1931-1991
Pope Francis declares Albuquerque, New Mexico native, Bishop Alphonse Gallegos “Venerable.” Bishop Alphonse Gallegos, OAR, is the first Hispanic-born American to receive a pope’s signed decree conferring the title stating that he lived a virtuous life. The elevation marks a significant step in the process of the cause of canonization. See page 7
Photo courtesy Fr. Eliseo González, OAR, vice-postulator of Venerable Gallegos’ cause of canonization.
The Venerable Bishop Alphonse Gallegos
August, 2016 Vol. 34, No. 7
Serving the multicultural people of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe www.archdiosf.org
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San Ignacio Parish in Albuquerque Celebrates 100th Anniversary
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n Sunday, July 31, 2016, Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop Emeritus, presided at the 9:30 A.M. Mass celebrating San Ignacio Parish’s 100th year anniversary.
A grand procession featuring a statue of San Ignacio, was guided through the historic Martineztown neighborhood by a talented set of fiddlers, Matachines, and Knights of Columbus, parishioners and the royal court. Archbishop Sheehan greeting and prayed with families lining the festive procession path. He blessed them and each unique altar prepared in honor of the holy event, reminding them to “Stay strong in your Catholic Faith!” A fiesta followed, featuring live entertainment, traditional New Mexican food, and games for children. Personal/historic stories were shared by members of the founding families who have made San Ignacio their home since its inception. Rev. Andrew J. Pavlak, pastor of San Felipe, serves as the canonical minister. The parish life coordinator for San Ignacio is Deacon Robert W. Morrow who also serves as the main pastoral minister. The church is the nucleus of the historic neighborhood of Martineztown/Santa Barbara. According to former Mayor Kinney in his Executive Order for the 60th anniversary, which was held in 1976, “San Ignacio is considered by many City residents to be on one of the more famous landmarks in our city Continued on page 6
H o l y F a t h e r ’s P r a y e r I n t e n t i o n s f o r A u g u s t Universal: Sports That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world. Evangelization: Living the Gospel That Christians may live the Gospel, giving witness to faith, honesty, and love of neighbor.
Universal ‐ Deporte y fraternidad. Que el deporte fomente el encuentro fraternal entre los pueblos y contribuya a la paz en el mundo. Por la Evangelización ‐ Vivir el Evangelio. Para que los cristianos vivan la exigencia del Evangelio dando testimonio de fe, honestidad y amor al prójimo.
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From the Office of the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Table of Contents
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San Ignacio Celebrates 100 Years Abide in Christ – Faithful Citizenship Venerable Bishop Alphonse Gallegos Archbishop John C. Wester to Dedicate Rebuilt St. Anthony Church Remembering the Heroes at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
10 Vocations 14 Jubilees 16 Annual Archbishop Luncheon with Pueblo Governors 17 Archbishop Emeritus Michael J. Sheehan to Vietnam
and Cambodia
19 Bringing Home the Faith – A Catholic Parent Revival 22 Catholic Daughters of the Americas 25 Anniversaries 26 Catholic Education 35 Sound the Alarm! Special Collection, Seminarian Support, September 11, 2016 Archdiocesan campaign for the support of local seminarians in their studies and formation.
By: Very Reverend Oscar Coelho, J.C.L., Judicial Vicar Case Name: CASAUS-GURULE; Prot. Num.: 2015-0160M Notice of Annulment Proceeding. Geraldine Andrea Gurule is hereby notified that Pablo [Paul] Samuel Casaus has filed a petition for a declaration of ecclesiastical nullity of the marriage contracted by both of you. Please contact the Office of the Tribunal before September 23, 2016 at: Office of the Tribunal, 4000 St Joseph Pl NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 505.831.8177 Case Name: TORREZ-CHAVEZ; Prot. Num.: 2015-0172M Notice of Annulment Proceeding. Francisco [Frank] Chavez is hereby notified that Alice Mildred Garcia, nee Torrez has filed a petition for a declaration of ecclesiastical nullity of the marriage contracted by both of you. Office of the Tribunal, 4000 St Joseph Pl NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 505.831.8177 Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Francisco Chavez is to inform the Office of the Tribunal as soon as possible.
SEMINARY BURSE The following parishes have sent in excess Mass stipends to the Archdiocesan Finance Office for seminarian education. These receipts are for May and June 2016. Excess Mass stipends are from multiple Mass intentions celebrated at parishes. The archdiocesan policy is for excess Mass stipends to be used for seminarian education. Parish Name/City
Together We Can Reach Our Goal! Official Magazine of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Publisher: Most Rev. John C. Wester Editor/Photography/Design: Celine Baca Radigan cradigan@archdiosf.org
Friend us on Facebook: Archdiocese of Santa Fe Official twitter.com/ASFOfficial
4000 St. Joseph Pl. NWAlbuquerque NM, 87120 • (505) 831-8162
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Editorial Assistant/Photojournalist: Leslie M. Radigan lradigan@archdiosf.org Production: Christine Carter
Published monthly with the exception of July. The Editor reserves the right to reject, omit, or edit any article or advertising copy submitted for publication. All items submitted for consideration must be received by the 10th of the previous month. Check out Media Kit online @ www.archdiosf.org Advertising listings do not imply Archdiocesan endorsement.
Amount Received
Anonymous 1,200.00 Estancia Valley Catholic Parish – Moriarty 1,000.00 Holy Child – Tijeras 3,000.00 Holy Ghost – Albuquerque 500.00 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Alb. 760.00 Our Lady of Sorrows - Bernalillo 2,036.48 Our Lady of the Annunciation – Alb. 3,044.50 San Ysidro – Corrales 1,457.00 St. Anne – Santa Fe 2,000.00 St. John the Baptist – Santa Fe 1,000.00 St. Joseph on the Rio Grande – Alb. 1,320.00 St. Patrick - St. Joseph – Raton 840.00 Total $18,157.98
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Visit our new ACA Website at: www.archdiocesesantafegiving.org/ aca to donate to ACA 2016, watch Archbishop Wester’s ACA video, and much more!
20% 10% 3% 0%
Our Goal 3,000,000
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82%
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Faithful Citizenship
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e c e n t l y, I was at a social gathering when someone broke one of the cardinal rules of conversation: never talk about religion or politics, and certainly not together! He talked about his support of a presidential candidate, then offered his opinion about Pope Francis. Talk of religion and politics in public can lead to both awkward and interesting moments. Do I fight or flee? Or is there a third way? How are Catholics to respond to these kind of conversations? Do we participate in the public square or not? How do we participate in true dialogue with others to come to deeper understanding of ourselves and others? Are we to vote in contentious elections? How do we become informed voters, taking time to study the issues to better understand how to act? As Catholics, we have a responsibility to be good citizens, exercise our right to vote, and to be active in the public sphere. We have to engage in civil discourse with principled ideas and concern for the common good. We cannot avoid it in good conscience. As Pope Francis reminds us, “We need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern” (Pope Francis, 9/16/13). Our world is increasingly complex. The global social, political and economic realities do not give way to simplistic answers. Our world is fraught with wars, terror, violence, civil unrest, poverty, migration leading to a refugee crisis, hunger, and human-caused climate change, human trafficking and racism. As Catholics we uphold dignity of all, most especially the poorest and
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most vulnerable in our world. We must grapple with the fact that no one party or candidate represents all my thinking or the Church’s thinking. We must also look at all the issues, not only one or two, although it is important to prioritize the issues since not all are equal and some, like the sanctity of human life, are of the utmost importance. Pope Francis speaks to our call to be involved in the complexities of our world. “Authentic faith…always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it…If indeed ‘the just ordering of society and of the state is a central responsibility of politics,’ the Church ‘cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.’” (Evangelii Gaudium, No. 183.). A parishioner asked me recently about what to do in this election. How does a Catholic participate in the public square, and exercise the right and duty to vote, given these realities? She mentioned that neither of the major candidates represented well her beliefs. Tom Chapman, of the Iowa Catholic Conference, offers a great response when asked about party politics. He “asks attendees to put aside their political party, and take on their identity as a member of the Body of Christ. We discuss political issues and the principles of our social teaching as Catholics first.” With that identity as Catholics, I offered her this response. First, I told her to study the US Bishop’s teaching document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (FCFC) on the political responsibility of Catholics. It contains important principles of Catholic teaching that all Catholics need to consider before voting, including the dignity of the human person, the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity. I will offer subsequent articles on the FCFC document. Reading this document is one step in the formation of conscience. As Pope Francis stated, “We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them.” (Pope Francis: No. 37, The
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Joy of Love). Conscience is a reasoned judgement that helps us recognize and seek what is good, and reject what is evil. We have to work at forming our conscience. It does not just happen. Conscience formation includes openness to the truth, studying Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church, examining the issues and background information, and prayerfully reflecting on our own and with others. It is a challenging lifelong task. As Antonio Spadaro, SJ and Louis Cameli state, “conscience is that interior space where I hear what is true, what is good, what is of God; it is that interior place of my relationship with God. And there, God speaks to my heart and helps me to discern and to understand the road that I need to follow. Once I have made a decision, God helps me to go forward and to remain faithful to it.” Second, I encouraged her to be informed. We need to study carefully the issues at hand and analyze what we see, hear and read. We need to be aware of many points of view on a particular topic, not just the point of view that we might favor. We need to ask good, deep and sincere questions, in a spirit of good will, assuming the best of the other. In that sense, we need to enter into a true civil dialogue, whether with another person or the words in print in order to fully understand the “other’s” point of view and experience. This takes discipline and willingness to be changed by the dialogue. Third, I reminded her of the need to discern, using the gift of prudence, which St. Ambrose described as the “charioteer of the virtues”. Prudence is synonymous with discernment. It enables us to “discern our true good in every circumstance…Prudence shapes and informs our ability to deliberate over available alternatives and determine what is most fitting to a specific context, and to act decisively.” (FCFC No. 19). Discernment means following one’s conscience with courage. As Pope Francis states, “this does not mean following my own ego, or doing what I am Continued on page 13
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ecientemente, en una reunión social cuando alguien rompió una de las normas sagradas de conversación - la de nunca hablar sobre los temas de política y religión - y desde luego, en la misma platica, esta persona declaró su apoyo para uno de los candidatos presidenciales y al mismo tiempo dio su opinión sobre el Santo Padre Papa Francisco. Discutir religión y política en público puede resultar en momentos incomodos e interesantes. ¿Averiguo o huyo? O ¿habrá una tercera manera? ¿Cómo pueden católicos responder a este tipo de conversación? ¿Debemos participar en el discurso público o no? ¿Cómo podemos participar en dialogo justo con otros que nos lleve a un entendimiento más profundo de nosotros mismos y de otros? ¿Debemos votar en elecciones conflictivas? ¿Cómo podemos llegar a ser votantes informados, tomando tiempo para estudiar asuntos para entender mejor cómo actuar? Como católicos, tenemos la responsabilidad de ser buenos ciudadanos, ejercer nuestro derecho de votar y ser activos en la esfera pública. Nos tenemos que acoplar al discurso cortés con ideas virtuosas y que se preocupan por el bien común. En buena consciencia, no podemos evitarlo. Así come el Santo Padre nos recuerda, “Debemos participar por el bien común. A veces escuchamos: un buen católico no le interesa la política. Esto no es cierto: buenos católicos se sumergen en asuntos de política ofreciendo lo mejor de sí mismos para que el líder pueda gobernar.” (Papa Francisco 16 de septiembre, 2013) Nuestro mundo se complica más y más. Realidades sociales, gubernamentales, económicas en el mundo no se prestan a respuestas sencillas. Nuestro mundo está lleno de tensiones de guerras, terror, violencia, disturbios civiles, pobreza, migración que resulta en la crisis de refugiados, hambre, cambios de clima causados por humanos, esclavitud humana y racismo. Católicos defienden la dignidad de todos, especialmente los más pobres y vulnerables en el mundo. Tenemos que luchar con el hecho de que un partido o candidato represente todo mi pensamiento o como piensa la iglesia. Debemos también ver todos los asuntos, no solo uno o dos, aunque es importante darles prioridad a unos porque no son todos iguales y algunos, como la santidad de cada vida humana, son de suma importancia. El Papa Francisco nos habla de nuestra llamada de involucrarnos en las complexidades de nuestro mundo. “Fe auténtica….siempre involucra un deseo profundo de cambiar el mundo, de difundir valores, de dejar esta tierra - de alguna manera - mejor de como la encontramos…si en efecto ‘el ordenamiento de la sociedad y el estado de la responsabilidad central de la política,’ la iglesia no puede, ni debe quedarse en las orillas de la esfera en la lucha por la justicia.’” (Evangelii Gaudium, No. 183.). Hace poco, una parroquiana me preguntó qué hacer en esta elección. ¿Cómo puede participar el católico en la plataforma pública, y ejercer el derecho y deber de votar, dado estas realidades? Mencionó que ninguno de los candidatos mayores
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exponía bien sus creencias. Tom Chapman, representante de la Conferencia Católica del estado de Iowa, ofreció una gran respuesta cuando se le preguntaba sobre la política de los partidos. “Pido a todos que hagan a un lado su partido político y vístanse con la identidad del Cuerpo de Cristo. Discutimos asuntos políticos y los principios de nuestras enseñanzas como católicos primero.” Con esa identidad como católicos, le ofrecí a esta parroquiana la siguiente respuesta. Primero le dije que estudiara el documento de enseñanza de los obispos estadounidenses, Formando Consciencias para Ciudadanía Fiel (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship) sobre la responsabilidad política de católicos. Contiene importantes principios de enseñanzas católicas que todos católicos deben considerar antes de votar, incluyendo la dignidad de la persona humana, el bien común, solidaridad y subsidiariedad. Ofreceré en el futuro más artículos sobre este documento. Leyendo estas enseñanzas será un paso en la formación de consciencia. Tal como el Papa Francisco dijo, “Hemos sido llamados a formar consciencias, no a sustituirlas.” (Papa Francisco, No. 37, El Gozo de Amar). La consciencia es un juicio razonado que nos ayuda reconocer y buscar lo que es bueno, y rechazar lo que es malo. Tenemos que esforzarnos a formar nuestras consciencias. No solo ocurre así. La formación de consciencia incluye franqueza a la verdad, estudiando las Santas Escrituras y las enseñanzas de la Iglesia, examinando los asuntos importantes y sus bases, y reflejando en oración en nuestra consciencia y con otros. Es una tarea desafiante de toda la vida. Como P. Antonio Spadaro, Jesuita y P. Luis Cameli declaran, “la consciencia es ese espacio interior donde oigo lo que es verdad, lo que es bueno, lo que es de Dios; es ese lugar interior donde está mi relación con Dios. Y allí, Dios le habla a mi corazón y me ayuda discernir y a comprender el camino que debo seguir. Ya haciendo una decisión, Dios me ayuda seguir adelante y permanecer fiel a ella.” Segundo, la animé a la parroquiana, a que se mantuviera informada. Debemos estudiar cuidadosamente los asuntos en mano y analizar lo que vemos, escuchamos y leemos. Tenemos que estar al tanto de muchos puntos de vista en cada tópico, no nomas los puntos de vista que tal vez favorecemos. Debemos hacer preguntas buenas, profundas y sinceras, en un espíritu de buena voluntad, tomando también lo mejor del otro. En ese sentido, tenemos que entrar a un dialogo justo y cortés, aunque sea con otra persona o palabras imprimidas, para luego llegar a una comprensión completa del “otro” punto de vista y experiencia. Esto requiere disciplina and complacencia a ser cambiado por el dialogo. Tercero, le recordé a ella de la necesidad de discernir, utilizando el don de prudencia, que San Ambrosio describe como “el chofer de virtudes.” La prudencia es sinónima con discernimiento. Nos permite a “discernir nuestro verdadero bien en cada circunstancia….prudencia forma e informa nuestra Continued on page 13
