Newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
The Catholic Spirit
New media for new evangelization Pope prepares to launch @Pontifex Twitter account
23
News with a Catholic heart
December 6, 2012
The real Third-century saint was model of charity and justice, author says
TheCatholicSpirit.com
St. Nicholas
Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season, but the man who gets much of the attention this time of year isn’t our Savior who was born in a Bethlehem manger 2,000 years ago. It’s the “jolly old elf” in the red suit riding a sleigh and delivering presents to good girls and boys. We know him as Santa Claus or St. Nick — a commercialized version of a real saint: Nicholas of Myra who lived in the third and fourth century in what is now Turkey and who was known for his generosity and commitment to justice. Adam English, an associate professor of theology and philosophy at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., has written a new book, “The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra,” telling the story of Nicholas’ faith and his role in shaping the early Christian church. English believes the life of St. Nicholas, whose feast day is Dec. 6, can be a model for refocusing on the real meaning of the season. As one reviewer noted, “Having devoted his life to serving Jesus Christ, the real St. Nicholas invites us to a truer and more joyful celebration of Christmas.” Turn to page 11 for an interview with the author.
Istockphoto.com
A man portraying St. Nicholas arrives in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in this photo from 2008.
Discover ways to keep the Advent flames burning — see pages 12 to 14
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Parishes get ready to GROW
Evidence points to created universe
Farmington parish hosts first meeting for parishlevel planning initiative. — Page 5
Fund benefits retired religious Annual collection helps those who contributed — and still contribute — to serving God’s people. — Page 3
Catholics offer help near, far Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services among agencies aiding Hurricane Sandy, Syrian civil war victims. — Page 10
Jesuit priest says some eminent scientists admit cosmos had to have a creator — Page 15
Note to readers There will be a Dec. 13 issue of The Catholic Spirit. The newspaper is normally published bi-weekly.
2
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Rediscovering our Catholic faith
That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt
New initiative aims for a more dynamic, engaged local Church of faith, hope and love
I hope readers of The Catholic Spirit have had the opportunity to read my latest Pastoral Letter on the New Evangelization, “I believed, therefore I spoke” (2 Corinthians 4:13), a letter that was published in the Sept. 27 edition of this paper. One of the main points I make in this text is the gratitude we should have for the forebearers in this local Church who made great sacrifices and bore heavy burdens in order to bring the message of the Gospel to the native people of our area, as well as to the immigrants who had come after them. Figures such as Father Louis Hennepin, Father Lucien Galtier, Father Augustin Ravoux, the Sisters of St. Joseph and Bishop Joseph Cretin are all familiar to us as heroic pioneers who established the foundation for the local Church in which we live today. We are in their debt and our gratitude should be generously authentic.
Everyone’s responsibility But, at the same time, we have learned from the Second Vatican Council that the duty to spread the Gospel applies not only to priests and religious, but also to every baptized member of the laity. In fact, in many ways, lay people are better positioned to carry out the task of evangelization in the world than clergy — at home, at work, in the neighborhood, at recreation centers, and in the great marketplace of ideas that is the modern world. Those who have left the practice of the faith or those who have never known it will be much more influenced by the way in which they see other lay men and women live the faith or hear them speak of this marvelous gift that Christ has shared with them than with the lives of priests and religious who are often quite removed from their everyday experience. For this reason, we in this archdiocese have now entered a new stage of the strategic plan for our
The Catholic Spirit The Catholic Spirit’s mission is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It seeks to inform, educate, evangelize and foster a spirit of community within the Catholic Church by disseminating news in a professional manner and serving as a forum for discussion of contemporary issues. Vol. 17 — No. 24 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher SARAH MEALEY Associate publisher
JOE TOWALSKI Editor
Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by Catholic Spirit Publishing Company. Subscriptions: $29.95 per year Senior 1-year: $24.95 To subscribe: (651) 291-4444 Display Advertising: (651) 291-4444
Archbishop’s schedule ■ Friday, Dec. 7: 11:30 a.m., St. Paul, Riverfront Crowne Plaza Hotel: University of St. Thomas Alumni Association Christmas luncheon. ■ Saturday, Dec. 8: 5 p.m., Savage, Church of St. John the Baptist: Sunday Liturgy. ■ Sunday, Dec. 9: 11 a.m., Minneapolis, Church of St. Thomas the Apostle: Sunday Liturgy. 8 p.m., St. Paul, University of St. Thomas: “Lectio divina.” ■ Monday, Dec. 10: 6 a.m., St. Paul, St. John Vianney College Seminary: Holy Hour and Holy Eucharist, followed by breakfast. 3:30 p.m., Washington, D.C., Catholic University of America: Board meeting. ■ Tuesday, Dec. 11: 9 a.m., Washington, D.C., Catholic University of America: Board meeting. ■ Wednesday, Dec. 12: 11:35 a.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Holy Eucharist, followed by lunch with seminarians. 3:30 p.m. St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting with Catholic Community Foundation staff. 5:30 p.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Stewardship reception. Please turn to ARCHBISHOP’S on page 19
parishes and schools, a plan that we embarked upon four years ago. This stage is truly crucial, and depends on the lay faithful embracing their baptismal call to be evangelists in our world. PLEASE TURN TO NEW ON PAGE 19
Hearing Tests Set for Senior Citizens Announcement — Free electronic hearing tests will be given all next week Monday thru Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. The tests have been arranged for anyone who suspects they are not hearing clearly. People who generally feel they can hear, but cannot understand words clearly are encouraged to come in for the test, which uses the latest electronic equipment. Everyone, especially those over age 55 should have an electronic hearing test once
a year. Demonstrations of the latest devices to improve clarity of speech will be programmed using a computer to your particular needs — on the spot — after the tests. See (and HEAR) for yourself if newlydeveloped methods of correction will help you understand words better. Tests will be performed at one of 20 convenient Greater Twin Cities Avada Hearing Care locations.
Call 1-877-328-9161
www.avada.com ©2012 HHM, Inc. 304
The Academy of Holy Angels Congratulates
John Bierbaum on his retirement from his post as Chief Financial Officer for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Classified advertising: (651) 290-1631 Published bi-weekly by the Catholic Spirit Publishing Company, a non-profit Minnesota Corporation, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102 (651) 291-4444, FAX (651) 291-4460. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional post offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. WWW.THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM E-MAIL: CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM.ORG
USPS #093-580
We are grateful for his service to the Archdiocese as CFO and for the many years he has dedicated to Holy Angels as a parent, Board of Trustees member, Board Chair, and active member of the community.
Best wishes!
Official His Excellency, the Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Effective November 5, 2012 ■ Deacon Michael Wurdock, appointed ad nutum episcopi to exercise the ministry of a permanent deacon at the Church of Saint Albert and the Church of Saint John the Baptist of Dayton, Minnesota. Effective November 7, 2012 ■ Reverend Dominic Assim, granted the faculties of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for the duration of his residence at the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Edina, Minnesota. Effective November 15, 2012 ■ Deacon John Wallin, appointed ad nutum episcopi to exercise the ministry of a permanent deacon at the Church of Saint Joseph the Worker, Maple Grove, Minnesota. Effective January 1, 2013 ■ Reverend Paul LaFontaine, appointed priest representative to the Comprehensive Assignment Board. This appointment is for a three-year term. Departures ■ Reverend Wilfred Lowery, CSsR, transferred from the Redemptorist Community at the Church of Saint Alphonsus of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, effective November 14, 2012. ■ Reverend Daniel (Kenneth) Moore, SEMV, transferred from the Church of Saint Francis de Sales of Saint Paul, Minnesota, to the SEMV Community in Spain, effective November 26, 2012. ■ Deacon Juan Duran Ulloa, recalled to his diocese of incardination, the Diocese of Brooklyn, effective November 19, 2012. This ends his assignment as permanent deacon at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist of Interlachen Park. The following will also be taking effect on January 1, 2013. ■ The canonical merger of the Church of Saint Joseph of Hopkins and the Church of Saint John the Evangelist of Interlachen Park. The merged parish will have the name ‘The Parish of Saint Gabriel the Archangel of Hopkins, Minnesota.’ although the parish churches will retain their original titles.
Three more parishes exceed Appeal goal Three additional parishes have now exceeded their 2012 Catholic Services Appeal goal, bringing the total number of parishes over goal to 127. The three new parishes are: ■ St. Michael, Farmington ■ St. Peter, Forest Lake ■ St. Olaf, Minneapolis Parishes that previously exceeded their goal are: St. John the Baptist, Excelsior St. Joseph, Hopkins Sts. Peter & Paul, Loretto Most Holy Redeemer, Montgomery PLEASE TURN TO PARISHES ON PAGE 23
“The worst of work nowadays is what happens to people when they cease to work.” G.K. Chesterton, Catholic theologian and apologist, debater, historian and author
Local DECEMBER 6, 2012
News from around the archdiocese
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
3
Retirement doesn’t mean religious stop working By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit
On a recent morning, School Sister of Notre Dame Jane Thibault sat at a small desk in a classroom at Hope Academy, a charter school on St. Paul’s East Side, playing word games with a second-grader and making him feel confident as he read aloud. The “retired” sister can be found here four days a week helping students in grades one to four in a tutoring program run by the School Sisters. Retired sisters, brothers and religious order priests in this archdiocese and around the country often are working as much as they ever did, but as volunteers. “The word retirement really isn’t in our vocabulary,” Sister Jane said. The Retirement Fund for Religious collection was launched in 1988 by the Catholic bishops of the United States to address the significant lack of retirement funding for Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests in religious orders. Proceeds from the collection go to religious communities to help underwrite retirement and healthcare expenses for their members.
Need for funding The crisis in retirement funding can be attributed to three primary factors: insufficient retirement savings, rising healthcare costs, and declining income, according to the Office of Retirement Fund for Religious of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “For me, joining the community in the ‘50s, we always worked in parishes and were paid a small stipend. We always had
Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit
School Sister of Notre Dame Jane Thibault helped second-grader Yeng Yang with reading at Hope Academy in St. Paul Nov. 27 as part of a tutoring program run by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
the younger generations coming up and it always leveled out,” Sister Jane said. “For many years we didn’t even have Social Security until we realized we had to join that. There’s a need, like with all the other elderly people, for help with retirement. How do we cover everything?” The 25th annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be taken up Dec. 8 and 9 in this archdiocese.
Nearly 95 percent of donations directly support senior religious and their communities. “I don’t see a phase in my life when I’m not committed to my call,” she said. “I feel called always to transform life around me, mainly through education.” After joining the School Sisters in 1954, Sister Jane taught high school for more than 30 years, most recently at Totino-
Grace High School in Fridley. After that she worked with mentally challenged young adults, helping them become independent. She also worked at the motherhouse in Mankato before “retiring” about five years ago. Of the $27.4 million that was raised nationwide last year for the Retirement Fund for Religious, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis gave more than $460,000. In 2012, the Benedictine Sisters and the Order of St. Clare in the archdiocese received financial assistance from the appeal. Religious who serve or have served in the archdiocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may also benefit from the appeal. The many School Sisters of Notre Dame that serve in the archdiocese benefit, even though after a consolidation of provinces the order is now based in St. Louis, Mo. The order, which has 1,149 members, received $676,523 last year, according to Sister Midge Breiter, coordinator of the Office of Retirement Fund for Religious of the archdiocese. Despite the unparalleled generosity to the collection, religious communities continue to face significant challenges in meeting the high costs of care. Last year’s distributions amounted to approximately $907 per eligible religious. Yet the average annual cost of care for a senior religious stands at $37,200 per person, while skilled care can exceed $56,000. In 2011 alone, the total cost of care for women and men religious was over $1.1 billion. For more information, go online to
RETIREDRELIGIOUS.ORG.
WWW.
Youth Christmas poster contest The Catholic Spirit invites young artists across the archdiocese to participate in its annual Christmas poster contest. To enter, complete and then illustrate this sentence:
“The ornament on my family Christmas tree I like best is . . .” The completed sentence must appear on the front of an 8 1⁄2 by 11-inch poster. Artists may use any media to create a vivid, colorful and memorable picture. Hint: Strong colors with lots of contrast reproduce better than soft pastels in the newspaper. Entries will be judged on originality, artistic ability and how well the artist interprets the theme. A first prize of $50 will be awarded for one poster in each category: grades three and under, grades four to six, grades seven to nine, and grades 10 through 12. Winning entries will be published in The Catholic Spirit’s Christmas edition, Dec. 20. Poster entries must be postmarked or dropped off by Dec. 14. Entries must include the artist’s name, address, telephone number, grade and parish (include city). Mail to: The Catholic Spirit Christmas Contest, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
Christmas essay contest open to all NEW THIS YEAR, Catholics of the archdiocese — adults included — may submit an essay (200 words or less) instead of a poster, answering the same question: “The ornament on my family Christmas tree I like best is . . .” There are no prizes for essays, but a selection of entries also will be published in The Catholic Spirit’s Christmas edition, Dec. 20. All essays must be postmarked or emailed by Dec. 14. They must include the writer’s name, address, telephone number, grade (for students) and parish (include city). • Mail to: The Catholic Spirit Christmas Contest, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. • Or email to: catholicspirit@archspm.org. Please write “Christmas Essay” in the subject line.
4
Local
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
Local Serra Club chapter celebrates 50 years By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit
The Serra Club of Midway St. Paul marked its 50th anniversary Dec. 3 with a celebration at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul. The 60-member group, one of two local chapters of Serra International in St. Paul, received its charter from the USA Council on Sept. 13, 1962. The group’s mission is to foster and affirm vocations to the priesthood and vowed religious life. Club member Gary Davis, who also serves as the director of USA Region 8, which includes Minnesota, presented the chapter with a certificate commemorating the anniversary during the celebration.
The Catholic Spirit
Monthly gatherings The club has a monthly Mass followed by a meeting at the Lexington restaurant on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Each meeting features a guest speaker. “My wife Lolly and I love being involved with promoting and encouraging vocations, not only to the priesthood, but religious sisters and brothers as well,” said Norb Santoski, the club’s vice president for communications. “I’m most proud of our organization’s involvement with the two local seminaries,” he said. Members support St. Paul Seminary and St. John Vianney College Seminary in a number of ways. They attend occasional Masses followed by social time with seminarians, take seminarians out for meals and host two steak fries each year, one in the fall for students at St. Paul Seminary and one in the spring for transitional deacons. Members are also welcome to attend morning Masses at
St. FrancisSt. James United School to close at end of school year
Photo by Richard Graner
Serra Club of Midway St. Paul president Jack Makowski, right, accepts a certificate commemorating the club’s 50th anniversary from USA Region 8 director Gary Davis during a luncheon Dec. 3 at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul. both seminaries. College Connection for Catholics, a program that aims to help young adults keep their faith alive by connecting them to campus ministries when they go off to college, is a national initiative that local Serrans support. “I so admire the generosity of all the Serrans in support of our local seminarians, priests and bishops,” wrote Father Michael Becker, rector of St. John Vianney Seminary and the club’s chaplain, in a short history of the group published for the celebration. The anniversary celebration — at-
tended by Archbishop John Nienstedt and Bishop Lee Piché — included a Christmas carol sing-a-long, lunch and a vocations talk by first-year seminarian Matthew Goldammer. About 135 people attended the celebration, including club members, invited priests and religious, and guests. “Our past chaplain, Father Bill Baer, entertained the crowd with many colorful stories,” Santoski said. Serra International is formally recognized by the Holy See as the global lay apostolate for vocations in the Catholic Church.
St. Francis-St. James United School in the West Seventh neighborhood of St. Paul is closing at the end of the 2012-2013 school year, school officials announced Nov. 30. Although it was sad news for the school’s 75 students and their families, principal Gail Rappé said she and her staff saw it coming for a while. Enrollment had been dropping steadily in recent years, she said. The present financial crisis was precipitated by the recent loss of a major tenant in one of the parish buildings, but there also were significant underlying sustainability issues. A task force of parish and school leaders and other stakeholders was set up in the fall to discuss the future of the school. It determined the school was not financially sustainable and recommended closure. “They have been financially fragile for a few years,” said Laurie Acker, director of urban education in the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools. “They looked at all the statistics and finances and realized that the school, with [75] kids and a lot of the families not being able to afford it, was just not financially viable.” St. Francis-St. James has received financial support to ensure its operations will continue through the end of the 20122013 school year.
Providing assistance Two parish schools merged in 1988 to PLEASE TURN TO STUDENTS ON PAGE 22
NOTICE Look for The Catholic Spirit advertising insert from
Catholic Charities in all copies of this issue.
