAN / NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL
World Day of Prayer for Vocations ideas On April 26 the Church throughout the world will pray for vocations. Here are some ways to participate: • Pray for the priests who have ministered to you throughout your life. • Keep our parish priests in your prayers throughout the week. • Encourage your children, grandchildren or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest or religious brother or sister. • Pray a rosary for more young men and women in our diocese to respond to God’s call. Our Church desperately needs more priests and religious. Join thousands of Catholics by pledging to pray daily or weekly at: www.invisiblemonastery.com
Diocese of Crookston Seminarians LOCATION:
LOCATION:
St. Paul Seminary St. Paul, MN
St. Paul Seminary St. Paul, MN
HOME PARISH:
HOME PARISH:
St. Bernard’s, Thief River Falls
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston
Deacon Bryan Kujawa 2015
Deacon John Christianson 2015
LOCATION:
LOCATION:
St. Meinrad School of Theology St. Meinrad, IN
St. Meinrad School of Theology St. Meinrad, IN
HOME PARISH:
HOME PARISH:
St. Joseph’s, Brooks
St. Joseph’s, Moorhead
Nate Brunn 2018
Matthew Schmitz 2017
LOCATION:
LOCATION:
Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary Winona, MN
St. Paul Seminary St. Paul, MN
HOME PARISH:
HOME PARISH:
St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead
Michael Arey 2019
Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks
Nathin Voeller 2020
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEMINARY OR VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Fr. Vincent Miller, Director of Vocations vmiller.cathedral@midconetwork.com / (218) 281-1735 or Fr. Xavier Ilango, Associate Director of Vocations xavier.ilango@gmail.com / (218) 334-4221 www.crookston.org/Vocations
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE
April 22, 2015
7
OBLATES: Continued from Page 1 LIVING AND SERVING IN COMMUNITY “The first way we witness is by the way that we live together in community,” said Father Cox. This communal lifestyle is a key aspect of consecrated life for the OMI’s. In the case of these two priests, it is a small community. They live together in a house centrally located in relation to the six parishes they serve and they make it a point to share a meal and conversation at some point each day. “Community has its value for our personal lives and so on, but the founder was very strong on the fact that community was also for the sake of the mission,” said Father Hitpas. Supporting one another and sharing resources helps the Oblates serve the people in their missions. “In most of the places I’ve lived, I’ve been in larger communities. That presents its own advantages and disadvantages of course, like any family does,” said Father Hitpas. “There is an emphasis on community which doesn’t always mean a lot of people living together, it means sharing and supporting one another, that kind of thing.” “My time in large communities has been more brief,” said Father Cox. “We have an emphasis on community, and the Oblates in a district as opposed to under one roof may be that community. We are community for the mission. Some of the places where we are, the demands of the particular mission may require us to spread out, but we keep close ties with one another for mutual support.” The Oblates in the northern part of the Midwest gather twice a year, and also make efforts to attend an annual retreat together. “There are opportunities like that to get together as a family,” said Father Hitpas. CALLED TO BE CONSECRATED It was the witness of OMI communities that were close to his family that drew Father Cox to the order. Father Cox is from Lowell, Mass., where several area churches are staffed by Oblates. “My family was close to some individual Oblates,” he said. “They had a role in all the sacred events in my family.” Father Cox received his entire education from religious men and women. He attended grade school with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, high school
Father John Cox delivers a homily during Mass at one of his parishes. (Photo credit: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate)
Father Joseph Hitpas greets parishioners following Mass. (Photo credit: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate)
The OMI’s at a glance • The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate were founded in 1816 by St. Eugene de Mazenod in the French countryside. • There are nearly 4,000 missionaries in more than 60 countries around the world. The OMI’s have a wide range of ministries throughout the world. They provide shelter for homeless in South Korea, run a radio station advocating for human rights in Bolivia, help improve the lives of street children in Sao Paulo, Brazil, work with survivors of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Slavutich, Ukraine and care for the dying in Zambia. • They began work in the United States more than 150 years ago. At one of their early missions in Texas, they were called the “Cavalry of Christ” because they rode on horseback proclaiming the Gospel. More than 300 priests and brothers serve in the United States at shrines, missions, parishes, schools and retreat centers. • They run the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Ill. More than one million pilgrims visit the largest Marian Shrine in the United Sates every year • The OMI’s are currently in the midst of a three year celebration of the 200th anniversary of their founding. (www.oblatesusa.org)
