~ather, its been 20 years. ~ ¡ Father, its been 35 years." uFather, its been a W real long time since I've been here." There aren't words adequate to the
task of describing how it feels to be a confessor when someone steps into the reconciliation chapel and awkwardly begins to explain that it has been a very long time since she or he experienced the sacrament of reconciliation. I feel deeply honored. I am slightly scared. 1 am moved by the other persons courage - the courage it took to simply step through the door. I am humbled to be able to share Gods compassionate forgiveness with a child who has wandered away but who, for whatever mysterious reason, has chosen to return. I have a better sense of what it must have been like for the prodigal father. Perhaps the biggest surprise of my young priestly life is the tremendous sense of the sacred that I encounter when I celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. While there will be those inevitable few times when The most intensely beautiful it feels like simply going through the motions, I have to admit that some of the most intensely beautiful and Godand God-filled moments in filled moments in my life have occurred in the context of this most misunderstood sacrament. Each time I prepare my life have occumd in the to celebrate reconciliation, I realize that 1am treading on context of this most misun- holy ground - the ground of individual and community life, the ground of lives lived in the presence of God. Yet derstood sacrament time and again, 1have been given the special privilege of wimessing Gods unrelenting love soften the hearts and minds of so many who, in fear and trepidation, made that choice to walk through the door and enter into the reconciling presence of God. If its been a while since you last experienced reconciliation, I encourage you to come back to the sacrament during lent. Perhaps the last time you didn't have such a posttive experience. Simply be honest and admit that, but don't let the human foibles of one such as myself keep you from experiencing Gods tender mercy. I'm sorry if thats been the case. We priests can be painfully human at times. Don't worry if its been a while and you're unsure about what to do or say when you come to receive reconciliation. Simply let the priest-confessor know that and then allow him to guide you through the sacrament. No one will think any less of you for being open and honest. Please don't let fear or misunderstanding keep you from reconciliation. The sacrament of reconciliation is not easy 1 suppose, in pan, because its often hard to ask forgiveness and sometimes even more difficult to believe that we have been forgiven. Imagine being critically injured in a drive-by shooting. After a slow, painful recovery, the victim offers forgiveness to the assailant. Thats exactly what Sam Miller did. Imagine forgiving your mother after learning that she accidentally burned a lottery ticket wonh $34 million. lisa Stechschulte did just that. Bishop Carl Mengeling and Bishop Kenneth Povish reflect on the power of Gods forgiveness and reconciliations role as pan of our spiritual life. All this and more await your lenten reflection as we continue our journey in FAITH. - Fr. Dwight Ezop is Editor In Chief of FAlTH Map:ine and p;sstor of the Catholic Community of St. jude, DeWitt.
contents
0 From the Bishop Bishop Mengeling talks about his first sin and how sin and evil are at work today. The loss of a sense of sin leads to a loss of a sense of God but, by grace we can overcome it.
Reconciliation Usa lost $34 million after her mother burnt a winning lottery ticket. Losing the money led Usa through a journey where she could have lost something even more valuable.
Inside the Confessional Sorry, no secrets told. But FAITH's Fr. Charlie Irvin does give us a peek at how people are using this mysterious sacrament. Hint: Less people make a list of their sins.
Bishop Carl F. Mengellng
Usa Stechschulte
Fr. Chartes Irvin
Columns In the Know with Fr. Joe Fr. Joseph Krupp
6
The Journey Dr. Cathleen McGreal
16
Spiritual Fitness Fr. Bill Ashbaugh
21
Work Life Michael Sullivan
23
Last Word Bishop Kenneth Povlsh 31
Cover A road rage shooting left Sam near death. But his faith and family helped him find the way to
forgiveness.
Culture What do you do with palms after Mass on Palm Sunday? Consider weaving them into something that will last the season and remind you to con¡ tinue welcoming Jesus. Patricia Majher
faith MoSt Reverend C:lrl F Mengeling
lelte_rs
PUB USHER
Rev. Charles Irvin FOUNDING EDnoR
Volume 3 ~ Juua 3 M.rdl2002
Rev Dwight Ezop EDnoR IN CHIEF
Patrick M. O'Brien
Send your letters to: Editor, FAITH Megezlne 300 W. Ottawa
Lansing, Ml 48933 or via ..meU letters~fellhmag.com
Your Turn - Tell Us What You Think
MANAGING EOnoR/CREATIYE DIRECTOR
Kathy Funk ASSISTANT EDITOR
Alton Pelowski
CREATIVE a EDnoAIAL ASSISTANT WEBMASTER
jillanejob SUBSCAIPTIONSISECAETAR't
Evelyn Weitzel SUBfiCRIPTIONS
Michael Boyagian INTERN
Rev. William Ashbaugh Elizabeth johnson Rev. joseph Krupp Robin Lynch Patricia Majher Dr. C:lthleen McGreal Erin Oakley Breu Mclaughlin Most Rev. Kenneth]. Povish Usa Stechschulte Rita Thiron CON7RIIUTING WRIIERS
Margaret Perrone
I was j ust reading your article about Catholic Schools Wecll in the newest issue of FAITH Magazine (Februa1y 2002). Along the border of the page you list all of the schools in the diocese. Unfortunately you listed St. Micltacl School in Grand Ledge as being an elementary school. Actually St. Michael is an elementary and mtddle school serving hids from Pre-K through 8th grade.
Ft-. Randy Phlmps SL Unua Perflh, Dearborn Helghb
First, I must congratulate you and the Diocese of Lansing on your publication FAITH Magazine. It is a wondetjul resource for Catholic Otristians ... Titat being said, I must challenge the timclinc: top 10 hap-
What pmmpted this note was F1. joe's column in the February 2002 issue. W1ten I read tlte question about ~re-baptism" and Fr: joe's answet; Ifound gn:at comfm1 in the paragraph about bemg Hvessds of God." Tite affirmation that we, as imperfect
tism events in the january 2002 issue. Completely overloolled was Rnrnans 6:3-9, which CXJilains how the early Otu,.dt understood baptism, and lww we understand it today. Here Paul states that baptism is our participation in tlte death and resum:ction of Otrist. Titis is ourfundamental understanding of baptism, pwt and simple.
Colleen nnsey
humans, can act as Gods vessels and do His worh is rather humbling. l am a lector and EuchGiisttc minister at my parish and ltave asllcd others to consider either of these ministries. Almost cvety time, the response has been tltat they d1dn 't feel ~holy" enough to serve our l.Drd in this way I've always been speechless and unable to respond to their misgtv· ings. In the future, I hope to paraphrase Fr: jod article and enlighten others that no human is pc1je(t. Ratlter; we open ourselves to Gods grace so that at a particular moment in time, we can receive tlw gift of the Holy Spitit and be lifted above our lowly fail· ings. Again, thank you for publis11ing FAITH Magazine. I Mart Dyer
PROOFREADING
Christine jones Philip Shippen james Luning (cover) CONtRIBUTING PHOtOGRAPHERS
Steve May
_._._~,_ soncy_soDietimes~--
CONtRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Wayne Case David Fenech Rev. Matthew Fedewa Patricia Gan:la Diane Nowak Margaret Perrone james Rhadigan Ricardo Rodriguez David Rosenberg Rev. james Swiat Peter Wagner Sharon Wimple ADVISORY BOARD
Rev. Cecilio Reyna WEB MINISTR'f
Rogers Printing PRINTING
ns~ enon~--------There's a saying that goes, our sins. expressed in the louder than Forgiveness relics Forgiveness relies act of contntion completely on words." We can say, "I'm can go right out completely on God's boundless the window_The sorry," to someone and the Gods boundless mercy to us words can sometimes ring mercy to us. In the penance we hollow. Yet if we take the sacrament of recreceive challenges time to perfonn an act of onciliation, we say, ~rm us to take our words of sorrow kindness for that person, we sorry," to God and the and transfonn stand a beucr chance of Church. Yet, after we making ~ rm sorry" a reality. them into somereceive rcconciliaThats the logic behind the tion, human thing concrete nature that helps to penance that is demonstrate our assigned as pan can We caD sa,y "I'm sorrow and our of the sacrament somesorry," to someone wtlfingness to of reconciliation. times and the words can come to the fore respond to Christs invitation Theres nothing sometimes ring hollow and those words we can do that to a change of heart. of sorrow we will make up for - Fr. Dwight E:op ~Actions speak
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Sl Katharine From Riches to Rags
Some of What's Online Look for this and more only on FAITHmag.com
Web Video All Schools Mass Hundreds of Catholic school students from around the Diocese of umsing came to St. Mary Cathedral for a Mass presided by Bishop Carl Mengeling on Monday, jan. 28 during Catholic Schools Week. Dc7.Ynload video excerpts on FAITHmag.com
Web Exclusive Are Jewish Converts Still Jewish? FAITHs Patrick O'Brien interviewed David Moss, president of the Association of Hebrew Cathohcs (AHC) FAJ11i: Some people thought our Februal)' issue hcadlmc. A Catholic Drawn Born jcll'ish 1mplied that Deacon W.1rrcn l·kcht is no longer Jewish. Is he? Mr. Moss: Well, the term 1ewish" is ambiguous the way it is normally used. Sometimes it refers to a persons religious practices and sometimes to a persons ethnicity. Deacon Warren Hects religious practices arc not those of a jew but of a Catholic. However, Deacon Warren remains a member of the Jewish people. Many Jews don't like to _r~~¥!1-M!..-1 be called converts since they already believed _ _ _ _ _._._, in God and were already responding to the Word of God in the Tanakh (Old Testament). When we recognize the Messiah and enter His Church, we fulfill or complete our Old Testament faith. But, we do not lose our ethnidty who we arc. For claritys sake -since we do not practice judaism -and to not offend our Jewish brothers and sisters, we do not usc the term jewish Catholic. Instead, we use the more theologically correct term Catholic Israelite, or Hebrew Catholic. Read the complete Interview - then discuss on FAJ11imag.com
Book of the Month Making A Better Confession by Con O'Connell, O.F.M. Many of us mt unhappy wlllt our confessions. Ft:
O'Connelll!clps unmaslz deep attitudes that lie at tl1e root of our sins. With this guide, you willlcam to ash tl1e 1ight questions to begin the process of sclf-dtScovCIY and reconciliation - the process of mailing bctte1; molt satrsfying confessions. (/anuary 1996), ISBN 9996206~2-4, J2p<~gcs
saint of the month
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hm the SL Ftands Retreat Center Book Slant, log on to
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If you Inherited millions of dollars, what would you do with It? Well, Katherine put her money where her faith was.