Local
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
5
Initiative aims to help parishes ‘grow’ in mission, ministry effectiveness By Joe Towalski
of his parish community. “St. Joseph’s resides in a community that has rapidly changed from small town to a suburb with many young Leaders from five parishes gathered Nov. 27 at St. families,” he said. “We have sensed, and the GROW data Michael in Farmington for the first meeting of a new archdiocesan-supported initiative designed to help them validates, that our parishioners are more diverse than strengthen parish life and operations through a six- ever — in age, language, income and degrees of participation in parish life. month strategic pastoral planning process. “I also found it fascinating that, as a parish in the The initiative, called GROW, builds on the parish visitation process and flows from the archdiocese’s 2010 path of huge suburban housing development, we cannot strategic plan, which sets criteria for long-term parish vi- take for granted that the approximately 25 to 30 percent ability and calls for more efficient use of resources within of the incoming Catholic families will automatically worship at St. Joseph’s,” Father Jarvis added. “I found it inand among parishes and schools. Participating parishes work in conjunction with the teresting that because Catholic parishes rarely reach out Office of Parish Services, TeamWorks International and to newcomers to a community, they are vulnerable to other denominations’ outreach, and Catholic Finance Corporation to dethat one-third of Catholic newcomvelop a three-year plan for sustainers will end up in other denominaability and efficient resource mantions’ congregations. This is sobering agement. As a trustee, and an impetus to embrace the arch“Very few parishes now are doing diocese’s new evangelization effort.” strategic planning,” said Mark I think this is a Dittman, director of the Office of The GROW process will help the Parish Services. “The archdiocese very good idea. parish as it sets a course for the future, wants to reinforce and support the he said. We’re all trying viability of parishes, and the best way “We were just embarking on a to do that is to promote pastoral strategic planning process under the to get to the planning.” sponsorship of our pastoral council The goals for parishes participating when GROW was announced,” Fasame place. in GROW, he said, are that they will ther Jarvis said. “The timing is perfect “grow in clarity of their strengths, in terms of dovetailing our efforts that they will grow in intentionality JERI JOLLEY with GROW, using the tools provided and focus, particularly around their Trustee, St. Michael in Farmington and jump starting our efforts.” mission, and that their operating The five parishes who attended the choices — pastoral and administrameeting are members of the southern Region 2 vicariate tive — will be intentional and reflect their mission” as — one of three regions in the archdiocese established by well as best practices. the archdiocesan strategic plan. Examining the data Each region has a priest appointed by the archbishop Parishes meeting Nov. 27 were St. Michael in Farming- who serves as a vicar to assist him in the governance and ton, St. Joseph in Rosemount, St. Dominic in Northfield, administration of the archdiocese. Parish visitations are St. John the Baptist in Jordan and Our Lady of Guadalupe part of the vicars’ responsibilities. To participate in in St. Paul. GROW, which is offered at no cost to parishes, parishes Participants — which included pastors, trustees, parish must have had a parish visitation or have one scheduled business administrators and other parish and parish in the near future. school staff members — received a detailed GROW toolkit What’s next? outlining the process. The meeting in Farmington was the first of three in They also received and reviewed demographic infor- which the five parishes will participate. Before the next mation, including population, economic and sacramental meeting in April, leadership from each parish will review data, from TeamWorks specific to their parish. And, they the demographic and financial data they received and reviewed financial data about their parishes collected by discuss the results of parish surveys of pastoral needs Catholic Finance Corporation. that will be conducted in each parish. At a full day meetFather Paul Jarvis, pastor of St. Joseph in Rosemount, ing in July, each parish will develop a pastoral plan, said the data packaged and presented by the two organ- action steps for the first year, and identify next steps for izations gave him insight into some of the pastoral needs communicating and implementing the plan. The Catholic Spirit
“
”
Another round of three GROW meetings begins in January for parishes in the northwest (Region 3) vicariate and in April for the northeast (Region 1) vicariate. Parishes that don’t participate in the initial round of meetings will have an opportunity to join the process when a new cycle of meetings begins, as space allows. “As a trustee, I think this is a very good idea,” said Jeri Jolley of St. Michael in Farmington. “We’re all trying to get to the same place.” “Maybe because we’re all thinking about this now, we can help each other because we do have a connection with our neighbors,” she said, and “can help each other learn best practices — what works, what doesn’t work.” Such sharing also is one of the goals of GROW — by planning in a group, parishes in a region have the opportunity to share insights with other parishes as they plan. And, the archdiocese will be better equipped to identify planning challenges and allocate resources to meet the needs of parishes and schools. As a result of the GROW planning process, the person in the pew “should see more and better information about the parish — about its ministries, about its operations,” Dittman said. “Ideally, the person in the pew will be exposed to more of the value of the parish. . . . They will see an increase in intentionality about a parish’s operations and ministry.”
How has Jesus given you “a reason for hope?” The Rediscover initiative — to be unveiled during the Advent season — invites fellow Catholics to rediscover a real and personal relationship with Jesus and re-engage in the full life of the Church. In light of this, The Catholic Spirit is inviting Catholics who have rediscovered the depth and beauty of our Catholic faith to share their stories. ■ Were you sleepwalking in your Catholic faith for a time? If so, what woke you up from your spiritual slumber to re-engage with it? Was there a trigger or perhaps a series of triggers over time? Was there a person who made a huge difference in your faith who challenged or encouraged you? What continues to nourish the fire of faith in your heart? ■ Are you a convert? Or were you away from the faith for a time? What happened that drew you to (or back to) Christ and his Church? ■ What
Share your story about how you rediscovered your Catholic faith
did it mean to you to come back into full life in the Church? How has it changed you or affected those around you?
Send your story — 300 words or less — to The Catholic Spirit: ■ By
email to: CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM.ORG. Write“Rediscover Faith Story”in the subject line; or
■ By
postal mail to: “Rediscover Faith Story,”c/o The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
If you know someone whose story will truly inspire, please encourage them to submit their story as well. A selection of stories will be published in future issues of The Catholic Spirit and online at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. Please include your name, parish and a daytime telephone number at which you can be reached if we have questions.
6
Local
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
Catholic Spirit Christmas basketball tourney set By Dave Hrbacek
when the coach found out there were openings for this year’s tournament. McKee said the school features one player who is a Division I recruit. Rosemount, meanwhile, had an overall record of 11-16 last year. The tournament schedule for Day 1 is as follows: ■ Wayzata vs. Hill-Murray, 3 p.m.; ■ Rosemount vs. Providence Academy, 4:45 p.m.; ■ Cretin-Derham Hall vs. St. Agnes, 6:30 p.m.; ■ Milwaukee Bay View vs. Holy Angels, 8:15 p.m. Game times for Days 2 and 3 are the same, with losing teams playing each other in the early games on Day 2, and winning teams playing later. Then, on Day 3, there will be games for seventh place (3 p.m.), fifth place (4:45 p.m.), third place (6:30 p.m.) and first place (championship game, 8:15 p.m.).
The Catholic Spirit
Once again, boys basketball fans will have the chance to get their fill of hoops right after they celebrate Christmas. The Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament begins Dec. 27 and runs for three days, with the finals at 8:15 p.m. Dec. 29. As usual, there will be eight teams, with four games each day. The tournament will take place at the Anderson Athletic and Recreational Complex at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Last year’s winner returns Six of last year’s teams are returning, including the champion, Wayzata, and the runnerup, Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul. Other returnees are Holy Angels in Richfield, St. Agnes in St. Paul, Hill-Murray in Maplewood and Providence Academy in Plymouth. Wayzata has won the tournament two years in a row and Cretin-Derham Hall has finished second both times. “I think Cretin’s team is a lot younger this year than they have been,” said tournament organizer Bill McKee, who coaches at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. “But, they’ve got [sophomore Sam] Neumann who started last year as a freshman. He’s going to be a tough matchup for anybody. He’s a nice player.” Two teams are new this year — Rosemount and Milwaukee Bay View. McKee said the Wisconsin school was looking for a holiday tournament and called him
Looking back
Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
In action from The Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament last year, Sam Neumann of Cretin-Derham Hall guards Wayzata’s Drake Mjaanes during the championship game. Wayzata won, 75-71, and took home the first-place trophy for the second straight year.
McKee has coached two teams that have played in the tournament, CretinDerham Hall and Blaine, and won championships with both teams. Cretin-Derham Hall’s last championship came in 2009, and the Raiders have won the tournament a total of six times (more than any other team), and have finished second six times. In fact, they have failed to reach the championship game only three times. They played Rosemount twice last season, winning once and losing once.
Local businessman seeks preliminary injunction from HHS mandate By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit
Facing the prospect in January of either having to violate Church teaching or leave his employees without health insurance, Twin Cities’ Catholic business owner Stuart Lind has filed a motion in federal court for relief from the Obama administration’s contraception mandate while the lawsuit he and another local Catholic businessman filed last month opposing the requirement is pending.
Follow up
Lind is seeking a preliminary injunction from the HHS mandate (called so because the Department of Health and Human Services is enforcing it as part of the Affordable Care Act), which requires forprofit businesses to provide insurance coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortifacient drugs for their employees or face substantial fines. Next year, non-profits also will have to comply with the mandate. In their lawsuit, Lind and co-plaintiff Tom Janas claim that the mandate not only is forcing them to violate their constitutional right to free exercise of religion but also is creating a competitive disadvantage if they don’t offer health insurance, according to attorney Erick KaarPLEASE TURN TO BUSINESSMAN ON PAGE 7
Ave Maria Academy Presents
An Evening Evening with
CARDINAL BURKE Tuesday, T uesday, December cember be 18th Medina Golf Medina Golf & Co C ountry Club ub Country 6:30 pm T icke kets f or D inner Tickets for Dinner & Program Program: dividual: vidua $75 Individual: remiere: er $250 Premiere:
P Please lease jjoin oin A Ave ve M Maria aria A Academy cademy aass we we welcome welcome Raymond Raymond Cardinal Cardinal Burke, of the the Supreme Supreme Tribunal Tribunal of of the the Apostolic Apostolic Signatura Signatura & p past ast Burke, Prefect Prefect of Archbishop who ho w will ill speak speak on: on: Archbishop of of St. LLouis, ouis, w “V irtue: How uild a B etter Future” Future” “Virtue: Build Better How We We B A re w elcome. P remiere tticket he o pportunity to to Allll aare welcome. Premiere holders will have opportunity icket h olders w ill h ave tthe at tend a p rivate rreception eception w attend private with ith the the Cardinal. Cardinal.
Classes begin Februaary 2013 Contact gradtheology@stthomas.edu or call (651) 962-5050. www.saintpaulseminary.org
FFor or more more information information and to to purchase purchase tickets, tickets, contact contact Mary M ary Hodgdon at at 952-237-8423, or by by email at at CardinalDinner@avemariaacademy.org. C ardinalDinner@avemariaacademy.org. www.AveMariaAcademy.org
SOD057713
Local
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
MissionTree offers another way to give Website offers donors opportunity to sponsor specific persons or projects and follow their progress online
in part because he learned that many young men who want to attend seminary in the Chipata mission don’t have the funds. “A major focus for us will always be vocations because we believe that that is the seed for so much of what the By Susan Klemond Church is capable of,” he said. “In some ways, it’s almost For The Catholic Spirit like an eternal reward to fund someone becoming a Three years ago, Brandon Zingsheim was moved by priest or a sister.” the mission appeal that Zambian priest Father Dennis MissionTree also is interested in helping women reliPhiri made at his parish, St. John the Baptist in New gious and with humanitarian projects such as building Brighton, and he wanted to know more about the wells in other countries and regions. Zingsheim is conpriest’s diocese and vocations work. sidering applications from Africa and Central America. But then he wondered, “OK, I put my dollar in the MissionTree donors can designate which project or collection plate — now what? What happens? I never person they’d like to fund. They are able to see the perhear back. He’s never going to come back to our parish.” centage of funds raised for each seminarian, along with These questions led Zingsheim, a software engineer, a personal bio and blog, Zingsheim said. They are also to develop with the help of a team an interactive website able to pledge prayers for the young men. called MissionTree, which offers donors the opportunity The site makes it possible to donate almost in real to not only electronically sponsor specific persons or time, Deacon Friesen said. “It’s not like you’re becoming projects in a mission diocese but also to learn about and a pen pal with a seminarian but you have the ability to follow them through onhear from them and to be line biographical articles, able to support them and blog updates and photos. pray for them,” he said. Since its official launch “It puts a little more of a It’s a whole other way of in June, the site, SUPPORT face on it this way that thinking about how we MISSIONS.ORG, has raised has not been possible bemore than $15,000 for tufore.” support mission vocations ition and expenses of five It’s a tangible way to overseas. seminarians from the get involved, said MisChipata mission diocese sionTree board member in Zambia — the home of Mike Brashier, who atDEACON MICKEY FRIESEN Father Phiri, he said. tends the Cathedral of St. Archdiocesan Center for Mission The website “creates Paul. “You almost foster this sort of one-to-one rerelationships with the lationship that wasn’t really possible before,” said Dea- people you’re giving to.” con Mickey Friesen, director of the archdiocesan Center Seeking to complement existing mission relationfor Mission, which awarded Zingsheim a grant for the ships, Zingsheim is working with the Center for Mission project. “It’s a whole other way of thinking about how to introduce the site to parishes. “Depending on the we support mission vocations overseas.” needs of the parish and depending on what the desires are of social justice ministries, we’ll be inclined [to offer] Great potential brochures to suggest MissionTree as a partner for them Initially focused on African vocations, Zingsheim to engage with,” he said. hopes to add other types of mission projects to the MisZingsheim added: “The whole objective of our minsionTree site. It helps donors get more involved in mis- istry is to make this information transparent for people sion work, either individually or through their parishes, and to do it consistently, regularly, with feedback and where MissionTree organizers seek to develop partner- giving people a real sense that there’s fruit coming from ships, he said. their donation.” As evidence of the growing relationship between MisThough donors don’t have to be Catholic, MissionsionTree, St. John the Baptist and the Chipata mission, Tree enables them to answer the Catholic call to mission the diocese’s bishop, George Lungu, concelebrated and work, which the mission churches themselves are anspoke at weekend masses at the parish in October. swering, he said. With more than 1,150 young and developing dioceses The site is a means to bring people to Christ — both in 120 countries, there is no shortage of possible proj- donors and recipients, Brashier said. “We recognize the ects, Deacon Friesen said. “Potentially there are all these need of this kind of avenue for outreach to be able to mission dioceses. This is a perennial need to have the evangelize the world,” he said. “It will, I think, bring a resources to train their future leaders.” streamlined way to do charitable giving and also just Zingsheim decided to take on the vocations projects evangelize on other levels.”
“
”
As The n in irit e s e lic Sp o h t Ca
$
10
+ tax & shipping
www.jackcassidymn.com
7
Businessman seeks relief from federal contraceptive mandate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 dal of Minneapolis-based Mohrman & Kaardal, P.A., who together with ActRight Legal Foundation of Indiana, is representing the two men in the case. When the motion for an injunction is heard in U.S. district court on Jan. 4, it will be the first time a Minnesota judge will interpret whether the mandate sufficiently accommodates religious objections, he said. Decisions on similar cases around the country, including another injunction granted on appeal to a Missouri company in late November, are strengthening the Minnesota case, he said. Because Lind, a parishioner at Holy Trinity-St. Augustine in South St. Paul, has fewer than 50 employees at his medical device company, Annex Medical, the government doesn’t require the business to provide a health plan as it began requiring larger companies to do last summer. But he has been unable to find a plan that doesn’t require the coverage because under the mandate, all health plans must include it. He must either add the coverage or drop the health plan altogether when it comes up for renewal on Jan. 31, Kaardal said. “Mr. Lind is between a rock and a hard place and he’s concerned that there will be a detrimental effect to his business because he can’t comply with the HHS mandate and his personal view, and continue in good standing with the Church’s teaching,” he said. Without health insurance, Lind may have trouble retaining some of his 18 skilled employees who construct devices used with endoscopes at the nearly 25-year-old company. “It’s going to make it hard not only to retain employees but to get new ones because basically out there the standard for professionals is you provide benefits,” Kaardal said.
Getting attention Locally, Lind and Janas’ case has attracted attention from Minnesota businesses and others, Kaardal said. Nationally, in addition to the Missouri case, two other injunctions against the mandate have been granted to for-profit companies and more cases are pending. Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby is seeking an injunction on appeal, while a hearing on another appeal brought by two religious colleges is scheduled for this month. The merits of Lind and Janas’ case for the injunction and lawsuit are pretty clear: the government’s failure to provide religious accommodation, Kaardal said. “There aren’t many disputed facts,” he said. “The HHS doesn’t accommodate religious objections of our clients.”
TheCatholicSpirit.com
8
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
The Council at 50 The priest: Ever growing for his people The following is one of a series of blog posts on the Second Vatican Council published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Vatican II, which drew together the world’s bishops, opened 50 years ago in St. Peter’s Basilica, Oct. 11, 1962.
“The pope wrote that within the Church, the priest is a ‘man of
communion.’ This phrase captures the heart of priesthood: a man in communion with God who is called to become a mediator of this relationship, bringing God to people and people to God.
”
ARCHBISHOP ROBERT CARLSON
By Archbishop Robert Carlson The qualities of today’s priest stood out in “Presbyterorum Ordinis” (of the Order of Priests), the “Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests” promulgated Dec. 7, 1965 by the Second Vatican Council. The decree highlighted the call to preach the Gospel to all people as the “first task of priests.” The Council refocused the Church on the centrality of the Word of God and raised the Liturgy of the Word to greater prominence within the Mass. Since then, priests have worked to improve the quality of preaching to move the hearts of both priest and the faithful to conversion and a more dedicated fidelity to Jesus Christ. The “Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests” speaks of priests as the “indispensable helpers and advisers” of the bishops in the ministry of teaching, sanctifying and shepherding the People of God. Since this decree, the Church has developed the presbyteral council, a group of priests chosen by the bishop to advise him in diocesan matters. The most important development occurred with Pope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation “I Will Give You Shepherds.” The pope wrote that within the Church, the priest is a “man of communion.” This phrase captures the heart of priesthood: a man in communion with God who is called to become a mediator of this relationship,
bringing God to people and people to God. This happens in many ways, and especially at Mass. As a man of communion, the priest also is called to become “a man of mission and dialogue.” Priesthood is never simply about the priest. It is about mission — carrying the message of Jesus Christ into a world hungry for meaning and purpose. It is about dialogue — bringing people within the Church and outside of it into community. The priest is to be a man of witness and a man of peace.
