St. Anthony Messenger January 2020

Sharing the spirit of St. Francis with the world V O L . 1 2 7 / N O . 8 • JANUARY 2020

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Prayer for 2020 page 2

KAYLA McKEON TRAILBLAZER, ADVOCATE

SAINTS & SUPERHEROES JANUARY 2020 • $4.99 StAnthonyMessenger.org

A CONSISTENT ETHIC OF LIFE THE POWER OF THE PRESENT

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Donors like you make it possible for these children to attend school.

Visit stanthony.org/gkts to help the kids in our Jamaican mission rise above poverty.

The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St., Ste 1 • Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492 www.stanthony.org • 513-721-4700 ext. 3219

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VOL. 127 NO. 8

2020 JANUARY

COVER STORY

26 Kayla McKeon: Trailblazer, Advocate

By Jay Copp

The odds were against Kayla McKeon, but that never slowed her down. She now serves as the national spokesperson for the Down syndrome community.

20 Saints & Superheroes

By Jen Schlameuss-Perry and Christopher M. Bellitto

When choosing a Confirmation name, let’s encourage our children to consider pop culture icons like Superman, Hermione Granger, and the X-Men—fine complements to our Christian values.

32 A Fresh Perspective on Being Pro-Life

By Mark P. Shea

The Church teaches the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. But this author contends that the pro-life movement has narrowed that message to focus strictly on abortion.

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ABOVE and COVER: The same passion and energy that earned Kayla McKeon medals at the 2011 Special Olympics are now being channeled in her advocacy work in Washington, DC. Photography by Hannah Frankel

38 The Power of Now

By Terry Hershey

When we stop the noise and distractions, we make space to savor the present moment.

COMING NEXT

MONTH

Father Ruskin Piedra: Advocate for Immigrants A Journey with the Sisters of Loretto StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 1

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2020

PRAYER

BEATITUDES FOR MODERN TIMES

BLESSED are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others and forgive them from their heart.

BLESSED are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized and show them their closeness.

BLESSED are those who see God in every person and strive to make others also discover him.

BLESSED are those who protect and care for our common home.

BLESSED are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others.

BLESSED are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.

MCKOZUSKO/SAM

— Pope Francis

2 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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VOL. 127 NO. 8

2020 JANUARY

10 SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS

46 POINTS OF VIEW

10 Ask a Franciscan

‘Readings and Homilies Hinder My Faith’

5

Your Voice

Letters from Readers

12 Franciscan World

16 Faith Unpacked

12 St. Anthony Stories

17 At Home on Earth

13 Followers of St. Francis

18 Editorial

Rivotorto

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Lost Rosary—Found!

Writing a New Story

Sister Carol Woods, SFMA

Listening to Our Better Angels

46 Faith & Family

The Lost Art of Listening

44 CULTURE MCKOZUSKO/SAM

42 Media Reviews

Book | The Time Is Now Book Briefs | Jesus, Day by Day and Following Jesus Podcast | Dolly Parton’s America

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14 44 Film Reviews

Ford v Ferrari Midway Blind Eyes Opened

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 4 Dear Reader 6 Church in the News 14 Notes from a Friar

47 Pete & Repeat 47 Lighten Up! 48 Reflection

StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 3

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dear reader

ST. ANTHONY

MESSENGER

A New Beginning

N

ear the end of his life, St. Francis was said to have told the friars, “Let us begin again, brothers, for up until now, we have done little or nothing.” That seems a rather fitting quote as we head into this new year.

Come January 1, many of us will jump into the wide-open canvas that is the year 2020. We will vow to start exercising, eat better, pray more, get organized, or embark upon a myriad of other tasks.

We here at St. Anthony Messenger and Franciscan Media are also taking this opportunity—and the words of St. Francis—to heart. Considering the magazine’s 127-year history, I would hardly say that up until now we’ve “done little or nothing.”

But that also doesn’t mean we should stop looking for ways to get better every year— every month, in fact. As the world and Church change, so must we. And we will.

That is why in the upcoming year, we will be challenging ourselves to grow, change, and embark on new ways to share God’s love in the spirit of St. Francis in these pages. That change might come in the shape of new columns, the articles and subjects we print, or new voices in our pages. At the heart of all these things, however, will continue to be you—our readers.

On a wider scale, we will also be expanding our digital offerings at FranciscanMedia.org later in the year to include a new daily prayer resource.

EveryDay Prayer will join our stable of offerings—Saint of the Day, Minute Meditations, and others—to help you grow your faith.

As we welcome the new year, let us all take this opportunity to “begin again.”

PUBLISHER

Daniel Kroger, OFM PRESIDENT

Kelly McCracken EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Christopher Heffron Susan Hines-Brigger

FRANCISCAN EDITOR

Pat McCloskey, OFM ART DIRECTOR

Mary Catherine Kozusko MANAGING EDITOR

Daniel Imwalle

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Sandy Howison

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Sharon Lape

DIRECTOR OF SALES, MARKETING, AND DEVELOPMENT

Ray Taylor

Susan Hines-Brigger, Executive Editor

PRINTING

Kingery Printing Co. Effingham, IL

HANNAH FRANKEL photographer

Saints & Superheroes

Kayla McKeon: Trailblazer, Advocate

PAGE 20

COVER AND PAGE 26

writer

Christopher M. Bellitto is a professor of history at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, and the author of 10 books, including Ageless Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from the Bible (Paulist Press, 2016). He is also a frequent public speaker and media commentator on Church history and contemporary Catholicism.

Hannah Frankel has been passionate about photography since getting her first camera in middle school. She specializes in portraiture and fashion photography and is currently pursuing a career in photography at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

JEN SCHLAMEUSS-PERRY writer

Saints & Superheroes PAGE 20

Jen Schlameuss-Perry is a mother and pastoral associate at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold, New Jersey. A massive sci-fi and superhero fan, she is the author of the book Comic Con Christianity. Some of her articles have also been published in the book Area of Effect: Wisdom from Geek Culture (Mythos & Ink).

To subscribe, write to the above address or call 866-543-6870. Yearly subscription price: $39.00 in the United States; $69.00 in Canada and other countries. Single copy price: $4.99. For change of address, four weeks’ notice is necessary. See FranciscanMedia.org/subscriptionservices for information on your digital edition.

Writer’s guidelines can be found at FranciscanMedia.org/ writers-guide. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts or photos lost or damaged in transit. Names in fiction do not refer to living or dead persons.

Member of the Catholic Press Association Published with ecclesiastical approval Copyright ©2020. All rights reserved.

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ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 127, Number 8, is published monthly for $39.00 a year by the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, 28 W. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-6498. Phone 513-241-5615. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional entry offices.

US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: St. Anthony Messenger, PO Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189.

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4 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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R

POINTSOFVIEW | YOUR VOICE Continually Renewed Faith

‘Food for Thought’

I have been a subscriber to St. Anthony Messenger since I got married in 1952. In fact, I grew up with St. Anthony Messenger, as my mother had subscribed for many years. Leo Wyman called on her each year to renew.

Over the years, I’ve seen many changes, some better than others. However, I can’t begin to praise the current format enough. The design of the magazine is fantastic!

The scope of the articles and columns is amazing. The November issue is no exception. “Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life” was enlightening; the preview of the movies Harriet and A Hidden Life was awe-inspiring; “A Brief Lesson in Holy Foolery” was uplifting; and, of course, “A New Approach to Gratitude” was so timely.

Thank you, St. Anthony Messenger, for continuing to renew my Catholic faith.

I loved two items in particular from the November issue of St. Anthony Messenger magazine. The first was a story that appeared in “Church in the News,” titled “Trump Calls for End to Religious Persecution.” With all the media reports that are usually so negative, this was an eye-opening and positive piece of news to read.

The second was the “Reflection” page.

Cesar Chavez’s words of wisdom hit home for me: “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him. The people who give you their food give you their heart.” I loved that and immediately thought of my parents (Mario and Helen Izzi), who loved to prepare food for their family and friends and were very hospitable. They taught me well.

Wouldn’t it be a nice idea to have a recipe section in this magazine, with perhaps just one recipe appearing each month? The recipes could be sent in by the readers of your magazine, perhaps with a family story—just food for thought (no pun intended).

Jeroma Brown, Cedar Grove, Indiana

Fact-Checking a Letter from the November Issue

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call n the Single notice ption-

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

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I am writing in response to a letter from a reader, Frances M. Johnson, that appeared in the November issue’s “Your Voice” column (“More Action Needed in Response to Abuse Crisis”). In the letter, Johnson cited information from EWTN’s program The World Over.

The letter writer accused Pope Francis of knowing about former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s activities.

Then Johnson said that “nothing has been done to challenge Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s strong allegations regarding McCarrick’s behavior.” As for Cardinal George Pell, he was chosen by Pope Francis to work in the Vatican. When he was accused, Pope Francis gave the cardinal ample time to defend himself.

I get my information from America magazine and the National Catholic Reporter online. I don’t always agree with their opinions, but I trust their journalism. My suggestion is that you check the information that readers send to you.

EWTN is now a multimillion-dollar company. It is closely tied to Church Militant, an organization that is strongly opposed to Pope Francis and the direction he is leading the Church.

Kathy Baus, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Maria Izzi Greene, Narragansett, Rhode Island

Reason for Keeping the Faith I read with interest the article in the October issue by Richard B. Patterson, PhD, titled “Why Am I Still Catholic?” He focuses on the sex-abuse scandal within the Church, and as a clinical psychologist who has treated victims of the clergy, I certainly understand and respect his response. In the last line of the article he asks, “Why are you still Catholic?”

Here is why I am still Catholic: Jesus established this Church and said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Our Church is based on the teaching of the apostles, handed down by Christ himself. The Church is the body of Christ. All of the priests involved in the sex-abuse scandal are human beings who have committed grave sins. Although these priests are part of the Church, they are not the Church.

As an investigator of sexual assaults, I pray for all of the victims and hope that these priests are brought to justice. This is what I tell people when they ask me why I am still Catholic, for I believe in Jesus Christ and his Church he established here on earth.

David Whiddon, Akron, Ohio

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StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 5

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people | events | trends

FRANCISCAN NAMED UN PERSON OF THE YEAR IN KENYA

ARCHBISHOP SHEEN BEATIFIED

O

n December 21, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, celebrated the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, where the famed media evangelist and author was ordained to the priesthood 100 years ago, reported the Catholic Post, the newspaper of the Peoria Diocese.

Msgr. Stanley Deptula, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, said the midNovember announcement “was a surprise, an early Christmas present from the pope, and it is truly a great blessing for our diocese, for so many people who have worked and sacrificed and prayed. I’ve believed for a long time that Fulton Sheen is a gift to the Church, a hero that we Catholics need in our day.”

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, of Peoria, called Archbishop Sheen a kind of “American St. Paul the Apostle” because of Sheen’s “endless zeal” for evangelization.

“It’s hard to think of anyone, except among the saints, so involved in bringing the world to Christ,” said the bishop, who petitioned the Vatican on behalf of the Diocese of Peoria to open the canonization cause 17 years ago.

Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, was scheduled to preside at the Rite of Beatification and represent Pope Francis.

Archbishop Sheen will be the first bishop born in the United States to be beatified—declared “Blessed”—the step in the sainthood process prior to canonization.

Franciscan Brother Peter Mokaya Tabichi holds a plaque in recognition of being named Person of the Year in Kenya for his work in promoting education.

D

uring United Nations Days celebrations in Nairobi last October, Franciscan Brother Peter Mokaya Tabichi was named Person of the Year by the United Nations in Kenya, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). Brother Tabichi, who teaches mathematics and physics at Keriko Secondary School near Nakuru, was recognized for his work in promoting education for all young people.

He said he prefers to share credit for the award with others.

“I feel shy to describe it as [mine] or that of the Catholic Church where I belong to in matters of faith,” he said. “It is for each one of us, as many have chipped in, teachers, students, and the local community.”

During the UN recognition, Brother Tabichi said that about 6 million girls of school age around the world—the majority of them in Africa—do not have the opportunity to attend classes.

“At the same time, 72 million children are in danger of missing education in Africa, due to war, floods, and other challenges,” he told the UN gathering.

Education, he said, should not be a matter of luck but should be a right.

It is the second award Brother Tabichi has received for his work for education. In March 2019, he received the Global Teacher of the Year Award from the London-based Varkey Foundation. He was chosen from among 10,000 nominees from 17 countries, according to the foundation.

The award came with a $1 million prize, part of which he told CNS he planned to use to boost technology at the school, improve the school’s physical facilities, and support the local community in Nakuru.

6 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: AMMAR AWAD, REUTERS; RIGHT: MIMI LONDON

James Fulton Engstrom, seen above being held by his father in 2011, was healed through the intercession of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (inset).

By Susan Hines-Brigger

CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: JENNIFER WILLEMS; INSET: CNS ARCHIVE FILES; RIGHT: COURTESY UNIC NAIROBI

church IN THE NEWS

VATICAN: TWO STATES NEEDED IN HOLY LAND

US BISHOPS LAUNCH NATIONAL CIVILITY EFFORT

The Israeli settlement of Ramat Givat Zeev is seen in the occupied West Bank.

CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: AMMAR AWAD, REUTERS; RIGHT: MIMI LONDON

CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: JENNIFER WILLEMS; INSET: CNS ARCHIVE FILES; RIGHT: COURTESY UNIC NAIROBI

F

ollowing a November 18 announcement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States would no longer recognize the illegality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the Vatican released a statement reiterating its call for a two-state solution in the Holy Land, reported CNS. While the Vatican’s statement did not refer to any particular incident or policy, it came nearly two days after the US government’s decision to reverse a policy established by the State Department in 1978 known as the Hansell Memorandum. That policy stated that the establishment of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories “is inconsistent with international law.”

In its statement, the Vatican said that in the “context of recent decisions that risk undermining further the IsraeliPalestinian peace process and the already fragile regional stability, the Holy See reiterates its position of a two-state solution for two peoples as the only way to reach a complete solution to this age-old conflict.”

It went on to say that the Vatican supports Israel’s right “to live in peace and security within the borders recognized by the international community,” but that it also “supports the same right that belongs to the Palestinian people, which must be recognized, respected, and implemented.”

Announcing the US shift in policy, Pompeo said the memorandum’s assessment “has not advanced the cause of peace.

“The hard truth is that there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict, and arguments about who is right and who is wrong as a matter of international law will not bring peace,” Pompeo said, according to National Public Radio.

The issue of Israel establishing settlements in Palestinian territories has long been an impediment to the peace process. The West Bank, which along with the Gaza Strip was captured by Israel in 1967, forms part of the area offered to Palestine by the United Nations for the establishment of a prospective state.

A

head of the 2020 elections, the US bishops launched a yearlong initiative this past November inviting Catholics to model civility, love for neighbor, and respectful dialogue.

According to a press release from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the program, entitled “Civilize It: Dignity Beyond the Debate” (WeAreSaltandLight.org/ civilize-it), will ask Catholics to pledge civility, clarity, and compassion in their families, communities, and parishes, and call on others to do the same. It is built on the premise that every person—even those with whom we disagree—is a beloved child of God who possesses inherent dignity.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, emphasized the importance of “Civilize It” in the context of the current divisive climate: “Conversation in the public square is all too often filled with personal attacks and words that assume the worst about those with whom we disagree. We are in need of healing in our families, communities, and country. ‘Civilize It: Dignity Beyond the Debate’ is a call for Catholics to honor the human dignity of each person they encounter, whether it is online, at the dinner table, or in the pews next to them. I invite all Catholics to participate in ‘Civilize It.’ In doing so, they can bear witness to a better way, approach conversations with civility, clarity, and compassion, and invite others to do the same.”

Supporting materials for the initiative include ideas to help Catholics and others of goodwill to engage in and model respect and compassion, as well as resource materials to assist in the effort.

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church IN THE NEWS

US BISHOPS MEET IN BALTIMORE, ELECT NEW PRESIDENT

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez (left) was elected president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops during the bishops’ annual fall meeting in November. To his left is outgoing president Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo.

“That’s something I’ve been working on for almost 25 to 30 years,” he said. “It’s really part of my life. I have relatives and friends . . . on both sides of the border. So, I think it’s important for us to understand that we are all children of God. If we work together, we can find a solution for this reality and come up with a really clear, simple, and good immigration system that can address the needs of the people on both sides.”

During the meeting, the bishops also approved adding new materials to complement “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” their long-standing guide to help Catholics form their consciences in public life, including voting. The addition included a statement calling abortion the preeminent social issue of our time.

Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron of Los Angeles, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, who is known for his Word on Fire website and for hosting the documentary series Catholicism, told the bishops the Church is losing young people in greater numbers and must face the challenges of how to get the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” particularly young people, back. He said that this topic needs to be a priority for the Church today.

D

I

POPE PROPOSES SIN OF ECOCIDE BE ADDED TO CATECHISM

n a follow-up to a proposal to the Synod for the PanAmazonian Region, Pope Francis said on November 15 that there are plans to include ecological sins in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, reported CNS. In the synod’s final document, bishops defined ecological sin as a sin against God and future generations that “manifests itself in acts and habits of pollution and destruction of the harmony of the environment.”

During a conference on criminal justice at the Vatican, the pope told those in attendance, “We should be introducing— we were thinking—in the Catechism of the Catholic Church the sin against ecology, ecological sin against the common home.” He also denounced the abuse of law and legislation to justify acts of violence and hatred.

Such acts, he said, are acts that “can be considered as ‘ecocide’: the massive contamination of air, land, and water resources, the large-scale destruction of flora and fauna, and any action capable of producing an ecological disaster or destroying an ecosystem.”

He called on the international community to recognize ecocide as a “fifth category of crime against peace.”

According to the Rome Statute, which was adopted by the International Criminal Court in 1998, the four core international crimes currently established are: crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.

TOP LEFT: BOB ROLLER/CNS PHOTO; LOWER RIGHT: COLE MATT/FOTOSEARCH

uring their annual fall meeting, held November 11–13, the USCCB discussed a number of issues, such as their renewed efforts to help immigrants, youth and young adults, pregnant women, and the poor, as well as their steps to combat gun violence and racism. They also elected a new president of the conference, reported CNS. At the start of the meeting, Bishop Earl A. Boyea of Lansing, Michigan, asked for an update on the Vatican’s report on the investigation of now-laicized former US Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, which many of the bishops, by voice vote, also said they wanted to hear.

In a brief presentation, Boston Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley told the bishops the Vatican has not yet published a report about its investigation, but a report could be ready by Christmas or in the new year.

He said he and other bishops who were recently at the Vatican for their ad limina visit said they were “anxious to receive the Holy See’s explanation of this tragic situation, how he could become an archbishop and cardinal, who knew what and when.” He also stressed that the “long wait has resulted in great frustration on the part of bishops and our people and indeed a very harsh and even cynical interpretation of the seeming silence.”

The following day, the bishops voted to elect Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez to a three-year term as president of the bishops’ conference. He is the first Latino to be elected to this role. Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron was elected to serve as the conference’s vice president.

Archbishop Gómez told CNS that immigration reform is at the top of his priority list as the newly elected president of the conference.

8 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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We are excited to share with you this excerpt from an exceptional new book by Casey Cole, OFM, Let Go: Seven Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship. To read more, please visit

Shop.FranciscanMedia.org

and use coupon code LetGoSAM to receive 20% off when ordering your copy. have moved many times in my life. Twelve times,

I

why, no matter how

in fact. Twelve times in the past 16 years I have

many times I moved,

packed up everything I owned, driven to another

the same problems

city, and essentially started life over. While many

kept happening. Then

would see this as a tremendous hassle, a constant

a spiritual director shared an old quip: “Wherever

inconvenience of living in transition, I have always

you go, there you are.” As much as we would like to

found it to be a rather exciting opportunity. As diffi-

place the blame for our problems on some external

cult as saying goodbye to people and places that we

factor—pointing our finger in accusation against

love can be, moving also affords us the chance to say

another and convincing ourselves that if it were

goodbye to the people and places that have caused us distress. Entering a new city with a new job and forming new friends is the closest we will ever come to a blank slate in life, an opportunity to start fresh and to live how we’ve always wanted. With every move, I can’t help but be optimistic for the future.

Things are going to be different this time, and for the better. What an absolutely hopeful experience.

And sometimes they are. Sometimes I am at a place in my life where a change in scenery does me good, when hitting the “reset” button on my routine is exactly what I needed to better live as a disciple of Christ.

But sometimes, unfortunately, they’re not.

TOP LEFT: BOB ROLLER/CNS PHOTO; LOWER RIGHT: COLE MATT/FOTOSEARCH

Sometimes, no matter how hopeful I am about the future and the many changes I want to make in my life, within a few months I find myself back exactly where I was before. Despite changing my address,

not for that factor, if only we could escape that one thing, our lives would be better—the cause of our problems often lies within us. It doesn’t matter where we live, what we do for a living, or who we associate with, we cannot run from ourselves. If we have anger in our hearts, we can run from our past enemies, but we will most certainly find new people with whom to fight. If we struggle with authority, we can change jobs, but we will undoubtedly have new problems at our next one. As the great modern contemplative Thomas Merton once wrote, “If you go out into the desert merely to get away from people you dislike, you will find neither peace nor solitude; you will only isolate yourself with a tribe of devils” (New Seeds of Contemplation, 52). When the problem is with our very self, we will bring it wherever we go.

If we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, following

my job, and the people around me, despite my efforts

him in complete freedom and without any reserva-

to run away from the problems that brought me

tion, the first and most important thing that we must

down and got in the way of serving the Lord, the

let go of is our selves. We must identify all that lives

problems I faced before tend to be the same prob-

within us that does not bear life, that does not reflect

lems I face in the new place. It is as if they followed

the joy of the kingdom, that does not live up to the

me; as if they jumped into one of my boxes and I

person Christ created us to be, and we must die to

unknowingly took them with me.

ourselves. Let go of your delusions of grandeur, self-

For years this frustrated me. Hope inevitably turned to disappointment. I couldn’t understand

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loathing, and false selves, and follow Christ as the person he created you to be.

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SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | ASK A FRANCISCAN

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

‘Readings and Homilies Hinder My Faith’

How can I attend Sunday Mass when the readings and homilies make me question my faith?

I love the Catholic Church, the faith in which I was brought up, the Eucharist, the hymns, buildings, and statues. As soon as the readings begin or the homily starts, however, I begin to struggle with my faith. I want to believe and be a good Catholic. I have not been attending Mass for some time now, but I would like to return. What can I do?

I

ONLINE: StAnthonyMessenger.org E-MAIL: Ask@FranciscanMedia.org MAIL: Ask a Franciscan 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

All questions sent by mail need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

?

Martyrs for Their Faith or Their Politics?

According to your Saint of the Day online entry for September 2 (John Francis Burté and three other Franciscans), these priests were martyred for their faith because they refused to swear allegiance to the “Civil Constitution of the Clergy.” I think it’s a gross exaggeration to say that Constitution was an attack on the Catholic faith. I see it as more an attack on the papacy and having more to do with politics than with faith.

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

WE HAVE A DIGITAL archive of Q & As, going back to March 2013.

Just click: • the Ask link and then • the Archive link.

Material is grouped thematically under headings such as forgiveness, Jesus, moral issues, prayer, saints, redemption, sacraments, Scripture—and many more!

G

enuine faith always expresses itself externally.

I’m afraid that your approach implicitly rejects the difference between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God (Mk 12:17). In fact, everything belongs to God. The Civil Constitution attempted to give civil authority ultimate authority over a person’s faith and life.

Would you say that Christians who refused to burn incense before the emperor’s image during the Roman persecutions were simply rejecting a political act? If so, I’m afraid you would be giving a green light to every totalitarian regime and denying a person’s right to make a conscience decision. Modernday martyrs are sometimes written off as dying for their politics and not for their faith. I hope you join me in not wanting to go down that road.

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ИГОРЬ САЛОВ/ISTOCK

Father Pat welcomes your questions!

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ; LOWER LEFT: JSWINBORNE/ISTOCK

Pat McCloskey, OFM

f your faith is fine until you hear the readings at Mass or a homily based on them, is it possible that you are not allowing your faith to grow as you grow? You write that you love “the faith in which I was brought up.” Is that faith static or dynamic?

The faith you had as a 10-year-old was fine at that time, but you have had significant life experiences since then, ones that must be woven into your faith if it is to be dynamic, growing as you grow, enabling you to be an adult disciple of Jesus.

The Scriptures are God’s unique revelation of God’s very self. A homily is intended to help In some ways, every homily seeks to “let the word of God dwell that day’s readings take deeper root in the lives in you richly” (Col 3:16). of listeners. Liturgy is very important in the Catholic Church because it helps people grow in faith as they experience life’s peaks and valleys.

It also helps them to explore the parts of their faith that may need to grow. Engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy also helps a person grow in faith.

What can you do now? You may need to consult a confessor or spiritual director to examine your present resistance to the readings and homilies. Your faith journey continues!

Quick Questions and Answers

The responsibility of baptismal sponsors for infants is to assist parents or guardians in handing on the faith, usually more by good example than by explicit instruction.

Two family members have been asked to be godparents for a Baptism in the Russian Orthodox Church. Does the Catholic Church permit this?

well

It is not a problem as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, but the Russian Orthodox Church may see it differently; their practice on this needs to be respected.

Does the Catholic Church offer vaults for cremains?

I am scrupulous! What is the best way for dealing with that?

I think the only effective response to scrupulosity is to examine one’s mental images of God and compare them with God’s self-revelation in the Bible, which has a very rich variety of such mental images. Scrupulous people tend to think that God as a strict judge is the only divine mental image presented in the Bible. That is simply not so.

Another way to phrase this is to ask, “Would God recognize my mental image of God as genuinely reliable?” Scrupulous people tend to have some of their religious wires “crossed.” The only path toward freedom is for them to go back and see which wires are properly connected and which are not.

