VOL. 68, NO. 12
WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG
AUGUST 13, 2014
To see as God sees; to embrace life’s vision Fr. Thomas J. Loya & the Tabor Life Institute to speak at October’s Year of Marriage Congress Story by Amanda Zurface, Coordinator of Justice, Marriage & Family Life, Office of the New Evangelization The culminating event of the Year of Marriage celebrations in the Diocese of Crookston will be the Marriage Congress on October 3-5, held at the Crookston Inn & Convention Center in Crookston, Minnesota. The three-day event will have much to offer, including presentations by Fr. Thomas J. Loya and members of the Tabor Life Institute. The Tabor Life Institute was founded in 2007, by Catherine Baranko, who is the current president, as well as by Fr. Thomas J. Loya, a Byzantine Rite Catholic Priest, Theology of the Body Speaker and the Iconographer of the Diocese of Crookston’s Year of Marriage Holy Family icon. The mission of the Institute is to transform lives through education and formation in the theology of the body. The institute and its members are dedicated to helping people understand “why” they are human, male and female and consequently “how” to truly be human, man and woman and how to be that for each other (cf. taborlife.org). Amanda Zurface (Coordinator of Justice, Marriage & Family Life in the Diocesan Office of the New
Pictured: Fr. Thomas J. Loya, Keynote Speaker on Saturday, October 4th for the Year of Marriage Congress. Learn more at: www.crookston.org/congress. (Photo Credit: Amanda Zurface)
Evangelization) recently conducted a phone interview with Father Loya, and asked him to describe what he and the other members of the Tabor Life Institute seek to accomplish within their ministry. Father Loya explained: “We present the sacramental worldview – we bring together this fundamental view and present it. The theology of the body is a delivery system for the one and only way to see all of life; to see life sacramentally, that is, to see the invisible God made visible! This is what the theology of the body is delivering.” The Tabor Life Institute is currently comprised of two different memberships, which includes core members and affiliate members. Father Loya, accompanied by core and affiliate members will travel to Crookston, Minnesota, to give keynote addresses on Saturday, October 4th during the Year of Marriage Congress. Topics will include: Marriage: Cultivating Sainthood; Becoming the Holy Family and more. These presentations will be given by Father Loya, as well as by married couples who are members of the Tabor Life Institute. Mark and Kelly Reznicek, a married couple who are affiliate members of the Tabor Life Institute, will be speaking at the Marriage Congress. They became involved CONGRESS: Continued on page 3
Diocesan architect leaves legacy in the Diocese Story by OND Staff
Richard “Dick” Rude died on July 19, 2014 and was buried from his parish of St. Philip’s in Bemidji on July 25. Richard served the Diocese of Crookston for 27 years as a professional consultant and member of the Diocesan Building and Planning Commission. Richard began his own architectural firm in Bemidji in 1986. In that same year, Sr. Marguerite Streifel served as the Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Crookston and was directed by Bishop Victor Balke to establish a new Commission. This Commission was to oversee the building and renovation projects for the
parishes throughout the Diocese. Sr. Marguerite contacted Richard to serve on this commission as its chief architect. Richard immediately agreed and faithfully served on this commission from its founding in 1987 until his death last month. Sr. Marguerite reflected on her years of collaboration with Richard: “Dick was a personal friend of mine all those years. As a professional he was firm, yet gentle and kind with planners. He was very competent and patient with everyone. He was a true ‘gentle-man’ in every sense of the word. He never missed a meeting. He donated all his time to the Diocesan projects. All he ever got was a “thanks” and a mileage check! I know he had a
Richard “Dick” Rude
thriving business in Bemidji but he never hesitated to give the Diocese his time and expertise.” In addition to offering his pro-
fessional consultation for projects which came before the Commission, a number of parishes hired him as their architect to design new structures and renovate existing buildings. It was Richard’s intention to create a repeatable design for a church which the smaller parishes of the Diocese could find affordable, yet allowed the flexibility to make the space uniquely their own while meeting the Diocesan standards for places of worship. The first of these was St. Clement’s Church in Grygla, built in 1992. Following this pattern, others were built: St. Joseph’s – Benwood (1993), Holy Family Church – Halstad (1995), St. Edward’s – Karlstad (1998) and Sacred Heart – Wil-
ton (2000) was largely patterned off of this design as well. With typical low-keyed humor and a smile, Richard once quipped to Fr. Bob Schreiner while working on a building project with him: “Yeah, I seem to get three types of commissions: jails, bars and churches. I’m not sure which is the toughest crowd of the bunch.” Sr. Marguerite recalls a trip taken with Richard and another consultant to a conference on Church architecture: “We learned a lot and we laughed a lot. We even found a drive-thru pancake place for breakfast one day – the only one we have ever seen! We thought maybe
LEGACY: Continued on page 4
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COMMENTARY
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
Voice from the Valley BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER
Pope Francis to Families What a pope we have in Francis! Earlier this year, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2, our Pope Francis wrote a letter to families. It was not an Encyclical Letter but just a plain, old, ordinary, every-day kind of letter addressed: “Dear Families,” It was a personal letter. He began: “With this letter, I wish, as it were, to come into your homes…” That’s Pope Francis. He really would love to come into each and every one of our homes and visit with each family about life and how things are going as we journey through it.
Pope Francis blesses a baby as he visits St. Thomas the Apostle parish on the outskirts of Rome (Photo courtesy of: Catholic News Service)
The purpose of his “lettervisit” to each family was to ask that during their family prayer, they include in their prayer the meeting he will have in Rome with bishops from around the world this coming October: The General Assembly of
Synod of Bishops. The Pope said that he is personally asking each family to pray God’s blessings on the Synod because it is they – families – that the bishops will be discussing. The theme for the Synod formally stated is: “Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization.” Therefore, as Pope Francis wrote, “the Synod 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… I ask you…to pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important task.” The Synod this year, the Holy Father noted, will be followed next year with two events important for the family: the Ordinary Synod in Rome which will also have the family as its theme and the World Meeting of Families here in the United States, in Philadelphia, next September. “May we all, then, pray together so that through these events the Church will undertake a true journey of discernment and adopt the necessary pastoral means to help families face their present challenges with the light and strength that comes from the Gospel.” Year of Marriage Congress My friends, this coming October, here in the Diocese of
Crookston, we too are holding an important event: our Year of Marriage Congress. I called for this gathering in my Pastoral Letter Meeting Christ – Living Christ with the hope that it would be a great culminating event to our Year of Marriage, a learning opportunity for all who would come, and an opportunity for one final grand celebration of thanks to God for the unique gift of Marriage. Now, if it’s right for Pope Francis, it certainly is right for me, your own humble local bishop. And so, as Pope Francis has asked you and all families to pray for the success of the upcoming Synod (and the two gatherings he mentions that are coming up this next year) I ask you to pray for God’s blessings upon - and the success of - our own upcoming Year of Marriage Congress. Include this intention in your family prayer. At the end of August, in your parish, you will hear more about our Marriage Congress and will be invited to sign up to attend. I truly hope that you will come to Crookston for this grand event. I invite you to attend. We have a number of outstanding nationally and inter-nationally known speakers and performers scheduled to be there. I know all who attend will find it to be a blessing. May the Good Lord be with you these lovely summer days.
7:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m.
Mass, Assumption, Florian Centennial Mass, St. Peter’s, Gentilly
3:00 p.m.
Bishop’s Guild Dinner, St. Lawrence, Mentor
7:45 a.m.
Mass, Cathedral, Crookston
5:00 p.m.
Hispanic Ministries Mass, St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead
7:45 a.m.
Mass, Cathedral, Crookston
12:00 p.m.
(USPS 414-940) 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 Diocese of Crookston.