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SAN IGNACIO continued from page 2 and is called by many as a center point for the community and as an important social influence.” San Ignacio continues to provide the nourishment to the families of the community through baptisms, weddings, funerals and other sacraments. BACKGROUND: Fr. Joseph Arthuis, S.J., the first pastor of San Ignacio, always repeated his favorite motto in his letters and in his conversations, “Rejoice in the Lord.” Padre Jose also rejoiced when San Ignacio was built in 1916 in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the heart of the Santa Barbara/Martineztown
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Community. Fr. Arthuis was born in Brittany, France on October 23, 1854. He came from a religious family, which included; three brothers who served as priests and one sister who served as a nun. Fr. Arthuis studied in Jersey, England. His superiors received a telegram asking him to go to the United States of America. He was the manager of the Jesuit publication, Revista Catolica Catholic Review, the only Catholic Spanish weekly magazine in the country. Fr. Arthuis was also the minister of the Jesuit College in Morrison, CO. He then served as minister of the newly opened College of the Sacred Heart in Denver. During this time, Fr. Arthuis suffered ill health. Fr. Arthuis arrived in Albuquerque to serve as a priest at San Felipe de Neri Church in 1907. He would routinely say the annual novena to San Ignacio de Loyola in the month of July. This prompted him to be the presider for the Mass at a community called San Ignacio. He was quick to see the need for a church in this new community. “Padre Jose,” as the parishioners affectionately called him, would arrive daily on his horse and buggy to help the community by making his share of adobes for this new San Ignacio Church, in spite of his physical suffering. Through the leadership of Fr. Arthuis and the men who lived in the Santa Barbara/Martineztown neighborhood, their volunteer skills and talents were used for the construction of the church. San Ignacio de Loyola Church was dedicated on the Feast of San Ignacio, July 31, 1916, by Archbishop John Baptist Pitavil. Contact: 505.243.3398
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A Saint from New Mexico The Venerable Bishop Alphonse Gallegos By Rev. James Sanchez, Pastor of St. Thomas, the Apostle, Abiquiu, NM
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ecently, something happened across the ocean in the city of Rome, (most likely bypassing the attention of many), which directly impacts the people of the great state of New Mexico and the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Pope Francis, with his signature, declared by official decree, the elevation of Bishop Alphonse Gallegos to the status of “venerable”. What is so remarkable and so relevant to us is that Bishop Gallegos is a native of New Mexico, born and raised as an infant in the humble little community of Barelas in Albuquerque. He belonged to the family of Caciana and Joseph Gallegos whose deep roots in Albuquerque were the building blocks which would ultimately pave the way for his vocation to the priesthood and to the office of bishop. It would also be the historical family environment that would influence the bishop’s love for God and His people, resulting in a life that would, as of July 8, 2016, be declared by the Universal Church to have been lived in heroic virtue. Bishop Gallegos was born February 20th, 1931 in Albuquerque and was the eighth of 11 children. His parents moved the family to Los Angeles in his early childhood to seek “better educational opportunities for their children as well as medical treatment for him”, as stated by Fr. Eliseo Gonzalez, vice-postulator for the canonization of Bishop Gallegos. There he discovered his vocation to the priesthood and joined the Augustinian Recollects. He served as a priest in New York for about eight years, followed by a term as novice master for his community in Kansas City, KS. In 1972, he returned home to be pastor at his home parish in Watts, Los Angeles. He served tirelessly and with great joy many diverse groups of people, which included work in Korean, Chinese and African-American communities. According to Fr. Gonzalez, the bishop’s episcopal motto was, “love one another”. He was passionate about uniting people and possessed a profound love for the family, evidenced in his pro-life
work, ministry to immigrants and courageous efforts to reach out to gang members and children in the streets. He was generally referred to as the “Bishop of the Barrio”. Fr. Gonzalez called Bishop Gallegos “an inspiration and example of hope and fortitude for all.” Bishop Gallegos is one of a handful of native-born American citizens to be declared “venerable”. He is, according to my research, the first Hispanic-American to be made “venerable” by the Catholic Church and the first native-born New Mexican to have his cause for sainthood recognized and advanced. Many of Bishop Gallegos’ family members still reside in Albuquerque and are blessed to have known him, including myself, and we continue to promote the advancement of his cause for canonization. In this day and age, when so many are inclined to exalt and even idolize celebrities and sports figures, we, the people of New Mexico and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, are blessed to have “one of our own” elevated to the status of “venerable”, a recognition by the entire Universal Church that this humble priest from Albuquerque lived the life of a saint and is worthy of veneration. Our Holy Father Pope Francis, has encouraged both the clergy and the laity “to go out to the peripheries” and share the Good News and for shepherds to seek out their flocks and encounter them where they are. Bishop Gallegos fulfilled this in an exemplary way. He was a priest and bishop who lived life to the fullest, not in the mundane and worldly sense, but in the profound sense of which St. Paul speaks when he says, “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” May Bishop Gallegos be for us all, clergy and laity alike, an example and inspiration to live life to the fullest, for as Fr. Gonzalez so beautifully stated, “if he was able to accomplish such great things, why can’t we? With God’s help we can also accomplish great things.” Most Rev. Jaime Soto, Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento will preside at a Mass of Thanksgiving for Venerable Alphonse Gallegos on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 1:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in downtown Sacramento. Venerable Alphonse Gallegos, pray for us!
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Archbishop John C. Wester to Dedicate Rebuilt St. Anthony Church 10 Church Plaza, Questa NM 87556 Sunday, August 14, 2016 12:00 Noon Mass
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe and San Antonio del Rio Colorado Historical Preservation Group are pleased to announce the following: On Sunday, August 14, 2016, Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe, dedicated the rebuilt St. Anthony Church at 10 Church Plaza, Questa, NM, 87556. Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop Emeritus of Santa Fe, and Rev. Andrew Ifele, pastor, concelebrated. Deacon Leroy J. Lucero and Deacon Marcus J. Rael assisted.
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look forward to celebrating the Mass and consecrating St. Anthony Church in Questa on August 14th. I congratulate all those who worked so hard in the restoration of this historical and beautiful parish church. I wish to express sincere thanks to Fr. Andrew Ifele, his dedicated parishioners and the community volunteers who work so hard and rallied together to generously donate over 40,000 hours. —Archbishop John C. Wester
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e are very excited to complete this journey of faith and devotion to save and restore our church culminating with the Mass of Dedication on August 14. The countless network of volunteers that worked tirelessly on this project serve as an inspiration to us all having completed the restoration in five years and one year ahead of schedule, while not only maintaining the historical and architectural characteristics but by also enhancing the structural integrity that will insure that our church will stand the test of time for many generations to come. We were very blessed to have Fr. Andrew Ifele support us and participate throughout the process and we could not have done this without project manager Mark Sideris and the all the many volunteers. May God Bless them all! —Mr. Bobby Ortega, President, SARCHP
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ur dedicated St. Anthony and Questa community has proven to serve as a role model of strength and unity. Our rebuilt church stands tall on the shoulders of so many dedicated souls who have tirelessly volunteered their unique treasures to maintain and strengthen the legacy of our deep Roman Catholic faith our ancestors brought to northern New Mexico over 400 years ago. I look forward to a great day of celebration! —Rev. Andrew Ifele, Pastor, St. Anthony Parish
A reception followed at the Parish Center. BACKGROUND: St. Anthony’s Parish – Questa The settlement of Questa, formerly known as San Antonio del Rio Colorado, was officially founded in 1842. From that time to 1857 the area was served from Taos. In 1857, the area began to be served from the parish in Arroyo Hondo. The church, dedicated to San Antonio, was built in the 1860s and was at that time still listed as a mission of Arroyo Hondo. At the turn of the century, Questa was served from Our Lady of Guadalupe in Taos, and in 1906 it was listed as a mission of Costilla. It continued to be served from Costilla until 1941 when it was established as a parish in its own right. Rev. Glynn Patrick Smith was named first pastor of Questa on July 29, 1941. He served there until January 6, 1946 when he was transferred to Cristo Rey Parish in Santa Fe. Today, Rev. Andrew Ifele, ministers to St. Anthony parish and its missions: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Mission Church, Cerro, NM; Sagrado Corazon Mission Church, Costilla, NM; Santo Niño Mission Church, Amalia, NM; St. Edwin Mission Church, Red River, NM. Contact: Mr. Bobby Ortega 575.770.0121; St. Anthony Parish 575.586.0470
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Remembering the Heroes at the Nativity Fiesta By Deacon Michael Illerbrun
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e are coming to the end of a very long and hot summer. It has been very dry here in New Mexico, with many tragedies throughout the country and indeed, throughout the world. Regardless of where they occur, these tragedies always involve policemen and women, firefighters and paramedics. Often the police are the target of the violence. With such a trying summer finally coming to a close, we at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrating our annual Fiesta on Sunday, 11 September. Some of you may have noticed that this year our Fiesta coincides with the 15th anniversary of the terrible tragedy at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in our nation’s capital and in a lonely field in Pennsylvania. On that day, we lost 2996 innocent people in New York, including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers. We also lost 125 military personnel and civilians who were killed in the Pentagon, along with all 64 people aboard
Sunday, September 11, 2016 10 AM to 6 PM 9502 4th St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 505.898.5253 www.n-bvm.org
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the airliner that was used as the missile of destruction. In Pennsylvania we lost all 45 brave individuals who chose to thwart the terrorists by crashing their plane in that lonely field, saving countless lives in the potential target, many think in Washington DC. We will be recognizing the often unrecognized sacrifice of all of our first responders at our 9 am Mass on Sunday, 11 September. Our Pastor, Father Juan Mendez will offer prayers for the safety and well-being of all of those who serve the rest of us. We are inviting police, fire and paramedic personnel to attend Nativity for the 9 am Mass and then stay to enjoy our Fiesta. We will also have a presentation for all of our first responders at the beginning of the Fiesta. We invite first responders who
attend the Mass and those who couldn’t, to join us at the Fiesta which begins at 10 am, for their well-deserved recognition by our local state representative, Sarah Maestas Barnes. Finally we invite the general public to join us in thanking those who protect and serve by coming to our Fiesta and supporting the men and women who sacrifice so much for us. In addition to the presentation, we will have food, games, arts and crafts, silent auction, a $10,000 raffle and live entertainment throughout the day. We are located on the corner of 4th and Alameda and will be open from 10 am to 6 pm. Join us for a day of remembrance and a day of fun! Help us to show those who serve that we support them in their very important mission!
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Archbishop WesterInstalls Five Pastors
Rev. John Anisuidu San Miguel, Socorro
Rev. Larry Brito St. Anne, Santa Fe
Rev. Leo Ortiz Incarnation, Rio Rancho
Rev. John Trambley San Juan Bautista, Ohkay Owingeh
Rev. William Woytavich St. Patrick's/St. Joseph's, Raton
The Installation of a Pastor By Fabian Yañez, Director of Worship
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hrist the Good Shepherd shares his pastoral care with those who live the Sacrament of Holy Orders. When we see Archbishop Wester, we can see this clearly in the symbol of the crosier, the shepherd’s staff. Those that are priests and deacons also share in this right and duty according to their order. In the Canon Law of the Catholic Church we see that the bishop has the responsibility to assign a pastor to each parish. In that parish the pastor is to be the minister of the Word, the minister of sanctification, and the minister of pastoral governance. After a pastor receives his assignment, at a time certain, he takes possession of the parish. In recent times the Order for the Installation of a Pastor has been restored to its full vigor. The Ordinary of the diocese (Archbishop Wester in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe) usually is the celebrant of this rite during a Mass, although he may delegate a priest to preside in his place. After the proclamation of the Gospel at the installation Mass, the Pastor-elect presents himself to the people as he stands before the Archbishop. It is the custom in the United States for the people to welcome him with applause. Then in the homily the Archbishop preaches on the Scriptures and explains the meaning of the celebration. After these words, the Archbishop then presents the Pastor to the parish clergy and staff, to the parish council, and then to the parish trustees if the parish has members that hold this position. The Archbishop’s next words sum up the meaning so well: “Remember, my brother, always be a loving father, a gentle shepherd, and a wise teacher of your people, so that you may lead them to Christ who will strengthen all that you do. As a teacher of that faith, I ask you now to lead your people in the profession of their faith.” What a sign of unity! After the recitation of the Nicene Creed, the Pastor recites a solemn oath as he pledges “firm faith” in the Scriptures,
the Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Church. General intercessions that include the Church, its leaders and the new pastor are then prayed. The installation Mass then continues as usual. The rites within this Order beautifully reveal the meaning of the office of the pastor in the midst of his new community of believers in the faith. Let us give praise and give thanks to God that Christ continues to shepherd his Church through these men who have received and answered the call to be our parish pastors.