with the Sacred Heart Brothers, college with Dominican priests and sisters and post-grad theology with the Jesuits. “The ministers I knew best were religious order ministers,” he said. “When I became of an age to look further into it, they’re the ones I went to look to for guidance and direction – and here I am.” “I’m a lifer,” said Father Hitpas. He went to seminary with the Oblates at the age of 14. “That was normal in those days – it was like boarding school.” “I grew to know them better, and as I did, I felt a closeness to their charism and their ministry and so I’ve been with them ever since,” said Father Hitpas. He will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination this December. “It’s a nice way of
saying I’m old,” he joked. Their communal way of life; vows of poverty, chastity and obedience; and guiding charism are some of the ways consecrated priests differ from diocesan priests. “We have a defining spirituality and a unique mission from our founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod,” said Father Cox. “One diocesan priest I know referred to diocesan priests as the general practitioners of the clergy and compared religious priests to specialists,” he said. “As in medicine, the Church needs both.” “The ministry of diocesan priests is essential to the life of the Church since they are the ones who lead and offer sacramental ministry in our parishes, and there is no Church without
parishes and sacraments,” he added. “Religious can serve in a variety of ways according to the charism or unique vision and mission of their founder,” said Father Cox. “That might be in schools, hospitals, orphanages, missions, retreat houses, social justice centers, or other ministries. … We serve in a congregation that serves in almost 70 countries around the world and one of the characteristics we’re asked to have is availability to go anywhere.” “I have served in a wide range of places among a wide range of people and cultures. Hispanic, African American, and now Scandinavian and Native American,” said Father Cox. “That’s been a richness in my life. It’s also been a challenge,
but it’s been more of a richness. I find joy and fulfillment in being a face of Christ to anyone in need of guidance, support, comfort, encouragement or practical assistance.” “It’s certainly a good life, a satisfying life, a fulfilling life,” said Father Hitpas. “There are challenges like there are in any life. There are also many blessings.” One of the blessings can be the closeness that sometimes develops between the Oblate missionaries and people they serve. “Very often we are adopted into a parishioner’s family and so we get to experience with them many of the high points and, for better or for worse, some of the low points. … It’s really a way of participating in people’s lives at a deeper level that can be very fulfilling,” said Father Hitpas. “Oftentimes the challenges are the reverse side of the joys,” he added. “As missionaries, we’re not rooted; we’re flexible. We move, and so at the same time, there’s not always the resource base, the support base that would be had in other places. There are certainly challenges too in just meeting the different cultures … that’s what missionary work is about.” “While serving in various places as needed is rewarding and enriching, it can be challenging to move on,” said Father Cox. “It can be heartwrenching to leave them when that time comes. But God was there before us and will be there after us.” CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF SERVICE While the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate do not have particular plans to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life, they are in the midst of three years honoring and celebrating their 200th anniversary which will be Jan. 25, 2016. Father Cox invites men who desire to become a part of the congregation or to be involved in its missions to contact Father Harold Fisher whose residence and office is located at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Ill. He can be reached at 618-397-6700 or HFisher@snows.org.
8 April 22, 2015
DIOCESAN
Diocesan Financial Report for the Statement of Financial Position
Graph of Expenses b
Report prepared and submitted By Mr. Chad Ryan, Fina
Notes on Financ
INVESTMENTS: The investment listed in the Current Assets section of the balance sheet represents the Diocesan Legal Fund. This is money set aside for future legal expenses. This m
RECEIVABLES: All parishes in the diocese are part of a group insurance plan for employee benefits and multi-peril insurance. The Diocese of Crookston pays premiums to the various for these premiums. This balance includes $155,000 of premiums that were paid by the diocese at the end of June but were not billed to the parishes until July. “Notes receivable” r fiscal year.
SHORT TERM LOAN PAYABLE: This is a short-term operating loan that the diocese borrowed from the Diocese of Crookston Catholic Community Foundation in December 2013. This loa
LONG-TERM INDEBTEDNESS: This is a note owed to the Diocese of Crookston Catholic Community Foundation. The proceeds were used to build the Casa Santa Nuevo Discernment Ho
UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS: The diocese’s unrestricted net assets are divided into two categories, “undesignated” and “self-insured plans”. The diocese administers three self-funded diocese then uses that money to pay any claims incurred. All three of these plans have built up a reserve to help pay for future claims, and that reserve is reflected in the “Self Insur unemployment claims in the event of a future school closing. The income and expenses related to these programs can be found on the Statement of Activities.
TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED: Everything on the Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Activities that is labeled as “temporarily restricted” relates to the Father’s Day collecti restricted net assets” figure that appears on the Statement of Financial Position represents the proceeds that have built up over the years from this collection; this amount has subs during the fiscal year. “Net Assets Released from Restrictions” represents the amount used to pay medical and dental insurance premiums for currently-retired priests during the fis
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES: Expenses for the fiscal year exceeded revenues by $568,750. The largest item in this deficit was legal expenses. Unbudgeted charitable gifts and a shortfa changes had not been anticipated in the budget.
DIOCESAN
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
9
e Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2014
ses by Category
Statement of Activities
an, Finance Officer for the Diocese of Crookston
inancial Reports
es. This money is invested with the Diocese of Crookston Catholic Community Foundation.
e various insurance companies, and then bills the parishes for their share of these premiums. The balance in the Accounts receivable line represents the amount due from parishes eivable” refers to academic notes to seminarians. “Other receivables” represents money that was recognized as income this fiscal year but was not received until the following
3. This loan was paid in full in December 2014.
nment House on the Chancery property. The note is a 29 year note, and the diocese is making monthly payments on the balance.
f-funded insurance plans—unemployment insurance, employee dental insurance, and priest nursing home funds. Parishes pay premiums for these plans to the diocese, and the Self Insured Plans” number in the Unrestricted Net Assets section. Of this total, $127,000 is for the unemployment insurance plan, and represents funds accumulated to pay
ay collection for the needs of retired priests. The proceeds from this collection are used to pay for health insurance and other needs of our diocese’s retired priests. The “Temporarily has subsequently been donated to the Diocese of Crookston Priest Retirement Trust. The Statement of Activities shows the amount of collection proceeds that were deposited ng the fiscal year.
a shortfall in expected income also contributed to this deficit. There were a number of changes to the operation of the Chancery that occurred during this fiscal year, and these
10 April 22, 2015
AROUND THE DIOCESE
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Sister Florentine Goulet, OSB, dies Father Bushy uses video Sister Florentine (Cecelia) Goulet died peacefully at Villa Saint Vincent on April 7. She was born in Gentilly, Minn. on Oct. 10, 1916. She was the youngest of five children born to John J. and Alphonsine (St. Martin) Goulet, second generation French-Canadians. At the age of two, Cecelia’s mother died in the flu epidemic following World War I. Her schooling began in District 140, a oneroom school in Polk County. After two years, Cecelia’s father looked for a more challenging educational environment and settled on Mount Saint Benedict Academy. Cecelia had a natural love of music, as her father played the violin and the family sang songs of the day in three and four part harmony while milking the cows. At Mount Saint Benedict Academy, Cecilia’s love of music and the arts flourished. At the age of ten, she felt drawn to religious life at Mount Saint Benedict, where her older sister, Sister Anne, was already a member. Cecelia became a postulant in September of 1932, received the name Sister Florentine as a novice in 1933, and after a while in temporary commitment, was assigned to assist Sister Gertrude Knopke, the music instructor at Assumption Convent in Barnesville, Minn. Sister Florentine made final vows in 1937. She continued as an educator and music teacher in parishes in the cities of Red Lake Falls; Mahnomen; Lefor, N.D.; Crookston and Mahtomedi. While at Mahtomedi, she received a Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Catherine with a major in music. Her other professional preparation was at Mount Marty College, Yankton, S.D.; Wisconsin State University in Madison, Wis. and Columbia University in New York City. It was also while in Mahtomedi that Sister Florentine recognized the amount of talented artists and musicians in
Sister Florentine Goulet, OSB
the White Bear Lake Area. Because of this, she organized a meeting of several people that became the beginnings of the White Bear Lake Arts Council. Today, now named the White Bear Lake Center for the Arts, it continues to provide a gateway to diverse arts experiences. As early as 1953, Sister Florentine realized that she was having difficulty hearing. By 1963, she realized that her impairment would necessitate a change in ministries. In 1975, she pursued and was accepted at the Graduate School of Counseling at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., where she successfully completed a course in cued speech. When Sister Florentine returned to Minnesota, she joined the staff of Shekeda Hearing, Inc. in White Bear Lake, providing audiological services at long-term care facilities, group homes and industrial hearing conservation programs. She also participated in the Peer Counseling Program developed by the University of Minnesota. While aiding seniors with hearing disabilities, Sister Florentine also served as their friend, confidant and advocate for needs that were otherwise unmet, especially those needs involving legislation and compliance with existing laws. She appeared on TV Channel 5 Eyewitness News in Minneapo-
Nei Bottling Inc. P.O. Box 516 Bemidji, MN 56619 Phone: (218) 751-3847
lis as the Health Expert of the Day. In 1992, the Minnesota Foundation for Better Hearing and Speech recognized Sister Florentine for her dedication to improving the lives of older Minnesotans by presenting its Professional Service Award to her. In addition to her work with the hearing impaired, Sister Florentine was very active in the parish of St. Louis the King in St. Paul. In a farewell tribute in 1994, the pastor cited her keen appreciation for the liturgy as the obvious font of her faith-filled life of commitment to God, to her Benedictine community and to the Church at large. In August of 1994, Sister Florentine resided in Oslo to aid the pastoral administrator. She returned to the monastery in 1995, where she helped her community members and others in the Crookston community who had hearing loss. Sister Florentine was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Sister Anne and Caroline (Goulet) Brunelle, and her brother, Leonard. She is survived by nieces and nephews, friends, and the members of her monastic community. A Wake and Prayer Service were held on April 12, in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery. Sister Florentine’s Mass of Christian Burial took place on April 13, also in Sacred Heart Chapel.
