The Catholic Spirit – December 08, 2011

Newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Tips to welcome faithful back into fold

The Catholic Spirit

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News with a Catholic heart

December 8, 2011

Celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe

13 TheCatholicSpirit.com

IN THIS ISSUE

Transforming the lives of women Ministry of Mothers Sharing to celebrate 20 years of spiritual support

By Julie Pfitzinger For The Catholic Spirit

Passion for leading

An unforgettable moment of transformation occurred for Jean Glaraton during a Ministry of Mothers Sharing retreat at Transfiguration Church in Oakdale several years ago.

The mother of four children, now ranging in age from 5 to 18, had recently left her full-time nursing job to become a stay-athome mom and was struggling to adjust to the change.

At the retreat focused on “The Blessings of Motherhood” and facilitated by ministry co-founder Benedictine Sister Paula Hagen, Glaraton’s heart opened to a message that changed her.

“I truly realized what I was doing for my family was as valuable as anything I could be doing outside my home,” Glaraton said.

“Motherhood is a call to holiness.

It is part of your being.”

Part of the mission of the Ministry of Mothers Sharing, a national program and outreach ministry of St. Paul’s Monastery in Maplewood that was launched in 1992 by Sister Paula, Vickie Jennett and Tricia Hoyt, is to help women enhance their prayer lives and find spiritual support in a faith-sharing environment with other mothers.

Sister Jancy Nedumkallel, principal of St. Bernard School in Cologne, is driven to help the school thrive and survive.

— page 3

PLEASE TURN TO MINISTRY ON PAGE 18

Helping us prepare for Christmas Archbishop John Nienstedt writes about why to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation this Advent.

— page 2

Basketball tourney schedule set

“I realized, through being part of a ministry group, that everything we do as mothers really is a little act of God.

”

SAMANTHA BARRON Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

Samantha Barron helps her son Afton, 6, get ready for a Dec. 3 karate class. Barron says that her experiences with the Ministry of Mothers Sharing group at her parish have made her realize the importance of the little things that moms do.

The annual Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament is set for Dec. 28 to 30.

— page 4

CD ushers in new liturgical voice Liturgical composer Father Jan Michael Joncas reviews “I’m Lifted Up: Songs and Psalms.”

— page 16

Skaters to pop out of spectacular Cathedral background in January

By Pat Norby The Catholic Spirit

An estimated 75,000 people are soon expected to gather at the Cathedral of St. Paul over three days.

The crowds will be outdoors, watching a Red Bull Crashed Ice extreme sports event that will appear to pop off the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul on Jan. 12, 13 and 14.

The event, which is referred to as a “downhill ice cross,” pits international competitors skating down a specially designed ice ramp. To see a video of the competition, visit WWW.REDBULLCRASHEDICE.COM. Then imagine the picturesque view of the Cathedral of St. Paul behind the racers (see illustration of the proposed ice ramp course on page 5).

During a Dec. 5 press conference, St. Paul Mayor Chris PLEASE TURN TO CATHEDRAL ON PAGE 5

Courtesy of Red Bull

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DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Confession helps us prepare for Christmas

That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

If sin is what makes us miserable, its remission should be a great cause for Advent joy

In a little pamphlet he wrote for priests in 2009, Msgr. Stephen Rossetti listed 10 steps to priestly holiness. The first step seemed rather obvious, “Cease any serious sin.”

Msgr. Rossetti comments that, after working with priests for 17 years at St. Luke’s Institute in Maryland, he believes this fundamental need has to be said clearly and directly. Habitual, mortal sin chokes our capacity for holiness.

Consequences of sin The monsignor goes on to point out that society today has little room for spiritual realities and spiritual truths. God, he says, is not so much disbelieved as ignored and, consequently, spiritual realities fade into obscurity. When believers, for example, no longer acknowledge the existence of “hell,” they lose their awareness of the devastation of sin and its real consequences.

Rossetti writes: “Sexual affairs, abusing young people, addiction to drugs or alcohol, Internet pornography, stealing Church monies, and the like become deadly to the human spirit. Sin destroys our journey into God and thus our journey into joy.

Contrary to the demonic message of our time, it is sin that makes us miserable and joyless.”

The “Good News,” of course, is that there is no sin that cannot be overcome by God’s grace with our own cooperation. It is never too late

The Catholic Spirit

Archbishop’s schedule ■ Saturday, Dec. 10: 5:15 p.m., Watertown, Church of the Immaculate Conception: Sunday Liturgy.

■ Sunday, Dec. 11: 11 a.m., Richfield, Church of St. Richard: Sunday Liturgy.

7 p.m., St. Paul, University of St. Thomas: “Lectio divina.”

■ Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 12-13: Catholic University board meeting, Washington, D.C. ■ Tuesday, Dec. 13: 5:30 p.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Christmas dinner with Archbishop Flynn.

■ Wednesday, Dec. 14: 10:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting with archdiocesan vocation director.

11:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Advent open house for archdiocesan priests.

3:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: The Catholic Spirit board meeting.

■ Thursday, Dec. 15: 9 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting with staff.

10:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting with state representatives of the Knights of Columbus.

3 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Finance Council meeting.

■ Friday-Saturday, Dec. 16-17: Buffalo, Minn., Christ the King Retreat Center: Retreat for men discerning the priesthood.

to repent of our sins.

Advent is a different kind of penitential season than Lent. In these short weeks, we remember the birth of Christ to Mary in Bethlehem, we celebrate his coming among us in the church’s sacraments and we prepare for his future coming at the end of time.

All of us — priests, religious and laity alike — need to prepare ourselves spiritually for each of these comings. The first way to do so, of course, is to cease committing any serious sins.

During these days of Advent, our priests will generously offer multiple occasions for the sacrament of

penance/reconciliation. As you know, auricular confession, that is, confessing our sins, number and kind, to a priest is still very much a part of our church’s life. If one is conscious of committing serious sin, auricular confession is required prior to receiving Holy Communion. But the need for a good confession goes far beyond that particular provision. Indeed, confession is good for the soul.

I, therefore, encourage all of us to prepare for the arrival of Christmas by confessing our sins to a priest. If sin is what makes us miserable, its remission should be a great cause for Advent joy!

God bless you!

Big on service, not on waste

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.

MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT 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 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

Archdiocese announces official parish mergers, clergy assignments and a retirement The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced that three canonical mergers will be official on Jan. 1: St. Austin of Minneapolis into St. Bridget of Minneapolis; Most Holy Trinity in St. Louis Park into Our Lady of Grace in Edina; and St. Vincent in St. Paul into the Cathedral parish of St. Paul.

The mergers outlined in the October 2010 archdiocesan strategic plan had been scheduled to take place after any appeals to Archbishop John Nienstedt and the Vatican’s CongrePLEASE TURN TO APPOINTMENTS ON PAGE 4

Tell us about your greatest Christmas blessing The Catholic Spirit is asking readers to answer the question: “What is the greatest Christmas blessing you have ever received?”

Send us your answer, 250 words or less, and we’ll print a selection of responses in the newspaper’s Dec. 22 Christmas issue and online at THE CATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. Send your answers either by email or postal mail: ■ By email to: CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCH SPM.ORG. Please write “Christmas Blessing” in the subject line.

■ By postal mail to: “Christmas Blessing,” c/o The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

Christmas poster contest deadline extended to Dec. 14

Vol. 16 — No. 25

BOB ZYSKOWSKI Associate publisher

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The Catholic Spirit is extending the deadline for its annual Christmas poster contest. All entries must be received by Wednesday, Dec. 14.

The theme of this year’s contest is: “I will keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long by . . . .”

The completed sentence must appear on the front of an 8-and-a-halfby-11-inch poster. Artists may use any media. Strong colors with a lot of contrast reproduce better than soft pastels in the newspaper.

Entries will be judged on: Originality and artistic ability, interpretation of the theme and newspaper reproduction quality.

A first-place prize of $50 will be awarded for one poster in each category: grades three and under, grades four through six, grades seven through nine, and grades 10 through 12.

Please include name, address, phone number, grade level and parish (include city). Mail to: The Catholic Spirit Christmas Contest, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

Winning entries will be published in The Catholic Spirit’s Christmas edition, Dec. 22.

“It is like setting the forest on fire. Once people buy into how the sisters in Cologne have succeeded . . . we can make Catholic education a dream come true [for all].”

Father Thomas Joseph

Local The Catholic Spirit

News from around the archdiocese

DECEMBER 8, 2011

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A passion for education Cologne principal, Latino students help turn around struggling school

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

As both principal and religion teacher at St. Bernard School in Cologne, it’s Sister Jancy Nedumkallel’s job to teach the children spiritual concepts like faith — an important attribute she has practiced while working passionately to keep the school’s doors open.

Just one year ago, enrollment had dipped to 54 students in kindergarten through fifth grade (there were no sixth-graders, although St. Bernard’s is a K-6 school), prompting an urgent review process with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

St. Bernard was one of about 10 schools undergoing the process to evaluate its sustainability as part of the archdiocesan strategic planning process.

Thanks to Sister Jancy’s drive and creativity, infused with a strong measure of faith, the school not only has stayed afloat, but appears to be headed toward longerterm sustainability. Twenty-six Latino students are attending this year, helping to push enrollment to 63. “[Sister Jancy] is just a powerhouse,” said fifth- and sixth-grade teacher Judy Glander, who has taught at the school for 35 years and went there herself in the 1970s.