Archbishop John C. Wester has made the following assignments: Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. Leo Ortiz, currently pastor of St. Anne Parish in Santa Fe, has been appointed as pastor for Church of the Incarnation Parish in Rio Rancho. The current pastor Rev. John F. Carney will be retiring. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. Larry Brito, currently pastor of San Juan Bautista Parish in Ohkay Owingeh and its Missions, has been appointed as pastor for St. Anne Parish in Santa Fe. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. John Trambley, currently pastor of St. Patrick – St. Joseph Parish in Raton and its Mission, has been appointed as pastor for San Juan Bautista Parish in Ohkay Owingeh and its Missions. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. William Woytavich, currently parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Rio Rancho, has been appointed as pastor for St. Patrick – St. Joseph Parish in Raton and its Mission. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. Edgar Sanchez, currently parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Clovis, has been appointed as pastor for St. Francis Xavier Parish in Albuquerque. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. Moses Nwankwo, currently parochial vicar of Estancia Valley Catholic Parish in Continued on page 15
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2016 PRIEST APPRECIATION
IDC Meeting with Pope Francis By Deacon Steve Rangel, St. John Vianney
Melanie Mascarenas
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n June, I went to the Vatican to attend a private meeting with Pope Francis as a member of the International Diaconate Center (IDC) along with my wife, Linda, and 33 other deacons, priests, and wives of deacons from around the world. Pope Francis welcomed us and reminded us of Jesus’ commandment of love and that our vocation to service is an expression of that love. The Holy Father reminded us that from the early church, the diaconate was a concrete expression of Jesus’ new commandment of love. In his remarks, Pope Francis said that since the 50th anniversary of the IDC is also the Jubilee of Mercy it provides us “a spiritual context aimed at renewing in us awareness of the importance of mercy in our lives and in our ministry.” He continued by saying that, “Deacons manifest the commandment of Jesus in a particular way: imitating God in the service of others; imitating God who is love and desires to serve us. The manner of God’s acting – that is, His acting with patience, goodness, compassion, and willingness to make us better persons – these must also characterize all ministers. It is especially deacons who are the face of the church in the daily life of a community, which lives and journeys in the midst of the people and in which the greatest is not the one who commands, but the one who serves.” Pope Francis concluded his talk to us by saying, “May the Lord sustain you in your service and help you arrive at an ever deeper faith in His love, so that you may live it in joy and dedication.” It was an amazing opportunity to be in such an intimate setting with our Holy Father and other deacons from around the world, to have him confirm the importance of our ministry to the church, and for him to renew in us our dedication to God’s service to His people.
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Current seminarians gather at the 2016 Priest Appreciation Dinner.
By Jo Meurer and Karen Lubertazzo, Serra Club
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n June, the Serra Club hosted the priests of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe with a special dinner in their honor. We want to thank all the donors, led by our premier sponsor, the Daniels Family Funeral Services, who helped make this evening such a success. It was a wonderful gathering that accomplished two goals: to show how much we appreciate all our priests do, and as a fundraiser for the formation of the seminarians of the archdiocese. Hosted by the Serra Club, with honored guest Archbishop John C. Wester, our guest speaker was Bishop Oscar Cantú from the Diocese of Las Cruces. He shared his experiences from the recent visit of the Holy Father to Mexico. Many of you might be asking, “What is the Serra Club”? The Albuquerque Chapter is part of an international group dedicated “to foster and affirm vocations to the priesthood and vowed religious life.” The Serra Club is always looking for new members to help with our mission. We encourage you to visit our website, www.serraclubalbuquerque.org, to see the work we do and get details about when and where we meet. + St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
They Call Me “Father”
By Rev. Tom Mayefske, Minister to Priests
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have been a priest for 54 years, and am known simply as Fr. Tom. That’s probably because many people are afraid to try saying my last name, May-ef-ske. Over the years two major questions have been frequently asked of me. “What makes a priest?” and, “Why is a priest called ‘Father?’ ”. To the first the church’s answer is: God makes a priest. It is God who calls a person and allows that person the freedom to answer or reject the call. That call comes in many ways from many sources. Often it is due to a faithfilled family upbringing. It might be because of a priest or priests who have given positive vibes on priesthood to a person. It can come as the result of a retreat, an invitation by an adult or friend, or just a deep feeling within one’s heart. It is as varied as there are priests. One can only know for sure that God is calling on ordination day when a candidate’s name is called and then gives the response: “I am present.” The name “Father” applied to a priest has been problematic. The Bible has two interesting
references on this. In chapter 17 of the Book of Judges, there is an account of the Prophet Micha making a young Levite a priest and calling him “Father.” In Matthew 23:9, “Call no one on earth your father.” (Also Rabbi or teacher.) In this passage Jesus is addressing the Pharisees who were putting themselves up in place of God, and usurping the privileges and respect that belongs only to the heavenly Father. (If we took this literally, there would be no “Father’s Day” nor would we have any “teachers” in our schools.) A priest is called “Father” simply because he is the visible connection with God the Father. That title reminds a priest he is entrusted with a grave responsibility by the Lord—caring for God’s faithful people. As a father of a family has the care of his children as one of his chief responsibilities, so a priest must meet the spiritual needs of those entrusted to his care, providing them with the nourishment of our Lord through the sacraments and the word of God. Finally a word about the call again. The only way I can think to do so is to get into my Continued on page 13
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How to Discern Your Vocation By Rev. Michael DePalma, Vocation Director, St. John Vianney Are you still trying to figure out whether or not you should remain single, or enter into the religious life? Well here are some insights that can help you to better discern your vocation:
1. Have you encountered our Lord Jesus Christ?
Discovering your vocation depends on discovering the Person who has your vocation, our Lord Jesus. And of course, where does one most consistently encounter Christ? In the sacraments. Get to know your Lord personally.
2. Learn to desire what God desires for you. It’s not enough to just encounter Christ and to find out what He has in store for you. You must also desire to do what He wants you to do. So this means that there also has to be trust in God the Father, for the Father always wants what is best for you. That is the starting point in learning to desire what God desires for you. So very often many become afraid of the thought of becoming a priest, or a sister or a deacon because there is the thought that God may be calling you to do something that will not lead to happiness. That is a lie. The Father is always good to His children.
3. Trust God.
You receive from our Lord Jesus by trusting in Him. You can’t receive your vocation until you trust in God. How do we trust? When Jesus calls you to trust Him, you sense a reality that you know is beyond you. You can’t figure it out and it won’t go away, and you just have to see what this is all about and that’s when it hits you: you now have to depend on God for your vocation to be revealed.
Hear God calling you to the priesthood or the religious life? Have questions? Need some direction? Come and join us for lunch to help you discern what God is calling you to.All are invited. Young men and women in high school or college. Vocation Discernment Luncheon October 15, 2016 at 11 AM Aquinas Newman Center 1815 Las Lomas St., Albuquerque, NM 87106 Please register by calling 505.831.8143 or by going to www.lobocatholic.org/discernment-luncheon
4. It Takes Time. Coming to know what God wants for you takes time, it is a process. But during this process what are you looking for? Peace and clarity. The peace of our Lord, which is His presence, gives us not only the confidence that we need but the assurance that we need to know we are headed in the right direction. And what always comes right after receiving our peace is clarity—we can actually “see” with the eyes of faith where we are going and all of the details that accompany our journey. But focus on the present; don’t rush things. How is God fostering that peace and clarity that you need TODAY?
5. Don’t be afraid of what you are going to see. Once you get your peace, which is only found in Christ, and then your clarity to see where He wants you to go, then don’t be afraid of what He maybe lining up for you. Fear is not of the Lord! It’s of the enemy. Sure, there may be normal anxiousness but that’s not fear. Fear is paralyzing and when the Lord is calling you, He is calling you to move, not to be stuck in worry, doubt or in fear.
6. Stand firm in faith in what you have received from God. Whatever is revealed to you by God within the peaceful presence of Christ, you must not only say yes to that, but you must cling to it, you must choose to believe. And anything that is not of God, you must run from. This is the essential choice. If you are not able to make this choice your spiritual life will be always bouncing back and forth between listening to the Spirit of God and being distracted by the spirit of the world, the spirit against God. Stand firm in your gift from God.
7. Jesus speaks to you through the church. Every vocation must be confirmed by the Catholic Church. This is because it is not only the individual who has to discern what Christ wants for him or her, but it is also those who have been placed in positions of authority who also have to discern. In other words, your vocation will be confirmed by others who speak for God. But no worries, Jesus cannot contradict himself. He speaks to each individual heart, but he also speaks most authoritatively to the heart of his bride, the Church. Therefore, every person called by Christ, chosen by him to become a religious, must also be called by Christ through the Church. So get to know our Lord Jesus and to know Him well. He will direct you to where you need to be in your vocation with the peace, the clarity, the confidence and the faith that you will need.
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CIUDADANIA FIEL continúa de pagina 5 habilidad a deliberar sobre alternativas disponibles y determinar lo que es más adecuado a un especifico contexto, y a actuar decisivamente. (FCFC No. 19). El discernimiento quiere decir nuestra consciencia con valor. Como nuestro Santo Padre Francisco declara, “esto no quiere decir que sigo mi propio ego, haciendo solo lo que a mí me interesa, o lo que hayo conveniente, o lo que a mí me gusta.” (Discurso Angelus de Junio 30, 2013). Finalmente, le urgí a la parroquiana, que pusiera su fe en acción: que ejerciera su derecho y deber de votar. Recuerdo las colas largas de votantes cuando, finalmente, ocho años después de que se aprobó el Acto Anti-Segregación Racial en Sur África, las primeras elecciones de todas razas se llevaron a cabo. Ciudadanos estuvieron parados por horas para poder ejercer su bien merecido derecho de votar, algo que nosotros a menudo y fácilmente tomamos por hecho en nuestro país. Algunos en los estados unidos ni solo toman un minuto fuera del camino para votar. Debemos recordar el gran sacrifico de aquellos que nos ganaron el derecho de votar. Participando en votar es una obligación de cada ciudadano fiel. Depende de cada católico, entonces, de formar su consciencia, dialogar de manera cortés con otros, hacer una decisión prudente y de actuar, siempre laborando por la fomentación del Evangelio y por el bien común. Visiten www.faithfulcitizenship.org para ver el documento, videos y otros recursos en ambos Español e Ingles. Sinceramente suyo en el Señor,
Reverendísimo John C. Wester FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP continued from page 4 interested in, or what I find convenient, or what I like.” (Angelus address, 6/30/13). Finally, I urged her to put her faith into action: exercise her right and duty to vote. I recall the long lines of voters when, finally, eight years after the Anti-Apartheid Act, South Africa’s first all-race elections were held. People stood in line for hours to exercise their hard earned right to vote, something we often take for granted in our country. Some in the US won’t even go a minute out of the way to vote. We have to remember the great sacrifice of those who won our right to vote. Participation in voting is a duty of a faithful citizen. It is up to each Catholic therefore to form their conscience, to dialogue civilly with others, to make a prudent decision and to act, always working for the promotion of the Gospel and for the common good. Go to www.faithfulcitizenship.org to view the document, videos and other resources in both English and Spanish. Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe
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THEY CALL ME "FATHER" continued from page 11 own personal call. When I went to First Holy Communion in second grade, I fell in love with Jesus. Throughout Catholic grade school I went to Mass and Communion every day including Saturdays and every vacation. Many told me they heard I was going to high school seminary. “Not this boy,” was my response. I continued my daily practice throughout our Catholic high school. Once again others told me of my vocation to the priesthood. “Not this boy,” for while I wanted to be involved in the church, I also wanted to be married with children and be a teacher. I knew what I wanted to do and to be. So I went to Catholic college. My dorm room was just down the hall from the chapel. I continued my daily Mass and Communion in the midst of study and my social calendar. Much encouragement was given to me by classmates and by the brothers but I kept following my plans. Then one day I decided in order to put all this encouragement to priesthood to rest, I’d go for a year and then leave. “Been there. Done that. Thanks, but no thanks. Now I can get on with MY life!” So I went to the major seminary for Theology. It was there that I discovered that MY plans had to be coordinated with GOD’S plans. In that I was able to realize that in giving myself to God’s call, my life became full and true happiness would be attainable in working with God. On June 9, 1962 I was ordained a priest in the Green Bay Cathedral. I spent six years teaching in Catholic high schools, nine in Campus Ministry, 22 in parish ministry, 10 as head of Offices of Worship, nine years teaching in a deaconate program, seven as a contract Chaplain for the Military, and have been retired for nine where I continue to work. If that adds up to more than 54 years of priesthood, it’s because of doing more than one job at a time. Because of a great love for Jesus in the Eucharist I have become “Father” to thousands of God’s children. I owe all that to God’s call. A Priest by Lacordaire (1802-1861) To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures; To be a member of each family, yet belonging to none; To share all suffering; To penetrate all secrets; To heal all wounds; To go from men (sic) to God and offer Him their prayers; To return from God to men (sic) to bring pardon and hope; To have a heart of fire for Charity, and a heart of bronze for Chastity; To teach and to pardon, console and bless always. My God, what a life; and it is yours, O priest of Jesus Christ. ASSIGNMENTS continued from page 10 Moriarty and its Missions, has been appointed as pastor for San Miguel Del Vado in Ribera and its Missions and pastor for Our Lady of Guadalupe in Villanueva and its Missions. The current pastor Rev. Ronald Stone, will be taking a leave of absence to work as the spiritual director for the Handmaids of the Precious Blood in Tennessee for one year. Effective Saturday, June 11, 2016 – Rev. Daniel M. Balizan, has been appointed as pastor for St. Joseph Parish in Cerrillos and its Missions. Rev. Balizan will continue to be the pastor of Santa Maria de La Paz Catholic Community in Santa Fe. The current pastor Rev. Jon Alexander, OP, has been reassigned by his Dominican Province in Chicago. Effective Friday, July 1, 2016 – Rev. Bijoy Francis O. Praem, currently pastor at St. Edwin Parish in Albuquerque, has been relieved as pastor at St. Edwin so he can take on full-time ministry as chaplain at the Veteran’s Hospital in Albuquerque. Rev. Francis will continue to be in residence at St. Edwin Parish. Effective Friday, July 1, 2016 – Rev. Peter Muller, O. Praem, has been assigned as pastor of St. Edwin Parish in Albuquerque. He will continue to be in residence at Santa Maria de La Vid Abbey. Effective Saturday, July 1, 2016 – Rev. Mr. Stephen Gaertner, O. Praem, has been given a canonical assignment as a transitional deacon in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. He has been granted the faculties of the archdiocese and will serve as a transitional deacon at the parishes of St. Augustine in Isleta Pueblo, St. Edwin in Albuquerque, and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Albuquerque under the guidance of Abbot Joel Garner, O. Praem. Rev. Mr. Stephen Gaertner will be in residence at Santa Maria de La Vid Abbey.