interpreters’ service to make prayer connections
As Father Tim Bushy administered the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick at Providence Newberg Medical Center, a Spanish-speaking interpreter provided a real-time translation via a two-way video for the elderly Hispanic patient. The patient was so moved by the ability to pray together with the priest through the aid of the interpreter, she thanked Father Bushy repeatedly and kissed his hand, he recalled. Father Bushy, the Newberg, Ore., medical center’s Director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care, said the hospital is located in a county where 16 percent of the population is Hispanic. Clinical and spiritual care staff rely on the two-way video interpretive service to communicate in Spanish and other languages with patients who have limited proficiency in English. While the interpretation service is used by clinicians to communicate with patients about medical care, Father Bushy said it was a mission-driven effort at the hospital to use the service to also meet spiritual needs and “reveal God’s love for all,” including the poor and vulnerable. Father Bushy said the hospital has used the Language Access Network’s MARTTI service, which stands for My Accessible
Real-Time Trusted Interpreter, since September 2013. The Columbus, Ohio-based Language Access Network provides on-demand medical interpreting via video and audio links. Dori Jennings, the company’s marketing and public relations coordinator, said interpreters are often called on to aid communication between patients and spiritual care staff at client hospitals, and they receive targeted training in pastoral care interpretive services. Father Bushy said the hospital continues to use contracted interpreters who provide inperson interpretation to help communicate about a patient’s clinical and spiritual care. Reprinted from Catholic Health World, April 1, 2015. Copyright © 2015 by The Catholic Health Association of the United States. Editor’s note: Father Tim Bushy is a priest of the Diocese of Crookston serving in Newberg, Ore.
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April 22, 2015
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First Holy Communion Children combine efforts to
provide housing in Philippines
The children of the triparish of St. Patrick’s, Kelliher; St. Ann’s, Blackduck; and St. John’s, Nebish were inspired by a missionary priest from Cross Catholic Outreach who visited the tri-parish last fall. He spoke about the need for housing in the poor countries of the world, including in the Philippines. He explained that a modest house could be built for $2500. The children of the tri-parish raised that much money during the last few months through the weekly children’s collection. The check was sent to Cross Catholic Outreach with the hope of receiving a picture of the family who benefits from their efforts. (Submitted photos)
St. Patrick’s, Hallock (Photo credit: Megan Sugden Photography)
Spring Dinners in the Diocese of Crookston SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2015: ST. ELIZABETH’S, DILWORTH Spaghetti dinner 11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2015: Turkey dinner St. Francis Xavier, Oklee (Submitted photo)
HOLY ROSARY, LANCASTER 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
12 April 22, 2015
COMMENTARY
WORD to LIFE April 26
1 John 3:1-2
By Catholic News Service I’ve heard people voice some common misconceptions about small-business owners: They don’t have to work hard because they have employees to do the work for them; they can take time off whenever they want; they can work fewer hours than their hirelings; they can command a larger salary with impunity. Talk to the business owner, however, and you get a different story. While the owner has the most to gain, he or she also has the most to lose. If an employee doesn’t show up for work, it’s the owner who takes up the slack. The owner works long hours with no overtime pay so that the business will turn a profit, and if income isn’t sufficient to meet payroll, the owner depletes his own savings or takes a cut in pay to cover the shortfall. The owner, having the most “skin in the game,” goes to incredible lengths to protect his or her investment. The employee works for a paycheck -- the owner works for the company. Jesus makes this contrast in today’s Gospel when he compares the good shepherd to a hired man who doesn’t own the sheep. The shepherd/owner has the most to gain and the most to lose, whereas the hired hand can choose to save his own skin by leaving the sheep vulnerable to attack. Jesus the Good Shepherd views us not simply as mindless sheep to be rescued, but as beloved children of God to be treasured and protected. He has invested his total self in our welfare and as a pledge toward our eternal destiny.