“She just has such drive. She wants our school to succeed and tries to find whatever ways she can to make that happen. She has great faith that things will turn out well for our school.”

A test of faith But Sister Jancy’s faith was tested last year, when school enrollment was at 54 students. She and others feared the school might close. But during the review process with the archdiocese, Sister Jancy and others developed a plan to keep the school’s doors open.

Sister Jancy and school officials expressed confidence in the long-term sustainability of the school, in part because of increased enrollment mainly from an influx of Latino students from surrounding communities.

Last year, 13 Latinos enrolled. This year, the number has doubled.

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Sister Jancy Nedumkallel, right, talks with second-graders Tyler Anderson, left, and Brandon Wickenhauser during religion class at St. Bernard School in Cologne.

Two issues Sister Jancy has had to work through to make this happen are transportation and funding. Because the Latino students come from nearby communities outside the parish boundaries, she had to arrange busing for them with the public school district.

She also has worked to provide the finances, through grants and parish donations, for these students, many of whom cannot afford the full tuition of $1,900. And, on PLEASE TURN TO LATINO ON PAGE 19

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DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Appointments CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 gation for Clergy were completed.

Father Cory Rohlfing was appointed pastor of St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi (Town of Lincoln), effective Dec. 1. Most recently, he served as pastor at St. Canice of Kilkenny and Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery. Since his ordination in 2001, Father Rohlfing also has served at St. Joseph in Lino Lakes and St. John Neumann in Eagan.

Father Christopher Shofner was named parochial administrator, beginning Dec. 1, of St. Canice and Most Holy Redeemer until a pastor is appointed. He will continue to serve as pastor of St. Mary in Le Center and St. Henry in Le Sueur. After his ordination in 2005, Father Shofner served as chaplain at Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield and as associate priest at St. John the Baptist in Savage.

Also Dec. 1, Deacon Greg Sroder was appointed permanent deacon at St. Peter in North St. Paul. Since his ordination in 2001, Deacon Sroder has served at Sacred Heart in St. Paul, Guardian Angels in Chaska and St. Odilia in Shoreview.

Father Brian Fier will begin to serve as pastor of St. Edward in Bloomington Jan. 1, at the same time ending his ministry at Most Holy Trinity in St. Louis Park, which will officially merge with Our Lady of Grace in Edina. Father Fier was ordained in 1989 and has served at St. Dominic in Northfield, St. Raphael in Crystal, St. Paul in St. Paul, St. Patrick in Edina, Ss. Peter and Paul in Loretto.

Father Leo Tibesar, who was ordained in 1968, will retire from full-time active ministry Jan. 1. He has been serving as pastor of St. Frances Cabrini since 1994.

He also has served at St. Rose of Lima in Roseville, as chaplain and faculty member at the University [then college] of St. Thomas, librarian at the St. Paul Seminary and chaplain at the former Riverside Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Official Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Effective December 1, 2011 Rev. Cory Rohlfing, resigned as pastor of the Church of Saint Canice of Kilkenny, Minn., and the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer of Montgomery, and appointed pastor of the Church of Saint Jude of the Lake in the Town of Lincoln.

Rev. Christopher Shofner, appointed parochial administrator of the Church of Saint Canice of Kilkenny, Minn., and the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer of Montgomery, until a new pastor is appointed. This is in addition to his other assignments.

Deacon Greg Sroder, appointed to exercise the ministry of a permanent deacon at the Church of Saint Peter of North Saint Paul, Minn. This is a transfer from his current assignment at the Church of Saint Odilia of Shoreview.

Effective January 1, 2012 Rev. Brian Fier, appointed Pastor of the Church of Saint Edward of Bloomington, Minn.

Father Fier’s pastorate at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity of Saint Louis Park will end

on that day as the parish will be merged with the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Edina, Minnesota.

Rev. Leo Tibesar, granted the status of a retired priest.

The following will also be taking effect on January 1, 2012.

The canonical merger of the Church of

Saint Austin of Minneapolis into the Church of Saint Bridget of Minneapolis.

The canonical merger of the Church of the Most Holy Trinity of Saint Louis Park into Our Lady of Grace in Edina.

The canonical merger of the Church of Saint Vincent of Saint Paul into the Cathedral (parish) of Saint Paul.

Catholic Spirit basketball tourney schedule set Tip-off for the 2011 Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, and continue at the same time Dec. 29 and 30 at the Anderson Athletic and Recreational Complex at the University of St. Thomas in St Paul.

The first game of the boys basketball tournament will highlight the Stars of Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield against the Minneapolis Southwest Lakers.

Game 2 follows at 4:45 p.m., with the Wayzata Trojans facing the Totino-Grace Eagles.

St. Paul Hill-Murray’s Pioneers will play the Plymouth Providence Academy Lions in Game 3 at 6:30 p.m.

And the final game of the opening round will begin at 8:15 p.m. with St. Paul schools, Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Agnes on the court.

Games will continue at 3, 4:45, 6:30 and 8:15 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday’s schedule is: Game 5 — 3 p.m., game 1 loser vs. game 2 loser.

Game 6 — 4:45 p.m., game 3 loser vs. game 4 loser.

Game 7 — 6:30 p.m., game 1 winner vs. game 2 winner.

Game 8 — 8:15 p.m., game 3 winner vs. game 4 winner.

Friday’s schedule is: Game 9 — 3 p.m., game 5 loser vs. game 6 loser (seventh place) Game 10 — 4:45 p.m., game 5 winner vs. game 6 winner (fifth place) Game 11 — 6:30 p.m., game 7 loser vs. game 8 loser (third place) Game 12 — 8:15 p.m., game 7 winner vs. game 8 winner (championship)

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.

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Local

DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

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Cathedral to be central focus behind Crashed Ice competition CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Coleman said that he has been dreaming of getting this event in St. Paul ever since he watched the finals on TV that were staged on the streets of Quebec.

“On 2012, Jan. 14, we are going to have people hurling themselves down this ice track, down from the Cathedral, where they might want to do one final sign of the cross,” he said.

Coleman thanked the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Father Joseph Johnson, rector of the Cathedral, who helped to make the event possible.

“It’s not easy to ask the archdiocese to shut down roads near their facilities, especially when you may remember the 25th of December is a very important date,” he said.

Andy Eisenzimmer, archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs, worked with the city and Red Bull to minimize the impact on people who live or work in the area.

“They’ve worked closely with us in trying to address the needs we’ll have for parking for employees, for visitors to the Cathedral and worshippers,” he said. In return for the inconvenience, he believes Red Bull will make a “nice donation” to the Cathedral parish.

But participation in this community event is not about financial gain, he said.

“We’ve always touted the Cathedral as not just a church building, but as a community asset. I think that this is evidence of how important the Cathedral is to the city, that they are desirous of having that be the backdrop of this event,” he said.

Because the event was just finalized, the Cathedral has not made any specific plans to invite people into the building, said Carolyn Will, Cathedral media and public relations director. But she expects that the parish will be discussing the possibilities.

Addressing local concerns City and Red Bull representatives met with members of the local community Dec. 1 and 2 to discuss upcoming temporary street closures, parking, noise issues and more. Beginning Dec. 19, some street parking is to be closed for one block along Dayton Avenue, between John Ireland Boulevard and Louis Street. A three-story ramp will be constructed on the north side of Dayton Avenue in the area between the Cathedral and St. Paul College.

All parking will be open from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25 to accommodate the Christmas crowds expected for Masses at the Cathedral.

When track construction begins Dec. 26 and through the weekend of the event, Red Bull will be providing off-site parking and shuttle services for all Mass times, Will said. Updated information about where parishioners can park to catch a shuttle will be on the Cathedral website at WWW.CATHEDRALSAINTPAUL.ORG under “Latest News.”

A portion of the Cathedral’s Selby Avenue parking lot (one-third of the main lot and all of the small employee lot) will be used by Red Bull for the two weeks prior to and for the full week of the event.

However, street parking along Selby Avenue and Summit Avenue and one side of

Dayton Avenue will remain open.

Public safety a priority St. Paul Police Commander Rob Weier assured about 20 people at the Dec. 1 meeting that the city’s police officers would be able to handle the crowds. He noted that officers dealt with a crowd of about 60,000 downtown when a Hmong New Year event and a Minnesota Wild Hockey game were held on the same day.

Derrick Taylor, field marketing manager for Red Bull, which makes energy drinks, said the traffic closure information is not on the website yet. In an email, he said, “We’re exploring ways to display that information and in past events have provided a link to MNDOT’s website, as they are the experts in traffic closure notifications.”

The greatest concern about traffic and parking came from a representative of HealthEast St. Joseph’s Hospital who also noted concerns for Children’s Hospital and United Hospital. A few residents also expressed concern about the traffic issues that they have endured for other events in the City of St. Paul.

Jake Spano, City of St. Paul marketing director, said he had worked with the St. Paul Police on previous events to secure public safety and traffic safety. In addition, Red Bull will have an additional 75 members of a private security force working with local officers.

Taylor said that Red Bull is securing partnerships with bars, restaurants and hotels to encourage people to use the shuttles being provided by those outlying venues.

Courtesy of Red Bull

In this overhead view of the proposed race route, skaters will start from the north side of Dayton Avenue, descend over the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul, and finish near the 35E freeway, shown at the bottom of the illustration.