lf the names Drexel and Xavier bring images of basketball to mind, you need to think more about saints and less about sports. March 3rd marks the feast day of the newest American saint, Mother l<1ltharine Drexel, who was canonized in October 2000 St. l<1ltharine was born into one of Philadelphia!; wealthiest families in 1858. Her father and uncle were bankers and financiers; her uncle founded Drexel University. l<1ltharine and her siSters, Elizabeth and louise, were brought up in a devout Catholic home where they learned to use their wealth to serve the poor The Drexels did not merely write checks; they opened their mansion three dllj'!> a week to distribute food and clothing to the poor, and wught Sunday school to the children of employees and neighbors at their summer home in rural Pennsylvania. By the time she was 21, Katharine felt called to religious life, but her spiritual director urged her to wait. But Pope Leo Xlll challenged Katharine did not wait idly. When bishops at the Third Plenary Council held in Baltimore St. Katltarine to give not in 1884 asked the Drexel family to help sup· port the American Indian missions, l<1ltharine visited reservations to see what was needed. only lu:r money, but her She then used her own money to build life to the people she loved. schools and churches, supply food and doth· ing. and pay teachers and priests to work with the American Indians. She also turned her attention to the educational needs of Blacks in the south and east. When Katharine!; father died in 1885, she mherited millions of dollars which she used to continue her charitable work l<1ltharine troveled to Rome in 1887, and in a private audience with Pope Leo XUI, asked him to send nuns and mL<;Sionaries to help staff her mission schools. The pope challenged her to give her life as well as her money to helping the people she loved. Two years later, l<1ltharine took vows as a novice with the Sisters of Mercy, then went on to found her own order. On Feb. 12, 1891, Sr. l<1ltharine and 13 companions became the first Sisters of the Blessed Sacromem for Indian and Colored People (now simply the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament).- Elizabeth johnson
1 Mother Katharine Drexel used her inheritance to build a dozen achools for American lncf18118 and more than 100 nnl and inner city IIChools for Blacks. 2 In 191 7, she established a school to prepare Black studenla to become teachera. In 1925, the school was chartered aa Xavier University of New Orleans, the only hiatoricalty Black and Catholic college in the United States. Today, the achool sends more Blacka to medical school than any other college in the U.S. 3 Mother Katharine Drexel died March 3 , 1955, and was named a saint only 45 years after her death.
in the know with Fr. Joe
I have never been on a cruise before but one of my friends has. He told me a great story about his expertence. He said that as they sailed the seas and were
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looking at the sunset, every¡ ously reconcihng with God one on the boat could see a and the world around us. So, why go to a priest? bearded man on a small island, jumping up and down, Take for example the followwaving his arms In the air ing hypothetical situation: and shouting. My buddy said Now, let~ say there is a he turned to the captain and priest who is a HUGE University of Michigan fan livsaid, "I wonder who that Is!' The captain said, "I have ing in East Lansing. And, just no Idea. But every year for the sake of continuing the when we pass that Island, example, lets say this priest he goes crazy." writes a question and answer Mlssln' the boat - that's column for a magazine. the Idea we are going to Suppose said priest is given look at In this Issue of questions months in advance FAITH Magazine. and is to tum m hiS column
Dear Fr. Joe: A friend of another denomination asked me: H I am saved through my baptism, then why do I need to go to a priest for confession? Well, that's a good question but there a few issues that need to be addressed. Are we saved through baptism? The answer, interestingly enough, is yes and no. Baptism offers us salvation, but it demands a response from us. Through baptism, God reaches out to us and offers us His unconditional and perfect love. Now, such an intense act of love on the pan of God demands a response from us. The ritual of baptism itself demands a response from us. For us to receive baptism and not respond through communal and private prayer, and a life of loving God and neighbor, is to condemn ourselves. A part of this is obvi-
the priests head still hurt? Of course it docs! Not only that, but people who counted on that priest during the two weeks he was out of commission arc STILL wnhout a priest. Basically. this sin - like all other sin - is on the AT&T on a specific date. Say it is plan: it reaches out and touch- ( now two months after a specâ&#x20AC;˘es someone - in fact, lots of fled deadline and three or four people. All of our sins work threatening phone calls have been received by said priest/U that way. Each sin affects us in ways that we never think of M fan from the editor. So, about and hurts people we under severe strain from the may never even have met! need to get that particular What do we need to do? month's issue out, the editor We need someone to stand in goes into a rage and hits said the place of all priest over the those affected head with a by our sin and baseball bat, ren- Each sin affects in dering him ways that we never forgive us for the conseunconscious and think about and qucnces we will out of commishurts people we never know. To sion for two may never even offend someone weeks. have met. and ask for Later, being a God's forgiveman of conness is being science, the edinaive as to the nature of the tor goes to the priest in the sin. Thus, one reason we go hospital and asks his forgiveness. Because this priest is a to a priest for forgiveness is because he stands in persona man of great kindness and ecclesia - in the person of the compassion, slow to anger, quick to forgive and abound- Church - and forgives us on ing in generosity, he forgives behalf of all those affected by the editor. Now, for the mil- our sins. The other issue concerning lion dollar question: Docs
Discuss Fr. joe's Answers on FAITHmag.com Click Dlacu..lon Forums~
)
It ranks right up there with going to the denlist ThalS right, we're talking about confession. Some people would rather have their teeth pulled than give up pan of an afternoon to re-live past wrong;. Is it really that painful? If itS been a while since you've been to confession, consider these answers from college students at "Festival ofPraise" at Holy1Hnlty Church, Ypsllenll. ~ asked, ..How do feel after to confession?"
"Absolutely free In Betsy Fenton 20, University of Michigan
relieved, like a graat weight haa been taken off my ahouldera:' K. .m Swanston 24, Eastn'n Michigan University
your question is found in Scripture and tradition. In the Gospel of Luke it says, "Jesus breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you hold bound on earth arc bound in heaven, and whose sins you say are loosed on earth arc loosed in heaven."' Jesus gave the disciples that specific power of forgiveness that the disciples then passed it onto their successors. It has been passed on - from generation to generationuntil we get to Bishops Carl Mcngeling and Kenneth Povish, who have passed it on to the priest at your parish. A 2,000-ycar-old unbroken chain carries those words of jesus to our present day. This system of sacramental confes-
sion was given to us by none other than Jesus.
reconciliation is within the context of a reconciliation or penance service. Here, the Dear Fr. Joe: What Is the Church recognizes the problem with general impact of sin on both the absolution? individual and Before I community. answer this After a It is important to our question, let's Celebration of human nature that we the Word, take a look at have personal attention individual what general in the sacrament of confession absolmion is. reconciliation. and absoluWhen we celc • bratc the sacration takes ment of rcconplace. This is ciliation, there are three the way we celebrate reconways to do it. The first way ciliation when we go to is the one we arc most penance services during Lent familiar. It is when we go to and Advent. This is rite two. a priest and confess individGeneral absolution is when ually. This is rite one. the priest is so outnumbered The second way we can there is no hope of hearing the celebrate the sacrament of confessions of all of those present. Specifically, this Prayer of Absolution (said by a priest after confession): would be in a situation where God the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of His a large number of people arc
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Son, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God grant you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
"Coming out of confeesion ie the moat wonderful feeling in the world! Every time Ifeel so clean and renewed~ catherine Wood 19, Ave Maria
College
going into combat, or some other situation where hves are at risk. ln this situation, the priest will take the group through an examination of conscience and then do one prayer of absolution for everyone present. This is rite three. So, technically, there is no "problem" with general absolution. The problem is when it is used inappropriately when general absolution becomes the norm instead of the exception. See page 21 for more. Enjoy another day in Gods presence! J) Submit your Questions to: ..In the Know with Fr. Joe" FAITH Magazine 300 W. Ottaw., LaMing, Ml 48933
Or. JoelnBiack@prfeslcom E·TALK: Priests answer your questions one-on·one
- on FAITHrnag.com
theology 101 reconciliation: healing our re1ationsh Rita Thiron, associate
director of tire Office of Worslrip, continues witla Part 3:
Reconciliation
Old Testament
I
•
fsraellt.. developed rituals
for turning from sin to covenant flYing - sacrifices, ritual washings or purifications, sin offerings. Rabbis would "bind or loose" members of community. As a people, they would celebrate a Day of Atonement Jesus/New Testament
• John the 8eptlst preaches
repentance and practices ritual washings in the River Jordan 0.11 J, Mit J, Lit J,)n 1-J '.
• Semarttan woman ~ Jestltl at the well where He tells her of her sins and offers the water of
everlasting fife i)ciltl 'f, ,
.! ·.
Human existence is all about relationships. We come into Lhis world wilh a need Lo be loved and to love in return. As infants, our parents or carcgtvcrs arc vital to our existence. As children we need ..1 J to be nurtured in a famtly :md yet oqxmd our circle of friends. We date and ex-perience sometimes pamful break.ups. We search for that "spcctal someone" wtth whom we can share our life. When we
~
• Woman caughl In eduflery
whole community a Cor 2 s-10'.
The crowd is about to stone the woman, Jesus asks if there is anyone sinless who might cast the first stone. He tells her to sin
40 AD- 400 AD
• Dfdache "Confess your sins before the Church" so that you may be prepared for worship. no more (Jolr" 8: 1·11). • Baptism Is the aecnment for • Holy Spirit Jesus says lo the the forgiveness of sins A cateaposdes, "Receive the Holy Spirit; chumen had to show true conwhose sins you ehall forgive they version, even a change in are forgiven them; whose sins lifestyle before baptism. After you ehall hold bound, they are baptism, forgiveness of sins by held bound~ (1oltn 20 22-2J) prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and • Disciples to correct sinners the reception of the Eucharist. Jesus gives the community a • Apo1tates During the persecumission of reconciliation tions, those who denied their faith O.~auhcw 18 IS-181. were known es "apostates~ This was a serious ain which • Paul teaches the Corinthians to avoid demanded reconcilia8880Ciation with tion with the community. "Reoonveraion" was amoral people and expel them from the necessary. community c1 c:.w S: II· • Canonical Penance IJJ and that if one involved the whole hurts another, he hurts the community. The apostate would
offend a friend or family member, we seck forgiveness. so that we might rcpatr our rclationshtp. God knows this, that is why He invites us to Lhe sacrament of reconciliation. First and foremost, baptism IS the sacrament that forgives persortal and Origirtal Sin. Here, the Christtan receives a gtft of mctanoia (a conversion) to the perfect love of God and the grace to hvc as Christ taught us. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, too, we arc welcomed to Gods table and invit· ed to share again and again in
privately confess to a bishop. He joined the "order of penitents" and was assigned a severe penance which might last for years. He might stand outside the church in aack·-cfoth, begging for forgiveness. Later, he would be invited in to hear the Word, then eventually receive a dramatic absolution and be readmitted to the Eucharist, usually on Holy Thursday. • SLJohn
Chrysostom is an
early proponent of repeated absolution. 5th Century to 7th Century
• Tariff Penance In Ireland and
England, people begin to con- ~ suit holy men (monks) when ' they are in need of forgivenesa. The penitent goes to private
DiS<:uss what you found interesting about the history of confession or other topics on FAITHme
Baptism Part 1 Jf'U1
BapUsm Part 2 I
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Eucharist
Reeondllallon
ConRnnaUon
Holy Orders
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with c..od and one another the redeeming sacrifice of Christ. But in a special way, the sacrament of reconciliation offers us an opponunity to encounter the living God, to confess our sinfulness, and to seek Gods forgiveness. The fundamental task of the Church is the prophetic announcement of Christ, the one who reconciles the world to the Father. We are ministers of that reconciliation.