Subscriptions: $13.65 per year in the diocese, $14.90 per year outside the diocese.
BISHOP’S CALENDAR August 15 August 17 August 17 August 19 August 24 August 26 August 26 August 28-30
Icon of the Holy Family, commissioned for the Diocese of Crookston by Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Loya
Deans Meeting, St. Lawrence, Mentor Region 8 Provincial Meetings, Medora, ND
Publisher: The Most Reverend Michael J. Hoeppner Bishop of the Diocese of Crookston Editor: Rev. Robert Schreiner Office of the New Evangelization, Director Assoc. Editor: Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen jgergen@crookston.org For questions about subscriptions or address changes, please contact: Renee Tate at rtate@crookston.org Periodical postage paid in Crookston, MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes to: Our Northland Diocese, PO Box 610, Crookston, MN 56716-0610 Phone: 218-281-4533 Publishing dates and submission deadlines for news and advertisements can be found online: http://www.crookston.org/ond/
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DIOCESAN
August 13, 2014
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CONGRESS: Continued from page 1 in the Tabor Life Institute through their oldest daughter, Sarah. When Sarah was in 8th grade, she heard the message of the theology of the body when in attendance at one of Father Loya’s talks. In a recent interview, they stated: “The theology of the body…spoke to Sarah’s heart and she embraced this message and lived it out in her daily life as a teenager. It became a shared experience for our whole family, and soon, our other children came to know the message and live it out in their everyday lives, at their own level of understanding.” This October, the faithful of the Diocese of Crookston will also have the opportunity to hear Father Loya preach on the wholeness of the theology of the body and to embrace its message with their lives. Father Loya explained: “…at the Congress, we will look at what ‘Catholic’ is. We will restructure what it really means to be Catholic, and hopefully, we will be better Catholics for it. […] We will first look at Catholicism and seek to understand it through the theology of the body. We will then apply marriage and the family and how Catholicism understands life…” When asked what message he would give to those who are considering attending the Marriage Congress, Father Loya stated: “I encourage them [the faithful] and others to come to the Congress, especially those who have problems or confusion about what the Church teaches on marriage and the family. They will hear Catholicism in a way they have never heard before; it will be integrating and positive! We will present the “why” behind “what” we believe. The theology of the body brings
us to a starting point. If we don’t start here…if we don’t have an adequate anthropology, particularly, who man is for woman and who woman is for man, then we are and will continue to be aimless…” When asked what message he would give to the world, Father Loya said: “To learn to see as God sees. Learn to embrace life’s vision! We need to see correctly. We need
to learn how to see and to live according to that vision: as God sees and how God intended for us to see. This is Catholicism. This is where everything comes from.” Learn more about the Marriage Congress at www.crookston.org/CONGRESS or call the Office of the New Evangelization at (218) 281-4533, ext. 432. Registration is due by September 15! Full and partial scholarships available!
Pictured is one of the many works of the Byzantine iconography that adorns the interior of The Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church. The parish priest, Fr. Thomas J. Loya, is the writer of the icon murals, a project which is still ongoing. The Annunciation of the Mother of God Catholic Church is the home of the Tabor Life Institute. (Photo credit: Amanda Zurface)
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Healing of Families Seminar to be held in September Internationally known priest and Have you prayed for years for some sort of speaker, Fr. Joseph Ssemekula, will healing for your family? bring his powerful seminar to the Diocese of Crookston in September. “Healing of Families,” is a Do you want to learn a form of prayer that is efweekend long seminar which spirifective for those stubborn, personal and family tually pursues the origins of sin problems? and dysfunction which can harass and plague families for generations. Do you yearn to experience family-wide relief Fr. Ssemekula does not seek to and healing for spiritual, physical and emoreplace the legitimate role of meditional problems? cally based therapies when those are needed and appropriate. But Do you wish to ‘redeem’ your relationships he does invite believers to recogand by God’s grace change the course of your nize that any evil – even physical family’s history? evil and sickness – is also a spiritual issue. Thus, those things which If so, then you need to come! have disrupted, tormented or even destroyed families and their relationships must also be brought for deliverance and healing to the Divine Physician – Jesus Christ. It can also be the case that an individual’s ongoing, habitual struggle with a particular sin or its temptations might well have its roots within the generations of one’s family. Fr. Ssemekula leads people in a careful reflection on these dynamics so as to bring that history to spiritual healing in Christ. As part to the Year of Marriage celebration in the Diocese of Crookston, the Office of the New Evangelization is bringing Fr. Ssemukla to Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Detroit Lakes for the “Healing of Families Seminar.” The seminar will run from Friday night to late Sunday afternoon, September 19 – 21, and requires pre-registration to attend. The registration deadline for the event is September 5th. Anna Kliner (akliner@crookston.org), the registration coordinator for the event, reports inquiries and registrations from as far as Kansas, Iowa and Michigan have The above image depicts the cover of Fr. already come in. For more information contact Anna (218-281-4533 ext. Joseph Ssmekula’s book The Healing of 432) or go to the “Healing of Families” information and registration page Families, which will be used during the seminar. which is linked on the Diocesan web page: www.crookston.org.
LEGACY: Continued from page 1 we could start that up north – but then the cold weather deterred that venture.” But for the Diocese of Crookston, Richard’s legacy is worship. Concludes Sr. Marguerite: “I know that Richard’s Catholic faith meant a lot to him. Even though he never wore it on his sleeves he nevertheless was faithful in his practice of the faith. Rest in peace, Richard, rest in peace! We will look for you in the Kingdom where the praises of God ring out in simple, practical, beautiful, common-sense places of worship!”
YEAR OF MARRIAGE: Upcoming Events
September 19-21 – “Healing of Families: A Seminar with Fr. Joseph Ssemakula” at Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church, Detroit Lakes. Pre-registration is required. September 26-28 – Women’s (Widows) Diego House Retreat: “Til Death Do Us Part” with Father Chuck Huck. October 3-5 – The 2014 Year of Marriage Congress – “As Christ Loves: The Divine Beauty of Married Life & Love,” featuring Keynote Speakers: Danielle
Rose, Fr. Thomas Loya & the Tabor Life Institute, David Rinaldi and Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner. Pre-registration is required at http://www.crookston.org/congress/. October 4 – 7:00 p.m. “Love & Life Concert” with Music Missionary: Danielle Rose at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Office of the New Evangelization (218) 281-4533 ▪ www.crookston.org/YOM
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
DIOCESAN
August 13, 2014
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National Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week: July 20-July 26, 2014 The Diocese of Crookston celebrated National NFP Awareness Week during the diocesan Year of Marriage!
July 24: “Married Love & the Gift of Life” presented at Holy Rosary Church, Detroit Lakes, with Dr. Theresa Notare, Assistant Director of the Natural Family Planning Program, Secretariat for the Laity, Marriage, Family Life & Youth, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (Photo Credit: Amanda Zurface)
July 24: Priest Study Day at St. Michael’s Church, Mahnomen, MN. Dave & Lynette Cudnik (Left); and Matthew & Sarah Effhauser (Right) pictured with copies of the Year of Marriage Holy Family icon, gifted to the couples by the Office of the New Evangelization for sharing their personal testimonies and experience as married couples learning and living out Natural Family Planning (NFP) to the Diocesan Priests. (Photo Credit: Amanda Zurface)
REDEEMED SEXUALITY by Dr. Theresa Notare
Theresa Notare, PhD, is Assistant Director of the Natural Family Planning Program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This is an edited version of an article that was first printed as a Life Issues Forum column. It is reprinted here with permission.