Focus on formation The “Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests” called for the Church to engage in the “progressive formation” of priests. Since then, a great deal of vision and effort has gone into the formation of priests after their ordination. Blessed John Paul spoke with eloquence on this need for the ongoing formation of priests quoting St. Paul in his Second Letter to Timothy: “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you.” The U.S. bishops promulgated the “Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests” in June 2000 to implement the pope’s vision for the renewal of priests here in the United States. This “rekindling” must happen in several areas. The priest is called to grow in human formation, the decree
said, “to develop and sharpen his human sensitivity” to understand the needs and unvoiced questions of his people. He needs spiritual formation, to deepen his relationship to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. He needs intellectual formation to be an ongoing student of Scripture, theology and the culture in which he lives. And, he needs ongoing pastoral formation to help him grow in his pastoral charity, exercising a shepherd’s care for his people. In other words, he is to grow in the virtue of love. Each priest is called to engage in this formation as a young, middle-aged or older priest. Finally, “The Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests” calls priests once again to imitate Jesus the Master: They are to serve and not be served. They are called to improve their ability to listen before they speak. This humility is central to the spirituality of the priesthood and is an ever-present challenge to any attitudes of superiority or pride. Clericalism has no place in a Church that seeks to evangelize — to bring Christ and his love to the world. Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis chairs the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.
The entrance/placement testing is January 19, 2013 (except Cretin-Derham Hall)* from 8:15 - 11:45 a.m. at your first choice school.
Attend an open house at a Catholic High School . . . and find out how you can AIM HIGHER in your education and in life! www.aimhigher.org
Faribault
Minneapolis
St. Paul
BETHLEHEM ACADEMY (507) 334-3948 www.bacards.org Please call to schedule a visit.
CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL (612) 545-9700 www.cristoreytc.org Every Tuesday, September through April at 7 p.m.
CRETIN-DERHAM HALL HIGH SCHOOL (651) 690-2443 www.c-dh.org Please call to schedule a visit. *Testing Date: January 12, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.
Fridley TOTINO-GRACE HIGH SCHOOL (763) 571-9116 www.totinograce.org January 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Maplewood HILL-MURRAY SCHOOL (651) 777-1376 www.hill-murray.org January 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Mendota Heights
SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY (651) 454-4570 www.cadets.com January 13 at 1 p.m. VISITATION SCHOOL (651) 683-1700 www.visitation.net January 8 at 7 p.m.
DELASALLE HIGH SCHOOL (612) 676-7600 www.delasalle.com January 17 at 7 p.m.
Plymouth PROVIDENCE ACADEMY 763-258-2500 www.providenceacademy.org January 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Richfield ACADEMY OF HOLY ANGELS (612) 798-2600 www.academyofholyangels.org January 16 at 6 p.m. April 25 at 6 p.m.
St. Louis Park BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S SCHOOL (952) 927-4176 www.bsmschool.org January 14 at 6 p.m.
SAINT AGNES SCHOOL (651) 925-8700 www.saintagnesschool.org January 8 at 6:30 p.m. April 14 at 1 p.m.
Victoria HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (952) 443-4659 www.hfchs.org January 10 at 6:30 p.m.
“Assistance to Palestinians, already heavily conditioned, is essential for humanitarian purposes and for building capacity for a future Palestinian state. Cutting aid will only harm the peace process.” Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, in a Dec. 3 letter to Congress in the wake of reports it may consider legislation seeking to “punish” Palestinians for achieving higher U.N. status
Nation/World DECEMBER 6, 2012
News from around the U.S. and the globe
U.S. gets a new cardinal
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
9
Pope makes new rules to strengthen Catholic identity of charities By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
CNS photo / Paul Haring
New U.S. Cardinal James M. Harvey lets John Stollenwerk, 8, of Mequon, Wis., try on his red zuchetto Nov. 24 following a consistory at the Vatican. Cardinal Harvey, a native of Milwaukee who has spent the last 30 years at the Vatican, was among six new cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI.
Briefly Vatican praises new U.N. status for Palestine The Vatican praised a United Nations vote making Palestine a non-member observer state but called for full recognition of Palestinian sovereignty as necessary for peace in the region. One hundred thirty-eight member states voted Nov. 29 to boost Palestine’s status from “entity” to “non-member state” — the same status held by the Holy See — in an implicit recognition of Palestinian sovereignty. Israel, the United States and Canada were among the nine states that voted against the motion. Forty-one countries abstained. But Palestine’s enhanced status at the U.N. “does not constitute, per se, a sufficient solution to the existing problems in the region,” the Vatican said. Such a solution would require “effective commitment to building peace and stability, in justice and in the respect for legitimate aspirations, both of the Israelis and of the Palestinians,” it said.
Pope says poverty a problem in fighting HIV In a special appeal against HIV and AIDS, Pope Benedict XVI called for special
attention to those unable to afford lifesaving drugs, especially pregnant and nursing women affected by the disease. The pope, speaking before World AIDS Day Dec. 1, said AIDS has caused “millions of deaths and tragic human suffering, most markedly in poorer regions of the world, which have great difficulty in getting access to effective drugs,” he said Nov. 28. The Vatican has estimated Catholic agencies provide about 25 percent of all HIV treatment and care throughout the world. The World Health Organization has estimated that perhaps as much as 70 percent of all health care in Africa is provided by faith-based organizations.
Late cardinal honored for rescuing Jews The late archbishop of Florence, Italian Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa, has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem for the role he played in a widespread network set up to rescue Jews following the Nazi occupation of Italy. During World War II, Florence was the scene of a major rescue mission in a joint effort by Jewish leaders and members of
the Catholic Church. Described in testimony of one of the Catholic rescuers as “the soul of this ‘activity of love,’” Cardinal Dalla Costa guided, initiated and encouraged Catholic clergy to participate in the network.
26 schools ‘at risk of closure’ in New York The New York Archdiocese has announced that 26 of the 159 regional, parish and archdiocesan elementary schools are at risk of closing next June. In addition, St. Agnes Boys High School in Manhattan also is at risk of closing at the end of the current school year. The Nov. 26 announcement of “at risk” schools comes two years after the archdiocese closed 20 schools as part of a reconfiguration plan. A decision about the future of Catholic schools on New York’s Staten Island has been postponed until January while the region continues to struggle with the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Archdiocesan officials are meeting with local pastors, principals, administrators and elected officials for in-depth discussions on how to best serve the needs of school families. — Catholic News Service
Warning that Catholic charitable activity must not become “just another form of organized social assistance,” Pope Benedict XVI issued new rules to strengthen the religious identity of Catholic charities and ensure that their activities conform to church teaching. The pope’s apostolic letter on the “service of charity,” issued “motu proprio” (on his own initiative), directs bishops in overseeing charitable works in their dioceses. The document, dated Nov. 11, was released by the Vatican Dec. 1. Charities approved by the church or supported by church funds “are required to follow Catholic principles in their activity and they may not accept commitments which could in any way affect the observance of those principles,” the pope wrote. The staff members of such charities must therefore “share, or at least respect, the Catholic identity” of their agencies, and exemplify “Christian life” and faith. Bishops are to provide these employees with “theological and pastoral formation” through special courses and “suitable aids to the spiritual life.” Catholic charities are forbidden to “receive financial support from groups or institutions that pursue ends contrary to the church’s teaching,” or to “accept contributions for initiatives whose ends, or the means used to pursue them, are not in conformity with the church’s teaching.” When “the activity of a particular charitable agency is no longer being carried out in conformity with the church’s teaching,” Pope Benedict wrote, the responsible bishop must inform his flock and “prohibit that agency from using the name ‘Catholic.’”
Latest effort The document is the Vatican’s latest measure aimed at reinforcing the religious identity of Catholic institutions. In May 2012, the Vatican issued rules strengthening its control over Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 164 Catholic relief, development and social service agencies around the world, including Catholic Relief Services in the United States. In the apostolic letter, the pope praised Caritas for its “generous and consistent witness of faith and its concrete ability to respond to the needs of the poor.” Pope Benedict specified that the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Vatican office in charge of coordinating and promoting charitable giving, would be primarily responsible for “promoting the application of this legislation and ensuring that it is applied at all levels.”
10
Nation/World
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
In wake of Hurricane Sandy, Catholic relief efforts stretch from New York to Cuba Catholic News Service
CNS photo / Amr Abdallah Dalsh, Reuters
Syrian children are seen at the Turkish border fence as gunfire is exchanged between members of the Free Syrian Army and armed Kurds of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party in northern Syria Nov. 25.
Amid chaos of Syrian war, refugees worry about impact on their children Catholic Relief Services is working to establish desperately needed, child-friendly social outlets By James Martone Catholic News Service
Many Syrian families fleeing war in their homeland and stranded in Turkey are desperate to provide a sense of normalcy for their children despite the chaos and upheaval of war, said the head of an emergency mission of the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services. “Both fathers and mothers’ biggest concern [is] that their children are scared and have seen terrible things . . . and need something to do,” Jennifer Poidatz, head of the agency’s Syria emergency response team, told Catholic News Service. Poidatz was in Turkey to launch a million-dollar project focused in part on providing hundreds of Syrian refugee children with urgently needed social outlets. Poidatz said assessments carried out in November showed that a primary concern of refugee parents on the border was that their uprooted and troubled children were spending long hours in cramped and crowded temporary homes with nothing to do. “Kids are withdrawn and not sleeping. This is what parents are concerned about,” said Poidatz. She said that, in response, CRS was working to establish child-friendly spaces where the children can spend time with each other under the guidance of trained staff and volunteers at facilities providing social activities, including art, theater, dance, sports, reading and games. “Parents want the best for their kids. Despite having to leave their country, they want normalcy and safety” for children “who need a safe place to go,” Poidatz told CNS Nov. 24 from Turkey’s Hatay province, which borders Syria.
Threatening kids’ future CRS’s announcement of the childfriendly spaces coincided with the publication in a newspaper of the results of a
As victims continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, several dioceses and Catholic charitable agencies are still asking for support for the affected areas. Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services are the two main charities dioceses were using to distribute these donations. Catholic Charities is working mainly in New York and New Jersey, while CRS is mostly in the Caribbean. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which has branches throughout the country, also has been asking for continued support for hurricane victims. With the memory of Hurricane Rita that hit the region hard in 2005, the Diocese of Lake Charles, La., was among the dioceses that took a second collection at Masses. “All of us here can relate to those who are recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy with its torrential rains and winds,” said a statement from Father Wayne LeBleu, secretary for the diocese’s Ministry of Pastoral Services. “We also remember the benefits of those who assisted us in our time of need and we would like to offer our prayerful support and gifts to assist those in need at this time.”
Turkish university psychological survey showing that thousands of Syrian refugee Aid for Caribbean children in the country were facing “seA planeload of nonperishable food vere psychological problems.” items — about 8,500 pounds — left Mi“This is threatenami Nov. 19 for the ing for the chilhard-hit Archdiodren’s future,” How to help cese of Santiago de Bahcesehir Univer■ Catholic Charities USA is Cuba to help the sity’s Serap Ozer — accepting cash donations to aid Catholic Church who was involved victims of Hurricane Sandy. Donations there feed people afin the survey’s fieldcan be made online at WWW.CATHOLIC fected by the ravwork — told HurCHARITIESUSA.ORG, by calling toll-free (800) ages of Sandy. riyet Daily News. 919-9338 or by mail to P.O. Box 17066, The food — cans The English-lanBaltimore, MD 21297-1066. of tuna, Vienna guage paper put the ■ Catholic Relief Services is helping sausages, Parmalat overall number of Syrian refugees as well as Hurricane milk, rice, beans Syrian refugee chilSandy victims in the Caribbean. and other nonperdren now in Turkey Donate online at WWW.CATHOLICRELIEF.ORG, ishable staples — at 60,000. by calling toll-free (877) 435-7277 or by was collected by Poidatz described mail to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. various groups in the child-friendly Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. south Florida, inspaces as “a starting cluding the Friends point” toward adof Caritas Cuba; the LaSallistas, alumni dressing the survey’s findings. “They are based on the expressed desire of parents and will provide a safe, social environment, with recreational and education activities for children that will help them to adapt to their new environment. There will be basic activities to address fear, anger, etc. . . . We are also working on linkages for professional care through referral,” Poidatz said. War between government loyalists and rebels in Syria has sent an estimated 430,000 refugees to bordering countries, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, which estimates that about 200,000 are in Turkey, mostly along the 560-mile Turkish-Syrian frontier. Turkey’s government has set up relief camps with shelter, food, health and limited education services for about 120,000 of these refugees, but UNHCR reports that as many as 80,000 more refugees live in urban areas around the camps or with relatives nearby and are not receiving this government aid.
of schools run by the De LaSalle Brothers in Cuba; the Municipios de Santiago en el Exilio, an exile group of former residents of the various towns in the province of Santiago de Cuba; and the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who have convents throughout the island. The Miami archdiocese also took up a collection over two weekends in November at all of its parishes to raise funds to aid those hit by Sandy in Cuba, Haiti and up the East Coast. Within the Archdiocese of Santiago, 100,000 dwellings were destroyed, along with 13 church buildings.
East Coast relief The Knights of Columbus tallied more than $500,000 in donations for Sandy’s victims. The amount was announced Nov. 15 by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson in Dallas at an annual meeting of Texas state leaders. In addition to more than $450,000 being distributed by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with the help of local Knights in the affected area, the organization also sent two truckloads of supplies, one to New York and one to New Jersey. The Archdiocese of New York is distributing nearly $1 million raised through parish collections to those in the archdiocese hardest hit by Sandy. Catholic Charities’ Sandy Relief Fund will forward the money to pastors in hard-hit communities so that they can provide immediate help to about 1,000 families and individuals in need. Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Camden, N.J., shut down its disaster relief operations and has switched to disaster recovery mode. According to an announcement on the diocesan website, it “will soon be coordinating clean-up crews to assist those inside and outside of our diocese. We will also continue to make special deliveries of relief supplies to parishes and communities.”
CNS photo / Shannon Stapleton, Reuters
Ted and Arlene Capeci, residents of New York’s Breezy Point neighborhood for 42 years, eat a donated Thanksgiving meal atop cardboard boxes Nov. 21. Charities and government agencies continue to assist the battered neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
11
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
Taking a closer look at the real St. Nicholas who is on that brink of hopelessness and you help them out in the name of Jesus, not because they deserve it, not because they’re high and important, but because it’s the right thing to do. He gives, for the ordinary Christian, this amazing example of Christian charity and Christian justice.
The following is an edited version of a Nov. 28 interview with Adam English, author of the new book, “The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.” It was conducted by Joe Towalski, editor of The Catholic Spirit. Q: I assume that, growing up, your ideas about St. Nicholas were like a lot of other kids’ ideas about St. Nicholas, that he was Santa Claus? I grew up in a Christian home and my parents had some misgivings, as many Christian parents do, about Santa Claus. They wanted to reinforce that Jesus is the reason for the season. But, at the same time, they also wanted us to experience the joys of Christmas morning, discovering presents under the tree. On Christmas Eve, we would read “The Night Before ENGLISH Christmas” and the biblical story from Luke. That’s another reason I became interested in St. Nicholas, because I really see that the historical person of St. Nicholas gives us a way, as Christians, to reconcile these two seemingly incompatible things — Santa Claus and the birth of our Savior. Here you have St. Nicholas, a Christian pastor, a bishop [of Myra], who models for us Christian charity and Christian virtue. So you have this connection. As Christians, I don’t think we have to simply say no to Santa Claus; we can say yes to St. Nicholas. Q: If we thought of Santa Claus more in light of St. Nicholas, and if he were modeled a little more after the real St. Nicholas, how might that change our approach to the Christmas season? I think it would broaden it in so many ways because part of what St. Nicholas challenges us to do is expand our scope for Christmas. If all you do is Santa Claus, it’s a purely domestic sort of celebration centered on the hearth and home and warm family memories. But to bring St. Nicholas into the tradition, he’s going to challenge you to move outside of your own home, to involve your community, to give beyond your own immediate family. His example is charity, not presents for his own family, but for those he didn’t even know. I think it can challenge us to do even something simple — like bake a batch of cookies with your kids and leave cookies for your neighbors, or bag up groceries and leave them anonymously on the doorstep of someone who needs them, or go to [a store] and pay off someone’s layaway bill, as we hear of people doing
New books offer wealth of options for spiritual reading during Advent
The book “The Saint Who Would be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra” by Adam C. English. Baylor University Press (Waco, Texas, 2012). 246 pp. $24.95. For more information, visit HTTP://SAINTWHOWOULDBESANTA.COM. from time to time. That’s really the challenge that Nicholas gives us: to say your giving has to be more than to the people you love, it has to be those on the outside. Q: Do you have a favorite story that you really appreciate about St. Nicholas? One of the earliest stories that circulated about Nicholas is the story in which he saves three innocent men from beheading. What I love about that story is that it makes us appreciate that Nicholas was not only interested in charity. We associate him with giftgiving and that’s right and true, but then he was also associated with justice — defending the innocent and demanding that justice be served and that people be treated fairly. There’s a side of him that was very much the lawyer, the social activist, the person that was not afraid to get his hands dirty and get in the mix of things and defend those who needed defending. We still have some residue of that when you think about Santa Claus with his list of naughty and nice, kind of weighing out deeds, maybe that’s the American residue of this virtue, of this trait. It was very much in Nicholas, this very deep concern for justice. Q: Did St. Nicholas play a significant role in early Christian history? Is he more than just the gift-giver we hear stories about? He lived at a very transitional moment in church history. When he was born [sometime after A.D. 260], Christianity was an illegal minority religion. When he died [in 343], Christianity was a legalized and a highly favored religion on the ascendancy. He attended one the most famous, most important councils in church history, the council of Nicea in
■ “Exploring Advent With Luke: Four Questions for Spiritual Growth” by Timothy Clayton. Ave Maria Press (Notre Dame, Ind., 2012). 149 pp., $13.95. ■ “A Catholic Family Advent: Prayers and Activities” by Susan Hines-Brigger. Franciscan Media (Cincinnati, 2012). 50 pp., $7.99. ■ “Advent and Christmas Wisdom from St. Vincent de Paul” by John E. Rybolt, CM. Liguori Publications (Liguori, Mo., 2012). 128
Q: Is there a meaningful way for Christians to incorporate St. Nicholas into their spiritual lives during this Advent season? I would really love to see families more fully celebrating St. Nicholas Day and using St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6, to reach out into the community as a family or as a church to make that a day of giving and a day of service, to do something for your neighbor.