Reconciliation between God and His people was brought about by our Lnrdjesus Christ in the mystery of his death and
resurrection CRomoll$ 5 JO). T11e !Dwu scow. 1973) Lnrd entrusted the ministry of Why do we confess our reconciliation to the C/1urch in sins to another human being? rhe person of the apostles '2 Ct>r. As an ordained minister of 5 IBJf). The Church canies out the Church, the priest repretiJis ministry .. . by - - - - - - - sents Christ. We baptizing ... lVJth When we hear the can expect the priest to receive us water and the Holy priest's words of with the same love Spirit. . .. Because absolution, we hear of human wcahChrist's words of and compassion as ness, however, pardon and mercy. jesus. just like us, Christians brcah off the priest knows tiiCirfellowship with God by what it is to need forgiveness. sinning. The Lnrd, thercfon: God transforms this very instituted a special sacrament of humanness into the medium penance for tl1c pardon of sins of life-giving grace. When we committed after baptism .. . hear the priests words of
words of pardon and mercy. God understands our human nature. While God always hears the silent call of one who is sorry for their sins, He knows that we need to acknowledge our offenses out loud and to experience forgiveness in words and gesture. Not only do we need to confess our sins, but we need to be relieved of the burden of them. That is why the Church teaches that private (auricular) confession is the ordinary means of celebrating the sacrament.
absolution, we hear Christs
• Absolution given only after a penance was performed and contrilion judged to be sincere. • Conuptlon Some people paid to have others do their penance for themI Penance "books" eventually removed from circulation. • Mortal vs. Venial Distinctions made between "mortal sin" (death to the soul) and "venial sin" (pardonable without public penance).
determined that t) Christ instituted penance as a sacrament: 2) Contrition required for con· fession 3) Serious sins need to be confessed according to type and quantity 4) Penance is required although greatly reduced 5) Penance may be done after 13th Century to 20th Century confession and absolution 6) 7th Century to 12th Century • Fourth Lateran Co1.1ncll in Only priests can administer the • Irish and English monks influ- 1 21 5 names penance as an sacrament. ence penitential pracofficial sacrament of • The scnten The revised tices on the continent of Roman Ritual of 1614 notes the Church. Europe. Tariff penances • One must conthat confessions should be replace canonical fess to a priest who heard from behind a screen. penances. Rituals and ads on behalf of God Second Vatican Council prayers begin to be • Secrament o0 developed for "confes· • Lumen GenUum redefines pGMnce deftned ) sions~ In 1551 , the Coundl of 1\'ent whole Church as a sacrament;
confession and receives tariff pe1111nce - the monks had devised books ("Celtic peniten· tials" or llbri paenltendalis) which contained lists or scales of penances commensurate with various sins. The community is not involved. This is very private and repeatable. • Council of Toledo in 589 condemns this. • Council of Chelan in 650 thought it was helpful.
: tick Discussion Forums ~
the sign and experience of God's presence. • Constitution on the Sacred Uturgy caMs for a revision of the ritee and formularies for the sacnunent of penance "so that they more cJearty express both the nalure and effect of the aaaament" esc t72). Emphasia is again placed on the role of the entire community, the Body of Christ. Dec. 2, 1973
• Pope Paul VI
promulgates new rite of penance
More on FAITHmog.com
Man:h 2002
9
fAITH Maga:lnc
Anointing
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I knew that God knew.
I didn't real~e it then but aU
ecause evil and sin are inescapable, each of us must discover how to win or lose this titanic struggle in which we freely choose good or evil. Evil and sin are great mysteries, yet very real as we experience both, and clearly see the immense havoc and misery they cause in individuals, society, among nations and to our planet.
from the bishop Facing the enigma of evil and sin, we humans are baffied, dismayed and frustrated. On Sept. 11, 2001, the reality of evil and sin were unmasked in apocalyptic horror and h3voc. Quickly a mostly forgotten word was heard. It has been spoken seldom, often with emb3rrassment and nuance. Like a burst dam, the word EVIL flooded from hum3n lips. it was used to describe an act beyond naming. This was a human act of terror and death. Pope john Paul called it an "unspeakable horror," and "a terrible affront to human dignity." All our words fall short as we try to plumb the reality of evil and sin. Even though we cannot fully understand and explain the mystery of evil and sin, each of us experiences both, no matter what we name them. Evil and sin and their sad effects on everyone - and Mother Nature, too - are inescapable. We must deal with them whether we want to or not. The loss of the ¡sense of sin and the rejection of moral responsibility and guilt all increase in proportion to the loss of a sense of a personal God who loves us and guides us in the ways of happiness and to whom we are accountable in our use of freedom. Pope Paul VI described It as "the eclipse of God." There is an essential link between a sense of God and a sense of freedom; human responsibility and a sense of n
sin and guilt. At an early age 1 began to learn about the linkage and God's way to liberation from evil and sin. To some, my story may seem childish but, for me then and now, it all has to do with being a child of God. At age 9, 1 had my first bout with sin. It was during the lazy days of summer vacation in 1939. That May, two life-shaping events happened - my first confession and first Communion. Though all of us were swept up by the grace of those sacraments and the joy of family and classmates, I
had a collection of nearly one thousand comics! One day 1 was at the drug store leafing through the comics and without a dime. When no one was in sight, the comic was slipped inside my shin and 1 quickly left the drug store. 1 hopped on my bike and headed home with my treasure. 1 climbed up to the tree house in a giant poplar tree where I would be alone and safe with the comic book. Suddenly, thoughts of my first confession, first Communion and catechism lessons overcame me. The comic book was now a prob¡
"a dime comic book is much ado about nothing." The loss of a sense of God, accompanied by a sense of sin, puts humanity in 3 no-win situation. Only in the divine light of revelation can we know the reality of evil and sin. In the relationship of man to God, the evil of sin is unmasked as humanity's rejection and opposition of God. Sin is a matter of belief because faith alone can accept the reality of a personal God whom man can love, or against whom man
There is an essential link between a sense of God and a sense of freedom; human reseonsibility and a sense of sin and guilt. understood little of what they would mean for the rest of my life. Now, six decades later in my 72nd year, I can say the same profound words of a mystic of the early 20th century. He was Charles Peguy, a prolific poet and writer who said, "Alii did not know on the morning of my first Communion, I shall never knO\V." 1 sense his meaning as I recall my first confession and first Communion - and the first sin I deliberately commined. The drug store on Main Street was everyone's favorite when t was growing up. We kids especially liked the soda fountain and the comic book section. In those pre-television days, comics were the rage. They cost only a dime. One of my cousins
lem and it had to go back to the drug store. So I climbed down and headed back to the drug store on my bike. When no one was looking, I slipped the comic book on the rack, ducked out and biked horne. I never told anyone about this except the priest during confession. No other person knew; only me. Most importantly, though, I knew that God knew. I didn't realize it then but all the elernents in the victory of grace over evil were in action. For persons who reject any norms of behavior apan from those they create and who reject a personal God apart from themselves, my little story is, of course, childish and silly. Some can say "all that just for a dime comic book is ridiculous" or
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can sin. Apart from faith, sin has no meaning. It's simply a necessary evil or an imperfection in man's evolution. "God docs not send His Son into the world to condcrnn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." Oohn 3:17) Convincing the world of sin means creating the conditions for its solution. Awareness of our own sinfulness is the first condition for salvation. The next is confession of sin before God so He can save us. To save means to embrace and lift up \vith redemptive love, a love that is always greater than any sin. J - Most Rev. Carl F. Mcngcling is 1hc founh bishop of Lansing.
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FAITH Maga:inc
I got sh t, almost <diâ&#x201A;Źd ancll
hat a difference a day makt~. On 1\ov. 23, 1996, Sam Nliller vvas a
happy, healthy teenager, going to Lansing Co1m1~unity College on an athletic -;,cholarshlp, and making plan~ for a career as a pro-
ad to face the person who did it.
fe-,sional golfer
the nPxt evening, ever} thmg had changed. S>an1 ~clou~
la~
B}
uncon-
111 a hospnal hed chnging to hfe -the v1ctin1 of a sLnse-
Je..,..,, road rage shooting Sam had taken a bullet in the back of his head, and the progno~is wasn't ~ood. 'The doctor-; told us Sa1n
\~lould
Hkel) br blind, paral) ::cd, and ha\ c brain
damage 1f he ,ur\'ivcd at all," recount; his mother, Theresa. â&#x20AC;˘
)
By Patricia Majher
Photography by ]ames Luning
@) surrounding dead tissue plus hair and bone fragments.