Retirement Fund for Religious

Share in the Care

Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

www.retiredreligious.org

To donate: National Religious Retirement Office/MSP 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017-1194 Make your check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.

Or give at your local parish December 10–11.

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DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Ignatian Volunteer Corps members make a difference for others

By Terry Griep For The Catholic Spirit

Ginny Walzer works six hours per day, two days a week. Cheryl Dugan works about 600 hours each year. Both work in professional jobs — but neither receives even a penny for their work.

For both women, payment comes in the form of job satisfaction, giving of themselves and knowing that they are helping others, while at the same time experiencing personal spiritual growth. They are part of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, a national, Jesuit-affiliated organization whose goals are to make a difference for the poor, for community organizations that serve them and for the senior citizens who staff their volunteer positions.

“It makes me feel like I’m doing something and not expecting money in return,” Walzer said. “It’s just nice to be able to give of yourself.”

She performs all the tasks normally associated with adult daycare: bathes clients, monitors diabetes and takes part in an exercise program with her clients. At 66 years of age, this registered nurse will soon complete her third year working in the senior adult daycare program at East Side Neighborhood Services in Minneapolis.

A member of St. Thomas More in St. Paul, Walzer updates medications and charts for the staff, many of whom are paid professionals.

East Side Neighborhood Services offers childcare, an alternative high school and a seniors’ work program. The organization

“I wanted to work on my spiritual development and become closer to God in my retirement years.

”

CHERYL DUGAN

is devoted to serving people of all nationalities, from a variety of careers, backgrounds and educational levels. There is a sliding-scale fee and bus service for clients.

Dugan, 60, who spent her paid career working in corporate America, works with tutors and as a volunteer coordinator for Sabathani Community Center Adult Life Skills Program in Minneapolis. She is developing a process to support volunteers and also helps with development, training and scheduling of volunteers.

“I like IVC because [the program] matches your skill set to the job. I wanted to apply in a volunteer setting where I could give back and have it be a reflection of what I did in my life work,” she said.

“They ask for a significant time commitment, and with that I have the ability to get in there and do something and really make a difference.”

Dugan, a member of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, said that the most important part of IVC is the spiritual

aspect of finding God in all things. Blending the spiritual with ministry is unique in volunteerism, she said.

“There is a real focus on St. Ignatius’ idea of finding God in all things. [IVC volunteers] get together monthly and talk about our experiences and how God is involved in this work. I wanted to work on my spiritual development and become closer to God in my retirement years,” she said.

Although she is relatively new to Catholicism, Dugan said she has always had a special relationship with the Jesuits.

Walzer and Dugan are two of the volunteers who belong to the IVC’s Twin Cities community. Founded nationally by two Jesuit priests in 1995, the local program started in Minneapolis/St. Paul in 2002. It is made up of retired or semi-retired men and women who want to give of themselves as a way of thanking God for the blessings and love in their lives.

IVC has programs in 16 metropolitan areas, where more than 300 volunteers serve in more than 225 agencies and give more than 180,000 volunteer hours, estimated to be worth $3.4 million per year.

Why it works Kathleen Groh, regional director of IVC, described Twin Cities’ volunteers as “the silent missionaries of the city.” She was invited by Deacon Mickey Friesen, director of the Center for Mission, to speak at three parishes as part of the annual appeal of the Missionary Cooperative Plan, acknowledging the missionary work of IVC volunteers.

Groh said IVC looks for partner nonprofit agencies that serve the poor and vulnerable who need additional help to fully provide services. IVC then recruits volunteers who discern which service site would benefit most from their skills. The service site gives a nominal partnership fee to IVC, which helps sustain the program, provides volunteer training and covers costs such as spiritual direction for volunteers.

Supporting spiritually is essential, Groh said, because the IVC does not want a volunteer to say they “had the experience, but missed the meaning,” as T.S. Elliot wrote.

The program encourages spiritual reflection on two levels: ■ Individual: Reflecting on service experiences through journaling and prayer; meeting monthly with a spiritual reflector who is trained in Ignatian Spirituality.

■ Communal: Sharing and developing spiritually with other volunteers through prayer, reflection and discussion.

In the Twin Cities, IVC serves Catholic Charities, CommonBond, AMICUS, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Union Gospel Mission, East Side Neighborhood Services, Inter-Tribal Elderly Services, Sabathani Community Center, Hospitality House, Little Brothers: Friends of the Elderly and Customized Options.

For more information about becoming an IVC volunteer, or to become a work site sponsor, contact Kathleen Groh at (651) 777-0991 or KGROH@IVCUSA.ORG.

“Our economic system and its search for money above all have dehumanized human beings. Religious groups have a duty to humanize them again.”

Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, speaking in South Africa during Nov. 28-Dec. 9 U.N.-sponsored climate change talks

Nation/World DECEMBER 8, 2011

News from around the U.S. and the globe

The Catholic Spirit

7

Campaign aims to bring Catholics back to the church

Going to the dogs

From staff and wire reports

CNS photo / Jeannette Merten, The Compass

Members of St. Raphael the Archangel Parish’s youth group join retired members of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother Nov. 22 to make dog biscuits at Franciscan Courts, the sisters’ retirement home in Oshkosh, Wis. The dog biscuits are sold to benefit a local homeless shelter.

Obama said to be seeking balance on contraceptive coverage and religious beliefs

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

A White House spokesman said the Obama administration is working to “strike the right balance between expanding coverage of preventive services and respecting religious beliefs” as it decides on a religious exemption to the mandate that all health plans cover contraceptives and sterilizations by Jan. 1, 2013.

“This decision has not yet been made,” said Jay Carney, press secretary, in response to a question at the Nov. 29 White House press briefing.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced an interim final rule Aug. 1 that would require all health plans to cover contraceptives — including some that can cause abortions — and sterilizations free of charge.

Only religious employers meeting four criteria would be exempt from the mandate. Those requirements are that the organization “(1) has the inculcation of religious values as its purpose; (2) primarily employs persons who share its religious

tenets; (3) primarily serves persons who share its religious tenets; and (4) is a nonprofit organization” under specific sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

Leaders of various Catholic and other faith-based organizations have protested the exemption as too narrow and have said such a mandate could force them to stop offering some social services, education or health care to the general public.

Still awaiting final decision A 60-day comment period on the proposed religious exemption ended Sept. 30 and a final decision was expected from HHS by the end of the year. In the meantime, the contraceptive mandate as an “interim final rule,” as the federal government terms it, has “the full force and effect of law.” After any such comment period, a federal agency could issue a revised final rule “or confirm the interim rule as final.”

“Part of the process . . . was seeking and receiving public input before the guidelines . . . would go into effect,” Carney said Nov. 29. “That process did result in

public input, as well as resulted in numerous comments from various folks who have concerns about this issue.”

The White House official was responding to a reporter who said he had heard from “lots of Democrats” who were “concerned about President [Barack] Obama possibly granting an exemption to Catholic churches, hospitals and universities from the requirement that all insurance plans cover contraception.”

“These Democrats, a lot of them in the abortion rights community, are concerned that this is even being discussed,” the reporter added.

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, met privately with Obama Nov. 8 at the White House and said later that he found the president to be “very open to the sensitivities” of the U.S. Catholic Church on issues related to religious freedom. He said the meeting touched on a wide range of topics and that by mutual agreement with the White House, further details would not be made public.

Catholic parishes are urged to be ready for an uptick in interest from inactive Catholics beginning Dec. 16 and continuing through Jan. 8.

During that time, TV networks across the See related U.S. will air commer- commentary, cials produced by Catholics Come page 9 Home, an organization based in Atlanta that is committed to evangelization.

Tom Peterson, the organization's founder, said the campaign’s “inspiring messages” are an invitation to Catholic neighbors, relatives, and co-workers to come “to the largest family reunion in modern history.”

The organization hopes to inspire as many as 1 million Catholics to return to local parishes, according to information posted on its website WWW.CATHOLICSCOME HOME.ORG. The ads — airing in prime time on broadcast and cable channels — focus on the richness and history of the Catholic Church and highlight Catholic traditions of prayer, education and help for the poor.

“If you’ve been away, come home to your parish, and visit CATHOLICSCOME HOME.ORG today” is part of the ads message, scheduled to air more than 400 times starting before Christmas and going through the feast of the Epiphany.

Since the first ad campaign during Lent 2008, Catholics Come Home reported that its television initiative and website are directly responsible for increasing Mass attendance by 10 percent in the markets where the ads were shown and that 300,000 people came back to the church.

A recent study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University said that only 33 percent of U.S. Catholics attend weekly Mass.

Other statistics cited included how many hours per week the average American is “consuming media” particularly via TV and the Internet (38 hours); and how many Americans now describe themselves as nonreligious/secular (13. 2 percent of the total population, up 110 percent from 1990 to 2000).

Reaching 250 million This year’s prime time advertising campaign aims to reach 250 million television viewers in more than 10,000 U.S. cities and in every U.S. diocese during popular shows such as “60 Minutes,” “NCIS,” “The Today Show” and other major network productions. The campaign will also provide an informal kick off to a local evangelization effort that will be developed and implemented in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in the coming months and years.

8

Nation / World

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 8, 2011

HHS defends decision on funding trafficking victims program

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service

A U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops program aiding victims of human trafficking was denied funding after its administrators declined to propose alternatives to a government requirement that female victims receive “the full range of legally permissible gynecological and obstetric care,” a Department of Health and Human Services official told a congressional committee.