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS
May 3
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Acts 4:8-12; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29; Gospel: John 10:11-18
Acts 9:26-31; Gospel: John 15:1-8
Psalm: 22:26-28, 30-32;
1 John 3:18-24
By Catholic News Service
During the Easter season, we celebrate a Lord and Savior who doesn’t work for himself but for his Father, and who has quite literally demonstrated the Father’s extraordinary love and mercy by putting his own skin -- body, blood, soul and divinity -- into the game with the highest stakes of all. Having willingly laid down his life for his sheep at Calvary, he continues to do so until all his scattered sheep are safe under his care.
Questions: This Easter season, how are you celebrating the Father’s extraordinary gift of love and mercy given in Jesus? How can you more deeply invest your own life in the welfare and destiny of Jesus’ flock?
“I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. A GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.” — JOHN 10:11
The last time I saw my friend, he and his wife were hosting a going-away party for a colleague and his family -a colleague he hadn’t worked with for about seven years. That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s also the kind of guy who strikes up a friendship with a middleaged developmentally delayed gentleman from his parish, a friendship in which they played basketball together and shared good times. In fact, throughout the years I’ve known him, a pretty fair number of broken and poor individuals have broken bread with him and his family. In this week’s readings the quote from the First Letter of John begins, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” That’s the way my friend lives his faith. But he is also a teacher at the university level, so he must speak of God’s love as well as live it out. I admire the wisdom and fidelity to the Gospel I have heard when I have listened to him speak at church gatherings. Jesus, in this week’s Gospel, “said to his disciples: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.’” So it has been with my friend. The career path his life has taken in the last decade or so has not been straightforward. There have been some hiccups, but Jesus’ words have seen him through. Despite ups and downs in his pro-
fessional life, his experience bears out the final words of Jesus in this week’s readings: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
Question: When have you found yourself in difficult circumstances that forced you to turn to God for strength -- and for answers to the questions you faced?
“I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.” — JOHN 15:5A
THE OND IS NOW ONLINE!! - ARCHIVED EDITIONS -
Vol. 69, No. 7 (April 8, 2015) can be viewed here: www.crookston.org/ond/
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NATIONAL
April 22, 2015
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Cardinal George, 78, dies after long fight with cancer CHICAGO (CNS) – Cardinal Francis E. George, the retired archbishop of Chicago who was the first native Chicagoan to head the archdiocese, died April 17 at his residence after nearly 10 years battling cancer. He was 78. His successor in Chicago, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, called Cardinal George “a man of peace, tenacity and courage” in a statement he read at a news conference held outside Holy Name Cathedral to announce the death. Archbishop Cupich singled out Cardinal George for overcoming many obstacles to become a priest, and “not letting his physical limitations moderate his zeal for bringing the promise of Christ’s love where it was needed most.” A childhood bout with polio left the prelate with a weakened leg and a pronounced limp throughout his life. With the cardinal’s death, the College of Cardinals has 223 members, of whom 121 are under 80 and thus eligible to vote for a pope. Cardinal George’s funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon, April 23, at Holy Name Cathedral, followed by a committal service at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, Ill. The cardinal wished to be buried in the George family plot. Prior to the funeral, Cardinal George’s body will be received at Holy Name Cathedral the afternoon of April 21. The rite of reception is to be followed by a four-hour visitation period for the public, a prayer vigil for priests and seminarians, with visitation again open to the public from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., when the cathedral closes. On April 22, morning visitation is to be followed by an interfaith service – both open to the public. Visitation resumes, then a prayer vigil is planned for women and men religious, and deacons and their wives. Visitation and a vigil conducted by lay ecclesial movements will take place for the public through the night at the cathedral. In an April 18 telegram to Archbishop Cupich, Pope Francis expressed his condolences to all in the Chicago Archdiocese and imparted his apostolic blessing. He recalled Cardinal George’s “witness of consecrated life” as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate, “his service to the church’s educational apostolate,” and his years of episcopal ministry. “I join you in commending the soul of this wise and gentle pastor to the merciful love of God our heavenly Father,” said the pope. Cardinal George was a philosophy professor and regional provincial then vicar general of his religious order, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, before being named a bishop in 1990. He was named bishop of Yakima, Washington, in 1990, then was appointed archbishop of Portland, Oregon, in April 1996. Less than a year later, St. John Paul II named him to fill the position in Chicago, which was left vacant by the death of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in November 1996. By retiring in 2014, Cardinal George