am's n1emory of Nov. 24, 1996, is still a bit hazy, but witnesses in his car testified that Sam simply tried to operation ~ough the was
switch lanes to one already occupied by another car. deemed a success, the Though he made a qmck course correcuon the other doctors remained cau, tious about the likelihood driver became enraged and started to harass htm, of Sam's recovery. And. in playing a cat-and-mouse game. Shaken, Sam pulled fact, Sam found h_imselfin . . f. I b l surgery two more ttmes before down a stde slleet to get away 10m mn, ut t 1e the infections were sufficiently driver followed and fired fi\ e .45-caliber bullets beaten back. But Sam and his mto Sam's car. One of the bullets struck Sam at parents never lost hope and inspired everyone around them with the base of h1s head, causing him to slump their deep and abiding faith. ~u:hc .ste.e.ong..whe.e.Lanclcrash...t.he...car. No two days were alike for Sam dur-
ing his recovery. Some days, he spent Because the shooter- whose last name, improbably, was sleeping and quietly healing. Other days were a trial in theraOutlaw - had pulled ahead of Sam's car at one point, Sam's py. where even releammg to lift a glass with his right hand friends were able to get his license plate number and provide made Sam break out in a sweat from the exertion. On one police with this critical piece of information, as well as an memorable day, his temperature soared to 105 degrees and he accurate description of the car. Lansing police arrested had to be packed in 30 bags of ice to bring it back down. ~ Roosevelt Outlaw within 45 minutes of the crime, and even later that same day, he became uncomfortably chilled and '(,~ caught him trying to dispose of the gun. was bundled up in blankets. Still later, his temperature spiked again, prompting another round of ice. Meanwhile, Sam was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and underwent emergency surgery aimed at removing Sam was in almost constant pain, so bad that morphine the bullet. Unfortunately, the bullet had worked tts way up to was prescribed. On a few occasions, even that wasn't enough. the front of Sam's head. "As the doctors explained It , removal "One day. I remember asking God to 'take me or heal me. just don't leave me here in between."' from this position could damage the brain even more than the original gunshot," explains Sam's father, Steve. "So they Dunng these desperate moments, Sam admits to being angry with the man who shot him. "I went over and over sewed him up and waited for him to regain consciousness: that night in my head, wondering what I did to justify this," Meanwhile, in Sam's room, his family began the first of many prayer-filled vigils. Seeking solace in their faith, they he says. ¡ I had everything going for me before the shooung, and here I was starting all over.~ reached out to a network of believers who supported Sam with prayers, too. Then a miracle would happen- like the time a visit from a As predicted, Sam came out of the anesthesia with diminneighborhood minister coincided with the return of feeling in ished capacities. He couldn't sec. He Sam'S right arm -and Sam's thoughts couldn't move the right side of his body. would tum positive again. "I learned not Walking was out of the question, and There was no escaping the reality to question God anymore." forming words required a Herculean that hiS life had radically changed. Sam stayed in the hospital for 67 days effort. A machine helped him breathe 'Anger is a dead-end street. 1 knew - 39 of them in the NICU. During that I had to get past it to get better:' time, he lost nearly 40 pounds. But he and monitors of all kinds filled his room in the neurological intensive care unit also gained something back: with intensive therapy, he was able to walk out the (NICU). If that wasn't bad enough, with¡ door - slowly, but under his own steam in days Sam developed severe headaches that sent him back to surgery a second time. In the operating -in late january of 1997. Sam had also remarkably recovered . room, surgeons discovered and treated a raging infection that a good bit of his sight and ability to communicate. There was no escaping the reality, though, that his life had ~ had created a softball-sized lump on Sams brain. They also located the bullet which had, almost unbelievably, worked its radically changed. Reading and writing were a struggle for the 'new' Sam, so he had to drop out of college. And his still¡ way back to the point of entry. They removed the slug and
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weakened body wasn't prepared to engage in strenuous exerSam~ family helped l1im cise, so golf was out of the question. Sam was also cautioned about putting himself in stressful situations, as they could bring on seizures - another lingering effect of the shooting. It find the way to forgiveness. would have been easy for Sam to wallow in anger during this Sam is now in a new period. With his parents at work and his siblings at school, he had lots of time alone to dwell on the negatives of his sitrelationship and looJls uation. But he soon recognized that was futile. "Anger is a dead-end street. 1 knew l had to get past it to get better." fonvard to a brigllt future. Sam credits his parents with helping him round that bend. "They sat me down a couple of times and helped me talk to help the judge decide through my feelings. By their own actions, they showed me upon Outlaw's punishment. how important it was to forgive." In the first few months Oullaw was well aware of the pain he had caused -he after leaving the hospital, Sam dedicated himself to attending even had a photo of Sam taken during the initial hospital rehabilitation three times a week, often as the only young stay in his cell as he awaited trial. When given a chance to person surrounded by older men and women felled by make his remarks at the hearing, Outlaw read a prepared statement in which he took responsibility for his actions and strokes. By the time summer rolled around, he was able to play a few rounds of golf and even scored a hole in one. That offered an apology. "I have prayed day and night for you to july, he was the featured player at a benefit golf outing for recover from this incident," were his concluding words to crime victims at the Country Club of Lansing. Sam, "(and) I continue praying you will live a normal and productive life." "!lost a lot of distance (after the injury), though," remarked Sam, "at least 30 yards oii the tee. And my putting Steve and Theresa also prepared a statement to read. But and chipping weren't even dose to what they were before." Sam -who had not planned to say anything at all- rose in The weakness on Sam's right side was seriously impeding his their stead and made his way slowly to the microphone. swing. When Sam realized that his handicap had slipped from a Looking Outlaw straight in the eye, he said: *I accept your two or three to a nine or 10, he knew once and for all that his apology and you arc forgiven." According to Theresa, "you dream of playing professional golf could only be that - a dream. could have heard a pin drop in the room.·• Drawing on the drive and determination that made him a Sam's assmlant received the maximum penalty for his great athlete to begin with, Sam set out to find a new career crimes - eight and two·thirds years to 10 years. He is current· goal. Talks with Michigan State University Trustee joel ly serving his time at a prison camp in northern Michigan. ~we're kept informed as to his whercabouts.Mnotes Steve. Ferguson, a family friend and respected developer, motivated Sam to consider real estate as an area of interest. Exploring But Sam shows no interest in keeping tabs on the man. ''l can't worry about details like that,MSam said. · Hes got to new career possibilities helped Sam with the emotional aspects of his recovery, also. lead his life and I've got to lead mme." Fighting his fear of riding in cars, however, took a bit longer. For Sam, the past seems almost a distant memory. Hcs "If l was sitting in the car and somebody drove by too fast, 1 focused mstead now on building a new future. In the past would duck without thinking. I was pretty jumpy.~ Then, in few years, he's opened himself up to a new relauonship, taken a job at an insurance company, and purchased his first early November, he suffered a serious seizure that landed him back in the hospital. "He was scared home - a small Cape Cod built in the to death with the realization that his life 1940s. "lt was so important to htm to was still so fragile," Theresa says. As a arrange the fmancing by htmself," "I have prayed day and night for result of that episode, Sam was put on an noted Theresa. you to recover from this incident ... anti-seizure medication he will likely have · My plans are to remodel the house I continue praying you will live a and resell it at a profit, then roll that to take for the rest of his life. normal and productive life.'' And, in the final week of that month of over into another house and do the November - almost a year to the day of same thmg," Sam explains. Giving his house a new lease on life the shooting- Sam and his parents sat in Ingham County Circuit Coun observing the sentencing hearts good practice for an aspiring developer and a fitting acllvi· ty for a young man who was given htS own second chance to ing for Sam's assailant. After a prolonged trial, Outlaw agreed to plead guilty to three charges: assault with intent to commit live ... and forgtve. "I thank God for everything I've accom· plished," said Sam. "From this point on, I'll always be pray· great bodily harm, felony firearm, and unlawfully having a gun in an automobile. The sentencing hearing's purpose was mg. I'll always be believing." ) Share your story on FAITHmag.cam Click Discussion Forums ~
.Mmd1 2002
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FAITH Maga:ine
: =: : : : : tb journey Ever Say 'You're Forgiven' Without Meaning It?
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n Match of 1901 , Amy Cannichael sheltered a distraught runaway, the first of many abused children that she would encoooter in her missionary work. How did Amy suggest that one respond to fife's hut1s? "If I am content to heal a hurt slightly, saying 'Peace, peaoe,' where there is no peace; if I forget the poignant words, 'Let love be without dissimulation,' and blunt the edge of truth, speaking not right things but smooth things, then I know nothing of Calvary love~
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ust when it seemed the Internet was threatening to make conventional letterwriting a thing of the past, along came Angela Fowler and her passion for pen pals. Fowler serves as secretary of the Diocese of Lansing's Office of Restorative Justice Ministry. As a result of her passion and the support of office director Gary Ashby, a flow of letters has developed between the unlikeliest of pen pals. Although not sanctioned as an official diocesan ministry, the Pen Pal Ministry program is an inte· gral part of the restorative justice program. "All we ask is that (the volunteers) be nonjudgmental, believe that all people arc worthy of God's forgiveness and love and that they be willing to reach out as Christ would have reached,h Fowler explains. Pen Pal Guidelines: • All prisoner letters go through Fowler's offtee. Volunteer letters can be sent through her office. • Both the prisoner and the volunteer must fill out applications. Fowler then screens volunteer applicants by phone. • Once a match has been made, volunteers are encouraged to send their letters through a post office box, their church office or through the Restorative Justice Ministry address.
Fowler is constantly recruiting volunteers to match with a steady stream of prisoners. Anyone interest· ed in becoming a pen pal can contact Restorative Justice Ministry at (517) 342·2494. - Breu Mcl.aug!tlln, TfK Catholic Tlmts
• Peace, peace? It might be tempting to avoid further pain by healing a hurt slightly, backing away from issues that evoke heartbreaking memories. But unspoken hurts don't simply fade away. Just as a physical wound may become infected if left unattended, emotional wounds fester in subtle ways. There may be a lingering feeling that the peo· pie who have caused pain should suffer, and A if misfortune does befall them, then we gloat with satisfaction. This type of response shows the hurt is festering; healing is needed for the victim as wen as the perpetrator. As the proverb says, "One who pursues revenge should dig two graves~
Agruing to forgive before we have confronted the pain of being hurt may give the illusion
of a healed relationship
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• 5aylng right things rather than smooth things. "Sony. You forgive me, don't you?" "Well, yeah." Agreeing to forgive before we have confronted the pain of being hurt may seem like a loving response but, instead, it gives the illusion of a healed relationship. The riglat response may be, "I'm going to pray for the desire to forgive you,• or "It might take a while but I hope I wilt be able to forgive you~
• "Let love be without dissimulation!' (Romans 12:9) Throughout His life, Jesus' responses to othera were genuine; He neither feigned emotions nor cloaked His thoughts. When we love without pretense, then we confront our pain instead of repressing il Courage is needed to love without dissembling because it runs counter to social norms that encourage smoothing over "delicate situations~ II may take more effort to heal a hurt rather than to hide it, but when healing does occur there is a freedom that lightens the heart. Healing painful memories begins with the decision to confront th1 unspoken hurts that weigh heavily upon our hearts. When Jesus taught us to pray, He gave us the words, • ... your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as in heaven~ (Mattlacw 6:10). When 111 ask that God's will be done in regard to our pain, we are inviting God to show us the path of inner healing: "You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your ri• hand forever~ (Psalm 16:1 I) - Dr. Cathleen McGre:~l is a professor c Psychology at Hope College nnd n ccnil'icd spiritu:d director.
remember picking up my sister, Ann, one day and as she got in the car, I said , "Mom is dead." She had a puzzled look on her face and asked me what I was talking about. I told her I'd have to kill Mom because she had burned a $8' million ticket.
By Lisa A. Stechschulte
Photography by Cluistitte jones
the lottery four times. Well, I got hooked. I was playing the lottery all the time and spending a lot of money. I would also go to the casino and spend money there. I knew that I was preoccupied with getting that $34 million, even though I knew I was not supposed to have it. That is when the sacrament of reconciliation became even more important to me. I confessed that I spent $500 in one hour at the casino. For my penance, I was supposed to donate that much money to charity. It took me six months to fulfill the penance because l wanted to select good charities. The next time I confessed my gambling problem, I was told I had to give up the casinos for Lent. 1 told Fr. Bill that 1 could not do that because my friends wanted to take me to the casino for my birthday. I was told to offer it up. So, 1did not go to the casino for all of Lent. Over a three-year process of confessing my sin of gambling, 1 finally decided on Nov. 12, 1999, that I could no longer spend my time, energy or money on the lottery. l also vowed to give up the casino, but went one more time on Thanksgiving Day that year. 1am truly thankful that through the sacrament of reconciliation, I was able It was too late. The ticket had been to stop gambling. There are times when burned two weeks earlier. 1 still think about it. Recently, for I admit l was momentarily mad at my example, the Big Game was worth $80 mother. But how can you really be upset million. l began to think of the good I could do with that kind of money. l with the person who gave you life? My mom had not only given hfe to 10 chileven gave some friends a series of numbers to play. I went to Mass that dren, she had also survived polio! Love weekend and Fr. Bill gave a homily on never fails - I couldn't be mad at my mom. The sacrament of reconciliation got me addictions. After Mass, I confessed the through the anger I had about losing an error of my sins. I felt a sense of relief opponumty to assist with a wide variety The sacrament of reconciliation got and peace because I knew visiting that of charitable projects. More importantly, confessional would help me to say no me through the anger I had about it helped me heal in my relationship to a terrible habit. los1ng ... More importantly, it helped The sacrament of reconciliation is with God. I was mad at God for not let· me heal in my relationship with God. one of the hidden treasures of the ting me collect the money I had great Catholic faith. In my own life this charities 1 wanted to assist and I was not beautiful sacrament has helped me in allowed to have the money. Why would God do this to me? many difficult times. Growing up, 1 was always nervous With this sacrament, my spintual director, Fr. Btll about gomg into the confesstonal and telling the priest Ashbaugh, reminded me the $34 million was not mine about the errors of my ways. However, as I continually grow because it would not bring me closer to the kingdom of God. There was a reason that God did not want me to have in my faith journey, I have experienced how this sacrament has changed my life. the money. Even though I did not know tt at the time, I When I was in the fourth grade, I received the sacrament believe 1 understand Gods plan now. of reconciliation for the first time. My classmates and 1at St. After the lottery news hit my family members, my uncle, Paul School in Owosso were nervous. We had questions joe, called to console me. He told me 1 should keep trying to win again, as there was a man in Colorado who has won running through our heads like, "What will Father think of •
I was joking about my mom, but Ann said I was being horrible. This happened in 1998 when I found out that I was the biggest loser in the state of Michigan because my mother burned a lottery ticket worth $34 million. I knew the ticket was mine because I played the same numbers since I was 16 and the store where I bought tickets sold the winner. While I was a minor, my dad would buy the tickets with the numbers I gave him. So, when the numbers of the missing ticket were announced over the radio, I called my Mom and told her to stop burning old lottery tickets - I was a winner!
