T H E
M A G A Z I N E
O F
T H E
C A T H O L I C
D I O C E S E
O F
C L E V E L A N D
May/June 2017 www.dioceseofcleveland.org
Catholic Charities helps Phillip create a safe, new life in Cleveland Pentecost: How the Church began
Faith community
RALLIES TO SUPPORT CRITICALLY INJURED SISTERS Read their miraculous story on PAGE 16
S E R V I N G T H E C O U N T I E S O F A S H L A N D, C U YA H O G A , G E A U G A , L A K E , LO R A I N , M E D I N A , S U M M I T A N D WAY N E
Fr. Mark has devoted his life to the Church...
... and will continue the Church’s mission with a gift from his estate. I was born, raised and educated in the Diocese of Cleveland, and am grateful for all the blessings God has given me over my 71 years. In an effort to express my appreciation, I want to help the Church of Cleveland continue its excellent formation of the clergy at our seminaries, and the care of the sick and retired priests of our diocese. In addition, I would like to assist our diocesan Catholic Charities in living out the Gospel message of helping those who are in need. Rev. Mark Hollis Spiritual Director Saint Mary Seminary Diocese of Cleveland
Learn how you can create your Catholic legacy at
www.CatholicCommunity.org/legacy. For a confidential conversation and a FREE Catholic Estate Planning Recordbook, contact Lauren Gannon at the Catholic Community Foundation, 216-696-6525 x4200, lgannon@catholiccommunity.org. 2
Northeast Ohio Catholic
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INSIDE
May/June
The magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Copyright 2017 WWW.DIOCESEOFCLEVELAND.ORG
MAY/JUNE 2017 VOLUME 2: ISSUE 4 PUBLISHER
Most Rev. Daniel Thomas EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Deacon Jim Armstrong, APR jarmstrong@dioceseofcleveland.org EDITOR
Carol Kovach ckovach@dioceseofcleveland.org AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Anita Simko
asimko@dioceseofcleveland.org DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Robert Tayek
rtayek@dioceseofcleveland.org SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Jeff Stutzman
16
Faith community
RALLIES TO SUPPORT CRITICALLY INJURED
SISTERS
jstutzman@dioceseofcleveland.org
4 CULTURE
STAFF ASSISTANT
Robert Polomsky
Three ‘fathers’ share a bond of faith and family
rpolomsky@dioceseofcleveland.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Sally Benninger
sbenninger@dioceseofcleveland.org
6
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tom Adams Doug Culp Carol Kovach Father Joe Krupp Cathleen McGreal
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
FEATURE STORY
Preparing for the priesthood
8
The Tom Adams family Maribeth Joeright Tara Marcic Carol Kovach
7 FEATURE STORY
Liturgy celebrates 170th
anniversary of diocese
8 FEATURE STORY
Catholic Charities helps
Phillip create a safe, new life in Cleveland PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
10
Patrick M. O’Brien
VICE PRESIDENT/ EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Martin Solsburg GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rachel Matero
14
Immigration and refugee
crisis
12 FEATURE STORY
New Catholic radio station
PRINT MANAGEMENT
InnerWorkings
AM 1260 The Rock is reaching souls
To advertise in the Northeast Ohio Catholic, contact Anita Simko at 216.696.6525, Ext. 2610, asimko@ dioceseofcleveland. org or advertising@ dioceseofcleveland.org.
13 PARENTING
Does summer vacation have to be so structured?
To subscribe to the Northeast Ohio Catholic, call 216.696.6525 NORTHEAST OHIO CATHOLIC (USPS 094-580) is published bimonthly, six times per year, by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, 1404 East Ninth St., Cleveland, OH 44114-2556. Periodicals postage paid in Cleveland, OH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northeast Ohio Catholic, 1404 East Ninth St., Cleveland, OH 44114-2556. Send address changes to Northeast Ohio Catholic, 1404 East Ninth St., Cleveland, OH 44114-2556.
SPECIAL REPORT
14 FEATURE STORY
22
16 COVER STORY
Faith community rallies to support critically injured sisters
20
IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE
Why do bad things happen
to good people?
22 SPECIAL REPORT
Our Lady of Fatima:
100 years of grace
24 THEOLOGY 101
Pentecost: How the Church
began
25 THINGS TO DO 26 ASSIGNMENT CHANGES
LOCAL NEWS
28 IN MEMORIAM 30 LAST WORD
Remembering my mother, the ‘married widow,’ on Mother’s Day
Building a solid foundation for the future 3
Three ‘fathers’ share a bond of faith and family THREE GENERATIONS OF THE SCHULTZ FAMILY gathered for some friendly, pre-Father’s Day banter one recent Saturday afternoon. Except for the location, it was a typical family get-together. Father Patrick Schultz, his father, Richard (Rick) Schultz, and his grandfather, Richard (Dick) Schultz, were hanging out at the Communion of Saints Parish rectory in Cleveland Heights, where Father Patrick is assigned as a parochial vicar. They chatted about sports, family news, vacation plans and food — especially their love of grilling. Laughter and good-natured jabs punctuated the conversation. It’s obvious the trio enjoys spending time together. “We do a lot of things as a family,” said Father Patrick, who was ordained a year ago. Rick is a retired CEO who owned a surgical instrument company and works as a consultant. Dick, also retired, spent 25 years as an educator 4
Northeast Ohio Catholic
YOUR LIFE CULTURE
The grill is always on during the summer ... There’s nothing like an allAmerican cookout.
in the Maple Heights schools. Rick, his wife, Michelle, and Dick, who is widowed, are members of St. Mary Parish in Hudson. When asked why he wasn’t named after his father and grandfather, Father Patrick said, “I am. I’m Patrick Richard.” With warm spring weather finally here, their thoughts — and conversation — turned to boating, golf and tennis, three favorite recreational pastimes. Dick said he got interested in tennis when he was in his 30s. “I was bad at golf and wanted to do something more physical,” he said. He was competitive, participating in the U.S. Tennis Association and winning titles at the state and regional levels. “I went to regionals with Rick,” he said. Dick played tennis until he was
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72 and suffered a detached retina, which hampered his depth perception. However, he remains active by participating in the Silver Sneakers program about three times a week. “And he takes care of the ‘old people’ in Hudson,” his son said. “Everybody played tennis,” Dick said, including Father Patrick and his brother, Scott, who is six years younger. “They were very good,” Dick said. Father Patrick said he didn’t participate in scholastic sports in high school, but he continued to play tennis and golf. He also was very active in Taekwondo, a Korean martial art that he began doing in preschool — after watching the animated “Power Rangers” TV show and having a Taekwondo studio visit his preschool. “I remember Patrick telling me he could see himself on the podium at the national (Taekwondo) championship,” Rick said. “And he did it. He won a silver and a bronze medal at nationals when he was in sixth grade.” By eighth grade, Father Patrick said he started teaching the sport and when he was in high school, he was at the studio at least five days a week teaching, coaching and competing. He achieved a third degree black belt. Father Patrick spent a year at the University of Dayton before he decided to enter Borromeo Seminary and begin formation for the priesthood. He said he enjoyed Ultimate Frisbee at the seminary, as well as golf, tennis, ping pong and racquetball. “One of my most humbling moments was when Father Mark Riley (pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Cleveland) smoked me in racquetball. He really surprised me. I thought I’d have to take it easy on him,” he said laughing. Rick said he played baseball, football and tennis, and got into sailing later. “The whole family does a lot of boating on Lake Erie.” The Schultzes also enjoy traveling to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Naples, Florida, for vacations. They relax, play lots of tennis and golf, head to the beach and pool and STORY AND PHOTO BY CAROL KOVACH
RECIPES FOR THIS SUMMER
then spend time grilling. “The grill is always on during the summer,” said Dick. “We like to cook burgers, brats, chicken breasts and corn on the cob,” Rick said. “We love the corn from Szalay’s (a popular sweet corn farm in Peninsula) — the yellow and white corn. There’s nothing like an all-American cookout.” “And you have to have onions,” said Father Patrick. “And watermelon,” added Dick. He recalled one time when Father Patrick was attending Dayton and the family was vacationing in Naples. “Patrick asked me to go for a walk. That’s when he told me he was leaving Dayton and going into the seminary. I was a little surprised at first,” Dick admitted. However, he said his late wife, Norine, might have been the one to nudge him towards the priesthood. “When Patrick was in about fifth grade she said, ‘I have six grandchildren and no altar boys. I want you to be one.’ And he did. She was a convert and was very religious and active at St. Mary’s,” Dick said. “He was a good altar boy. He held the cross up high,” Rick said. “Not like me. I only did it a couple of times.” “I used to be so scared,” Father Patrick said. “I never knew when to bring up the book.” But he admitted his faith was growing as he matured, attended Hudson High School and spent a year at Dayton studying art before deciding to enter the seminary. “Art was wonderful as a hobby, but studying it kind of crushed the creativity. It wasn’t as much fun anymore.” Dick said his grandson was very talented, recalling that he got involved in theatrical productions in school, snagging the lead role of Aladdin in his first play as a third-grader. “And in his second play, guess what?” Rick asked. “He played Peter Pan in ‘Peter Pan.’” Father Patrick said he also got called back twice for the lead role of
The Beast in “Beauty and the Beast” at Hudson High School. “But I was cast as the baker.” He left his mark at Hudson High School in the form of a mural that still hangs on the wall. “I always take a look at it when I go to basketball games,” Dick said. Magic shows were another thing Father Patrick dabbled in as a child. “My wife and I had to go and watch the shows in the family room,” Dick said, laughing. They also enjoyed a laugh about how Father Patrick disliked tomatoes, which Dick grows in his garden and gives away to friends. “It took going to Rome to get me to like tomatoes,” Father Patrick said. He spent the 2010 fall semester in Rome and his family went to visit — dad, mom, grandfather and brother — for about a week. While there, he shared a small apartment with three other Cleveland seminarians. “We did a lot of cooking in that tiny kitchen,” he said. “Bobby McWilliams (who will be ordained as a priest this month) is a good cook.” “That was a great trip,” Rick recalled. “Scott said he didn’t want to do only ‘Church stuff’ while we were there, but he ended up doing a lot of it. I think it helped open his eyes and deepen his faith.” The Schultzes attended two papal Masses and brought back rosaries that had been placed on the tomb of Pope St. John Paul II. “Patrick’s journey to the priesthood pulled us all closer to the Church,” Rick said. “That first day he went to the seminary, we were questioning why we were there and why he was there,” he said, before all the pieces began fitting together. “Patrick gave me strength, especially when my wife died 10 years ago,” Dick said. “I think my cousins think it’s pretty cool to have a priest in the family,” Father Patrick said, adding he will celebrate his cousin’s wedding in October. “We feel so proud when he’s on the altar,” Dick said.