As Christians we should be grateful beyond words for the gift of our redemption. We believe that Christ’s action on the cross has changed all things, for all time. We should seek to relate every aspect of our lives to how Christ has redeemed us and our world. When we consider the mystery and --contemporary confusion -- of human sexuality, it is even more urgent for Christians to ask, “How has Christ redeemed human sexuality?” Today our media features topics that not long ago would have been labeled science fiction, or pornography. Cloning, “casual” sex, getting pregnant by means of reproductive technologies, frozen embryos, adultery — the list goes on. Does anyone in the public square relate these issues to the spiritual? When those of us try to bring God into the equation,
we are often told that “individual morality” must not be “imposed” on the public. But that should not deter the Christian. Christ’s work on the cross has restored all of human life, even human sexuality. That means that human sexuality is not “tinged” with sin, nor is it morally neutral. Although we can misuse even the best of God’s gifts, that does not change the fact that sex is God’s gift of life and love to us. Specifically, sexual intercourse was never meant to be directed to the individual. It’s not a sport or game to be enjoyed on its own. Sexual intercourse is a powerful event of interpersonal communion — it is a sacramental event. This makes more sense when we realize that Christian marriage is a sign of Christ’s presence in the world. As Christians we accept on faith that human sexuality is caught up in Christ, uniting a man and woman in a union which reflects God’s love in the world and is directed to others. With that starting point, it makes excellent sense to keep sex in marriage. The redeemed nature of marriage was understood by the Church from our earliest history. Following up on Jesus’ own words on the indissolubility of marriage, St. Paul likened Christian mar-
riage to Christ’s relationship with His Church. “As Christ loved the Church . . . so the husband should love and cherish his wife as he cherishes his own body; for husband and wife are one body, as Christ and the Church are one body. This is a great mystery” (Ephesians 5:2133). St. John Chrysostom (347-407) taught that the “one flesh” of the spouses is “not an empty symbol.” “They have not become the image of anything on earth, but of God Himself ” (Homily 12). “The love of spouses,” says the Catechism, “requires of its very nature, the unity and indissolubility of the spouses’ community of persons, which embraces their entire life” (#1644). The root of this indissolubility is found in God Himself, who taught us of His fidelity through His covenant with Abraham. It is found finally in Christ, who united Himself with His Church. In this age of continuous assaults on God’s design for life and love, it would do the world good if Christians reclaimed our rich heritage. Before we can do this we need to return to the mystery of our faith and meditate on who Jesus is, what He did for us, and how this has changed all life for all ages.
July 25: Participants at the NFP banquet, sponsored by Bishop Hoeppner and the Office of the New Evangelization to express gratitude to married couples and individuals who have instructed NFP in the Diocese of Crookston or have been extraordinary witnesses to NFP and the ‘culture of life’. Following the formal dinner, Honored Guest: Dr. Theresa Notare, presented on the topic: “NFP and Women: What You Wished Your Mother Had Told You!” (Photo Credit: Janelle C. Gergen)
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August 13, 2014
COMMENTARY
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
No such thing as a “marriage problem” As a priest and pastor I often receive the phone call: “Fr. Tom, can we come in to see you? We are having marriage problems.” This phone call almost always comes from the wife and almost never from the husband. I tell the wife to try and convince her husband that both of them should come to see me together. Few men ever really want to come to “see the priest” and talk about relational problems. When the wife finally comes to see me, dragging her reluctant husband along, I listen to their story, to their wounds and pains. After they tell me their story I offer a statement to the couple that is both encouraging and confusing at the same time: “Take heart. There are no such things as marriage problems.” That’s right. You read this correctly: There are no such things as marriage problems. I tell the couple: “You see, what we normally deem to be marriage problems are actually problems in what is known as the theology of the body. It is a question of, who man will be for woman and who woman will be for man? If we get this right all of life goes right. If we get this wrong, everything in the whole world goes wrong. This is because the
TOB
THEOLOGY OF THE BODY INSIGHTS By Fr. Thomas J. Loya Byzantine Rite Catholic Priest Tabor Life Institute
human person is a microcosm of the universe and the universe is a macrocosm of the human person. The answer to the question, who man will be for woman and who woman will be for man is actually revealed in the language of our bodies as men and as women, hence, a theology of the body. The theology of the body provides the why behind being human, male and female. The reason we can trust our bodies as a revelation of truth is because, let’s face it, no matter who we are, what religion, what ethnic background, profession, rich or poor, we all have a body and it is either male or female. Since as human beings we are designed in an integrated and not compartmentalized or fragmented way, our gendered bodies are designed to work
consistently with our heart, mind, emotions, in fact in the fundamental way in which we interface with all of reality. Unless we know why we are male and female, we do not know how to be male and female. The hurts that come in relationships such as marriage are really a matter of man and woman not knowing why they are man and woman. This results in their not really knowing how to be man and woman which in turn results in their not knowing how to be for each other. They fail to complete for one another what their genders are designed to do: help meet one another’s legitimate needs and these needs are stamped in their very bodies as male and female. When this happens a process of hurt be-
Now, on to November LIFE FIRST The primary election is behind us and now the commercials, mailings and trash talk will take center stage as Minnesotans elect a whole slate of political leaders. Sadly, too many people end up tuning out the critical discussion needing to take place on the issues because the hullabaloo surrounding the dialogue stifles open debate. I know with each election year there is an independent campaign telling folks to vote because it is our patriotic duty. I have a problem with that. I don’t think people who are clueless on where candidates stand on the most fundamental issues of our day should vote. For example, the long list of judges on the ballot, if I have not done my research on where the candidates stand, I skip that part of the ballot. I have never, will never and can never, as a Catholic, vote for someone who believes abortion is an acceptable answer to any question. When I was a child, Dad and Mom would faithfully head to the ballot box when there was an election of any kind. Dad voted only for the Democrats on the ballot. Mom voted only for the Republi-
By Father Don Braukmann Parochial Vicar - St. Philip’s Parish, Bemidji and St. Charles Parish, Pennington
cans. It did not matter what Mom and Dad knew about the candidates other than they were from the party each supported. Once 1973 and the legalization of abortion on demand became a reality, things changed dramatically. Where a candidate stood on abortion was the first question asked. If they were pro-abortion it did not matter which party they were from, they would not get a vote from our household. I remember so clearly Dad telling me as a teenager he could not, as a Catholic, vote for someone who could justify in their mind the killing of an innocent child. When both candidates in a race were pro-life then their views on education, health care, poverty and
economics came into play. My parents could not get their head around how a politician could claim moral integrity on any issue if they believed the child must die. And so now, on to November where the positions of the candidates are clear on abortion…they either believe in the right to life or they do not. There is no “sitting on the fence” when it comes to life and death. Either the child lives or the child dies. One person running for office in our state co-sponsored the “Women’s Health Protection Act.” The Act removed all limitations on abortion services and the person even said, “for women to be truly equal to men, they must have unlimited access to abor-
gins which compounds over time resulting in what we commonly label as marriage problems. Our bodies actually speak a language. They point to transcendent realities; the real meaning behind our being male and female. Happiness in a relationship, in fact in all of life, comes down to whether we are telling a truth with the language of our bodies or telling a lie. I call this entering the H-zone — the Honesty zone. Being honest to the order of things is the secret to happiness especially when it comes to relationships. When we dis-honesty we end up with another “H” word --- hurt. So what language do our male and female bodies actually speak? What is the theology that they point toward? Our male and female bodies, precisely in the fact that they are gendered speak a language of gift. The human person is the only creature that exists for its own sake. In other words, we have no natural predators, (except at times ourselves.) Human beings do not exist for animals and plants, rather animals and plants exist for the proper use and benefit and enjoyment of human beings. Because human beings are
made for their own sakes, so to speak, human beings discover their true selves only by making of themselves a sincere and total gift of themselves to one another. This is stamped in our very bodies as male and female: A man’s body, for instance, does not make sense except in relation to a woman’s body and vice versa. The very parts of a man’s body that mark his gender are designed so that he can give himself away (make a gift of himself) to a woman. A woman’s body is designed so that she in turn can make a gift of herself to a man. This is the only thing that makes total sense of the very parts of her body that mark her gender. Male and female bodies are designed to fit together. But along with the body comes the mind, heart, emotions, in fact our total selves. There is a whole world to unfold in the language of our bodies. And this language holds the secret to happy marriages and relationships. It answers the question: Who will man be for woman and who will woman be for man? We will unfold that world in this series; The Theology of the Body.
tion.” Laughable if it didn’t mean more children must die. Another candidate in another race opposed notifying a parent before a minor could have an abortion. That same minor could not get an aspirin at school without a parent’s permission but killing a child goes without question. The same candidate holds the mind-boggling position that if a child in the womb is killed when a crime is being committed the perpetrator of the crime can be charged with murder! Did you catch that? If the child is brought to an abortion mill to be put to death, no problem…but if that same child is killed during a crime, it is murder. Both of the candidates I mentioned have a 100% pro-abortion voting record as documented by NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League). They are also openly supported by Planned Parenthood; enough said. In contrast, there are men and women running for those same offices who have raised their voice in defense of the child in the womb and will defend her most fundamental human right… the right to life. There is a prolife option in every statewide and local race on the ballot. Do you know where the candidates stand?
If you don’t, are you going to vote in November? How can you? In every parish I serve I have walked through the parking lot on Sunday morning and seen bumper stickers for politicians who believe the child must die so we can live as we wish. I can drive by a parishioner’s home and am appalled by the placards in the yard promoting those who believe partial birth abortion, and any form of abortion, is a form of healthcare. I don’t get it. I am astounded by the patience of God for not wiping us out and starting over. Yes, we all make mistakes and hurt one another because of our brokenness. I don’t claim to know what a woman goes through whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned but I know the simple truth that the child in the womb is alive, feels pain, knows her Mother’s voice, Mom’s heart beat and is a pure, innocent gift from God no matter how inconvenient she may be. I have said it over and over again but it remains the simple truth each of us will someday have to answer: “How, in the name of Jesus the Christ, can we as Catholics worship the Giver of All Life on Sunday and ignore him when we step into a voting booth on Tuesday?”
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
COMMENTARY
August 13, 2014
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Blessed are the Peacemakers: Harmony BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD. (MATTHEW 5:9)
A peacemaker is a person who produces harmony between people. It might be between them self and another person or it could be between two or more people with the peacemaker serving as the intermediary. The harmony created between people is similar to the harmony created when a musical group is performing beautiful music. Musical harmony is not created by every instrument playing the same note, but the various instruments playing the right combination of notes to create a perfect sound. I use this analogy to point out that when working with people, peacemakers do not have to have everyone thinking or doing the same thing. Rather, the peacemaker helps people discover how to live in harmony with each other, not by having them agree on everything but showing them how to find a commonality that reflects God’s truth. Christ calls those who are able to produce harmony between people the “children of God.” This is a very high honor be-
CREDO
A NEW EVANGELIZATION WITNESS
By Dr. Mark Krejci, guest columnist Sponsored by the Diocesan Office of New Evangelization
stowed upon these individuals. Family connections were very important in Hebrew culture. Your family gave you status and an identity, and so being a family member was truly something to celebrate. And to be adopted into a family was a great honor indeed. Here, Jesus says that the peacemaker is accepted into the ultimate family, the family of God. You are a child of God if you are the person who makes peace. Peacemakers work to bring God’s peace into relationships. They are able to do this because peacemakers listen, develop clear communications in relationships, have empathy for others, accept emotions, foster collaboration; in short, they live the Beatitudes. When you act as a peacemaker you act as a child of God who has learned to reflect the Beatitudes
in all of your relationships. Within a marital relationship, both individuals need to see themselves in the role of peacemakers. Naturally, peacemaking needs to happen in a marriage when there is conflict, but ideally peacemaking should be used in order to avoid conflict. When people are in conflict, they often experience the emotion of anger. The most common precursor to anger is frustration. Frustration occurs when you want something but cannot get it because something is blocking or stopping you. Perhaps you want to sit down in your favorite chair, relax and watch a certain TV show but your spouse wants to go out for the evening. Your spouse’s desire to spend time together is blocking you from your goal: watching the show. This frustration may be
great or small, it depends on how much you want to see the show or how little interest you have in doing this thing with your spouse. But our ability to deal with frustration is a key part in maintaining harmony in life. If the frustration continues, people may develop the emotional and behavioral reaction known as anger. Some people, when they are frustrated, become angry quicker than others; we say these people have a “short fuse.” Others rarely become angry because they have a way to end their frustration. They do this by seeking harmony. Rather than allow the frustration to take over, they find a way to deal with the cause of frustration in a way that reflects Our Father’s love. Be a peacemaker in your marriage. When frustration is encountered, whether you or your spouse caused it, be the first one to make peace. When anger is expressed, either by you or your spouse, be the first one to make peace. Bring harmony into the relationship, a harmony that reflects the love of Jesus Christ. Couples need to get beyond the thought that “I made peace last time, it is your turn this time” or “you did the thing
that created the frustration, you should be the one to make the peace.” Be a child of God and bring peace into the marriage. Do not wait for times of frustration, anger or conflict. Be a peacemaker every day of your lives together. How? By living the Beatitudes every day. This is a tough task to accomplish, but children of God are special people who can do great things because they daily experience the love of God their Father.
Let us pray: Jesus, Prince of Peace, You inspire peace in our world. You bring harmony to all. Help us follow Your example and strengthen harmony in our marriage. For the times when we become frustrated, we ask for forgiveness. For the times when we become angry, we ask for forgiveness. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. Help us to see God in each other as we live our marriage.
Come to me all you who labor and are burdened By Eileen Hegg St. Mary’s Parish, Fosston Life is busy. When I was employed I went from one meeting to the next, with deadlines to meet; and now that I am retired, I stay busy with my home, family events, volunteering and outdoor chores. There is always more work to do than time to accomplish it. I have been coming to Eucharistic Adoration for several years now, and the first few minutes I am there, I just sit quietly praising the Lord, because I need to slow my pace. I look forward to this time sitting quietly with Jesus in adoration, unwinding and laying my problems at His feet. The Lord has been so good to me and my family, that I want to get to know Jesus better, appreciate Him more and love Him more completely. I want to spend time listening and thanking Him for all He has done for us. After spending this time with Him, I am much more willing to do His work than I was before. I see it in a different light. Helping family, friends and neigh-
EXPOSITION PRAYER IN THE DIOCESE OF CROOKSTON
Ms. Bonnie Lee
Director of the Office of Worship bors becomes a labor of love instead of just labor I do out of obedience. Adoration is a priority that I don’t forget. I may have to rearrange my schedule or make family adjustments, but, I rarely miss this quiet time with my Lord. The time goes by so quickly. At first I thought I needed something to read, or to follow written prayers, but after coming for several years, I find I can just sit and enjoy His company. My mind wanders sometimes, but the Lord talks to me in the wanderings, too. Jesus has guided me during adoration to find answers to persistent problems or struggles. Although I don’t actually hear his voice, the solution is so clear; I
have wondered why I didn’t see it in the first place. Once when I was pondering a persistent struggle, the words of a friend popped into my head…and I said to myself, “Of course.” When my mind wanders and I am lamenting the shortcomings of family, friends or those I serve with, the Lord enlightens me to some of my own inadequacies. It’s not so easy to condemn with the Lord shining light on ME, and that light often makes it easier to understand the difficulties others are enduring. Would I want to walk a mile in their shoes? When I leave the church for home, whatever problems I brought in with me are placed at the feet of Jesus, and I go home
unburdened. My upbeat disposition is accompanied with a confident smile, and I often visit with people more kindly. When I return home, I find myself humming or singing the words of a favorite hymn. It’s been a beautiful, stressrelieving experience. And I look forward to my time of adoration each week. “Eucharistic adoration is an extension of our communion with Christ in Holy Communion and helps bring about within us a deeper longing for our next reception of Holy Communion.” - Most Reverend Michael Hoeppner Bishop of Crookston Meeting Christ, Living Christ, (pg 4)
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
You are invited to submit your testimonial of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to: blee@crookston.org or P.O. Box 610, Crookston, MN 56716.
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29
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Celebrating First Communion
St. Mary of the Lakes, Detroit Lakes (Submitted Photo)
St. Peter’s, Gentilly (Submitted Photo)
Celebrating Confirmation
St. Andrew’s, Hawley (Submitted Photo)
St. Peter’s, Gentilly (Submitted Photo)
ATTENTION: Small Group Leaders, Parish Coordinators, Pastors, and Deacons
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, August 20 by 12:00 p.m. Email: jgergen@crookston.org
ARISE SEASON 5: WE ARE THE GOOD NEWS September 4th, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Fosston
Join us for this one and only workshop to share in the fruits of ARISE!
Refreshments will be provided and no RSVP is needed. For more information go to www.crookston.org/arise
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AROUND THE DIOCESE
Society of St. Vincent de Paul hosting “Friends of the Poor Walk/Run” The Society of St. Vincent de Paul District Council of Fargo/Moorhead is hosting the 7th Annual Friends of the Poor® Walk/Run to raise significant funds for its five parish conferences to assist those in need in the Fargo-Moorhead area. All administrative fees are covered with the sponsorships of community businesses. Onehundred percent of funds raised will directly benefit those in need in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Society of St. Vincent de Paul programs throughout the United States include food pantries, housing assistance, disaster relief, job training and placement, clothing, transportation, utility costs, thrift stores, home visits, care for the elderly, medicine and youth outreach. No act of charity is foreign to Society members. Five active area conferences include St. Anthony of Padua, Holy Spirit, The Cathedral of St. Mary, all in Fargo, St. Joseph’s in Moorhead and St. Williams in Twin Valley, MN. Local conferences have assisted numerous families in the area communities with housing, utilities, food, diapers and some just needing a listening ear.
The Friends of the Poor® Walk/Run is a National Program coordinated by the development team at the National Society of St. Vincent de Paul office location in St. Louis, MO. The inaugural event took place in 2008 with the purpose of providing local Conferences and Councils the framework to host an event that would raise funds to support their local special works projects and direct assistance to our friends in need. Growing every year, the Friends of the Poor® Walk/ Run was once again extremely successful in 2013. Attracting over 22,000 walkers, raising over $2.1 million, and having events at 232 different locations in the United States were all measures of success. The Friends of the Poor Walk/Run will be held Saturday, September 20. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the Walk begins at 10 a.m. at Davy Memorial Park, 1st Avenue and 8th Street North in Moorhead. For more information or to register for the Walk, log on to: www.svdpfriendsofthepoorwalk.org - or call (701) 212-0392 or email svdpfargo@msn.com.
Fall Dinners in the Diocese of Crookston SUNDAY, AUG. 24, 2014: ST. THEODORE’S, PONSFORD Spaghetti dinner & raffle 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 7, 2014: ASSUMPTION, CALLAWAY Roast beef dinner & raffle 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
(CALLAWAY EVENT CENTER)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 14, 2014: ST. JOHN’S, NEBISH Roast beef dinner Serving from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
SUNDAY SEPT. 21, 2014: SACRED HEART, WILTON Chicken and ham dinner, bazaar, and craft sale 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
SUNDAY SEPT. 21, 2014: ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, Chicken dinner LAKE PARK 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
August 13, 2014
PLEASE
pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life
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Annual Report from the Office of Safe Environment Submitted by Jim Clauson, Director of Safe Environment Diocese of Crookston The Safe Environment program for the Diocese of Crookston participates in an annual audit conducted by an independent company - Stonebridge and Associates - on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This is to measure the processes and effectiveness of our program. There are two types of audits conducted. The first is an onsite audit where members of the audit team spend a few days conducting interviews, checking our records and processes, and making some parish visits. The second process is called a data collection audit, where we send them all the required information for review, they ask questions and eventually send us a letter of compliance. In 2011, we had an onsite au-
dit in which we were found to be compliant with all the elements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. In 2012 and 2013, we had data collection audits in which we received letters of compliance. In 2014, we participated in the data collection audit and once again we will receive a compliance letter. Here are some statistics for the 2014 Safe Environment year that was completed June 30, 2014: a. We had 5,123 registered youth in our programs. We trained 4,774 of them with age-appropriate safe environment materials. This means that 93% of the children registered in our programs received safe environment training. The training is done at the parish level. A second attempt is made each year to train children that were absent for the initial training. b. Our priests, deacons and seminarians (totaling 88) all received
annual certification through our Safe Environment program. c. Our educators, employees and volunteers (totaling 2,544) all received annual certification through our Safe Environment program. d. A total of 1,100 background checks were conducted this audit period. Annual certification requires adults to authorize the Office of Safe Environment to do a background check if needed, to review the Diocese of Crookston’s Code of Conduct for Church Leaders and to complete a training module, which is updated each year. A background check is required for new certifications and every five years thereafter. The only exception is if a person’s certification has been expired for more than two years; they are then treated as a new certification, which requires a new background check.
Diocese of Crookston Victims Assistance Coordinator:
LOUANN MCGLYNN - lmcglynn@crookston.org or 218-281-7895
Diocesan staff attend Region VIII Stewardship Conference By Diocesan Staff On Tuesday, July 15, 2014, Reathel Giannonatti, JD, Director of the Office of Stewardship and Development and Lisa Hatlestad, Stewardship Manager, attended the International Catholic Stewardship Council’s (ICSC) Region VIII First Annual Gathering. The ICSC provides opportunities for advancement and education in the ministry of Stewardship and Development. The gathering was facilitated by Ron Schatz, Director of the Office of Stewardship and Resource Development for the Diocese of Bismarck, and was held at the Archdiocesan Chancery Offices in St. Paul. In attendance were rep-
resentatives from nine of the ten Dioceses in our Province (North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota); the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Dioceses of Bismarck, Crookston, Fargo, New Ulm, Rapid City, St. Cloud, Sioux Falls and Winona. The Diocese of Duluth is also in the Region VIII Province but was not represented at this year’s gathering. Rick Jeric, ICSC Board President, began the presentations with
“The Spirituality of Stewardship as it Applies to us in our Positons.” Wayne Miller of Cuneen Company, specializing in enhancing parish offertory, gave the second presentation to the group. The third presentation was from Colleen Brady of RuffaloCODY, a telemarketing firm that offers telemarketing expertise to capital campaigns and annual appeals. The Diocese of Bismarck and the Diocese of Fargo use RuffaloCODY
as one means of solicitation in their annual appeal with excellent results. Their participation rates are 52 and 45 percent respectively. The Diocese of Crookston has an average participation rate of 29 percent. (As a side note, the Finance Council of the Diocese of Crookston has not endorsed telemarketing to enhance our own annual appeal.) Following the presentation, the conference was open to roundtable discussion. There was a great deal of conversation related to current litigation matters and how they impact giving trends at the diocesan level. There was also discussion about giving societies similar to our Bishop’s Guild, which are common throughout the prov-
ince. Members also shared their experiences of the advantages of paper, electronic and radio communications and how they are best used to communicate with our donors. It was recognized among the group that donors who commit to an annual appeal tend to increase their financial gift each year, and a key struggle of each diocese is to grow that group of donors committed to giving at a diocesan level. In 2015, the Region VIII gathering will take place in Fargo, North Dakota, and will be hosted by Steve Schons, Development Director of the Diocese of Fargo.
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OND reveals new design By Janelle C. Gergen Associate Editor, OND Did you notice the new ‘flag’ (a fancy newspaper term for the masthead or logo) across the front cover of this edition of Our Northland Diocese? Perhaps you noticed the new ‘folio’ – the information line across the top of the paper listing page numbers, sections and the date. You may have also noticed new font families and typefaces used for headlines, bylines, captions and body copy. This is the newly designed OND! In its 68 year history, the OND has donned nine other flags on its cover. Therefore, this edition (Volume 68, Number 12) is revealing the tenth. Parts of this flag will be used for additional print and online media sources coming out of Diocesan offices in the future. The Diocese of Crookston crest has taken a more prominent role in this OND flag. Here is the symbolism of our crest: -The wavy red and silver bars represent water in heraldry. -The red bars denote the Red Lake River on which Crookston is located and the Red River of the North which flows along most of the diocesan boundary on the west, while the silver bars refer to the Mississippi which has its source in the diocese -Since the crosier is a development of the shepherd’s crook, the two golden crosiers afford an example of arms which bespeak the name of the bearer. In this instance, it is the Diocese of Crookston - a play on words. The placing of crosiers also signified the office of the apostles and their successors, the bishops, to feed the lambs and sheep according to the command of Christ in John 21:15-17 -The crosses on the shield resemble the cross on the coat of arms of the Diocese of Duluth, from which the 14 western counties were taken to form the Diocese of Crookston in 1909. They are thus a tribute from the daughter church to the parent. -A silver crescent in the blue circle honors the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the diocese and of its cathedral. This symbol is suggested by Rev. 12:1 The crescent moon on blue symbolizing our patroness, the Blessed Virgin, inspired the use of blue text for the title ‘Our Northland Diocese’ on the new flag. The mission of the OND is “publishing Good News for the purpose of strengthening and furthering the Reign of God in the Diocese of Crookston.” The OND, as a communication tool, seeks to evangelize hearts and minds so that God may be glorified. Any act allowing God to be glorified provides hope and light to the people He loves. It is providential, then, that the OND reveal its new design to the faithful (the day it is received in mailboxes across the Diocese) on a feast dedicated to Our Lady - our patroness – on the feast of her assumption into Heaven. Mary, chosen by God to share the Good News of the Word Made Flesh, her beloved Son, evange-
lized with her entire being. She furthered the Reign of God with such obedience and faithfulness that she emanated hope and light for the whole world. In giving her fiat - her “yes” to God - she provided the physical means for our Savior to be born and thus, for Him to be shared with the world. The fruit of her womb became our hope, our light and our salvation. Mary glorified God so perfectly in her life that she was assumed – body and soul – into Heaven. She continues to glorify God by helping earthly pilgrims, such as us, to see Him and know Him more completely in this life as we prepare to return to our Heavenly home. The OND seeks to bring hope and light to the people of the Diocese of Crookston. The OND seeks to glorify God and evangelize like Mary. Mary, Patroness of the Diocese of Crookston, pray for us! Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, pray for us!
Looking back... 1945 - October 1952
November 1952 - February 1972
March 1972 - December 1972
January 1973 - October 1974
November 1974 - January 1978
January 1978 - July 1979
July 1979 - July 1986
July 1986 - December 2007
Guido, R. (1580). Assumption of the Virgin [Painting]. Lyon, France. Musée des Beaux-Arts.
January 2008 - July 2014
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Knights convene to celebrate their charitable works, fraternal programs By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Setting the tone for the 132nd annual Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, Orlando Bishop John. G. Noonan noted shifting social trends and the turbulence of world events but also emphasized the hope of faith and fraternity among Christians. Nearly 90 archbishops and bishops -- including 11 cardinals -- were expected to join approximately 2,000 Knights and their family members for the Aug. 5-7 convention in Orlando. The event represents the largest annual gathering of the nation’s Catholic bishops outside of the annual meetings of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. On the anniversary of the founding of Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, Bishop Noonan noted the difficulty of the times, of political gridlock and apparent social and moral decay, challenges to marriage and family life, dwindling belief in God and challenges in the church. “The challenges we are facing are whether we are willing to recognize God in our lives and are we willing to have a relationship with him,” the Irish-born Bishop Noonan said in his homily. “Along comes a man named Jorge Mario Bergoglio who becomes Pope Frances. He captures the world with his humility and simplicity. Riding on the bus with other cardinals after his election; paying his hotel bill; riding around in a Ford Focus,” he continued. “For those of you who have a Ford Focus, feel honored you have a popemobile.” In his first message to the world, Pope Francis “is telling us not to view the world with fear but with
the joy of the Gospel,” Bishop Noonan said. “Pope Francis challenges us to let God into our lives. He illustrates this by telling us that the moon has no lights, but we have to be like the moon, because the moon reflects the light of the sun just as we must reflect the love of Christ in our lives. The pope reminds Catholics that fear will always be interwoven with their hopes, Bishop Noonan said. “We need to discern not only our hopes but also our fear, that our fears will not overcome our hopes and leave us in doubt. The joy of the Gospel is a gift of the Holy Spirit; it is in our relationship with Christ that we overcome all fears and doubts.” This year’s convention, with the theme “You Will All be Brothers: Our Vocation to Fraternity,” was to include a mix of business, fellowship, prayer and recognition of Knights who have distinguished themselves over the past year. The theme comes from Pope Francis’ message for World Day of Peace, in which he observed: “Without fraternity it is impossible to build a just society.” Catholics, he said, share “a vocation to fraternity.” Later in the day, at the start of the convention business meeting, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, conveyed a papal message. He said Pope Francis sent warm greetings to all those in attendance and assured them of his closeness to them in prayer. “The church is called to be a community of brothers and sisters who accept and care for one another and serve as a leaven of reconciliation and unity for the whole human family,” the cardinal said in his statement. “In the complex social and ecclesial situation of late 19th-century America, this
Knights sing during the Aug. 5 opening Mass of the 132nd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Orlando, Fla. (CNS photo/Tom Tracy)
vocation found particular expression in principles of faith, fraternity and service which guided the establishment of the Knights of Columbus.” He added: “The fidelity of the Knights to high ideals has not only ensured the continued vitality of your order, but has also contributed, and continues to contribute, to the mission of the church at every level and, in particular, to the universal ministry of the Apostolic See. For this, His Holiness is profoundly grateful.” The Knights of Columbus, with about 1.8 million members in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, as an organization has actively supported the U.S. bishops’
campaigns to strengthen traditional marriage, defend the traditional definition of marriage and defend religious freedom. The organization also have publicly opposed Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate requiring most Catholic employers to include contraception in the health insurance plans they offer employees. During the past year, Knights donated more than $170 million and more than 70 million hours of service to charitable causes. In addition to the delivery of the annual report by the supreme knight, a keynote address will be delivered today by Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec. More than 500 delegates were
to participate in the business sessions Aug. 6 and 7, with various service and achievement awards to be presented Aug. 6. “Florida is a fitting place for us to remember the great Catholic contribution to our hemisphere,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson in a statement about the convention. “Before the colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth, the first permanent European settlement was here in Florida, and it was Catholic. The legacy of charity and evangelization left by the early Catholic missionaries continues to bear fruit today in our own work for those in spiritual or temporal need.”
‘Wounds of Christ’ can be seen in suffering of migrants, cardinal says By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley challenged all in attendance at the Knights of Columbus convention to be transforming agents in the world and to “connect the dots” between Christ and the suffering. He was one of several bishops at the 132nd Supreme Convention in Orlando who spoke about the need for greater compassion for a flood of child immigrants to the U.S. who have arrived without a parent in recent months. “In our own country in the last
10 months, 60,000 children have left behind the violence of their homelands and risked their lives crossing the border, many of them from El Salvador,” Cardinal O’Malley said Aug. 6, noting that El Salvador is the only nation on earth named for Christ the savior. “It was to pray for them and all those who perished in the desert that a group of bishops went to (the U.S.-Mexico border) in Nogales, Arizona, to celebrate the Eucharist at the border,” Cardinal O’Malley said of the April 1 Mass, during which the congregation remembered the 6,000 or so migrants who have died in the U.S.
desert since 1998. “We were amazed at the response,” he said. “I believe most Catholics understood our message, which was that of Pope Francis -- whose first trip as pope was to Lampedusa, Italy, where thousands of immigrants have perished in their attempts to enter Europe.” Pope Francis warns about the “globalization of indifference,” Cardinal O’Malley noted, adding, “We cannot be indifferent to the wounds of Christ manifested in so many ways in suffering humanity.” “May our lives be filled with transfigurations, glimpses of
glory and love in surprising places, in unlikely people,” Cardinal O’Malley told the Knights during a morning Mass on the feast of the Transfiguration. “We will find not strangers but brothers and sisters, and indeed Christ.” In an interview the same day, Bishop Placido Rodriguez of Lubbock, Texas, himself a Mexican-born immigrant who grew up in Chicago, told Catholic News Service he thinks the border crisis reveals a worrisome hardening of American spirit and generosity. “The border crisis of women, mothers and children is a good reminder for all of us that we
have lost our compassionate soul as Americans but it also gives us a new opportunity to regain our conscience and regain the compassion of heart, and to look at the whole problem is an opportunity as Americans to be compassionate and understanding,” said Bishop Rodriquez. “I am an immigrant as well, and so I had to learn the language and the culture and so I am also interested in the immigration issue,” added the prelate, who was wearing his Texas cowboy hat in advance of the annual States Dinner the first evening of the Aug. WOUNDS: Continued on page 13
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Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston delivers a homily Aug. 6 during a morning Mass at the Knights of Columbus 132nd Supreme Convention in Orlando, Fla. (CNS photo/Tom Tracy)
5-7 convention. As a humanitarian issue, the border crisis has been so over-politicized that it is hard for Americans to talk or think about it rationally, he said, but it also represents a moment of grace for Americans to regain their footing as a compassionate people and nation. “At the same time we look at efforts to try to alleviate the pain and suffering of these families and at least in Texas we have activated all the Catholic Charities and churches to respond to this crisis,” Bishop Rodriguez said. “Some have done special collections and others have found many other ways to give a welcoming to all these unfortunate peoples.” He also said the U.S. government must collaborate with
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Continued from page 12 Mexican and Central American authorities to stem the flight of people north across the U.S. border. Gangs, poverty, lack of opportunities at home and false rumors have fueled the migration, he said. “If we want to resolve this problem it has to be bilaterally,” Bishop Rodriquez told CNS. “The U.S. and Mexican bishops have always been talking to each other and we produced a (related) pastoral letter but it goes unnoticed by many.” The bishops’ joint pastoral asked for sweeping changes in immigration policies on both sides of the border. Titled “Strangers No Longer: Together on a Journey of Hope,” it was issued in January 2003.
In an interview with Bostonbased CatholicTV Network, Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski noted that over the last 10 years, U.S. lawmakers have failed to pass a comprehensive U.S. immigration reform measure despite many opportunities. “It looks like that is not going to happen” during the current Congress either, he said. “That is unfortunate because the problem is not the immigrants, the problem is a broken system.” “Many of us Catholics are only a generation removed from the immigration experience ourselves. We have to have some solidarity and work for a just and fair immigration reform,” Archbishop Wenski said.
Pope to send envoy to Christians forced from their homes in Iraq By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Given the “grave situation in Iraq,” Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Fernando Filoni to travel to the region to meet church and government officials, but especially to meet Christians chased from their homes by militants of the Islamic State. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said Aug. 8 the pope chose Cardinal Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, for the mission because of the experience he gained in the region as nuncio to Iraq in 2001-2006. The cardinal “was the only diplomat to remain in Iraq” when the U.S.-led coalition invaded in 2003, which demonstrates his “dedication and notable courage,” Father Lombardi said. The same day, Pope Francis sent a request through his @Pontifex Twitter account: “I ask all men and women of good will to join me in praying for Iraqi Christians and all vulnerable populations.” Announcing Pope Francis’ decision to send Cardinal Filoni to the region, Father Lombardi said it was “too soon to say when he will leave and exactly where he will go,” but the cardinal definitely will not be joining Pope Francis for his visit to South Korea Aug. 14-18. The cardinal, Father Lombardi said, “will try to meet the people most affected” by the early August advance of Islamic State fighters
through the predominantly Christian villages of Ninevah province in northeast Iraq. The fighters reportedly forced tens of thousands of Christians from their homes overnight Aug. 6-7. Many of the displaced, along with many who were forced from Mosul in late July, have sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is where Cardinal Filoni hopes to go, Father Lombardi said. In addition to his meetings, the spokesman said, Cardinal Filoni will take a financial donation from Pope Francis to help the displaced. The cardinal told Vatican Radio his assignment was “a gesture that shows the pope’s concern for the situation of these Christians who are suffering.” Cardinal Filoni said organizing the trip would take some work “because it is not easy to reach.” He said he was not frightened of making the trip and was confident the logistics would come together so “I can see how I can be close to these people for a time.” Reminded that Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad had said Aug. 7 that the Christians were facing “a human catastrophe and risk a real genocide,” Cardinal Filoni said, “Patriarch Sako is there and so he knows very well” what is happening. The pope has asked the nuncios to all the countries in the region to speak with their host governments about the plea for peace he made Aug. 7 and to ask local Catholics to pray for their neighbors, Father Lombardi said.
Displaced people are seen resting on the ground at an area in Duhok, Iraq, Aug. 7. Given the “grave situation in Iraq,” Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, to travel to the region to meet church and government officials, but especially to meet Christians chased from their homes by militants of the Islamic State. (CNS photo/courtesy Christian Aid Program)
In the appeal, the pope asked “the international community to take initiatives to put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, to take steps to protect those involved and threatened by violence
and to ensure the necessary aid for so many displaced people whose fate depends on the solidarity of others.” Pope Francis also is organizing a meeting at the Vatican of
the nuncios to all the countries in the Middle East, Father Lombardi said. The meeting probably will take place in early September, “because right now it is more urgent that Cardinal Filoni go.”