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Trouble forgiving? Share your thoughts on FAITHmag.com Click Discussion Forums
Aid rei• 2002
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FAITH M~ga:i n c
Finding Forgiveness: Online Resources Look for these and more on FAITHmag.com
www.oncecathollc.org
www.catholtc.org/fent
Presented by Catholic Online, this site includes the Stations of the Cross and infonnation about Lent.
1 Have you ever lost time from
3
4
5
Do you have issues with the Church? Do you miss going to Mass? Get your questions answered here.
God has taken an eraser and wiped away all of the sins I have made. The absolution brings a great sense of peace, but for me the penance I receive provides the opponunity for great growth. Relationships with others have improved because I have learned to grow as a person with my penances. Once I was told for my penance that I had to write everything an individual did to me that I had to forgive. It took eight pages of paper and three days to complete my list. When !look back at those sheets or paper, I realize that I need to treat peo-
Do you or someone you know have a gambling addiction? Fill out this quiz to see if there may be a problem. Allow Lent to be a time to let go of what won't let go of you. Yes No
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www.cathollc-pages.com/dlr/confesslon.asp
A collection of resources on the sacrament of reconciliation. Once Catltolic - A Catholic Site for Scelters
Tlte Season of Lent
me? Is he going to tell our parents (even though we knew about the seal of the confessional)? What will! have to do for a penance?" I remember a sense of relief when it was over. jUSt like riding a bicycle, once }00 try it, you are fine. In high school, our l..ntin class was taught the words tabula rasa, which means clean slate. We were told that Catholics received this when they went to reconciliation. I often think of a chalkboard full of the mistakes I have made, and when the priest prays the prayer of absolution,
Catholic Web Dircct01y - Confession
work or school gambling? Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy? Have you ever gambled to get money to pay debts or solve financial problems? Have you ever borrowed money to gamble? Have you ever felt the urge to win back your losses as soon as possible?
How did you do? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may have a gambling addiction problem. The above questions were taken from a larger quiz on: www.GamblersAnonymous.org Other online resources: www.gambllng.org
pic as best ! can, because I would hate to see someone have an eight-page list of things that I did to hun them. I am not perfect and I know that the sacrament of reconctliation is a time to practice humility, because we have to confess our sins. This tS not easy. but the grace recetved to continue the faith journey is worth humbling oneself before God in front of a priest. I am proof that this sacrament can help people make great strides in their life. I hope to continue to use the grace from this sacrament to make it to the ultimate prize - heaven.
f you, or someone you love, is suffering from an addiction whether it be to alcohol, drugs, or gambling, assistance may be as close as your parish. Bob LaPrad, director of the Bishop's Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs, has been working with representatives from most of the parishes in the diocese in forming
grams and 12 step programs are all options. LaPrad says that nine times ( out of 10, a structured intervention works, and there is at least one intervention every few weeks in the diocese, a strong indication of how this grass roots movement is succeeding.
CommunHies of Hope.
• Check your bulletin for your parish representative.
Seventy-one parish representatives, all recovering from addiction themselves, have been trained to help with the healing and recovery process for families whose Jives have been affected by alcohol and other drugs which often are tied to gambling. At the core of this ministry is intervention, or the gathering of four to five family members and friends who confront the addicted person in a loving way in an attempt to steer him or her into treatment. Counseling, in-hospital rehabi~tation pro-
Where to Get Help:
• A complete listing of parish representatives, Jinks, info and advice is on the diocesan Web site: www.Dioceseoflanslng.org
Click on the Diocesan Assistance Program (DAP). • For further information, or to find out how you may volunteer as a parish representative, contact Bob LaPrad at the Bishop's Council on Alcoholism and Other Drugs at his toll-free number: (877) 342-2513 • Robin lynch
_spiriLLia fitness Steps to Ease Your
Conscience and Care for Your Soul
Individual Reconciliation One-on-one with the priest in the reconciliation room.
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Penance Service with One-on One Confession Here, the Church recognizes the impact of sin on both the individual and the community. General Absolution A general confession and absolution in case of grave emergency or when the number of penitents is exceedingly large.
he Second Vatican Council called for a revision of the rite for the sacrament of penance "so that they more clearly express both the nature and effect of the sacrament" (SC t72l. Recognizing that sin hurts both our relationship with God and with our community, the revised rites emphasize the reconciling role of the Church. Even the name of the rite was important. The traditional term of "penance" was maintained, but it only told part of the story. Pope Paul VI preferred the term "reconciliation," i.e., "to see eye-to-eye," "to re-estab· lish harmont We must realize that reconciliation is not simply an end in itself. Reconciliation is for the sake of com· munion - communion with God and with each other. There can be no unity without forgiveness. Reconciliation for the sake of com· munion also involves the Church as a whole. "The Church is at once holy and always in need of purification" (Lumen gentium). The ministry of reconciliation demands that we reach out to those who are alienated from the Church and find ways to bring them back; to correct the harsh dis· course within the Church; and to seek forgiveness for what we have done personally and as an institution. It's all about relationships. - Rita Thiron
oing to the doctor is something we all must do from time to time. As one gets older, it seems to be a more frequent activity. Our own self-awareness of problems can be a help to the doctor, whereas our lack of awareness can be a hindrance to our own healing. We m01y even deny we 01re ill. The Silme is true for us in tenns of our spirituill fitness and health. Unless we h01ve a good grasp of ourselves - our tendencies, strengths 01nd weaknesses, vinues and vices, p01uems good and bad we become less m01lleable 01nd pliable, 01nd more difficult to mold in the hands of God. We disable our Divine Physici01n from curing our illness, because we are not able to admit we need Him. We all need Him. We do not save ourselves. Jesus saves us. A good remedy to our lack of self-knowledge is an examination of conscience. There is a tendency in all of us to want to look good, but that kind of personal dtshonesty docs nothing for us in terms of our spintuill growth. So, in an examiniltion of conscience, we must pray for personal honesty and truth. During this Spiritual Fitness, I would like to lead you through an exam of conscience.
Try thls_at homo - Repeal.daUyl 1 Before looking at our souls, we first must remember that God loves us. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus. And Jesus loved us so much, that He suffered and died on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. In the context of love, we can be brave enough to take a good look at oun~elves. Otherwise, we end up hiding in the brush like Adam and Eve did after they committed the first sin against God. With that in mind, go someplace where you will not be distracted and disturbed - where you can be alone with God. Go into your closet if you have tal Now, close your eyes and believe the truth that God is with you. God is everywhere. There is no place you can go that God is not. You are with God who loves you. Read Psalm 139. 2 What Is the greatest of all command· ments? Jesus said, "Love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength~ (Matthew 22:37). How have I loved God who loves me? How faithful have I been to God? Do I see that rela· tionship as the most important in my life, or do I treat God as a second thought? Do I put God off into some comer of my life and forget Him?
Do I presume upon His love for me? Do I pre· sume upon His mercy, and not really feel how precious and weighty His gift of mercy is? Read Luke 7:36-48. 3 The Second Commandment Is like the first. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself!' (Matthew 22:39). Think of all the relationships you have. How have you loved or not loved your family, rela· tives, friends, co-worken~, and strangen~ you meet? Have you loved yourself, and treated yourself with respect? Have you kept the Ten Commandments and followed the teachings of Jesus Christ? Read Exodus chapter 20 and the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5·7. At this point, honestly consider how your words, actions, or inactions have affected the people in your life. Have your actions allowed them to experience the love of Christ? What actions in particular are harmful? 4 If the examination has gone well, and you have allowed the Holy Spirit of God In, you may be feeling contrition and sorrow at this point. If you do, praise God for the gift of tears! Cry out to God for mercy. Pray the following: "Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." Pray this prayer slowly from your heart. Pray it a number of times. Read one of the penitential Psalms, 5 t or 32. Open your soul with its wounds to the heal· ing rays of God's mercy. God is light. Imagine yourself covered by the light of God. At this point in the examination, all your sins are exposed. Imagine yourself placing them into a big sack. You are canying them on your back. Now, let Jesus take them from you. Let His hands take over the load. Feel Jesus pull the sack off your back and cast them far from you. He has cast them into the sea of oblivion and God remembers them no more. 5 Make a sacramental confession. When we are truly sony for our sins, Jesus forgives us. Serious sins need special attention. God has given us the sacrament of reconciliation to heal the wounds of sin and to empower us with the grace of the Holy Spirit to live the life we are called to as God's children. 6 Rejoice and praise God for His mercy. You have just died and rose to new life in Christ. You are preparing yourself the best way possible for Sunday Mass and the Easter celebrations! - Fr. Dill Ashbaugh is pastor of St. j oseph Parish, Howell.
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FAITH t.bgazlnc
Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro in True Conressions, 1981
hat's happening in our confessionals? Are people now confessing in ways different than years ago? What follows are the unverifiable impressions of a journeyman priest who has ¡heard confessions for about 35 years. Other priests would have differing views, I'm sure, but these may be similar to theirs.
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Its no secret that over the past few dec:1des priests aren't hearing as many confessions. Both the numbers of people who receive the sacrament of penance and the frequency of their sacramental confessions are down - muc.h to the consternation
of many pastors and bishops. The c:1uses are multiple. But surely one of them is a prevailing cultural attitude that denies personal responsibility by claim¡ mg that other people or forces are responsible for our own personal sins and bad deeds. But while that may be true, the quality of confessions made by those who are strong enough to admit responsibility is, in my estimation, going up. Back in 1967 when I 'vas newly ordained, many people confessed weekly. biweekly or monthly. Today the numbers are up just before Christmas and Easter. There arc "regulars" who con¡ fcss often throughout the year, but their confessions are more in the nature of 'fine-tunings' and out of devotion to our loving Father who comes to us in jesus Chnst to heal us. They have a
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lively awareness of how much God loves us and how much He wants to share His loving and healing forgiveness \vith us. So they confess frequently, not so much to deal with guilt as to uy to be better individuals in small, incremental ways. Today there are a significant number of confessions that are really special. In recent years I've noticed that there is a small but meaningful increase in the numbers of penitents who have not confessed in 10, 15 or 20 years. With great courage and humility they return to the confessional after long absences so that they might restore an intimate relationship with jesus Christ. To be privileged to share Christs love and healing for· giveness in such grace-filled moments is, for me, truly moving. It puts me in touch with what]esus really died to give us- life· changing conversions when we truly move from one version of living into another. During such moments, my favorite meditation is to think of myself in the place of jesus as He encountered and invited and then touched the soul of the woman He met at jacobs well. Read St. johns Gospel Qohn 4:5-30) and reflect on it meditatively. Then read it again, this time placing yourself in the heart of Christ. This \vill give you a little sense of what I feel when the sacrament of penance is received in such grace.filled moments of conversion. It is then that the words "to confess my sins, do penance, and to amend my life" become quite real. What was merely a wish becomes something that is actual. Sin is not merely the infraction of some rule - the stepping over of some boundary. Sin is found in our relationships ,vith God, self and others. Sin attacks our communion, our communi· ty, and our commonly shared life with God and with others. Sin is not a "thing," but it is something that changes our character and damages our soul. lt weakens us; its focus is on what we can get rather than what we can give. So what is being confessed these days? Damaged relationships .. attitudes and fundamental patterns of living ... and the way we ignore and abuse GodS love for us. More and more penitents are admitting to racism, prejudice, judgment and mistreatment of those around them. More and more are seeing that the way they treat othe!'ii is indicative of the way they treat God. What do I think needs more attention these cbys? I would say that we need to train ourselves to see God in our ordinary, everyday lives. Too many of us, myself included, take for granted Gods presence, power and love for us. We're too busy for God. We have a "do-it-yourself' attitude that allows us the delusion to believe we can make ourselves holier; that we can, all by ourselves, take care of our relationship with God. The Father of Ues has seduced us with the great lie called "self-sufficiency." Our culmres unbalanced assertion of individualism has done what all sin does - it has isolated us and divorced us from our need for Gods love and our reliance on His care for us. Confession is, after all, a confession of faith. Its a statement from God that we can, in spite of our past, do better. For God sees all that we can be, not just what we have been. Such a belief comes straight from the heart of God. But how can we possibly 'believe it unless we hear it straight from the heart of God? ~ - Fr. Charles Irvin was editor in chief of FAITH Mngazinc: nnd is pastor or St. Mary Parish, Manchester.