Nonreligious factors may influence a person’s scrupulosity. May the Lord guide your rewiring process!

FOR PEACE IN THE NEW YEAR When you light a candle on stanthony.org, it will burn for three days at the National Shrine of St. Anthony in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Your burning candle is a quiet reminder of your personal intention and St. Anthony’s intercession for your prayer.

The friars are ready to light a candle for you!

Visit stanthony.org.

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TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ; LOWER LEFT: JSWINBORNE/ISTOCK

Many Catholic cemeteries have a columbarium where cremains can be enclosed in a sealed niche that on the outside indicates the person’s name and dates. Columba is the Latin word for “dove.” Cremains were once enclosed in an artistic representation of a dove because a person’s passage into heaven has been symbolized as the flight of a dove.

We don’t know for sure. A 1215 document in Assisi refers to Francis’ brother Angelo as “son of Pica,” perhaps implying Pietro had died by then. Francis almost certainly forgave Pietro before Francis died.

The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St., Ste. 1 Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492 StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 11

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SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS “She faced everything with unflinching courage, and smiled sweetly through it all.”

—Mrs. John F. Bowles, describing St. Marianne of Molokai

FRANCISCAN WORLD

Rivotorto

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

W

EMIGRATING to the United States in 1840, Marianne Cope joined the Franciscan Sisters in Syracuse and was a highly skilled teacher, hospital administrator, and congregational leader.

In 1883, she and six other sisters answered the invitation of the Hawaiian government to minister to those suffering from leprosy.

Five years later, she and two sisters began their work among women on Molokai, where St. Damien DeVeuster died the following year.

She died in Hawaii in 1918, was beatified in 2005, and was canonized in 2012. She is buried in Honolulu; her feast is January 23.

—Pat McCloskey, OFM

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WANT MORE? Learn about your saints and blesseds by going to: SaintoftheDay.org

ST. ANTHONY STORIES

Lost Rosary—Found!

C

oming home after a short vacation, I couldn’t find my 60-year-old rosary (handmade by my mother). I prayed to St. Anthony. I looked all over, turning my place upside down—no rosary. My brother stopped by and looked under my bed—no rosary; he looked under my easy chair—no rosary. He got down to look underneath the chair, turned his flashlight to the underside of the chair, and pulled out a wad of wrapping paper. Out with it fell my rosary case! Thanks, St. Anthony!

—Sister Rose Lima, OSF Cincinnati, Ohio

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PHOTO COURTESY OF RITA E. PIRO

Her hospital ministry prepared her to serve women and men on the island of Molokai.

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ST. MARIANNE OF MOLOKAI

hen Francis and his first 11 companions returned in 1209 from Rome, where they received Pope Innocent III’s verbal approval for their way of life, they moved into this abandoned shed close to a crooked stream (rivus tortus).

The friars’ stay there was short.

When a farmer claimed the shed for himself and his donkey, Francis and his friars asked the Benedictines for use of the nearby St. Mary of the Angels chapel. After that was granted, the friars built huts near the second of the three small churches that Francis rebuilt on the plain This church at Rivotorto (crooked stream) was built after 1926 on the before Assisi.

Francis once had a friar cry out foundations of a peasant shed that dates back to the time of St. Francis. during the night at Rivotorto that he was dying of hunger from fasting (Assisi Compilation, 50). Francis ordered the other friars to get up and share a meal so that the hungry friar did not have to eat alone. Francis cautioned all of them to avoid excessive penances, remembering that the Lord desires mercy and not sacrifice (Hos 6:6).

May Francis help us to be very honest about our needs and our wants.

s

FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS

ST. ANTHONY

Connected by Charism

“Franciscans are about ongoing conversion, continuous formation, and facing challenges with faith, hope, and love.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RITA E. PIRO

LEFT: CNS PHOTO/COURTESY SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS; TOP RIGHT: WIKIMEDIA/SUPERCHILUM; LOWER RIGHT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM

Assisianità!” declares Sister Carol Woods, SFMA, joyfully. “Assisianity!”

A Franciscan Missionary Sister of Assisi, Sister Carol explains the meaning of the two words: “Within our congregation, it comes from Pope John Paul II’s interreligious meetings in Assisi for world peace and all the other values that flow from the witness and wonder of Franciscans still: care for the poor, for the earth, for the Church, for all, in fidelity, as brothers and sisters.”

Co-executive director of the Franciscan Federation, Sister Carol lives in the Portiuncula Convent at Most Holy Trinity-St. Mary Parish in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. She and co-executive director Sister Lilia Kagendo, LSOSF, study, explore, and promote Franciscan life.

According their website, franfed.org, the Franciscan Federation provides national and regional opportunities to collaborate and celebrate so that the brothers and sisters can better live the Third Order Regular call to conversion, contemplation, poverty, and humility.

“I want to promote our image as being relational, responsive, personal, and working toward communion in a spirit of service, peace, and joy,” says Sister Carol. “I know it is a big request, a high goal, but it has been a way of life for many among us for a long time, and it is important to share that news and to keep us willing and ready to take the necessary chances today to continue to make an impact with, in, and for Christ.”

It was while growing up in Albany, New York, that Sister Carol first experienced the Franciscan spirit. “My family often visited the St. Anthony Mission House of the Conventual friars in Rensselaer when I was a child,” she recalls. “I attended the Chi Rho retreats the friars offered. It was during this

Sister Carol Woods, SFMA

time that I first heard about my future community.”

The Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi (Suore Francescane Missionarie di Assisi in Italian) was founded in Assisi in 1702

by Giuseppe Antonio Marcheselli—a Conventual friar—and Sister Angela Maria Del Giglio. The sisters dedicate themselves to educational, welfare, and missionary activities. Today, the congregation is composed of sisters from Italy, the United States, Korea, Zambia, and Romania. “We are related in history and often collaborate in ministry with the Conventual Franciscan friars worldwide,” notes Sister Carol.

During the year, the Federation office focuses on different tasks. Each June, they have a three-day Annual Federation Conference with keynote speakers on Franciscan themes. There are monthly virtual meetings with the standing commissions of their members, the elected leaders, regions, and charism services. They have an online newsletter and a website they update periodically to reflect who they are and what they are doing.

“Franciscans are about ongoing conversion, continuous formation, and facing challenges with faith, hope, and love,” says Sister Carol. “Our histories reveal the impossibilities God has done with and through us, with real people in real situations, which have changed lives and living conditions.

“Francis’ life and love are rooted in Christ’s love, which reveals the Trinity and the paschal mystery, and the poverty and humility that our God embraces and invites us to experience.

Join us. Believe with us. Walk with us.

Assisianità!”

—Rita E. Piro

FRANK JASPER, OFM

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BREAD s

The National Shrine of St. Anthony is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Consecrated in 1889, it includes a first-class relic of St. Anthony and serves as a center for daily prayer and contemplation.

The Franciscan friars minister from the shrine. To help them in their work among the poor, you may send a monetary offering called St. Anthony Bread. Make checks or money orders payable to “Franciscans” and mail to the address below.

Every Tuesday, a Mass is offered for benefactors and petitioners at the shrine. To seek St. Anthony’s intercession, mail your petition to the address below. Petitions are taken to the shrine each week. viSit our webSite to:

StAnthony.org

s

mAil poStAl communicAtionS to:

St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498

s

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NOTES FROM A FRIAR

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By Jim Van Vurst, OFM

Difficulties with Prayer A

s Christians, we know that we are called to be people who pray. As a matter of fact, through our earliest years, we have been taught to pray.

Most of us remember repeating prayers our parents taught us when we were very young as they sat on the edge of the bed. At first, we didn’t know exactly what we were saying but soon understood that we were talking to God. We learned formal prayers as we got older, especially as we prepared for our first holy Communion.

We sang hymns in church, which, in fact, were often prayers of faith, love, and adoration of the Lord.

We learned to pray an act of contrition when we approached the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We prayed before meals and for our deceased when we gathered for funerals. And we probably all remember praying fervently, no matter what age we were or are, when faced with a crisis. In a word, prayer is part and parcel of our lives as believers. And even those who seemingly drift away probably still pray at times though they may feel sheepish about it.

CLOSENESS WITH THE DIVINE

Let’s consider what we all run into from time to time in our spiritual journeys. It’s the feeling that we no longer seem able to pray or that our prayers don’t really mean much. Perhaps it’s because we, for some reason, feel distant from God. Perhaps we struggle with old sins that make us feel unworthy of the Lord. Not at all. It is unfortunate that we so often feel we must move away from God before we sit down and talk with him.

We have to remind ourselves that prayer is simply talking to God. Prayer is not determined by grammar or vocabulary; it is not measured in terms of

length and creativity. It is simply speaking to God no matter what condition we are in! It may be a simple cry: “Help me, God, I’m in trouble!” It may be a simple plea: “Lord, I need you.” It may be a simple word of thanks and gratitude for something good that has happened; it may be an awareness of some blessing we have forgotten. It may be an expression of gratitude: “God, you are so good to me.” All those simple expressions come from the heart, can be spontaneous, and are indeed prayers. Remember, God made us for himself. He knows we need him. We can’t be happy without him. Wealth, fame, pleasure, or power can never finally satisfy us.

DISTRACTIONS ARE NOT DETRACTIONS

I want to mention something that is very important in prayer. At Mass, or even in private times when we may sit and talk with the Lord, we can find our minds filled with distractions. We can be discouraged because even though we intend to pray, we seem weak in our efforts.

Remember, prayer is in the heart, not the head. When we find ourselves distracted, we don’t fight it, we simply “drop away” and try again to be conscious of God’s presence in us. The times we are distracted do not mean that our prayer time is wasted. God is always looking at our hearts.

Perhaps you’ve felt unable to pray because you fear you can’t do it perfectly or think your efforts aren’t pleasing to God. As we begin a new year, don’t lose sight of this: Your desire is itself pleasing to God. God can read and understand your heart perfectly. That is love!

Jim Van Vurst, OFM, is a retired friar in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a longtime contributor to St. Anthony Messenger and FranciscanMedia.org.

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POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH UNPACKED

By David Dault, PhD

David hosts the weekly radio show Things Not Seen: Conversations about Culture and Faith.

He also cohosts The Francis Effect podcast with Father Dan Horan, OFM. He lives with his family on the South Side of Chicago.

Want a certain topic covered? Send us your request.

E-MAIL:

FaithUnpacked@ FranciscanMedia.org MAIL:

Faith Unpacked 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 PODCAST:

The Francis Effect podcast can be streamed live at FrancisFXPod.com.

HOLLOW WORDS

I wasn’t always Catholic, and I wasn’t always Christian. In fact, until my mid-20s, I was an atheist, despite having grown up in the deeply religious Bible Belt of South Georgia.

Years ago, when I was a freshman in high school, there was a senior who spent the entire year bullying and insulting me. I’m still not entirely sure why he didn’t like me, but he let me know just about every single day.

At the end of the school year, I attended graduation. I was there to cheer for several of my friends. After the ceremony, I turned around to find myself face-to-face with this senior who had bullied me throughout the year.

I will never forget the exchange that followed.

He looked at me and said: “David, I’m part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I’m a Christian. I want you to know that Christ is the most important thing in my life, and I hope you will invite him into your heart.”

A moment like that might be awkward under the best of circumstances, but literally every prior interaction I had with this young man had been one in which he had teased me, insulted me, or threatened my safety.

Now, suddenly, he was testifying to me about his faith. I looked at him, unable to think of anything to say. I just shook my head and walked away.

A MIXED MESSAGE

There is a quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.”

It is important to evangelize. But if prior interactions have been laced with hate, violence, or calumny, we should expect nothing but indifference to the Gospel we proclaim.

This is especially true if we have the audacity to inflict pain with our words and actions one moment and shout the name of Jesus the next.

In our haste to maintain the pure borders of our faith, we risk confusing God’s righteousness with our own.

There is no quick fix for the hurts and harm we cause, and it is no excuse to say we were simply being zealous for the Lord. What is required is contrition and repentance—in private if we must—coupled with a public gesture of making amends with the ones who have been harmed by our actions.

That is the only bridge that will carry the weight of the Gospel.

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David Dault, PhD

You’re a pathetic little fool,” the message read, “and you’re probably gay.”

I have been on social media for roughly half my adult life, and I have seen it go from a niche, available to mostly college students, to an overwhelming onslaught of interaction and communication. I spend a lot of time on Facebook and Twitter.

That said, I do not have a huge following. I have never had a post go viral or even make a measurable impact beyond an extended circle of friends.

Nevertheless, if you stay around social media long enough, you will say something that will catch the attention of someone, and the likelihood is high that you will eventually be attacked. Given the circles in which I travel, the attack usually comes from someone who identifies as a Christian.

Recently, I made a comment on a Twitter thread about religious freedom. I mentioned the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, mosque controversy—an example of Christians using politics to block Muslims from building a worship space in a town about an hour south of Nashville.

That’s when I got the response mentioned above, telling me I was pathetic.

