October 2017

INSIDE:

How can you be A MISSIONARY DISCIPLE? FR. CHARLES IRVIN ESSAY CONTEST WINNER:

TALKING ABOUT JESUS to someone who doesn’t know him

It’s OK to talk about Jesus MEET SIX TEENS WHO LIVE AS DISCIPLES

GR OW AS A D I S C I PLE O F JE S US + GO EVAN G E LI ZE G R OW

The core purpose of your life is to GROW in intimate relationship with God. The ONLY way to do that is by striving to closely follow and imitate Jesus Christ. We begin by handing over the lordship of everything in our lives to Jesus Christ and relying on the Holy Spirit to work in and through us at all times.

Jesus’ final command to his disciples was, “GO and make disciples of all nations.” (Mt 28:19) a.k.a evangelize. The true mark of disciples is that we EVANGELIZE! Therefore we must always strive to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.” Is 43:1

FROM THE BISHOP

BISHOP EARL BOYEA

is the fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing @BishopBoyea

Carlson Productions

WHY AM I HERE?

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, you are probably rather content with life. In meditating on my own life, it seems clear to me that I like comfort and ease and try to avoid challenging situations. I just want everyone to get along. And for the most part, it all works out. Most of us are well fed, educated, housed and clothed. We have friends who agree with us. If we are of working age, most of us have jobs. What could be better? Now, admittedly, we all have our times of trials and difficulties. We have cancer and loved ones die and we get into accidents. But, by and large, most of us move along with nary a major concern. So, in the face of such a life, where is there a need for God, a need for a Savior, a need for the Church? However, to me, there is a significant question that challenges my selfsatisfaction: Why? Why am I here? Why is my life worth anything? The answer to these questions about why cannot be settled merely by looking into myself, as if I can explain myself and my purpose. Now some will say, ah, why bother? Just enjoy life and move on. Stop thinking about any meaning in life and simply take on one day at a time. It is that old “whatever” response that many make when a challenge is posed that they don’t want to accept. Perhaps I think too much, but I am not made in such a way as simply to move on. Something that amuses me greatly that I have often heard at funerals is how our loved one will live on in our memories. I am one of the very few of my cousins who actually remembers my GreatGrandmother Boyea. I suppose when I die, she will This life is not all there is. really be gone! And besides, how much of her do I The horizon of my day-to-day really remember? Does my feeble memory count as the only purpose of her life? You see, I need more. I existence is eternal love. I don’t want to know why I am. mean selfish love. I mean love The only answer which makes sense to me is that that seeks truly and only the Someone loved me into being, and I don’t simply good of the other.” mean my parents. Someone loved all of us into being, including those who are not actually the result of physical human love. That Someone loved me into being not for his sake but rather simply to share love, to have me exist. That Someone is beyond us and yet continues to love me and yearns for me to be with him forever. This life is not all there is. The horizon of my dayto-day existence is eternal love. I don’t mean selfish love. I mean love that seeks truly and only the good of the other. Now “real love” does give purpose and meaning to my life, especially a love which will last, that is not fleeting as the morning dew. I know, from my own sinful experience, that I am simply incapable of that kind of love on my own. I need ongoing love and help (yes, grace) of that Someone who loved me into being. The Savior is the Son of God, the Son of Love, who came not only to show me how to love, but to give me the power to love in a self-giving way. His Holy Spirit and his Church give me the means to grow in that kind of love, to be forgiven for the countless ways I fail in that kind of love, and eventually to be united with that Son of Love, Jesus, and all those who seek him as we journey to heaven. Yes, I suppose I could just sit on my couch and not think about the big questions, but that is not how I am made. As a result, I have to go forth and announce the Gospel of the Lord. 3

FAITH HELPS

SAINT OF THE MONTH

DISCIPLESHIP

For personal reflection or small group discussion Essay Winner: Grace Schoenle 1. Have you ever tried to explain Jesus to someone who doesn’t know him?

GoodLife

1. Have you thought about consciously trying to manage the time you spend on social media?

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI Repairing God’s house Feast day: Oct. 4

ORN INTO A LIFE OF PRIVILEGE in the 12th century, Francis spent his youth pursuing leisure. But then, one day, something changed. Some say it was because

of a serious illness. Others say it was the experience of being imprisoned for a year as part of a military expedition. But change he did. During this period of rebirth, Francis was praying in front of a crucifix at the abandoned San Damiano chapel near Assisi. There he had a vision in which God said, “Francis, repair my house, which is falling into ruin.” He listened, looked around at the crumbling chapel, and then sold some of his possessions in order to help rebuild it. Did Francis sense that God was referring to more than that crumbling chapel in Assisi when he asked Francis to rebuild his Church? Perhaps. The wider Church in the 12th century was wealthy and often corrupt. So when Francis sold everything he owned and embraced a life of humble poverty and preaching, it was counterThe wider Church in the 12th cultural, to the extreme. Francis’ goal was to bring the Church back to its roots of preaching the Gospel century was wealthy and often of Jesus Christ to ordinary people. corrupt. So when Francis sold And people listened. And the number of his everything he owned and followers began to grow. The simple rule of the embraced a life of humble brotherhood of followers was: “To follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in his poverty and preaching, it footsteps.” Soon, the message spread far and wide, was counter-cultural, to the and Francis’ followers numbered in the thousands. extreme.” Eventually, St. Francis traveled to Rome and was given approval for the Franciscan order. Before his death at the age of 44, St. Francis had founded three religious orders and spent his life in poverty preaching and caring for the sick and poor. He was canonized in 1228, only two years after his death. The world was reminded of this humble saint’s legacy when, in 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the newly elected pope, chose the name Francis, saying, “How I would love a Church that is poor and for the poor.” 4

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Parenting

1. How do you handle stress? Have you tried taking your worries to prayer and asking God to help you manage?

Work Life

1. Supervising friends or family in a work situation can lead to conflict or resentment. How might embracing the concept of servant leadership help with this situation?

In the Know with Fr. Joe

1. What virtue do you feel you most need to practice? 2. Discuss why you think so many of us struggle to “do the right thing.” Do you ever seem to “do what you hate,” as St. Paul once said?

Teen features

1. Was there a time you felt your faith grow stronger as a result of participating in mission/service work?

FIND MORE ONLINE GO TO FAITHPUB.COM TO FIND ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND RESOURCES

INSIDE OCTOBER

‘IT’S OK TO TALK ABOUT JESUS’ MEET SIX TEENS WHO LIVE AS DISCIPLES ‘DON’T BE AFRAID. JUMP IN!’ P15 ‘WE HAVE TO BE MIRRORS AND REFLECT HIS LIGHT’ P16 ‘IT’S OK TO BE A YOUNG PERSON WHO LOVES GOD’ P17 ‘LITTLE STEPS BUILDING UP TO A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD’ P18 ‘RECEIVING JESUS IS SIMPLY THE BEST PART OF MASS’ P19 ‘YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SPECTACULAR OR GO SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY TO HELP’ P20

YOUR LIFE

YOUR FAITH

8 GOODLIFE – I FEEL LOUSY AFTER I’VE BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOO LONG ... BUT OTHERWISE, I FEEL DISCONNECTED

10 IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE – HOW CAN I DO THE RIGHT THING?

9 PARENTING JOURNEY – MY DAUGHTER IS REALLY STRESSED AT HER FIRST JOB

PLUS

9 WORK LIFE – HOW DO I MANAGE MY CLASSMATES AS THEIR SUPERVISOR?

FOLLOW FAITH PUB SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS

6 FR. CHARLES IRVIN ESSAY CONTEST WINNER – TALKING ABOUT JESUS TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW HIM 5

TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW HIM

THE QUESTION FOR THE 2017 ESSAY: How would I explain Jesus Christ and what he means to me to someone who doesn’t know him?

THE 2017 FATHER CHARLES IRVIN ESSAY CONTEST WINNER Every year, FAITH awards a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior in our diocese, based on an essay on a topic related to life in the Church. Our goal is to promote insightful thought and excellent writing, and to encourage careers in Catholic journalism. There are many ways to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and good writing is one of them. We hope you enjoy this year’s essay by Grace Schoenle, a parishioner at Christ the King Parish in Ann Arbor.

FAITH Magazine | OCTOBER 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

I invented this scene; it never happened. The character Grace is me, represented as well as I could write myself. Anna is a fictional character, but the situations and people that I wrote about are all true. SCENE: Barnes & Noble, the Christianity and Religion shelf. A teenage girl, Grace, bumps into another teenage girl, Anna, who is squinting at the C.S. Lewis books. Grace: (Shyly) Excuse me. (Reaches in front of Anna and grabs a book.) Anna: Is that Till We Have Faces? Grace: By C.S. Lewis? Yes. Anna: Is that the only copy? I have to get it for my literature class. Grace: Really? You’re reading this in school? That’s awesome. Anna: I guess. Grace: I think it is the only copy, actually. (Awkward pause.) Grace: Here, you can have it. (Holds out book to Anna.) Anna: (Clearly wanting the book) No, that’s OK, you had it first. … Grace: Really, take it. I’m not

reading it in school. Anna: Alright. (Takes book.) Thanks. Wait, so, you were buying this book because you like it? Grace: It’s one of my favorites! (Trying to hold in passion about the book.) You’re going to love it! Anna: Well … I don’t know. I’m not into this weird mythology stuff. What is it even about? Grace: (Excitedly) So, it’s a retelling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, but C.S. Lewis does it in this really great way so that it has to do with desolation and us wanting answers from God. I also just love the Psyche myth because it’s basically about this god, Cupid, and his love for a human, and in the end he takes her up to heaven! It mirrors Christianity so beautifully! It’s really good. Anna: (Realizing she does

ESSAY WINNER

not want to be part of this conversation) OK. I hope my teacher explains it. Grace: Do you go to a Christian school? Anna: (Uncomfortably) No. Grace: That’s a weird literature choice for a public school. The Christianity is so obvious. Anna: Oh … there’s no way I’m going to understand it then. Grace: So, you’re not Christian? Anna: No. (Awkward pause.) But my grandma is. She’s always trying to talk to me about Jesus. It’s annoying. Grace: (Smiling) It’s hard not to talk about Jesus sometimes. Anna: Hmm. Apparently. (Noticing Grace’s crucifix) My grandma wears a cross, too. Grace: What has she told you about Jesus? Anna: Just that he loves me and stuff. And that I should go to church with her. Grace: That’s a good start. Anna: Do you believe all that stuff? That Jesus loves you? Grace: Well, yes, I do. I see the evidence every day. Anna: But how do you know? Grace: Because … you know the Bible? Anna: Of course. There’s one right there. (Points to bookshelf.) Grace: (Grabbing the Bible) OK, so, one night, I was thinking about all the mistakes I’ve made, and wondering how God could really love me. And as I was sitting there, I looked at this picture of Jesus on my wall, and started crying, because in his eyes there was so much compassion. And then I opened the Bible and this is what I read. Isaiah 54:6. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.” (Pause.) Anna: Wait, so that verse was just there? Like randomly? Grace: Yes. He was talking to me. It was such a relief in that moment.

Anna: Well, maybe it was a coincidence. Grace: When I was going into my junior year of high school, I was absolutely terrified. I felt like the world was too big to handle. I didn’t know what the Lord wanted me to do. So I opened the Bible and I read Micah 6:8. “Do right, love the good, and walk humbly with your God.” And I felt so much peace. That was all I had to do. Anna: How many times has that happened? Grace: A lot, actually. It’s what made me fall in love with Jesus. I kept reading all his love notes. Anna: (Sarcastically) So, you’re in love? Grace: (Serious) Yes, I am. What else can I do? He’s doesn’t stop pursuing me even when I mess up or decide I’m OK without him. Because really, I’m not OK without him. He loves me no matter what I do, and I need that. I need him a lot, and as soon as I accept that I can be happy. (Pause. Anna is unsure of how to think of Grace.) Anna: OK. So you’re one of those “Jesus is my boyfriend” girls. Grace: Actually, I have a boyfriend. (Grins) A human one. Anna: (Genuinely curious) So, do you love Jesus more than him? Grace: (Laughs) Yes. The only reason I am able to love Owen is because I trust God and put him in charge of our relationship. Anna: (Baffled) So, Jesus is in charge of your dating relationship. Grace: That’s the way it has to be with all my relationships. Anna: Why, though? Grace: I have a little sister who can drive me absolutely crazy sometimes. Just based on my own feelings and my own strength, if I try to love her, I usually fail. But Jesus gives me his love for her, so that I can see her the way he does. And then I can be a good sister. And with Jesus’ love, I can also be a good friend and good girlfriend and good daughter.

Anna: Oh. I guess that makes sense. Grace: That’s the way relationships are supposed to be. Anna: So, this religion is real for you. It affects your life. Grace: Shouldn’t it? Anna: I just don’t get it. Even if he is real, you can’t see him or touch him. What’s the big appeal? Why does Jesus make people so happy? Grace: Because that’s who he is. The lover, the Savior, the one who satisfies us. Anna: Well, he satisfies you. He might not satisfy me. Grace: That depends on if you let him. (Pause.) Anna: Thanks for the book. (Turns to leave.) Grace: Enjoy it. It’s really beautiful. Anna: (Hesitates, then shakes off her thoughtfulness) OK. (Anna walks away.) END SCENE.

HOW CAN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS? ON. NOV. 5, PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL DIOCESAN YOUTH CONFERENCE “UNASHAMED” AT THE LANSING CENTER AND LEARN SOME TIPS. AFTER THIS DAY-LONG EVENT, TEENS WILL LEAVE WITH A ZEAL TO GO OUT AND MAKE DISCIPLES.

BY GRACE SCHOENLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

YOUR LIFE

GOODLIFE

I FEEL LOUSY AFTER I’VE BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOO LONG ...

FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER … social media are everywhere! Used as a tool to improve our connections, they can benefit our relationships. However, they can also be a time thief that leaves us feeling terrible if we’re not careful. Here are a few ways to make sure they enhance, not hinder.

CLAIM CONTROL. Spend time catching up with people and things that leave you feeling connected with those you care about. Don’t get lost in the rabbit hole of everything else going on with people you don’t know well or at all. Set a time limit to keep yourself accountable.

AVOID COMPARISON. Do you share your bad hair days, hurtful arguments or disastrous kitchen? Probably not. Remind yourself that you are seeing the very best version

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BUT OTHERWISE, I FEEL DISCONNECTED

of most people when you follow their lives through social media. Focus on your life, your relationships and your accomplishments. Pray for eyes to see and the heart to be thankful for what you have.

CONNECT IN REAL TIME. Genesis 2:18 tells us God didn’t mean for us to travel this life alone. Do not allow social media to be your main form of connection – they’re a sorry substitute for quality time. Get involved in your parish – we all need time to connect with God and with our family of faith. Reach out to friends and family in person. Pick up the phone. Schedule a coffee date. Conversation is best when a hug is involved! LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, MODERATION IS KEY. Be cognizant of your habits and pray for guidance. God is in the details! BY CYNTHIA KAAN

YOUR LIFE PARENTING JOURNEY

YOUR LIFE WORK LIFE

How do I manage my classmates as their supervisor?

I am a senior in high school, and I’ve just been promoted

to supervisor at my job at a store in the mall. How do I manage people who are in my classes at school

MY DAUGHTER IS REALLY STRESSED AT HER FIRST JOB

without making them hate me?

Address the issue in a frank and upfront manner. Let them know that you’re aware that it’s kind of an awkward dynamic. You’ve been given some authority, but you’re not going to lord it over anybody. You’re co-workers first. And your goal as supervisor is to help them enjoy their work and enjoy success. You want to be a servant leader. And then be one. Treat them with dignity and respect. When they need direction, give it to them. Try to anticipate their training needs to reduce correcting after the fact. Be as personal as possible. Here’s what I learned that really helped me – share some of your biggest or most embarrassing work mistakes. They’ll love that and you can have a good laugh. Also, don’t forget to level with your boss about your concern and get some advice. If a dicey problem emerges with someone you’re managing, maybe the boss can handle it, instead of you. If they start loving you too much at work, you can always make them hate you in the classroom. Nominate yourself as “most likely to succeed.” Run for class president. Brown-nose your teachers, get a 4.0 and graduate early.

MY DAUGHTER IS REALLY STRESSED at her first job. What can I say to help her handle this new reality?

T. GENNARA

The seniors in my classes often are stressed during their last semesters. Will they get into graduate school? Will they find a job? The stress continues even after they receive good news, since they don’t know what lies ahead in this new phase of life.

Distress? Or, eustress? When we speak of stress, typically we think of its negative impact. But is a psychology eustress is different. The prefix, “eu” means “good” professor and in Greek. If your daughter is able to reframe her certified spiritual perspective, then the stress she feels can promote director. effective on-the-job performance. For example, “There is no way I can ever make those deadlines” is likely to lead to distress. It is more effective to say, “If I break down the work into daily tasks, then I can hit deadline.” DR. CATHLEEN MCGREAL

What about a support system? A first job often means a move to a new location. Meeting other young adults can help your daughter enjoy her off-work hours. Many parishes have groups targeting early adulthood. Checking out the diocesan website for Young Adult Ministry might reveal other activities that interest her.

Continue to offer conversational opportunities for your daughter to sort through her first job experiences. Find reassurance in the words of St. Augustine, “God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love.”

T. GENNARA

Prayerful meditation as a response to stress. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults states, “Prayer is the gate that leads us to a deeper understanding of the Word of God.” (p. xxiii) The meditation on God’s providential care at the end of Chapter 5 might provide encouragement regarding God’s plan for her life.

JIM BERLUCCHI is the executive director of the Spitzer Center for Visionary Leadership.

YOUR FAITH

HOW CAN I

FR. JOE: I get really discouraged about doing the Q DEAR right thing. I never mean to be mean or disrespectful

and yet I keep finding myself falling into it – how do I act like the person I want to be? I try so hard.

T. Gennara

IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE

FATHER JOE KRUPP

is a former comedy writer who is now a Catholic priest. @Joeinblack

My heart breaks as I read your email. I have some recollection of those days – lots of regret, lots of guilt, lots of passion I simply struggled to control. I invite you to take joy and hope from the fact that you are not alone and that only people who care about doing what is right fret about their inability to do so. God is moving in you – take courage. I want to share a quote with you from someone who had the same problem: I do not understand myself, for I do not do what I want to do, but I do what I hate … I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not. I do not do the good I want but I do the evil I do not want.

Now, who said such a thing? St. Paul in his letter to the Romans. The guy with “Saint” in front of his name. The guy who wrote a majority of the New Testament. The guy we call “The Apostle.” That guy got frustrated with his own sin and his tendency to choose sin over virtue. In the end, he found comfort in a couple things: first, that all of these struggles can serve to remind him of his utter dependence on God. That can keep us from pride. 10

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GETTY IMAGES

DO THE RIGHT THING?

Second, St. Paul recognized that, even in his sin, God could and still did use him. Jesus’ victory over sin is so great that he meets us at both ends of it and in the middle: he forgives our sins and can use that forgiveness we seek to help us become more humble and more holy. Beyond looking at the role of God’s forgiveness for our sin and his victory over it, I’m going to offer you a way we can let God free us from the pattern of our sin, so that we are progressing in our walk with the Lord. To do so, we need to look at virtue. Doing so can move us from the abstract “do good” to a concrete vision of what goodness is and looks like. So, I’m going to share with you three things: the name of each of the heavenly virtues, what those virtues look like and the deadly sin they counter.

VIRTUE: Humility WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” – CS. Lewis • Putting others first. Not drawing attention to yourself and what you do. Recognizing that all you have comes from God. SIN: Pride VIRTUE: Chastity WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Holding fast to our knowledge that we are children of God and that our body is a temple. Other people do not exist for my sexual gratification. Not reducing other people to things I must have. SIN: Lust VIRTUE: Patience/Forgiveness WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Enduring situations and/or people with dignity and a good spirit. A sense of peaceful stability and harmony. Giving the wounds other people have inflicted on us to God and asking him to forgive them. SIN: Wrath

VIRTUE: Kindness WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Compassion and friendship for others, empathy without prejudice for its own sake. The refusal to do harm to others. SIN: Envy VIRTUE: Temperance WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Restraint. Constant mindfulness of others and one’s surroundings. Self-control, moderation, delayed gratification. The proper response at the proper time. SIN: Gluttony VIRTUE: Charity WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Generosity, self-sacrifice, loving with our actions, giving of ourselves. SIN: Greed VIRTUE: Diligence WHAT THAT VIRTUE LOOKS LIKE: • Giving all we have in that which we are given to do. Strong work ethic. Not giving up on our tasks because they are challenging. Using our time well and being on guard against laziness. SIN: Sloth

Now, you’ve got this list and I’ll show you how I use it: First, cut the list out or copy it. Second, read the list slowly and carefully, asking God to help you pick one (not two or more, just one!). Take your time on this. Clear your head. Don’t “run ahead” of God and decide which one you want to go after, wait for his voice in your heart to show you. When you feel that you’ve got the one you are to go after, write it down and carry it with you. Pray every day that God will strengthen that virtue within you. Ask him to bless you as you pursue it. Next, make sure that each day you practice the virtue in some practical concrete way. Wash, rinse, repeat. Do this every day and realize two things: One, sin is rarely, if ever finished in us. I don’t know that any of us will get to a point where we can say that we have safely put a sin behind us. Be vigilant! Two, Don’t give up. Never, ever give up. God will not give up on you. When you fall, if you fall, get right to confession. Tell the priest what you are doing with these virtues and wait for the mercy and grace to come pouring down. I pray that God bless your efforts and that you find great life and joy in taking these first steps toward becoming a saint. Enjoy another day in God’s presence.

Only people who care about doing what is right fret about their inability to do so. God is moving in you – take courage.”

FA I T H T R E N D S

BY T HE NUMBERS

79% NATIONALLY:

of those who are raised Catholic and leave the faith have left by age 24 (Pew 2008)

62% of U.S. Catholics seldom or never share their faith or views on God (Pew 2015)

68% 46% MILLENNIALS:

of millennials believe in heaven (Pew 2015)

of millennials pray daily (Pew 2015)

DIOCESE OF LANSING: 2/3 of people in the 10 counties of our diocese are unaffiliated with any church or congregation

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DIOCESE OF LANSING SACRAMENTS FROM 2007-2016:

42% DECLINE in marriage 40% DECLINE in baptisms 37% DECLINE in First Communions

Announcing the 32nd Annual

Red Mass of the

Catholic Lawyers Guild, Diocese of Lansing

Monday October 9th, 2017 St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing Red Mass, Bishop Earl Boyea Presiding, 5:15 p.m. of

Dinner, featuring presentation St. Thomas More Award, 6:15 p.m.

Invoking Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessing on the courts of our state and honoring

LORI BUITEWEG,

Past President of the State Bar of Michigan

and founding member of the

Washtenaw County/EMU Legal Resource Center. THE ST. IVES SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE AWARDED TO A DESERVING STUDENT

For more information or to RSVP, send an email to lclguild@gmail.com or call Andrew J. Moore at 336.406.0930.