worklife Ways to Bring out the Gifts of Others In the Workplace
D
o you oversee the work life of others1 Are you an owner or man· ager of a workplace organization? We all have a responsibility to discern, accept and use the gifts and talents we are given by God. But leaders are given a special calling and grace to be faithful stew· ards of social institutions. Specifically, organizational stewards are servants to the gifts and talents of others in our care. Yes, can:, not direction or management. The most important gift needed to faithfully steward or oversee an organization is the willingnw and desire to be a servant to others and to help them fully use their gifts and talents through their work. Yet just the opposite image is emphasized and rewarded in our society. After years of hard work to get to the top we now expect our ideas to be implemented. We expect others - who are our "subordinates• - to follow our directives and serve us. Baptism marks us as Christians and initiates us into the life and mission of the Church. Confirmation intensifies our experience and commitment to faithful living of our Christian life in the daily circumstances God gives to us. It signifies Gods grace to fortify and strengthen us to live in the footprints of Christ, especially in times of trial. We are sent to serve others- to be last. not first. As Chnstians, we see work as an opportunity to participate with God in creation, redemption and building the kingdom on earth. We emphasize the importance of Catholic social teaching and the dignity of the per· son at work in all levels of society. Numerous Church documents also tell us A good steward will first assure that our role is to build up the temporal society by performing our domestic, social that everyone else finds dignity and professional duties with Chnstian gen- - - - - - - - - -erosity. To accept Gods grace and call to a in and through thdr works. position of organizational stewardship is to say "yes" to a unique style of management that in many ways flies in the face of common wisdom. Uke all servants of the Church, we are called to bring out the gifts of others and to be prophets of a son in challengmg unjust systems, structures, policies. attitudes and other barriers in our organizations. The following are suggestions for your reflection: 1 Pray for your employees or those in your care. Offer their needs to God, and ask for help in serving them. 2 Treat every person as a unique individual with a name, not simply as an impersonal job classification or tiUe. 3 Review your organization's mission statement. How does it speak to Christian stewardship? 4 Review your organizational policies and practices. Do they increase or assure the dignity of the person? Or do they treat people with distrust or suspicion? 5 Review the actual work perfonned. Does it enhance full human development and interaction? Or is it boring, degrading and isolating? 6 Reflect on your organization's dynamics. Do people trust and support each other? Are people encouraged by bonuses, promotion or other incentives to be self·serving and competitive? "The servant proved himself faithful and wise; the Lord entrusted the care of His hou~hold to him." God created your organization for a good purpose. You were called to serve in a position of leadership. Have you been a wise and faithful steward' - Michac:l Sullivan, SFO, Is pn:sident of Sullivan & Sullivan, Inc.
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Marth 2C<l2
23
FAITH Mag;a:inc
hat 00 you do with â&#x20AC;¢ Palm Sttnda)[ MMs!
By Patrida Majher
Photography by Philip Shippert
fronds you bring home from Place them on a dresser or tuck them behind a crucifix, perhaps? This year, why not try something different, something more creative? Take a page out of Sr. Cecilia Schmitts book - literally. Sr. Cecilia, a Franciscan nun living in St. Cloud, Minn., haa self published a book called Palm Weaving: The Story and the Art. Within ita pages are more than 100 palm-weaving patterns from around the world. Crosses - both simple and ornate - are included in the book. So are more elaborate patterns, including flowers, but· terflies, birds, stara, fish, frames for holy pictures, and crowns of thorns. What is the origin of the practice of palm weaving for religious purposes? Sr. Cecilia's research has led her to suggest Sicily as the starting poinl But much of Europe now consid+ en1 it an established Easter tradition. One Gennan custom involws not only the weaving of crosses but the burying of them in fanners' fields to ensure God's blessings. Palm weavingois also part of many tropical cultures. where it is practiced along side basket weaving. To make a weaving of your own, start by picking fresh, flexible. green fronds. (Store them in a refrigerator if you can't work with them right away.) No specialotools are required, just your hands and the occasional
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pin or paper clip to secure a design until the frond dries. Woven fronds will take on the color of straw aa they age, and may be displayed for years with just an occasional dusting. Depending on the pattern you choose, the fronds can be hung from a ribbon, arranged in a bouquet, or left to alt out on a bookcase or tabletop. Here's a simple cross pattern to get you started on this craft. Even children will find this one easy and rewarding; why not adopt it aa a fun family activity during Holy Week? Following that is a pinecone pattern, for our more adventurous readeral
CROSS PATTERN
1 Take a palm frond about one inch wide and 13 inches long. Hold it horizontally. 2 Bend the right end straight up from the center to fonn a right angle. 3 Fold this same top strip, from the center, back and down, up and over again, to fonn a square at the back. It will still be a right angle at this point. 4 Bring the left strip forward and fold over the center toward the right. Fold away from you and thread through the square
"-mber, you belaltg to Nm•thlna - your local parish
at the back, all the way. 5 Bend the top strip forward and thread the end through the center square to make a shaft of desired length. 6 Fold left strip backward and thread through the back square. This makes the left crossbar and should be in proportion to the shaft. 7 Fold the right strip back to fonn the right crossbar and thread through the beck square to aecure. Cut a 'V' into the base of the shaft for a dovetail effect, if desired, The finished cross should measure approxi· mately 2 inches wide by 3 inches high.
the slranda, you can puH them together to lie off or tuck them in under a previous loop. Put a slraight pin in ID aecura the closure, removing the pin when the palm is dry. The finished pinecone will vary in size, depending on the length of the strands.
PINECONE PATTERN
1 Find a palm that haa four strands or gather four individual strands and staple them togeth· er at the base. Choose palms that have tapered ends to make a more natural-looking pinecone that narrows at the top. 2 Hold the connected strands in one hand. Use the other hand to bend one strand'away from you (pointing north}, another strand over this and to the left (pointing west), and another strand over this toward you (pointing south). The last strand should be placed over the third and under the first (pointing eBSt). You should now have a strand going in each direction and a square platfonn from which to start weaving. 3 Pull tha platfonn tight and continue to fold the strands in four directions, tucking the fourth strand under tha firat each time to secure your work. You will weave clockwise, then coun~ clockwise, beginning with any strand. Watch that your weaving stays even and the tightness of the weave consistent 4 Aa you approach the end of www.FAITH11111g.cam
The base may be decorated with ribbon and a sprig of dried flowers. For a wider variety of patterns, visit the following Web site: www.chem.umb.edu/Palms/ You may also contact Sr. Cedlla Schmitt directly at CHT14@juno.com or at (320) 252-1234 to order her book, a second publication containing reprodudble lesson plans, or a how-to video on palm weaving. When Palms Are In Short Supply In the countries of northern Europe, it is common to celebrate Palm Sunday not with palms but with•pussy wil· lows, which grow commonly throughout the region. In Poland, for instance, boys light· ly swat the girls with willow switches on Switching Day, eel· ebrating the end of Lent, and girls return the favor on Easter Tuesday. Crosses are made of cattails and hung over the main entry of the house. Dipped lin holy water, they are also used to bless farm animals.