You have a 10-year-old daughter. When you talk to her about St. the year 325. Nicholas, having done all this research This is where things get difficult as a and writing the book, is it a little bit historian because Nicholas, although he different than it might have been lived through all these things, he did not before you did the research? seem to necessarily contribute anything I could bore her to death with details of enormous historical importance at the now that I couldn’t do before [he time. It really is after his death that laughs]. We have always tried to tell her people begin to notice him for the small the truth; I guess that’s been our policy. things. Which is to say we’ve always told her There’s a story I spend a good bit of that Nicholas was a good, loving time recounting in the book about how Christian pastor from very old times he gives dowry money. There are three who is now dead, and that parents relive young girls who were on the verge of St. Nicholas and relive some of the destitution, one foot in the poorhouse, wonderful things he did by playing the and he anonymously in the middle of role of Santa Claus for their children and the night goes by their windows and giving gifts in the same way that St. tosses in a bag of gold three separate Nicholas gave gifts during the middle of times so that each of them can use it as a the night. dowry to marry. I guess [this That act, although approach] does really of no He gives, for the lose some of the historical childish mystery of importance — it’s ordinary Christian, Christmas eve, but not an empirewe just really felt this amazing shaping kind of that we didn’t event — really example of Christian want to be telling grabs the her that Santa imagination of the charity and Christian Claus was real and people at the time, at the same time justice.” as it does even for saying also, by the us today. It really way, Jesus is real demonstrates: ADAM ENGLISH and we’re What is Christian Speaking about St. Nicholas of Myra celebrating his virtue? What does birth on this day. Christian charity And then at some point saying, ‘Oh, and look like? by the way, Santa Claus is not real, but He doesn’t leave us sermons or everything we told you about Jesus is theological tracks or legislation. He real. I guess we just felt that if she can’t leaves us a witness, a model. And, really, trust us on the one, how’s she going to I think that’s what people need. Many trust us on the other? people are not going to take time to read a lengthy expositional sermon, but if So she still is happy to get the you can capture, in just a picture: Here’s presents, even though she knows they’re what Jesus would do, here’s what from us, and not from the North Pole. Christian charity demands — that’s what That’s the way we’ve handled it, but I captures people’s hearts and definitely feel that each parent needs to imagination. That you find somebody do what he or she feels is right.
“
pp., $10.99. ■ “Italian Christmas Eve: The Feast of Seven Fishes: A Reminiscence with Recipes” by Linda and Rocco Maniscalco. StataBuon.com (2010). 77 pp., $12.95. ■ “Holy Days: Meditations on the Feasts, Fasts and Other Solemnities of the Church” by Pope Benedict XVI. Wm. B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2012). 94 pp., $12. ■ “A Mary Christmas” by Kathleen M. Carroll. Franciscan Media (Cincinnati,
2012). 94 pp., $12.99. ■ “Holy Family Prayer Book: Prayers for Every Family” by Missionaries of the Holy Family. Liguori Publications (Liguori, Mo., 2012). 111 pp., $8.99. ■ “O Radiant Dawn: 5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath” by Lisa M. Hendey. Ave Maria Press (Notre Dame, Ind., 2012). 32 pp., $1.25. — Catholic News Service
12
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
ADVENT
Tips for celebrating Advent
— Christina Capecchi Author of “Twentysomething” column
FRIESEN
“Each night of Advent, my family gathers together before bedtime and lights the candles of our Advent wreath and turns off all other lights. We sit in quiet for several minutes as we listen to an Advent song called “Night of Silence.” At the end of the song we place a new figure on our Advent Calendar. Sometimes we offer prayers or blessings at the end of the song. Having a time of quiet together each night has helped us to create a little space of peace that Advent offers in waiting for Christ to come.” — Deacon Mickey Friesen
Director of the Center for Misson of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
FATHER BARRON
“Re-read the Infancy Narratives as they are presented in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke do more than just provide biographical details concerning the Christ child’s birth — they encapsulate his unique identity and mission and foreshadow how the world will be forever changed by the action of the
one, true God, who in Jesus Christ, accepts a real human nature, with all its implications, permits himself to be born into this world and lives real, human life. This glorious impossibility that God makes possible called the Incarnation is present in the life of the Church in myriad ways and through a careful consideration of Christ’s birth we can better appreciate and prepare ourselves for Christ as he makes himself known in his Church.” — Father Robert Barron Founder of global ministry Word on Fire
KELLY
“God chose to come into the world as an innocent, helpless, thoroughly dependent child. In that act, God surrendered to the ultimate collaboration with humanity. As we approach Advent, the theme of my prayer and reflection has been this question: When was the last time you really placed your trust in God? It would seem to me that all of us have at least one situation in our lives at the moment that needs to be surrendered to God, one situation where we are being invited to place our trust in God.” — Matthew Kelly Founder the Dynamic Catholic Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio
“As Catholics, we recognize the need for spiritual preparation during this season of Advent as we anticipate the joy of celebrating Christ’s coming at Christmas, and yet this is often the busiest time of the year for families. To ‘reclaim’ Advent in your home, simply aim to spend a few quiet moments in prayer each day around your Advent wreath, enjoying the day’s Scriptures, praying a decade of the rosary or the St. Andrew Novena together, or remembering the intentions of your loved ones. Also, remember that the ‘right time’ for prayer may vary with your family’s unique rhythm -- consider morning prayer, or even ‘carpool prayer’ on the way to school or work if traditional evening prayer doesn’t work in your home. Finally, look for opportunities to support those in need this Christmas through your own parish or great organizations like Catholic Relief Services. When we share our blessings with those in need, we bless our own families as well.”
Advent saints are role models for entering more deeply into season By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit
Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning coming, and the primary focus of the season is the comings of Jesus, past, present and future — at the first Christmas, during this holy season and at the end of our lives or at the Second Coming. Because of this strong emphasis, the sanctoral cycle, or the memorial of the saints celebrated during Advent, sometimes remains in the background, but it deserves our attention and can be helpful in our preparation for the coming of the Lord. ! Dec. 6: St. Nicholas St. Nicholas (280-345) is one of the most popular saints of Advent and Christmas. His parents were wealthy, died from the plague when he was young, and left him a considerable inheritance. At the time of his ordination, he distributed his money to the poor and thus began the tradition of St. Nick giving gifts (to learn more about the life of St. Nicholas, see page 1). As we shop for Christmas gifts, in addition
HENDEY
CAPECCHI
“The surest way for me to tap into the spirit of Advent is to give an anonymous gift to a neighbor in need. My mom began this tradition when I was young. She let me choose a classmate whose family was struggling to make ends meet and then one evening, after dark, we’d drive over, turn off the headlights and dash up to the front door to leave a gift. We gave a cute wooden Christmas tree one December, having heard they couldn’t afford a tree. Last Advent I dropped off a gift basket for a nearby family with a handicapped son. I’ve never met them but having driven by many times, I’ve come to admire them: assisting their boy in and out of vehicles, displaying a cross on their front door. Praying for them as I arranged the basket and tied a bow made it more meaningful. Advent is a time for delighting in mystery, for making our way in the dark and for lighter footsteps. This simple ritual helps me do that.”
— Lisa Hendey Author, blogger and founder of CatholicMom.com
Read about Advent’s to gifts for family and friends, it is also good to best to steer clear of sin, partic share with the needy. Nicholas went to church Christmas. It also is an opport ‘O Antiphons’ at early every morning to pray, an important that through the intercession TheCatholicSpirit.com factor in his selection as bishop. Daily prayer is nation might remain true to i indispensable in the rush to Christmas. Finally, religious liberties will be respe we should reclaim the spiritual meaning of be able to practice their faith Santa Claus. In German the word for Nicholas is “Nicklaus” or ! Dec. 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe “Klaus” for short, while Santa means holy or saint; Santa Claus, Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrates t “Saint Nicholas” or “Holy Nicholas.” Mother Mary to St. Juan Diego in 153 time of terrible racial strife between Sp ! Dec. 7: St. Ambrose Aztecs. Over the ensuing years, these St. Ambrose (340-397) was the bishop of Milan, Italy. He was unified by their common devotion to renowned as an eloquent preacher, and his words, sweet as honey, were firmly grounded on his study and reflection on Sacred Scripture. worship at the new cathedral. Our Lad saint of the Americas, especially for ra Two excellent ways to prepare for Christmas are daily Bible reading feast is a reminder that all racial and e and meditation, as well as regular Mass attendance and careful welcome and a home in our parishes, attention to the homily. St. Ambrose played a key role in the conversion of St. Augustine by teaching him the fundamentals of the Christmas, but throughout the entire Christian faith. There are many parties and family gatherings around Christmas time and in our socializing there may be opportunities to ! Dec. 13: St. Lucy share our faith or explain the spiritual meaning of Christmas. St. Lucy (d. 304) was a virgin and m the Latin word “lux” which means “li ! Dec. 8: The Immaculate Conception and filled with the light of faith, she d The Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast of the United God and refused marriage. When she States and a holy day of obligation, so we attend Mass on this day. give in, and when tortured, she faced Mary was conceived without sin, a reminder that we should do our courage and gave awesome witness to
13
T • 2012
cularly in the days before tunity to pray for our country, of the Blessed Virgin Mary our its spiritual foundation, that ected, and that Americans will freely.
e he appearance of the Blessed 31 near Mexico City. It was a paniards and Native American rival Mexican groups were o Mary and their desire to dy of Guadalupe is the patron acial and ethnic harmony. This ethnic groups must find not only during Advent and year.
martyr. Her name is derived from ight.” She was born in Sicily, dedicated herself exclusively to was assaulted, she refused to her hardships with immense o her faith. The holidays are a
Gather around the Advent wreath to pray with family, friends Advent: Week 2 — Dec. 9 The following Advent wreath prayer is intended to help busy households make Advent a prayerful time during the rush of Christmas preparations. The language is fairly simple, to be used by groups of adults or adults with children, and options are noted to allow for participation by a variety of members of the household. Leader: Today begins the second week of the season of Advent. In order to help each of us prepare our own hearts for the birth of Christ, we take these few moments each week to pray together. ! Light the first two candles on the Advent wreath. ! (optional) Read aloud Baruch 5:1-9; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6. Leader: No matter how desperate things get, our faith teaches that if we keep trusting in God and live a life guided by justice, mercy, peace – and especially love – God will keep his promise to us. In the Bible passages for this second week of Advent we are again encouraged to be better people. John the Baptist reminds us that we’d better work seriously to make straight our own paths and to clean up the wastelands in our own lives. Here’s a challenge to each and every one of us: What one thing will we do differently this week to be a better follower of Jesus? Closing prayer: Leader may read all, or others in the household may each read a segment. ! Father in heaven, this second week of Advent, help us see clearly the times when we have sinned. Accept our sorrow for having pulled away from you, and give us firm resolve to stay close to you. ! God above, help us conduct ourselves in holiness. We long to be the people you expect us to be. Help us as we strive to make our souls blameless and at peace. ! Help us, Lord, to remember that we were baptized for a reason. Help us realize our baptismal call to live as a child of God.
CNS photo/Lisa A. Johnston
time of great temptation, particularly overindulgence in food, drink and other pleasures. St. Lucy is an inspiration for us to live honorably, as in daylight (see Romans 13:12-14), without yielding to sin. ! Dec. 14: St. John of the Cross St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a Carmelite priest from Spain who is best known for his long poem, “The Dark Night of the Soul,” a reflection on loneliness and suffering. He did his best to reform the Carmelites but was harshly criticized for his efforts. John believed that his sufferings were his participation in the Cross, and that the Cross is the route to union with God. For some, December is a particularly dark time, and the best way through the low spots is to stay firmly united to Jesus, the light who conquers the darkness (see John 1:5). ! Dec. 21: St. Peter Canisius St. Peter Canisius (1521-1597) was born in Nijmegen, Holland, educated at the universities of Louvain and Cologne, became a Jesuit priest, and was one of the leading theologians of the Catholic counterreformation. He was a consultant at the Council of Trent, and then spent the next 30 years as the “second apostle of Germany,” teaching and strengthening the Catholic faith with his new catechism published in 1555. Peter remained true to the Church and its doctrine at a time when many had grown lax or left for other denominations. His memorial is timely in our increasingly secular and pluralistic culture. The Church is our home, and Jesus is the path to eternal life. Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.
! And, dear God, don’t let us miss chances this week to be welcoming to other people and to work in harmony with everyone. Help us as we try to change our ways so that we are good examples of people who love and follow the Lord.
Advent 101 The liturgical season of Advent always begins on the nearest Sunday to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (Nov. 30) and includes four Sundays. It is based on the Latin for “to come to.” Many churches will decorate during this time with purple, the liturgical color of repentance this season shares with Lent. Advent’s Scripture readings compel Catholics to “ready the way of the Lord,” combining Old and New Testament stories prefiguring Christ’s birth and second coming. Advent is a time for Catholics to prepare to: ! Celebrate the Incarnation at Christmas. ! Receive the Eucharist. ! Accept the Final Judgment at death and at the end of the world. The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” means “rejoice” in Latin and is taken for the first word in that Sunday’s Mass’ introit, or opening psalm. This Sunday reminds the faithful that joy should always be in a Christian’s heart. Advent originated as 40-day fast before Christmas as early as the fifth century, beginning around the Nov. 11 feast of St. Martin of Tours. Over the years, Advent was shortened to its present duration and the fast replaced by simple abstinence, meaning the church asks the faithful to make small sacrifices through Advent as it awaits the Christmas season. Source: The Catholic Encyclopedia
14
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
ADVENT • 2012
Advent and the art of anticipation
T
Twenty Something Christina Capecchi
There’s something about receiving an artfully wrapped gift that makes you feel special
wenty-five years ago Hallmark introduced a simple device that revolutionized the mechanics of gift giving: a paper bag attached to two handles. The gift bag freed us from tape and scissors, from sizing and snipping and folding. It enabled us to shop on the run, to pick up present and package in one quick stop — en route to the party, even. With its cheery polka dots and bold hues, the gift bag won us over, becoming the norm and often the sole present carrier at birthday parties and bridal showers. It’s sleek, modern and eminently recyclable, making the rounds from closet to closet, across neighborhoods and through extended families, sometimes returning to the original buyer. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if something’s lost with this added convenience. Back before the gift bag, presents had personality. Aunt Kathy wrapped everything in the funny pages. Grandma tied her packages in red yarn. You could trace a person’s fingerprints on the gift she had prepared. For a moment, you paused to take it in, to tilt your head and behold. The guessing was inevitable, if private — turning the gift, gauging its dimensions — and then, delight in
phone books, when we snapped pictures we couldn’t see right away and wrote articles we couldn’t publish with a click. It brings an instructive nostalgia, especially for young adults whose lives have been rewired along faster circuits.
Opening doors of hope
Stock Photo
destruction. Let the paper fall where it may. Childhood revisited.
Wrapped with love There’s something about receiving an artfully wrapped gift that makes you feel special — beauty that was assembled just for you. And nothing looks better beneath a Fraser fir than wrapped presents, a wide base leading up to that pointed star. So I decided to ditch my gift bags and take up the dying art of present wrapping. I play Bing Crosby or watch some made-for-TV holiday romance involving a widower and an angel, a small town and a Christmas-
morn kiss. Then I set to work creasing my foil gift wrap, fanning a wide, wire-rimmed ribbon and adding a tag and topper — pinecones or a cranberry strand, a glittery reindeer or a glass ornament. I think of the recipient as I wrap and I relish the details: an emerging theme, coordinating colors, signing the tag in loopy cursive. Then I tuck it away. For me, it’s a way to sink into Advent, that hushed, holy season muffled by big business. Advent reminds us how to wait and wonder, a gift we’ve never needed more. It rebuilds our muscle memory of the times we used stamps and landlines and
Pope Benedict XVI invites us to rediscover Advent every December. My favorite reflection came in his 1986 book “Seek That Which Is Above.” In it he wrote, “It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.” What more could you ask of any season than to awaken memories of goodness, of loving parents and simpler times, of childlike hope in the newborn King and a world that is nothing but open doors? Advent empties us out, clearing room on our counters and in our minds, teaching us how to delay and to believe, calling us to lose ourselves in thought of others. We slip gifts below the tree and seek that which is above. Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights. She can be reached at WWW.READCHRISTINA.COM.