YOUR STORIES

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK to talk about Jesus

MEET SIX TEENS WHO LIVE AS DISCIPLES

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ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE EASY TO TALK ABOUT JESUS, ALYSSA SAYS:

COVER STORY

‘Don’t be afraid. Jump in!’ A

LYSSA PFARR KNOWS it’s not easy to talk about Jesus. “Sometimes, my friends ask me questions because

they know I care about my faith … I want to say to other young people, ‘Get out of your comfort zone. Maybe you think you don’t know God, or maybe you do, but it doesn’t matter – everyone is trying to figure it out.’” As she wraps up her high school career at Brighton High School, Alyssa’s goals include reaching out to others – both when she sees that her peers are struggling and when she herself needs support in living the faith. She says, “It’s not easy talking to people about Jesus, but one thing that helps me is to talk about my service work because serving others really helps me understand God. But sometimes, as a teen, you are your own challenge. You don’t have as much knowledge as you’d like and there are so many people who don’t believe – if you’re not careful, they could sway your decisions. The temptations of the world are real. Being in youth group helps me overcome those things because the other youth group kids help me stay on track with my faith.” How did Alyssa get started with her service work and youth group? Raised Catholic, Alyssa Pfarr’s fourthgrade year stands out as a turning point in her faith life. “After my family’s move from Ohio to Brighton, I suddenly realized that not everyone was Catholic. I was young, but it made me curious. I started to wonder what it meant to be Catholic,” she says. That curiosity about the faith grew throughout her youth. During her sophomore year, Alyssa attended Catholic Heart Work Camp. During this part mission trip and part retreat, she sensed that the experience was the beginning of a more mature relationship with God. “It was a lot to take in. I had never even been to adoration. We had Mass in the mornings, we served the people of Muskegon during the day and then we came back together to pray and discuss how God was working in our lives. After I left there, I wanted to get more involved,” she says.

Knowing that God was calling her to more, Alyssa sought to spend time with other teens who were building their own relationships with God. She says, “That following September, youth group started again at St. Patrick Parish and Kate Baumer became our youth minister. She really made it teencentered, she made it ours. Kate makes learning about God fun and always makes it relate to our lives. She has changed the way I look at my faith.” With the goal of integrating her faith into all aspects of her life, Alyssa spent the summer between her sophomore and junior years focused on intentional Christian living. She recalls, “I didn’t do a lot, I just worked. I stopped using social media. I tried to find myself and to figure things out. I became comfortable with who I am as a person and as a Christian. By my junior year, my life was based around God and my youth group.” Youth group meetings and events, along with giving up a spring break vacation to go on mission trip, attending the Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp, and going to two more Catholic Heart Work Camps, have all helped Alyssa keep God at the center of her life. “During spring break this past year, I went on mission trip to work with Habitat for Humanity in Grand Rapids. Father Vince Richardson went with us, and he gave us the choice to go to 7 a.m. Mass. Everyone chose to go every single day. The people at the parish were so shocked and so appreciative to see young people there that, soon after, their own youth group started going to daily Mass. On that trip, we not only served the community, but we served each other, too. It was another experience of realizing how important that is and how much I want that in my life," she says. “As I look to the future, one thing I really hope to get involved with in college is a Catholic group. I want my friendships to stem from that group because I want to go to church, I want to volunteer and I want to be involved in serving others. When I go on college visits, one thing I always ask is, ‘Is there a Newman Center?’” Keeping God at the center of your life isn't easy in today's world. But Alyssa is committed to "trying to figure it out." BY MARY GATES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

BECAUSE GOD’S PRESENCE IS POWERING JOSEPH’S LIFE

‘We have to be mirrors and reflect his light’ UR ULTIMATE GOAL is heaven. The time we spend on this earth

“O is nothing compared to heaven. You just want to hear him say, ‘Well done.’”

Joseph Bujak may be just entering his junior year of high school, but he is well on his way to being a living example of Christ. His recent experience at Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp (DYLC) strengthened an already solid foundation of faith. He says, “DYLC completely changed the way my life was going. Not from an ‘Am I religious or not?’ standpoint, but ‘How dedicated am I to my faith?’ Before it, I knew there was a God. After DYLC, I know who God is. I felt his presence – that feeling is still powering my life.” Joseph recently returned from a Habitat for Humanity mission trip with his youth group, which gave him a clear perspective of what it means to be a missionary. He says: “This trip helped me see I can do good in this world as a high-schooler. No one is ever too young to do great work. It was really cool to see people who are older and wiser continuing to do active work for God … Most of the people on the crew were older. There was one woman named Virginia who was always happy and smiling – always enthusiastic. Still doing the good work for God – that was really inspiring.” As a high school student, it hasn’t been particularly easy for Joseph to discuss his love for Jesus and the Church, but that no longer stops him. “It’s really hard to talk to my friends about God. Not all of them have the same faith I do. Before DYLC, I kept religion at home. I wasn’t devoted to it. Now I like having religious conversations with people who have started to not be as faithful – they find more and more reasons not to believe. It gives me an opportunity to express that you can find a million reasons not to believe – but you only need one reason to believe.” Joseph was hit with an emotional experience at DYLC that provided another personal reason for him to believe. He recalls, “Every time I had gone to confession before DYLC, I would drive up to church, walk in, go through the sacrament and walk out. At DYLC was the first time I ever really prepared for confession. I sat there for 30 minutes thinking about the sins I had committed and asking God for forgiveness. I started to cry. I’m not sure what made me cry – it might have been someone who looked up at me from across the room with tears of joy in her eyes; I knew it was joy. I don’t know why, but I started to break down. I could feel God’s presence right then. That was the best confession I have ever made.” One challenge in living as a disciple is staying close to God in daily life – but Joseph has some pointers for that: “Just like with any friendship, you have to have active conversation. You communicate with your friends on a daily basis – you need to do that with God. That is how you get to know him. You have to listen a lot harder. Not in the physical sense, but listen in the everyday things that happen. The little wonders that happen every single day that we don’t see God’s part in. You have to put hard work into hearing what God wants to tell you in your life. “I have no clue what my reason is in anybody’s life, but I know the Bible tells us to spread God’s love and light all over the world. That is a DYLC quote. We have to be mirrors and reflect his light into the darkest of places all over the world. I need to be that mirror and reflect that light.” Shine on, Joseph. 16

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BY CYNTHIA KAAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

BRIANNA’S GROWTH AS A DISCIPLE MAKES HER REALIZE

‘It’s OK to be a young person who loves God’ B

RIANNA GOFF MARVELS at the gentle way the Lord led her one step at a time to bring about her

conversion. “As a freshman [at Dexter High School], even though my parents raised us Catholic and made us go to Mass on Sundays, I didn’t want anything to do with the faith. “It was my sophomore year that my dad made me go to youth group and, to my surprise, I liked it. After a year of attending and participating in the group, Don Dalgleish, my youth minister, asked me if I wanted to be on the leadership team. Saying ‘yes’ to that further opened the door. Don sent me to DYLC (Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp), which is where my personal faith conversion really happened. I had no idea what to expect, but I met other young people who shared my faith, and I started to grow and accept God’s role in my life. One key moment there was the sacrament of reconciliation, where, maybe for the first time, I poured out my guts. After this experience, another camper approached me to say that God told him to pray for me. I was overcome with tears from really knowing that God is real and present. I started to trust him, which helped me understand who I was. After DYLC, I wanted to be more involved, and that’s when I was all in leading retreats and youth group events. “I left DYLC confident in the faith. I started sharing my own faith journey with others and telling my story. I applied and was

accepted to be a DYLC leader, which I got to do this summer. Part of that experience was me giving a witness talk. Now I think my role as a disciple is to let others know that it’s OK to ask people questions about God and it’s OK to be a young person who loves him. But being a young disciple definitely has its challenges – you might want to sleep in on Sunday, but you know you need to go to church. Or friends ask you to go to a party and you have to decide if it’s where you should be. I’m working on listening to what God wants me to do. For a long time, prayer meant me telling God what I wanted him to do or asking him for things. “In February, I went to the mission retreat at St. Catherine Academy in Wixom, which really taught me how to listen. I learned to clear my mind and invite the Lord in. Now, in prayer, I want God to show up and I’m ready to hear what he wants to tell me. At the mission, I was also able to experience for myself and to witness true healing. I know that God is at work,” she says. Brianna attributes her father’s apparent healing from cancer to an experience he had while chaperoning that mission trip. Brianna continues: “He had been in treatment for cancer with horrible side effects for 13 months straight. The experience of inviting the Lord in that night and being prayed over was a turning point for him, and a month later at his checkup, all of his blood work was completely normal and has remained that way since. “All of these experiences have led me to seek out a Catholic environment. I am going to Franciscan University in Steubenville in the fall. I hope to continue to learn to listen to the Lord and become more dedicated to my faith. I want to pray, to go to weekly adoration and to attend daily Mass. I also want to become friends with people who will help strengthen me in my relationship with God. As I look to the future, mostly I look forward to continuing to getting to know who God is, and who I am because of him. BY MARY GATES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

ANNA’S FAITH MEANS TAKING

‘little steps building up to a better relationship with God’ A

NNA DEHNKE LIKES TO DEFINE MISSIONARY discipleship as “people putting themselves out there

and letting God come help you do service – willingly. For me, missionary discipleship includes when people knock you down, demean you or call you weird for having faith and you just get back out there and continue doing service for God.” Perched on a bench inside the Rosary Garden at St. Gerard Parish in Lansing seemed the perfect place for Anna, a junior at Lansing Catholic High School, to talk about missionary discipleship, because her main spiritual role models are Mary, first of the disciples, and the apostles. She says, “It’s a lot to give up everything you have for God like they did. I really admire that.” The path to missionary discipleship began to unfold when Anna attended her first youth group (YG) meeting as an eighth-grader. It was there she met people personally invested in faith. Then she participated in the Passion play. She remembers: “Oh my gosh, the seriousness that this actually happened dives you right in! I could see it was impacting people; it was so powerful. This was the first time heaven and the world intertwined for me. It was amazing.” This spiritual boost helped Anna to be excited about her 18

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faith. Active in her youth group, she spends hours on the leadership and retreat team, hoping to transfer some of her zeal to other members. “I love when others come back to YG because they had such an awesome experience on retreat,” she says. Jamborees (Diocese of Lansing youth conferences) are another favorite event providing peer support and energy, and Anna helps to plan them, too. Anna also takes her discipleship on the road. As part of two different out-of-state, week-long mission trips to support Habitat for Humanity, she helped complete construction projects, assisted in a food pantry and worked with individuals at a help center. She recalls, “I saw that helping people actually makes a difference. It’s important to get out there and make people’s day.” Anna decided to go on a March for Life to Washington, D.C., because, she says, “A speech at Jamboree made me realize I have to have knowledge about my faith and defend it when necessary.” She encountered anti-Catholic sentiment while on the March to Life trip, and Anna freely admits the naysayers can deter her enthusiasm at times. “That’s why it’s important to have your own energy and not just listen to what other people say. I know even though I can’t always feel God, he is there and will help me get through. You have to practice being positive, even where faith is concerned,” she says. Anna continues: “You know, a lot of times people have these huge experiences with God; I haven’t really had one of those. For me, it’s just little steps building up to a better relationship with God. Every time I go on a mission trip or practice discipleship in some way, it’s another step closer to God. At school, we were talking about how God is not a boss but more of a mentor and we’re the apprentices. I really like that analogy. We are learning to be more like him when we live as missionary disciples. “You can still be a cool teenager while attending Mass and other church events because you love God. How can that be a bad thing? People shouldn’t see participation as weird or to be looked down upon. We should all strive to be better disciples and see it as something very important.” BY ROSE ROBERTSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

FOR TROY,

‘receiving Jesus is simply the best part of Mass’ A

SKED TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE, “When I think of Jesus, __,” Troy Culver, a freshman at Northwest High

School in Jackson, promptly replied, “I think of him as my big brother. He’s always there to talk to. I feel his presence, and the Holy Spirit, especially when I pray alone or am at adoration. It’s hard to explain how I feel but it’s like I’m complete.” Troy didn’t always feel this way, yet these new insights came home with him after participating in Alive in You with his youth group from St. John the Evangelist. (Alive in You is a Catholic conference and service camp.) Troy was eager to be with his friends, have fun and do some service on this summer mission trip. What he didn’t anticipate was the huge growth spurt his faith would take in six transformative days of service and prayer. Troy says, “Before the mission trip, even though I’ve tried to live as one, I didn’t really understand I was living as a missionary disciple. Being a disciple, for me, means following Jesus’ teachings and helping others understand them, and I’ve always tried to do that. When something comes up, I’ll tell my friends what Jesus did for us. I teach them about Jesus as much as I can. Some people make fun of me for being Catholic and I just say, ‘Hey, I’m following my God and his teachings are right for me.’ “The biggest discovery I took away from the trip was realizing Jesus was human and knows how we feel. Because

of that, my prayer life changed and I talk more to Jesus and ask, ‘Can you help me out? Show me what to do.’ It might be a few days, but words pop in my head and, if it goes along with Scripture, I figure it’s Jesus’ answer.” The theme for the mission trip, Holy Trinity, affirmed Troy’s pretty solid comprehension of God as his spiritual Father. And while Troy admits he relates most to his new image of relational Jesus, he accepted the challenge to invite the Holy Spirit into his life. The peace that transcended him was an unexpected surprise. “My relationship with the whole Trinity has changed a lot. I had an ‘awe moment’ before adoration when we were told that God the Father and Jesus the Son were going to be with us. I had never thought about it like that before. I finally got it and everything connected. We went to adoration and I had a really deep, heart-to-heart [conversation] with God.” For the remainder of the trip, Troy arose early every morning to attend the optional hour-long adoration service. He recalls, “Starting my day off with God was really amazing!” This recent experience solidified for Troy a feeling he’s carried since he was about 9 or 10 – that perhaps he is being called to the priesthood. He says, “Being at Alive in You made that feeling stronger. I had a talk with God and a sense came over me that priesthood is what I am being called to do in the future.” Excited about his role as a missionary disciple, Troy is an altar server, helps out at church functions, will soon be an extraordinary minister of holy Communion and attends youth group. “I love being there with friends and learning about God. I make attending a priority,” he explains. Troy nourishes his zeal with regular Mass attendance and reception of the Eucharist: “God gifts me with joy and peace every time. Receiving Jesus is simply the best part of Mass.” BY ROSE ROBERTSON | PHOTOGRPHY BY TOM GENNARA

WITH HER SERVICE WORK IN FLINT, KALYSSA HAS LEARNED:

‘You really don’t have to do something spectacular or go somewhere far away to help’ K

ALYSSA KLAUSING BELIEVES you don’t have to go far from home to make a difference.

“Several years ago, I was helping with Vacation Bible School at St. Agnes Parish [in Fowlerville], and in the teen portion there was an element of mission work. We went to Flint and made soap. That was my first experience with Flint Catholic Charities. I enjoyed going and realized they needed the help, so I started going regularly. A friend and I would go together, and we made some new friends who also volunteered there. Our parish would collect things for Flint and I would take them there. And I organized a clothing drive at my high school so that we had more to take,” Kalyssa says. Because she has witnessed the extent of the need in Flint, Kalyssa embraces whatever jobs the organization needs her to tackle. “Thankfully, they get a lot of donations, but they need people to sort them into men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, and personal items, books, toys, bedding – any basic need item you can think of. Sometimes, I help people go through the room to select their allotted number of clothing items and personal needs supplies. Catholic Charities also provides food, so I’ve also helped with serving lunches. They are doing so much there, it’s a pretty amazing place,” she says. Kalyssa credits her family for her service-minded, missionary faith life. Now beginning her sophomore year at Lansing Community College, Kalyssa is grateful for the way she was raised. She explains, “We go to Mass every Sunday and we grew up praying every night. Those are great things, but there’s also much more to it. My mom is my biggest role model. She’s extremely loving, and yet it’s not even as much what she says as much as what she does. She goes to daily Mass, reads her daily devotions and her Bible and she serves others. In her, I see someone who is so happy and loving – and I want some of it.” 20

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As her own faith grew during her high school years at Howell High School and St. Agnes, Kalyssa sought opportunities to connect with other young people who shared a love of God and his Church. She was able to make these connections when she attended World Youth Day in Poland, a youth retreat at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, and diocesan events such as Jamboree and the Nun Run. The connection between her personal faith, the Catholic Church and community service has become clearer through Kalyssa’s service work. “It’s really powerful that the Catholic Church is running this outreach in Flint – the guy who ran it for a while talked to me about needing the services himself in the past. He wanted to give back and ended up in this position. People who aren’t even Catholic benefit, work and volunteer from what the Church is doing. It shows you that people will come together in love, and that this is what our Church is about,” she says. Intending to continue her missionary service throughout her adult faith life, Kalyssa says she’s gained more than she’s given: “Serving others reminds you that there are people in need everywhere. We live here in supposedly a thriving country and yet there’s so much hurt. But reaching out in simple ways can change things – both for the people you serve and for yourself. You really don’t have to do something spectacular or go somewhere far away to help. I try to show others God by showing them love.”

VISIT WWW.FLINTCATHOLIC.ORG FOR INFORMATION ON FLINT PARISHES, COMMUNITY INFORMATION, CATHOLIC EDUCATION AND MINISTRIES IN FLINT.

BY MARY GATES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

LOCAL TEENS MAKE AN IMPACT They ‘see God in others’ when volunteering

JOSLYNN RIDLEY– Age 15, Holy Family Parish, Grand Blanc “Helping people has made me really realize what I had and made me thankful.”

KRISTEN SWIANTEK – Age 17, Holy Family Parish, Grand Blanc “[Mission activities] have had a huge impact on my relationship with God. I really see God in others when I volunteer and that’s where I feel closest to God, so having these experiences with others and helping them out really leads me to Christ.”

LUKE KENNEY – Age 16, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Grand Blanc “When I go out for a mission trip in Flint, I’m not impacting another state. It’s really close to home and I feel I’m impacting my state and my community.”

GETTY IMAGES

Diocese of Lansing Day of Healing a huge success

OWEN KONIECZNY – Age 14, Holy Family Parish, Grand Blanc “The biggest impact [of mission work for me] is just seeing the smiles on people’s faces when you do good for them. It makes you want to do more. And while doing that, you can see God’s face in those people.”

The deacons of the Diocese of Lansing hosted a Day of Healing in Flint at St. Mary Church on Sat., August 26, and it was a huge success! Well over 1,000 people attended over the course of the day. Nearly a thousand backpacks were distributed, food was being served throughout the day, and many people were prayed with. Deacons and priests from around the area came to share their faith, experience adoration of the Holy Eucharist, offer healing, distribute school supplies and enjoy a picnic in the sun with friends from the neighborhood. PHOTOS BY MIKE FRIESEMAN

How can you be a

missionary disciple? Brian Flynn is the director of high-school and middle-school ministry for the Diocese of Lansing

ately, we’ve heard the phrase “missionary discipleship” quite a bit; it’s one of those “trending” topics. Much of the buzz about missionary discipleship comes from Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, or The Joy of the Gospel. In it, Pope Francis says, “Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus; we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries,’ but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples.’”

How does this fit into Youth Ministry? I believe teenagers are more than willing and capable of serious discipleship, and once they encounter Jesus Christ, they are able to share that encounter with those around them in a unique way. Here in the Diocese of Lansing, there are many wonderful opportunities for our teens to encounter Jesus in a powerful way. The hope of the Office of High School and Middle School Ministry is to offer high-quality events that intentionally provide our youths with rich encounter opportunities, along with the exhortation to go out and proclaim Jesus to the world as missionary disciples. Here are a few examples:

Unashamed On Nov. 5, we are hosting our annual high school diocesan youth conference, “Unashamed,” at the Lansing Center. Formerly known as “Jamboree,” this daylong event will feature an opportunity for deep encounter with Jesus through Mass, confession and eucharistic adoration, as well as 22

dynamic presentations, music and fellowship. Our theme this year comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Rom 1:16) Teens will leave with an excitement and zeal to go out and make disciples. Check out WWW.LANSINGYOUTH.COM for more details.

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The March for Life The Diocese of Lansing will be chartering buses for the pilgrimage to the March for Life on Jan. 19, 2018. This will be an opportunity for teens to put their discipleship into action, marching for the dignity of human life, especially the unborn. The March for Life is a great opportunity for our youths to go out and announce the Good News of the Gospel of Life to the world.

Training DYLC (Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp) DYLC is a weeklong leadership training experience for high school teens happening July 15-20, 2018, at Bethany House in DeWitt. This training will take place through the lens of missionary discipleship, equipping teens with the confidence and the tools they need to go out and make disciples by leading others to Christ.

Middle School Rally The rally, an annual event, will be held at Jackson Lumen Christi High School on March 10, 2018. It will feature Paul J Kim, and is an opportunity for students in grades 6-8 to encounter Jesus through Mass, dynamic presentations and fellowship, and to learn about how to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Encounter Watch for the launch of four regional encounter opportunities, to be held at our Catholic high schools. Each evening event will consist of praise and worship, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and confession.

We will be offering various training sessions for youth ministers and volunteers to help support the work they are doing in our parishes, and to make sure they have what they need to accompany our young people. Some potential topics include Theology of the Body, communication/social media and prayer ministry. Stay tuned! Please keep our efforts, as well as all of our young people, in your prayers!

DON QUILLAN

For Jill and Brian, SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS ARE HELPING TO PUT SEVEN KIDS THROUGH CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

CATHOLIC EDUCATION carries a hefty sticker price. And, putting seven children through Catholic schools can seem impossible, but Jill and Brian Jacobs, of Lansing, are doing just that.

Catholic schools are building more Catholics, and the scholarships will contribute to that as they will ‘bring kids into the Catholic schools.’”

Jill and Brian attended Catholic schools their whole lives, which led to their decision to give their children – who range in ages 12 to 24 – the same faith-based opportunity, even with just one dependable income for many years. Jill currently works at Resurrection School in Lansing, but she previously held jobs out of the house – such as babysitting and cleaning – which permitted her to stay home with their children. Brian teaches physical education to elementary students in Holt Public Schools. “We’ve always relied on my husband’s income. [Scholarships] benefited us greatly. It’s a financial sacrifice to go to Catholic schools. It’s definitely a challenge,” Jill says. But even if they weren’t “blessed” with financial aid, Jill

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says they still would have sent their children to Catholic school. “I’m not sure how we would have done it, but we would have found a way to do it. We’re Catholic. We like the fact that they can talk about God and the love of Jesus in school, and I do think they teach them to live their faith,” Jill says. “It’s an extension of our family – the same priorities, the same focus. Faith is the focus.” The scholarship amount they have received has fluctuated over the years, according to Jill. While some years the family was awarded more, other years “we thought there must be more people in need, but we were thankful we got any kind of support.” This story is one that many Catholic and non-Catholic families face when considering a Catholic

education, and despite all the benefits, in the end, it comes down to making ends meet. Traditionally, scholarships have been available in the diocese to students in grades 6-12. Some schools, such as Resurrection, have struggled to meet the full amount of need shown by families applying for financial aid, according to Resurrection Principal Jacob Allstott. Through the diocesanwide Witness to Hope campaign, these scholarships will not only be available to students in these upper grades, but will be extended to even the youngest minds — kindergarten through fifth grade. The campaign’s Catholic school financial aid endowment will help Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lansing to “meet those families who are on the fence about being able to send their kids to Catholic school,” Jacob explains. “We’ve had families come in and you can barely understand how they’re making it, and yet they’re looking for something more,” Jacob says. Many families considering Catholic schools are deterred by the cost. “If the number immediately looks like it's outside of their range – what they believe they can afford – they just dismiss the possibility of Catholic school,” Jacob says. If a scholarship can lower a family’s monthly payment by even $50-$100, tuition oftentimes becomes affordable, he adds. With these costs, why should parents even consider a Catholic education? According to Jacob, that’s the $1 million-dollar question: “There’s going to be a type of formation that kids are going to go through that’s just not offered anywhere else. We’re going to help them to see God’s truth and goodness and beauty, not only in the content area but in life, in relationships, in those natural human experiences. It gives hope to these kids, and they come alive

– especially our kids who transfer in from a public school. “We attend Mass three times a week. They come and there’s this blessed silence when they go to Mass, and they can’t put their finger on it. They can’t name it exactly but they want it, they want that peace they experience in a very profound way in front of the Blessed Sacrament and the liturgy,” Jacob says. Catholic schools are building more Catholics, and the scholarships will contribute to that as they will “bring kids into the Catholic schools,” Jill says. Over the past four years, Resurrection School, for example, has seen an increase in students receiving sacramental initiation. In fact, 75 percent of both Catholic students who haven’t received initiation and non-Catholic students have embraced the full tradition of the Catholic Church, Jacob says. “It’s really being able to form the whole person and that’s what employers want, that’s what families need – young people who can see the world for what it is but also apply a very sincere, Catholic lens to the issues that we face,” Jacob says. “We’re all drawn to truth and goodness and beauty, and it’s just a part of the divine image that we bear. That’s the selling point. That's the advantage [Catholic] schools have.” Jill says she feels blessed to have the entire Catholic community in the diocese supporting Catholic students. When her children were young, she explains that their parish could only raise enough money to help a limited number of students because of the parish size. Now, the diocesan-wide campaign will deliver assistance not offered previously. “I think it’s great we can get the families into the Catholic schools. Once they get there, they can see the benefit,” she says. BY CARI ANN DELAMIELLEURE-SCOTT

You are a Witness to Hope

$12.5 MILLION ENDOWMENT FUND FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Making a Catholic education available to those families who cannot afford one is a priority of the Diocese of Lansing. These endowed funds will be used to provide needbased financial aid to students attending Catholic schools from grades K-12. Traditionally, scholarships have been available in the diocese to students in grades 6-12. Through the diocesan-wide Witness to Hope campaign, these scholarships will not only be available to students in these upper grades, but will be extended to even the youngest minds — kindergarten through fifth grade. 25

YOUR COMMUNITY THINGS TO DO Oct. 1 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. is Lansing’s 26th annual Life Chain. This is a peaceful prayer chain witnessing to the sanctity of life. We gather along Grand River Avenue from Abbot Road to Williamston (meeting at Abbot Road, Brookfield Plaza, Summit Bank near Okemos Road, St. Martha Church or Main Street in Williamston near St. Mary’s) to thank God for babies saved and for other intentions. Please join us! Oct. 1-2, Religious Education classes begin at St. Thomas Aquinas/St. John Church & Student Center. Classes are held at St. Thomas, 955 Alton Rd., East Lansing on Sundays and Mondays. Late registrations: please call 517.351.5460 or sign-up online at www.elcatholics.org/registration-form so you don't miss out. Oct. 5, 7:15 p.m., St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Clarklake is hosting the Faith in Action Benefit Dinner. The event features Father Tim MacDonald and Father Joe Krupp, and offers participants a chance to learn how to become a member of Catholic Charities’ St. Teresa of Calcutta Giving Society. Mass is at 6:30 p.m., but is optional. Tickets: $30/person. For more information: call 517.262.0466 (Jackson) or 517.879.0599 (Lenawee/Hillsdale) or email info@ CatholicCharitiesJLHC.org. Oct. 8, 12-4 p.m., St. Luke NEW Life Center Octoberfest fundraiser at Luke M. Powers High School, 1505 W. Court St. in Flint. It will include: 12:301:30 p.m. a grilled dinner, silent and live auctions, as well as other games/ prizes. Tickets: $30/person at the door or online at stlukenewlife.com. All proceeds benefit St. Luke's job training, literacy, social enterprise and community support programs for the people of Flint.

SUPPORT ST. LUKE’S JOB TRAINING, LITERACY, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR THE PEOPLE OF FLINT.

ATTEND A PILGRIMAGE TO LISBON, FATIMA, SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, MADRID AND BARCELONA

Oct. 8, the Valley at Frutig Farms in Ann Arbor is hosting its annual Cooking for a Cause Fundraiser. Enjoy the feast as local chefs compete for the Top Chef award. Visit www. csswashtenaw.org/cooking-for-acause to learn more. Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m., Marriage Matters Jackson (MMJ) is hosting a 15-Minute Marriage Makeover event, based on the book of the same name by 26

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husband-and-wife team Dustin and Bethany Riechmann, at the Michigan Theatre in downtown Jackson. MMJ Executive Director Shelby Raines will offer an engaging question-and-answer session after the presentation. Tickets are $20 per person/$40 per couple and include an upbeat presentation, delicious Biggby coffee and dessert. A limited amount of VIP seats are available for $10 more per ticket. Call 517.796.5116 or register online at www. MarriageMattersJackson.com. Oct. 14, 7 p.m., St. Paul Church, Owosso, is hosting Mrs. O'Brien's Guide to the Golden Rule. Tickets are $10 each. To purchase tickets, and for more information on the event, call 989.723.4277. Oct. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Lansing Catholic High School is hosting its fall Prospective Family Night. This event is open to prospective families with children of any age to learn more about what LCHS has to offer. Please note there is a set schedule for this event. Families will be taken on a school tour, attend breakout sessions on curriculum, tuition, college planning, and extracurricular and athletic activities, followed by a Q&A. Registration is not required, but is appreciated either by email admissions@lansingcatholic.org or 517.267.2102. Oct. 20-21, St. Mark the Evangelist, Goodrich/Grand Blanc is hosting the CCW Annual Fall Scrapbook CROP. Here is your opportunity to catch up on organizing those pictures! Contact Cindy Bell to register at 248.660.4931 or cabsandkids@aol.com. Registration includes plenty of space, snacks, vendors and prizes. The CROP will be held Friday 6 p.m. to midnight ($12) and Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m. ($35). Snacks will be provided on Friday and breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served on Saturday. Oct. 22, 2 p.m., Special Needs Mass at the St. Francis Retreat Center Chapel located at 703 E. Main Street in DeWitt. Hosted by Faith Ministry for Disabilities, a non-denominational and ecumenical disability ministry, these Masses are offered monthly. Mass followed by light refreshments in the dining hall. Everyone is welcome! Singers Wanted! Please RSVP by Oct. 18 to Cathy Blatnik, Program Director, at lcblatnik@juno.com or at 517.381.1410. We offer many activities

for all ages and abilities. Please see our website at disabilitiesministries. org. Oct. 26, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Michael Parish, Grand Ledge, invites you to their Fall Rummage and Bake Sale to be held in the Fellowship Hall (downstairs of the church). Oct. 28, 6 p.m., St. Peter Church, Eaton Rapids, is hosting a concert with Andrew Laubacher aka A-lob. Mass will precede the concert at 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. Food and drink will be available for purchase. More information can be found on the St. Peter youth group ministry page: facebook.com/ SPCEatonRapidsYouthMinistry. Nov. 12, 11:30 a.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Lansing is hosting the Rosary Makers Fall Gathering at the IHM Parish Family Center. Mass is at 11:30 with a potluck luncheon to follow. Guest speaker to be announced soon. Everyone interested in mission projects, rosaries for the military, schools and anyone needing one is invited. New Rosary Makers are always needed. Come help us change the world, "One Rosary at a time." November 17-19, Ann Arbor Rachel's Vineyard Retreat. The shame, guilt and grief of abortion runs deep and wide. But the unconditional love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and healing of our Lord is available to all who seek him. Anyone who has been impacted by an abortion is welcome to attend the retreat. Contact Beth at 734.879.0427 or toheal4give@ outlook.com. Nov. 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Martha, 1100 W. Grand River, Okemos, hosts Holiday Heaven-An Arts & Craft Collection featuring a large variety of vendors with artisan items perfect for your holiday shopping season. Please join us for a fun and relaxing time with lunch and snacks available. For information, contact the parish office. St. Mark the Evangelist 40th Anniversary Pilgrimage. St. Mark Parish is planning a pilgrimage to Lisbon, Fatima, Santiago de Compostela, Madrid and Barcelona Spring 2018 from April 8-April 18. If you are interested, please contact Fr. Michael Kuchar at stmarkpastor@ hotmail.com or the parish office at 810.636.2216.

OCTOBER CAFÉ EVENTS • Oct. 12, 7 p.m., MSU Union, East Lansing, is hosting an American Catholic Thought & Culture Lecture sponsored by St. John Catholic Student Center and the MSU College of Arts & Letters. Lt. General James M. Dubik, U.S. Army (Ret.), Director of Teaching Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, will be speaking about “Just War Reconsidered: Strategy, Ethics, and Theory.”