Cardinal Francis E. George, retired archbishop of Chicago, speaks to media Jan. 30 in Chicago after receiving the Gaudium et Spes Award from Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. (CNS photo by Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
accomplished what he often joked was his aspiration, to be the first cardinalarchbishop of Chicago to step down from the job, rather than dying in office, as his predecessors had. In the last few months the archdiocese had issued a series of press releases about changes in Cardinal George’s health status as it declined. At an event Jan. 30 where he received an award from the Knights of Columbus, Cardinal George spoke frankly about living with terminal illness, saying that his doctors had exhausted the options for treating his disease and that he was receiving palliative care. “They’ve run out of tricks in the bag, if you like,” he said. “Basically, I’m in the hands of God, as we all are in some fashion.” In a catechesis session during World Youth Day in Dusseldorf, Germany, in 2005, Cardinal George told the youths that having polio at the age of 13 left him, “a captive in my own body. I soon learned that self-pity got me nowhere. Faith was the way out, because in faith I was not alone, and good can come of something that appears bad at that time.” Cardinal George was president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for three years, from 2007 to 2010, which made him the public face of the bishops’ efforts to help shape what became the Affordable Care Act. In his final address to the body of bishops as their president in November 2010, he criticized those who define the church’s usefulness by whether it provides “foot soldiers for a political commitment, whether of the left or the right.” He recalled at length the public debate over what the legislation should include and referred to the “wound to the church’s unity” caused by disagreements over the final bill. The USCCB opposed the final version of the bill, saying it would permit federal funding of abortion, inadequately protect the conscience rights of health
care providers and leave out immigrants. The bishops’ also objected to the federal contraceptive mandate that is part of the health care law, requiring most employers, including religious employers, to cover contraceptives over their moral objections. In that same speech, Cardinal George also touched on worries about Christians in the Middle East, his voice catching as he related the story of a child who was murdered during a massacre at a Baghdad Catholic church. The future cardinal was born in Chicago Jan. 16, 1937, to Francis J. and Julia R. (McCarthy) George. He attended St. Pascal elementary school on Chicago’s northwest side, the parish where he would be ordained a priest Dec. 21, 1963. After being rejected by the archdiocesan seminary because of his disability, he instead attended the Oblate-run St. Henry Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, Ill. He entered the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Aug. 14, 1957.
His formal education continued through a string of academic degrees including: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from the University of Ottawa in Canada, a master’s in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington; a doctorate in philosophy from Tulane University, New Orleans; and a doctorate of sacred theology in ecclesiology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. After his ordination, much of Cardinal George’s work was in academia, teaching at the Oblate Seminary in Pass Christian, Miss., at Tulane University and Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. In 1973, he became provincial superior of the Midwestern province of the Oblates, based in St. Paul, Minn. The following year he was elected vicar general for the order, and served in that post in Rome from 1974 to 1986. When he returned to the United States, he became coordinator of the Circle of Fellows for the Cambridge Center for the Study of Faith and Culture in Massachusetts from 1987-1990. His term as bishop of Yakima lasted five and a half years before he was named to the Portland Archdiocese and soon after to Chicago. A year later, in 1998, St. John Paul elevated him to the College of Cardinals. As a cardinal, he served in the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life, and the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum.” He also served in the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church; and the Pontifical Council for the Study of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See. Cardinal George participated in two conclaves. The first was in 2005 to elect a successor to St. John Paul II in 2005 -Pope Benedict XVI -- and the second in 2013 in which Pope Francis was elected.