Under grueling questioning from Republican members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Dec. 1, George Sheldon, acting assistant secretary of the Administration for Children and Families, said he made the final decision to award grants worth $4.7 million to three other agencies that agreed to provide access to services such as abortion, contraception and sterilization under the National Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program.

The committee hearing was called as House members investigated why the bishop’s Migration and Refugee Services department was denied funding for its program despite receiving high scores during a review of its application for $2.5 million for another year of work and its positive track record of assisting nearly 2,800 trafficking victims and family members since 2006.

Johnny Young, executive director of the bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services, which contracted with the government to assist trafficking victims, told Catholic

“We just said we wouldn’t do anything that would violate church teaching.”

JOHNNY YOUNG Executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services

News Service that he explained to Sheldon the agency could work with alternatives “but we didn’t offer any alternatives.”

“We just said we wouldn’t do anything that would violate church teaching,” Young said.

Anti-Catholic bias?

Several Republican committee members charged during the three-hour hearing that the final decision to deny funding to MRS demonstrated an anti-Catholic bias within the administration of President Barack Obama.

Committee members expressed concern that federal laws governing conscience rights in declining to offer abortion services were ignored by HHS officials in awarding the grants.

They also accused HHS of including the new policy in the program so that religious organizations and individuals with a moral objection to abortion, contraception and sterilization would be disqualified in the end.

“I look at this and, you know what, we got gamed on this,” Rep. Mike Kelly, RPa., said. “We structured this so tightly, we put language in there that would re-

move Catholic bishops participating even though they have a great track record, even though they scored so high, even though they outscored other people.”

Sheldon denied the charge, saying that the funding announcement was finalized before he joined HHS in the spring and that HHS attorneys were involved in ensuring that all requirements of the program were legal under federal law.

He also admitted that he did not expect the bishops’ program to offer alternatives that would open the door to allow women trafficking victims to seek services that violate Catholic teaching and pay for such services.

The requirement to provide “the full range of legally permissible gynecological and obstetric care” was not in the earlier five-and-half-year contract HHS had with MRS. It appeared in the new funding announcement from HHS May 27 seeking proposals from agencies interested in serving foreign-born human trafficking victims.

Top two The acting assistant secretary explained in introductory comments that HHS had

awarded $650 million to Catholic organizations during the past three years, including a $19 million grant to aid foreign refugees days after the MRS grant was denied.

He also repeatedly denied that an antiCatholic bias existed within the government agency.

Representatives focused on why the bishops’ highly regarded program was denied funding despite finishing second in scoring after a three-member panel of reviewers graded the MRS proposal.

The top scoring proposal came from Heartland Human Care Services Inc. of Chicago with 90 out of a possible 110 points while the MRS proposal scored 89 points, according to HHS documents made available by the committee.

Two other agencies, Tapestri Inc. of Tucker, Ga., and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants of Arlington, Va., known as USCRI, received scores of 74 points and 69 points, respectively, according to the documents. They were eventually funded for one year with Tapestri receiving nearly $1.1 million and USCRI receiving nearly $2.6 million.

Heartland’s grant was worth just more than $1 million.

All three agencies can have the grants renewed for up to an additional two years.

Through agencies in local communities subcontracted by the grantees, the program assists trafficking victims with case management of a variety of social services and health care needs.

Briefly

NOTICE Look for

The Catholic Spirit advertising insert from

Sharing and Caring Hands in all copies of this issue.

Maryland interfaith leaders pledge to defend marriage

bill. McCoy said there is a groundswell of support for traditional marriage, asserting that his group already has representation of 250,000 people.

Leaders of a newly formed pro-marriage coalition came out swinging against efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland, pledging in a Nov. 30 news conference to rally citizens across the state to defeat legislation that would alter the traditional definition of marriage.

Gathered at First Apostolic Faith Church International in Baltimore, representatives of the interfaith, nonpartisan Maryland Marriage Alliance said they will not be intimidated by those who would call their position “bigoted.” They warned that religious liberties could be threatened with the passage of same-sex marriage legislation.

“Politicians in Annapolis with an eye toward appeasing out-of-state interest groups and future runs for potential higher office may think they are helping their career [by passing same-sex marriage],” said the Rev. Derek McCoy, executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, “but they are forgetting that all politics is local.”

Following a passionate debate on the floor of the House of Delegates, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland died in the last legislative session after it was recommitted to the House Judiciary Committee March 11. Gov. Martin J. O’Malley, a Catholic, has promised to push for the passage of a similar bill in the 2012 legislative session, agreeing with same-sex marriage activists to sponsor the

Changes in parishes coming for Detroit Nine metro Detroit parishes will close over the next five years if Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron accepts the recommendations a mostly lay advisory board approved Nov. 30. Another 60 parishes would be merged down to 21 if the recommendations of Detroit’s Archdiocesan Pastoral Council are accepted as presented.

At a news conference Dec. 1, Archbishop Vigneron said he expects to announce a revised pastoral plan for the Archdiocese of Detroit by mid-February, after reviewing the recommendations and considering the input of other consultative bodies. Altogether, the changes would reduce to 222 — down from 270 — the number of parishes in the six counties of the archdiocese. A great deal of the voluminous material in the recommendations — all of which may be viewed at WWW.AODONLINE.ORG — concerns proposals for how parishes can cooperate to better serve the mission of the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, in the Archdiocese of Boston, a proposal is under consideration to organize parishes into small groups to share resources, which it says will allow parishes to focus on the work of evangelization.

— Catholic News Service

“God is the answer to most of our questions and to the longings in our human heart.”

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C.

This Catholic Life DECEMBER 8, 2011

Opinion, feedback and points to ponder

The Catholic Spirit

9

How to welcome the faithful back into the fold The following was first published by Our Sunday Visitor’s OSV Newsweekly. It is reprinted with permission.

A

s Christmas approaches, there is one thing we can be as sure of seeing as Santa Claus and incessant ads for holiday deals: full Catholic churches. As predictable as the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, Catholics of all stripes return to their parish every Christmas, many visiting for the first time since the previous Easter.

The Catholics in attendance at a typical Christmas Mass run the gamut from daily Mass communicants to irregularly attending families to those who are estranged from the church but come Eric Sammons out of familial obligation.

As practicing Catholics, what can we and our parishes do to reach out to those who are estranged from or perhaps just uninterested in the Catholic Church?

While this question has many possible answers, it will be helpful to review some basic principles that should form the foundation of any outreach to lapsed Catholics.

Opinion

No compromises Our third principle: Don’t compromise the faith in order to be more appealing.

Our intuition may tell us that something will be more attractive the easier we make it. After all, who would buy a complicated TV if a simpler one were available at the same price?

However, recent history has shown that this is not the case when it comes to religion. The denominations that have lost the most members in recent years — the mainline Protestant denominations — are the ones that have worked the hardest to minimize the requirements of their religion. A church that is indistinguishable from the culture is one that is doomed to die — for who wants to get up every Sunday morning for a faith that tells you it isn’t important to get up every Sunday morning?

For years, “experts” have been telling us that the only way to attract young people is to minimize any moral or “hard” teaching of the church, yet the most popular religious figure among young people over the past 30 years is Blessed John Paul II, who over and over called them to the great and sometimes difficult adventure of the uncompromised Catholic faith.

So it is the call to a life that is transcendent that makes Catholicism attractive. People do not want to wallow in their own imperfections and weaknesses, they want to live for something — or Someone — greater than themselves. Down deep, every good-natured person wants more to be like Mother Teresa than one of the Kardashian sisters, so why don’t we call them to that?

“We must work to invite people individually to encounter the person of Jesus Christ, offering them the full truth of Catholicism while making the parish a place they can find a true community.

”

ERIC SAMMONS

Each person is unique The first principle we must recognize when inviting others into a deeper practice of their faith is that each person is unique. There is no magic formula that will bring droves of people flocking back to Mass each week.

Evangelization is hard work, and it is work that is most successful when done on the personal level.

While there may be certain generalities regarding why many Catholics have left, or lessened, the practice of the faith, it would be a disservice to each one to simply stereotype “the estranged Catholic.”

Keeping this diversity in mind, what are some practical ways we can meet the needs of individuals who have lapsed in their practice of the faith?

One thing a parish can do is work to address the diverse issues lapsed Catholics have with the church. Holding “inquiry meetings” was one successful and popular outreach at my previous parish that addressed this need.

Before each Christmas and Easter Mass we left small fliers on every seat in the church; these fliers invited Massgoers to an inquiry meeting where they would be able to ask any question they might have about the Catholic faith.

We made it clear in the flier that no question was out-ofbounds.

Then, at the meeting, a knowledgeable layperson was on hand to answer the questions. (You might ask: Why not a priest? Our pastor felt that attendees would be more open about their questions if a fellow layperson was answering them). These meetings were free-wheeling and unpredictable. Some of the questions included, “Why do Protestants read the Bible more than Catholics?” “Why don’t we abstain from meat on Fridays?” and “Why do we have to listen to the pope?”

At one inquiry meeting, a particularly aggressive-looking man sat in the audience. After the preliminaries, the floor was turned over for questions, and this individual immediately raised his hand, asking, in a confrontational manner, “I’m a scientist, and I want to know why the church insists that we believe in a seven-day literal creation.” The moderator calmly responded, “It doesn’t.”

After some back-and-forth, the moderator was able to show, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, that the church does not teach as dogma a literal seven-day creation (although it doesn’t require its members to reject that thesis either). After this exchange, the scientist was noticeably at ease and later commented that he no longer felt there was tension within himself between what he felt he must believe at church and what he believed at work. By simply directing him to the teaching of the

Offer integrated activities File photo

church, our parish was able to help this person understand and live his faith more fully.

Encountering Christ While it is important that we recognize the uniqueness of each person we are attempting to invite back to the church, it is even more vital that we focus on what exactly it is we are inviting them to.

A fallacy I’ve observed in many parishes is the assumption that being a good Catholic means being an involved parishioner — involved in committees, ministries and parish outreaches. Although there are many valuable groups in every parish, God calls each person to holiness, not busyness.

This brings us to our second principle of welcoming people back to the church: Remember that we are leading people primarily to a Person, not simply some human institution. We are each called to encounter Christ directly and let ourselves become, as St. Paul often said, “like Christ.”

In practical terms, this means that our focus should not be on someone’s involvement in the parish, but instead on their relationship with Christ. Do not confuse inviting estranged Catholics to deepen their practice of the faith with inviting them to join every committee and ministry your parish offers. Our goal for such persons is that they encounter Jesus Christ in the sacraments and through prayer. So put an emphasis on confession, eucharistic adoration, the rosary and other activities that draw them closer to our Lord.

After they have developed a deeper spiritual life, they can determine if they want to join the parish finance council or pro-life committee. And some may not be called to any parish outreach — their call may be to evangelize in their work or family. Again, if the focus is on encountering the Lord, we should not worry about where he leads people — to parish work, outside apostolic activities or simply living their faith in the midst of the world.

A final principle that parishes can remember when inviting estranged Catholics back to the fold is that an activity doesn’t have to be explicitly religious to bring people closer to Christ. Our Lord is present throughout our lives — in work, in play, in family life — and parish events can encompass all these aspects, too.

One way to attract non-practicing Catholics is to offer non-spiritual activities along with spiritual ones. For example, a parish could host job-skills training or financial advice seminars. Or it can have a softball team in the local church league. There are endless possibilities.

Obviously, the pastor will want to make sure that the organizers and speakers for these events do nothing to defame the Catholic Church. But that does not mean the event has to be explicitly “Catholic,” because all our actions, if done honestly and with proper intentions, can be offered to God for his glory.

And these activities can build community and help people be more comfortable with their local parish. In turn, the parish becomes a place to look when a spiritual crisis occurs — which is exactly where we want people to look.

After Catholics and Southern Baptists, former Catholics are the largest “denomination” in the country today. This statistic is not surprising to anyone involved in evangelization. We can no longer sit back and hope that our loved ones, fellow parishioners and co-workers who do not attend Mass regularly will magically reappear one Sunday.

Instead, we must work to invite people individually to encounter the person of Jesus Christ, offering them the full truth of Catholicism while making the parish a place they can find a true community. By doing so, we can help to reverse the trend of the past 40 years, helping “former Catholics” to again become “practicing Catholics.”

Eric Sammons is the director of evangelization for the Diocese of Venice, Fla., and his next book is “Holiness for Everyone: The Practical Spirituality of St. Josemaría Escrivá” (OSV), to be published in Spring 2012.

10

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 8, 2011

Opinion-Letters

/ This Catholic Life

Extreme sports, good times and the new evangelization icture the scene: Skaters clad in helmets and pads, racing down a winding ice hill at speeds up to 40 mph, while tens of thousands of cheering spectators line the course with the Cathedral of St. Paul serving as a picturesque backdrop.

“Ice cross downhill” is one of the newest extreme sports gaining popularity around the world, and it’s coming to downtown St. Paul next month as part of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship competition.

Fun and exciting to watch?

For sure.

An opportunity to practice the “new evangelization” that Pope Benedict XVI says is so urgently needed in today’s world?

Maybe — at least in one small way that shouldn’t be overlooked.

learn the beauty of what the church teaches.

P Editorial Joe Towalski

The church needs to use every opportunity to share its story and its message

Making a good impression A survey a few years ago found that the percentage of Americans who professed no religion nearly doubled between 1990 and 2008 — jumping from 8.2 percent of the population to 15 percent. Some researchers estimate that “former Catholics” make up roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population.

These people — which include older teens and young adults — simply don’t see the relevance of religion for their day-to-day lives. Raised in an American culture that preaches materialism, moral relativism and pleasure above nearly all else, they often have a false perception of religion in general, and Catholicism in particular, as being too stodgy, too judgmental, too scandal-ridden and not at all fun.

They likely wouldn’t accept an invitation to attend a class about the catechism or hear a talk by a prominent Catholic speaker. But they might be enticed to attend an event

Clearing the air

like Crashed Ice — and here there is an opportunity to extend a further invitation.

The Cathedral of St. Paul isn’t a sponsor of the competition, but it’s allowing race organizers to use some of its property in the interest of being a good neighbor. The event also presents an opportunity to ratchet up hospitality efforts for any of the thousands of spectators who might want a closer look at this magnificent church that frames the race’s backdrop.

You might call it a “soft sell” approach to evangelization, but it can be an effective way to make a connection with people who rarely, if ever, set foot inside a church door.

It’s not that much different than the community spirit and good image that’s cultivated by parish festivals, church-sponsored art exhibitions and concerts, and lavish feast day celebrations — like the Dec. 12 feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which, at many parishes, in addition to prayer, will feature festive songs, mariachi bands, dancers and delicious food.

These are places where churches could extend a further invitation to new faces in the crowd — perhaps to attend parish faith-sharing groups, book or movie discussion clubs, or question-and-answer sessions that help explain what Catholicism really means and that invite participants to enter more deeply into the faith and

All of these efforts can help dispel false notions that the church has nothing relevant to offer for living a fuller, better life and they would go a long way toward clearing up misperceptions of the church as stodgy and not at all fun.

Catholics like to have a good time and share the joy with others. Here’s how veteran Catholic reporter John Allen described it in a recent interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “I don’t think the Catholic Church gets enough credit for being . . . a lot of fun. There’s great warmth and laughter in most Catholic circles, a rich intellectual tradition, a vast body of lore, an incredible range of characters, a deep desire to do good, an abiding faith against all odds, an ability to go anywhere and feel instantly at home, and even a deep love of good food, good drink and good company. All that is part of the tapestry of Catholic life, but it rarely sees the light of day in commentary and reporting that focuses exclusively on crisis, scandal, and heartache.”

We need to invite more people — including fallen away Catholics and inactive Catholics as well as teens and young adults absent from our churches — to experience the beauty and joy at the heart of our faith life.

We need to show how our churches and other Catholic groups continue to enrich the local community. And, we need — when they are ready — to teach them again about the value in living a Catholic Christian life.

Those goals require creating more opportunities for evangelization and outreach as well as taking advantage of more unique opportunities — like Crashed Ice — that occasionally come racing into our neighborhoods.

Why should the state define marriage? aving grown up in an intact, traditional family, I didn’t know what a gift I had received until I got to know a college student who I helped lead through RCIA, who I will call Stephanie.

Stephanie was a single mother in her mid20s, and was estranged from the father of her child. Her days Andrew were filled with worry Jaspers and anger over that father, and fear for the welfare of her child when in his custody. My experience with her taught me why the state is right to encourage traditional marriage.

Opponents of the state’s definition of marriage as between a man and a woman typically assert that the state is wrong to privilege any particular form of marriage.

And if marriage was created by the state, this might raise the charge of arbitrariness.

But marriage is either an organic institution prior to the state or it is merely a legal entity.

People of opposite sexes in every society have tended to be attracted to one another, couple, co-create children and raise them. Marriage has been the normative institution for both sexual activity and the

H

Commentary

rearing of children. Additionally, we can observe that the family has always had a sovereignty that has resisted outside coercion, especially from the government. It prefers to determine itself and settle its problems without the assistance of the “courts and cops,” and generally does so quite well.

The self-regulating culture of the intact, married family can be contrasted with fractured families or those that arose out of noncommittal sexual acts. These often bring with them great costs to those immediately concerned and to society.

The most benign, separated family ideally arrives at mutually acceptable terms of child visitation, support and property division. However, the ordinary case is of two parties asserting competing positions on all of these questions.

Thus, courts are needed to arbitrate the terms. And the noncompliance with these terms often requires the state to involve itself in wage garnishing to settle child support, and police enforcement of visitation rights, possibly restraining orders, and investigations of child abuse allegations. The sovereignty of the family is almost completely eliminated with the

state’s determination and invasion of the most intimate details of people’s lives.

These acts by the court and the police require massive state expenditures that married and childless couples are forced to subsidize.

And these interventions are in a sense necessary in a free and virtuous society, insofar as they coerce people to live up to their genuine responsibilities. The effects on children of such situations are welldocumented: lower performance and more behavioral problems that require far more educational and disciplinary resources.

The state does not legally penalize nonmarried couples who raise children. But is it not reasonable that the state legally privilege the form of marriage that is most socially beneficial? Ordinary families create a system of interdependence that the state has an interest in promoting. It also gives poor women like Stephanie a goal to aspire to.

Andrew Jaspers is a third-year seminarian at St. Paul Seminary and a recent philosophy instructor at Creighton University.

Lawyer’s comments about Catholics should not go unpunished If you thought anti-Catholic bigotry was dead, you need to look no further than a recent Minnesota court memorandum to know it’s still around.

In a Nov. 25 bankruptcy court filing, lawyer Rebekah Nett wrote about the court system being “composed of a bunch of ignoramus, bigoted Catholic beasts that carry the sword of the church,” according to a story by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She called a judge “a Catholic Night Witch Hunter” and described some court personnel as “dirty Catholics.”

To say these and other comments she made about Catholics are offensive is an understatement.

Nett reportedly said the comments are those of her client — YehudMonosson USA Inc. Both she and the client need to be held responsible. Disciplinary action, if not outright disbarment, of Nett should follow. There is no room for this kind of bigotry in our legal system or our communities.

— Joe Towalski

Where to write ■ E-mail: CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM .ORG ■ FAX: (651) 291-4460 ■ Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102 Material printed on the Opinion and Letters page does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the archdiocese or The Catholic Spirit.

Mass changes: What’s all the commotion about?

What’s all the fuss about? Practice Masses and extra printing of the words of the liturgy. Will the improved wording disrupt the congregation?

Forty-some years ago there was a real change in the missal. The priests and the congregation both had to really learn everything over. I don’t remember nearly the commotion that these changes in wording have caused. The better translation is good. It will improve our appreciation of the Mass.

But to treat it like a schism is ridiculous.

Letter

ART WILDE Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, St. Paul

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This Catholic Life / Commentary

DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

11

Artist and audience alike aided by laws protecting ownership e all know it is wrong to steal, but how many of us photocopy magazine articles or share computer files that are protected by copyright or trademark laws?

Illicit duplication, photocopying and file sharing happen all the time and usually no one is prosecuted for it, which is not the same as saying no one suffers because of it.

The Judeo-Christian heritage gives the artist a special place, perhaps because the first story told in the Bible is one of creation. God created, and when we create we are imitating God. Artists — writers, painters, musicians or even software engineers — own what they create and like God, who shared what he created, artists often want to share what they make.

God and man share a relationship in which God expects people to care for what he has given them. This moral obligation is codified through civil laws that prevent pollution, mistreatment of animals, destructive farming techniques, etc.

Artist and audience share an analogous relationship, with the moral obligation for ownership recognition codified in copyright and trademark law. When ownership in this context is ignored, authors and artists are denied just compensation.

W Faith in the Workplace Tom Bengtson

When ownership is ignored, authors and artists are denied just compensation

In the application of all laws, however, there needs to be common sense. For example, it would be wrong to equate the photocopying of one newspaper column in a copyrighted publication with the free distribution of 10 illegally copied songs from iTunes.

Paragraph 2408 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church gets at this point when it says: “There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason.” Presumption and reason are terms of judgment and are going to vary somewhat from person to person.

“If you really want another copy of that song, software program or book, then buy it.

Need for prudence Temperance is an important virtue in our have-it-all culture. All of us are called to be prudent with our resources, using them wisely to acquire the things we need and want. This prudence serves both the buyer and the seller.

Unbridled want can lead people into dark places and bad practices. If you really want another copy of that song, software program or book, then buy it. If you want it but don’t want to pay for it, then rethink your desire; maybe you don’t really want it.

”

Tom Bengtson writes about faith and the workplace. Reach him at WWW.TOMBENGTSON.COM.

TOM BENGTSON

Parental involvement key to expanding school choice in Minnesota s we reflect on the past year, 2011 will be viewed as an unprecedented year for school choice in our nation. Since January, eight new school choice programs have sprung up around the nation and 11 existing programs have been expanded.

“School choice” is a term that often gets bantered about, but at its essence it is simply a common sense idea that gives every parent the power and freedom to choose their Peter Noll children’s education.

Today, the unfortunate fact is that the quality of schooling is based on the value and location of a family’s residence. School choice gives parents the freedom to choose a school based on its quality and their child’s needs, not their home address.

Most people can’t afford to pay twice for education, once in taxes and once in private school tuition. School choice gives parents financial power by letting them use public funds set aside for education to send their children to a traditional public, charter, private or home school. School choice forces all schools — public and private — to offer the best education possible in order to recruit and retain students.

A

“After studying the successful

parent choice campaigns in other states and in light of recent gains in parental choice legislation in our Legislature, the Minnesota Catholic Conference is forming a statewide parent advocacy network.

Faith in the Public Arena

Taking action Reflecting on successful school choice programs of 2011, there is a common element that contributed to the final outcome — a network of active, mobilized school parents that helped successfully expand school choice. Together, they informed lawmakers how expanding school choice would help their children achieve their maximum potential. Through rallies, letters, emails, telephone calls and public forums; their collective voices were heard.

After studying the successful parent choice campaigns in other states and in light of recent gains in parental choice legislation in our Legislature, the Minnesota Catholic Conference is forming a statewide parent advocacy network.

In recent weeks, MCC has been meeting with Catholic school administrators across the state to inform them of the benefits of mobilizing a parent network to advocate for Catholic schools at the state Legislature and

”

PETER NOLL

U.S. Congress.

In “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, “In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.

It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good.”

The purpose of this program is to inform, train and mobilize Catholic school parents to be proactive regarding public policy that impacts Catholic school students, families and educators.

Each Catholic school will be invited to establish a parent advocacy position within the school community.

Many schools are considering incorporating the parent advocacy position onto the educational advisory committee or home and school association.

Through this program, Catholic school parents will be trained in strategies and techniques to influence public officials regarding school choice legislation. For example, parent advocates will have access to training sessions and resources to assist them in speaking and writing to lawmakers, testifying before legislative committees, setting up candidate forums and district meetings with local senators and representatives, and sharing

information about issues of concern for Catholic schools.

Trained parent advocates will disseminate information and action alerts from MCC to members of their school community with the objective of persuading lawmakers to pass school choice legislation that accords all families access to their school of choice.

By building a trusting relationship with their local representative and senator, parent advocates provide a human dimension to the lawmaking process. A timely, compelling telephone call or email message from as few as 10 constituents can influence the vote of a lawmaker.

Hopefully, Minnesota will soon add its name to the list of states to add education tax credits and scholarships for low-income students to attend the school of their choice as a result of a concerted effort by lawmakers, advocates, educators and activated parents who demand a full array of quality school choice options for their children.

Peter Noll is education director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota. Inquiries about the parent advocacy network should be directed to Noll at PNOLL@MNCC.ORG.

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Henri Nouwen

The Lesson Plan 12

The Catholic Spirit

Reflections on faith and spirituality

DECEMBER 8, 2011

If Advent joy hasn’t hit you yet, you are not alone ver the years, the third Sunday of Advent has always been a mystery to me.

I was never sure why I was supposed to be filled with joy and how a different colored candle and some peppy music was going to make a difference.

I usually left Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday Mass with the knowledge that I was to be filled with joy but not sure why I missed out or how I could change.

This experience appears to resonate with other people I have spoken with. We are pretty good at being nice, making friendly Deacon and putting on a good John Rutten face when needed. But the church is acknowledging a reality that is to be present in our lives: Joy! Take a minute to ask yourself, “Am I experiencing spiritual joy in my life?”

Really, take a minute, put this paper down and ask again, “Am I experiencing tranquility and peace as a result of this Advent season?”

If the answer is yes, give thanks to God for the grace he has given you. If the answer is no, you probably understand my confusion over the years. You are not alone.

There are numerous reasons we might lack joy. For some people, the presents are not purchased or the income is tighter than it has been in the past and as a result anxiety underlies most of the day. For others, this Christmas season is the first family gathering without an important loved one.

Their absence brings deep sorrow.

Another group of people love the Christ-

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Sunday Scriptures

mas season but will pack up the decorations with less enthusiasm than when they were unpacked. All of these are particular sorrows in life, and God desires to meet us where we are and bring joy. This spiritual gift will push sorrow from our lives and bring clarity and peace to this busy time of year.

How do we find this joy?

■ First, we must ask for it. Take time to be alone with him in prayer each day and ask for the good that he desires to give. It is amazing what great changes can come to our lives when we ask God to bring them.

■ Second, anticipate Christ coming to the crib in just a few days. Listen to John the Baptist and prepare your heart for the Lord by trying to more closely align your will to his.

In doing these two simple practices, we can come to know peace, tranquility and spiritual joy. This happens because joy is a fruit of our divine friendship, a fruit of our union with Christ.

If this Sunday requires you to put on a “joyful face,” be certain the church is inviting you into a deeper reality. A deep and growing sense of peace is possible even in busy lives, when we have Christ as our final goal. The Lord allows us to begin every day anew and today we can prepare.

Put God first, take time to acknowledge him in your day and by Christmas you will experience in your own life the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “In my God is the joy of my soul.”

Readings

For reflection

Sunday, Dec. 11 Third Sunday of Advent ■ Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11 ■ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 ■ John 1:6-8, 19-28

How is Christ calling you to be filled with joy and peace during this Advent season?

Deacon John Rutten is in formation for the priesthood at The St. Paul Seminary for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, S.D. His home parish is St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls and his teaching parish is Our Lady of the Lake in Mound.