“God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.” Genesis 1:31
This Catholic Life DECEMBER 6, 2012
Opinion, feedback and points to ponder
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
15
Scientific evidence points to created universe, Jesuit says By Peter Finney Jr.
Our eternal destiny becomes ““Our eternal clearer anddestiny clearerbecomes even in the
Catholic News Service
Jesuit Father Robert Spitzer — a philosopher, accountant, former university president and leadership consultant — always has had a fascination with the intersection of faith and reason. He’s smart enough to have debated physicist Stephen Hawking, an avowed atheist, on national television over the scientific underpinnings of the beginning of the universe and the theological arguments for the existence of God. In a recent address in New Orleans, Father Spitzer said the exciting news for the new evangelization being called for by Pope Benedict XVI is the recent discoveries in “space-time geometry,” prompting eminent physicists to assert the cosmos had FATHER SPITZER to have a beginning and thus had to have a creator. On the occasion of Hawking’s 70th birthday in January, physicist Alexander Vilenkin, director of the Institute of Cosmology at Tufts University, read a paper asserting just that. Science journalist Lisa Grossman, writing in New Scientist, pithily described Vilenkin’s presentation as “the worst birthday present ever.” If the rate of expansion of the universe is greater than zero — something virtually all physicists agree on — “at the end of the day we will reach an absolute beginning point prior to which the universe and multiverse (a combination of universes) were nothing,” said Father Spitzer, founder and president of the Spitzer Center for Ethical Leadership in Ann Arbor, Mich. “Physical reality itself was nothing, and the one thing we know about nothing is that it’s nothing,” he said, eliciting laughter from his audience at the annual dinner of the Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. “The second thing we know about nothing is that nothing can only do nothing, and if the only thing nothing can do is nothing, then the whole of physical reality, configured as universe or multiverse, was nothing. It could never have moved itself to something by itself, because the only thing that it could do when it was nothing is nothing.” The scientific evidence points only toward a created universe, he said. “There is something else, and that something else has to transcend the universe and be powerful enough to literally create it,” he continued. “And then, as you begin to investigate the cosmological constants, the initial conditions of the universe and multiverse, and when you look at the fine-tuning paradoxes that virtually every physicist, including Stephen Hawking, has admitted, then that creator is not just transcendent and powerful but really, really smart.” Why this is important, Father Spitzer said, is that it gives Catholics another reason to evangelize a culture that is mired in materialism and “its loss of the sense of eternal dignity.” Father Spitzer said when he teaches college students, someone usually poses the question about the existence of God and whether we really know “that Jesus walked and talked upon this earth.” “And then the rest of the classroom goes, ‘Yeah, do we really know?’” said Father Spitzer, who retired in 2009 as president of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.
clearer and even midst of theclearer darkness of in the midst of the darkness of us, as secularism. It falls upon secularism. It falls once upon us, as to church, to move again church, to move once begin the process of again to begin the process ofof healing re-evangelization, re-evangelization, healing the culture and ofof reminding the culture that and they of reminding everyone are everyone that they are transcendent. You are not transcendent. You are simply molecules andnot atoms. simply molecules and atoms. JESUIT FATHER ROBERT SPITZER
””
JESUIT FATHER ROBERT SPITZER
“The answer is, ‘Yes, I think we do know,’” he said. “What’s my point? This contemporary approach is given to us almost as a gift from God. Alexander Vilenkin says in the final part of his essay that a good argument will convince a reasonable man and that a proof will convince even an unreasonable one. Well, now that the proof is in place, cosmologists cannot even hide behind the possibility of a past eternal universe. They must confront the reality.”
Pointing to God All this allows us to answer “our kids’ questions” about the evidence for God. Father Spitzer said even recent studies about near-death experiences point to God. Dr. Eben Alexander, a Harvard-trained neurosurgeon, wrote about his experiences after being in a coma for seven days with his cortex completely shut down. “He was clinically dead and he was monitored the whole time and he actually had these experiences,” Father Spitzer said. “He could show definitively there was no physical activity that produced it. There are really good studies taking place in multiple hospitals that give evidence that human beings survive bodily death, that we have a soul that literally leaves the body.”
This is riveting evidence that God exists and is moving in the world, and Father Spitzer said, “it’s a chance for re-evangelization.” “But then it comes right back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the resurrection into glory, into unconditional love,” he said. “We do have to make it contemporary. But as we point and point again, our eternal destiny becomes clearer and clearer even in the midst of the darkness of secularism. It falls upon us, as church, to move once again to begin the process of re-evangelization, of healing the culture and of reminding everyone that they are transcendent. You are not simply molecules and atoms.” Father Spitzer, who also is founder and chairman of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith in Irvine, Calif., said the early church transformed the Roman Empire by preaching the Resurrection, the intrinsic and eternal dignity of every human being, love as the greatest commandment and the redemptive view of suffering. “We are grounded in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is with us,” Father Spitzer said. “Human beings are transcendent and destined for eternal destiny and dignity. We must evangelize it.”
16
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
Commentary
/ This Catholic Life
From orphan to archbishop: thanks to religious women The following column is reprinted from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ blog.
T Commentary Archbishop Harry J. Flynn
Read more about the collection for retired religious on page 3
hroughout the United States on the weekend of Dec. 8-9 the Church will take up the 25th annual collection for the retired religious. I have a special fondness for all religious because I deeply appreciate the sacrifices that they have made in order to serve God’s people in our country. My father died when I was 6 years of age. My older brothers were away in the military service in September of 1945. I was home alone with my widowed mother. On the day after Labor Day I woke up to begin my seventh grade at St. Columba School in Schenectady, N.Y. That morning is very clear in my memory. I found my mother dead. What was supposed to have been the day beginning seventh grade was a day in which funeral preparations were made for my mother’s burial. I will never forget that painful experience. However, when I went back to school on the following Monday
“My heart wells up with gratitude when I think of them.” ARCHBISHOP HARRY FLYNN
there was a beautiful Sister of St. Joseph, Sister William Edmund. Her family name was Mary Rose Eagan. She received me warmly and shepherded me through that seventh grade. I often wonder how I would have made it without her tender caring. She demonstrated this in so many ways — in asking me question about what I did after school, helping me with various projects and keeping me occupied as well as she could. She was and is in my memory of gratitude to this very day. Then, as I went on to high school the superior of that school was Mother Maris Stella. I remember she was principal of the high school and the grade school and superior of the convent with about 16 nuns in it. On a Friday afternoon when I would be leaving school, she would
call me and tell me to be at the convent on the following morning at 9. She wanted me to have a New York State Regent’s Diploma when I graduated from high school, and she spent her Saturday mornings, in which she could have been involved in many other pursuits, going over former Regent’s examinations so that I would be acquainted with them when I would face the examination the following June. She was outstanding in her generosity and I think of that generosity to this day.
Opportunity to help I’ve always been fond of religious brothers and sisters. I would be less than honest if I did not say that my experience was solely with the sisters and my heart wells up with gratitude when I think of them. I have observed the Church in the
United States. It is a healthy Church. Our U.S. Church has 77 million people. I have thought, and thought often, as to where the Church would be if it were not for the women religious and the men religious. The women religious taught in schools all over our country. They ministered in hospitals. They perform the works of charity. They were the face of the Church in so many different areas as were the brothers. Where would the Church be in the United States without them? Now we have the opportunity to help them in their need. They do not have the numbers coming into the religious life to support the elderly who need care. They worked for small stipends, and any other surplus income was reinvested in community ministries. As a result, they need our help now and they need it badly. It is my hope and prayer that American Catholics will show their gratitude to these valiant religious by being generous in this great collection. Archbishop Harry J. Flynn is archbishop emeritus of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Opportunity to deepen faith, take action on Immigration Sunday
S
Faith in the Public Arena Jessica Zittlow
The nation’s bishops are hopeful that immigration reform could move forward in 2013
tatewide Immigration Sunday Minnesota is being held again on the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, which is Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. This year’s observance is significant considering that 2013 may be one of the best opportunities for comprehensive immigration reform in more than a decade. In 2009, the bishops of Minnesota inaugurated Immigration Sunday to encourage Catholics to reflect on our responsibility to welcome migrants and undocumented workers into our communities, and to educate ourselves about enacting comprehensive reform of our nation’s immigration laws that protects human dignity and the well-being of immigrant families. In other words, we are presented with a two-fold challenge of faith and action: to first better recognize that “the reality of human solidarity, which is a benefit for us, also imposes a duty” (“Caritas in Veritate,” 43); and then, to ask ourselves how we, as individuals called to faithful citizenship, can be part of fixing this country’s broken immigration system in 2013.
Pilgrimage of faith, hope The right of people to migrate is listed as a fundamental human right in the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution “Gaudium et Spes” (no. 65). However, it is a right often exercised out of necessity, not choice. It often begins in poverty, fear or trauma — typically due to persecution or violence. As Pope Benedict XVI noted in his message for the 99th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, “Migrations: pilgrimage of faith and hope,” migrants have no choice but to accept through faith that they will “en-
counter acceptance, solidarity and help, that they will meet people who sympathize with the distress and tragedy experienced by others, recognize the values and resources the latter have to offer, and are open to sharing humanly and materially with the needy and the disadvantaged.” The enormity of this need requires that we look beyond the many charitable services that the Church offers to migrants and refugees to something deeper. In his message, His Holiness urges us to “promote real integration in a society where all are active members and responsible for one another’s welfare, generously offering a creative contribution and rightfully sharing in the same rights and duties.” This task is particularly important as we celebrate the Year of Faith. The pope notes that “[h]uman promotion goes side by side with spiritual communion, which opens the way ‘to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the only Savior of the world.’ The Church always offers a previous gift when she guides people to an encounter with Christ, which opens the way to a stable and trustworthy hope” (“Migrations: pilgrimage of faith and hope,” 2013). Through better understanding the spiritual goods of our faith, the Church has promoted, and often opened new paths for, the development of temporal goods. Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all forms of solidarity — between rich and poor, among nations and people (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1941-2). Through God’s grace, spiritual communion with our immigrant brothers and sisters can help us better understand authentic Christian solidarity.
2013 immigration reform While solidarity with immigrants begins through spiritual communion, it is manifested by our public actions — from charitable services to public advocacy. And, the nation’s bishops are hopeful that comprehensive immigration reform could move forward in 2013. In light of the significant bipartisan support for immigration reform emerging after this past election season, the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, Archbishop José Gomez, issued a statement calling for the newly elected Congress to enact bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. For this to happen, Catholics will need to make our voices heard on this issue. As one commentator recently described it, the current U.S. immigration system is a “Frankenstein” of intervening fixes that are “internally inconsistent, impractical to administer and impossible to navigate rules” that hurt employers, workers, and families, here and abroad. The Church’s public advocacy typically involves articulating the prin-
ciples upon which sound public policy is based. In some instances, the Church will advocate for particular pieces of legislation or work to enact legislation with certain key elements. The bishops believe any comprehensive immigration reform package should recognize these principles: ■ Persons have the right to seek economic opportunities in their homeland; conditions ought to be such that persons can work and support their families in dignity and safety; ■ Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families when they are unable to find work and therefore are unable to support their families at home; ■ Sovereign nations have a right to protect and control their borders for the common good; ■ Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection; and ■ The human rights and human dignity of all persons, including undocumented immigrants, should be respected. We encourage you to read or reread the full immigration statement from the bishops of Minnesota to better understand the Church’s teaching on immigration. It can be found on the MNCC.ORG “Immigration Sunday MN” webpage. Then, join MCC’s Catholic Advocacy Network (MNCC.ORG) for updates on how to take action. It is vital that we communicate to our congressional representatives that comprehensive immigration reform is needed immediately. Jessica Zittlow is communications associate with the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
This Catholic Life / Commentary
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
17
Start an apostolate? Insight from a guy who did
H
Faith and the Workplace Tom Bengtson
In an act of faith, Dale Ahlquist launched the American Chesterton Society in 1997, and he has been reaping blessings ever since
ave you ever wondered whether you should quit your job and start an apostolate serving God full time? A good friend of mine actually did that. Dale Ahlquist was working as a lobbyist for the National Airspace Coalition in the early 1990s, honing the skills he would need to launch the American Chesterton Society in 1997. After having worked as a project manager in real estate development, Ahlquist went to work for the NAC, heading up an effort to limit the growth of military airspace over private property. “That experience helped me to learn about the operation of a nonprofit organization,” explained Ahlquist from his home in Bloomington. “I also traveled all over the country and spoke to groups, organizing people into local coalitions. This would prove to be great training for the ACS.”
Persuasive writer At the same time, Ahlquist was developing an affinity for G.K. Chesterton, the British writer who authored thousands of essays and several books during his life, which spanned from 1874 to 1936. Ahlquist was so enamored with Chesterton’s work that he began inviting friends to get together for
monthly meetings to talk about it. Ahlquist, who grew up Baptist, felt himself called to the Catholic Church because of Chesterton’s persuasive writing; Chesterton himself converted to Catholicism in 1922. Ahlquist and his family were accepted into the Catholic Church on the Feast of the Holy Family, the Sunday after Christmas, in 1997. In February 2001, when he and his wife Laura were on a marriage retreat, Dale felt a calling to turn his love for Chesterton into a full-time apostolate. They had no savings and Laura was pregnant. “Well, let’s give it a try,” Laura said. I have always believed that one of the most important things an entrepreneur needs to be successful is a supportive spouse. With Laura’s cautious endorsement, Dale quit his work for the NAC and devoted himself exclusively to the ACS. Laura worked for the organization, too, as did their oldest daughter, Ashley. Eighteen months prior, Ahlquist had appeared on Marcus Grodi’s “Journey Home” EWTN television show. Ahlquist talked about Chesterton’s conversion and how it led to his own conversion. The producer was so intrigued by Ahlquist’s presentation that he offered him his own television series. “The Apostle of Common Sense” began running on
Changing lives
DALE AHLQUIST
EWTN in 2001. A woman in Chicago saw one of those first-year shows and immediately contacted Ahlquist. “She said she was so glad to see a TV show about G.K. Chesterton,” Ahlquist explained. “She said she had been influenced to become a stay-athome mom because of what she read from Chesterton. She said she wanted to do something to help us.” Shortly thereafter, Ahlquist and the ACS received a $30,000 donation from the woman. Ahlquist said that if there had been any doubt about venturing into the ACS full time, those doubts were dispelled by the sizable gift.
Today, with thousands of members around the world, the ACS puts on a major annual conference in addition to hosting numerous local events. ACS continues to produce its television show and publish a magazine. When he’s not traveling to talk about Chesterton to university students and other audiences, Ahlquist is writing. He has written countless essays in addition to three books on Chesterton, including the just-released “The Complete Thinker: The Marvelous Mind of G.K. Chesterton.” Ahlquist said the ACS has never made a lot of money but that God has provided for him and his family. More important, he has seen many people come to the faith or grow in their faith as a result of reading G.K. Chesterton. So if someone feels called to start an apostolate, should they? “When people ask me that question, I tell them what I did,” Ahlquist said. “To most people an act of faith seems like a big risk. But what usually happens is that God gives us a passion to do something, and then blesses us when we actually do it.” Contact the author at BENGTSON.COM.
WWW.TOM
‘Facing the Screen Dilemma’ helps navigate ‘media-saturated’ culture
E
very time you ask a question about what’s on TV, you’re doing the right thing. You are becoming more media literate. It’s perfectly fine to ask questions about the pervasive influence of commercials, the content of programming, and the seductive spell cast by the glow of the flat screen (or tube, if you’ve got an old-enough set that still works). The task becomes a critical one for parents as they grind their teeth in anxiety over making TV their children’s electronic baby sitter. Or making the computer the sitter. Or the Mark Pattison video game. A new online guide, produced jointly by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Alliance for Childhood in collaboration with an organization called TRUCE — short for Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment — helps clarify the issues for parents, and grandparents, too. Called “Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education,” the 27-page guide asks and addresses the questions about “screen time” that parents find difficult to frame, let alone resolve. “Based on mounting evidence, we are worried about the harm done to children’s health, development and learning in today’s media-saturated, commercially driven culture,” says the foreword to “Facing the Screen Dilemma.” The evidence, all duly footnoted, is daunting on its face. “Exposure to media violence is linked to aggression, desensitization to violence and lack of empathy for victims. Media violence is also associated with poor school performance,” the guide says. “For preschoolers, watching just 20 minutes of a fastpaced cartoon show has been shown to have a negative impact on executive function skills, including attention, the ability to delay gratification, self-regulation, and problem solving,” it adds. “Extensive screen time is linked to a host of problems for children including childhood obesity, sleep disturbance and learning, attention, and social problems.” But it doesn’t stop — or start — there. “On any given day, 29 percent of babies under the age of 1 are watching
The answer is not necessarily what you think. “Screens also take time away from children’s interactions with caring adults,” says “Facing the Screen Dilemma.” “Even when parents co-view television or videos with children, they spend less time engaged in other activities with their children.” And for educators clamoring for “smartboards” to take the place of the chalkboard, and parents hoping to thrust an iPad into every first-grader’s hands, the guide has some startling news. “There is no evidence to support the popular view — heavily promoted by companies that sell electronic media — that children must start early if they are to succeed in the digital age. And as smartphones and other new technologies become less expensive, more and more very young children are already spending too much time with them at home,” it said.