Then, in the following tweet, the same commenter invited me to accept Jesus. (It is not clear if the person thought I was an unbeliever or just didn’t like the fact that I am Roman Catholic.)

TOP LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICAGO SUNDAY EVENING CLUB/KHIEM TRAN; TOP RIGHT: PIXELS AWAY/FOTOSEARCH

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POINTSOFVIEW | AT HOME ON EARTH Writing a New Story

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HELPFUL

TIPS

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here is a big, necessary shift we human beings have to make very soon to go from being a destructive planetary force to becoming beneficial members of God’s creation. We certainly need big, transformative, systemslevel changes in agriculture, politics, science, economics, culture, and civic life. But we also need a deeper, more essential spiritual shift.

We need to start living out of a new story about God’s world and our place in it—a story of interconnection and loving service.

We are part and parcel of each other and the rest of God’s sacred creation, and our common vocation is to help all life flourish and so give glory to God. How does a new story really take root in our hearts when so much of what we do and buy and encounter in our daily lives reinforces an inaccurate, anti-Gospel story of

Create Your Own Rituals

Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, consider creating sacred rituals. To start, choose one basic element of your life—water, food, etc.—and take a week to see how you might deepen your relationship to that element through ritual.

Have fun with this. There is no one right way to do it.

2

One of the best rituals is to do at least one small, daily act of kindness for another creature—human or nonhuman.

3

Another great ritual is to keep a daily gratitude journal. Each day, write down at least five things for which you are grateful.

By Kyle Kramer separateness, competition, and domination of nature? The new story won’t become real to us just by reading about it, or even through good preaching and catechesis, important as those are. We also need to act our way into a new story. We need new rituals that can take us beyond the small self and into a deeper experience of the interconnectedness of all life.

Fortunately, for us Catholics, ritual is a language we already speak; we just need to see that it can apply far beyond the seven sacraments and the liturgical year. Small, daily rituals of our everyday lives can help us remember our belonging in God’s creation and our call to serve love and life.

SACRED RITUALS

For example, consider the rituals that could be part of our daily use of water. Showering and washing our hands, if done with intention, could be wonderful opportunities to recall the sacred water cycle of clouds and rain, rivers and lakes, glaciers and oceans, of ancient groundwater brought up from the mysterious depths beneath our feet. Every time we drink water, we could remember and give thanks for our kinship with all creatures that need fresh water for life, whose bodies, like ours, are made up mostly of water. We could cultivate solidarity with human and nonhuman creatures that suffer from drought, flood, or rising sea levels. We could hold in our hearts those who have no easy access—or no access at all—to potable water.

What if we had similar sacred rituals around food, clothing, shelter, transportation, work, energy, being with others, and encountering the natural world directly? What if every action, every interaction, every choice we made could serve as tangible, sacramental reminders of the new story of our belonging to each other and to God’s sacred creation? It would be hard not to start experiencing gratitude and wonder for everything that supports our common life.

Ritual, gratitude, and wonder may seem inconsequential compared to the urgency of our environmental challenges and the need to act. But as Jesus knew and lived, we should never underestimate a change in consciousness for changing the world.

Kyle Kramer

Kyle is the executive director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center, which offers interfaith educational programming in meditation, ecology, and social compassion.

He serves as a Catholic climate ambassador for the US Conference of Catholic Bishopssponsored Catholic Climate Covenant and is the author of A Time to Plant: Life Lessons in Work, Prayer, and Dirt (Ave Maria Press, 2010).

He speaks across the country on issues of ecology and spirituality.

He and his family spent 15 years as organic farmers and homesteaders in Spencer County, Indiana.

EarthandSpiritCenter.org

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POINTSOFVIEW | EDITORIAL

Listening to Our Better Angels “In a democracy, the most important title is that of private citizen.”

—Louis Brandeis, Associate US Supreme Court Justice

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18 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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hen Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as president on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they March 4, 1861, he focused his inaugural address on were signing a promissory note to which every American was the seven states that had already seceded from the Union. to fall heir. This note was the promise that all men, yes, black Lincoln hoped to avoid war between the North and the men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienSouth. able rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit At the end of this address, he said: “I of happiness.” am loath to close. We are not enemies, but A sense of our country’s common friends. We must not be enemies. Though good has frayed greatly during the passion may have strained, it must not lifetime of most St. Anthony Messenger break our bonds of affection. The mystic readers. How many drivers have you seen chords of memory, stretched from every running a red traffic light in the past battlefield and patriot grave to every week? living heart and hearthstone all over this For several decades, sociologists, broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the psychologists, preachers, and others have union, when again touched, as surely they noted the fraying of our social fabric. will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Civil discourse becomes a rare commodUnion soldiers were forced to surrenity when people holding opposite viewder Fort Sumter on April 13, 1861, and points immediately resort to demonizing four more states had seceded by June 1. those on the other side.

Lincoln could not avoid the Civil War, There has also been some progress. but he identified the standard for the For example, our justice system is less discourse that our society still desperately tilted against poor people than it used to Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), 16th president requires. be, but much work remains, especially Perhaps never have Abraham Lincoln’s of the United States for civil justice reform. words been more needed in our society’s All the citizens in a democracy—not politics, family life, our civic and charitable works, and our simply its elected or appointed leaders—must promote spiritual lives. that society’s common good and contribute to reweaving its social fabric. Associate US Supreme Court Justice Louis REWEAVING OUR SOCIAL FABRIC Brandeis wrote, “In a democracy, the most important title Unfortunately, few people were ready to listen to those is that of private citizen.” We cannot be good citizens—or better angels during the Civil War or in its subsequent members of any other group­—if demonizing others is our Reconstruction period. The effects of those conflicts are preferred response to a different opinion. painfully with us yet today. Our better angels have always had a difficult time receiving a hearing.

NORMALIZING RESPECTFUL SPEECH The authors of our Declaration of Independence and the Families, schools, civic groups, and all the other vital parts of US Constitution had a strong sense that they were trying our society are under attack when an individual’s preference to craft a nation that would respect the common good of overrules all other concerns—at least with shouts if not with its citizens, strengthening its social fabric. Of course, those physical violence. Unfortunately, the number of racially or authors had several blind spots: For example, the internareligiously motivated hate crimes has dramatically risen in tional slave trade was protected until 1808; almost a third of recent years. the people in some states then were not citizens; voting could During local, state, and national elections this year, we be restricted to certain religious groups or property owners; all have an opportunity to rebuild or tear apart our nation’s and women could not vote until 1920. social fabric. Our words and actions can build it up or tear Nevertheless, these authors set the standard that later gen- it down. We can take our cues from hate groups or from erations would enlarge, for genuine peace must be built on neighbors whose lives of integrity show that they are trying justice. On Washington, DC’s National Mall on August 28, to listen to their better angels.

1963, Martin Luther King Jr. famously proclaimed: “When Those who love freedom must embrace this challenge. the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of —Pat McCloskey, OFM

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When choosing a Confirmation name, let’s encourage our children to consider pop culture icons like Superman, Hermione Granger, and the X-Men—fine complements to our Christian values.

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ore than ever, superheroes and science fiction are on the minds of the young, thanks to the popularity of the genres’ books and movies. Marvel and DC Comics are making millions at the box office. The engaging stories of Superman, Thor, the X-Men, Black Panther, and the crews of the Enterprise and the Millennium Falcon display traits of personal sacrifice, forgiveness, justice, hope, and courage that are often absent from our society. And, if you want to get a kid’s attention, you’re not going to do it better than to speak to them in the language that resounds with them most naturally.

Pop culture is their vocabulary—the force that is shaping their hearts and imaginations. If we can help them make connections between their culture and the Christian culture, not only will we have their attention, but we will be teaching them to look critically at what they consume. Children can easily grasp the goodness and honor inherent in the actions of Spider-Man, Aragorn, or Professor X. They might not be prepared to use those words to describe what they’re experiencing, but they know good when they see it.

Christians should embrace this pop culture trend. Far from being subversive to our values, these genres are full of wonderful themes that complement the lessons we are trying to instill in our children at home, in school, and through our religious education programs.

Just as we have always held up the saints as models of virtue to emulate—and rightly so—the heroes that our kids already look up to in popular media also have something to offer.

OUR TRADITION’S HEROES

Religious educators already offer a variety of ways to begin to research a mentor saint to be chosen for Confirmation: Candidates can start with their birthday, the patron saint of their hobby or (future) occupation, someone who embodies the virtues that they hope to develop, the name of a loved one, or a person with meaning to them. The point is to assist the candidates in seeing faith as relevant. We can help them choose a name that will resound with them and become an integral part of who they will become as they embrace their relationship with Christ and learn to take up their crosses.

If we play with pop culture names, where might we end up? Thor is a Norse god and no saint, but his mythology is often connected with Santa Claus. The real Santa Claus was a fourth-century bishop named St. Nicholas of Myra, who cared especially for children. Perhaps a budding schoolteacher or educational psychologist might choose Nicholas or Nicola for Confirmation. It takes but a moment to move from the real name of Spider-Man, Peter Parker, to the Church’s first leader after Jesus. Can’t the Beatles’ Paul McCartney bring us to the great Apostle Paul?

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HERMIONE ST.NATALIA

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prime example is the choice of St. Hermione, inspired

by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Initially, some may object that this series deals with witchcraft and dark arts.

One irony is that some of Rowling’s harshest critics are fans of the worlds imagined by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, whose works are full of wizards and magic. To those who object to what they see as subversive models of vice in Harry Potter, you will also find them in the stories of Lewis and Tolkien—and the Bible.

It turns out there really is a St. Hermione, though in her native Greek you are more likely to find her as Ermione or transformed in Italian to Erminia or its nickname Emma.

She lived early in Church history and died in 117. Hermione was the daughter of St. Philip, a deacon and maybe even one of Jesus’ chosen Twelve. She was known for her skill in ministering to sick people—a good model for budding doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, or EMTs. The Roman emperor Trajan took Hermione prisoner and ordered his goons to beat her, but something about her strength made the emperor release her. Recaptured by the next emperor, Hadrian, Hermione was again tortured but escaped with the help of her prison guards after she brought them to the faith.

She was buried in Ephesus in today’s Turkey and revered as a healer.

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arvel Comics’ Natasha Romanoff, aka the Black Widow, might bring someone to St. Natalia or Natalie.

That saint, who died in 311, converted her husband, a Roman imperial official, to Christianity. She then visited him and other prisoners who were rounded up for worshipping Jesus. Thrown out by the guards, she fooled them by cutting her hair, dressing as a boy, and bribing those same guards so she could enter her husband’s cell and encourage him and the other Christians who would soon be martyred for the faith. That is an admirable example of courage and resourcefulness worthy of any superhero and every saint.

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ne of the most important figures in the Star Wars franchise is Luke Skywalker, a young orphan who felt the pull of adventure and a sense of destiny. Leaving his planet after his aunt and uncle are killed, Luke sets off to find his fortune and winds up joining a rebellion against the Empire, an insurmountable force that rules the galaxy with oppression and terror. His constant faith in the Force, which calls him to fight for justice, to protect his friends, and to believe in reconciliation, ultimately converts his father, Darth Vader, and wins the day for the Rebels.

St. Luke was a doctor and companion of St. Paul. In his telling of the Gospel, he wrote about themes that we see in the life of Luke Skywalker. His mission, too, has converted many away from the “dark side” and into the light of Christ.

SL TI.A ST.NATA LUCY

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rofessor Xavier from the X-Men started the School for Gifted Youngsters, aka mutants. He believed that education would bring them enlightenment and societal freedom, making them well-rounded adults who could use their gifts (called powers) at the service of humanity. St. Francis Xavier was a 16th-century cofounder of the Jesuits, a religious order focused on missionary work and education. The Jesuits are renowned for their holistic worldview and for shaping people of all ages to see God everywhere. With a spirit of true personal freedom, Jesuits encourage people to use their gifts to serve God and the world. Whether it’s a school for mutants or regular kids, our Xaviers are broadening the minds of those who can affect the future of the world for the better.

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T rD GIFBy Fathe

Wisdom

is the ability to properly value our faith and to put life in proper perspective.

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GIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT includes filling the individual with the seven gifts of the Spirit. These are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Let’s take a quick look at each.

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Understanding helps us realize the meaning of what we believe—at least to some significant degree.

Counsel helps us act in the best way possible.

Fortitude gives us the strength to do what we know we ought to do.

Knowledge helps us see life as God sees it.

Piety helps us desire to worship and serve God.

Fear of the Lord helps us want to serve God well out of a sense of respect.

These are ongoing aids given by God through his Church to those being confirmed to strengthen them for the task of being witnesses of faith to the world. Confirmation involves a commissioning, a sending, and a strengthening; all necessary for the person to take her or his proper place in the faith community. “Be sealed,” the bishop says, “with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”

HEN

Be sealed, be stamped, be marked with the Holy Spirit for life as a beloved son or daughter of God. With the strength of that seal, go out and witness to the world.