CATHOLIC CHARITIES Be Our Guest Adult Day, a program of Livingston County Catholic Charities which serves individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, is offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to aid the caregiver who needs respite from the 24/7 care of their loved one, to run errands, to work or to tend to other family needs. The caregivers benefit from LCCC programs through the peace of mind in knowing that they and their family member are cared for by a trained and knowledgeable staff in a safe setting. For more information, please contact Suzi or Katie at 517.546.9910. GIVE THE GIFT OF

RETREAT CENTERS ST. FRANCIS RETREAT CENTER, DEWITT, STFRANCIS.WS OR 866.669.8321 • Oct. 6-8 at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Retrouvaille of Lansing is offering a weekend retreat. Allow the Lord to be the center of your marriage, and transform the decision to love, commit, trust and forgive in your relationship, while building more intimacy and communication. For more information or to register, contact Larry and Beth Bauer at 734.369.3470, lpbbauer@yahoo.com or visit retrouvailleoflansing.com.

Reintroduce a loved one to the beauty of our Catholic faith with a gift subscription to FAITH magazine. Visit store.faithcatholic.com/magazine today to subscribe.

• Oct.14 and Nov. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., A one-day Marriage Retreat: "Building trust, communication, and intimacy with each other and our Lord." Give yourselves a gift to renew and deepen your marriage. Directed by Tony Sperendi. Includes continental breakfast, lunch, Mass, and materials. The cost is $120 per couple. Call the Retreat Center at 517.669.8321. WEBER RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, ADRIAN, WEB.ADRIANDOMINICANS.ORG OR 517.266.4000 • Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Weber Retreat Center, 1257 E Siena Heights Dr, Adrian MI 49221, is hosting Living in Light. The news is bad; God is good. Don’t let the news of the day or pessimistic people dishearten you. God calls us to live in hope. Join us as we explore the Source of our hope, using movement, music, Scripture, guided meditation, Lectio Divina, and journaling. Leave refreshed, inspired and hopeful. Basic movements will be taught which can be done by anyone, regardless of age, experience or physical limitation. Cost is $45. For further information contact Janene Ternes of Prayer in Motion, LLC at 734.347.2422 or visit website www.prayer-in-motion.com.

Connecting people with Jesus and his Church

YOUR COMMUNITY LOCAL NEWS

PEER TO PEER MINISTRY AND 4TH WALL THEATER COMPANY

NEW RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE DIOCESE EMILY ORLANDO

FAITH Magazine | OCTOBER 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

Katie Diller is the new diocesan coordinator of campus ministry. In this role, Katie will establish a vision for campus ministry in the diocese and work to create a network of communication among campus outreach programs, the diocesan vocations team and evangelization ministries. She will continue to work as director of campus ministry at St. John Church & Student Center in conjunction with her new diocesan role. Katie says, “Our diocese is blessed with six campus ministry programs serving over a dozen colleges. I'm excited to help each ministry share their best practices with other campuses, and to increase collaboration with diocesan vocations and evangelization initiatives.

NEW COORDINATOR OF LAY MINISTRY FORMATION Roberta (Bert) Schomberger is the diocese’s new coordinator of lay ministry formation. In this role, Bert will oversee the Siena Heights University undergraduate program and supervise numerous students currently enrolled in graduate programs at various universities. Bert completed the diocese's Lay Ecclesial Ministry Program in 2015 and has her degree in theological studies from Siena Heights University. Bert says: “This diocese has a million bright-colored threads. My role is to help weave them together as a tapestry to serve the parishes and people of the Diocese of Lansing.” She also is currently a pastoral associate and retreat team member at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, and has been on the planning team for FAITHFest.

EMILY ORLANDO

– EMILY ORLANDO

NEW DIOCESAN COORDINATOR OF CAMPUS MINISTRY

JIM LUNING

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) – a Montessori-style religious education program created in Rome by Sofia Cavalletti and her collaborator, Gianna Gobbi, more than 60 years ago – is making its way into the diocese. According to Tim Carpenter, director of religious education for the Diocese of Lansing, CGS is different from traditional religious education in that it creates an environment – called an atrium, not a classroom – where children can respond naturally to God, instead of being taught what to think. CGS is based on the premise that children already have a relationship with God. The atrium is a place where that relationship is fostered. “It’s not trying to lecture to them, but to present to them, reveal to them, some of these truths,” says Tim. In CGS, catechists (who have to be trained, or “formed,” a total of 90 hours before they can begin presenting material to children) let children come to their own conclusions about God in an effort to create a stronger bond. “You reveal this truth and then you let the child hear it and respond on their own,” says Tim. “That’s not typical in a religious education classroom, where we don’t present the revelation of God; instead, we tell them what they should know. Fifty years of this kind of catechesis tells us now that that’s not really that effective. CGS does away with several of those elements and says, ‘Let’s reveal to them what God has revealed to us, to mankind, and let’s let them respond. They have a free will – we need to honor that and respect it.’” The program, which is currently offered in 22 of 81 parishes in the diocese, is designed to meet once a week for 1-2 hours and is comprised of three levels: Level 1 (ages 3-6), Level 2 (ages 6-9) and Level 3 (ages 9-12). “By the time they get to the third level, they’re getting into pretty intense learning and scriptural learning – the kind of stuff that I’ve led adults in Bible studies to learn,” says Tim. Tim highly recommends the CGS experience because it “does precisely what almost every catechist that I’ve ever talked to is trying to do. It follows God’s pedagogy, God’s method or style of communicating with man,” Tim says. “Everyone should really stop and discern whether or not they think this will be beneficial for their parish and whether it’s practical for them to do it.”

On Aug. 19, the Diocese of Lansing Peer to Peer Ministry welcomed 4th Wall Theater Company, a theater company for all abilities. Peer to Peer Ministry is designed to increase social opportunities for and friendships with children, teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorders or other special needs that impact socialization skills. Social role models reach out in friendship to members who have requested friendship facilitation. Family members also are invited to participate.

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INSIDE:

How can you be A MISSIONARY DISCIPLE? FR. CHARLES IRVIN ESSAY CONTEST WINNER:

TALKING ABOUT JESUS to someone who doesn’t know him

The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing OCTOBER 2017 VOLUME 17: ISSUE 8

www.FAITHpub.com Most Rev. Earl Boyea PUBLISHER

Rev. Dwight Ezop

It’s OK to talk about Jesus MEET SIX TEENS WHO LIVE AS DISCIPLES

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EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN

Pope Francis shakes hands with a boy during an audience with Italian Roman Catholics attending the 68th National Liturgical Week in Paul VI’s hall at the Vatican.

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WHAT POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN SAYING AND DOING RECENTLY

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FAITHTM (USPS 019993) is a publication of FAITH Catholic, Diocese of Lansing, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48906-5550. FAITHTM is a membership publication of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and is published monthly except for February and August. To purchase a subscription, log on to FAITHpub.com. If you have a change of address, please contact your parish. Periodicals postage paid in Lansing, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FAITHTM, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing MI 48906-5550. ©2017 FAITH Catholic. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Catholic.

Papal audiences offer message of Christian hope

OPE FRANCIS continued his catechesis on the topic of Christian hope at his Aug. 23 General Audience. In spite of recent terrorist attacks, natural disasters, divisions and a world seemingly filled with bad news, he reminds Christians, “We discover in the final pages of the Bible that the ultimate destination of our Christian pilgrimage will be the heavenly Jerusalem.” Although there is much suffering in the world, the Holy Father exhorted Christians to take comfort in a Heavenly Father who "weeps tears of infinite pity for his children" and "has prepared for us a different future." He cited the Book of Revelation, chapter 21, in which God says, “Behold, I make all things new.” (5)

OU SHALL TREAT THE STRANGER who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Lv. 19:34) So began Pope Francis’ message celebrating the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees to be celebrated in January 2018. So what should be our response to migrants and refugees? Pope Francis articulated four verbs that sum up his message: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate. He went on to say that the Church is committed to working on actions that accompany his vision. He also referred to the beatitudes when he said, “Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age.”

“Humanity needs HOPE in order to live

and needs the HOLY SPIRIT in order to hope.”

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AUG. 24

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