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JUBILEES
Sr. Bernice Garcia, OP
I have been blessed to have had the opportunity of being part of my Garcia family, my Mom and Dad five brothers and one sister. I am further blessed to be part of my Dominican family of sisters who have made my life so fulfilling. All of this brought me to the opportunity to serve so many people in so many different ways with wonderful results. My Dominican vocation brought me first to teaching and being principal in Michigan Catholic Schools ranging in size from nine sister teachers to only two sisters, in interesting places as Beaver Island in the middle of Lake Michigan to schools in large cities. Then I came to New Mexico. Again I was teacher and principal in places like Peñasco, Santa Cruz, Albuquerque, and Belen. I was also privileged to serve as Assistant Superintendent for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Then my life changed. I went from serving in schools to serving in parishes. The beautiful blessing of serving in parishes is the needs one serves is bigger and more diverse, and so there is a need to be creative as one responds to the people you are asked to serve. I was fortunate to begin at Risen Savior, and from there I went to San Jose Parish. There, the needs were different and therefore came the need to develop programs in Spanish, The last parish I served was St. Francis Xavier, which had been my home parish where I grew up and went to school. It was both a privilege and a challenge to serve as the parish life coordinator, responsible for the spiritual needs of my parishioners. Here again I was blessed to have retired priests willing to assist with daily Mass and two Masses on Sundays. Finances were also a challenge, but again we were blessed with a school building, in need of some repairs, and willing parishioners who were willing
Sr. Nancy Kazik, OSF
Prior to my first day in high school at St. Mary’s Academy in Milwaukee WI, I had never met a Sister of St. Francis of Assisi. I quickly learned they were women who cared, who listened, who were wonderful role models, who challenged and had great expectations of their students. As I celebrate my diamond jubilee as a Sister of St. Francis of Assisi, I am full of gratitude for the many gifts that have been given to me. My family who selected the Academy, the women who challenged me, friends and family who supported me when I could no longer resist the call, and finally said YES. I entered the congregation with the blessing of my family, but as I look back there were times of tears for my mother and dad. I have no brothers or sisters, so my Dad said painfully, “I will never be a grandfather”. On the day of my first profession, that all changed when he asked, “are you happy?” My YES, was all he needed to hear! The years have been full of challenges, surprises, frustrations, opportunities, changes and blessings. It has been an exciting life! I could never have imagined my life as I have lived it and experienced it when I made my first profession of vows 60 years ago. I am grateful for the call and the opportunity to be of service as teacher, principal, and to serve in archdiocesan ministry, first as Director of Religious Education, later in multiple roles, and in congregational leadership. I have ministered in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California, as midschool teacher and principal, in congregational leadership in Wisconsin, and as a Religious Educator in Colorado. Here in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe I have ministered as Director of Pastoral Ministries, Editor of the People of God, and Vicar for Religious, Vice-Chancellor and Case Manager. This is indeed a time of thanksgiving for many blessings, first the call from a generous God, and the many opportunities given me to share the Gospel message and Franciscan values. Times have changed, yet I look to the past with smiles and a great “Amen!” for what has been, and continues Continued on page 18 to be open to the surprises of the future.
Sr. Dolorita Martinez, OP
I believe God continues to extend an invitation to young women and men to follow Him by embracing a call to serve the church as a sister, a brother or a priest. I want to share my story as a Grand Rapids Dominican Sister as a means of encouraging our youth and young adults to listen and respond to God’s invitation. Maria Elvira Martinez, was my baptismal name. I was born in a small mountain village, here in New Mexico, named Truchas. I was born into a loving family, and can now look back and see my vocation was born and nurtured from the beginning within this family. My parents and siblings never dreamt I would choose religious life, and were as surprised as I was of my calling. My parents, did, however, teach me how to pray and listen to God’s voice within. When I was 19, after a year of college, I felt the call. At first, I responded to an invitation to “Come and See”. I wasn’t immediately sure that this was the vocation that God wanted for me or more honestly, that it was what I wanted. My discernment has been an ongoing journey of faith, I continue to seek, to discover and rediscover who Jesus is and who I am, so as deepen our relationship. As I celebrate my 60th Jubilee as a vowed Religious I continue my journey of faith. I hope that through the years I have learned to live my life with greater love, simplicity and integrity. As I reflect in gratitude on the many blessings in my life as a sister, I have come to discover God’s loving mercy and an unfolding plan for my life. I am especially grateful for the many opportunities for ministry that have allowed me to share my personal gifts in many diverse communities and locations. I started first as a school teacher, but early on I was called into Hispanic ministry. I served on a parish and diocesan level as, Religious Education Director, Pastoral Life Coordinator, evangelizer, catechist, and spiritual director. I have served primarily in immigrant, marginalized Spanish speaking communities, and I have been greatly enriched by these experiences. I praise God for these blessings.
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Kansas Congregation Welcomes Two New Sisters By Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia
W Sister Mary Angelo Lobato RSM Sister Kateri Cahill DLJC Sister Mary Teresa Pacheco SOLT Reverend Peter Daniel Muller O.Praem Brother John Paul Pelletier sP Reverend George Pavamkott O.Praem Sister Dolorita Martinez OP Sister Nancy Kazik OSF Sister Bernice Garcia OP Brother Benildus Sulzer FSC Sister M. Genevieve Ryskiewicz CSSF (May Eternal Light Shine Upon Her)
Our 2016 Jubilarians The Archdiocese of Santa Fe is very grateful for you dedication and service. May God bless you always.
NB: All jubilarians were invited to submit an photo and a brief bio of their ministries.
hen Emily Brito first came to Concordia, she was visiting one of her late husband’s relatives as something of an adventure outside the “eight square miles” in New Mexico where she was born and raised. When Christina Brodie first came to Concordia, she was applying for a position as a full-time volunteer, as the coordinator of the new Hands Across Our Community program. Neither woman would have imaged that in June 2016, they would be together in the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Nazareth Motherhouse, professing their vows as the two newest Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia. Sr. Emily Brito says she has been on a path to religious life since she was in third grade in her hometown just south of Albuquerque, N.M. “I wanted to be a sister then,” she says, “but it probably wasn’t serious. But when I was in high school, I felt called.” She even visited a community of Franciscan sisters, she recalls, but her father insisted she was too young, and that she wait. And as often happens, life intervened. She went to work for Smith’s Food and Drug, where she would eventually retire after 29 years, and she married and was widowed, and then she married again. She also became an active member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Peralta, N.M. After her second husband Clifford died in 2008, the idea of religious life returned – and she started coming to Concordia to visit his cousin,
Sr. Ramona Medina. “Before I started going to Kansas, my traveling was about eight square miles,” Sr. Emily says with a laugh. “My life is in this tiny section of New Mexico.” By the fall of 2013, she had decided she wanted to take the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph home with her — and so she became a candidate for membership Sr. Emily Brito, CSJ in the congregation. As part of the ceremony, each received from Sr. Marcia Allen, president of the congregation, a profession cross — but what they didn’t know in advance was that each cross was a treasured memento of a sister who had gone before them. Sr. Emily’s cross was worn by Sr. Esther Pineda, who had served as Emily’s mentor until her death in May 2015. With their profession ceremony behind them, Sr. Christina plans to remain in Concordia, while Sr. Emily will return to her home in Bosque Farms. Emily, meanwhile, says she will continue serving as sacristan at her church, teaching children’s religious education and ministering to parishioners who are homebound and in nursing homes. “I just try to give people whatever they need,” she explains. “I help at church, in the office, at funerals. I don’t do anything spectacular.” But, she adds, “I just want the light of the Sisters of St. Joseph charism to be in my heart, so it will shine here in New Mexico.”
Sr. Angela Marie Salazar to make Final Vows
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arlier this month, Sr. Angela Marie Salazar celebrated the rite of Perpetual Profession. Fr. John Thomas Lane, SSS, a religious priest of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament was the celebrant at the Mass. Sr. Angela Marie, a former resident of Albuquerque, entered the Sisters of Notre Dame on August 9, 2008. Her parents are Gregory and Susan Salazar. Sr. Angela has two married sisters, Catherine (Blas) and Elizabeth (Illerbrun) and two nephews and three nieces. Sr. Angela is a 1995 Alumna of St. Pius X High School. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico and has her certification in Music Therapy from Baldwin Wallace University and an Associate degree in Music Therapy. Sr. Angela is a Board Certified Music Therapist and is employed by Hospice of Heartland in Independence, OH. She works with
hospice patients and their families. Furthermore, Sr. Angela is an accomplished violinist and plays guitar and harp in music therapy.
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Annual Archbishop Luncheon with Pueblo Governors
By Alan Cherino, Native American Ministry Advisory Board Member
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he third annual luncheon with the archbishop and Indian Pueblo Governors was held in May at the Catholic Center in Albuquerque. The luncheon, in addition to the delicious meal, provides an opportunity for the archbishop and pueblo governors to meet in-person and get to know one another. Among attendance were Archbishop John C. Wester, Pueblo governors, tribal officials, Pueblo church pastors and officials, and archdiocesan staff, Michelle Montez, Executive Director of the Pastoral Ministries Division, Shirley Zuni, Coordinator of Native American Ministry, Bernadette Jaramillo, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and several members of the Native American Ministry Advisory Board. Pueblos represented at this year’s luncheon were Cochiti Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Sandia Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo,
Santo Domingo Pueblo, and Taos Pueblo. This was Archbishop Wester’s first gathering with New Mexico’s pueblo governors. After introductions from around the room, Archbishop Wester spoke of his fondness for the Native American culture. He mentioned how beautiful it is to see so many tribes come together from across the United States at the Gathering of Nations which he attended on the first day of the gathering earlier this year. He sees the presence of the Native American culture here in New Mexico so clearly that it amazes him to see sign after sign on the highways that indicate you’re leaving one reservation and entering another! But closer to heart, he is impressed with how well the pueblo people have embraced their Catholic faith side-by-side with their tribal traditions. He looks forward to working with the pueblos more and attending as many feast days as he can. The luncheon concluded with Archbishop Wester presenting each pueblo with a beautiful tin-decorated cross.