Daily Scriptures Sunday, Dec. 11 Third Sunday in Advent Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28 “Do not quench the Spirit.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:19 We all know the difference between being profoundly touched by a truth and being lectured to about moral shortcomings. St. Francis put it well: “Can true humility and compassion exist in our words and eyes unless we know that we, too, are capable of any act?” In the silent waiting of Advent, we are invited to ponder the fruit of our words and actions.

Monday, Dec. 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe Zecharia 2:14-17 Luke 1:26-38 We are all called to be present, open

and willing to listen to the indwelling Spirit.

Tuesday, Dec. 13 Lucy, virgin and martyr Zephania 3:1-2,9-13 Matthew 21:28-32 There is still time to change your heart and mind.

Wednesday, Dec. 14 John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the church Isaiah 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25 Luke 7:18b-23 Compassionate and merciful people reassure us of the Spirit’s continuing presence in our world.

Thursday, Dec. 15 Isaiah 54:1-10 Luke 7:24-30 Are we willing to listen to words that

challenge us to change?

Friday, Dec. 16 Isaiah 56:1-3a, 6-8 John 5:33-36 Mercy, justice and compassion are the evidence that God’s spirit is at work.

Saturday, Dec. 17 Genesis 49:2, 8-10 Matthew 1:1-17 Before you reject someone, remember that God continues to work through surprising people and events.

Sunday, Dec. 18 Fourth Sunday in Advent 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38 “And the angel said to her in reply, ‘The holy Spirit will come upon you, and

the power of the Most High will overshadow you.’”

— Luke 1:35 We all face moments of doubt and fear, when things look impossible. We wonder whether we will have the courage to challenge an unjust situation, or the faith to take appropriate risks and use our gifts. As we age, we worry how we will react when we face serious illness or the death of a loved one. The angel’s words to Mary reassure us that something greater than our fear is at work within and around us. Our challenge is to not limit the power of God’s creative and unconditional love.

The daily reflections are written by Terri Mifek, a member of St. Edward in Bloomington and a certified spiritual director at the Franciscan Retreat House in Prior Lake.

The Lesson Plan

DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Some celebrations happening across the archdiocese

The miracle that converted a nation

Many parishes celebrate the Dec. 12 feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with mañanitas (an early morning serenade to the Virgin Mary), mariachi music, special Masses and fiestas. Below are some of the celebrations taking place across the archdiocese.

By Julie Carroll The Catholic Spirit

On Dec. 9, 1531, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an indigenous Catholic convert, was walking to the city of Tlaltelolco in central Mexico to attend Mass. As he approached a hill called Tepeyac, a rainbow appeared amid shimmery white clouds and he heard a woman calling his name.

“Her dress shone as the sun, as if vibrating, and the stone where She stood, as if shooting rays,” according to the “Nican Mopohua,” one of the earliest written accounts of the Guadalupe apparitions.

“Her splendor was like precious stones, like a jewel, everything that is most beautiful, She was. The ground dazzled with resplendence of the rainbow in the fog. The mesquites and the cacti and all the other plants that usually grow there looked like emeralds, the foliage like turquoises, and their stems and thorns shone like gold.”

Speaking in the Aztec language, the dark-complected woman requested that a church be built in her honor on the hilltop.

Miraculous image Juan Diego brought the woman’s request to the bishop, who asked him to return with proof of his claim.

Again Mary appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac and asked him to gather flowers blooming on the normally barren hillside. Placing the flowers in his cloak, she instructed the humble peasant to present them to the bishop.

When Juan Diego opened his cloak at the bishop’s residence, the men were astonished to find the Virgin’s image imprinted on the fabric.

As word of the miracle spread, people flocked to the site to venerate the image, which the Franciscans named after the darkskinned Virgin of Guadalupe in Extremadura, Spain. Soon thousands of indigenous Mexicans sought to be baptized.

Today, St. Juan Diego’s cloak is displayed in Mexico City’s Basilica of St. Mary of Guadalupe, one of the world’s most visited Catholic shrines.

Pope John Paul II proclaimed Juan Diego a saint on July 31, 2002. He also declared Our Lady of Guadalupe “Queen of All America.” Her feast day is Dec. 12.

Source: “Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego: The Historical Evidence” by Eduardo Chávez, postulator for the canonization cause of Juan Diego.

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CNS photo / courtesy of Stephen B Whatley

Our Lady of Guadalupe is depicted in a modern painting by Stephen B Whatley, an expressionist artist based in London. The appearance of Mary to St. Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531 is said to have resulted in millions of conversions to Catholicism. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, is Dec. 12.

Musical explores Mary’s ties to Mexico

By Julie Carroll The Catholic Spirit

Aztec dancers clad in colorful plumed headdresses, rhythmic drumming, masterful storytelling and songs you’ll be humming long after you hear them coalesce in the spectacular new musical “Sigan la Bandera” (“Follow the Flag”), which will debut at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in St. Paul.

“It’s the story of Mexico and Guadalupe from their beginnings within the Aztec realm, through conquest, exploitation, war, revolution, the United States and immigration,” said playwright Donna Peña, a nationally known liturgical music composer and performer who attends Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. “It’s told through the eyes of the indigenous, through the eyes of the indian.”

Peña, a third-generation Mexican-American who writes music in both English and Spanish, including the popular bilingual “Digo Sí, Señor” (“I Say Yes, Lord”), said she felt inspired to write the play after recording an album by the same name that features traditional Mexican music and contemporary compositions celebrating Mexico’s beloved patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“You can’t tell the history of Mexico without Guadalupe, and you can’t have Guadalupe without the history of Mexico,” she said. “They’re just kind of woven together. There’s no way to separate one from the other.”

Story of a proud people During a recent rehearsal, Peña’s rich alto voice filled the auditorium as she directed a talented group of singers from the parish. In between songs, storytellers Rosa Gaona and David Mendez narrated centuries of Mexico’s history while a screen behind them flashed images and video to help illustrate the story.

Peña said she hopes people who attend the performance will walk away with a better understanding and appreciation of the contributions Mexicans and MexicanAmericans have made to the United States.

“If it wasn’t for this group of people, America would not be what it is,” Peña said. “I just want people to see what their contribution was so they can look at ‘mexicanos’ and not see illegal aliens but rather our neighbors.”

Tickets for the performance can be purchased at the door for $10 on the night of the performance. Peña’s CDs, including “Sigan la Bandera” and her most recent album, “Clamo a Ti,” will be on sale before and after the show. Our Lady of Guadalupe is located at 401 Concord St. in St. Paul.

St. Francis de Sales, 496 View St., St. Paul: Saturday, Dec. 10 — 4 p.m.

Mass in Spanish followed by dinner.

St. John Neumann, 4030 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan: Saturday, Dec. 10 — 7 p.m. Mass followed by party.

Basilica of St. Mary, 88 N. 17th St., Minneapolis: Sunday, Dec. 11 — 3:45 p.m. procession with Aztec dancers on the plaza, 4:30 p.m. bilingual Mass with mariachis and dancers, fiesta following in lower level.

Risen Savior, 1501 E. County Road 42, Burnsville: Sunday, Dec. 11 — 2:45 p.m. procession and Mass in Spanish followed by Our Lady of Guadalupe enactment and party.

Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, 3800 Pleasant Ave. S, Minneapolis: Sunday, Dec. 11 — 11 p.m. Mass in Spanish and mañanitas; Monday, Dec. 12 — 5:30 a.m. mañanitas, 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Masses in Spanish.

St. Stephen, 525 Jackson St., Anoka: Sunday, Dec. 11 — 12:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish with mariachi music; Monday, Dec. 12 — 6 a.m. mañanitas and Mass in Spanish followed by breakfast.

Guardian Angels, 218 W. 2nd St., Chaska: Monday, Dec. 12 — 4 a.m. mañanitas, noon Mass in Spanish followed by a gathering.

Holy Rosary, 2424 18th Ave. S, Minneapolis: Monday, Dec. 12 — 5:30 a.m. mañanitas with mariachi music, 6 a.m. Mass in Spanish, 6 p.m. procession and rosary, 7 p.m.

Mass in Spanish.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, 401 Concord St., St. Paul: Monday, Dec. 12 — 5:30 a.m. mañanitas and Mass in Spanish followed by breakfast, 6 p.m. Aztec dance performance, 6:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish.

St. Stephen, 2211 Clinton Ave., Minneapolis: Monday, Dec. 12 — 6 a.m. mañanitas, 7 a.m. Mass in Spanish.

Sources: Espíritu Católico and The Catholic Spirit.

Patroness of the Americas Our Lady of Guadalupe is patroness not just of Mexico but of all the Americas and of the unborn.

Pope Pius XII declared her patroness of the Americas, and in 1999 her Dec. 12 feast day was raised to the rank of feast for all the countries of the Americas.

“America, which historically has been a melting pot for people, has recognized ‘in the mestizo countenance of the Virgin of Tepeyac’ . . . in Holy Mary of Guadalupe, . . . a great example of evangelization, perfectly enculturated,” Pope John Paul II said.

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The Lesson Plan

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 8, 2011

Pope praises groups for their efforts to ban death penalty Catholic News Service

the other

by it red pir nso ic S Spo Cathol The

IRELAND: Holy Land

With Father Dennis Dempsey

September 21 — October 2, 2012 For further information, please contact:

Martie McMahon The Catholic Spirit Phone: 651-291-4441 mcmahonm@archspm.org

exploreENJOY!

EXPERIENCE

Pope Benedict XVI gave a special greeting of encouragement to delegations meeting in Rome — including a group from Illinois — to promote the abolition of the death penalty.