Sacred Journeys

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HESR NE T.M OY LUIC ST. TT PLH EN S.T E N A A .S S T I A S YE HETR.L MU IO CN ARTHA ST M S T..L U E K T P E S N M E H N A L A .

SSTT T . A I ENCOURAGE ST. IS T SSTT..M C R N A F E A R LUA K H R STU ENCO . RAGE

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ST.STEPHEN C ST.MARTHA

aptain America came to be a great hero because of his experience of being small and weak but determined to serve his country and stand up to evil that threatened the world. When his commanding officers saw his bravery and desire to serve, Steve Rogers was given the opportunity to be made stronger, and he took it. He was made into a super soldier, giving him a body to match his enormous spirit. He always wanted to do the right thing and was willing to sacrifice himself (if need be) to make the world a safer place.

St. Stephen also had a spirit of service. As one of the first deacons of the Church, and the first martyr, Stephen had courage and determination that was unmatched. He was accused of blaspheming against God and could easily have denied what he knew was true. But his conviction was so perfect, and his bravery so set within him, that he never wavered. He continued to preach to the end and forgave those who killed him. He was a true leader and hero for the Church whose courage could easily rival Captain America’s.

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et’s encourage our Confirmation candidates to wander from the top 10 names to the less well known. There are, after all, about 10,000 women and men of all ethnicities and professions on the Church’s official list of saints. If students in Confirmation classes start pulling on the names that engage their creativity and imagination from novels, movies, and pop culture, they might end up with overlooked saints who are just right for them.

Jen Schlameuss-Perry is a pastoral associate of the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Freehold, New Jersey. Her new book is Comic Con Christianity (Paulist Press).

Christopher M. Bellitto, PhD, is a professor of history at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. His latest book is Ageless Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from the Bible (Paulist Press).

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WANT MORE? To learn more about the seven sacraments, go to FranciscanMedia.org/Sacraments.

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ucy was a brave little girl who was drawn into the magical world of Narnia. She, along with her three siblings, helps to free the land from the evil White Witch, Jadis. Ultimately, Lucy becomes a queen of Narnia. She was given the gift of healing and was the most pure of heart of the Pevensie siblings, earning her a particularly special relationship with Aslan, a lion who represents Jesus throughout The Chronicles of Narnia. The early Church’s St. Lucy was also pure of heart: She wanted to remain unmarried and give her bridal money to the poor. A man who wanted to marry her betrayed her to the Roman Empire, and she was tortured and killed under the persecution of Diocletian. Like Lucy of Narnia, St. Lucy was brave and faithful, and she had a special relationship with Christ.

artha Jones was companion of the Doctor in Doctor Who. She was a real doer—not the kind of person to sit around and wait for someone else to act. She is a medical student when she meets the Doctor and travels with him for a time, defending the weak and vulnerable in the universe. When she realizes that she needs to be back on earth to pursue her medical degree and care for the people on her own planet, she becomes an important protector of our world, using her new experiences in traveling through time and space.

St. Martha was the most famous doer in the Bible (there’s a whole story dedicated to it!). She was a close friend of Jesus and the one who was always hustling and bustling to make sure everyone else was fed and cared for. She was a hometown girl who wanted to make a difference in the lives of those she loved. Martha is a good, strong name for good, strong women.

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McKEON

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HANNAH FRANKEL PHOTOGRAPHY

KAYLA

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ark McKeon remembers the doom and gloom of nurses and doctors when his daughter, Kayla, was born 32 years ago. “It was all negative. It seemed like a death sentence,” says Mark, of Cicero, New York. “They said she would not be able to do anything. She might not be able to be toilet-trained or walk.”

Today Kayla McKeon not only walks but regularly strides the halls of Congress to meet with elected officials. She also drives on her own and, smartly dressed like the working professional she is, flies by herself to Washington, DC. She’s the grassroots manager for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), which is headquartered in the nation’s capital. Kayla became the first registered Capitol Hill lobbyist with Down syndrome in November 2017.

Besides advocating for the rights of those with disabilities before elected officials, Kayla gives motivational speeches, hosts a podcast, writes a blog, and generally leads the fastpaced, high-profile, consequential public life of a young adult determined to change the world.

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The odds were against Kayla McKeon, but that never slowed her down. She now serves as a national spokesperson for the Down syndrome community.

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“OK then, let’s just see what happens.

Let’s just see what she can do.”

—MARK McKEON

It’s been a remarkable and most unexpected journey, a succession of achievements that has astounded even the two people with the most confidence and belief in her—her parents. But then again, with God on your side—as Mark and Patti McKeon believe, devout Catholics like their daughter— what is not possible?

“We pray to God all the time,” says Mark. “It has to be divine intervention. God has a plan for her to open people’s eyes. It’s so people can know the things that people with Down syndrome can do.”

‘ONE OF OUR BEST SALESWOMEN’

Kayla McKeon picks up the phone at work. Gentle humor, she knows, helps build bridges and reach common ground.

She finishes up by joking that the conversation went well “except for that one hardball question” she asked.

Kayla does not shy away from talking to people and saying what needs to be said. “It comes natural to me,” she says.

“I have never been afraid to speak to anyone.”

Kayla spends a lot of work time on the phone or waiting to meet with an official, just like any other lobbyist. Her day is punctuated by a quick trip to Starbucks or a friendly hello in the hall to a coworker, just like any other lobbyist. But she was hired not just because she could do the job but also because in some ways, given who she is and what she has achieved, she can do it better.

She is aware of her distinct role. “It makes me feel great to be able to be a voice for others who don’t have that voice. I feel that being able to share our personal stories is what mat-

ters most,” she says.

Sara Hart Weir, president and chief executive of the NDSS, hired Kayla after she had met her on a couple of occasions. “We’re a human rights organization for people with Down syndrome. She puts a human face on the rights for people with it. She puts someone with Down syndrome front and center on Capitol Hill,” she says.

She made a good hire, she adds. “The true test of a lobbyist is: Do they do their homework? She comes prepared to a meeting or a forum. She knows her facts and figures. She’s prepared,” says Weir. “She brings such dignity and grace to her work. She’s dedicated. She’s tenacious. She’s passionate.

She’s very articulate.

“She’s one of our best saleswomen. She sells herself. She sells our issues. She sells our organization. She does it with dignity and style.”

Kayla helped successfully lobby for the passage of the ABLE to Work Act in 2017. The bill allows people with disabilities to save money. Previously, a person’s savings could disqualify him or her from receiving Medicaid benefits.

Kayla is currently working on the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act, which would require businesses to pay at least the minimum wage to people with disabilities. An outdated law from the 1930s allows employers to pay less to those with disabilities. “We are trying to end sub-minimum wage. People like me are getting paid pennies per hour, and that’s not fair,” she says.

Among the well-known legislators Kayla has met are former House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Tammy

THIS PAGE: LEFT: MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES; MIDDLE AND RIGHT: COURTESY NDSS/WENDY ZOOK; OPPOSITE PAGE: MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES (4)

LEFT: Kayla is a busy professional, giving speeches across the country about the rights of those with disabilities. MIDDLE: At last year’s Washington, DC, Buddy Walk event, which raises funds for those with Down syndrome, Kayla presented an award with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. RIGHT: NDSS President Sara Hart Weir stands with Kayla at the podium at last year’s National Down Syndrome Gala in New York City.

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Duckworth, a double amputee as a result of her combat wounds. The meeting with Ryan was cordial but perfunctory: “He’s a very busy man, so it was a quick meeting and a photo op,” says Kayla. But talking to Duckworth was fruitful.

“Like me, she is differently abled, and we were able to connect that way when I was talking to her about my job and the important work I am doing,” she says.

THIS PAGE: LEFT: MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES; MIDDLE AND RIGHT: COURTESY NDSS/WENDY ZOOK; OPPOSITE PAGE: MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES (4)

FORMATIVE BEGINNINGS

Kayla’s journey to Capitol Hill began in 2014 at a church festival in Syracuse, New York. She ran into John Katko, who was campaigning for Congress. This was their second encounter, as they had already met at a baseball game. Katko had duly handed her his card at their first meeting, and Kayla, a representative for Special Olympics, gave him her card that read “motivational speaker.” The second meeting was more decisive. The candidate promised to have a position for her if he won.

Katko was elected and kept his pledge. Kayla worked as an intern in his office, answering mail and taking care of routine office duties.

Bumping into Katko was an accident, a stroke of good fortune. But Kayla’s parents had painstakingly and lovingly raised her to make the most of her life.

Before her first birthday, they arranged for a physical therapist to come to their home to work with her. Not long after that, they incessantly read to her. One day, when she was 4 years old, she picked up a book and started to read.

“OK, she memorized it,” recalls her father. “Holy cow, no, she knew how to read!”

And so it went with young Kayla. Her parents watched in amazement as she progressed further and further. “We thought, Maybe she can do this or do that. Then she’d do it.

She kept exceeding expectations,” says Mark. “We thought,

OK, let’s just see what happens. Let’s just see what she can do.”

The McKeons insisted that their daughter attend regular classes in the local elementary and high school, relatively unusual for that time. Educators were not always in their corner. “We fought every year to keep her in a regular classroom,” says Mark.

Kayla struggled with some classes. Her parents helped her with her homework as needed, and eventually an aide at school provided further assistance. Kayla persisted and earned her diploma.

Other challenges occurred. There was one stretch—not known to the McKeons until later—when their daughter was eating lunch alone in high school. But then members of the football team saw what was happening and decided to come to the rescue. “They sat with her!” recounts Mark. “Her personality saved her. People are attracted to her.”

The McKeons, along with Kayla, figured it out as they went along. Originally, they enrolled her in programs, such as dance class, alongside her nondisabled peers. “But it was hard to keep up,” says Mark. “Special Olympics opened a new world for her.”

Kayla became involved with Special Olympics at age 13 and has never looked back. She’s made friends and made speeches. She’s competed in soccer, softball, bocce ball, floor hockey, and track and field. In the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece, she won silver and bronze medals.

But it’s the camaraderie she treasures most. Kayla relishes the freewheeling, let-your-hair-down spirit of friendly sports competition. “I love playing floor hockey when I’m the goalie and can talk smack with the other team,” she says. “I hope it catches them off guard when I say, ‘Hey, pretty boy, you want a piece of me?’ or ‘Not in my house!’”

All along, the McKeons were careful not to regard their

LEFT TO RIGHT: Standing excitedly with NDSS President Sara Hart Weir at the New York Stock Exchange, Kayla later got to ring the closing bell; Kayla met with former House Speaker Paul Ryan in 2018; Kayla introduced Congressman John Katko at an NDSS event, then Katko warmly told the story of how he first met Kayla while he was campaigning for Congress and later asked her to work in his Syracuse office when he won his seat; Kayla proudly attended the Presidential Committee for People with Disabilities in Washington, DC. StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 29

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daughter as someone who needed help but as someone who could help. She has volunteered for the YMCA and a local hospital and worked at restaurants and grocery stores. Her parents “always have my back not 100 percent, but 120 percent,” she says. “My parents taught me to never give up and always keep going. They teach me to be humble and thank God for all my blessings. We have a bond that will never be broken.”

GROUNDED IN PRAYER

Kayla recently flew to Atlanta to speak before 900 human resources professionals on diversity in the workplace. She also recently traveled to New York City for a presentation at the New York Stock Exchange on “Getting to Equal.” By now she’s an old hand at public speaking.

“I never get nervous because the audience are people too.

I treat it like having a conversation with a neighbor,” she explains.

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PHOTO CREDIT HERE

INSET: Participating in Special Olympics when she was 13 was a game changer for Kayla, playing goalie for a floor hockey team and relishing the camaraderie.

A LIFE OF MEANING

MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES (3)

ABOVE: Kayla beams at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece, after winning both a silver and bronze medal.

Outside Sacred Heart Church in Cicero stands a large statue of the Holy Family. “The Sacred Heart Family” is emblazoned on its base. The parish is the solid base for the McKeons. On some Sundays, the three McKeons serve together as eucharistic ministers.

“You can see the people walking toward us—toward Kayla—with a smile. It warms your heart,” says Mark, who was an altar boy and attended Catholic school from grade school through college.

“I like it [being a eucharistic minister] because I want to be more involved in the Church,” says Kayla. “I like serving because I feel more connected to God and Jesus Christ.”

Growing up, she took religious education at the parish and played roles in church pageants. She and her father pray together when he drives her to the airport for trips to Washington, DC, and for speeches throughout the country to advocate for those with disabilities. “We pray for a safe journey. We pray to open people’s eyes,” says Mark.

Kayla also reads the Bible in the morning to center herself before a long day at work or just to remind herself what’s important. “I don’t have a specific prayer that is a favorite, but I like doing the Act of Contrition, saying I’m sorry. I know there is always room to love God with your whole heart and always room to reconcile with him,” she says. “I pray for my family and friends, so they can lead a life full of love and prayer.”

Prayer is a lifeline for her. “I don’t know how to talk about my feelings, but I know I can turn to him because I know he is always listening,” she says.