14 April 22, 2015
INTERNATIONAL
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
Vocations are calls to embark on exodus to Promised Land, pope says By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY – Following a vocation to the priesthood or religious life is to live an experience of “exodus” -- to joyfully leave behind all that enslaves and journey to a Promised Land of love, service and mission, Pope Francis said. “Responding to God’s call, then, means allowing him to help us leave ourselves and our false security behind, and to strike out on the path which leads to Jesus Christ, the origin and destiny of our life and our happiness,” the pope said in his message for the 2015 World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The day will be celebrated April 26 at the Vatican and in many dioceses around the world. The message, released at the Vatican April 14, was dedicated to the theme: “Exodus: A fundamental experience of vocation.” Every Christian vocation is rooted in this sense of movement, of journeying and going forward since “belief means transcending ourselves, leaving behind our comfort and the inflexibility of our ego in order to center our life in Jesus Christ,” the pope wrote. Just like Abraham, Moses and the people of Israel, all children of God are called to leave behind the land they know and
Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 15. (Photo credit: CNS photo/Paul Haring)
trust completely in God to show them the way to a whole new world. The journey is not about running away in “contempt” from life and reality, but of finding it anew, in abundance and brought to its fulfillment, he wrote. “The Christian vocation is first and foremost a call to love, a love which attracts us and draws us out of ourselves, ‘decentering’
us and triggering ‘an ongoing exodus out of the closed inwardlooking self toward its liberation through self-giving, and thus toward authentic self-discovery and indeed the discovery of God,’” he wrote, quoting retired Pope Benedict XVI. A vocation, just like Christian life in general, demands constant renewal and “an attitude of conversion and transformation, an
Retired Pope Benedict XVI celebrates 88th birthday
Retired Pope Benedict XVI makes a toast during celebrations marking his 88th birthday at the Vatican April 16. (Photo credit: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)
incessant moving forward, a passage from death to life like that celebrated in every liturgy, an experience of Passover,” he said. The journey is God’s work as “he leads us beyond our initial situation, frees us from every enslavement, breaks down
our habits and our indifference, and brings us to the joy of communion with him and with our brothers and sisters,” Pope Francis wrote. A vocation to priesthood or religious life doesn’t just transform the individual, he wrote, it also has an impact on all of society as the individual feels compelled to serve God’s kingdom on earth and inspired “to solidarity in bringing liberation to our brothers and sisters, especially the poorest.” The pope’s message called on young people to recognize that “this exodus toward God and others fills our lives with joy and meaning.” Uncertainty, fear or problems can too often “risk paralyzing their youthful enthusiasm and shattering their dreams, to the point where they can think that it is not worth the effort to get involved, that the God of the Christian faith is somehow a limit on their freedom,” he wrote. “Dear young friends, never be afraid to go out from yourselves and begin the journey,” the pope wrote. “The Gospel is the message which brings freedom to our lives; it transforms them and makes them all the more beautiful.”
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
DIOCESAN
PRAYER CALENDAR MAY 1 - ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER Fr. Antony Fernando MAY 2 - ST. ATHANASIUS, BISHOP, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Msgr. Mike Foltz MAY 3 - FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Fr. Tom Friedl MAY 4 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Augie Gothman MAY 5 - EASTER WEEKDAY Msgr. Roger Grundhaus (retired) MAY 6 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Adam Hamness MAY 7 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Joseph Hitpas, OMI
MAY 8 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Chuck Huck
MAY 15 - ST. ISIDORE Fr. Gary LaMoine
MAY 9 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Xavier Ilango
MAY 16 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Bob LaPlante
MAY 10 - SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Fr. Joe Kieselbach (retired)
MAY 17 - THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Msgr. Tim McGee
MAY 11 - EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. John Kleinwachter