March 2002
25
FAITH Magazine
EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS
What does the Church teach about the Antichrist, the second coming and the end of the world? How should we interpret the book of Revelation? Whlle simple answers to questions like these can be found in the Catechism, many things need to be understood to know why mistaken ideas about the "end times" often have sad and dangerous consequences. You probably have heard of somethmg called the "rapture," especially if you are familiar with the popular Left
The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) - Director Leo McCarey:S sequel to Going My \\by (1944) pulls out all the emotional stops in a sugary confecnon that takes happygo-lucky Fr. O'Malley (Bmg Crosby) to a poor parish with a crumbling school run by
Behind book series. The rapture doctrine, which until the 19th century was almost never before heard, teaches that jesus will come back secretly before His glorious second coming. At this secret "third" coming, He will snatch away true believers from the troubles of the world. Does this idea sound novel and unbiblical? It should. The author of The Rapture Trap is Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., a senior editor for Servant Publications, Ann Arbor. He is a former evangelical Protestant pastor who entered the Catholic Church in 1993 and has studied "end times" theology extensively. He wrote this valuable book primarily for "everyday Catholics who accept the God-given teaching authority of the Church and who have a good dose of common sense.r In understandable Jan-
guage, Thigpen illustrates why "the meaning of Christs second coming cannot be adequately understood apan from the meaning or His first coming." likewise, he explains the Churchs understanding on things like suffering, authority and salvation, in contrast to the antiCatholic theology usually found alongside the unbiblical notion of the rapture. Citing many instances of Catholic "end times fever" as well, he tells us what the Church teaches about private revelations, warns against straying from the Sacred Magisterium and gives us guidelines for discernment. Above all, the purpose of the book is to "help readers move beyondless-unponantend times issues so they can focus on the lord jesus Christ.~
overworked Sr Benedict (Ingnd Bergman). Though the1r conflicting views on education have less to do with the plot than the chasm between their personal relations. Bergman:S shming performance as the tdealistic nun is still wonh watching. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-tgeneral patronage. (Republic)
appantions of the Virgin Mary at a grotto near Lourdes, but news of this is initially discredited by her stem pastor (Charles Bickford), the town prosecutor (Vmcent Price) and an envious teacher (Gladys Cooper) Directed by Henry King, the story of a young girls faith withstandmg the disbelief of her elders is made dramatically convincmg by a fine cast, evocative photography and largely unsennmental treatment. The USCCB classification is A-1 - general patronage. (Fox Home Video)
Song of Bernadette
(1943)- Durable adaptation of the Franz Werfel novel about Bernadette Soubirous Oennifer jones), the French schoolgirl who m 1858 saw
Go\sccnslon Pc. Oct. 200l, ISBN 0965922820) -Alion Ptlows•l
- Tht US. COf!{trmcc of Carltolfc Bishops Ojjlu for Film and Broadc4sring
The Middle School Youth Rally Guiding Our Decisions, God5 Our Guide will be held at Jackson Catholic Middle School Saturday, March 2, from 1·9 p.m. The keynote speaker/musician for the event will be Steve Angrisano, a musician, composer and storyteller. For Information, contact your parish youth minister. The Library of the Jesuit Faculty of Philosophy and Institute of Theology in Zagreb, Croatia, is in urgent need of book and joumal donations. "Presently we are struggling to recover from several decades of communist rule and likewise from the recent war through which we finally gained our independence,• explains Fr. Zeljko Rakosec, SJ. "The suffering we endured has made us strong in faith but has left us devoid of the material infrastructure necessary to fulfill our important role in the evangelization of God's people here in Croatia:' For additional information concerning book and journal donations, please contact: Fr. Zeljko Rakosec, SJ Jordonovac 110, pp 169 10000 Zagreb, Croatia rakosec@libero.it The Story of St. Therese of Llsleux will be performed at St. John Church, Howell, on Sunday, March 3, at 7 p.m. This one-person live drama on the life of St. Therese the Uttle Aower is beautiful, theatrical and is accompanied by recorded orchestral music. This inspiring drama performed by Monica Clark has touched the hearts of thousands. Everyone is invited. No charge for admission, but donations will be greatly appreciated. For information, call Michelle at (517) 552-8032 or the church office at (570) 546-7200
Masses for the deaf com· munlty will be celebrated by Fr. Michael Depcik, OSFS, at St John the Evanger.st Parish, Fenton, on the following Sundays at 10 a.m.: March 3, 17 (No Mass, ICDA only), 24 and 31 . Holy Thursday service will be held March 28 at 6 p.m. Good Friday service will follow on March 29 at 7 p.m. Masses will be celebrated by Fr. Depcik at St Mary Cathedral, Lansing, on the following Sundays at 3 p.m.: March 3, 24 and 31 . The deaf community of Ann Arbor are invited to Mass at St Francis of Assisi Parish in the Day Chapel at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 23. Fr. Depcik, who is the sixth deaf man to be ordained in the United States, serves as chaplain for the Diocese of Lansing's deaf community. A Talze Prayer for Peace will be held Monday, March 11 and 18, from 6:30·7 : 15 p.m. at St. John Student Parish, East LansinQ· A labyrinth prayer walk w1ll follow at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. A Soup and Substance series will be held most Wednesdays during Lent from 6-7 :30 p.m. at St. John Student Parish, East Lansing. All are welcome. For the weekly topic, call (517) 337-9778. An annulment workshop will be held Saturday, March 16, from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Diocesan Center in Lansing. The workshop is intended for anyone who is thinking about submitting a case to the Tribunal. Eileen Jaramillo, JCL, a tribunal judge, will speak on marriage as covenant, invalid marriages and misinformation about annulments. A second presentation will discuss the specifics of submitAi\ting a case. A question and ~nswer session, lunch and a prayer service will round out the day. For registration
information, call Unda Kolanowski at (51 7) 3422465, or e-mail to: lkolan@dioceseoflansing.org
St Gerard Parish, Lansing, will host a Parish Mission Sunday, March 17, through WednesdaY., March 20. The sessions will be conducted by Passionist Missionary Fr. Jack Conley. The theme is Hungers of the Human Hea1t. Fr. Conley will address issues of acceptance, the Passion, forgiveness and wonder. Each evening wiN get underway at 7 p.m. with prayer; music and a presentation. A rece~tion will conclude each n~ht s activities. The mission IS free and all are welcome to attend. Resurrection Catholic Church, Lansing, will host a Lenten mission entitled
The Inaugural Mission of the Third Millennium Sunday, March 17, through Wednesday, March 20, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. each evening. Retired Bishop Kenneth Povish will serve as the mission's spiritual mentor and master. Bishop Povish has chosen "faith, hope and charity" as the focus of the event Refreshments will follow in the parish hall throughout the mission and child care will be provided. All are welcome to attend. The annual Chrism Mass will be held Thursday, March 28, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing. Representatives from each parish of the Diocese of Lansin~ will be in attendance as B1shop Carl Mengeling blesses chrism, the holy oil used in the sacraments of baptisms, confirmations, and Holy Orders. Chrism is also used to bless bell towers, baptismal fonts and for the consecration of churches, altars, chalices and patens.
Darrell Scott, a leading spokesperson following the Columbine High School tragedy, win speak at St.
FAITH Is available on audiotape by request Call (517) 342·2500.
John's Conference Center in Plrmouth on Thursday, April 1 . The event is being sponsored by the Sl Francis Educational Trust Fund with proceeds benefitting the St Francis of Assisi Catholic School in AM Arbor. Scott is the father of Rachel Joy Scott who was fatally shot April 20, 1999,duringthe Columbine massacre. The story of her life has reached around the wortd. Rachels Tears, the best selling book by Rachel's parents, provides
a fresh look at how one teenager looked at life. Cf~ain
Reaction: A Call to Compassionate Revolution is Darrell Scott's current book addressing compassion as a logical solution to some of this country's violence. Scott was featured in the September 2001 issue of FAITH Magazine. Tickets for the event include dinner and can be purchased from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School by calling Kathy Barrett at (734) 821-2208.
SUNDAY AND HOLY DAY READINGS March 3
Third Sunday of Lent Exodua 17:3 -7 Psalm 95:1-2. 6-9 Romans 5:1-2, 5·8 John 4!5-42 or 4: 5· 15, 19b26, 39a, 4C>-42
March 10
Fourth Sunday of Lent 1 Samuel 18: t b, 6·71 1o-tsa Psalm 23: 1-6 Ephesian~~ 5:8· 14 John9; 1-41 or9: 1, 6-9, 13·17, 34-38
March 17
Fifth Sunday of unt Ezekiel 97:12-14 Psalm 130:1·8 Romans 8:8·11 John 11 :1-45 or 11 :3·7, 17, 2Q-27, 33b-45
March 24 Palm Sunday of the Lord!! Passion Proceeaion Go.pel: Matthew 21 :1-11 Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8·9, 17· 18a, 19· 20, 23·24 Philippians 2 :6-11 Matthew 28:14·27:66 ()( 27:11 · 54 March 28
Holy Tluir.sday Mass of Chrism Isaiah 81 : 1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 Pulm 89 ~ 21 ·22 , 25,27 Revelations 1:5-8 Luke4:16·21
17•18 1 Corinthians 11 :23·26 John 19:1· 15
March 29
Good Friday Ctlcbnlllon of the Lo~ Passion Isaiah 52:19· 59: 12 Psalm 31 :2, 6, 12· 13, 15-17, 25 Hebrawa 4 : 14·16; 5:7· 9 John 18:1-19:42
March30
Holy Saturday Night The Easter Vigil (1) Geneaia 1:1· 2:2 or 1:1, 26· 91a Psalm 104;1· 2a, 5·8, 10, 1214, 24, 35c or Psalm 33 ~4-7, 12· 13, 20.• 22 (2) Genesis 22:1-18 or 22:1·2, ea. to-ts, 15-18 Psalm 16:5, 8-11 (3) Exodua 14: 15· 15: 1 (Psalm) Exodua 15:1-6, 17· 18 (4) Isaiah 54:5- 14 Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 1 t-12a, 13b (5) Isaiah 55: 1-1 1 (Psalm) Isaiah 12:2·9, 4bcd, 5·8 (8) Baruch 3 :9-15, 32-4:4 Psalm 19:8 - 11 (7) Ezekiel36: t 6-17a, 18·28 Psalms 42:3, 5bcd; 49:9-4 or, whtln baptism is celebrated, (Psalm) Isaiah 12:2· 3, 4bcd, 5· 6 or Psalm 51 :12- 15, 18· 19 (8) Romans 8:3-11 Psalm 1 18: 1·2, 18ab-17, 22-23 (9) Matthew 28:1-10
March 31
Easter Sunday March 28 Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord~ Supper Exodua 12:1-8, 11· 14 Psalm 116:12- 13, 15· 16bc,
Acta 10:34a, 37-43 Psalm 118: 1 ~2, 16ab-17, 22-23 Cololeians 3: 1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 John 20:1·9
Fcbf14ary 2002
27
FAITH Maga:ln<
BECOME
A
SPIRt 't UAL
Blood Drive Celebrates Life of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. WASHINGTON (CNS) -
The Rev. Martin Luther Kingjr.s life was commemorated and his work celebrated in January, as the Diocese of Lansing conducted its second annual diocesan-wide Blood of the Martyrs blood drive. "The ultimate goal is to literally change the way this holiday is celebrated, for our children's sake and for our country's sake ... said Ron Landfair, director of Black Catholic Ministry in the Lansing Diocese. "How wonderful it would be, if. 20 years from now, we made it a point to donate blood nationally. How wonderful for the Catholic Church to be harbingers of this tradition," he added. About three years ago local Red Cross officials were talking about a winter blood shortage. At about the same time Bishop Carl F.
Menge ling approached Landfair about plans for the next Martin Luther King Day, and the Blood of the Martyrs concept emerged. "I think the Church struggles with Dr. King because hes not Catholic," Landfair said. "How do we acknowledge his denominational relationship and still come up with a way to honor him? When you talk about martyrdom and self-sacrifice, what greater gift, beyond money, can we offer but blood, which is life for the good of the community?" This year, 12 blood drives were held jan. 19-21. Accordmg to Landfair, the goal of 600 presenting donors was met with a response of nearly 650 persons who donated a total of 520 productive units. -
Editor ~
Note FAITH Maga~lncs
Kathy Funh co n!lib~ttd to this story
The following reslilnetJons and transfers have been announced by the Diocese of Lansing:
Fr.]. Thomas Munley Resigned as Pastor¡ Holy Trinity Parish, Ypsilanti, due to health reasons. Fr. Frands David Mossholder, PlME Pastor, Holy Trinity Parish, Ypsilanti
To:
Fr. Innocent Kujur (not pictured)
To: From:
Parochial Vicar, Holy Redeemer Pansh, Bunon Parochial Vicar, St. joseph Catholic Church, St. johns
Fr. Vincent A.