Guest Column
Developing other skills
What do you think? Do you agree with the conclusions of “Facing the Screen Dilemma”? Do you think the guide exaggerates the concerns about television and other electronic screen time? How do you navigate the issue of media technology in your home? Send your responses to The Catholic Spirit by email to CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM.ORG or to The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. Please include your name, city, parish and daytime telephone number at which you can be reached if we have questions. We will print a selection of responses online and in a future issue of The Catholic Spirit.
TV and videos for an average of about 90 minutes,” notes the guide. “Little is known about the amount of time children under 2 currently spend with smartphones and tablets, but in 2011 there were 3 million downloads just of Fisher Price apps for infants and toddlers.” Even so, the guide asks, “how do we best support children’s growth, development and learning in a world radically changed by technology?”
The use, or overuse, of screens at home has led educators to find out the hard way that many children new to the school environment have little if any experience at plain old tinkering. Even the basic motor skills needed to use a pair of scissors have to be taught because children’s hands have been used only to manipulate video game and smartphone controls at home. While there will always be a place in the world for ultra-rich computer geeks like Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs — neither of whom, the guide points out, came into contact with a computer until they were age 12 — there are additional kinds of learning to take place at school than computer skills. These include “physical skills, social-emotional learning, the cognitive development that stems from active exploration and problem solving in a child’s own physical environment, oral language skills, and the creative use of a wide variety of play objects. These take time and often some adult support if they are to develop fully.” The full guide can be found online at HTTP://COMMER CIALFREECHILDHOOD . ORG / SITES / DEFAULT / FILES / FACINGTHE SCREENDILEMMA.PDF. Mark Pattison is media editor for Catholic News Service.
“Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on forever the splendor of glory from God.” Baruch 5:1
18 T
HE
The Lesson Plan CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Reflections on faith and spirituality
‘Prepare the way of the Lord’ with prayer
I
n this week’s Gospel, we get a glimpse of Luke’s literary purpose of tying the inauguration of John the Baptist’s ministry to the wider world culture. In today’s terms, imagine if he said something like this: “In the fourth year of President Obama, when Mark Dayton was governor of Minnesota, under the episcopacy of John Nienstedt, the word of the Lord came to John the Baptist on the corner of Snelling and University, ‘A voice crying out in Minnesota: Prepare Deacon the way of the Lord, Leonard make straight his Andrie paths.’” By situating the event within the arena of world history, Luke heightens the significance of the Word of God that comes to John. Additionally, we catch a glimpse of Luke’s “great reversal” theme that runs throughout his Gospel. For example, he places Isaiah 40:3-5 on the lips of John the Baptist in saying that whereas valleys will be “filled,” every mountain and hill shall be made “straight.” In other words, John announces that the coming of the Lord will result in a re-
Sunday Scriptures
(Acts 28:28) is slowly beginning to unfold.
Time with the Lord Readings Sunday, Dec. 9 Second Sunday of Advent ■ Baruch 5:1-9 ■ Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 ■ Luke 3:1-6
Reflection Review the readings for this Sunday’s Mass. What sentence or phrase stands out and speaks to you?
versal of fortunes in that the humble (valleys) will be “filled,” while the prideful (mountains) will be made “straight.” The reader, for his or her part, has been prepared for this reversal in Mary’s “Magnificat,” wherein she says the Lord has “put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree” (Luke 1:46). Finally, we learn from John the Baptist that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). What Simeon had prophesied is now coming to fulfillment. For the child coming onto the scene will not only be the “glory for your people Israel,” but also a “light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 1:32). In John the Baptist’s ministry, this “word of salvation”
John’s proclamation is quite fitting for us as we “prepare the way of the Lord” this Advent season. One way we can do this, of course, is by taking some time in the “desert” like John the Baptist in sitting quietly and praying with the Lord. Without such prayer, like John, we cannot fulfill what the Lord asks of us. In prayer, the Lord can “lift us up” when we are feeling low or “bring us down from our thrones” when we are acting prideful. Second, like John, we can read and enjoy the Sacred Scriptures each day. John was a man deeply immersed in the Word of God as evidenced by his ease of quoting the prophet Isaiah. If you are not familiar with God’s Word, I suggest starting small by picking one book of the Bible and reading one chapter per day. This can be done either individually or together as a family. In doing so, pray confidently, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,” so that the word of God can come to you just as it did for John the Baptist. Deacon Leonard Andrie is in formation for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His home parish is St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights, and his teaching parish is St. Odilia in Shoreview.
DECEMBER 6, 2012
Daily Scriptures Sunday, Dec. 9 Second Sunday of Advent Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 Luke 3:1-6 Monday, Dec. 10 Isaiah 35:1-10 Luke 5:17-26 Tuesday, Dec. 11 St. Damasus I, pope Isaiah 40:1-11 Matthew 18:12-14 Wednesday, Dec. 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe Zechariah 2:14-17 Luke 1:26-38 Thursday, Dec. 13 St. Lucy, virgin and martyr Isaiah 41:13-20 Matthew 11:11-15 Friday, Dec. 14 St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church Isaiah 48:17-19 Matthew 11:16-19 Saturday, Dec. 15 Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 Matthew 17:10-13 Sunday, Dec. 16 Third Sunday of Advent Zephaniah 3:14-18a Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:10-18
When sharing the faith, keep it simple and joyful, pope says By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
In a world of hardened hearts and titillating distractions, Christians need to keep the Gospel message simple and live what they teach with love and joy, Pope Benedict XVI said. The best place to start is with one’s own family, he said, learning to spend time together, listening and understanding one another, and “being a sign for each other of God’s merciful love.” During his weekly general audience Nov. 28, the pope spoke about the challenge of communicating the saving truth of Jesus to today’s men and women whose hearts are “often closed” and whose minds are “sometimes distracted by the glitz and glam” of the material world. Pope In his catechesis to some 5,000 pilBenedict XVI grims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall, the pope said “it’s necessary to recover simplicity, to return to the essentials.” The first condition to establish is that people can legitimately talk about God because God himself speaks to humanity, the pope said. “The first condition for talking about God is, therefore, listening to what God himself has said to us,” he said. “God is not a distant hypothesis about the origin of
From the Vatican
the world” and he isn’t an abstract form of “mathematical intelligence,” rather he is real and “is concerned about us and loves us,” the pope said. In Jesus, people can see the face of God, who descended from heaven to be with humanity, “to teach us the art of living, the road to happiness, to liberate us from sin and make us children of God,” he said. “Jesus came to save us, showing us the good life of the Gospels.” Another essential condition for communicating the faith is to put Christ on center stage, not oneself, he said. When St. Paul, for example, shared the faith, he didn’t espouse a philosophy he developed or ideas he dreamed up, but rather stuck to the real presence of God in his life. The apostle “didn’t talk about himself; he didn’t want to create a fan club or lead some school of thought,” but wanted to lead people directly to Christ, the pope said. This is the style individual Christians and their communities are called to follow: “to show the transformative action of the grace of God, overcoming individualism, narrowness, egoism and indifference, and living God’s love in daily interactions,” he said. Christians need to look at how Christ communicated. He spoke about God and his kingdom showing “complete compassion for the distress and difficulties of human existence,” the pope said. Jesus communicated by continually “bending down
to mankind in order to lead them to God.” The way Jesus lived and what he preached “are entwined” and this style is “essential for us Christians and our way of living the faith in charity.” It demonstrates credibility and “that what we say is not just words, but reflects reality,” the pope said. For that reason, Christians need to be aware of the “the potential, desires and obstacles in current culture, especially the desire for authenticity, the yearning for the transcendent and concern for safeguarding creation.” That way Christians can “communicate, without fear, the answers that faith in God offers” to people’s needs and today’s challenges.
Starting at home One of the best places to start talking about God is in the family — “the first school for communicating the faith to new generations,” he said. Parents need to help their children become aware of God’s love, talk about the Christian faith, foster a critical eye toward the many influences children are exposed to and be prepared to answer children’s questions about God and religion, the pope said. But above all, he said, communicating the faith must always be done with joy — a joy that doesn’t ignore or hide from the pain, difficulties and conflicts of the world, but knows how to respond to them with Christian hope. “It’s important to help all family members understand that faith is not a burden, but a source of deep joy,” he said.
19
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
MP3 players with spiritual material reach thousands of soldiers By Chelsea Weikart
how to follow it on Facebook, how to connect a parish to the effort and how to donate money to support it.
Catholic News Service
American troops have a strong presence around the globe, serving in 75 percent of the world’s countries, yet “one soldier told me they are starving for spiritual support,” said Cheri Lomonte, founder of Frontline Faith. The Catholic nonprofit organization gives MP3 players loaded with the Mass, stories and prayers to active-duty members of the military. In the two years since its founding, Frontline Faith has distributed 30,000 MP3 players. The organization started with Lomonte, a Catholic radio host from Austin, Texas, creating a Catholic MP3 player with recordings of Mass, prayers, Scripture readings and words of encouragement to members of the military. Although the first two years of the organization brought in enough donations to cover the orders, they are left with a shortage of donation money and 1,500 requests for players they can’t fill.
Need still exists “Americans think the war is over because they see pictures of troops coming home,” Lomonte told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview. “What people don’t realize is there are still 60,000 troops in Afghanistan and there are more troops going out in December.” Lomonte came up with the MP3 idea after learning that soldiers can go months without access to a military chaplain. The aim of the player was to be a supplement to Scripture readings in response to a lack of Catholic chaplains.
Father Phil Mahalic, an Army chaplain with the rank of colonel, distributes the Frontline players to troops before they deploy and overseas when they attend Mass. He told CNS in a recent telephone interview that there are 326 slots for Catholic priests to serve as military chaplains, but only 89 of those are filled. Because of an overall shortage of priests and dioceses being reluctant to release priests they need to serve in the military as chaplains, soldiers are left with infrequent visits from chaplains. Lomonte said some soldiers go months without seeing a chaplain, let alone a Catholic chaplain. “The MP3 players are an educational tool and a spiritual motivator,” said Father Mahalic. One new tool is a series of videos called “Faith in the Crosshairs,” written and hosted by Father Mahalic, which can be accessed online for free.
CNS photo / Shamil Zhumatov, Reuters
A girl gestures to a U.S. soldier on patrol in the town of Senjaray in the Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan in this photo from last June. The Catholic organization Frontline Faith gives MP3 players loaded with the Mass, stories and prayers to active-duty members of the military.
Father Mahalic, a priest of the Diocese of Lafayette, Ind., said the players are an important evangelization tool. “They are one more step in the right direction, it gives them moral and spiritual support they need,” he added.
Last February, at the request of a Methodist pastor, a Protestant version of the MP3 player was recorded and distributed. The players cost $24 each and are specifically for active-duty military, those preparing to deploy and those in military hospitals. The website wWW.FRONTLINEFAITH PROJECT.ORG lists ways to help with the project, including
Priests released by dioceses to be chaplains serve the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, which provides pastoral care to Catholics in all branches of the military, their families and those at Veterans Affairs hospitals nationwide.
New Evangelization begins with personal encounter with Jesus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 The first stage focused on right-sizing our resources so as to have the capacity to embark upon the task of having our parishes be more dynamic communities of faith, hope and love. But this second stage, the stage we are entering now, involves a program called Rediscover: — which calls all of us to re-evaluate the meaning that our Catholic faith has in our lives. There are several components to our plan: 1) Rediscovering the place of daily prayer, especially “lectio divina,” in our lives; 2) Rediscovering a more dynamic engagement with the Sunday Eucharist; 3) Rediscovering our need for the sacrament of penance/reconciliation for the forgiveness of our sins; 4) Rediscovering a three or 10-minute testimony of why one is Catholic, a testimony that one can share with others; 5) Rediscovering our exercise of the corporal works of mercy; 6) Rediscovering a new enthusiasm for ecumenical dialogue; 7) Rediscovering the communal dimension of our Catholic journey in the faith through the special archdiocesan events that have been planned for this year.
Encounter with Jesus As Pope Benedict XVI has said so frequently, the New Evangelization begins with an intimate personal encounter with the Lord Jesus and results in a compelling witness to his Gospel that responds to a changing social and cultural environment. Ultimately, we must rediscover Jesus, so that we may rediscover, or perhaps discover for the first time, the joy and peace we are called to share with the world. Please join me in praying for the success of Rediscover:, aimed as it is at a more dynamic, engaged local Church of faith, hope and love. God bless you!
The Catholic Spirit Basketball Tournament Dec. 27, 28, 29 University of St. Thomas Anderson Athletic and Recreational Complex
Archbishop’s schedule ——————————————————— CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 ■ Thursday, Dec 13: 9:30 a.m., Mendota Heights, St. Thomas Academy: School visit with campus ministry class. 3:30 p.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: High tea with 2012 Winter Carnival royalty. ■ Sunday, Dec. 16: 10 a.m., St. Paul, Cathedral of St. Paul: Sunday Liturgy and installation of rector of Cathedral. 4 p.m., St. Paul, Town and Country Club: St. Thomas Academy board of trustees’ Christmas reception. ■ Monday, Dec. 17: 11 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: USCCB Doctrine Committee preparation. 5 p.m., St. Paul, Jesuit Novitiate: Holy Eucharist and dinner with Jesuit novices and staff. ■ Tuesday, Dec. 18: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Staff meeting. 10:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archbishop’s Council meeting. 11:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Advent open house for priests. 6:30 p.m., Edina, Medina Golf and Country Club: Ave Maria Academy dinner with Raymond Cardinal Burke. ■ Wednesday, Dec. 19: 11 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Catholic Spirit interview regarding Rediscover: program. 3 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Catholic Cemeteries board meeting. ■ Thursday, Dec. 20: 3 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Finance Council meeting. ■ Friday, Dec. 21: noon, St. Paul, Town and Country Golf Club: Archdiocesan staff Christmas luncheon. 7 p.m., Buffalo, Christ the King Retreat Center: Retreat for men interested in the priesthood.
Discover the Full Potential of Your Marriage!
Attend a
Marriage Encounter February 23rd & 24th & March 16-17 ~ Seniors 55+ Mount Olivet Conference Center in Farmington
651.454.3238
Visit www.marriages.org or call for a listing of retreats
Mention This Ad & Get $2500 Off Your Registration Fee
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT CLASSIFIED ADS CAN TURN YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS INTO CASH Call The Catholic Spirit at 651-291-4444
“A Sistine Chapel could be lost. And once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and that would be a loss. The world would be more impoverished.” Father Mark Haydu, international director of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, which financially supports preservation and restoration of the Museums’ collection
20
Arts & Culture THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Exploring our church and our world
DECEMBER 6, 2012
Nativity story’s significance continues to unfold today, Pope Benedict writes At a Vatican Museums restoration laboratory, master conservator Francesca Persegatti, left, explains restoration of a painting by Bernard Buffet to Minnesota/North Dakota members of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums: Johan van Parys, center, Sarah Hargrove and Natalie Joly. Photo courtesy of Vatican Museums
Helping to preserve world’s great artwork Local chapter of Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums supports the restoration and care of valuable artifacts By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit
The Church has a preferential option for the poor, but its Vatican Museums also seek to be a cultural extension of the Gospel to show God’s love and the Church’s interest in everyone — functions that seem to be resonating as museum attendance is up even during the economic downturn, according to Legionaries of Christ Father Mark Haydu, international director of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums (PAVM), which financially supports preservation and restoration of the Museums’ collection. “You almost notice that people are more interested in timeless, eterFATHER HAYDU nal things in the midst of the fluctuating and uncertainty of today’s economy and politics,” said Father Haydu, who was in the Twin Cities last week to meet with the Minnesota/North Dakota PAVM chapter. Along with 22 other chapters in the U.S. and Europe, members of the Minnesota/North Dakota chapter have been part of the Museums’ cultural extension of the Gospel through support for the restoration and care of a growing body of art and artifacts, including the chapter’s latest project: a fifth-century monastery excavated in recent years near one of the Church’s major basilicas in Rome, said Johan van Parys, the chapter’s board chair and director of liturgy and sacred arts at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. “The collection is so enormous that to keep up the preservation it’s a very, very expensive endeavor and it really needs to be done,” he said. “That is why we have committed ourselves to helping with that task.” Founded as the first public museum in 1503 by Pope Julius II, the Museums continue to make a broad range of works, including many donated to the popes and the Church, available to visitors from around the world. Among only a handful of museums that regularly attract more than 5 million visitors, the 12 Vatican Mu-
seums located within the Vatican walls also lend many objects to traveling exhibitions, such as the “Vatican Splendors” exhibit that came to the Twin Cities four years ago. Because of the huge number of artworks and artifacts, some dating to the 10th century before Christ, there is always need for restoration and Museum sales cover only daily operation, Father Haydu said. The Vatican Museums has in-house restorers and seven restoration labs for different types of objects, he said. “They’re material objects deteriorating over time and those beautiful objects, those inspiring objects can be lost,” he said. “A Sistine Chapel could be lost. And once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and that would be a tragedy. The world would be more impoverished.” As the need for restoration grows, the PAVM also is growing. The Minnesota chapter was founded in 2000, and its 70 members include Catholic and non-Catholics, van Parys said, adding that new chapters are forming in other parts of the country.
New projects Choosing from a “wish book” of needed restorations the Museums compile each year, the chapter has funded projects ranging from a 17th-century papal chasuble to a hammer used to verify a pope’s death to gilded sculptures of the apostles, several of which were included in the “Vatican Splendors” exhibit. More recently, the chapter has funded restoration of contemporary paintings, including Gaetano Previati’s “Stations of the Cross” and works by Bernard Buffet. While some chapters choose to fund renaissance works for which sponsorship may be easier to find, the Minnesota chapter has sponsored preservation of less well-known work, van Parys said. The chapter’s newest $1.3 million project is to help make an excavated monastery near the St. Paul Outside the Walls basilica accessible to visitors, van Parys said. “Right now you can look down on the excavation, but the plan is to build walkways within it so that people can get a much more up-close look at what has been excavated,” he said. While he encourages benefactors to support local causes, Father Haydu appreciates that they also recognize the Museums’ importance to humanity. For more about the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, visit WWW.VATICANARTPATRONS.ORG/INDEX.HTML.
Catholic News Service The Nativity story, like the whole story of Christ, is not merely an event in the past, but has unfolding significance for people today, with implications for such issues as the limits of political power and the purpose of human freedom, Pope Benedict writes in his third and final volume on the life and teachings of Jesus. “Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives” is only 132 pages long, yet it includes wide-ranging reflections on such matters as the significance of the virgin birth and the distinctive views of nature in ancient pagan and Judeo-Christian cultures. The book was published in English and eight other languages in 50 countries Nov. 21. In the book, Pope Benedict examines Jesus’ birth and childhood as recounted in the Gospels of Sts. Matthew and Luke. His interpretation of the biblical texts refers frequently to the work of other scholars and draws on a variety of academic fields, including linguistics, political science, art history and the history of science. The book’s publication completes the three-volume “Jesus of Nazareth” series, which also includes “From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration” (2007) and “Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection” (2011).
Real history Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said that the three books are the “fruit of a long inner journey” by Joseph Ratzinger, whose personal views they represent. While much of what the pope says is accepted Catholic dogma, the texts themselves are not part of the church’s Magisterium and their arguments are free to be disputed, Father Lombardi said. In his new book, the pope argues that Matthew and Luke, in their Gospel accounts, set out to “write history, real history that had actually happened, admittedly interpreted and understood in the context of the word of God.” The pope calls the virgin birth and the resurrection “cornerstones” of Christian faith, since they show God acting directly and decisively in the material world. “These two moments are a scandal to the modern spirit,” which expects and allows God to act only in ideas, thoughts and the spiritual world, not the material, he writes. Yet it is not illogical or irrational to suppose that God possesses creative powers and power over matter, otherwise “then he is simply not God.” The pope enriches the Gospel accounts with personal reflections as well as questions and challenges for his readers. For example, considering the angel’s appearance to the shepherds, who then “went with haste” to meet the child Savior, the pope asked “How many Christians make haste today, where the things of God are concerned?” Pope Benedict examines the political context of the time of Jesus’ birth, which featured both the so-called “Pax Romana” — the widespread peace brought by the Roman ruler Caesar Augustus — and King Herod’s thirst for power, which led to the slaughter of the innocents. “Pax Christi is not necessarily opposed to Pax Augusti,” PLEASE TURN TO POPE ON PAGE 24
Calendar Parish events ‘LaNatividad’ presented by the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre at the Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis — December 8: 2 p.m. at 88 N. 17th St. Songs from the Heart: French and Scandinavian songs for voice and string quartet at St. Olaf, Minneapolis — December 8: 1:30 p.m. at 215 S. Eighth St. Free admission. The St. Paul Vocal Forum performs, ‘Reflecting Mary: A Choral Midrash’ at St. Peter, North St. Paul — December 8: 7 p.m. at 2600 Margaret St. Free admission. Donations of hats and mittens will be accepted for the Mary Hall Supportive Housing Program. St. Anthony of Padua Women’s Guild Christmas craft and bake sale at Catholic Eldercare, Minneapolis — December 8 and 9: 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m Sunday at 817 N.E. Main St. Annual French Christmas Market at Our Lady of Lourdes, Minneapolis — December 8 and 9: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 1 Lourdes Place. Features French meat pies to eat while shopping or to take home, items from Paris, Catholic store and more. St. Bridget/ St. Austin arts and crafts boutique at the St. Austin campus, Minneapolis — December 8 and 9: 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at 41st and Thomas Avenue N. Features handcrafted items such as scarves, mittens, doll clothes and more. CCW craft and bake sale at St. Timothy, Maple Lake — December 8 and 9:9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at 8 Oak Ave. N. Land of Lakes Boys Choir Christmas concert and silent auction at St. Katharine Drexel, Ramsey — December 9: Doors open at 5 p.m., concert at 6 p.m. at 7101 143rd Ave. N.W. Suite G. Free will offering. A desert reception will follow.
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Don’t Miss Hill-Murray presents ‘White Christmas’ ‘Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Musical’ will be presented at Hill-Murray School in Maplewood Dec. 6 to 16. A classic-style musical based on the beloved, timeless film, this heartwarming musical adaptation features 17 Irving Berlin songs including Blue Skies, Sisters, Snow, and the perennial favorite, White Christmas. Performances are: Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. Hill-Murray School is located at 2625 Larpenteur Ave. E. For information and to order tickets, visit WWW.HILL-MURRAYTHEATRE.ORG. ceeds benefit Hope For the Journey Family Shelter. Free will offering. Reception will follow.
Prayer/ liturgies Sant’Egidio Community Evening Prayer at St. Richard, Richfield — every Thursday: 7 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S. Legion of Mary prayers in front of Planned Parenthood, St. Paul — Every Friday: 3 p.m. at the corner of Vandalia and Charles. For information, call (651) 439-9098. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at St. Bernard, St. Paul — December 9: 2 p.m. at 187 W. Geranium. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — December 16: 2 p.m. at Stanford Ave. and Prior Ave. S. All night vigil with the Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — December 7 and 8: 7 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday at 401 Concord St.
Men’s retreat: ‘The Year of Faith: To the Source of Revelation’ at Immaculate Conception, Lonsdale — December 15: 6:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at 116 Alabama St. S.E. Presenter is Father Thomas McCabe. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Immaculate Conception Round Table. Call the Parish Office (507) 744-2829 or ICPARISH@MEANS.NET to sign up for the retreat by December 13. Free will offering.
National Night of Prayer for Life at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Hastings — December 8 and 9: 9 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday at 2035 15th St. W. For information, visit WWW.SEASPARISH.ORG. National Night of Prayer for Life at st. Mark, St.Paul — December 8 and 9: 9 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday at 2001 Dayton Ave. Ecumenical Taizé prayer service at St. John Neumann, Eagan — December 11: 6:30 p.m. at 4030 Pilot Knob Road. Includes 40 to 45 minutes of music, scripture, intercessory prayer and silent meditation.
Christmas concert featuring parish choirs at St. Michael, Prior Lake — December 15 and 16: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at 16311 Duluth Ave. S.E. Reception to follow.
Healing Mass at Holy Name of Jesus, Wayzata — December 14: Rosary at 6:30 p.m. and Mass at 7 p.m. at 155 County Road 24. Father Jim Livingston will be the celebrant.
Christmas Bake Sale at St. Matthew, St. Paul — December 15 and 16: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at 500 Hall Ave. Christmas cookies, sweet breads, fruitcake, candy and other holiday treats. Sponsored by the Rosary Society/ CCW. ‘Star of Wonder’ A holiday concert at Guardian Angels, Oakdale — December 16: 7 p.m. at 8260 Fourth St. N. Features Ensemble Aventura. Pro-
ber 14: 5 to 8 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E. Cost is $12 for shrimp or steak and $15 for both. Children’s meal available for $3.
Advent ‘Advent Taizé prayer service at St. Richard, Richfield — December 7: 7:30 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S. For information, visit WWW.STRICHARDS.COM. Advent Evening Prayer at St. Cecilia, St. Paul — December 9: 7 p.m. at 2357 Bayless Place. Features cantors, choir,
Pancake breakfast at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — December 16: 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. at 4030 Jackson St. N.E. Free will offering. KC benefit breakfast at Knights of Columbus Hall, Stillwater — December 16: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1910 S. Greeley St. Cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under. KC lumberjack breakfast at Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — December 16: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 21304 Church Ave. Free will offering. Santa breakfast at St. Mary, St. Paul — December 16: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 261 E. Eighth St. Cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children.
instrumentalists and a reception. Hark the Herald Angels Sing: The Music of Mary, Mother of the Church at Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville — December 9: 2 p.m. at 3333 Cliff Road. Free admission. A CD of Christmas and Advent music will be on sale for $20 that features the Living Spirit, Exultation!, The Children's Choir, the Bell Choir, and Women's Ensemble. Advent Lessons and Carols at St. Mark, St. Paul — December 9: 4 p.m. at 2001 Dayton Ave. Features the adult and children’s choirs. Dinner will follow, cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Advent vespers with the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates at St. Catherine University chapel, St. Paul — December 9: 4:30 p.m. at 2004 Randolph Ave. A quiet hour for prayer, song and reflection. All are welcome. For information, call (651) 696-2805. Cathedral Choristers Advent concert at the Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul — December 16: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 239 Selby Ave. Concert features more than 100 singers performing Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. Free will offering, suggested donation is $15. Advent vespers with the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates at St. Catherine University chapel, St. Paul — December 16: 4:30 p.m. at 2004 Randolph Ave. A quiet hour for prayer, song and reflection. All are welcome. For information, call (651) 696-2805.
Dining out Fish fry at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Friday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. Chicken and rib dinner at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Wednesday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. KC waffle and pancake breakfast with Santa at Knights Events Center, Shakopee — December 9: 8 a.m. to noon at 1760 Fourth Ave. E. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for ages 4 to 12. KC shrimp and steak dinner at Knights Events Center, Shakopee — Decem-
Singles Sunday Spirits walking group for 50plus Catholic singles — ongoing Sundays: For Catholic singles to meet and make friends. The group usually meets in St. Paul on Sunday afternoons. For information, call Judy at (763) 221-3040 or Al at (651) 482-0406. Singles group at St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn Park — ongoing second Saturday each month: 6 :15 p.m. at 9100 93rd Ave. N. Gather for a potluck supper, conversation and games. For information, call (763) 425-0412. 50-plus Second Sunday Supper event at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — December 9: 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. dinner and 7 pm entertainment — the Roe Family Singers, local old time string band, return for our annual Christmas gathering and sing along. 4537 Third Ave. S. Cost is $10. Call (952) 884-5165 or visit WWW.SECOND-SUNDAY.ORG.
Other events St. Catherine University Women's Choir and String Chamber Orchestra candlelight Christmas concert at St. Catherine University, St. Paul — December 8: 8 p.m. in Our Lady of Victory Chapel at 2004 Randolph Ave. The St. Catherine University Women’s Choir and String Chamber Orchestra will present Gloria in Excelsis. KC Bingo at Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — December 9: 2 p.m. at 21304 Church Ave. Cost is $7 for one card, $12 for two and $15 for three. Snacks and beverages available.
School events Annual Advent candlelighting ceremony for former students of Our Lady of Peace School at William Mitchell College of Law Auditorium, St. Paul — December 8: 2 p.m. at 875 Summit Ave. There will also be a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the class of 1962. Bring a $5 donation for expenses and a treat to share.
21
Calendar Submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. Recurring or ongoing events must be submitted each time they occur. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and institutions. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your press release. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication in the calendar: • Time and date of event. • Full street address of event. • Description of event. • Contact information in case of questions. E-MAIL: SPIRITCALENDAR@ ARCHSPM.ORG. (No attachments, please.)
FAX: (651) 291-4460. MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
22
DECEMBER 6, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Vatican webcam feeds streamed live with new 'Pope App' By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
The Vatican is offering a new app that provides live streaming of papal events and video feeds from the Vatican’s six webcams. “The Pope App” also will send out alerts and links to top stories coming out of the Vatican’s news outlets, said Gustavo Entrala, founder and CEO of the Spanish firm 101.es, which developed the free app. “You’ll have almost everything that the pope does or says” delivered to a mobile device and app users “will be able to watch the pope live every time he speaks,” he told reporters during a Dec. 3 news conference at the Vatican. The app should be available Dec. 10 for iPhone and iPad while an Android version is due out in January, he said. Most people only get to watch the pope live during the satellite broadcasts of Christmas and Easter events at the Vatican, he said. “And I was wondering, ‘What if the pope could be able to reach our hands, the hands of every single person in the world’” who has access to a mobile device or smartphone, he said. “We’ll have everything the pope says directly broadcast to your phone,” for example, his Sunday Angelus, Wednesday general audience talks and other important events, he said. Users also can browse through the latest photos of the pope as well as search archived media, and all the links will be shareable online, he added. The Vatican started offering live streaming online of papal events on its Silverlight video player and through
its news portal, news.va, in 2011. The new “Pope App” will alert users when an event is about to begin and the mobile device will receive the live feed directly from the Vatican Television Center, he said. The app also will give users views from any one of the Vatican’s six live webcams. Two webcams are located on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica: one looking at St. Peter’s Square and, another at the Vatican governor’s office. Another is situated high on the colonnade around St. Peter’s Square looking at the basilica and papal apartments. One is directed at Blessed John Paul II’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica, another is high on the Vatican hill pointing toward the dome of the basilica and the last is aimed at the gardens of the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo. Entrala’s communications company also is designing a new e-book on the Year of Faith that will be released next year. Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said the Vatican has already sent out requests to every bishops’ conference in the world asking them to send his office texts, documents, photos, videos and even music tied to “local events celebrating the Year of Faith.” The first volume of the e-book will be dedicated to the pope’s contribution to the special year — all his talks and other events, he said. Then there will be one volume for each of five continents containing multimedia materials showing how the Year of Faith was celebrated and lived out locally. When the Year of Faith ends Nov. 24, 2013, “we can have the richest, largest collection possible of these celebrations,” the archbishop said.
Students at closing school to get help finding new school CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 become St. Francis-St. James United School, with both having operated independently just blocks apart prior to that. St. Francis opened in 1884, St. James in 1913. The two parishes merged in January 2011 under the archdiocese’s strategic plan. With more than six months before the end of the school year, Rappé and the Office of Catholic Schools will be working to help place the students in other Catholic schools. Leaders of nearby Catholic schools — including St. Peter Claver, Holy Spirit, Highland Catholic, St. Thomas More, and Community of Saints, all of which are within roughly a 10-minute drive of St. Francis-St. James — will be coming to the school Dec. 11 to talk with parents and give them information about curriculum, tuition and financial aid availability. “I’m confident if we have families that found a Catholic school they want to go to, we’ll do everything possible to help get them the funding to go to that school,” Rappé said. Acker said one important funding source is the Legacy Grant, which the archdiocese uses to help students and families in financial need attend urban Catholic schools. Archbishop Nienstedt also has asked the Office of Catholic Schools to work with teachers and staff at St. Francis-St. James United School to assist them in finding employment in other Catholic schools.
Classified Ads
Reach nearly 85,000 homes with Minnesota’s largest paid bi-weekly newspaper E-mail: CLASSIFIEDADS@ARCHSPM.ORG • Phone: (651) 290-1631 • Fax: (651) 291-4457 Next issue: 12-13 • Deadline: 4 p.m. 12-7 Rates: $8 per line (35-40 characters per line) • Add a photo for $25 !
ACCESSIBILITY SOLUTIONS
!
STAIR LIFTS - ELEVATORS WHEELCHAIR LIFTS
FOR HOMES, CHURCHES & SCHOOLS 10105 Arrow Lift (763) 786-2780
!
ANTIQUES
!
TOP CASH PAID For Older Furniture — Rugs — Pictures — Bookcases — Pottery — Beer 4185 Items — Toys & Misc. (651) 227-2469.
!
ATTORNEYS
!
Edward F. Gross Wills, Trusts, Probate, Estate Planning, Real Estate. Office at 35E & Roselawn Ave., St. Paul (651) 631-0616. 11270
!
BOILER REPAIR
!
KENNY BOILER & MFG. CO.
651-224-7471 344 E. University Ave., St. Paul
5725
!
CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING
www.ShowcaseRenovation.com
12910
! EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES !
! EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES !
Household Manager The Stillwater Catholic Worker Community is seeking a mature woman to manage and live at Our Lady Queen of Peace House, a home for women and their children in transition. Room and board included with this volunteer position. Details available at STMICHAELSTILLWATER.ORG or 7755 by calling (651) 430-3469.
Use Your Skills to Save Lives! Needed part time: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer for Pregnancy center.We are seeking experienced and skilled sonographer to perform quality obstetric ultrasounds. Must be ARDMS. The ideal candidates will be caring, patient-focused professionals with the ability to work independently in a fast paced environment, have critical thinking skills, decisive judgment, and the ability to write preliminary diagnostic ultrasound reports. Send Resume to: Joan Fasanello, Life Choices, Inc 411 S 08865 Main St, Phillipsburg, N.J.
HAVE YOU PLANNED FOR RETIREMENT? HAVING TROUBLE MAKING ENDS MEET? We have a fantastic opportunity, based on products which are changing people's lives! Find out how! — CALL Jenifer — (763) 923-3333.