MAY 18 - ST. JOHN I, POPE, MARTYR Msgr. William Mehrkens MAY 12 - STS. NEREUX AND (retired) ACHILLEUX, MARTYRS; ST. PANCRAS, MARTYR MAY 19 - EASTER WEEKDAY Msgr. Donald Krebs (retired) Fr. Vincent Miller MAY 13 - OUR LADY OF MAY 20 - ST. BERNARDINE OF FATIMA SIENA, PRIEST Fr. Frank Kulhawik (retired) Fr. George Noel MAY 14 - ST. MATTHIAS, APOSTLE Fr. Rick Lambert
MAY 21 - ST. CHRISTOPHER MAGALLANES, PRIEST AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS
April 22, 2015
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MAY 2015 Msgr. Jerry Noesen (retired)
Fr. Bob Pryor (retired)
MAY 22 - ST. RITA OF CASCIA, MAY 28 - WEEKDAY Fr. Joe Richards RELIGIOUS Fr. Ray Palcisko (retired) MAY 29 - WEEKDAY Fr. Jerry Rogers MAY 23 - EASTER WEEKDAY Msgr. Mike Patnode MAY 30 - BLESSED VIRGIN MAY 24 - PENTECOST SUNDAY MARY Fr. Bob Schreiner Fr. Raul Perez-Cobo MAY 25 ST. BEDE MAY 31 - THE MOST HOLY THE VENERABLE, PRIEST, TRINITY DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; ST. Fr. Luis Silva GREGORY VII, POPE; ST. MARY MAGDALENE DE’PAZZI, VIRGIN Fr. Mario Prada (retired) MAY 26 - ST. PHILIP NERI, PRIEST Fr. Duane Pribula (retired) MAY 27 - ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, BISHOP
VOCATION PRAYER OF POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II: Lord Jesus, as you once called the first disciples to make them fishers of men, let your sweet invi-
tation continue to resound: Come follow me! Give young men and women the grace of responding quickly to your voice. Support our bishops, priests, and consecrated people in their apostolic labor. Grant perseverance to our seminarians and to all those who are carrying out the ideal of a life totally consecrated to your service. Awaken in our community a missionary eagerness. Lord, send workers to your harvest and do not allow humanity to be lost for the lack of pastors, missionaries, and people dedicated to the cause of the Gospel. Mary, Mother of the Church, the model of every vocation, help us to say “yes” to the Lord who calls us to cooperate in the divine plan of salvation. Amen.
DAILY SCRIPTURE MAY 1 - Acts 13:26-33; Ps 2:6-11b; Jn 14:1-6 or Gn 1:26-2:3 or Col 3:14-15, 17, 23-24; Mt 13:5458 MAY 2 - Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7-14 MAY 3 - Act 9:26-31; Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32; 1 Jn 3:18-24; Jn 15:1-8 MAY 4 - Acts 14:5-18; Ps 115:1-4, 15-16; Jn 14:21-26 MAY 5 - Acts 14:19-28; Ps 145:10-13b,21; Jn 14:27-31a MAY 6 - Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-5; Jn 15:1-8 MAY 7 - Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3, 10; Jn 15:9-11 MAY 8 - Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-10, 12; Jn 15:1217 MAY 9 - Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5; Jn 15:18-21 MAY 10 - Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Ps 98:14; 1 Jn 4:7-10; Jn 15:9-17 MAY 11 - Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b; Jn 15:26-16:4a MAY 12 - Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8, Jn 16:5-11 MAY 13 - Acts 17:15, 22-18:1; Ps 148:1-2, 1114; Jn 16:12-15 MAY 14 - Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; Ps 113:1-8; Jn 15:9-17 MAY 15 - Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23 MAY 16 - Acts 18:23-28 Ps 47:2-3,8-10; Jn 16:23b-28 MAY 17 - Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-
MAY 2015 23 or Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13; Mk 16:15-20 MAY 18 - Acts 19:1-8; Ps 68:2-5d, 6-7b; Jn 16:2933 MAY 19 - Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a MAY 20 - Acts 20:28-38; Ps 68:29-30, 33-36b; Jn 17:11b-19 MAY 21 - Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11; Jn 17:20-26 MAY 22 - Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 1920b; Jn 21:15-19 MAY 23 - Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Ps 11:4-5, 7; Jn 21:20-25 MAY 24 - Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:1923 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15 MAY 25 - Sir 17:20-24; Ps 32:1-2, 5-7; Mk 10:1721 MAY 26 - Sir 35:1-12; Ps 50:5-8, 14, 23; Mk 10:28-31 MAY 27 - Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17; Ps 79:8-9, 11, 13; Mk 10:32-45 MAY 28 - Sir 42:15-25; Ps 33:2-9; Mk 10:46-52 MAY 29 - Sir 44:1, 9-13; Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b; Mk 11:11-26 MAY 30 - Sir 51:12cd-20; Ps 19:8-11; Mk 11:2733 MAY 31 - Dt 4:32-34, 39-40; Ps 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20
POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTIONS
MAY 2015
(Photo credit: CNS)
UNIVERSAL: CARE FOR THE SUFFERING That, rejecting the culture of indifference, we may care for our neighbors who suffer, especially the sick and the poor. EVANGELIZATION: OPENNESS TO MISSION That Mary’s intercession may help Christians in secularized cultures be ready to proclaim Jesus.
16 April 22, 2015
NATIONAL
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE