2A
SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
A serious threat to religious freedom
That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt
Federal mandate would require all private health plans to provide coverage for services the church declares immoral
I fully intended to publish “Part Two” of my commentary on the marvelous experience of World Youth Day in today’s column. I now hope to do so in the next issue. But, in the meantime, there has arisen a very serious threat to the religious freedom of all religious institutions, especially our Catholic health care programs and Catholic social services, a threat posed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (a Catholic), the department is imposing a “preventative services” mandate requiring all private health plans — including ones administered by the church and its agents — to provide coverage for surgical sterilizations, prescription contraceptives approved by the FDA, and “education and counseling” for “all women of reproductive capacity.”
Seismic change in approach Unfortunately, this is the logical result of a seismic change in this administration’s approach to religious groups involved in providing social services to, among others, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the immigrant. It began when President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton started using the term “freedom of worship” as distinct from what we have always known as “freedom of religion.” PLEASE TURN TO WE ON PAGE 9A
Archbishop Nienstedt’s schedule ■ Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 17-18: Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem’s annual meeting/investiture of Northern Lieutenancy held in Sioux Falls, S.D. ■ Monday, Sept. 19: 3:30 p.m., St. Paul, St. Catherine University: Blessing and dedication of new science laboratory. ■ Tuesday, Sept. 20: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archbishop’s Council meeting. 2 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of provincial bishops. ■ Wednesday, Sept. 21: 9 a.m., St. Paul, St. Catherine University: Minnesota Catholic Conference board of directors meeting. ■ Thursday, Sept. 22: 8:55 a.m., St. Paul, Hill-Murray Catholic High School: Liturgy celebrating 50th anniversary of high school. ■ Saturday, Sept. 24: 10:45 a.m., St. Paul, St. John Vianney College Seminary: Filming of the rosary (Luminous Mysteries). 8:15 p.m., Heidelberg, Church of St. Scholastica: Sunday liturgy. ■ Sunday, Sept. 25: 10 a.m., Robbinsdale, Church of the Sacred Heart: Sunday liturgy for 100th parish anniversary. 5:30 p.m., Minneapolis, Hyatt Regency Hotel: Diocesan fiscal managers conference dinner. ■ Monday, Sept. 26: 9 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of the Caleb Group. 5:30 p.m., Minneapolis, Basilica of St. Mary: Diocesan fiscal managers opening Mass. ■ Tuesday, Sept. 27: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Comprehensive Assignment Board meeting. 12:10 p.m., St. Paul, University of St. Thomas: Mass for the UST community for the 2011-2012 academic year. ■ Wednesday, Sept. 28: 8 a.m., St. Louis Park, Holy Family Catholic Church: Mass and re-dedication of Holy Family Catholic School. 3:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: The Catholic Spirit board of directors’ meeting. ■ Thursday, Sept. 29: 9 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Staff meeting. 3 p.m., Hastings,Regina Medical Center: Groundbreaking ceremony for its nursing home renovation.
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. 16 — No. 19 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher BOB ZYSKOWSKI Associate publisher
JOE TOWALSKI Editor
Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by Catholic Spirit Publishing Company.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Catholic Coalition for Church Reform It has come to the attention of the Archdiocese that the group calling itself the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform (CCCR) is planning a second “synod” in the Archdiocese, to be held in Bloomington on September 17, 2011.
Subscriptions: $29.95 per year Senior 1-year: $24.95 To subscribe: (651) 291-4444 Display Advertising: (651) 291-4444 Classified advertising: (651) 290-1631
While the purpose of the synod purports to be communicating the voice of the people throughout the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, it is not being conducted under the auspices of the Archdiocese, the universal Roman Catholic Church, or any entity or organization affiliated with the Archdiocese or the universal Roman Catholic Church.
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.
The Archdiocese wishes it to be known that the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, the 2011 synod, and individuals endorsing the same, are not agents or entities of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis or the Roman Catholic Church. Moreover, the Archdiocese wishes to lovingly caution those members of the faithful participating in activities sponsored by the CCCR or who are intending to attend the synod of the potential that the issues on which CCCR will seek reform are magisterial teachings of the Church, and are therefore to be believed by divine and catholic faith.
www.TheCatholicSpirit.com e-mail: catholicspirit@archspm.org USPS #093-580
The Archdiocese also wishes to remind the faithful of its need to shun any contrary doctrines, and instead to embrace and retain, to safeguard reverently and expound faithfully, the doctrine of faith and morals proposed definitively by the magisterium of the Church.
Appointments Two priests retire, others receive faculties, new assignments Father Gregory Welch retired from full-time ministry June 30. He had served as pastor of St. Patrick in Edina since 2004. He was ordained in 1967 and served on staff at the Catholic Youth Center in St. Paul. He began his parish FATHER WELCH ministry at St. Richard in Richfield. He also served Our Lady of the Lake in Mound, St. Mary of the Lake in Plymouth, St. Stephen in Minneapolis, All Saints in Lakeville, St. Thomas More in St. Paul and St. Austin in Minneapolis. Father Jerome Hackenmueller retired from full-time ministry July 31. He was pastor of St. Patrick in St. Paul. After his ordination in 1969, he served at St. Joseph in West St. Paul, St. Wenceslaus in New Prague, Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul and Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul. He also served in the Venezuelan mission and at the Catholic Youth Center. Three priests were granted the right to minister in the Archdiocese of St. Paul Minneapolis. They are: Father Robert Showers, OFM Conv., effective July 31, during his residency at the Franciscan Retreat Center; Father Stephan Kappler from the Diocese of Oakland, Calif., effective Sept. 1 and continuing while he completes a predoctoral internship at the Hamm Memorial Psychiatric Clinic; Father Allen Kuss from the PLEASE TURN TO APPOINTMENTS ON PAGE 9A
Join the Candlelight Rosary Procession Oct. 7 at the Capitol The Catholic Spirit Bishop Lee Piché will lead the annual Candlelight Rosary Procession from the Minnesota State Capitol to the Cathedral of St. Paul on Friday, Oct. 7. Participants will unite in prayer for their families and for greater understanding of the sanctity of marriage and family life. The gathering at the Capitol will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the procession following at 7 p.m. For information, visit FAMILYROSARYPROCESSION.ORG.
WWW.