Here are some easy recipes to enjoy at a summer cookout.
AUNT MARY’S HOT BARBECUE SAUCE Ingredients • ¼ cup cider vinegar • ½ cup water • ½ cup catsup • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • ¼ cup butter • 1 thick slice of lemon • 1 thick slice of onion • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 tablespoon prepared mustard • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 1½ teaspoons salt • 2 tablespoons sugar Directions Mix ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over ribs that have been partially cooked and cover. Simmer ribs in sauce in oven until tender. (Father John Vrana — Reprinted from More Favorite Recipes, Volume XVI, taken from the Catholic Universe Bulletin 1999-2002)
BAKED BEANS Ingredients • 3 cans (16 ounces each) of pork and beans • 1 cup catsup • ½ cup brown sugar • 1 cup syrup (Karo or maple) • ½ cup prepared mustard • 8 ounces uncooked bacon • 1 cup onions chopped • ¼ cup green peppers chopped Directions Cook bacon until crisp, drain and save drippings. Chop bacon. Sauté green peppers and onions in the bacon drippings until tender. Combine all ingredients. Pour into a baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (Deacon Shelby Friend — Reprinted from More Favorite Recipes, Volume XVII, taken from the Catholic Universe Bulletin 2002-2005) 5
P RE PA RING F O R THE PRI E STHO O D Seminarians are ‘excited and at peace’ as ordination approaches Members of the 2017 ordination class pose with Bishop Daniel Thomas. They are, front row, from left, Deacons Jacob Bearer and Anthony Simone, Bishop Thomas, Deacons James Cosgrove and Robert McWilliams. In the top row, from left, are Deacons Eric Garris, Peter Morris, Matthew Jordan and Soohyun (Peter) Bang.
ight men are completing preparations for ordination to the priesthood, which will take place at a special liturgy celebrated by Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Cleveland, at 7 p.m. on May 19 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
STORY BY CAROL KOVACH PHOTO BY TARA MARCIC
LEARN MORE
Look for information on the newly ordained deacons in the next issue, as well as more on the priest ordination Mass.
6
Members of this year’s ordination class, their home parishes and parents are: • Deacon Soohyun (Peter) Bang, Namsan Church, Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea, son of Yongjoon Bang and Taesoon Park; • Deacon Jacob B. Bearer, St. Mary Parish, Painesville, son of Brian and Kelly Bearer; • Deacon James M. Cosgrove, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Parma, son of Michael and Mary Cosgrove; • Deacon Eric S. Garris, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Wickliffe, son of Jennifer Garris and the late Robert Garris; • Deacon Matthew W. Jordan, St. Francis De Sales Parish, Akron, son of Walter and Sharon Jordan; • Deacon Robert D. McWilliams, Immaculate Conception Parish, Akron, son of Sharon Berube and the late Walter McWilliams; • Deacon Peter A. Morris, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Elyria, son of Alex Morris and the late Mary Lou Morris; and • Deacon Anthony J. Simone, St. Mary Parish, Hudson, son of Kathy Ann Simone and the late Anthony Simone, Sr.
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“They are engaged in finishing their academic program and spiritually preparing for the priesthood,” said Father Mark Latcovich, president-rector of Borromeo Seminary and Saint Mary Seminary. “This is a lifelong commitment. They are excited and at peace.” Father Latcovich said seven of the eight candidates are for service to the Diocese of Cleveland, while one is from the Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea. The Archdiocese of Daegu has had a long relationship with Saint Mary Seminary and has sent nine men to be trained. Currently, along with Deacon Bang, there are two other South Korean seminarians in our formation program, he added. “Our relationship with the Archdiocese of Daegu goes back 20 years,” Father Latcovich said. “It is a rich blessing for our seminary to have these men in formation sharing with us their culture and their faith.” When a seminarian from the Archdiocese of Daegu is ordained, Father Latcovich said he remains in Cleveland for his first four-year assignment as a priest. The men preparing for ordination are serving as deacons in parishes throughout the diocese, where they minister from Saturday through Monday evening in parish ministry. They have completed a rigorous program of pastoral formation each semester, including a year (or two summer internships) in parishes. Deacon Bang is assigned to St. Charles Borromeo, Parma; his internship was at St. John Vianney, Mentor and St. Charles Borromeo, Parma. Deacon Bearer is assigned to St. John Vianney, Mentor; his internship
Liturgy celebrates
DID YOU KNOW THAT ... ? There are 80 men enrolled in the seminary. Sixty-three are diocesan seminarians; the others are from Daegu, South Korea, the Diocese of Youngstown, the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine, the Congregation of St. Joseph and the Blessed Sacrament Fathers. The word priest comes from the Greek presbyteros through the Latin presbyter and Old High German priast or prest. June 23 is the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. This day is celebrated annually on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart.
was at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cuyahoga Falls. Deacon Cosgrove is assigned to Holy Family, Stow; his internship was at Church of the Holy Angels, Chagrin Falls. Deacon Garris is assigned to St. Adalbert, Berea; his internship was at St. Hilary, Akron. Deacon Jordan is assigned to St. Ambrose, Brunswick; his internship was at St. Anselm, Chesterland. Deacon McWilliams is assigned to Our Lady of Angels in Cleveland; his internship was at St. Helen, Newbury. Deacon Morris is assigned to St. Thomas More, Brooklyn; his internship was at SS. Robert and William, Euclid. Deacon Simone is assigned to Church of the Holy Angels, Bainbridge; his internship was at St. Augustine, Tremont and at Church of the Holy Angels, Bainbridge. “All of these men will be awarded two graduate degrees: a master of arts in theology and master of divinity on May 11,” Father Latcovich said. The candidates were interviewed by Bishop Thomas in late March and met with him again in late April to receive their first assignment as parochial vicars and attend an afternoon workshop with their pastors. “The first parish assignment plays a significant role in the life of a priest. It allows him to be mentored by his first pastor and staff and establishes a pastoral bond with the people to whom he ministers,” Father Latcovich said.
This statue of Bishop Louis Amadeus Rappe, first bishop of Cleveland, stands on Superior Avenue near East Ninth Street, just outside the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
170
th
anniversary of diocese
W
hen the Diocese of Cleveland was established by Pope Pius IX in a papal bull issued on April 23, 1847, the city of Cleveland was 51 years old. Ohio had become a state in 1803 and James Polk was serving as the country’s 11th president. The Diocese of Cincinnati, which was carved in 1821 from the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky, included all of Ohio, and was under the pastoral care of Bishop John Baptist Purcell. A liturgy at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist commemorated the 170th anniversary of the diocese. A chalice that once was used by Bishop Louis Amadeus Rappe, the first diocesan bishop, was displayed in the diocesan archives, where it is housed. The cathedral is one of many parishes established by Bishop Rappe. His statue — created from bronze by noted sculptor Luella Varney Serrao and dedicated in 1889 — stands outside the cathedral at Superior Avenue and East Ninth Street in downtown Cleveland, a This gold-plated location “in the country” that was chosen by the bishop. Cathedral chalice used by construction began in 1848; dedication was on Nov. 7, 1852. Bishop Rappe is Bishop Rappe, who was born in France in 1801 and ordained in 1829, one of many historical items in the came to Ohio as a missionary priest and was sent to the Toledo area diocesan archives. about 1841, where he worked until his selection as the first bishop of Cleveland. He was consecrated on Oct. 10, 1847, and installed on Oct. 17. When he resigned in 1870, the diocese had grown tremendously to 160 churches, including the cathedral; 90 parish schools; a seminary; six academies for girls; seven religious institutions for men; 22 religious institutions for women; three hospitals and seven asylums. The Catholic population was 100,000, according to the diocesan statistics for 1870 that appeared in the 1871 Catholic Directory. Bishop Rappe spent the rest of his life ministering to the faithful in Vermont, where he died in 1877. He is buried in a crypt in St. John’s Cathedral here. In the ensuing 170 years, the diocese has grown to become the 23rd largest diocese in the country with 677,219 Catholics in eight counties. The dioceses of Toledo and Youngtown were established from the Cleveland diocese in 1910 and 1943, respectively. There are 185 parishes, a pastoral center, a mission in El Salvador, 250 diocesan priests in active ministry, 79 religious order priests, 144 diocesan deacons in active ministry, more than 1,000 religious women and brothers, 324 lay ecclesial ministers and the largest school system in Ohio, with 90 elementary schools, 20 high schools and 67 prekindergarten programs for a student population of 43,159. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, is one of the largest comprehensive health and human services organizations in the region. It delivers more than 150 services at 60 locations to more than 400,000 individuals annually. A search is under way for a new bishop, since Bishop Richard Lennon, the 10th bishop, retired in December 2016. Toledo Bishop Daniel Thomas is the apostolic administrator of the diocese until the new bishop is installed. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROL KOVACH
7
CATH OL I C C HA RI T I E S H E L P S P H I L L I P C R E ATE A
safe, new life in Cleveland “Hello. I’m Roman Catholic and my name is Phillip.” YOUR STORIES FEATURE STORY
8
That’s how Phillip Ruthinda, a 63-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo, introduced himself to staff members from the Office of Migration and Refugee Services, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, when he arrived in Cleveland on Feb. 23, 2016. For Phillip, a survivor of torture, his arrival here to begin a new life was the end of a long journey filled with years of pain, uncertainty and wandering. He travelled much of the distance, about 2,000 miles, from his native Congo to South Africa — where he
Northeast Ohio Catholic
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spent almost four years in a refugee camp — on foot. “Many generations of my family lived in Congo. My ancestors came with cattle from North Africa. They were proud people,” he said. They lived on farms and moved the cattle occasionally to better grazing land. “It was a beautiful, peaceful country,” said Phillip, who smiles easily and loves to talk about his country. He was raised Catholic and taught by missionaries. “There were many Catholics,” he said. In 1969, Phillip left his family to care for the cattle while he traveled to Uganda and Zambia, two nearby countries, to work. He said he had a variety of jobs, working in stores and shops, and he sent money to his family so they could buy more cows. He visited occasionally, and returned home in 1993. He married and had three children: two sons and a daughter. But tribal and civil war was being waged in Rwanda, with members of the Hutu tribe killing members of the Tutsi tribe. In 1994, during the Rwandan genocide, more than 800,000 Tutsis were massacred. Phillip said Tutsis fled, many crossing into Uganda and Congo seeking safety.
“For Phillip, a survivor of
torture, his arrival here to
begin a new life was the end of a long journey filled with years of pain, uncertainty
and wandering.”
It was a difficult time. Fighting was spilling into Congo, Phillip said. The Congolese were trying to help the people fleeing from Rwanda, but he said people were betraying them and the fighting escalated. One night, in 1998, he was coming back from the fields with the cows and saw the farms being set on fire. “And they were cutting the legs off the cows,” he said. “I was with about five other people and we got grabbed by some people who came out from the bush. They took us to the forest and started killing people.” Phillip said he played dead and later was able to escape. He wandered until 2002, when he heard it might be safe to return. He figured his family was dead after he saw the farm burned. “I stayed with my uncles and their family and it was good again — for a while,” he said. Fighting resumed in 2011, along with the killing. “I knew I couldn’t stay there,” he said. “The best place to go was South Africa.” He arrived a year later and registered with the United Nations for refugee resettlement, living in a camp in Durban. In 2014, he learned he was being sent to the United States, but he didn’t know when or where. Also that year, with help from refugee workers, he learned his family was alive. They escaped, believing he was dead, and had been living in Tanzania. In February 2016, he flew from South Africa to New York City, then Cleveland. “It was very cold,” Phillip said. “I have never been in cold weather like this,” he said, adding he arrived with just a T-shirt and was grateful for the warm jacket he was given at the airport by Catholic Charities workers who met him and helped him settle into an apartment on the West Side of Cleveland. The UN provides documentation to refugees to help them begin new lives. “He had a number of medical issues that needed attention,” said Tara Knight, his social worker. “He attends English class every day.” She said he participates in a program for survivors of torture and serves as a
Phillip Ruthinda reviews an English lesson with Tara Knight, his social worker, from Catholic Charities.
mentor and friend to other refugees.” He also is a member of St. Colman Parish, where he enjoys helping at the socials after Mass, visiting parishioners and talking. “He’s a role model for the refugees,” Tara said, adding Phillip speaks both Swahili and Kinyarwanda, his native language, and volunteers as a translator. Phillip video chats occasionally with his family, which now includes three grandchildren. He hopes to bring his wife to live with him in Cleveland. Tom Mrosko , director of the diocesan Office of Migration and Refugee Services, said Phillip and his family are considered refugees because they fled their country and cannot return. He expects about 50,000 refugees will be resettled in the U.S. through Sept. 30. “We hit about 39,000 in late March,” Tom said. Locally, Catholic Charities MRS resettled 149 people by the end of March.
LEARN MORE
For more information about MRS and the services it provides, or to explore volunteer opportunities, visit /ccdocle. org/service-category/migrationrefugee-immigration-services.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROL KOVACH
9
SPECIAL REPORT
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE
CRISIS THE MIDDLE EAST
MEXICO AND THE WALL
Conflict in the Middle East, in particular in Syria, has created a refugee crisis in Europe unparalleled since World War II. It is estimated that more than 6 million people have been displaced by the Syrian civil war. In 2016, more than 4,500 persons died in shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea, trying to escape the war. In 2015, more than 3,770 people similarly perished. Countries across Europe have struggled to find compassionate and equitable solutions for the huge influx of desperate humanity, while still protecting their borders and citizens. On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” to ban nationals of seven Muslim-majority nations from entry into the U.S. Ports rejected those arriving with entry visas, and visa issuance was suspended. People in the banned groups were barred from flights with U.S. destinations, while others were detained on arrival. For refugees awaiting asylum in the U.S., plans were cancelled. After a federal court rejected the ban, President Trump issued a revised order, which changed the number of restricted nations to six and modified some provisions of the original. At this writing, Syrian civilians have been subjected to chemical weapons attacks by their own government. The U.S. has responded with a targeted airstrike, and tensions in the area are heightened.
The issue of immigration has also touched the southern border of the U.S. During the election campaign, President Trump promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. On Jan. 25, he signed an executive order to begin construction of the wall, which will require congressional approval. Bishops from both Mexico and the United States have spoken in opposition to the construction of a wall. While the flow of undocumented immigrants from Mexico has slowed in recent years, the number of persons crossing the southwestern border of the U.S. from Central America is on the rise. Most are fleeing extreme poverty and rampant gang violence. The number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. has fallen below 11 million, its lowest number since 2003.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM? HERE’S A LINK TO THE INFORMATION YOU NEED: www.usccb.org/issuesand-action/humanlife-and-dignity/immigration/ churchteachingonimmigrationreform.cfm
10
Northeast Ohio Catholic
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S RESPONSE MEXICO: Bishop Joe Vasquez, chair of the Committee of Migration and bishop of the Diocese of Austin, stated, “We strongly disagree with the executive order’s halting refugee admissions. We believe that now more than ever, welcoming newcomers and refugees is an act of love and hope. ... We need to protect all our brothers and sisters of all faiths, including Muslims, who have lost family, home, and country. ... We believe that by helping to resettle the most vulnerable, we are living out our Christian faith as Jesus has challenged us to do.” A widely reported quote from Pope Francis that “you cannot call yourself a Christian and chase away a refugee” was part of a speech the pope gave in October 2016, in which he spoke about the general attitude toward immigrants and refugees. SYRIA: On April 7, U.S. Bishops called for renewed peace efforts in Syria: “Three days ago, our Conference of Bishops decried the chemical attack in Syria as one that ‘shocks the soul.’ The use of internationally banned indiscriminate weapons is morally reprehensible. At the same time, our Conference affirmed the call of Pope Francis to attain peace in Syria ‘through dialogue and reconciliation.’”
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THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF OHIO’S RESPONSE Welcoming refugees and immigrants is a significant aspect of our American heritage and a fundamental character of Ohio faith communities, including the Catholic Church. Ohio is blessed to have many refugees and immigrants in our parishes, schools and ministries. The Catholic Church in our state operates numerous programs that directly sponsor and support these newcomers. As we listen to our pastors, principals, program directors, and more importantly, to the refugees and immigrants served by our Church’s ministries, we know of many good people who are deeply concerned for their personal safety and fearful about separation from their families. These are ongoing concerns, but recent changes in federal policy have heightened such fears. At both the state and national levels, our Church has long spoken out in favor of policies that ensure safety and compassionate treatment for immigrant and refugee persons and families in need. We continue to call upon Congress to address our broken immigration system through a comprehensive reform that improves security and creates more legal and transparent paths to immigration. As for enforcement, we do not advocate for the breaking of laws. Yet, we do urge for a more humane enforcement of these laws in a way that distinguishes between actual criminals and otherwise law-abiding, undocumented immigrant family members. We believe immigration officials should prioritize removal to those who are real threats to public safety. Likewise, most local law enforcement agencies we encounter are highly concerned about increasing trust between police and immigrant communities. Their work for public safety relies on trust between immigrants and local police and sheriff departments. We oppose efforts to pressure our state and local law enforcement to proactively enforce immigration regulations, unless public safety is truly at risk. Ohio does not benefit from separating good families and traumatizing children in our schools who each day live in fear of finding that their mothers or fathers are no longer at home to greet them. In these instances, justice should be sought, but the punishment should be commensurate with serving the good of the family unit, which is the fundamental cell of all society. In January 2017, the chairman of our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, Bishop Joe S. Vasquez, echoed our concerns over policy shifts created by recent presidential executive orders that increase the detention and family separation of many immigrants. He wrote: “The announced increase in immigrant detention space and immigration enforcement activities is alarming. It will tear families apart and spark fear and panic in communities. While we respect the right of our federal government to control our borders and ensure security for all Americans, we do not believe that a large-scale escalation of immigrant detention and intensive increased use of enforcement in immigrant communities is the way to achieve those goals. Instead, we remain firm in our commitment to comprehensive, compassionate, and common-sense reform.” In Ohio, our Church’s refugee resettlement network includes diocesan offices in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton. In 2016, we resettled over 1,000 refugees. Catholic parishes and diocesan offices also work in collaboration with other refugee resettlement programs in Ohio. These programs have safely and compassionately resettled refugees from all over the world, including a small number from Syria. Measuring by the immense outpouring of support from parishioners and others in our communities towards these refugees, we believe most Ohioans who know migrants and refugees welcome newcomers with open arms and wish to see Americans offer acts of mercy. The refugee program is one of the most vetted processes for entry into the United States. We do not oppose efforts to improve on the system, should there be a need. However, the temporary shutdown of all refugee admissions, and the more than 60 percent reduction in the number of refugees who can be resettled, create a chilling
effect on our ability to maintain programs and ongoing assistance. Refugees who have languished in camps for years will continue to find no relief, and a sudden temporary halt for our own agencies will likely result in significant downsizing of resources and staff. WE ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FOLLOWING: 1. A comprehensive reform of our immigration laws, not just enforcement-only measures, but a reform that provides more paths for legal entry and a rational and clear cut separation of duties among federal and local law enforcement officials, which does not compromise the community character of local law enforcement; 2. The BRIDGE Act: S.128/H.R. 496. (This act will protect the dignity of DACA-eligible youth by ensuring that these individuals, who were brought to the United States as children, and are contributing so much to our nation, can continue to live their lives free of the anxiety that they could be deported at any time.); 3. Efforts to persuade the
administration to re-establish enforcement priorities, so they focus more on true criminals and threats to public safety; 4. Maintaining the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program with adequate funding, while further improving the vetting process.
As Pope Francis said, “To migrate is the expression of that inherent desire for the happiness proper to every human being, a happiness that is to be sought and pursued. For us Christians, all human life is an itinerant journey towards our heavenly homeland.” (February 2017 Address to Participants in the International Forum on Migration and Peace)
Thank you for this consideration.
MOST REV. DENNIS M. SCHNURR Archdiocese of Cincinnati; Chairman, Board of Directors, Catholic Conference of Ohio
MOST REV. JOSEPH R. BINZER Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati
MOST REV. FREDERICK F. CAMPBELL Bishop of Columbus
MOST REV. WILLIAM SKURLA Apostolic Administrator of Byzantine Eparchy of Parma
MOST REV. JEFFREY M. MONFORTON Bishop of Steubenville
MOST REV. DANIEL E. THOMAS Bishop of Toledo and Apostolic Administrator Diocese of Cleveland
MOST REV. GEORGE V. MURRY S.J. Bishop of Youngstown
MOST REV. J. MICHAEL BOTEAN Bishop of Romanian Catholic Eparchy of Canton
MOST REV. BOHDAN J. DANYLO Bishop of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Eparchy, Parma
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New Catholic radio station AM 1260 The Rock is
REACHING SOULS
T
hose who tuned to radio station WCCR, AM 1260, at 3 p.m. on May 11, 2015, heard “Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever!,” followed by praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. With that sign-on, the station became Cleveland’s Catholic radio station, and the 300th domestic affiliate of the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network.
YOUR STORIES FEATURE STORY
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Known as “AM 1260 The Rock,” the station is owned by the nonprofit St. Peter The Rock Media. It offers 24hour, seven-day-per-week broadcasts of EWTN programming, as well as some local content. Two years into its mission, The Rock continues to grow and attracts a large audience, estimated at 2 million potential listeners. “It was meant to be,” said Dick Russ, a longtime former broadcast journalist who helped launch the station and serves on its board of directors. “If this were not a proven way to evangelize and spread the Gospel, to bring people to Christ, we wouldn’t be doing it. It is absolutely one of the most effective ways to spread the message.” All the pieces fell into place, said Jerry Monroe, an attorney and president of The Rock’s board of directors. “We formed a nonprofit corporation and a board. We were even able to get the call letters WCCR (Cleveland Catholic Radio), and the corresponding phone number.” He said Radio Disney sold them the FCC license in May 2015, some office furniture and other items to help the station get started. St. Gabriel Radio Inc., which operates Catholic station AM 820 in Columbus, also provided support. Bernadette Boguski, who joined The Rock as its first executive director in late December 2016, said the station is building success as a lay apostolate in the Diocese of Cleveland. “We got a testimonial from one
Northeast Ohio Catholic
listener who joined the Church last Easter and credited The Rock for his conversion,” she said. “The pastor’s voice can only reach as far as the back of the church,” Jerry said. “The Rock amplifies the voices of our priests and bishops. It also reminds non-practicing Catholics of their faith and helps get them back to confession and Mass regularly. Then they can hear the pastor’s voice.” The Rock operates from an office in a commercial development in Broadview Heights. It has a transmission site in the Brecksville area, where a satellite dish picks up the EWTN feed, which originates in Irondale, Alabama. EWTN is a global Catholic broadcasting network created by the late Mother Angelica, the former Rita Rizzo, who entered the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at the Conversion of St. Paul Shrine in Cleveland in 1944. The network began in 1981 in a makeshift studio in the monastery garage in Irondale, a suburb of Birmingham, with faith and $200 in the bank. Jerry said another Catholic radio station, WMIH, operated on the 1260 AM frequency from about 1995 to 1998. The station was purchased and operated by Radio Disney until 2015. It was off the air for a week while the equipment was moved to a smaller office nearby and things were reconnected for The Rock’s launch. Retired NASA engineer Leo
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Burkardt learned the operational end of the station and is a full-time volunteer. He, Bernadette and Sarah Dougherty, the administrative assistant, staff the office during business hours. He said there were a few rough spots in the early days, but The Rock now uses things like internet feeds to help avoid interruptions of the network signals. “The Rock is a listener-supported station,” Leo said. “About 80 percent of our funding comes from the listeners and about 20 percent from business memberships.” There are two spirit drives each year, in the spring and fall. Bernadette said the fall drive, scheduled for Oct. 11-13, ends on the 100th anniversary of Our Lady’s last apparition at Fatima. During the three-day spirit drives, the LEARN MORE station schedules For more on local programThe Rock, visit ming 8 a.m. to AM1260TheRock. com, or call 6 p.m., with a 216.227.1260 variety of guests. Tom Wenzel, EWTN’s Cleveland-based director of marketing for North America, serves on The Rock’s board of directors. He said the EWTN affiliates have a common theme: “a zeal for reaching souls, for reaching people where they’re at.” Tom credits the loyal listeners and volunteers for the station’s success so far. “They show up when you need them. The Lord sends them.” STORY AND PHOTO BY CAROL KOVACH
YOUR LIFE PARENTING
DOES SUMMER VACATION HAVE TO BE SO STRUCTURED?
Q
It’s summer and my kids are out of school. I remember the lazy days of summer in my childhood, but these days, it seems as if everyone’s kids are
at camps or summer enrichment opportunities. Should I be structuring my kids’ vacation more? How much is too much?
T. Gennara
A CATHLEEN MCGREAL
is a psychology professor and certified spiritual director.
As summer vacation began, my friends and I would sing, “No more pencils, No more books!” But there were still books because the summer library reading program was popular. Our parish Scout troop attended camp every summer, too. The rest of the time was spent devising our own activities, supervised by moms and grandmas. The changes that you
mention reflect societal changes. More parents are in the work force. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor released the Employment Characteristics of Families Summary. Three-quarters of moms with children ages 6 to 17 years were employed in 2014. That year, 93 percent of fathers with children under 18 were in the labor force. Grandmas often work outside the home, too. Many
THEAUGUST FEST 6, 2017
t a s u n i o J SUNDAY,
6:15pm
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Since 1919 FREE ADMISSION
Best Collection of 19th Century American Art Exhibitions of world renowned artists Free art programs for all ages Guided Tours Art adventures Art classes Free Family Days Program
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4:30pm
3:00pm
Matt Maher
children attend summer programs because parents are working Home all summer? Set up a flexible structure to avoid falling into passive forms of entertainment. Having regular waking and bedtimes promotes a healthy pattern. Summer programs can be enriching, but informal activities are valuable, too. Grade school children are eager to learn new skills, such as building a birdhouse. Chores are a part of life, too, even in the summer! Allow time in the day for your children to choose activities. See below for a few local attractions you can visit this summer!
1:30pm
Laura Story
Watch our website for more details & info!
www.theFEST.us
The perfect day of faith for your family! 13
A large, new building to house St. Martin de Porres High School is under construction. It will be attached to an existing building at Norwood and St. Clair avenues in Cleveland that is being renovated.
Ricardo Henry, left, refers to blueprints, while explaining a task to Brian Ward, a St. Martin de Porres High School work study student.
BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE YOUR STORIES FEATURE STORY
W
hen St. Martin de Porres High School’s new building opens next spring at the corner of Norwood and St. Clair avenues in Cleveland, it will be more than a 21st century, $30 million, state-of-the-art facility for the faculty, staff and 400 students. It also will be a testament to the hard work of dozens of professionals, builders, tradesmen, craftsmen and others — including an alumnus, Ricardo Henry, and a current student, Brian Ward. “One of the standards of Cristo Rey schools is to recognize the dignity of work,” said Rich Clark, founding president of St. Martin de Porres. The school is a member of the Cristo Rey Network of Schools, which provides college-preparatory academics with four years of professional work experience through the Corporate Work Study program
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Brian Ward spends one day per week and an extra day monthly assisting with the construction project.
Northeast Ohio Catholic
| MAY/JUNE 2017 | WWW.DIOCESEOFCLEVELAND.ORG
John Selvaggio, project superintendent, from left, Rich Clark, St. Martin de Porres High School president, and Ricardo Henry, project engineer, discuss plans for the building.
— in a Catholic learning environment. “We can bring the richness and rigor of a Catholic education to families who want it, but may not have the financial means,” Rich said. Ricardo, a 2009 alumnus and a 2014 construction management graduate of Bowling Green State University, is project engineer for the new building and STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROL KOVACH
a St. Martin’s success story. The St. Martin network helped him land a cooperative position with the Albert M. Higley Co. while at BGSU, which led to a job offer after graduation. Now he mentors Brian, a junior at St. Martin’s, who was assigned to Higley for his work study program. Higley is general contractor for the St. Martin building project and one of the school’s 130 work study partners. “He’s a great help to me,” Ricardo said of Brian. He explained that much of Brian’s work involves checking to ensure all required paperwork is received, filed and shared electronically with the appropriate people. He also takes photos to document safety precautions at the work site and does other tasks assigned by Ricardo. Brian is the oldest of three children of a single mother. He works one day each week and an additional day once a month as part of his work study obligation. He also plays baseball, basketball and soccer and recently joined St. Martin’s Step Team, which is like a drill team. “It was a lot to learn, at first, but now it comes natural to me. And everybody at school says it’s cool that I work here. They’re always asking me about the project,” Brian said. Although he enjoys his job, Brian is considering attending college in Florida and may pursue a career in the performing arts.
LEARN MORE
St. Martin de Porres opened in 2004 and has been leasing the former St. Vitus School, 6111 Lausche Ave., in fiveyear increments since then. For more information, visit stmartincleveland.org or call 216.881.1689.
Ricardo works closely with John Selvaggio, superintendent for the project. “Based on my experience, the work study program served Ricardo well, and for Brian, it opens up another opportunity for hands-on experience outside the classroom in the working world. It’s been a wonderful experience and I’ve enjoyed working with both of these young men,” John said. Although his work study assignments at St. Martin’s did not involve construction jobs, Ricardo said he knew he was interested in construction management. “I’m a hands-on learner,” the Cleveland resident said, adding the experience he gained in the work world while in high school was invaluable. Now he’s in a position to return the favor. He was raised Catholic by a single mother and wanted to attend a Catholic high school, so St. Martin’s provided a great opportunity for him. He said the lessons he learned are serving him well. Rich said he is pleased at the progress Ricardo has made and the way he is sharing the knowledge and experience he gained at St. Martin’s with Brian. “’Go with God and God goes with you,’ is on the door of our school,” Rich said. “Prayer is important in our school and the kids believe prayer is powerful. We love the ability to share the Gospel by our action.”