Dt:Lor~o
Resigned as Pastor: Holy Redeemer Parish, Bunon, due to health and personal reasons Fr. Timothy Nelson
To: From:
Temporary Administrator, Holy Redeemer Parish, Bunon Parochial Vicar, Holy Redeemer Parish, Bunon
2002 Vocation Poster Vocation Congress Looks to the Future of Religious Life U\NSlNG (The Catholic Times) -
For Anthony Strouse the decision to enter the seminary hasn't been a hard one. ln fact, the Lansing Catholic Central High School senior said his decision-making process began with fnends telling him he would make a good priest. However, Strouse is one of a minority devoting themselves to religious life. The dwindling vocation numbers have become alarming. So much so the Diocese of Lansing. along with dioceses across the nation, arc holding Vocation Congresses to determine what can be done to encourage vocations among young people. ~This is crucial," said Lansing Bishop Carl F. Mengeling as more than 200 gathered at Lansing Catholic Central High School. ~Without vocations the Church can not go on." The group, consisting of
clergy, religious education leaders, parish staffs and parishioners. answered questions ranging from obstacles one faces when considering a consecrated life or ordained ministry to coming up with ideas to encourage vocations. The information obtained in the Lansing workshop will be compiled and forwarded to the Canadian and United States Vocations Congress scheduled for Montreal, April 18-21. Bishop Mengcling said the road to a vocation begins with a seed, a seed which everyone is responsible for planting. "You and 1are gathered here today because we have to be believers," said Bishop Mengeling. "The people in my home parish had no idea they were making a difference in my life. Look at me now. We have to be believers that God is at work here." - Erin Oakley
placestopray What Makes Mv Parish Special? By Margaret Beahan
Pro-Life Events Remember Roe v. Wade Tuesday, jan. 22 marked the 29th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Couns decision to legalize abonion. During that week, many Catholics in the Diocese of Lansing panicipated in events remembering the lives ended by abonion in our country. On Sunday. jan. 20, which President George Bush declared "National Sanctity of Life Day," people of all ages gathered at a rally outside of the Michigan State Capitol Building. Ed Rivet, legislative director of Right to Life of Michigan, addressed the ~ p owd, which ' included groups like Lansing Catholic Central High Schools Students for IJfc. He said, "The future belongs to those with the vision and courage to shape it." Pilgrims who panicipated in the jan. 22 March for IJfc in Washington, D.C. were inspired by a new generation. Thousands celebrated Mass at the Basilica of the Nat'\ Shrine of the Immaculate Conception the preceding evening. "The number of young people there was just amazing," reflected Uz Burkel. a 21-year-o\d college student who traveled with other young women and the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist from Ann Arbor. Meanwhile. Medical mtudents for Life at Michigan State University invited Fr. Timothy Nelson from Holy Redeemer Parish, Bunon, to
address a group of students Jan. 22. Fr. Tim, who spent most of his adulthood as a cardiologist before becoming a priest, said, "I sui\ very much see myself as a physician. I still work to heal people where they hun. where they arc suffering: Fr. Tims discussion centered on the identity of the human embryo. He explained that if scientists assen that a human person is not an "individual" before a cenain stage of development, "they cross over from the realm of science to philosophy." since theres no scientific evidence for such a claim. He concluded by answering questions and reminding the medical students that their vocation "is not simply a business relationship ... Physicians, like firemen, need to help those they serve, even if they sometimes put themselves at risk." Despite more than 1 million deaths caused by abonion in Michigan, these events point to a hopeful future. To those gathered outside the State Capi10l, Ed Rivet suggested that 100 years from now, it \viii be said, 'There was once a people (who) clung to the idea that every human being conceived is precious, is equal to every other. They believed in the sacredness of human life. They fought back against a culture of death ... Ultimately, they were successful." -All on Ptlowshf
W
hat makes my parish special, St. John Student Parish In East Lansing, is the celebration of the liturgy.The Sunday liturgy always has many good elements. The music is chosen to fit the Scripture message and it may include a chant, an African-American spiritual, a classical Latin selection with four-part harmony as well as hymns that the whole congregation can sing easily. The homilies are based on the readings and usually have a mes· sage that I can remember throughout the week. I especially like those Masses when baptisms or first Communions are celebrated with the faith community. I usually leave a wedding or a funeral with the feeling that we Catho~cs know how to celebrate those important life events. I like it that the celebrant at weddings and funerals usually explains the liturgy for those who may not be famifrar with it. Every Sunday we are reminded of the social teachings of the Church. The prayers of the faithful are carefully written based on the readings and include petitions for many justice issues. We give five percent of our collection to M meet the dire needs of the poor" and the recipients are always announced. The coHection of money and food keeps the Church's universality and "preferential option for the poor" in the forefront of our minds at every liturgy. The food is distributed at our parish food cupboard on Saturday. The Holy Week and Easter liturgies are the high point of the year. On Holy Thursday we have the opportunity to wash each other's feet. Two students tell the congregation about their experiences working with the poor during their Alternative Spring Break trips. I love my parish because of the prayerful, joyful celebration of the liturgy and the sacraments.
Therese Hesllp of the I.Aglonnelres of Christ has worked •• •n educator In Monterrey, Mexico, for four y ..rs. Therese Is from SL Augustine Parish, Deerfield
Please make the check
payable to "Miaaionary
Township (Howell).
of the Month~ If you know a aon or daugh·
If you would like to have memorial Maeaas offered by miaaionariea for your daceaaed loved ones, aend stipends to: Diocese of Lansing, 300 W. Ottawa St., l..anaing, Ml 48933.
ter of the Lansing Diocese currently eerv· ing in a mieeion, please forward their names to the Missionary of the Month Program, 300 West Ottawa Street, Lensing, Ml48933.
·-----~Ilia
the.world Pope, in Assisi, says religious leaders want to help end terrorism ASSISJ, Italy {CNS)-
Saying religious leaders wanted to do their part to fend off "the dark douds of terrorism, hatred (and) armed confltct," Pope John Paul II led an interreligious pilgrimage to Assisi, birth路 place of St. Francis. The winter sky above Assisi was leaden with thick douds jan. 24, but the pope and more than 200 religious leaders were protected from the cold wind and the afternoon rain by a huge tarp and plastic sheeting that turned lower St. Francis Square into a tent. "Violence never again," the pope said at the end of the afternoon meeting. "War never again. Terrorism never again," he said. "In the name of God, may every religion bring upon the earth justice and peace, for-
giveness and life, love," the 81-year-old pope said before his guests set lighted glass and terra cotta oil lamps on a large table as a sign of hope. During the afternoon service, 10 religious leaders, reading in 10 different languages, recited 10 commitments they all promised to fulfill to help bring peace to the world. The Rev. Konrad Raiser, secretary-general of the World Council of Churches, read the first pledge in German: "We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm commitment that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terronsm."
The leaders also promised to educate their faithful to respect others, to foster dialogue, to defend each person's right to live a decent life, to value differences, to be voices for the poor and defenseless and to promote friendship among peoples. In his morning address, the pope said, "We are here as representatives of different religions to examine our路 selves before God concerning our commitment to peace, to ask him for this gift, to bear \vitness to our shared longing for a world of greater justice and solidarity." Listening to one another is the first step in peacemaking, he said, because it "serves to scatter the shadows of suspi路 cion and misunderstanding " - Ctncly Wooden Conui buting to thi~ story was john Norton '" Assi5i.
Knights of Columbus Financing Toronto's Park of Reconciliation $1 Million to Support the Sacrament at World Youth Day TORONTO {Zenit org)-
The Knights of Columbus will donate $1 million to World Youth Day, to help build a park where participants can turn to the sacrament of reconciliation. The area will be named "Due in Altum" Park (put out in the deep) in reference to the motto john Paul II proposed to the Church at the start of the millennium. Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, head of the Catholic family fraternal benefit society, presented an initial
$250,000 contribution to Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, national director of World Youth Day, during a recent preparatory meeting. "The Knights of Columbus is honored to sponsor Due in Altum Park," Anderson said. "The experience of getting to know Christ is what we hope every young person coming to Toronto this summer receives. "We also hope they will come to know Him as a friend on whom they can always count when they take advantage of the healing grace of the
sacrament of reconciliation: Part of the Knights' contribution wtll go to produce stoles the priests wtll wear while administering the sacrament. The stoles \vill be handmade by "MUJeres por Ia D1gnidad~ (Women for Dignity), a handcraft cooper路 ative of Mayan women in Los Altos de Chiapas, Mexico. Young Catholics from 150 countnes are expected to attend the july 18-28 event. Pope john Paul 11 is scheduled to celebrate the closing Mass on july 28.
Daily prayer and desire for God -as necessary as breathing VATICAN CITY (CNS)-
Pope john Paul II called daily prayer as necessary as breathing, and said it should be fueled by an unquenchable desire for God. The pope drew on the Psalms' famous image of a deer longing for running water. "The thirsty deer is, in fact, the symbol of the praytng (person) who mclincs \vith whole body and spirit toward the Lord, perceived as far away and at th same time necessary," he sai "The search for God on the part of man is an undertaking
lastword My Most Powerful and
Beautiful Experience of Reconciliation Franciscan friars present oil lamps to religious leaders attending a spi1itual summit willt Pope john Paulll jan. 24 in Assisi, Italy. The lamps later were set on a table by the participants as a sign of solida1ity and hope for peace.
Daily prayer is as essential to life as breathing, Pope joltn Paulll said recently. The pope is slwwn in meditation following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacllS.
that is never finished because new progresses are always posstble and necessary.~ The pope called Psalm 42 a ~true jewel of faith and poetryâ&#x20AC;˘ Desire for God lies at the heart of all prayer, he said. â&#x20AC;˘There is a long tradition at describes prayer as 'breathmg': It is basic, necessary (and) fundamental like
the life breath.~ He said Origen, a thirdcentury theologian, compared the life of prayer to a journey in the desert. ¡ Each day," the pope said, ~we must strike our tents in order to move on toward new horizons in our efforts to know God and to live in his presence. - )ol1n Norron
I
f you ask me to share with you the most powerful and most beautiful experiences I have had in the ministry of reconciliation, I have to say they were the mammoth celebrations we had in each of the then five regions of the diocese during Lent in 1979 and 1980. Held in the biggest gymnasiums we could find, with the bishop presiding on Sunday afternoons and general absolution offered (with the stipulation that really grave sins should be included in the next private confesThe Sacrament of sion), thousands of penitents attended. Recondliation has fallen An exhortation to repentance and an upon hard times. New Initiatives assurance of God's readiness to forgive are needed to restore all sincere comers was followed by an reconcllfatlon as a part of adult examination of conscience. This Catholic life again. was a key factor, I was told later by many people who had been reciting the formulas and the lists of sins the sisters taught them in grade school. In all five regions, adults who had been away from the sacraments since the end of the Vatican Council thanked me in tears in the halls and in the parking lots. I still keep a letter sent to me by an 86-year-old lady, a pious Catholic who said she spoke for many relatives and friends her own age. The adult liturgy of the afternoon, which took an hour, had taught them much, she insisted. ~what a joy, what peace of mind for us older people, some of us scrupulous, doubtful, fearful, with failing memories, and in need of assurance as we get ready to leave this world." Pastors in all five regions reported after the regional penance services that there was a notable increase in the number of persons coming to the rectory seeking to have marriages regularized, or inquiring about annulment procedures, or seeking advice on making restitution for actions in the past. The people who flocked to these penance services were not renegades or strangers, mafia types or bigamists, looking for cheap grace. They were regular members of parishes and regular church-goers who had grown lax in the confusing years following Vatican Councilll. Six months after the last of these events, a letter from the papal nuncio in Washington ordered all bishops to stop conducting such services or allowing them in their dioceses. It was a case of Pope Paul VI giving something special to the Church and Pope john Paul II sharply curtailing it. But the times, they were a-changin' since the end of the immigrant era of American Catholicism, the entrance of Catholics into the mainstream of the secular culture, and the confusion in the area of morality. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation has fallen upon hard times, and new initiatives are needed in the Church to restore reconciliation as a part of Catholic spiritual life again. - Most Rev. Kenneth Povish was the third bishop of Lansing and is now retired.
When Enough is Enough Take Charge
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And there ................. vou Clln do- ~lea et.gellbla you how to brMk the eyde of llbuM. It hM evetylhlng vou need to help Mmeone light now. FDr more Information, lUke a CDnfklentllil CIIIID Bob LaPrM at the Blehopâ&#x20AC;¢s Council on Alcohol and Other Drug., toll t... C1wwo
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