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INTERNATIONAL
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With no pope in residence, Vatican opens gardens of summer villa By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- The aisle is paved with stone from an ancient Roman road; the apse is made of carefully trimmed evergreen bushes; the columns are tall, thin cypress trees; and the nave is a lily pond, complete with gold fish. Welcoming visitors to “our outdoor church” in Castel Gandolfo, Osvaldo Gianoli explains, “it has always been a place of prayer for the popes.” Thanks to a very rainy July, damp and dark woods separate the area -- formally known as the Garden of the Little Madonna -- from the expertly groomed Boulevard of the Oaks in the gardens of the papal villas at Castel Gandolfo. So far, Pope Francis has resisted joining the list of popes who have taken up temporary residence in Castel Gandolfo, praying and reciting the rosary in the garden 13 miles south of Rome. In the meantime, Gianoli said, the pope “strongly desired that (the villas) be opened as a sign of sharing something unique, a common good, and so wanted this opening to share the gardens with the public.” Gianoli, who was named director of the papal villas at Castel Gandolfo in December, has the challenge of fulfilling Pope Francis’ mandate to welcome the public while at the same time preserving the historic gardens and ensuring they can fulfill their main purpose: as a place of quiet relaxation for the pope and his top aides. The papal property at Castel Gandolfo extends over 135 acres -- compared to the 108.7 acres of Vatican City -- and includes 17 acres of formal gardens, three residences and a working farm. The formal Italian gardens, planted in the 1930s, are a meticulously maintained historic, artistic and botanical treasure, Gianoli said. The emphasis on symmetry and geometric topiary -- the hedges are trimmed flat or carefully rounded -- is meant to reflect and extend the architecture of the main buildings to the outdoors. The other treasure on the property is the first-century ruins of the summer villa of Roman Emperor Domitian, who reigned in 81-96. Visitors can walk around his small amphitheater and peek
into the remaining 110-yardlength of a “cryptoportico” where the emperor could stroll far from prying eyes, remaining cool and dry in any weather. The farm is not included on the itinerary for the public, although school groups have been invited, as have the children served by
picked and turned into wine. The greenhouses are used not just for giving an early spring start to flowers that later will adorn the formal gardens at Castel Gandolfo, but also for growing some 500 poinsettias each year to decorate Vatican buildings and to sell to Vatican employees. In addition,
While Pope Francis spent part of three different days at the villa in 2013, he is not scheduled to visit at all in 2014. But if he changes his mind, “We’re ready,” Gianoli said. “We’re always ready for the Holy Father.” Preparations include such details as a vase of fresh hydrangeas
the Second World War. “In 1944, the villas were a refuge for anyone who wanted to come. In that period, with the advance of the Allies after the Anzio landing,” he said, there were an estimated “12,000 people hosted by Pope Pius XII here. In fact, Pope Pius made his private bedroom available as an
The Belvedere Garden with its bushes and flowers carefully trimmed into geometric shapes is one of the historic sections of the papal villas in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, that Pope Francis ordered to be open to the public. (CNS photo/Henry Daggett)
the Vatican’s St. Martha pediatric clinic. The farm is the real deal, producing 185 gallons of milk a day, 50,000 eggs a year, honey, olive oil and vegetables, including some from the seeds used in Michelle Obama’s White House garden and given to Pope Francis as a gift. “The yellow zucchini are ready now -- I’d never had yellow zucchini, but they’re good,” Gianoli said. A treat he is looking forward to sampling in the winter will be the final result of September’s grape harvest. More than 400 little vines were planted three years ago and the first full batch of bunches are ripening on the vine, waiting to be
the greenhouses are the winter home for the hybrid John Paul II hibiscus, whose brilliant white and yellow flowers are the colors of the Vatican flag. Every spring, the hibiscus are planted in the Garden of the Little Madonna. Since March the Vatican has been offering a 90-minute guided tour of the formal gardens and the Roman ruins. Gianoli said 2,200 people visited in the first four months, and “I have another 2,000 who have reservations.” The 55 employees of the papal villas at Castel Gandolfo have traditionally focused on maintaining the beauty and privacy of the property as a summer haven for the pope and his top aides.
at the foot of the statue of Mary that gives the Garden of the Little Madonna its name. Castel Gandolfo became a papal summer residence in 1626 when Pope Urban VIII spent his vacation there, as he had done as a cardinal. Many popes never visited or could not -- particularly in the years after the fall of the papal states and before a treaty was signed with Italy. When the Lateran Pacts were signed in 1929, the Vatican’s ownership was recognized and work began on making the formal gardens “as you see them today,” Gianoli said. At different times in history, the gardens played important roles. The most dramatic was during
obstetrics ward; 35 babies were born here.” More recently, television stations across the globe showed the villas when Pope Benedict XVI decided to spend the last hours of his papacy in Castel Gandolfo, flying there by helicopter from the Vatican Feb. 28, 2013. A month later, the newly elected Pope Francis made his first visit to the villas, spending several hours with Pope Benedict. “These places are important to us because they are places where the popes have come to pray,” Gianoli said. “It is a place of peace, tranquility and serenity.”
OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE
COMMENTARY
WORD to LIFE August 17
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
August 13, 2014
15
FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS
August 24
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33-36; Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 By Catholic News Service
By Catholic News Service The story in this week’s Gospel of Matthew is unnerving when we first read Jesus’ response to a Canaanite woman seeking his help for her daughter. He explains he was sent by God only to rescue the lost of Israel. So, not Canaanites such as she. It seems a little harsh. Thankfully it ends well. The woman addresses him as Lord and indicates that she believes in the saving power of even the smallest scrap of his offerings. Now Jesus’ attitude changes. He affirms the strength of her faith and responds by healing her daughter. Caroline Brennan, a staff member of Catholic Relief Services, recently shared a story about her agency that showed Jesus’ saving arms as wide open to all people today, as they were to the Canaanite. While speaking with parishioners on a short tour of local churches, Caroline pointed out that when she travels with CRS to all parts of the world, she represents them as the body of Christ bringing assistance to people suffering from poverty, war or natural disasters. Her organization “is the face of the Catholic community around the world,” she explained. “Women come up to you. They show you their wounds and want to tell you their story,” she said, practically retelling the story of the Canaanite woman. The account in Matthew explains Christ’s desire to exclude no one from his offer of salvation. It echoes Isaiah’s prophetic words that “foreigners who join themselves to the Lord ... I will bring to my holy mountain.” Caroline witnessed the fruits of Jesus’ inclusiveness not long ago on a trip to the Middle East. “You know, we serve in a lot of places where the people are mostly non-
Christian,” she said. “In one of those places, I met a Muslim child who thought the word ‘Catholic’ meant ‘help’ because that’s what she always associated it with.” Jesus told the Canaanite woman, “Great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Indeed, he is alive and well in every corner of the world, still walking among all peoples, extending his healing hands to those who seek him with great faith.
Questions: When have you witnessed Christ’s compassion being extended beyond the Christian community? How can you open your own arms to assist people in need outside your own social confines?
“YOU RULE THE PEOPLES IN EQUITY; THE NATIONS ON THE EARTH YOU GUIDE.” -- PSALM 67:5
We are asked many questions in life. When we are young we hear things like: How old are you? What do you want to be when you grow up? As we mature the questions change: Do you have a date for prom? Where do you want to go to college? Some questions we welcome, such as how was your vacation or how’s the new job or is it a boy or a girl? We are less enthusiastic about answering others. For instance, when are you going to settle down and get married, or how about them Cowboys? A lot of questions are just about ordinary things, but sometimes they go a bit deeper. We may be asked why do bad things happen to good people or what is the meaning of life? In the history of the world the question that probably matters the most is asked in this week’s Gospel. Jesus had been with his disciples for a while at this point. I imagine they were not sure what to make of this man. They had seen him do miracles and heard him preach, but they also knew he was the son of a carpenter. I can just see them, when he wasn’t around, talking to each other about what they had seen and heard. Jesus poses a question that will lead to the deeper life-changing question. He starts with, “Who do people say that I am?” This is a pretty safe question. The disciples are just asked to report what they have heard, but then comes the clincher: “Who do you say that I am?” Who Jesus is to you really matters. How you answer that question is a matter of (eternal) life or death. Through the centuries, this question has echoed in every Christian’s heart. Jesus lovingly looks at each one of us and asks: “Who do you say
that I am?” Our hope is to have enough faith to answer as Peter did: “The Christ, the Son of the living God.” For with Jesus as our Messiah, savior, friend and God, all the other questions either fall away or find their ultimate meaning. For when we look into the heart of who Jesus is we find the ultimate answer to all our questioning.
Questions: When did you first realize who Jesus really is? If a non-Christian asked you to tell them about Jesus, who would you say Jesus is?
“WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” -- MATTHEW 16:15
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