Enjoy great Catholic programming on the CatholicTV Network! In the Diocese of Cleveland, CatholicTV is available on MCTV channel 117, Roku, Verizon VOD, Apple TV and CatholicTV.com. C
CatholicTV.com
Please encourage your provider to carry CatholicTV by signing the online petition at www.GetCatholicTV.com.
If you’d like pre-printed postcards to share, please contact Bonnie Rodgers at 617.923.0220 or BRodgers@CatholicTV.com
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YOUR STORIES COVER STORY
Faith commun
RALLIES TO SUPPO CRITICALLY INJURE
SISTERS
16
Northeast Ohio Catholic
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nity
ORT ED
TINA BARR HAS BIG PLANS FOR HER DAUGHTERS’ BIRTHDAYS THIS SUMMER. SOPHIA WILL BE 18 ON JULY 19, AND SIERRA TURNS 17 FIVE DAYS LATER, ON JULY 24. “I just want to celebrate the miracle that they’re here,” TINA SAID. She came close to losing both daughters — who are best friends and inseparable — in a serious car crash on Sept. 10, 2016. It was her faith, bolstered by the prayers of many others, that she credits with what she calls her daughters’ miraculous survival and recovery. ••• Tina and a group of friends went to an outdoor wedding that stormy Saturday afternoon in Seville, about 45-50 minutes south of her home in Brook Park. “I remember the weather was awful. The tent was shaking and it was raining so hard. I was worried about the girls. I called and texted, but couldn’t reach them,” Tina said, so she put her phone in her purse and went to the buffet line, figuring she would catch up with them later. In the meantime, Sophia and Sierra, a junior and sophomore, respectively, at Magnificat High School in Rocky River, picked up some friends. The teens were driving in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks when Sophia lost control of the car and struck a boulder. The Dodge Neon overturned and landed on its roof. According to a traffic crash report filed with the Metroparks Rangers, one of the passengers called 911. Emergency responders were on scene within minutes and the teens were rushed to nearby Fairview Hospital. Sophia was in a coma when she arrived and Sierra slipped into a coma soon after. The other passengers were injured less severely. Tina was not aware of the accident until she returned to the table and heard her phone ringing. It was the parent of one of the passengers calling to tell her about the crash and her daughters’ life-threatening injuries. “The other parent said he didn’t think either one of the girls would make it and they needed surgery. I was shocked and my body went numb. I could hardly walk,” Tina recalled. A friend drove her immediately to the hospital. “As soon as we got into the car, we prayed. I decided at that moment to turn things over to God,” she said. ••• STORY BY CAROL KOVACH; PHOTOS BY MARIBETH JOERIGHT
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Tina Barr looks at a video on her phone that was taken while her younger daughter, Sierra, visited her older daughter, Sophia, in the intensive care unit at Fairview Hospital.
Tina, who is a part-time housekeeper at St. Colette Parish in Brunswick, called the pastor, Father Bill Krizner. “I asked him to get the prayer warriors together,” she said. Tina also called her sons, Nicholas, 25, and Raymond, 21. “Ray was away at school at Ohio University. His girlfriend drove with him to Columbus, where they met her mother and she drove them to the hospital.” By the time Tina and her “It shows the power of friend arrived at Fairview Hospital, word had spread about prayer, love and faith. the crash and people were gathering to offer support. She THE HOSPITAL WAITING said extraordinary ministers and ROOM WAS FILLED WITH IT. some St. Colette parishioners were there before she arrived. SOME OF THE EMERGENCY Soon after, Magnificat President Jen Halliday, Humility of DEPARTMENT NURSES Mary Sister Helen Jean Novy, Magnificat’s vice president of WOULD COME INTO THE mission, and other members of the school administration WAITING AREA JUST TO arrived. As word of the acciABSORB SOME OF IT.” dent spread via social media, family members, friends, neighbors, parishioners and others gravitated to the hospital to pray and keep vigil. The next day, hospital President Dr. Neil Smith, a Catholic, came by and prayed the rosary with the Barr family and friends. On Monday, the Magnificat school community gathered together to pray for the girls and their family. 18
Northeast Ohio Catholic
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It seemed surreal for Tina, who toggled between two rooms in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Doctors suggested that the girls receive anointing of the sick, so she contacted her pastor, Father Jim Stenger, from Mary Queen of the Apostles Parish in Brook Park. On Sunday night, medical personnel came “to assess Sophia and to consider possibly harvesting her organs while we were praying,” Tina said. She asked them to leave, but they returned the following day. Yet Tina refused to lose faith that the girls would recover. Tina rarely left the hospital. She connected with Father Deogratias Ruwaainenyi, a Catholic chaplain at Fairview Hospital, who prayed for and visited the girls regularly. ••• After about a week, Sierra began coming out of her coma. “She wrote on a piece of paper that she ‘slept with Mary’ and kept asking for her sister, so we had to develop a plan to explain things without upsetting her too much,” Tina said. While family members talked outside her room, Sierra tried to get out of bed to find Sophia. “She was intubated and was trying to call for her.” They explained that Sophia was badly hurt and allowed Sierra to visit her. Even Greg Urbas, St. Edward High School’s wrestling coach, spent time visiting Sophia and encouraging her to wake up. One of her brothers wrestled at St. Ed’s and Sophia volunteered with the program, so she and the coach developed a bond. “He was talking to her on Sept. 25 and she rolled over when she heard his voice,” Tina said, but she remained comatose.
Throughout the 17 days the girls remained at Fairview Hospital, there was a steady stream of family, friends and fellow students stopping by to offer prayers and support. “There were kids from Gilmour, Beaumont, Holy Name, St. Ignatius, Padua, St. Ed’s and Magnificat,” Tina said. “Padua sent healing blankets. The child life specialist at the hospital gave each girl a quilt and the kids signed them with messages of encouragement,” she added. Parents ensured students followed hospital protocol and arranged meals for the family and others. The Magnificat community organized a fundraiser for the Barr family and remembered the girls at special school events like Big/Lil Sis Day, when they made a fun video for them. And some sports teams, including Magnificat’s, wrote “Barr Strong” on their shoes to show support for the sisters. On Sept. 27, both girls were transferred to the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. Soon after, Sophia started responding and began waking up from her coma. “On Oct. 3, she said ‘hi’ to her sister, her first word since the accident. Then on Oct. 4, my birthday, she said ‘I love you,’” Tina said. ••• But they weren’t out of the woods just yet. Tina said both girls suffered traumatic brain injuries, as well as a host of other problems. They required extensive care and rehabilitation. Sierra was discharged from the hospital in early November, but spent much of the day in intensive therapy for weeks afterward. By the second semester, she was back to school about 80 percent of the time. Tutors helped with the rest of her schoolwork. Sophia was hospitalized longer and will need three more surgical procedures, as well as continuing occupational, physical and speech therapies. Tina, a single mom, said she is grateful that her sons put their college education on hold during the fall semester to offer her support and to help drive the girls to medical appointments. “I could never have done it myself,” she said. The girls remain close, but do not remember the accident. “I don’t remember getting in the car,” Sophia said, as she and Sierra held hands and chatted in the Magnificat chapel. They enjoy leafing through a large memory book filled with inspirational messages from hundreds of well-wishers. Sophia also developed a bond with Father Deogratias, who visited several times a week during her hospitalizations and therapies. He offered a special Mass at Magnificat while the sisters were hospitalized. Tina said she is grateful for the support the family received since the accident. “The leadership of the students and the compassion they showed was incredible.” “The beauty of her (Tina’s) heart is amazing. She is so loving and faith-filled. Leading a faith-filled life is one of our core values. Tina inspired and drew the most
Moira Clark, left, and Sister Helen Jean Novy of Magnificat share thoughts on the role faith played in the Barr sisters’ recovery.
beautiful people to her,” Sister Helen Jean said. “It shows the power of prayer, love and faith. The hospital waiting room was filled with it. Some of the emergency department nurses would come into the waiting area just to absorb some of it,” she added. “We are companions on the journey. This shows the beauty of what it is to be part of a Catholic school,” said Moira Clark, dean of student life and formation at Magnificat. “The community, in moments like these, is guided by that north star and compass of faith. It emerges so powerfully. There are all types of learning going on that have nothing to do with academics, but with holistic development and the mission of our school,” she added. “It took root within the larger mission of the Church amid lots of pain, suffering and uncertainty and reminds us of Jesus’ message: I’ll be with you no matter what,” she said. “It’s a real privilege for all of us and an expression of faith lived for so many.”
Tina Barr prays with her younger daughter, Sierra, in the Magnificat chapel.
19
YOUR FAITH IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE
WHY DO
BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO
GOOD PEOPLE? Q
DEAR FATHER JOE: So many good people I know have suffered horribly in the last month and I’m really struggling
to hold on to my faith. Why do good people suffer? How do I keep my faith in these times?
T. Gennara
sorry that things are so hard for you and your A I’m loved ones right now. As a priest, it’s not uncommon
FATHER JOE KRUPP
is a former comedy writer who is now a Catholic priest. @Joeinblack
20
for me to experience firsthand the great suffering that many people, good and bad, go through. Struggling with our faith at times like these is not something we should shy away from. I think too often we look at the sorrow and pain that we and others experience and we try to theologize about it. We get a bit defensive or angry with God and try to defuse our defensiveness or anger with ideas we think might help us cope. We attempt consolation with clichés: “God will never give me what I can’t handle.”; “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” In my experience, all of these attempts at consolation fail for a simple reason: They don’t address the core of the issue, which is, “I hurt and I don’t like hurting. If God loves us and is all powerful, why does he let us hurt?”