Assigned to Sacred Heart Church in 2015, Father Richard Prior distinctly recalls meeting Kayla for the first time in the sacristy. “She was one of the first persons I met. She introduced herself to me,” he recalls. “There’s such a joy to her.

She just exudes gratitude. I don’t think she’s ever had a bad day.”

a h

Kayla is comfortable with who she is and fervently desires that others be comfortable with her. “I wouldn’t change having Down syndrome because it makes me who I am,” she says.

“Get to know us better because we are people just like you,” Kayla continues. “Don’t bully us and don’t squash our dreams. We love being who we are.”

By now she is a celebrity of sorts. Smashing expectations, soaring far beyond what’s seen as normative for someone with Down syndrome gets people’s attention. The CBS Evening News, the BBC, the Washington Post, and other news outlets have all done stories on her.

But the secular media can miss the deeper meaning of her life, a message for everyone else.

“We’re all children of God,” says Father Prior. “He gave us talents and abilities. When we’re open to God’s grace, we can use what God has given us to make a difference in the world.”

Jay Copp is a writer and editor at DePaul University in Chicago and a former associate editor of the New World, Chicago’s archdiocesan newspaper. He has a graduate degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has contributed articles to numerous Catholic publications. His article titled “A Mission Reborn” appeared in our November 2019 issue.

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

MCKEON FAMILY ARCHIVES (3)

ABOVE: A lifelong parishioner of Sacred Heart Church, Kayla poses with her parents, Mark and Patti McKeon, and their pastor, Father Richard P. Prior Jr.

“My parents taught me to never give up and always keep going. They teach me to be humble and thank God for all my blessings.”

—KAYLA McKEON

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T

hose old enough to remember the genesis of the pro-life movement are increasingly faced with a strange, new problem. Back in the 1970s, as the pro-life movement first started to germinate, opponents of newly legalized abortion were criticized as being merely “anti-abortion.” The reply of the early pro-life movement was that we are pro-life: A consistent life ethic—the Catholic life ethic—defends human life from conception to natural death. The Church defends the whole life for the whole of life.

Yet strangely, we now live in a time when more and more Catholics are rejecting the term pro-life, not because they favor abortion rights (though these Catholics exist too), but because, in the words of Eric Sammons of CatholicVote. org, they have embraced the idea that by “calling every issue a ‘pro-life’ issue, we dilute and fracture the brand. We make

other, less important issues as important as the abortion issue. We needlessly divide pro-lifers over prudential issues about which we should be able to respectfully disagree.”

And so Sammons declares: “As for me, I’ve come to realize that I’m no longer pro-life. Just call me anti-abortion.”

BUT AREN’T THEY THE SAME THING?

This view has become a seductive position for many people in the pro-life movement who have come to see virtually every other aspect of the Church’s social doctrine as a “distraction” from the one all-consuming issue of abortion.

But—and we must be clear about this—such a view is foreign to the magisterium. The fact is that the Church’s teaching, especially when it comes to the dignity of human life, is not either/or but both/and. The Church sees the unborn as

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE O

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E ON BEING

LIFE

By Mark P. Shea

nomic violence. But they are all, in one way or another, prolife issues since they all pertain to the dignity and sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

ISSUES OF WAR

War, torture, bodily mutilation, coercion of free will, violence, and murder were all named by St. John Paul II as forms of assault on the dignity of human life. Of course, he did not cook up this list (or anything else we shall discuss hereafter) on his own. The Church’s tradition has opposed them in various ways and at various times. Some of these evils are denounced in Scripture, others at later times, and some are particularly named in the documents of Vatican II. The reason is clear, just as the reason for “Evangelium Vitae,” the great 1995 encyclical on the Gospel of life, is clear: ISTOCK IMAGES: LEFT TO RIGHT: ERIC1513; MOTORTION; MEDIA PHOTOS; KYRYL GORLOV; LORD HENRI VOTON; BOTTOM: JCHIZHE

related to, not the opposite of, all the other forms of human life that require our protection. More than this, the Church insists—and has done so since Paul wrote Romans 3:8—that we cannot do evil that good may come of it. We may, to be sure, try to lessen evil in an imperfect world, but we cannot deliberately choose to do evil on the theory that our opposition to some other greater evil gives us license to indulge an evil we like.

This subtle distinction eludes many people. So to get the hang of it, let us take a look at more than two dozen other things the Church teaches are pro-life issues in addition to abortion—many of them just as gravely and intrinsically evil—and see how they relate to the dignity of the unborn without opposing or competing with it. These issues tend to cluster around various forms of political, social, and eco-

The Church teaches the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. But this author contends that the pro-life movement has narrowed that message to focus strictly on abortion.

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Both the council and the encyclical were, in no small part, responses to the massive 20th-century assault on human life and the advances in technology and changes in values that made that assault possible.

Some of these evils are as old as Cain and Abel. But others involve social and technical refinements peculiar to modernity that have forced the Church to reevaluate its tolerance of violence. The new phenomena of the totalitarian state and of “total war”—as well as technologies enabling states to annihilate entire populations via weapons of mass destruction, genocide, or technologically enforced famines—have changed the equation for the Church. As a result, the just war doctrine has required a great deal of rethinking.

The conditions of just war are these, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2309): • “the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; • all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; • there must be serious prospects of success; • the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.”

Just war theory is a series of restraints intended to make war a last resort. The issue facing the Church with the advent of modern warfare is simply this, according to St. John Paul II in a homily from 1982: “Today, the scale and the horror of modern warfare—whether nuclear or not—makes it totally unacceptable as a means of settling differences between nations. War should belong to the tragic past, to history; it should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.”

Pope Benedict XVI, quoted here in an 2003 interview with Zenit News Agency, concurs: “Given the new weapons that make possible destructions that go beyond the combatant groups, today we should be asking ourselves if it is still licit to admit the very existence of a ‘just war.’”

The Church—always skeptical about war—is now ratcheting forward to a place where it is increasingly suggesting that there may no longer be such a thing as a just war at all.

Some Catholics, confused about the meaning of sacred tradition, think that just war theory is a necessary feature of that tradition. But it is not essential to apostolic teaching and was only fashioned as a concession to human weakness beginning in the fourth and fifth centuries. Just war theory is specifically designed not to bless war but to throw a huge bucket of cold water on the fever, panic, vainglory, and bloodlust that typically precede a civilization’s plunge into combat.

This explains some of the corollaries of the Church’s teaching pertaining to war, such as its absolute forbidding of torture as gravely and intrinsically immoral. One of the common arguments advanced a decade ago to rationalize torture was: “If we get to kill people in war, then why shouldn’t we get to torture them?” The answer is that you don’t get to kill

people; you sometimes have to kill people. But the moment an enemy becomes a prisoner is the moment shooting him or her becomes murder, precisely because the prisoner is also made in the image and likeness of God. Violence is not a privilege of war but a grim, last-ditch necessity to be avoided as much as possible.

The Church’s teaching [on the dignity of human life] is not either/or but both/ and. The Church sees the unborn as related to, not the opposite of, all the other forms of human life that require our protection.

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SOCIOECONOMIC EVILS

The Church also lists arbitrary imprisonment, mistreatment of the environment, capital punishment, mass deportation, disease and health care, drug abuse, hunger, poor working conditions, poverty, slavery, subhuman living conditions, and suicide as pro-life issues. These evils are where we come closest to what Sammons and those like him see as “less important issues” that “dilute and fracture the brand.”

It seems to work this way: Why should we spend prolife time and energy on things like capital punishment or immigration or the fact that the United States is now the largest prison state on the planet when 1.5 million babies are dying each year? The same objection is typically advanced for nearly everything listed above. All these things are (goes the objection) “prudential judgments” and not as gravely and intrinsically immoral as abortion is; therefore, we can pass over them and, as the saying goes, “focus on abortion.”

But the problem with this approach is that the Church’s teachings about these issues are not really passed over in favor of abortion by those who use such language; they are actively opposed.

There is plenty of room in the Church’s tradition for specialization and focusing on specific issues and ills.

Dominicans specialize in preaching, the Sisters of Providence specialize in healing and building hospitals, Jesuits found schools, and so forth. As Paul says, different members of the body do different things (1 Cor 12). So somebody who truly wants to focus on abortion and protection of human life from conception to birth is perfectly free to do so.

But what healthy members of the body do not do is declare that other members “dilute the brand” by focusing on other issues or by caring about multiple issues at once. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I do not need you’” (1 Cor 12:21). Somebody who says, “We need to pay attention to the sadistic cruelty being meted out to refugee children, snatched from their parents at the border and disappeared into a system that cannot even figure out how to unite them with StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 35

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those parents again,” is not “diluting the brand” of the prolife movement or “distracting” from abortion. He or she is simply being consistent about the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.

Likewise, the person who is fighting to uphold the Church’s teaching about the necessity of a living wage, a teaching as old as James 5:1–4, is not somehow distracting from abortion. Indeed, the entire point of the Church’s insistence on economic justice is that families cannot happen if people cannot afford to marry and have kids.

A related issue is capital punishment. In August 2018, Pope Francis—echoing a call for the abolition of the death penalty also sounded by John Paul II and Benedict XVI— formally changed the Catechism to read: “Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide” (2267).

This development definitively places the good of the human person over mere judicial vengeance and says, in effect, that if we do not have to kill somebody, we should not do it, even if they have it coming—especially since about 4 percent of our colossal prison population are wrongly convicted. Fighting this development not only means killing people unnecessarily, but also means killing innocents in order to do it and turning ourselves into people who are willing to kill innocents in order to kill the guilty unnecessarily.

Some might argue that these are all prudential judgments, while abortion is always gravely and intrinsically immoral.

Therefore, we can ignore what the Church teaches about these issues and focus solely on abortion.

If one’s focus is on abortion, fine. Focus on it. But do not pretend to focus on it while actually spending one’s time and energy arguing against the magisterium and in favor of capital punishment, arguing against “Laudato Si’” and in favor of policies that harm the environment, arguing against a living wage and in favor of laissez-faire capitalism (condemned since “Rerum Novarum”), arguing against a century’s worth of magisterial calls for universal health care and in favor of denouncing the Church as “socialist” for supporting it.

None of that is “focusing on abortion,” and none of it is prudential judgment. It is weaponizing the unborn in order to fight the rest of the Church’s teaching by making the unborn the opposite of—and competitor to—all the human lives harmed and even killed by sins in these other areas.

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We are free to focus on abortion if we please, but we are not free to ignore, or worse, oppose the Church’s guidance [on other life issues] without grave cause.

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The Church’s whole-life teaching is about the right to live, not merely the right to be born.

TQI’s Heart for Nonprofit

ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE BODY

The Church names such things as euthanasia, prostitution, artificial contraception and responsible procreation, sexual abuse, sexual promiscuity, and sterilization as pro-life issues as well. Some of these are easier than others for many Catholics to grasp. Euthanasia is, fairly obviously to most people, the clear taking of innocent human life. But many people do not see a problem with, for instance, contraception. This is due in part to the strong premium that most postmaternists put on personal autonomy. But these are also signs of a profound loss of trust in a God who loves so deeply that we can say with sincerity: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19–20).

Anything that reduces the body to a commodity— whether it is prostitution, in vitro fertilization, or rent-awomb technologies—turns people into objects and elevates things like money above people. The Church insists that our bodies, like Jesus’ body, are intended for mutual selfdonating love and that the natural arena for that is marriage between one man and one woman.

Of course, the bitterest demonstration of how damage to one piece of the whole weave of Catholic teaching harms all is the way in which sexual abuse by some clergy—and, far worse, enabling of that abuse by bishops—has profoundly harmed the credibility of the Church in teaching everything above. But just as the sins of a math teacher do not falsify 2+2=4, the sins of those entrusted with handing down the tradition do not falsify the tradition.

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DEFENDING ALL LIFE

We are free to focus on abortion if we please, but we are not free to ignore, or worse, oppose the Church’s guidance without grave cause. It is vital to remember that prudential judgment concerns not whether, but how best to implement the Church’s teaching on life.

The Church’s whole-life teaching is about the right to live, not merely the right to be born. Human life is sacred from conception to natural death, from Adam and Eve to the end of time. Since Christ died for every human being, it is our part to defend the dignity of every human life.

Mark P. Shea is a popular writer and speaker. He is a coauthor of the best seller A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about the Passion of the Christ. He is also a regular guest on Catholic radio and writes for the blog Catholic and Enjoying It! at Patheos.com.

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NOW

When we stop the noise and distractions, we make space to savor the present moment.

By Terry Hershey

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THE POWER OF

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ot that long ago, I danced with manatees. Lord have mercy, it was good. I was in Manasota Key, Florida, my annual May gathering with my friends of 35 years.

We swap stories and talk about the way the world would be if we were in charge. On the Intracoastal Waterway, near a congregation of mangrove trees, we anchor the boat and spend an afternoon floating, buoyed in the water, a treat for those of us who are escaping winter’s chill. The sky is dyed hope-blue, and egrets pose gracefully and elegantly in the mangroves.