Archbishop John C. Wester Addresses the Franciscans
By Julie Ferraro, Director of Communications, Our Lady of Guadalupe Province
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ore than 50 Franciscan friars converged on San Juan Diego Friary in Albuquerque in June 20, as part of a series of Interprovincial Gatherings taking place across the country. The Order of Friars Minor’s seven U.S. provinces are in the process of considering restructuring and/or consolidating as their numbers decline. Archbishop John C. Wester was invited to address the friars on what the church asks of and needs from the Franciscans in the 21st century. With a strong affinity for the Franciscans - a grandfather named Francis, the Confirmation name Francis, being born in St. Francis and, of course, having the Cathedral Basilica of the Archdiocese named after St. Francis of Assisi - Archbishop Wester blended levity with more serious topics during his talk. He emphasized that he feels strongly about showing the church in the third millennium how “Jesus Christ is our treasure,” and explained how the church, as a whole, needs to offer people the opportunity to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, listening is a very important part of that process, especially for priests and those who minister. “The church has to listen to her spouse, Christ,” stated Archbishop Wester. “This is what Pope
Francis is trying to communicate.” Also, being present to the people of God is vital. Archbishop Wester spoke of one of his favorite books, Saint Francis by Nikos Kazantzakis. Though fictional, the author makes clear how St. Francis’ way of being present to others is what made him so effective in ministering to others. “I do notice a disconnect between the church and where people are,” acknowledged Archbishop Wester, adding that technology and social media are part of the issue. Yet, it is possible - especially for the Franciscans - to “touch the wounds of the people,” as their founder did in the 13th century, when he embraced the leper. Another example the archbishop used was the fact that the town of Galilee was seen, during Jesus’ time, as a crossroads, and a “suspect place.” He observed, “That is where we find Jesus quite a bit,” among the sinners and those society might reject. “The church needs to be where the people are, where they suffer,” Archbishop Wester told the friars. “The church has to be more concerned with mission than with accomplishments.” He continued, “To me, the mission is so important.” What the friars - and others - are sent to do “may not be measurable” in the sense of visible results, but Archbishop Wester asserted how it’s essential “to be faithful to the mission.” Making sure women, and the laity in general, are included in church Continued on page 18
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Catholic Relief Services' Visit to Vietnam and Cambodia
Archbishop Emeritus Michael J. Sheehan, Cardinal Pierre Nguyen and Bishop Gerald Kicanus
By Archbishop Emeritus Michael J. Sheehan
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am happy to share with you some interesting news about a trip I took to Vietnam and Cambodia for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) from June 20 to June 29, 2016. As you may know, I was a member of the Board of Catholic Relief Services for a good number of years and they still ask me to represent the bishops in visits to third world countries where Catholic Relief Services has been helping the needy. Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson was also in the group of 12 that went with me to Vietnam and Cambodia. Vietnam is a very different place now than when the Vietnam War was taking place. For the people of Vietnam, it is called the American War! Vietnam has about 94 million people and only 8% would be Christian. The majority of people practice Buddhism. We had a wonderful meeting in Hanoi with Cardinal Pierre Nguyen. He was grateful for the presence of Catholic Relief Services and the wonderful work that CRS does for the needy of his country. We visited a number of program sites in Vietnam that are provided by CRS. It was very fascinating to see the good work that is being done for children of disabilities – children who have physical problems walking as well as difficulties with hearing and vision. CRS is helping children in a number of areas whereas in earlier times not much was being done to help such children. We also are present by training people to deal with disaster relief. Vietnam
stretches from north to south for nearly a thousand miles and there is a great deal of coastline. There are problems with floods, tsunami and different disasters which take place along the coast. There are three or four major storms along the coastline every fall. It was most interesting to see the training that is being given to the volunteers to help when disaster hits those areas. Many homes are destroyed with people trapped underneath the rubble. The volunteers are trained in how to help rescue people from these kinds of disasters. We also have been helpful with the problems of landmines. During the Vietnam War both American and Vietnamese troops planted land mines to protect their area from opposing troops. Many landmines still remain buried in the ground and people are trained by CRS as how to avoid those areas that are the most dangerous. Also, we have helped people who have lost limbs as a result of landmines. In one particular place, we visit a man who had lost his left arm when he was doing farm work and his hoe hit a landmine, exploding, causing him serious injury. CRS is helping him and others like him. After several days in Hanoi and the area of DaNanag we moved on to Cambodia. Cambodia is a much smaller country with
about 15 million in population and very few Christians. It is to the west of Vietnam. We have a number of projects in Cambodia too. The Missionaries of Charity, the Sisters of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, have programs to assist deaf youth. They also provide inclusive education for children with disabilities so those children who are disabled are able to study with healthy children and be respected by them. We were able to experience the good work being done by Maryknoll Sisters for people who have been affected by AIDS and HIV. We also assist children who have lost their parents as a result of AIDS. All I can say is our fellow Catholics would all be very impressed to see the wonderful work that is being done by American Catholics through Catholic Relief Services. We are in over 100 poor countries serving the particular needs of those areas. We do this because we believe each person is a child of God and we need as Christians to try to help those who need our help. I hope all of us are doing what we can to support Catholic Relief Services through the annual collection and the Rice Bowl program as well as through our prayers and other means of support.
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Take a Spirit-Filled Retreat with Your Spouse at a Marriage Encounter Weekend, Aug. 13 & 14
By Erica Asmus-Otero, Marriage Encounter
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big draw of taking a summer vacation is not only experiencing something new together as a family or couple, but disconnecting from cell phones and distractions and fully reconnecting with one another. Couples who feel they need to break away from demands, cell phones and the
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“noise” that pulls us away from the quiet time needed with each other are invited to take a spiritual retreat during a Marriage Encounter Weekend Aug. 13 and 14. Couples who attend Marriage Encounter do not break off into groups or share personal information with others. Couples will have valuable time with each other, without distractions, allowing them to journey back to one another
and experience renewed and deeper connections. The registration fee per couple is just $75 for the weekend, which includes all meals, overnight accommodations and communication tools. To register or for more information call Vivian Austin at 505.363.0363 or email Vivnava@yahoo.com or call the Family Life Office at 505.831.8117.
Office of Worship Begins Liturgical Ministries Classes
n 2015, the Office of Worship added a Liturgical Ministries track to the catalogue for Formation for Christian Service, the ministry formation program for ecclesial ministers. Those seeking a certificate in a particular ministry do 40 hours of theological studies and 20 hours of skills. The first skills class, “A Walk Through the Mass”, was offered in two locations – at Our Lady of Lavang Church in Albuquerque and at St. Joseph Church in Springer in July.
SR. BERNICE Continued from page 14
to donate free labor and some materials so as to ready it for use. We were able to host three different programs that benefited the community, during the eight years I served at St. Francis Xavier. The two men I love most are Jesus and St. Dominic. Jesus for the great personal love He has given me every day of my life. And St. Dominic for giving the world the 800 year legacy of bringing the Good News to all peoples. The thing that most impresses me is that he sold his very precious books to feed the hungry. That act continues to influence my life to this day. ARCHBISHOP ADDRESSES continued from page 16 ministries, and their voices heard, is part of this mission, according to Archbishop Wester, as is listening to those of other belief systems and cultures, while meeting their needs. “Everybody is a child of God,” he remarked. “The church doesn’t always communicate that.” He praised the Franciscans in the way they “give witness to a simplicity of life,” expanding on how such simplicity is not artificial, but comes from the inside out. “The church must be a witness to simplicity.” Archbishop Wester concluded his address calling for the Franciscans - and all people - to respect each other, and find ways to work together. “For St. Paul, unity was absolutely essential.” Using the example of Fr. Louis Vitale, OFM, of Santa Barbara Province, the achbishop commented, “He lived all these things. He’s a real life example.” “The task of the Franciscans is to show that we are living in the midst of the holy,” said Archbishop Wester. “That is your charism: to see holiness in all things.”
The four-hour class covers sacramental theology, the roles of the ministers and assembly, and an overview and explanation of the meaning of the rites of the Mass. The class is being taught by Fabian Yañez, director of the Office of Worship. However, a faculty for the liturgical ministries program is being developed, so others may teach. Upcoming locations and dates for this class are September 10 at Our Lady of Belen in Belen; September 24 at St. Anne in Santa Fe; September 24 at St. Anthony in Dixon.
A Walk Through the Mass Rev. William Young, Pastor, Queen of Heaven, Albuquerque created a great video for his parishioners. He offers this educational video to all to hopefully have a better understanding of the Holy Mass and be able to enter more deeply and spiritually into the prayer of the Mass. The presentation can be accessed by visiting the Queen of Heaven website: www.qofhabq.com Go to the bottom of the homepage and click on Sacraments, then click on Presentation on the Holy Mass
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Bringing Home the Faith - a Catholic Parent Revival 1st Event: Saturday, September 17th 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm St. Pius X High School 5301 St. Joseph Dr. NW Alb. NM 87120, https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=db88be / 2nd Event: Sunday, September 18th 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Immaculate Conception 811 6th St. Las Vegas, NM 87701 https://secure. acceptiva.com/?cst=d83005 Ticket Fee: $5.00 each / free childcare will be provided between ages 2-11 for both events. Tickets will be available through the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Youth & Young Adult Office/local parish or on-line registration. You can also visit our website to register on-line: asfym.org You must pre-register for these events. Summary of Event: Parents,
grandparents, guardians and godparents from across the host area join together to revive their faith, rediscover the sacredness within their family, and receive support in their daily journey to growing deeper in faith as a family. During the Catholic Parent Revival, parents are treated to three hours of inspiring speakers, moving music, and meaningful prayer as they experience a breath of new life for the vocation of parenthood. Presenters: Archbishop John Wester & National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry. For: Parents, Grandparents, Guardians, Godparents. To register or for more information please contact Della at 505.831.8142 or dmontano@archdiosf.org
Retrouvaille
Retrouvaille, a lifeline for troubled marriages. Is your marriage tearing you apart? Is there little or no meaningful communication? Are you considering separation or divorce? We believe Retrouvaille can help. Retrouvaille will teach you a method to re-establish communication. This three phase program consists of a weekend experience, a series of seven follow-up sessions over a three month period, and a monthly meeting for lifelong support. The next program will be September 16-18, 2016, now both in English & Spanish. For more information or to register, please call 505.890.3495 in Albuquerque or 1.800.470.2230. You can also find us on the Web at www.HelpOurMarriage.com. Retrouvaille, un salvavidas para los matrimonios en problemas. ¿Se está destruyendo su matrimonio? ¿Hay una falta de comunicación significativa o ya no tienen comunicación alguna? ¿Están contemplando una separación o un divorcio? Creemos que Retrouvaille puede ayudar. Retrouvaille le enseñará un método para restablecer la comunicación. Este programa de tres fases consiste en una experiencia de fin de semana, una serie de 7 sesiones de seguimiento durante un período de tres meses y reuniones de apoyo mensual para toda la vida. El próximo programa paralelo al de inglés será en septiembre 16-18 del 2016. Para más información o para inscribirse, por favor llame a 505.890.3495 en Albuquerque o 1.800.966.7981. También puede encontrarnos en la Web en www.HelpOurMarriage.com.
GIVEN Forum 2016 By Chanelle, Leonhardt, GIVEN attendee
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rom the 6th – 12th of June, 300 young lay Catholic women between the ages of 20 and 30 were gathered with 80 religious sisters for a conference centering on the message of what Pope St. John Paul II referred to as the feminine genius. This very first conference, titled GIVEN, was hosted and sponsored by the Council of Major Superior Women Religious (CMSWR), The Hilton Foundation and the Catholic University of America. Each of the 300 young
women attending (representing all 50 States) received a full scholarship which included travel, room and board. As a sign of commitment, each woman who applied for the conference was to propose an “action plan” that would align and make use of each woman’s unique gifts in order to build up the Church. Many of these action plans were focused on the New Evangelization with women starting up varying outreach programs. Representing the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (having been raised in the Albuquerque area and currently residing Continued on page 24
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Archbishop Wester’s Visit with Catholic Charities: A Full Day of People & Programs By Jess Jungwirth, Catholic Charities
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rchbishop John C. Wester’s day-long visit to Catholic Charities in June left a lasting impression on our agency’s staff, volunteers and all who were present. The archbishop spent an entire day sitting beside us, learning firsthand about our programs, and allowed us to share our mission, services and programs in greater detail. This meaningful visit exemplified the important relationship between Catholic Charities and the archdiocese – though for the archbishop, it had to be a dizzying day of meeting people from across the agency’s many programs and services. The morning began with refreshments with the Center for Community Involvement, who presented a beautiful (and very delicious!) cake complete with the archbishop’s
crest baked by our generous and talented volunteers. Next, he gathered with the Center for Refugee Resettlement and Support’s case managers, volunteers and recent arrivals from South Sudan. A meeting with the Center for Self-Sufficiency and Housing Support staff followed, where he heard how we lend a hand of dignity in the face of homelessness. After lunch, he went to the Bridge office and met with our Center for Immigration to learn of the complexities of assisting families and individuals in our local community. Lastly, he met with our Center for Educational Opportunities, engaging with adult education staff and conversing with families/guardians of children in the Children’s Learning Center. The day concluded with a tour of the construction site of our new building, Casa de Corazon, a signal to all of us at Catholic Charities and those we serve of the promising future that is to come.
Back to School Drive for Catholic Charities By Kathy Freeze, Catholic Charities, Center for Community Involvement
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ugust means many things, but for many it is the “unofficial” end of summer as the school year begins. Catholic Charities has been busy over the summer supporting newly arrived refugees and homeless families who enter our Self-Sufficiency program. Traditionally, we support the children of our families by providing a backpack stuffed with much
needed school supplies. Every parent and grandparent knows how expensive all these supplies can be. From calculators to binders, these items quickly add up! Our families are on a very tight and limited budget, Catholic Charities finds that by providing these needed school supplies, families can focus on paying their other bills and then experience the blessing of sending their children off to school ready to learn with confidence and pride.
We would like to thank St. Jude Thaddeus, Our Lady of Guadalupe (Peralta) and Our Lady of Annunciation parishes for their kindness and generosity. Our gratitude continues with our amazing volunteers and St. Pius students who helped us to sort, organize and create a special backpack for each child. To learn more about the back to school drive and how to support families in our community, please contact Kathy Freeze, Faith and Community Liaison, at freezek@ccasfnm.org or at 505.724.4698.
Bright Futures for Graduating Adult Learners and New Enrollees at Catholic Charities’ Center for Educational Opportunities
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early 300 students and new citizens graduated from Catholic Charities’ Center for Educational Opportunities’ adult learning programs in a commencement ceremony on July 30th at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The auditorium was full to witness this record-breaking number of graduates. It was truly a memorable ceremony that reflected the accomplishments, hard work and
dignity for these individuals faithfully walking the path toward citizenship and future opportunities through studying and education. With over 300 students are enrolled in summer classes, the Adult Education program at Catholic Charities is truly gaining momentum… one can only wonder what’s in store for 2016-2017 when the program is at home in its new classrooms at Casa De Corazon!
Rental Assistance Program (RAP) Enrollment Opens on August 15th
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he Center for Self-Sufficiency & Housing Assistance’s Rental Assistance Program (RAP) -- which provides case management and rental assistance for those who are at risk of eviction or currently experiencing homelessness -- is opening the phone lines for a second wave of enrollment on Friday, August 15th at 8 am (MST). The first enrollment wave occurred in July, and this August enrollment is a second opportunity for individuals at risk of homelessness or currently
homeless to enroll. RAP serves Bernalillo and Sandoval County residents. To receive a phone screening, interested individuals should call (505) 724-4611 at 8 am (MST) and leave their name and phone number, as clearly as possible, on our answering machine. Within 1 to 2 weeks, a member of our staff will call back for a pre-screening phone interview to determine eligibility. The pre-screening process identifies additional qualifying criteria for the program.