Northeast Ohio Catholic
| MAY/JUNE 2017 | WWW.DIOCESEOFCLEVELAND.ORG
Dr. Peter Kreeft put it best in his article, “God’s Answer to Suffering.” In it, he points out that our problem is answered “not so much by explanations as reassurances and that is what we get: the reassurance of the Father in the person of Jesus.” Think of it this way: Is there really any answer that could be provided that would make us look at the horrors and pains of life and say, “Oh! OK! That makes it all better!”? It seems that we hope there is some answer that will make the hurt stop. I invite you now to purge that concept from your hearts and minds. Even if, for a moment, the heavens were opened and we got a “because” to our “why,” would it mitigate the pain? Does knowing how you broke your leg make the leg stop hurting? Your hurt, my hurt, their hurt — none of it is soothed by an explanation of why we were hurt. But what will help is knowing how we can carry that hurt. God’s answer to our pain is, in the words of Kreeft, not a philosophy, but a person — and that person is Jesus. His answer to our pain is his presence. As humans, we tend to avoid other people’s pain. When I talk to families who’ve lost a loved one, they often tell me of feelings of abandonment by friends
who wonder when they’ll “get over it.” People who were extremely supportive during the funeral and for a couple weeks afterward begin to slowly fade away and even avoid them. In his book, “A Grief Observed,” C.S. Lewis wrote about this experience after his wife died: “An odd by-product of my loss is that I’m aware of being an embarrassment to everyone I meet. At work, at the club, in the street, I see people, as they approach me, trying to make up their minds whether they’ll ‘say something about it’ or not. I hate it if they do, and if they don’t. Some funk it altogether ... I like best the well brought-up young men, almost boys, who walk up to me as if I were a dentist, turn very red, get it over, and then edge away to the bar as quickly as they decently can. Perhaps the bereaved ought to be isolated in special settlements like lepers.”
PRAY Say a special prayer for all who suffer, both locally and around the world, that they may find comfort in the Lord.
That is the human response to pain: We avoid it. We avoid our pain, we avoid others’ pain. But this is not the divine response, not at all. The response of God to the inevitable pain of we humans living in a fallen world was and is to immerse himself into it.
When we recognize God’s presence with us in our sorrow, we can also say to God, “I join my suffering to yours.” In that simple surrender, we join Jesus in his suffering and help him save the world. Dear reader, we hurt and, so often, we hurt because we love. There is no love without suffering, and there is no suffering without love. The question for us is: Will we take both realities? Our God did. He loves us, he hurts with us. His invitation to us in our pain is: “If you love me, hurt with me.” This is remarkable love. This is relentless love that hell itself cannot stop. In the end, the battle cry of our God and his answer to our pain is not an explanation — it is an entrance. He lovingly, powerfully and gently enters into our wounds with us. He cries out, “You are not alone!” He takes our suffering and draws it into himself so our tears and wounds are not just consequences of living in a broken and fallen world, but a divine experience. Whatever pain, whatever sorrow, whatever loss we experience will be redeemed in heaven. There, when we see love face to face, all that has been separated or lost will be joined and reunited. Weep and let God weep with you. You are not alone.
Memorial Day Mass May 29, 2017 10 a.m.* *Except where noted
HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED GOD AND COUNTRY JOIN US FOR MASS ALL SAINTS, NORTHFIELD ~ 480 W. Highland Rd. ALL SOULS, CHARDON ~ 10366 Chardon Rd. CALVARY, CLEVELAND ~ 10000 Miles Ave. CALVARY, LORAIN ~ 555 N. Ridge Rd. W. *9 a.m. HOLY CROSS, AKRON ~ 100 E. Waterloo Rd. HOLY CROSS, BROOK PARK ~ 14609 Brookpark Rd.
RESURRECTION, VALLEY CITY ~ 6303 Center Rd. ST. JOSEPH, AVON ~ 32789 Detroit Rd. ST. MARY, CLEVELAND ~ 2677 W. 41st St. *9:30 a.m. ST. MARY, CUYAHOGA HTS. ~ 4720 E. 71st St. *9 a.m. ST. MARY, ELYRIA ~ 7284 Lake Ave. ST. MARY CHURCH, O. FALLS ~ 25615 Bagley Rd. *9 a.m.
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Our Lady of Fatima 1 0 0 Y E A R S O F G R AC E
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T h e fi r s t a ppa r i ti o n o f Ma r y
SPECIAL REPORT
his year marks the 100th anniversary of the appearance of Mary to three young visionaries in the town of Fatima in Portugal. This report is excerpted from Fatima, 100 years of grace by the World
Apostolate of Fatima, U.S.A. — Our Lady’s Blue Army. If you would like to read an in-depth account of the miracle, its history and the lives of the children, accompanied by historical photography, visit giftshop.wafusa.org.
The story During World War I, Pope Benedict XV made repeated, but forlorn, pleas for peace. Finally, in May 1917, he made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal, to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, age 10, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, ages 9 and 7. However, it was in the previous year, 1916, that the children had their first supernatural encounters with an angel as a means of preparing them to receive the Queen of Heaven.
T h e a n gel of Por t ug a l In the spring of 1916, as the three shepherd children tended their sheep in a property called Old Chousa, a drizzling rain began to 22
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fall, so they climbed the hill to find shelter in the crevices of a rock. Suddenly, a strong wind began to shake the trees. They looked up and saw coming toward them a dazzlingly beautiful young man, seemingly made of light, who told them, “Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Pray with me.” Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground and had them repeat three times: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you.” Then, rising, he said, “Pray thus. The hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” Leaving them absorbed in a supernatural atmosphere, the angel disappeared. The angel appeared to them again later in the summer and in the fall, encouraging them to pray and to make sacrifices for the reparation of sin.
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On May 13, the three children took their flocks out to pasture in the area known as the Cova da Iria. After lunch and the rosary, they suddenly saw a bright flash of light, followed quickly by another flash in the clear blue sky. They looked up to see, in Lucia’s words, “A lady, clothed in white, brighter than the sun, radiating a light more clear and intense than a crystal cup filled with sparkling water lit by burning sunlight.” She said, “Do not be afraid, I will not harm you. I come from heaven.” She asked them to come to the Cova for six months on the 13th day of the same hour. She ended the visit by saying, “Say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war,” and began to rise serenely towards the east until she disappeared.
Mo nt h ly a ppa r i ti o n s
“D o no t be a fr a i d . I am the a ng e l o f pe a ce . P r ay wi t h m e .”
Mary continued to appear to the children throughout the months, and encouraged the children to pray the rosary for the reparation of sins and the conversion of Communist Russia. As word spread, large crowds gathered to witness and pray.
Lucia dos Santos (right) and her cousins Jacinta (left) and Francisco (center) Marto.
T h e t h r ee sec r et s The children said they had been told a three-part secret. Lucia wrote down the third part of the secret at the order of her bishop, but it was not divulged until 2000, just after the beatification of Jacinta and Francisco. THE VISION OF HELL “As she spoke these words she opened her hands. The light seemed to penetrate the earth and we saw, as it were, a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened and burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves, together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so sadly: “‘You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.
THE REQUEST FOR THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA “To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.’”
for the souls of the corpses he met along his way. Having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big cross, he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other bishops, priests, men and women religious and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the cross there were two angels each with a crystal aspersorium in their hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.”
TOP PHOTO: Statue portraying the angel of peace apparition. BOTTOM PHOTO: Holm oak tree where apparition appeared at Cova da Iria.
THE CALL TO PENANCE Obeying an order from her bishop, Sister Lucia wrote the last part of the secret on Jan. 3, 1944: “At the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire, but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated toward him from her right hand. Pointing to the earth with his right hand, the angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!’ We saw an immense light that is God, something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it, a bishop dressed in white (we had the impression it was the Holy Father) and other bishops, priests and men and women religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big cross of roughhewn trunks as of a cork tree with the bark. Before reaching there, the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins, and, half trembling with a halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed 23
YOUR FAITH THEOLOGY 101
However, the Church is also ultimately a mystery — in history and visible while at the same time outside of history transcending it and invisible. Quoting the Vatican II document Sacrosanctum concilium, the catechism states, “The Church is essentially both human and divine, visible but endowed with invisible realities, zealous in action and dedicated to contemplation, present in the world, but as a pilgrim, so constituted that in her the human is directed toward and subordinated to the divine, the visible to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, the object of our quest.” In short, the Church is the mystery of humanity’s union with God. The Church’s structure is completely ordered to the holiness of its members as its purpose is this communion with God. It therefore is like a sacrament — a sign and instrument — of communion with God and of unity among humanity. It is Christ’s instrument for the salvation of the world, the visible plan of God’s love for humanity because God “desires that the whole human race may become one People of God, form one body of Christ, and be built up into one temple of the Holy Spirit.”
PENTECOST HOW THE CHURCH BEGAN
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In the Old Testament, ekklesia designated the assembly of the Chosen People, especially on Mt. Sinai where Israel received the Ten Commandments and was established by God as a holy people. The early Christian community adopted the name because it recognized itself “as heir to that assembly.” In terms of Christian usage, the word “church” has three inseparable meanings: the liturgical assembly, the local community and the whole universal community of believers.
ORIGIN, FOUNDATION AND MISSION God, the Father, created the world for the sake of communion, a communion brought about by the “convocation” of people in Christ, or the Church. The Church then is “the goal of all things” that was prepared for in the Old Testament and instituted by Christ in his work of accomplishing the Father’s plan of salvation in the “fullness of time.” The Church “is the reign of Christ already present in mystery.” It is a kingdom that is presented to all humanity in word, in deed, and in the presence of Christ. It is “born primarily of Christ’s total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross.” On Pentecost, the Church was revealed to the crowds and the work of spreading the Gospel throughout the world began. “... The Church in her very nature is missionary, sent by Christ to all the nations to make disciples of them.” 24
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S. Olson
HE CATECHISM DESCRIBES THE CHURCH AS BOTH THE “MEANS AND THE GOAL OF GOD’S PLAN” OF COMMUNION. THE WORD ITSELF MEANS A CONVOCATION OR ASSEMBLY (LATIN ECCLESIA, FROM THE GREEK EK-KA-LEIN, TO “CALL OUT OF”).