Manatees are curious and unafraid of humans. They are gentle, docile, and friendly.

So, without announcement, they swim near and around you, to check out the visitors to their world. One manatee swims under my feet, literally lifting me up, as if to welcome me. Oh my.

This is a first for me. I had heard stories.

And yet, no mental framing prepares you. I do know this; in that moment, as my laughter echoes in the mangrove trees, as the cares of my day dissipate, I am fully awake and fully alive. My senses are grounded to this sacrament. This present moment. This gift. This clarity. This permission to savor life now goes with me into my day.

So, I wonder, why are there too many days when I miss the gift?

In letters written in 1740, Jean-Pierre de Caussade (ordained member of the Society of Jesus) wrote about the sacrament of the present moment. We are invited to choose to live each day as a sacrament (as a gift), enabling us to see, to hear, to taste, and to touch grace—the goodness of God’s presence in our world. We need to bring this sacrament back and allow it to be front and center in our lives. I’m pretty sure that St. Francis would agree. Franciscan spirituality is an incarnational, earthy spirituality. Put simply: God is close, never far away.

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NOTICE THE MOMENT

I live on an island in the Pacific Northwest, a long way from manatees, but that doesn’t stop me from dancing with them. Every day. If only in my mind. “Dancing with manatees” is my shibboleth, inviting me to live and savor the sacrament of the present. And I invite you to do the same.

Whenever we broach the subject of spirituality or spiritual growth or emotional well-being, our knee-jerk petition is predictable, “Please tell us how.” After all, there must be a list, right?

Which takes my mind to a story.

My son Zach is 6. We are taking a break, sitting on the bench in front of Bob’s Bakery (Bob’s is Vashon Island’s morning gathering spot). We are having cinnamon twists. They are decadently yummy and make me forget my need to be useful. The bench is made from a trunk of an old downed log, its seat now worn from years of time and use. Zach and I watch the Vashon traffic—“traffic” in a poetic license sort of way—go by. And Zach, his mouth full of half a twist, says, “Dad, this is the life.”

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it,” Ashley Smith writes. “Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”

Really, Terry, this is your list?

Do you remember the Road to Emmaus story? After the resurrection, Jesus joins two disciples walking a pathway. They are crestfallen that, after his death, Jesus has vanished; they are hoping for clarification about their sorrow. “Please explain,” they say to Jesus. They ask questions. And Jesus tells them stories. Except they don’t realize it is Jesus.

It is after walking and after the “explanation,” when Jesus sits down to break bread and to eat with them, that their eyes are opened. And they see. After Jesus departs, they say to one another, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” The gift, the clarity, the permission to see and to savor now accompanies them into their day.

Sadly, my religious upbringing didn’t teach me about savoring and loving this life. And my church most certainly didn’t teach me to dance with manatees. (Not to mention that in our lexicon, dancing was most assuredly a sin.) Raised Baptist in southern Michigan, I was taught to value my faith. To live as if it mattered. And

I was raised in a tradition that sang lustily, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through.” Saving up credits for heaven’s golden streets and all that. I was asked persistently by concerned adult church members, “If you were to die tonight, do you know if you would spend eternity in heaven?” I’ll give you a hint; you’d want to answer “Yes” because it saved consternation, and a mini-sermon.

As an adult, I realize now that no one ever asked me, “If you were to live today, how would you savor this gift you’ve been given? If you were to live today, how would you embrace this sacrament of the present moment? If you were to live today, tell me, would you dance with manatees?”

Here’s what I do now know: When we stop the noise, the distraction, the compulsion to perform, the fear of rejection, we allow space to practice this “new” sacrament.

The first-grade class assignment: to name the seven wonders of the world.

Each student compiles a list and shares that list, aloud, with the class. There is ardent interaction as the students call out entries from their lists: the Pyramids, the Empire State Building, the Amazon River, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, and the list goes on. The teacher serves the role of cheerleader, “Class, these are great answers. Well done!”

One girl sits silent. She is asked about her list. She says, “I don’t think I understand the assignment.” “Why?” “I don’t have any of the right answers,” she tells the teacher.

“Well, why don’t you tell us what you wrote on your paper, and we’ll help you?” the teacher encourages her.

“OK,” says the little girl, “I think the seven wonders of the world are to see, to hear, to taste, to touch, to smell, to love, to belong.”

Somewhere along the way, we have

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—Ashley Smith

TURNING OFF THE NOISE

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“Life is full of beauty.

Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces.”

my life did matter, as a belief. As a creed. Well, more like a security card.

Like a hall pass for eternity.

buried this little girl’s wisdom.

With these seven wonders, we make the choice to be open, available, curious, and willing to be surprised by joy.

We know there is power in the word enough. We carry this capacity to honor the present into every encounter and relationship, meaning that we honor the dignity that is reflected by God’s goodness and grace. Every encounter, every relationship, is a place to include, invite mercy, encourage, receive, heal, reconcile, repair, say thank you, pray, celebrate, refuel, and restore.

GOOD PRACTICE

A seminary student body participated in a day of recollection and reflection.

As the seminary president introduced the guest retreat leader—on a beautiful Saturday morning in spring—he apologized to the seminarians, “I’m very sorry for the distraction and the noise.”

This Saturday—on the seminary grounds sports field—happened to be youth soccer day. It seems that the president had forgotten to arrange for the local youth soccer program to play their games elsewhere on the day of the retreat. Hundreds of children were on the seminary grounds, and the sounds of play and laughter could easily be heard, echoing and reverberating inside the lecture hall.

But when the retreat leader stood up to begin his first talk of the day, he said, “I think it’s wonderful that the children are here with us this morning. I will not have done my job if you aren’t able to have a good retreat while you see and hear the sights and sounds of children playing on our soccer fields today.” It sounds good, doesn’t it? I’m just not sure how easy it is to practice.

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BUT HOW?

I received a call about a job, asking if I would be willing to give a motivational talk to a group of health-care professionals. The caller explained, “Our people are very busy. Their life can be crazy. They juggle and multitask. So, your power of pause message sounds just right.”

“Thank you,” I tell her.

“But,” she asks (and this is always the caveat), “How do we actually practice it?

The pause part? How do we make this work in real life? In the real world?”

That is the issue, isn’t it? Life tilts, and turns left when we least expect it. And we want someone to give us the answers. Or to try to balance it all. We want someone to give us the “how.” And, on a day when we pray for motivation, reassurance, and illumination, we are told that it is enough to take delight in the play and laughter—the noise—of children, and the savoring of a cinnamon twist.

Yes. It is enough.

Living intentionally and fully alive—from a place of groundedness, being at home in our own skin—is not a technique. Nor is it a kind of mental Rubik’s Cube, to be solved. There is no list. But if we demand one, chances are, we pass this life by—the exquisite, the messy, the enchanting, the wondrous, the delightful, the untidy—on our way to someplace we think we ought to be.

There is meaning—consequence, value, import—only when what we believe or practice touches this moment. Belief is all well and good. But there must be skin on it—something we touch, see, hear, taste, and smell. In other words, it’s the small daily stuff that does really matter.

So, today, let us practice the sacrament of the blessed present.

Today, let us dance with manatees.

This article is an excerpt from This Is the Life (Franciscan Media).

Terry Hershey is an author, humorist, inspirational speaker, dad, and ordained minister. He is the author of Sanctuary, The Power of Pause, and Soul Gardening. He divides his time between designing sanctuary gardens and sharing his practice of mindfulness and savoring this life.

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By Julie Traubert

BOOK BRIEFS

Calling All Prophets

“We are called to be prophets.

A prophet cries out, cries out, cries out. Without fear. Without care for cost. Without end.”

S

ister Joan Chittister is writing angry! Hers is a righteous anger that sparks her words and actions.

THE TIME IS NOW Her anger is energized by a deep belief in Jesus and the truth revealed

BY JOAN in the Gospels.

CHITTISTER The Time Is Now: A Call to Convergent Books Uncommon Courage will challenge believers and doubters alike. Sister Joan raises a primary question, “How do we get out of the swamp that we’re in?” She proceeds to address her own question about how to escape the swamp: by confronting it. How? Truthfully. But what will that take? A model, a vision, a commitment, and courage.

Finally, “What is needed to fix this muddled world?”

Answer: You. That translates as “you and me.” We are the answer to the task of returning our world to the truth and life to which Jesus calls us.

Sister Joan guides us through this adventurous life journey to which we are called through 18 succinct chapters of wise invitation and instruction. The Time Is Now isn’t a pageturner. Rather, it’s a page-ponderer. Each chapter invites us to explore honestly our own role as Christians in the 21st century, facing 21st-century dilemmas. How are we really living the Gospel message? Prophets open eyes and hearts to what is not of God and then do something about it. Prophets keep the crises of the impoverished, the homeless, the persecuted, the hungry children in clear view of those in power in government, education, industry, religious life, and the military so that the powerful cannot ignore the needy.

Sister Joan Chittister reminds us that the prophetic life is not an easy one. Throughout history, sacrifice and suffering have marked the way of the prophet. However, she assures us, “Faith is the single gift that makes prophecy real.” We are called to be faithful 21st-century prophets!

Reviewed by Patti Normile, a retired teacher, chaplain, retreat director, author, and avid advocate for nonviolent resistance to wrongdoing.

JESUS, DAY BY DAY

BY SHARON KASELONIS Multnomah

I

f you have set a goal to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, then this is the devotional for you. Set in chronological order, the Scriptures are presented so you can see the inherent narrative. Additionally, each page provides inspiration— pointing out Jesus in the stories to enrich your faith and daily life.

FOLLOWING JESUS

BY HENRI J.M. NOUWEN Convergent Books

T

his collection of posthumous essays by the late Catholic priest and writer Henri Nouwen focuses on “finding our way home in an age of anxiety.”

Drawn from a series of talks Nouwen gave on Lent, readers will learn spiritual lessons such as “living in the now” and becoming “other Christs.”

ICONS

music

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books

TV

podcast

film

video

e-learning

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CULTURE

BOOK REVIEW

PODCAST

ert

Dolly Parton’s America

S

FIND IT ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST APP

ccording to the Daily Ride Index, Americans spend roughly 11 hours in their cars each week—which might explain the popularity of podcasts in the past two years. On your daily commute, here are three podcasts to check out in the new year.

OPRAH’S SUPERSOUL CONVERSATIONS

evoare

Dolly Parton, pictured in 1977

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ally, on— ries y life.

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Editor’s Picks:

A

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PODCASTS

By Christopher Heffron

Dolly Parton performs in Knoxville, Tennessee, during her Blue Smoke World Tour.

You’ve paid a lot of money to come here tonight,” Dolly Parton once said to an adoring London crowd, “and I want you to know that I appreciate it because I do need the money. You’d be amazed at how much money it can really take to make a person look so cheap.” That remark may perfectly sum up the public persona Parton has created: comical, self-deprecating, and wholly relatable. From certain angles, it’s also a ruse. Underneath the garish wigs is the mind of a brilliant businesswoman, strategist, and storyteller—in fact, her songwriting prowess has been compared to contemporaries Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. But who is Dolly Parton?

The same question haunts producer Jad Abumrad, and he’s using his insightful podcast, Dolly Parton’s America, to find the answer.

Born the fourth of 12 children in a one-room cabin in East Tennessee along the Great Smoky Mountains, Parton’s early life was a country song before she could write them. But her humble beginnings belied a fierce ambition and talent that put her miles ahead of her country music colleagues. Abumrad takes his time covering his subject’s successes—from her 3,000 songs, to her two entries in the Guinness World Records, to her popular theme park—but his central question is one he knows will never be fully answered: Why, at a time in our country when one’s worth seems defined by one’s political leanings, does everybody love Dolly Parton?

Using his mic like a photojournalist’s camera, the funny and formidable Abumrad seeks to capture the real Dolly. And he doesn’t avoid the tough questions, such as whether Parton’s seminal hit “Jolene” has traces of homoeroticism; why she won’t publicly bash President Donald Trump; and why she has become a kind of godmother to her LGBTQ admirers. Mindful of preserving her diverse fan base, Parton knows how to use her countrified charm to dodge questions that may alienate them.

But Abumrad seems preternaturally aware that Parton’s image is both precious and precarious—and the 73-year-old icon isn’t going to tarnish it. Parton, despite the fame and riches, wants desperately to maintain her relatable image, that of a down-home country girl working 9 to 5.

WHILE OPRAH Winfrey can skew esoteric for this reviewer, the power of this weekly podcast is how it inspires us to quiet our minds long enough to listen to our spirits. SuperSoul Conversations is substantive, wellproduced, and impactful.

YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS THOSE WHO are hungry for stories of Hollywood’s golden age can feast on You Must Remember This, a popular series that uncovers the secrets and scandals that encircled Tinseltown of yesterday. Hosted by Karina Longworth, this fascinating podcast leaves you wanting more.

UNCOVER TRUE CRIME is perhaps the most popular genre along the podcast spectrum—and nobody does it better than Canada’s CBC. Tackling a different crime per season, Uncover is more thoughtful and penetrative than other shows like it. Totally engrossing.