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"Body of Christ"
First Holy Communion for Immaculate Conception Parish, Las Vegas, NM. The pastor is Rev. Fr. George Salazar.
Dialogue of the Southwest
By Donna Bruzzese and Jerry Ortiz y Pino, St. Therese Parishioners
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lbuquerque is home to a Turkish cultural center, the Raindrop Foundation. For nearly 10 years, that organization has fostered annual dialogue dinners involving people of all faiths and cultural heritages. Last month, they reached out to the Catholic parishioners and to Fr. Vincent Chavez, their pastor at St. Therese of the Child Jesus parish church, inviting them to another type of dinner at the Raindrop Foundation. It was a meal of traditional Turkish dishes prepared by Muslim families associated with the center. Each year Muslims around the world mark the 30 days of Ramadan with complete fasts from all food and water from dawn until sunset. The tradition is that each night when families gather for the meal that ends that day’s fast, the “Iftar” dinner, they invite others to share in the food and friendship. Sometimes this may simply be one other family invited to a home; other times it can be an entire group or congregation invited
to join the members of a mosque, temple or center for a far larger gathering. Since having been invited to give the invocation at last fall’s Dialogue Dinner program, Fr. Chavez has become wellknown to the Raindrop Foundation Board and its executive director, Necip Orhan. It was therefore to his parish the foundation extended an invitation to join them for an Iftar meal on Sunday evening, June 26. Twenty-five parishioners joined Fr. Chavez that evening at the foundation. The program included an explanation of the role Ramadan plays in Islam. It is one of the pillars of that religious tradition, together with belief in one God; prayers at five times daily; a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca and regular study and reading of the Koran. In his remarks while the audience waited for sundown and the time to start the meal, Mr. Orhan made the point that Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, is a religion of peace and understanding—not of violence. When extremists claim they act violently because Islam requires it, they are simply exposing their lack of understanding of
what the Koran actually says, according to Orhan. In his prayer at the start of the dinner, Fr. Chavez echoed Orhan’s remarks, calling on God to help those gathered that night to live tolerant, loving and sharing lives, healing a broken world one day at a time, one incident at a time. The evening concluded with an exchange of gifts and a closing prayer in Turkish and English by Mr. Orhan. He thanked the St. Therese parishioners for accepting the foundation’s invitation and expressed the hope that the event would be the start of even greater understanding and cooperation between the two religions here in Albuquerque. For those present, it was a privilege to participate in a gathering of this generosity, understanding and brotherhood. Many expressed the hope they might be able to continue in the future to strengthen the friendship and the bonds created with this event and that Albuquerque might become a community free from the type of acts of hate and discrimination that have marred other cities in recent months.
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Catholic Daughters OF THE AMERICAS
New officers were installed for Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Our Lady of Belen #1359 in June: Regent Connie Baca, Vice Regent Julie Montoya, Recording Secretary Corine Duran, Financial Secretary Marcelle Trujillo and Treasurer Julia Chavez (Rosalie Marquez standing in). State Regent Delfinia Schmitt and State Secretary Catherine Collins and State District Deputy Louisa Rodriguez were in attendance as well as IPSR Annie Duran (not pictured). Also not pictured Deacon Manny Trujillo, presider.
Also, on Memorial Day, court officers and members attended the dedication of a memorial plaque honoring deceased member of the court. The plaque was blessed by Deacon Rudy Zamora. After the dedication, the Ceremony for Deceased Members was led by Regent Hilda Hidalgo and Vice Regent Rosie Chavez. The group went on to attend an outdoor Mass in the cemetery, next to the Felipe Chavez (El Milionario) Memorial, celebrated by Fr. Clement Niggel and Deacon Manny Trujillo. The Spanish choir led us in song. Over 100 people attended.
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Restoration of Adobe Church Helped Project’s Workers Rebuild Own Lives
By Catholic News Service
David Ray Chavez, a master craftsman in Santa Fe, carved and donated a version of Archbishop John C. Wester’s coat of arms. It is carved out of Honduran mahogany and is currently located at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat Center in Albuquerque.
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ABEYTAS, N.M. (CNS) -- Sometimes foundations crumble. They need to be rebuilt. Such a story happened in Abeytas in central New Mexico -- both to an ancient church and to the men who fixed it. Originally built by the Abeytas family in 1874, San Antonio de Padua Church has a rich history. It is one of five mission churches belonging to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in La Joya -- which together serve 250 families -- in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Over the years, the beloved church served the town of Abeytas during its growth time of ranching and farming in the early 1900s and its decline after World War II to its present population of 56. In 2011, the “mayordomos” -- caretakers of the church who assist the pastor with its upkeep -- noticed stress cracks running vertically from the roofline to the ground. The walls made of adobe and “terreon,” a mud mixture used long ago,
were starting to deteriorate. With help from experts, they discovered that the corrugated tin roof was leaking and that moisture was being trapped inside the walls. There was danger of a collapse. A couple years passed before a new pastor, Father Denis Kaggwa, arrived at Our Lady of Sorrows and took action. He understood the urgency of the church’s condition but faced financial struggles. The total annual budget for the parish and its five missions was $120,000, and the cost to repair San Antonio Church alone was estimated to be $72,000. Catholic Extension offered a $38,000 matching grant, and suddenly the project looked possible. Parishioners began holding raffles and fundraisers. The money trickled in. Chicago-based Catholic Extension is a national fundraising organization founded in 1905 to support the work and ministries of U.S. mission dioceses. The community in Abeytas also received another gift -- a commitment from Continued on page 24
St. Felix Pantry Welcomes New President
By Manuel Casias, Vice President of Development for St. Felix Pantry
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n June, Deacon Steve Rangel became the new President and CEO of St. Felix Pantry in Rio Rancho for which he served as a board member for the past two years. He comes with a very diverse background having extensive experience in both business and religious ministry. After 17 years of retail management, eight years of sales and marketing management, and two years as a business owner, Deacon Steve Rangel spent eight years at St. Jude Thaddeus as Director of Religious Education and property manager. He was ordained a deacon on July 12, 2003, for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and assigned to St. Jude Thaddeus. He has also been assigned to serve as
deacon at San Ysidro in Corrales and the Jemez, Santa Ana, and Zia Pueblos, and is currently at St. John Vianney Church in Rio Rancho. Deacon Steve is also the Associate Director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops for the state of New Mexico representing the three bishops at the State Legislature. From 2007 through 2016, Deacon Steve had been appointed by Archbishop Emeritus Michael J. Sheehan as the Director of Deacons/Formation for the archdiocese. For a five year period from 2008 to 2013, he was also the Director of Pastoral Outreach for the archdiocese for which he coordinated over 12 outreach ministries including prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, persons living with disabilities, and ministry to the poor. As director he became a Region XIII Representative and the Chair of the National Association of Deacon Directors. He
is a member of the International Diaconate Centre, and was selected as one of two deacons from the United States to attend a private audience in June that Pope Francis had with 35 deacons and wives representing countries around the world. He resides in Albuquerque with his wife of 38 years, Linda. He is the father of two daughters and recently became a grandfather. On behalf of the entire staff, volunteers and board of directors, we welcome Deacon Steve Rangel. “I hope to build on the success of past-president Rev. Dr. Jack Bunting, as well as our wonderful staff, volunteers and board of directors, says Deacon Steve.” Rangel added “Our focus this year will probably be improving the sustainability of our operations so more money can flow into the programs for our clients.” St. Felix Pantry is New Mexico’s second largest food pantry and serves New Mexico residents who find themselves in difficult times and hungry for food. To learn more about St. Felix Pantry please visit us at www.stfelixpantry.org
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RESTORATION continued from page 23 New Mexico Men’s Recovery Academy, located 25 miles north of town, to supply a good portion of the labor for free. This arrangement was orchestrated by parishioner Al Sandoval, who with his wife held the rotating position of mayordomos at San Antonio at the time. He requested 10 men from the academy for each Saturday, starting in February 2015. He agreed to transport and feed them. Men go to the academy voluntarily or by court order to recover from alcohol and substance abuse and to learn how to reintegrate into society and to reconnect with families. As part of their sixmonth stay, they are required to do 450 hours of community service. “It was a great partnership,” Sandoval, who is an engineer, told Extension magazine. “We got men who were hard workers. Saving the church gave them a sense of purpose.” Fellow engineer and parishioner Esmerlindo Barela remembered one of the workers who said, “This church is falling down, just like us. This church needs help, just like us. When you believe in us and let us build the church, you build us up, too.” Sandoval said there was great competition among the academy men to be chosen to work on the church, and not just because of the home-cooked food that the women prepared for them. From February to August, the academy men devoted their Saturdays to the church. Many other volunteers joined them. They replaced the roof, repaired the adobe and stucco, added a heating and cooling system, replaced wood flooring and repainted inside and out. There are endless stories of other contributions. Sandoval’s wife, Lorrie, a seventh-generation Abeytas resident, designed and donated a new altar. Her father, who died at age 98 in the midst of the project, requested no flowers at his funeral and that money be donated for new lights for the church -- $600 was raised. A parishioner took wood from the beams of the old roof that was dismantled and used it to make crucifixes to hang in the newly remodeled church. Another donated two brass chandeliers that belonged to his grandmother, who years ago had walked three miles each way to the church with her children and grandchildren. On Aug. 22 last year, San Antonio de Padua Church was rededicated before a crowd of 300. In addition to Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe and his GIVEN FORUM continued from page 19 in Albuquerque), I cannot begin to describe my gratitude for having been chosen to attend this conference. In our modern culture there seems to be quite the battle for women to not only discover their place in the world but their unique place in the Church. We want to serve; we want to lead and we want to allow God to use us to renew the Church but in many ways we don’t know how or where to begin. Sr. Mary Gabriel of the Sisters of Life who served as the chair of the conference said, “We had a sense that if young women are encouraged and believed in, they’ll fly.” And that is exactly what this conference did. It encouraged us women to rejoice in the gift of being fashioned as woman. Renowned female speakers from all walks of life – married, religious, consecrated single, authors, lawyers, engineers and CEOs – were brought in to encourage women that the world needs us to accept and nourish all the unique gifts we have been given and to share them. We are constantly pressured by society that in order to be seen as equal we must be the same as men and reject the very things that make us feminine by nature. But this conference beautifully rebelled to this pressure and instilled in us the message that true feminism is owning who we truly are and to allow our tender hearts to boldly love and serve
The interior of the newly renovated San Antonio de Padua Church in Abeytas, N.M., is seen in 2015. Built originally in 1874, the adobe church is one of five mission churches belonging to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in La Joya, N.M., which together serve 250 families in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. (CNS photo/Vallencia County News-Bulletin)
predecessor, retired Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan, men from the academy attended, even those who had graduated. The church now has Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. with 50 people, who no longer have to look up to see if the ceiling is going to cave in and who are overjoyed with their beautiful, structurally sound church. “San Antonio is the heart of this town,” said Barela, whose parents and grandparents had also dedicated themselves to maintaining the church. “This renovation has breathed new life into our community. And thanks to Catholic Extension, this was all possible,” said Sandoval. “Without that grant, we’d still be fundraising today.” In Abeytas, the old church was repaired. And the young men recovered. They needed each other. others. As part of my proposed action plan, I am trying to cultivate the gifts Our Lord has given me by finishing a book I am working on that is geared toward proclaiming the freedom found in a life of living out the virtues by sharing my story. As a “wanderluster” who has lived in Ireland as a nanny, volunteered at an orphanage in Kenya, served as a missionary in NYC educating students on the pro-life and chastity messages, and worked at countless coffee shops as a barista in several cities, I’ve been able to encounter much of the world and have seen first-hand this desire for love gone haywire in our culture. The aim for this book is to show the beauty of the Church’s teachings on love, life and freedom by being honest and sharing my joys and struggles with it. Spending time at this conference, and being told by the Church that my gifts are not only good, but needed, has propelled me to, as Sr. Mary Gabriel said above, take these gifts and “fly.” I hope to not only use these gifts of writing but especially to use the power of my feminine heart to fiercely proclaim Christ’s love to all those I encounter. I believe women need each other to build up this message and I am incredibly grateful for having been built up by so many women this past June. I can only hope to do the same for the women in my community.
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Vigil, Gallegos
Dr. Adolph Gallegos and Miss Henrietta Vigil are celebrating 60 years of marriage. They were united in holy matrimony on August 4, 1956 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz, NM. Adolph was raised in Mountainair, NM and Henrietta from Santa Cruz, NM. Both educators, Dr. Adolph received his PH.d in Adult Education. He was a teacher, assistant principal and counselor. He retired from Albuquerque Public Schools in 1986 after 25 years. Henrietta taught 2nd grade at Carlos Rey and then worked at Puesta Del Sol. She retired after 25 years of teaching. God, family and community have always been the center of their lives. They were both active members in their parish serving in various ministries throughout their marriage (too many to name). The most memorable being Marriage Enrichment. They were also involved in many community organizations as well. To this day they continue to be active in Alameda Lions Club and Henrietta is a member of NM Native American Club in Rio Rancho. They have enjoyed their family and have traveled all over the world. In 2013, they traveled to
Rome with Msgr. Douglas Raun and were blessed to have front row seats to see Pope John Paul II. They have been blessed with six children, son Ralph and wife Beth, daughter Virginia and husband Maurice, son Steve and wife Colleen, daughter Margaret, daughter Sara and husband Roy, daughter Ellie and husband Ed. They have 18 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren. They are devout in their Catholic faith and spend time praying everyday thanking God for all the blessings. They are members of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Rio Rancho. Their advice to all couples is to: Respect one another, learn to compromise, don’t allow your pride to get in the way and pray together.