DOUG CULP
has an MA in theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
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THE PEOPLE OF GOD According to the catechism, the people of God is distinguishable from all the other religious, ethnic, political and cultural groups of history. It is a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” (1 Pt 2:9) Membership is gained not by physical birth, but by faith in Christ and baptism, i.e., of the Spirit and of water. Its head is Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit flows through it. The people of God has the dignity and freedom of the sons and daughters of God. Its law is the commandment to love as Christ loved us and its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. Its destiny is “the kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time.” The people of God likewise participates in the three offices of Christ: priest, prophet and king. It bears responsibility for the mission and service that flow from these offices. – Quotes come from the catechism (748-865) unless otherwise noted.
YOUR COMMUNITY THINGS TO DO Catholic Renewal Ministries will host a Charismatic Mass celebrated by Father Jeremy Merzweiler beginning with praise and worship at 7 p.m., Mass at 7:30 on May 12 at St. Gabriel Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Mentor. Healing prayer teams available after Mass. Call 440.327.2201 or 440.944.9445 for more information. Loyola Retreat House and Mary Queen of Heaven Parish will co-sponsor a Mass, May crowning and rosary procession beginning at 4 p.m. May 13 at 700 Killinger Road, Clinton, to observe the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima. Bring lawn chairs; freewill offering accepted. Call 330.896.2315 or visit loyolaretreathouse.com to register or for information.
Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth Chapter of Magnificat will have a breakfast at 9 a.m. (doors open at 8:30) June 10 at Walsh University Barrette Center, 2020 E. Maple St., North Canton. Optional Mass at 8 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel at the college. Cost is $18. Make checks payable to Magnificat of Stark County and mail to Debby Bentivegna, 5575 East Blvd. NW, Canton, Ohio 44718. Reservation deadline is June 3.
PARTICIPATE IN THE MAY CROWNING
A healing Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. May 21 at SS. Cosmas and Damian Church, 10419 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg, by Father Michael Stalla, pastor. Call 330.425.2678 for details. “Misnomers of Hospice and Palliative Care” will be presented by Margaret Bohn Galas and Judith Shemkovitz of VNA Hospice 6:30-7:30 p.m. May 18 at The Village at Marymount, 5200 Marymount Village Drive, Garfield Heights. A sit-down dinner is served at 6, followed by the program. Space is limited; reservations required. Call 216.332.1396 to RSVP by May 15. Pre-Cana Days Engaged Couples Retreats will be offered May 21, June 11 and Sept. 10 at Loyola Retreat House, 700 Killinger Road, Clinton. Sessions are 11:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. and include prayer, presentations, quiet reflection time, Mass and dinner. Cost is $75 per couple. Call 330.896.2315 or visit loyolaretreathouse.com to register.
ATTEND A RETREAT
A golf outing to benefit Loyola Retreat House is planned for 7 a.m. June 2 at Paradise Lake Country Club, 1900 Randolph Road, Mogadore. Cost is $100 per person for golf, greens fees, cart, snacks, refreshments, steak dinner and prize chances. Call 330.896.2315 or visit loyolaretreathouse.com to register. Catholic Renewal Ministries will host a Pentecost celebration with praise and worship at 2 p.m. and Mass at 3 on June 4, followed by individual healing prayer and fellowship at SS. Cosmas and Damian Church, 10419 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg. Call 440.327.2201 or 440.944.9445 for more information. A Pre-Cana Day for Engaged Couples will be 12:458 p.m. June 4 at the Jesuit Retreat House, 5629 State Road, Parma. Cost is $85 per couple. Call 440.884.9300, or visit jrh-cleveland.org to register.
The Lawyers Guild of the Diocese of Cleveland will have its annual meeting and provide a one-hour Continuing Legal Education credit after the 5:10 p.m. Mass on June 14. The CLE is free for members, $50 for nonmembers. Call 216.696.6525, Ext. 4080, visit catholiccommunity.org/lawyers or email crigo@ catholiccommunity.org for information. Enthronement of the Sacred Heart Diocesan Center will sponsor its annual Mass of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at 7 p.m. June 23 at St. Therese Church, 5726 E. 105th St., Garfield Heights, with Father Eric Orzech as celebrant. Call 216.447.9375 or 440.232.7725 for details.
FOR THE CAR ENTHUSIAST
The Medina County LEAF Ministry (Listening, Encouraging and Assisting Families of the Incarcerated) group will meet at 7 p.m. May 22 and June 26 at St. Francis Xavier Parish, 605 E. Washington St., Medina, in the Loyola Room. Call 330.648.2602 or email connieebaugh@gmail.com for information. Visit leafministry.org for other meeting times and locations. Father Michael Woost will present “Sacraments and Sacramentality: A Catholic Vision,” at 7 p.m. May 24 at Assumption Parish, 9183 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights. Call 440.526.1177 for information.
Summer Individually Directed Retreats are scheduled for June 12-19, 20-27 and June 30 to July 2 at the Jesuit Retreat House, 5629 State Road, Parma. Cost is $275, including room, board and director’s stipend; daily Mass and reconciliation available. Call 440.884.9300 or visit jrh-cleveland.org to register.
SUBMIT AN EVENT
Events for inclusion in the July/ August issue must be received before May 23. Be sure to include time, date, place, cost and contact information. Submit by email to ckovach@ dioceseofcleveland.org or mail to Northeast Ohio Catholic, Attn. Carol Kovach, 1404 E. Ninth St., Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
Catholic Renewal Ministries will have its 35th annual conference July 14-15 at Magnificat High School in Rocky River. Theme is “Fount of Life, Fire of Love.” Guest speakers include Mark Nimo, Lavinia Spirito, Father Bob Franco, Chris and Becky Roach, Dr. Ed Parisi, Abbot Gary Hoover, Dr. Phil Gigliotti and Father Patrick Schultz. Call 440.610.6604 or visit crmweb.org for information. Advance registration (postmarked by July 6) is $30; $35 at the door. Entries are being accepted for the Matriarch Muscle Machine Mania car show at The Village at Marymount 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 15 at 5200 Marymount Village Drive, Garfield Heights. Cost is $5 in advance, $10 on show day. Call 216.332.1396 or visit villagemm.ejoinme. org/67raffle for information or raffle tickets. St. Ann’s Shrine and Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament invite all to celebrate St. Ann’s feast day with special triduum Masses at 7 p.m. July 24-26 and veneration of a relic of St. Ann at St. Paschal Baylon Church, 5384 Wilson Mills Road, Highland Heights. Father John Thomas Lane, SSS will celebrate the Masses. A free reception follows the July 26 Mass. To RSVP or for information, call 440.449.2700 or visit blessedsacrament.com or st-ann-shrine.org. The diocesan-wide 50th wedding anniversary Mass will be at 2:30 p.m. July 30 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 1007 Superior Ave., in downtown Cleveland. All couples married 50 years or longer are welcome to attend. Registration is requested through your parish or visit ccdocle.org/mfm. Call 216.334.2978 for information.
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YOUR COMMUNITY ASSIGNMENT CHANGES
YOUR COMMUNITY LOCAL NEWS
• Father Michael J. Troha, pastor, St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, Cleveland, was appointed spiritual director for the Cleveland West Comitium of the Legion of Mary, effective immediately. This appointment is in addition to his appointment as pastor of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish. • Father Paul J. Rosing, pastor, Holy Family Parish, Stow, was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Hope Parish, Bedford, and administrator of St. Mary Parish, Bedford, effective Feb. 27. This appointment is in addition to his assignment as pastor of Holy Family Parish. • Father John M. Pfeifer, parochial vicar, St. Albert the Great Parish, North Royalton, was appointed Catholic chaplain for the Boy Scouts of America Greater Cleveland Council, effective immediately. This appointment is in addition to his appointment as parochial vicar of St. Albert the Great Parish. • The diaconal assignment of Deacon Gregory C. Frania, St. Edward Parish, Parkman, and St. Lucy Mission, Middlefield, concluded and he was granted retirement status, effective June 1. • Father William H. Severt, chaplain for University Hospital, Cleveland was granted early retirement due to health reasons, effective March 1. • Father Gary D. Chmura, pastor, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Cleveland and pastor, St. Adalbert Parish, Cleveland, was granted an authorized leave of absence for sick leave, effective Feb. 10. • Father John E. Manning, delegate for senior priests for the Diocese of Cleveland, was appointed administrator, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Cleveland, and St. Adalbert Parish, Cleveland, effective Feb. 15. This appointment is in addition to his assignment as delegate for senior priests. His residence remains at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
INPUT SOUGHT FOR ‘YOUTH, FAITH AND VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT’ SYNOD
PRAY SAY A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR ALL CLERGY MEMBERS, THAT THEY MAY FAITHFULLY FULFILL THE WORK OF THE LORD.
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Faithful in the Diocese of Cleveland are invited to provide input for a synod that will take place in Rome in October 2018 focusing on the theme of “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment.” The goal is to develop a pastoral guide on how the Church is working with young adults, ages 16-29, and how it can better help them encounter Jesus Christ. A survey was developed to provide a window to learn from young adults and others interested in the Church. Input from people of all ages is needed to gain a full understanding of the lives of young adults and how they interact with the Church. The survey is divided into three parts: statistics, questions and sharing of practices. It can be accessed online through the diocesan website, dioceseofcleveland.org. Local input will be compiled and shared with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which will distill the requested data for the country in preparation for the synod. Father Michael McCandless, director of the Vocation Office for the Diocese of Cleveland, is thanking the faithful in advance for completing the survey. “Our Church loves you and needs you and is incomplete without you,” he said.
MOUNT ALVERNA VILLAGE BREAKS GROUND ON $10 MILLION PROJECT Bishop Roger Gries and administrators, donors and supporters of Mount Alverna Village in Parma participated in a ground blessing/breaking ceremony for a $10 million project that includes construction of a new building to house a 42unit memory care facility and renovations to the campus. The new memory unit is expected to open in June 2018. It will have amenities for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Mount Alverna Village is a Catholic senior living community in Parma. The 24-acre campus has assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, independent living and rehabilitation services. It is a Franciscan community sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago.