! CASKETS — HANDCRAFTED PINE ! Beautiful, personal, affordable alternative. Steve O’Rourke (612) 822-7320. WWW.DUSTTODUSTPINECASKETS.COM 12602
!
CEILING TEXTURE
!
Michaels Painting. Popcorn & Knock down Texture, Repairs. TEXTURECEILINGS.COM (763) 12327 757-3187.
!
COUNSELING
!
A Catholic psychologist integrating Faith and psychology. It makes sense. It works. Therese McCann, MA, LP. (651) 222-5200. 7491
!
DVD TRANSFER
!
Preserve Your Slides & Film Transfer them to DVD Today! For quality transfers at great prices call Astound Video Duplication and Transfer at (651) 644-2412 7811
!
Director of Faith Formation & Elementary Catechetical Coordinator: St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Brooklyn Center is looking for an experienced, creative and highly motivated Faith Formation Director to lead its program for nearly 600 students. Fluency in Spanish and excellent communication skills are a must. Masters in theology or pastoral ministry required. Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications. See posting on the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Mpls. website WWW.ARCH 31205 SPM.ORG or call (763) 503-3315.
Business Administrator for Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Responsible for management of church finances, overall facility management and human resource management. For more information see “Careers” link at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG. Start date January, 2013 or sooner. Send cover letter and resume to Fr. David Ostrowski at D.OSTROWSKI@IHMCS.ORG. 30907
!
GREAT CATHOLIC SPEAKERS
!
CD of the Month Club Lighthouse Catholic Media Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins and more! $5/month includes shipping Subscribe online at WWW.LIGHTHOUSECATHOLICMEDIA.COM/CDCLUB Please Enter Code: 1195 11988
!
HANDYMAN
!
WE DO 1,162 THINGS AROUND THE HOME! Catholic Owned Handyman Business: We will fix/repair remodel almost anything around the home. Serving entire Metro. Call today. Mention this ad and receive 10% off labor. Handyman Matters (651) 784-3777, 12068 (952) 946-0088.
!
HEALTH INSURANCE
!
Dental, Health, Medicare Parts A, B and D, and Long Term Care Insurance. WWW. GENWORTH.COM/JERRYBIESE (612) 38212095 4363.
!
HARDWOOD FLOORS
!
Sand, patch and install. Professional and great prices. Sweeney (651) 485-8187. 10435
!
MONTESSORI TUTOR
!
Reading/Writing, Math, and basic Geometry. Pre-K-2nd Grade. Elizabeth SETONMONTESSORI@GMAIL.COM.
!
PAINTING
!
For painting & all related services. View our website: PAINTINGBYJERRYWIND.COM. Or call (651) 699-6140. 7521 Dennis Heigl Painting Interior/Exterior Reasonable, Fair Pricing. Free Estimates. (763) 543-0998 • Cell (612) 819-2438 12048 Merriam Park Painting. Professional Int./ Ext. Painting. WP Hanging. Moderate Prices, Free Estimates. Call Ed (651) 224-3660. 11269 Michaels Painting. Texture and Repair. MICHAELSPAINTINGLLC.COM. (763) 757-3187. 12327
!
PRAYERS
!
NOTICE: Prayers must be submitted in advance. Payment of $8 per line must be received before publication.” Thank you St. Jude and St. Anthony of Padua for prayers answered. C.M.
!
TUTORING
!
Basic math & science tutoring: Call Kurt (763) 331-0455 for details.
!
VACATION/FAMILY GETAWAY
!
7BR Orlando Vacation Home for Rent. Gated community. 3 miles from Disney. Sleeps 14. Perfect for large or extended family. Private pool and spa. Mention “Catholic Spirit” for additional discount. (952) 944-9500 or COLLEEN@GREENLEAFGROUP. COM. Knotty Pines Resort, Park Rapids, MN. 1, 2, & 3 bdrm cabins starting at $550/week. WWW.KNOTTYPINESRESORT.COM (800) 392-2410. 12598
All Seasons Paint & Repair. Int./Ext. Wood/ Stucco 25 yrs. Experience. Insured. Free Esti1189 mates. (651) 699-2832.
!
! PARTY & EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT !
$$$ for OLD SEWING Machines, Patterns, Fabric, Hankies, Playing Cards, Postcards, Jewelry, Old Photos, Silver + Gold, Pipes, Lighters & Misc. (612) 823-8616. 3919
Great Magical Entertaintment. All Events. MAGICIANTOMANDERSON.COM (763) 553-2079
!
PLUMBING
!
Justen Plumbing, Inc. (651) 605-5025JUSTENPLUMBING@GMAIL.COM Call or email Mike for a free estimate. 12345
WANTED TO BUY
!
Downsizing Estates, I buy van loads of old stuff + bicycles. Steve (651) 778-0571. 6158
! WEDDING/PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY ! CHOICEPHOTO.COM. Steve (651) 644-2184.
TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD HERE Call (651) 290-1631 or e-mail CLASSIFIEDADS@ARCHSPM.ORG
23
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 6, 2012
With @Pontifex, pope reaches out to new kind of followers By Carol Glatz
Tighe said. Even though he won’t be physically sending the tweets, To celebrate the launch of his the messages “are pearls of wisnew Twitter account, Pope Benedom coming from the heart of dict XVI will tweet the answers the pope’s teaching and coming to a handful of questions from from his own mind and ideas,” his Twitter followers. he said. The pope’s rare question-andTo avoid making people feel answer exchange on the social left out or underappreciated for media site shows the church not being followed by the pope, doesn’t just want to teach the the pope’s accounts won’t follow truth, but also wants to listen to anyone else on Twitter, except others, said Archbishop Claudio the other @PONTIFEX language acCelli, president of the Pontifical counts, Burke said. Council for Social CommunicaThe pope’s presence isn’t to tions. amass a fan club, but to encourThe archbishop and other Vatage all the other Catholics who ican officials spoke at a news are present and active online, conference Dec. 3 to reveal the Msgr. Tighe said. Even though pope’s new Twitter account the pope won’t be using the site @PONTIFEX. to retweet, follow others or comBuilding bridges ment, his presence is meant to Starting Dec. 12, the feast of “encourage them to engage in Our Lady of Guadalupe, the debate and discussion” with CNS / Vatican pope will send messages in eight their fans and followers. languages, including Arabic, This is a screen capture of Pope Benedict XVI’s newly created Twitter account. The pope will begin tweetThe Vatican isn’t afraid of the ing Dec. 12 using the handle @Pontifex. from eight different Twitter aclikelihood of insults or criticism counts. @PONTIFEX is the English being aimed at the pope on faith sent to the pope on Twitter via the hashtag #ASKPONfeed while the other language accounts use an extension Twitter, both Burke and Msgr. Tighe said. TIFEX, he said. of the main handle. For example, the Spanish feed is “It’s a free market of ideas and that’s good,” said Burke. The very first question came in during the news con@PONTIFEX_ES. ference announcing the initiative. It was in Spanish and The monsignor added it would be worse to have kept The handle “Pontifex” was chosen because it means asked: “What is the core of the message of the Gospel the pope out of the Twittersphere out of fear of engage“pope and bridge builder,” said Greg Burke, media adviser and how can we help to share it?” he said. ment and then to leave that space “vacant.” for the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. The name suggests While it’s expected people will send questions that are “reaching out” and bringing unity not just of Catholics off-topic — like one asking who will win an upcoming ‘Through the roof’ “but all men and women of good will,” he said. Claire Diaz-Ortiz, manager of social innovation for sports match — only questions dealing with the Catholic Twitter, told Catholic News Service that before the acMsgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the communications faith will get serious consideration, said Burke. council, said the pontifex name also “refers to the office The pope will personally send the inaugural tweets count was made public, @PONTIFEX had 11 followers. more than the person,” that is, it highlights the leader of around noon Dec. 12 at the end of his general audience. Within an hour of its unveiling, it had more than 14,000 the church and the Catholic faithful. The Q&A exchange will be offered just that one time, followers, she said, which was “a pretty great feat” conA more practical consideration was that numerous per- and the rest of the papal news feeds will be excerpts from sidering the figure snowballed from the Tweets of the mutations of the name Pope Benedict XVI were already his general audience talks, Angelus addresses or other pontifical council, Vatican Radio and fewer than 100 reporters at the Vatican news conference. taken by other people not affiliated with the pope, important speeches, Burke said. whereas the handle “Pontifex” was available. Diaz-Ortiz said she works with “high profile” religious Each tweet will be crafted by a Vatican official and the Using a handle that wasn’t already taken meant the pope will review and approve each one before it is sent leaders and started helping the Vatican in the spring of 2012 expand its presence by opening a papal account. Vatican didn’t have to “go around and get people to va- from the Vatican Secretariat of State’s offices, he said. cate the space,” the monsignor said. “The thing we see with religion and what makes it so The papal tweets will be posted with some regularity The pope’s first tweets from the new accounts will be but won’t be too frequent given the time constraints of interesting,” she said, “is that their engagement levels responses to four or five questions about the Catholic the pope and that each tweet needs his approval, Msgr. are really through the roof.” Catholic News Service
Parishes exceeding Catholic Services Appeal goal now at 127 All Saints, Lakeville St. Paul, Ham Lake Sacred Heart, Robbinsdale St. John Vianney, South St. Paul St. Mark, St. Paul St. Thomas More, St. Paul Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul St. Ambrose, Woodbury St. Francis Xavier, Buffalo Immaculate Heart of Mary, Minnetonka St. Michael, Prior Lake St. Mark, Shakopee St. Timothy, Blaine Our Lady of the Prairie, Belle Plaine St. Charles, Bayport St. Patrick, Faribault St. Mary, Bellechester St. Joseph, Miesville St. Dominic, Northfield Risen Savior, Burnsville Sacred Heart, Rush City St. Patrick, St. Paul Holy Spirit, St. Paul Corpus Christi, Roseville St. Pius X, White Bear Lake St. Michael, West St. Paul St. Ignatius, Annandale St. Hubert, Chanhassen St. Luke, Clearwater St. John the Evangelist, Hopkins St. John the Baptist, Jordan St. Timothy, Maple Lake
Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville St. Bartholomew, Wayzata St. Joseph the Worker, Maple Grove St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis Ascension, Minneapolis St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bloomington Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights St. Margaret Mary, Golden Valley Our Lady of Grace, Edina St. Patrick, Edina Immaculate Conception, Madison Lake St. Andrew, Elysian Divine Mercy, Faribault Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers St. Cecilia, St. Paul Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, St. Paul St. Catherine, Jordan Our Lady of the Lake, Mound Assumption, Richfield St. Raphael, Crystal St. Henry, Le Center St. Patrick, Oak Grove St. Mary, Hampton St. Mathias, Hampton St. Genevieve, Centerville St. Michael, Stillwater St. John the Baptist, Vermillion St. Nicholas, Elko New Market St. John, St. Paul St. Rose of Lima, Roseville
St. Joseph, West St. Paul St. Peter, Mendota St. Mary of Czestochowa, Delano St. Thomas the Apostle, Corcoran St. John the Baptist, Savage Holy Rosary, Minneapolis Our Lady of Lourdes, Minneapolis St. Peter, Richfield Good Shepherd, Golden Valley St. Mary of the Lake, Plymouth St. Mary, Le Center St. Pius V, Cannon Falls St. Rita, Cottage Grove St. Francis of Assisi, Lakeland St. Joseph, Rosemount St. Francis Xavier, Taylors Falls Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul St. Francis De Sales, St. Paul St. Adalbert, St. Paul St. Jerome, Maplewood St. Nicholas, Carver All Saints, Minneapolis St. Anthony of Padua, Minneapolis Holy Family, St. Louis Park St. Michael, Pine Island St. Paul, Zumbrota St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Hastings Ascension, Norwood Young America St. Anne-St. Joseph Hien, Minneapolis St. Casimir, St. Paul St. Katharine Drexel, Ramsey St. Louis, King of France, St. Paul
St. John the Baptist, Hugo St. Boniface, St. Bonifacius St. Odilia, Shoreview St. Anne, Hamel St. Helena, Minneapolis Our Lady of Victory, Minneapolis Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minneapolis St. Bridget of Sweden, Lindstrom St. Patrick, Jordan St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake Sacred Heart, St. Paul St. Stephen, Anoka St. Albert, Albertville St. Michael, St. Michael St. Mary, Stillwater St. Agatha, Rosemount St. Joseph, Taylors Falls Holy Trinity, Waterville St. Michael, Kenyon St. John the Baptist, Dayton Lumen Christi, St. Paul St. Agnes, St. Paul St. John the Evangelist, Little Canada Nativity of Mary, Cleveland St. Stephen, Minneapolis The CSA has now reached more than $9.4 million in pledges and gifts. If you would like to make a pledge/gift to the CSA, please go to WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG/APPEAL to donate online; or if you have questions, contact the Development and Stewardship Office at (651) 290-1610.
“Work is a prayer. And I start off every morning dedicating it to our Creator.” Dr. Joseph Murray, the Catholic surgeon who conducted the world's first organ transplant, who died Nov. 26
24
Overheard THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Quotes from this week’s newsmakers
Pope welcomes ‘people of the traveling show’
DECEMBER 6, 2012 “Many Lebanese families have welcomed Syrian families into their own homes. They’re not relatives, they’re just people in need, and they’ve been welcomed. But the welcome is wearing thin.” — Hessen Sayah, project manager for Syrian refugees for Caritas Lebanon, the local church’s charitable agency, on the flood of refugees fleeing to Lebanon to escape Syria’s civil war
“You are called to give witness to the values that are part of your tradition: love for the family, tenderness toward children, attention to those with disabilities, care for the sick and the valuing of the aged with their wealth of experience.” — Pope Benedict XVI, speaking Dec. 1 to an estimated 8,000 performers and carnival workers gathered at the Vatican as part of a pilgrimage sponsored by Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers
CNS photo / Paul Haring
Pope Benedict XVI pets a lion cub during an audience with circus performers and music bands in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 1. The Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers sponsored a “people of the traveling show” pilgrimage to the Vatican as part of its Year of Faith activities. The pilgrimage participants, who came from 15 countries, met the pope after parading down the main boulevard leading to St. Peter's Square and watching a short performance by jugglers, clowns and acrobats in the Vatican audience hall.
Sacred Heart connects buildings by adding new gathering space Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale celebrated its 100th anniversary by completing a building project that adds a new gathering space and connects three buildings – the church, school and actitivies building. The The 14,000-square Catholic Spirit feet of new space was dedicated after the 10 a.m. Mass Dec. 2 by Bishop Lee Piché. The project also featured the addition of school offices, four new classrooms and an elevator to make the space handicapped accessible. Total cost of the project is $2.5 million, with $1.8 million raised so far through the parish campaign, called Focus on Facilities.
News Notes
Eagles win football title, BA, Holy Family second Totino-Grace High School in Fridley won its second consecutive state football championship over Thanksgiving weekend. The Eagles trounced Owatonna 49-21 Nov. 24 to capture the Class 5A title and finish the season undefeated at 13-0. They defeated Apple Valley 42-14 in the quarterfinals and Bemidji 23-0 in the semifinals. Two other Catholic high schools also played in state championship games. In Class A, Bethelehem Academy in Faribault was edged by Mahnomen 2014, finishing with a record of 11-3. In Class 4A, Holy Family High School in Victoria was defeated by Hutchinson 67-7, and finished with a record of 10-4.
Got an idea for a News Note? Email it to CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM.ORG
“It’s a good message for young kids saying you can do what you can set your mind to. Helping the environment is one of the ways that can help change the world.” — Fourteen-year-old Catholic high school student Ashley Cortes, one of the 10 artists who recorded volume one of “Pacha’s Pajamas,” a cartoon about protecting the environment
Pope writes about human freedom CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 he writes. “Yet the peace of Christ surpasses the peace of Augustus as heaven surpasses earth.” The political realm has “its own sphere of competence and responsibility;” it oversteps those bounds when it “claims divine status and divine attributes” and makes promises it cannot deliver. The other extreme comes with forms of religious persecution when rulers “tolerate no other kingdom but their own,” he writes. Any sign God announces “is given not for a specific political situation, but concerns the whole history of humanity,” he writes. The pope writes that the Three Wise Men symbolize the purification of science, philosophy and rationality. “They represent the inner dynamic of religion toward self-transcendence, which involves the search for truth, the search for the true God,” the pope writes. The pope also argues that the star of Bethlehem was a true celestial event. It “seems to be an established fact,” he writes, that the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happened in 7-6 B.C., which
“as we have seen is now thought likely to have been when Jesus was born.”
Freedom in obedience A key topic in the book is the role of human freedom in God’s divine plan for humanity. “The only way [God] can redeem man, who was created free, is by means of a free ‘yes’ to his will,” the pope writes. It is precisely “the moment of free, humble yet magnanimous obedience,” such as Mary and Joseph showed when listening to God, “in which the loftiest choice of human freedom is made.” Jesus, too, in his human freedom, understood he was bound to obedience to his heavenly father, even at the cost of his earthly life. The missing 12-year-old, rediscovered by an anxious Mary and Joseph in the Temple, was not there “as a rebel against his parents, but precisely as an obedient [son], acting out the same obedience that leads to the cross and the resurrection,” the pope writes. Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection is a story filled with contradiction, paradox and mystery, the pope writes, and “remains a sign of contradiction today.”