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They have been blessed with five children: Jose Felix IV, Lorence, Audra, Bonny (husband José Chávez) and Beverly (husband Chris Armijo). We have 15 grand-children: Chris, Joel, Joey, Don, Mariah, Mia, Marquez and Ida Valencia. Angelina, Daniella, Elias, and LillyAnna Chavez and Chris Jr. Gabriel and Maliyah Armijo. One great-grandson Tate Valencia. Felix retired from New Mexico School for the Deaf in 2006 and Josie has always been a home maker. The couple will celebrate with friends and family with a Mass and reception.
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across the United States. They returned to San José Catholic Church in 1976. They are both involved in several ministries including serving on fiesta committees, fundraising projects, renovation projects, pastoral council, usher, lector, choir, collection counter, train altar servers, water management, catechist, First Communion classes, and organizing the crowning of the Blessed Mother in May. They were recipients of the 2011 Archbishop’s St. Francis of Assisi Award for San José Parish in Los Ojos.
Ortiz, Martinez Martínez, Sánchez Lujan, Valencia
Mr. Jose Felix Valencia III and Miss Maria Josephine were joined in holy matrimony at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Taos on June 11, 1966 and are now members of San Antonio de Padua in Pecos. Together they have been involved in the parish ministries of cursillo, marriage enrichment, pre-cana, ministers of the Eucharist and religious education. Felix is currently a member of Knights of Columbus and an usher. Josie is a member of Rosary Altar Society and Cenacle of Marian Movement of Priests.
Mr. Medardo Sánchez, Jr. and Miss Clorinda N. Martínez are celebrating 60 years of marriage. They were married on September 3, 1956, at San José Catholic Church in Los Ojos, NM. They have built a lasting marriage with their five children and spouses, 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Medardo was raised in Cebolla, NM and Clorinda was raised in Los Brazos, NM. Medardo, a Korean War Navy Veteran, retired from the U.S. Federal Government. His positions with several agencies gave the family opportunities to live and travel
Mr. Florencio Martinez and Miss Louise Ortiz were joined in holy matrimony on August 6, 1966 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe and are currently parishioners at St. Anne’s, also in Santa Fe. Florencio worked for Public Service Company of New Mexico for 25 years. Louise was the office manager for a local orthodontic office for 34 years. They are both retired and enjoyed traveling to Mexico and several countries in Europe. God blessed Florencio and Louise with three children, Matthew, Denise, David and one son-in-law, Adam. The lights of their lives are their three grandsons, Aiden, Ty and Max. They enjoy spending time together and with their family.
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Holy Ghost: Educating Our Future Leaders By Joe Filener, Technology Assistant,Holy Ghost Catholic School
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ristotle is credited with saying, “Educating the mind without the heart is no education at all.” Holy Ghost Catholic School (HGCS) nurtures the whole child--providing a caring environment that strengthens its students’ academic, emotional, spiritual, and physical
potentials. HGCS practices interdisciplinary education: weaving academic subjects, faith, social action, extracurricular activities, and service together. The result is a student body that is well educated, motivated to serve the community, and grounded in faith, hope, and love—the three great virtues of Christianity. As the only Catholic U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in New Mexico, HGCS sets the highest academic standards for its students. All students learn math, language arts, science, history, Spanish, art, music, physical education, religion, and computer skills. Although all of the students achieve personal aca-
demic success, many students also receive special academic recognition. This year, 13 students received awards from the NM Regional and State Science Fairs; a team of students participated in the regional math competition and two students advanced to the state competition; three students received top awards for essays submitted for the “Senior I Know” contest sponsored by the City of Albuquerque; a team earned 3rd place in the annual Faith Bowl; 10 students and one class received awards for their works of art at the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Art Show; the award for “Best in Show” at the New Mexico State Fair was earned by an eighth grader with a second grader winning in her category; and the 5th grade class was chosen to participate in the Air Force Research Lab’s STEM program. An essential element of HGCS education is the presentation of current world and social issues interlaced with Catholic social teaching and calls to service and action. The entire school participates in the “Kids Against Hunger” food-packing event, the St. Vincent de Paul food drive, the annual “Merry Bags Project” for the clients of St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, the “Caring for Creation” environmental stewardship program, and other service projects. Students individually participate in numerous service opportunities, such as honoring our veterans on Veterans’ Day, visiting elder care facilities, and caring for
animals at shelters. This year, students and staff provided over 7,000 hours of service to the community, school, and parish. For the second year in a row, a HGCS student was named the top New Mexico youth volunteer in the national-wide Prudential Spirit of Community Service Contest. This focus on service and Catholic social teaching encourages critical thinking, demonstrates the power of individuals and communities to
affect change, emphasizes Christian values, and provides hope rather than despair. HGCS is intentionally managed as a small school, with approximately 200 students in 10 classes from PreK through 8th grade. The close-knit community ensures that no student is neglected. Dr. Noreen Copeland, principal, knows the name of every student, the teachers give each student the attention he or she needs, and the parents are involved and informed. If you are interested in learning more about Holy Ghost Catholic School, please contact the school at 505.256.1563. We are saving a seat for you!
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San Felipe de Neri Catholic School Uniform Exchange Photos by John VanSickler
Our Lady of Fatima Golfer Holding a
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Nicole Chavez-Parent Volunteer preparing the display of uniforms before our doors open.
By Annabel Griego
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By Paula Domino DeHaas
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eads up, Jordan Spieth. We’ve got Tristen Toledo on our team. This upcoming 5th grader was too young to play on Fatima’s golf team last year, but he has already won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in more than a dozen tournaments around the city, state, and neighboring states. He has played in tournaments since he was eight years old. His mother, Marina first took him to PuttPutt golf when he was five, and he was hooked. He started lessons with a pro, and now with his junior-size set of Pings, he plays on adult size courses whenever and wherever he can. This dedicated golfer also participates in tournaments with other Native American kids sponsored by the Notah Begay III Foundation. Notah Begay who grew up in Albuquerque, was a threetime All-American golfer at Stanford and teammate of Tiger Woods. The four-time PGA winner is currently a golf analyst on the Golf Channel and NBC Sports. He established the nb3 foundation which is housed at the Santa Ana Pueblo, to promote healthy living and, as stated on their website, “reduce Native American childhood obesity & Type II diabetes”. (www. nb3foundation.org)
an Felipe Catholic School is the longest continuous running Catholic school in Albuquerque. Founded in 1881 it continues to serve our community. San Felipe helps parents keep the high cost of Catholic Education down by having annual Uniform exchanges/ sales. Parents are able to bring in uniforms that students have out grown and exchange for a larger size four times a year. This also
To advertise in People of God, THE MAGAZINE contact Leslie M. Radigan at 505-831-8162 or email lradigan@archdiosf.org
Melissa Apodaca-Parent Volunteer, Clementine Garcia-New Parent to San Felipe with Gilbert Garcia.
enables our new parents to purchase uniforms at a much lower cost. Our uniform sales are supported by parent volunteers who are happy to welcome new families to our school. Stop by and see us, we are located in Historic Old Town and pride ourselves in being small and a part of the Old Town community.
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Three ASF Catholic Schools Granted Six Year Accreditation By Elizabeth Dominick, Advancement Director of Catholic Schools
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ongratulations to Annunciation, St. Mary’s (Albuquerque) and St. Mary’s (Belen) Catholic schools as they have all successfully been granted a Full Six-Year Accreditation, the highest accreditation possible by Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA). WCEA is a private educational accrediting agency. The mission of WCEA is to promote quality Catholic education for students in our member elementary and secondary schools through an accrediting process that assures the primacy of faith formation and educational excellence. The major purpose of this agency is to coordinate the accreditation process by assisting schools in their self-evaluative programs, to establish general standards for excellence, to grant WCEA Accreditation, and to cooperate formally with regional accrediting organizations as determined by the WCEA Board of Directors. A Visiting Committee led by a chairperson from a diocese outside of New Mexico (NM) spent three days with the school community. During the three-day visit, the Committee visited classrooms, investigated the written evidence of responses to the WCEA criteria, held interviews with the members of the school community, and
prepared a written report on its findings. This report and recommendation were given to the WCEA Commissioner for additional recommendations and a vote for an Accreditation Status for each school. Areas assessed in the accreditation process included: involvement of shareholders, assessment of the school’s Catholic identity, defining the school’s purpose, data analysis and use, acceptable progress by all students, curriculum and instruction, support for student spiritual and academic growth, resource management and development, and the capacity to implement and monitor an action plan. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic schools believe that continuing evaluation and improvement of the curriculum is essential to the development of an effective educational program that promotes a faith-filled environment, fostering the uniqueness of each student and preparing our future leaders. The accreditation process is more than a stamp of approval or quality assurance. It is a collaborative results-oriented school improvement process that serves as the foundation of an effective school. All of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic schools are accredited through WCEA, and over the next three years all schools will complete the process of a full self study.
Archdiocese of Santa Fe Welcomes Two New Principals Mrs. Janice Martinez, Holy Child Catholic School
Mrs. Katie Riccio, San Felipe de Neri Catholic School
Janice has been a Catholic school teacher for 20 years, teaching elementary, middle and high school throughout the A rc h d i o c e s e of Santa Fe. She has spent the last eight years developing and teaching a classical curriculum to homeschoolers and she truly believes classical learning is the solution to many of the problems facing education today. Janice has also conducted historic research in archives in Europe and was a graduate, teaching assistant at the University of New Mexico. She has one B.A. in French Literature and another B.A. in Education. Moreover, she has an M.A. in Modern European History from the University of New Mexico and a Master’s in Theology from Catholic Distance University. Janice has been married for 19 years to Robert Martinez and belongs to St Thomas Aquinas Parish in Rio Rancho.
Katie was raised in Colorado by two educators and attended Catholic school from kindergarten through 12th grade. Knowing that she wanted to follow in her parents’ footsteps as an educator, she enrolled in the University of Northern Colorado where she graduated in 2003 with a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Human Communication. Following graduation, she took a position teaching middle school language arts at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Boulder, CO. In the meantime, she started working on her Master’s Degree in Special Education. She graduated with her M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado in 2005. Special Education has always been a passion of hers and spent five years working in Denver Public Schools and Adams 50 Public Schools learning best practices. In 2006, she was awarded the Mile High Teacher of the Year Award by then Mayor John Hickenlooper. The experience and
skills she gained while working with a variety of students with special needs has proven invaluable. While she enjoyed her time working in the public setting, she missed working in a school where she could truly live her faith. This led her back to Catholic schools where she has been ever since. Using the words of Pope Benedict XVI as her guiding philosophy; “No child should be denied his or her right to an education in faith, which in turn nurtures the soul of a nation”; she began pursuing a second Master’s Degree through Colorado State University. She will graduate in October 2016 with a M.S. in Administration: Teaching and Learning. In addition to her new role as principal of San Felipe de Neri Catholic school, Katie is a wife of a software engineer and mother of 6 and 4 year-old boys. In her free time, she enjoys photography, learning about technology and social media, movies, reading and swimming. As she joins the San Felipe School and Parish family, she hopes to continue to have the privilege of teaching, encouraging, and supporting the students, staff, and parents in the community for years to come.
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Peace
Deacon Pete Santistevan
Sr. Paula Gonzalez, SC
Deacon Pete Santistevan passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dorothe; his daughter, Patricia; his sons, Paul, Mike, Mark and Myron Santistevan; and his grandsons, Michael and John Santistevan. Pete is survived by his sons, Pete, Matthew (Brigette), and Patrick (Judy); his daughters, Anna (Paul LeFebre), Ellen (Leroy Salazar), Anna J. Sanchez (Robert Montoya); 31 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; as well as many relatives and friends. Pete’s family would like to thank all of his caregivers; all the doctors, nurses and other personnel at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Hospital, all of his therapists and homebased nurses and his home health aide from Heritage, Melvin. Pete looked forward to seeing Marie from the Sandoval County Meals on Wheels, also the Eucharistic Ministers from OLOS, Santiago, Sharon and Tina, who faithfully brought the Eucharist to him and brightened his day by their loving presence. We are grateful to Msgr. Bolman, all the deacons, Orlinda Torres for providing the beautiful music, and everyone who helped in any way. Pete’s remains will be interred at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe.
Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Paula Gonzalez died July 31, 2016, at the age of 83 at Mother Margaret Hall, the nursing facility of the Sisters of Charity. Sr. Paula was born Mary Regina Gonzalez on Oct. 25, 1932, to Hilario and Emilia (Sanchez) Gonzalez in Albuquerque. She was a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati for 62 years. Sr. Paula was born in St. Joseph Hospital and graduated from St. Vincent Academy, both in Albuquerque, all staffed by Sisters of Charity. She went on to accept a scholarship from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio; upon earning her BA degree in biology, Sister Paula went back
West, teaching for a year and a half in the nursing school of St. Joseph Hospital, Albuquerque. By then her parents were willing to let her enter the Sisters of Charity which she did in February 1954. Over the past 15 years Sister Paula has given more than 1,800 talks throughout the world to women and men religious, and parish and Earth-conscious groups desiring to live more simply. She is referred to as a futurist, educator, environmentalist, and global citizen. Sister Paula was honored as a 2014 Woman of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer at the annual recognition luncheon; she was one of 10 women to receive this honor for their contributions to the Greater Cincinnati community. Sr. Julie Deiters recalls: “Paula surely left our world a better place for having been here! What a blessing her passion in caring for the earth and urging all of us to have the same passion.”
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TV MASS SCHEDULE The Catholic Center St. Joseph/St. Francis Chapel Sunday at 6:30 a.m. on KRQE TV-13, KBIM TV-10, KREZ TV-6 and FOX 2 American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted
TV Mass Donations may be sent online to www.archdiosf.org or mailed to: Vicar General’s Office/TV Mass 4000 St. Joseph’s Pl. NW, Alb., NM 87120 Check out Sunday and daily readings at www.usccb.org
August 14, 2016 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Abbot Joel Garner, O. Praem
September 4, 2016 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Rev. James McGowen
August 21, 2016 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Abbot Joel Garner, O. Praem
September 11, 2016 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time Rev. Andrew Pavlak
August 28, 2016 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Rev. James McGowan
September 18, 2016 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Rev. Andrew Pavlak
“May the Dear Lord bless you...”