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JOHN CARROLL TO HOST WORLD UNION OF JESUIT ALUMNI GATHERING
Alumni from Jesuit schools all over the world will gather June 28 through July 2 at John Carroll University for the quadrennial International Congress of the World Union of Jesuit Alumni. This will be the first time in the organization’s 60-year history that the event will take place in North America. Past events were in Rome, Italy, Versailles, France, Sydney, Australia, Kolkata, India, Bujumbura, Burundi and Medellin, Colombia. The gathering will feature a diverse, five-day program of prominent speakers in the arts, business, science, law, spirituality, theology, faith and leadership, service and justice. Father Arturo Sosa, SJ, new Jesuit superior general, will participate in a live video feed from Rome. WUJA is an international society founded in 1956 to support the ministry and ideals of the Society of Jesus. Every four years, alumni from Jesuit schools — elementary, high school, colleges and universities — from around the world gather to celebrate Jesuit education and Ignatian spirituality. For more information on the event, visit wujacongress2017.org.
BENEDICTINE NAMES NEW PRESIDENT Frank Bossu, a Benedictine High School alumnus, chemistry teacher, coach, advisor, former businessman, and son of legendary BHS coach the late Auggie Bossu, has a new role at the school: president. Father Gerard Gonda, OSB, also a BHS alumnus, will conclude his service as president at the end of the school year. Abbot Gary Hoover, OSB said Father Gerard will continue to teach at the school and will work on special projects in the advancement office. He will work with Bossu during the transition period through July 1. Bossu earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame, where he lettered in football. He has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue University and has executive experience with several large corporations. He and his wife, Nancy Uridil, have two children and one grandchild. They live in Avon Lake and are members of St. Joseph Parish.
FATIMA CENTENNIAL CONFERENCE SET FOR JULY The World Apostolate of Fatima, Cleveland Division, will host the Northeast Ohio Fatima Centennial Conference July 28-29 at the Embassy Suites Cleveland, 5800 Rockside Woods Blvd., Independence. Registration deadline is July 15. Cost, including three meals each day, is $140 for one day, $280 for both days. Register by June 1 and save $20 per day. For more information, including speakers and presentations, visit neofatimaconf.com or call 440.241.5788.
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OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE SEASONAL OPENING Sunday Masses May-October 8:00 a.m. (indoor) and 9:30 a.m. outdoors (weather permitting) 21281 Chardon Rd. Euclid, Ohio 44117 Shrine: 216.481.8232 Gift Shop: 216.481.0900 www.srstrinity.com The Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity Dining Room and Gift Shop Open
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YOUR COMMUNITY IN MEMORIAM FATHER ALBERT A. KUNKEL — Bishop Roger Gries was the main celebrant at the April 1 funeral Mass at Prince of Peace Church in Barberton for Father Albert A. Kunkel. Father Francis Walsh was the homilist. Father Kunkel, 86, died on March 26. He was pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Barberton, serving as pastor there from Sept. 9, 1991 until his retirement on June 30, 2001. Father Kunkel enrolled at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and then at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland. He was ordained to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cleveland on May 18, 1957, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist by Archbishop Edward Hoban. He served as parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Cleveland; St. Martha Parish in Akron; St. Boniface Parish in Cleveland; St. Mary Parish in Chardon; Immaculate Conception Parish in Willoughby; the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland; St. Augustine Parish in Barberton; and St. Paul Parish in Akron. Father Kunkel also was pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Lorain and St. Joseph Parish in Avon Lake before being assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Barberton. In addition, he also served as administrator pro tem of St. George in Clinton and as chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 1617. Father Michael Gurnick presided at vespers on March 31 at Prince of Peace Church, with Father Thomas Haren as homilist. Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron.
LOANS
FATHER THOMAS R. DUNPHY— Bishop Roger Gries was the main celebrant at the March 16 funeral Mass at St. Martin of Tours Church in Valley City for Father Thomas R. Dunphy. Father Norman Douglas was the homilist. Father Dunphy, 86, died on March 11. He was pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish and had served in a variety of roles at the parish for 33 years. He attended St. Charles Seminary College in Baltimore and then St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland before being ordained to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cleveland on May 24, 1958, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist by Archbishop Edward Hoban. Father Dunphy served as parochial vicar at St. Raphael Parish in Bay Village; the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and St. Martin of Tours. He also served as chaplain of the Newman Club at Dyke College and the Akron University Newman Club, as well as serving as resident chaplain for St. Edward Nursing Home in Akron and as spiritual director of the Bread of Life Community, also in Akron. Father Dunphy was administrator pro tem of St. Martin of Tours before being named pastor. Father Donald Oleksiak presided at vespers on March 15 at St. Martin of Tours, with Father Joseph Kraker as homilist. Interment was at St. Martin of Tours Parish Cemetery.
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FATHER DANIEL L. BEGIN — Bishop emeritus Anthony Pilla was the main celebrant at the Feb. 22 funeral Mass at St. Mary Church in Bedford for Father Daniel L. Begin. Homilists were Father Paul Rosing and Father Robert Begin, Father Daniel Begin’s brother. Father Begin, who died Feb. 18 at age 68, was pastor of St. Mary and Our Lady of Hope parishes in Bedford. He attended Borromeo Seminary High School, Borromeo Seminary College and St. Mary Seminary, all in Wickliffe, before being ordained to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cleveland by Bishop James Hickey on June 14, 1975, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. He served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Macedonia and Communion of Saints Parish in Cleveland Heights. Father Begin ministered to the Mount Pleasant Cluster in Cleveland as a member of the Southeast Catholic Community and was administrator of Epiphany Parish, Cleveland, before being appointed pastor. He was administrator pro tem of St. Catherine and St. Cecilia parishes, both in Cleveland, as well as a member of the chaplain team for Mount Pleasant Catholic School. Father Begin was named (resident) pastor of St. Cecilia and (non-resident) pastor of Epiphany, both in Cleveland, and also served the Cleveland Southeast District as a priest convener. He was named pastor of St. Mary, Bedford on July 16, 2012, and in addition, was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Hope, Bedford, on June 16, 2014. Vespers were Feb. 21 at St. Mary Church, Bedford, with Bishop Gries presiding. Homilist was Father Isidore Munishi, AJ. Burial was in Bedford Cemetery.
DEACON WILLIAM H. CORRIGAN — A funeral Mass for Deacon William H. Corrigan was celebrated on Feb. 18 by Bishop Roger Gries at St. Colman Church, Cleveland. Father Robert Begin was homilist. At the request of the family, there were no vespers. Deacon Corrigan, 93, died on Feb. 1. Survivors include his wife, Judith, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was ordained a deacon for service in the Diocese of Cleveland on June 2, 1984, by Bishop Anthony Pilla at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Deacon Corrigan was assigned to serve at St. Patrick Parish, Bridge Avenue in Cleveland, and later at St. Colman Parish, Cleveland.
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MAIN: Elsie Adams, center, visits with her granddaughters and great-grandchildren. INSET: A young Elsie poses for a photo.
R EM EMB ER ING MY MOT HE R, T H E ‘ M A R R I E D W I DOW,’ ON MOTH ER ’S DAY
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ith Mother’s Day approaching, I thought of my late mother, Gertrude “Elsie” Adams, at Mass a few days ago. Her life drastically changed when my father
died. We were members of St. Mary’s Parish in Chardon. I was 15; my older brother had just turned 18. She was a very attractive, 39-year-old legal secretary. My aunt, her younger sister, confided in me many years later that, at the time, my mother was pursued by several men seeking her attention. She politely turned them all away, as her focus was now on her work, her two sons and serving others.
LAST WORD
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Very soon there were signs that she would live her life differently from many widows. It started when she sold her house in town in order to give my brother and his growing family a down payment on a new home in the country. This was the beginning of a nomadic life that would give her the freedom to better serve others. When she wasn’t working, she was available to help my brother and his wife raise their four small children. My nieces and nephews have great memories of their wonderful “Gram.” She slept in a comfortable corner room in the basement of their new house — when she wasn’t house-sitting for one of the partners of the law firm while they went on lengthy trips abroad. When I was in college and came home, I first had to call ahead to see where she was living, because that’s where I would stay. Sometimes it was at my brother’s house, my aunt’s or, occasionally, in the stately manor of a lawyer who was out of town. As the years went on, it was my turn to ask for help.
Northeast Ohio Catholic
One Sunday, my wife was getting our five children, ages 3 months to 10 years, ready for Mass. Suddenly, she was hit with a splitting headache that sent her to the floor. I told the 10-year-old to distribute the children to the neighbors while I rushed my wife to the hospital. A blood vessel had broken in her brain. The doctors said it was very serious. It would be a month before they could even determine how to operate. I came home, gathered the children from the neighbors and called my mother. She quit her job and, the next day, flew 3,000 miles to our home. My wife gradually recovered over the years, following two brain surgeries. Grandma cared for her and helped raise our children during that time. Her last years were spent in a little house that my brother bought for her in town — five houses down from St. Mary’s, the church where she was married and where we were all baptized. She had plenty of company, with people coming and going: family, friends from church, former co-workers and neighbors.
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People enjoyed being with her because when you were with her, it was always all about you. She was the model of Christian humility. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis: “It was not that she thought less of herself; it was that she thought of herself less.” She was visiting us out West one time and I asked her my brother’s anniversary date and how long they had been married. We wanted to send them a card. She promptly gave us the date and the number of years. Then she smiled and said to no one, and to everyone, “People forget widows and widowers are still married, too.” I told my brother what she had said and, from that moment on, our two families celebrated our widowed mother’s wedding anniversary. She didn’t need a house. She didn’t need a career. She had her two sons and their families, and anyone else who needed help. She also had the memories of her life with my father, and it was evident she continued to faithfully honor her vows to him through her love and care of others. At Mass one Sunday, the priest asked all the married couples to stand and be recognized by the congregation — but he forgot to mention widows and widowers. That’s when I thought of my mother. She lived to be 101, and she was married for 80 years. Tom Adams, Elsie’s younger son, wrote this tribute to his mother, who died on July 3, 2012. He and his wife, Anne, have been married for 49 years. They have five adult children, “many, many grandchildren” and are members of Holy Trinity Parish in El Dorado Hills, California. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ADAMS FAMILY
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