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HAVE A FAVORITE CULTURE ITEM YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH READERS? Let us know about it: editors@FranciscanMedia.org

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CULTURE

FILMS

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

FAVORITE

SPORTS

FILMS Hoosiers (1986) The Mighty Macs (2009) Seabiscuit (2003) 42 (2013) A League of Their Own (1992)

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WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

I

t is 1963, and British-born race car driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), his wife, Mollie (Caitriona Balfe), and son, Peter (Noah Jupe), face ruin when the IRS closes his auto garage.

At about the same time, his friend Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), an auto designer and former race car driver who won the famed 24-hour Le Mans car race in France in 1959 and retired early due to heart problems, is approached by Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal).

Iacocca tells Shelby that Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) is getting into the racing business. Iacocca had approached Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone) to buy his failing Italian Ferrari race car company but was refused.

Ferrari instead merges with Fiat, leaving the Ford Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan, with something to prove.

Just as the Ford Mustang is introduced in 1964, Shelby accepts Ford’s offer to build a race car that can beat a Ferrari and knows the only man who can design and fine-tune such a car and drive it to the finish line: Ken Miles.

Shelby and Miles design, build, and test the Ford GT40 Mk at a track at the Los Angeles International Airport. Miles says the GT40 is not ready and that the car won’t win Le Mans.

In fact, Miles is almost killed when the brakes fail during a test drive. Miles and Shelby are disappointed when Ford sends two other drivers to Le Mans and they lose the race.

The team goes back to work to build a car that will win Le Mans. Shelby insists that

Miles be the main driver of several teams that Ford sends to Le Mans in 1966. After Miles wins the Daytona 500, he is set for Le Mans.

Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), newly named head of the Ford Racing Division, interferes and wants the disrespectful but brilliant Miles out of the way. Shelby prevails, however. At Le Mans, Beebe comes up with a vain idea that puts everything in jeopardy.

Based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari is one of the coolest movies I have seen in a very long time. The film makes car racing look easy but also shows it is the result of high art: poetry, scientific brilliance, hard work, human genius, and great fun all mixed together.

My one criticism is the film’s focus on male characters; there had to have been more than one woman (Mollie) involved in this whole process. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this film in which Matt Damon excels and Christian Bale is absolutely brilliant. I see awards on the horizon.

A-3, PG-13 • Car-racing peril, fistfighting.

44 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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MIDWAY: EPK.TV (2); BLIND EYES OPENED: COURTESY OF BLIND EYES OPENED

Sister Rose’s

FORD V FERRARI

LEFT: COURTESY SISTER ROSE PACATTE, FSP/MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS; FORD V FERRARI: EPK.TV/MERRICK MORTON (2)

Sister Rose is a Daughter of St. Paul and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. She has been the award-winning film columnist for St. Anthony Messenger since 2003 and is the author of several books on Scripture and film, as well as media literacy education.

MIDWAY

MIDWAY: EPK.TV (2); BLIND EYES OPENED: COURTESY OF BLIND EYES OPENED

LEFT: COURTESY SISTER ROSE PACATTE, FSP/MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS; FORD V FERRARI: EPK.TV/MERRICK MORTON (2)

N

aval intelligence officer Edwin T. Layton (Patrick Wilson) listens as Admiral Yamamoto (Etsushi Toyokawa) tells him the action Japan will take if the United States does not lift its oil embargo put in place to make the Japanese stop their military invasions of Asian countries. It is a few years before World War II begins. Layton warns Washington, DC, about this threat, but no one listens. On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes bomb Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in a surprise attack. The United States enters World War II, and Admiral Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) is put in charge of the Pacific fleet. Layton explains Washington’s failure to act on intelligence he and his team provided, and Nimitz encourages him to persevere to prevent another surprise attack.

Layton works closely with a team of cryptologists to break a Japanese navy code. The code confirms that the enemy is on its way to attack Midway Island to destroy the military refueling station and the last military installation protecting the US Pacific coast. In a marvel of naval maneuvers, Nimitz orders the Hornet, Enterprise, and the severely damaged Yorktown from the Coral Sea to Midway within 72 hours, taking the approaching Japanese fleet completely by surprise.

Written by Wes Tooke and directed by Roland Emmerich, Midway is at best an uneven, ambitious telling of the battle. The impressive ensemble cast is unable to overcome inane dialogue and almost a complete lack of character development.

The one truly interesting character is Patrick Wilson’s Layton. The long opening scene depicts the bombing of Pearl Harbor in a tragic visual extravaganza that is heartbreaking and deeply moving, though to some it may resemble a video game.

PG-13 • War violence: peril, bombing, injuries.

Catholic News Service Media Review Office gives these ratings.

A-1 General patronage

A-2 Adults and adolescents

A-3 Adults

L Limited adult audience

O Morally offensive

BLIND EYES OPENED: THE TRUTH ABOUT SEX TRAFFICKING IN AMERICA

T

his new documentary is a look at the tragedy of human sex trafficking in the United States that showcases the efforts of several evangelical Christian organizations that are actively working to rescue and restore victims, while focusing on prevention.

Perhaps because this is a new kind of ministry for evangelical groups, it spends quite a bit of time on making sure the audience understands that all these efforts are in the service of evangelism, to bring the light of Christ to victims and perpetrators.

The film takes a deep dive into the darkness of the situation, looking “at what fuels the demand” through victims’ stories from the streets, to hope and the good things churches, law enforcement, and groups are doing to stop this criminal reality. The film is convincing when it says, “Parents cannot afford to turn a blind eye.” There is a one-night theatrical showing January 23 in 700 theaters across the country, after which the film will be available on DVD. Go to BlindEyesOpened.com for listings and resources.

Not yet rated • Graphic verbal descriptions of sexual assaults and human trafficking.

Source: USCCB.org/movies

StAnthonyMessenger.org | January 2020 • 45

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POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH & FAMILY The Lost Art of Listening

MAIL: Faith & Family 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

?

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

“

Gym tonight?” That was the text from my friend Krista. And just as Batman jumps into action when the bat symbol lights up the sky, I knew she needed me. The gym is code for, “I need to talk, and I need someone to listen.” She could have needed to talk about her kids, her job, or just the pressures of being a mom. I just needed to be there with open ears and an open heart.

The fact that we would be able to do a little exercise in the process was just a bonus.

There are other codes, too, that I hear from friends and family, such as, “Can you talk?” or “Are you busy?” The meaning, though, is always the same. I need someone to listen to me—not talk, not fix it, simply listen.

At this point in our lives, most of my friends and I are living out the phrase “sandwich generation.” We are facing the reality of caring for both aging parents and children.

It’s not an easy place to be, so that makes listening a skill that is in high demand.

Currently, one of my friends is grieving the loss of her mother. Another one is struggling to find ways to help her child who is dealing with depression and anxiety. Still another is searching for answers about what the next step is as her parents begin to need more daily assistance. And yet another is facing her own health issues.

It makes my heart ache that I can’t fix any of these challenges. I wish I could. I don’t have the answers. Sure, I could offer suggestions, but those are not in short supply from others.

So I just stop talking and listen.

I’m learning the power of keeping quiet as a mom too. When my kids were younger, I must confess that I often found myself halflistening to them amid the ongoing chants of “Mom, Mom, Mom.” At some point, it would become so continuous that it almost became white noise.

But the older my kids got, the quieter they became. I would pepper them with questions about their day at school, their friends, any subject I could think of, just to get them to talk.

When they did come to me with something, I would immediately jump into fix-it Mom mode and throw out a barrage of suggestions and advice. By doing so, I’m pretty certain I missed what they were really saying and pushed them back into silence.

I should have just listened.

I’M LEARNING

I was reminded of this not too long ago when my son, Alex, came home from work and I told him there were leftovers from dinner in the fridge. He thanked me and then started talking—about work, his friends, our family—and at some point, the conversation turned to college.

My instinct was to immediately launch back into a spiel about how he needed to quit dragging his feet and get moving on things. After all, his father and I had been on him about where he wanted to apply, fastapproaching deadlines, and potential scholarships.

For some reason, I didn’t. There would be another time to deal with those things. But not tonight. No, tonight he was in charge. So I just listened. And by doing so, I truly heard him for the first time in too long.

46 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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TOP RIGHT: DGWILDLIFE/FOTOSEARCH; PETE & REPEAT: TOM GREENE

E-MAIL: CatholicFamily@ FranciscanMedia.org

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP: ANTONIO DIAZ/FOTOSEARCH

Susan welcomes your comments and suggestions!

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On a personal level, as I struggle with my MS and its challenges, I often get frustrated by advice from well-meaning people about what I could/should do to help my situation. I don’t need someone to offer advice or solutions. Trust me, I know the disease inside and out and have done my homework. What I can’t find in the research, though, is someone to say, “I’m here if you need to just vent.”

Susan Hines-Brigger

Susan has worked at St. Anthony Messenger for 25 years and is an executive editor. She and her husband, Mark, are the proud parents of four kids—Maddie, Alex, Riley, and Kacey. Aside from her family, her loves are Disney, traveling, and sports.

By Susan Hines-Brigger

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ADVOCATE ATHOMEONEARTH ADVOCATE CAPITOLHILL CONFIRMATION ARAGORN HERMIONE ASLAN LINCOLN MOLOKAI AT HOME PROLIFE SPECIALOLYMPICS ON EARTH TRAILBLAZER

ARAGORN ASLAN BENEDICTINE LINCOLNBETTERANGELS CATHOLIC SOCIAL MEDIA CAPTAINAMERICA CATHOLICSCHOOLS SCHOOLS EPIPHANY LOBBYISTFORTITUDESPECIAL JOANCHITTISTER KAYLA CONFIRMATION OLYMPICS MANATEES LOBBYIST MANATEES NARNIA NEWYEARSDAY EPIPHANY SPOKESPERSON MOLOKAISOCIALMEDIA RIVOTORTO SPOKESPERSON THEOLOGY FORTITUDE THEOLOGY NARNIA XMEN WINTER

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WINNING CAPTION!

CAROLYN RENNEKAMP OF GREENSBERG, INDIANA, wrote the winning caption for the image below from our October 2019 issue. Keep an eye out for the next Wordsmith Contest and send in your idea. You could be the next winner!

“Oh no, my bird feeder is empty!”

TRIVIA QUESTIONS 1: Where were the 2011 Special Olympics held?

2: Which comic-book character started the School for Gifted Youngsters?

3: Which president spoke about the “better angels of our nature”?

4: Where did Marianne Cope die in 1918?

HINT: All answers can be found in the pages of this issue.

ANSWERS AND CAPTIONS: E-mail your answers and captions to: MagazineEditors@FranciscanMedia.org, or mail to: St. Anthony Messenger, 28 W. Liberty St., Cincinnati, OH 45202

These scenes may seem alike to you, But there are changes in the two.

So look and see if you can name Eight ways in which they’re not the same.

(Answers below)

GET THE FUN FOR BOOK

ALL AGES!

Go online to order: Shop.FranciscanMedia.org For ONLY $3.99 Use Code: SAMPETE ANSWERS to PETE & REPEAT: 1) The doorknob is no longer black. 2) A seam has appeared on the arm of Pete’s coat. 3) The snowbank on the side of the sidewalk is gone. 4) The right window sash is higher. 5) The tree has another branch. 6) Snow is covering more of the shovel. 7) There is another step going to the door. 8) More snow has collected behind the tree.

TOP RIGHT: DGWILDLIFE/FOTOSEARCH; PETE & REPEAT: TOM GREENE

S

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BENEDICTINE

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP: ANTONIO DIAZ/FOTOSEARCH

brainteasers | games | challenges

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“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.”

—Melody Beattie

FRANCKREPORTER/ISTOCK

reflection

48 • January 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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Let Us Begin Again

Our publishing house’s print and digital presence is a home for many. But that home is in need of fortifying its foundation and adding new rooms to welcome even more people into our home and our Franciscan family.

As we enter the new year, you will begin to hear about the “rebuilding” of our digital platform.

This will be the most important evolution in our over 125-year history. The rebuilding will ensure that our resources will be available for future generations of followers of St. Francis. In order to accomplish this unprecedented transformation, we are launching a capital campaign to fund it.

We need to raise over $1.2 million.

But we have some good news! Thanks to the Beracha Fund, any donation that you make to this new initiative will be matched four to one. So, if you donate $100, Beracha will match that with $400, making your gift a total of $500.

In order to get this match, however, we need to raise $300,000 first on our own. Once we raise $300,000, Beracha will match it by $1.2 million to create a grand total of $1.5 to fund our new venture.

Please help us reach even more people with the message of God’s love in the spirit of St. Francis by donating today, and your generosity to Franciscan Media will be increased fourfold!

Together we can create a world that embraces the Franciscan spirit of harmony, joy, and simplicity.

To donate, please mail checks to PO Box 189, Congers, New York, 10920 with the code CapCamp2019 in the note of the check.

You can also donate online at info.franciscanmedia.org/capitalcampaign2019

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