August Abbot Joel Garner, O.Praem 8/17 Rev. Clarence Maes 8/18 Rev. James Marshall 8/21 Rev. Edmund Savilla 8/22 Rev. Michael DePalma 8/25 Rev. George Salazar 8/27 Rev. John Shedlock 8/29 Rev. John Conway 8/31 September Rev. Chike Uba 9/1 Rev. Gerald Johnson 9/6 Rev. Michael Garcia 9/11 Rev. Benjamin Onwumelu 9/11 Very Rev. John Daniel 9/14
AUGUST 2016
ARCHBISHOP'S SCHEDULE August 2016 15 Mon 7:30 a.m. ======== September 2016 5-11 === ===== 13-14 === ===== 15 Thu 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 17 Sat 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 18 Sun 2:00 p.m. 20 Tue 8:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. 22 Thu 11:00 a.m. 23 Fri ====== 24 Sat ====== 26-29 === ======
Roman Catholic Saints Calendar August 15 Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary 16 St. Stephen of Hungary 17 St. Joan of the Cross 18 St. Louis of Toulouse 19 St. John Eudes 20 St. Bernard of Clairvaux 21 St. Pius X 22 Queenship of Mary 23 St. Rose of Lima 24 St. Bartholomew 25 St. Louis of France 26 St. Joseph Calasanz 27 St. Monica
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Mass, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Anthony Questa Listening Session, St. Anthony, Questa Rome Pilgrim with USCCB Communications Santa Fe Province Bishops Meeting, Diocese of Gallup ACA Goal Setting Meeting, Catholic Center Mass, Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Canossian Spirituality Center, Albuquerque Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, Catholic Center Drop-In, Deacon Retreat, Marriott Pyramid Hotel, Catholic Parent Revival, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Alb. Catholic Parent Revival, Immaculate Conception, Las Vegas Presbyteral Council, Madonna Retreat Center, Alb. Deans, Madonna Retreat Center, Albuquerque Catholic Foundation Grant Awards Luncheon, Sandia Resort, Albuquerque Keynote, Catholic Schools Teacher In-Service, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Keynote, Catechetical Congress, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Catholic Extension Mission Bishops Conference, Lincolnshire, IL
St. Augustine of Hippo Martyrdom of John the Baptist St. Jeanne Jugan Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
September 1 St. Giles 2 Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions 3 St. Gregory the Great 4 St. Rose of Viterbo 5 Blessed Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta) 6 Blessed Claudio Granzotto 7 Blessed Frédéric Ozanam 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 9 St. Peter Claver 10 St. Thomas of Villanova 11 St. Cyprian 12 Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary 13 St. John Chrysostom 14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross 15 Our Lady of Sorrows
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THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE
FEAR
By Rev. Ron Rolheiser, OMI
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nless you are already a full saint or a mystic, you will always live in some fear of death and the afterlife. That’s simply part of being human. But we can, and must, move beyond our fear of God. As a child, I lived with a lot of fear. I had a very active imagination and toofrequently imagined murderers under my bed, poisonous snakes slithering up my leg, deadly germs in my food, playground bullies looking for a victim, a hundred ways in which I could meet an accidental death, and threats of every kind lurking in the dark. As a child, I was often afraid: afraid of the dark, afraid of death, afraid of the afterlife, and afraid of God. As I matured, so too did my imagination; it no longer pictured snakes hiding everywhere or murderers under my bed. I began to feel strong, in control, imagining the unknown, with its dark corners, more as opportunity for growth than as threat to life. But it was one thing to block out fear of snakes, murderers, and the dark. Not so easily did I overcome my fear of death, fear of the afterlife, and fear of God. These fears are the last demons to be exorcised, and that exorcism is never final, never completely done with. Jesus, himself, trembled in fear before death, before the unknown that faces us in death. But he didn’t tremble in fear before God, the opposite in fact. As he faced death and the unknown, he was able give himself over to God, in childlike trust, like a child clinging to a loving parent, and that gave him the strength and courage to undergo an anonymous, lonely, and misunderstood death with dignity, grace, and forgiveness. We need never be afraid of God. God can be trusted. But trust in God does include a healthy fear of God because one particular fear is part of the anatomy of love itself. Scripture says: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But that fear, healthy fear, must be understood as a reverence, a loving awe, a love that fears disappointing. Healthy fear is love’s fear, a fear of betraying, of not being faithful to what love asks of us in return for its gratuity. We aren’t afraid of someone we trust, fearing that he or she will suddenly turn arbitrary,
unfair, cruel, incomprehensible, vicious, unloving. Rather we are afraid about our own being worthy of the trust that’s given us, not least from God. But we must trust that God understands our humanity: God doesn’t demand that we give him our conscious attention all of the time. God accepts the natural wanderings of our hearts. God accepts our tiredness and fatigue. God accepts our need for distraction and escape. God accepts that we usually find it easier to immerse ourselves in entertainment than to pray. And God even accepts our resistances to him and our need to assert, with pride, our own independence. Like a loving mother embracing a child that’s kicking and screaming but needs to be picked up and held, God can handle our anger, self-pity, and resistance. God understands our humanity, but we struggle to understand what it means to be human before God. For many years, I feared that I was too immersed in the things of this world to consider myself a spiritual person, always fearing that God wanted more from me. I felt that I should be spending more time in prayer, but, too often, I’d end up too tired to pray, more interested in watching a sports event on television or more interested in sitting around with family, colleagues, or friends, talking about everything except
spiritual things. For years, I feared that God wanted me to be more explicitly spiritual. He probably did! But, as I’ve aged, I’ve come to realize that being with God in prayer and being with God in heart is like being with a trusted friend. In an easeful friendship, friends don’t spend most of their time talking about their mutual friendship. Rather they talk about everything: local gossip, the weather, their work, their children, their headaches, their heartaches, their tiredness, what they saw on television the night before, their favorite sports teams, what’s happening in politics, and the jokes they’ve heard recently – though they occasionally lament that they should ideally be talking more about deeper things. Should they? John of the Cross teaches that, in any longer-term friendship, eventually the important things begin to happen under the surface, and surface conversation becomes secondary. Togetherness, ease with each other, comfort, and the sense of being at home, is what we give each other then. That’s also true for our relationship with God. God made us to be human and God wants us, with all of our wandering weaknesses, to be in his presence, with ease, with comfort, and with the feeling that we are at home. Our fear of God can be reverence or timidity; the former is healthy, the latter is neurotic. 4333 Pan American Fwy. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107 PHONE: (505)
247-0444 FAX: (505) 243-1505
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Faithful Citizenship: Preparing Spiritually for the Election By Ian Wood, Chief Administrator, D+E+I
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e need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern.” - Pope Francis, 9/16/13 Join D+E+I this September 11, 2016, as we participate in a discussion about our own faithful citizenship, facilitated by Fr. Robert Keller, OP. It is a topic of such importance with regard to our civic engagement that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has reemphasized the “Faithful Citizenship” document on forming conscience in order to express our values in a public forum. Each election cycle is a moment of significant change we are told, a litany dusted off every four years and given life in the context of our current reality. This list can go on at length, becoming more specific as the list is personalized. Providing Catholic insights, Fr. Robert presents the art of faithful citizenship. He will do this in a lively interactive presentation of “Faithful Citizenship: Catholic Tension Re-Visited”. As citizens of this nation, we have the right to vote. As active participants in our republic, we have a duty to vote. As Catholics, we have a due diligence to live our faith every day, in our personal life, our public life, and from there by extension into our civic life. Clearly, our values need to be expressed in an increasingly
multicultural and complex society. Arriving at this point of clarity is exactly why Fr. Robert is here. I invite you to
join us at the UNM Continuing Education Building, located at 1634 University Blvd NE, on Sunday, September 11, 2016,
from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. For more information, please call us at 505.243.0525, or email us at Contact@DEIabq.org.
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Sr. Blandina Segale, SC, Servant of God Television Series: “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail”
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n July 13, 2016 Saint Hood Productions, LLC., hosted a press event at CHI St. Joseph’s Children in Albuquerque to announce a new television series entitled, “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail”. The project tells the story of The Servant of God, Sr. Blandina Segale, a 19th century nun who resided in New Mexico. The Servant of God is now being considered through an inquiry by the Congregation for the Cause of Saints at the Vatican for Beatification and Canonization. The production will employ 150200 New Mexicans. Tomas Sanchez, Sanchez Films LLC and Mark Stenig, Maleko Grip and Rigging, will co-produce the program. Tomas Sanchez will direct the series. “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail” is anticipated to create over 1 million dollars in revenue for the State of New Mexico. Tomas Sanchez, Executive Producer and Director said “This project is really the culmination of years of effort in the form of tax rebates and other special incentives by the New Mexico Film Office to create a world-class cadre of film professionals that live and work here. What makes this project so unique is that this is a New Mexican story, funded out of New Mexico, which will employ a 98% New Mexican cast and crew. I am honored to tell Sr. Blandina’s story. This task requires lots of attention to history and demands that we hire the best New Mexican cast and crew to execute some very technically challenging film sequences.” Mark Stenig, co-executive producer said, “Our creative team has collectively been involved in over 200 films. New Mexico’s film professionals are some of the finest in the country. I am immensely proud to co-produce this homegrown television series. While this is a true story of an amazing nun who changed the history of the Southwest, it is also a fast-paced Western with Billy the Kid involved that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats.”
Allen Sanchez, President of CHI St. Joseph’s Children, Petitioner for the Cause of Canonization of the Servant of God, Sr. Blandina Segale, said, “On June 29, 2014 the Most Reverend Michael J. Sheehan, who was at that time Archbishop of Santa Fe, posted a decree on the doors of the Basilica Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, officially opening the Cause of the Beatification and Canonization of Sister Blandina Segale. For the first time in 400 years of Catholicism in New Mexico, the Vatican has given permission to open the cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Sister Blandina Segale which may lead to her being declared a Saint. This television series, which is adapted from her diaries, will tell the true story of her astonishing bravery, generosity and selflessness. Sister Blandina’s faith in the goodness of mankind and her heroic actions can inspire all people, not just Catholics. She was always recognizing the image of God in everyone and bringing out their best. It’s a story that could only be unearthed in New Mexico. Where else could one imagine a nun that stares down the barrel of a gun on a stagecoach being hijacked by Billy the Kid?” Saint Hood Productions, Executive Producer Mark Stenig and Sanchez Films, obtained the rights to the book from the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. Principal filming is scheduled to begin in October. The company is in pre-production now. Legendary film director, Robert M. Young, is a creative consultant on the project. Mr. Young is best-known best for his directorial credits on The Eskimo: Fight for Life (1970) and Alambrista, winner of the Camera D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival (1977), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) Navajo Girl and Saving Grace (1986). Nick and Zack Young, co-founders of Machineyes are the visual effects and post-editors on the film. For more information about Saint Hood Productions contact Sainthoodproductions@gmail.com or visit http://www.sanchezfilmsllc.com.
STAY TUNED FOR “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail” A New Television Series featuring the story of Servant of God, Sr. Blandina Regale. Saint Hood Productions, LLC
Pictured here left to right: Allen Sanchez, Robert Young, Tomas Sanchez.
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W O R L D & N AT I O N A L N E W S
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, speaks to journalists aboard Pope Francis' flight from Krakow, Poland, to Rome July 31. It was Father Lombardi's last occasion serving as papal spokesman. He is retiring after having served as director of the press office and Vatican spokesman since 2006. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
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The Vatican will anticipate the canonization of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata with this special postage stamp, which will be released Sept. 2, two days before Pope Francis officially declares her a saint. (CNS photo/courtesy Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office)
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Keynote Speaker: Mrs. Angela Perez Baraquio (Miss Hawaii 2000 and Miss America 2001) Friday, October 7, 2016, Hotel Albuquerque 6:00 p.m. Cocktails, Silent Auction, Basket Raffles 7:00 p.m. Dinner For more information, email: rprawdzik@archdiosf.org Online: www.asfcatholicschools.org
May God bless you richly for your much needed support!
Celebrate the canonization of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata and the Year of Mercy Pilgrimage to Italy with Archbishop John C. Wester and the Catholic Press Association
Receive Plenary Indulgence by walking through all four Holy Doors
September 1 to September 12, 2016 $3,995.00 Land and Air from JFK * Price from Albuquerque $4,295.00 $3,095.00 Land Only Single Supplement $595.00 ACT QUICKLY! ONLY 4 SEATS LEFT!
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Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe, sounds the alarm. He is calling each one of us to action to insure the well-being of our children and our future.
Symposium on Child Well-Being in New Mexico Saturday, October 1, 2016, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm St. Pius X High School Gym, 5301 St. Joseph’s Drive NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120-1713
A delicious Matanza will be provided for all!
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ew Mexico ranks highest in the United States for children living in poverty and second highest for children living with hunger. Imagine our New Mexico’s potters creating beautiful pieces of art out of pliable clay; imagine a baby’s intricate brain developing in the same fashion. Gentle hands and proper training result in magnificent works of art. The fragile development of the architecture of a child’s brain demands constant care and nurturing. When violence, poverty, hunger, homelessness, and other damaging social determinants are present, toxic stress disrupts the important synaptic development of the brain. It’s as if we were taking the beautiful clay pot and while the clay is fresh and being formed, poking holes in it, damaging it, even destroying it. The trauma greatly impacts the future of a baby and the future of our community. There are proven solutions available and together we can explore and advocate for these solutions. We have the will… we will find the way. New Mexico has been host to many important discoveries and worthy changes. We once again can rise to the challenge and find solutions to these alarming statistics. Join us for this symposium on child well-being to: first, learn about the need; second, identify the cause; and third, conclude with a united effort to explore and pursue ways to creating a strong foundation for our children’s future. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and co-sponsored by CHI St. Joseph’s Children