During his weekly audience Nov. 30 at the Vatican, Pope Benedict said he hoped the work of the delegations would “encourage political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a number of countries to eliminate the death penalty” and promote progress in penal law that speaks equally to “the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order.”

The 12-person Illinois group, members of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, was led by state Rep. Karen Yarbrough. Under Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois became the 16th state to abolish the death penalty in March.

The Nov. 29-30 Rome meeting, sponsored by the Sant’Egidio Community, encouraged people in cities around the world to join a public demonstration of opposition to the death penalty. In Rome, for example, the Colosseum was lit up Nov. 30 to show the city’s adherence to the initiative.

Christian families are key part of the new evangelization Catholic News Service Christian families are called to welcome, demonstrate and spread the love and presence of Christ in the world, Pope Benedict XVI said.

A family, founded on the marriage of a man and woman and open to having children, is “the human space for an encounter with Christ,” he said Dec. 1 in a speech to members of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

The council, founded by Pope John Paul II, was marking the 30th anniversary of its establishment by focusing on the role of the family in the “new evangelization.”

“The eclipse of God, the spread of ideologies contrary to the family and the degradation of sexual ethics appear to be connected,” the pope said. In the same way, he said, “the new evangelization is inseparable from the Christian family.”

Like the church as a whole, the Christian family “is called to welcome, radiate and demonstrate the love and presence of Christ in the world,” he said.

The family does so by being a community of lifelong, self-giving love, he said. It is open to welcoming new life, it educates its members in the faith and in charity, and its civic involvement and charitable activity is motivated by faith.

When a Christian family “is able to live love as communion and service, as a mutual gift and openness toward all, it reflects the splendor of Christ and the beauty of the divine Trinity in the world,” the pope said.

Pope Benedict said the church needs strong couples involved in its pastoral work, too, especially in educating children, teaching young people about the Christian vision of sexuality, preparing engaged couples for marriage and helping married couples strengthen their relationships.

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 8, 2011

Too much focus on money destroys the environment, says cardinal failed even to focus on the environment and instead only debated economic issues, resulting in a failed bid to create a worldwide agreement that would bind major industrial nations to emissions reductions.

By Catholic News Service Excessive focus on money is destroying the environment and dehumanizing people, said Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, president of Caritas Internationalis.

Religious communities have a duty to call attention to the importance of the human person, who is “at the center of creation,� he said while international leaders were debating the extension of legal limits on the production of greenhouse gas emissions.

Officials from nearly 200 countries were in Durban, South Africa, Nov. 28-Dec. 9 for United Nations-sponsored climate change talks.

The cardinal, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, led a 20-person Caritas delegation to the talks to press for a reduction of emissions by more than 40 percent by 2020 and for an agreement on behalf of poor countries that have been severely impacted by climate change.

“Our tendency to search for money is destroying the environment,� he said.

During a Mass celebrated at Emmanuel Cathedral Dec. 4, the cardinal said people need to understand that a materialist, consumerist lifestyle not only has a harmful impact on the environment, it also distances people from God.

Filled with things, but empty “We’re filling up our lives with things, but remain empty inside. We’re informed about everything, but have no idea where to direct our lives,� he said.

People must shed “all the superfluous things in our excessive consumer society,� embrace only that which is necessary for life, and be guided by God’s peace and love in order to promote justice and solidarity in the world, he said.

Economic system dehumanizes In a panel discussion Dec. 1 with religious leaders on “What’s God got to do with it?� when it comes to the issue of climate change, Cardinal Rodriguez said, “Our economic system and its search for money above all have dehumanized human beings. Religious groups have a duty to humanize them again.�

According to a Caritas Internationalis

Local residents march in Durban, South Africa, ahead of the international climate talks Nov. 26. Pope Benedict XVI urged leaders to reach a credible agreement on climate change, keeping in mind the needs of the poor and of future generations.

The Durban meeting is the latest in a series to consider follow-up action to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which obligated industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a specific amount.

news release Dec. 1, panelists, who represented Christian, Jewish and other faiths, argued that climate change is a moral is-

The Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2012, and the Durban encounter is considered crucial in forging an additional commitment period.

CNS photo / Siphiwe Sibeko, Reuters

One Family In Mission Be an ‘angel’ like Sister Margaret‌ Sister Margaret Mweshi is an“angelâ€? to some 40 children in northern Zambia — revealing to each one, every day, the “Good Newsâ€? of God’s love, just like the angel did that first Christmas.

Sister Margaret runs a home where these little ones receive treatment and physical therapy for their disabilities. “I know that I have to do more than provide medical help,� she says. “I have to be a mother to them.�

This Christmas, will you be an “angel� for the Missions? Will you support the work and witness of local Sisters through the Society for the Propagation of the Faith?

The Society for THE

PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH ‌a PontiďŹ cal Mission Society

Rev. Mr. Mickey Friesen 328 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1997

Address

www.givetothemissions.org

www.onefamilyinmission.org

TheCatholicSpirit.com

sue, not just an environmental concern.

However, Cardinal Rodriguez said climate talks two years ago in Copenhagen

“I have a sweet tooth for song and music. This is my Polish sin.”

Pope John Paul II

Arts & Culture 16

The Catholic Spirit

Exploring our church and our world

DECEMBER 8, 2011

‘Grace Notes’ is a laugh-out-loud collection of hope Grace Notes by Brian Doyle. Acta Publications.

(Chicago, 2011). 148 pp. $14.95. t’s 5:59 a.m. on a Wednesday and I’m reading and laughing aloud at one end of the house, trying not to stir Sleeping Beauty at the other end.

Five days later, at 6:05 a.m., instant replay.

Brian Doyle is to blame.

“Grace Notes,” his new collection of stories, is his weapon.

This is writing to savor in the silence and holiness before the rest of the world wakens.

Bob Zyskowski Goodness the man can write.

Lord he can tell a story.

In “Grace Notes,” Doyle tells 37 of them, about himself, about his family, about people and things you’d never think someone would write about. But when you’d finished reading you were glad Brian Doyle became a writer.

There’s a good balance of Doyle stories and other people stories in this 148-page Acta Publications paperback.

He goes into tell-all phase about his interior life. He’s an amazingly acute observer of his kids and his wife, who he is quick to admit he doesn’t understand. That’s just some of the laugh-aloud funny stuff.

But he’s at his best giving voice to others, a wonderfully eclectic mix whose lives you’ll be so glad you entered — even if vicariously through ink on paper.

There’s the woman on the bus who talks about wanting to have a child but whose husband is apprehensive, the parents dropping off their daughter for college and crying as they do so, the people behind the stories behind those white crosses we all see on the side of the highway.

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Book Review

and marathons and democracy and divinity, or you huddle behind the wall. I believe that the coolest things there are cannot be measured, calibrated, calculated, gauged, weighed or understood, except sometimes by having a child patiently explain it to you, which is another thing that should happen far more often to us all.

“In short, I believe in believing, which doesn’t make sense, which gives me hope.”

“This is writing to savor in the silence and holiness before the rest of the world wakens.

Priceless stories

”

BOB ZYSKOWSKI

Hope is everywhere Doyle sees the grace in every corner of life. Here’s what I mean — you’ll recognize a key phrase in this quote: “Look, I know very well that brooding misshapen evil is everywhere, in the brightest houses and the most cheerful denials, in what we do and what we have failed to do, and I know all too well that the story of the world is entropy, things fly apart, we sicken, we fail, we grow weary, we divorce, we are hammered and hounded by loss and accidents and tragedies. But I also know, with all my hoary muddled heart, that we are carved of immense confusing holiness; that the whole point for us is grace under duress; and that you either take a flying leap at nonsensical illogical unreasonable ideas like marriage

My favorite might be the story of the man who, as both a policeman in his town and a soldier, is the one who knocks on doors to tell mothers and fathers and wives and husbands that their son or daughter or husband or wife is dead.

The holiness pours from this man in his respect for people, his respect for life.

Catch this, through Doyle’s writing: “You mostly just listen. People tell stories. Often their first reaction, after the initial shock and grief, is to tell stories. . . . People tell me I should write them down but I feel that they are private stories, you know, stories that only came to me because someone’s heart broke in the kitchen.”

Finally, you won’t want to miss Doyle’s amazing lists of who is going to get into heaven and how they’ll be scrutinized — and by whom — before being allowed in.

It’s priceless.

Doyle is one of our generation’s great Catholic writers.

Bob Zyskowski, The Catholic Spirit’s associate publisher, writes the BobZBookReviews blog on WWW.CATHOLIC HOTDISH.COM and THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM.

CD ushers in new liturgical voice with fresh, surprising mix I’m Lifted Up: Songs and Psalms by Will Pitts, 2010, Guardian Angels Music Ministry uardian Angels parish in Oakdale has been blessed with a vibrant music ministry for many years, including significant liturgical composers such as John D. Becker and Roger Stratton.

Will Pitts, a colleague of John’s and Roger’s and a member of the music ministry at Guardian Angels, has recently released a CD of psalms and songs entitled, “I’m Lifted Up.” This recording ushers in a new voice among the liturgical composers working in the Twin Father Cities area.

Jan Michael Unlike recordings consisting Joncas strictly of liturgical music, “I’m Lifted Up” mixes genres. Three of the compositions are psalm settings intended for use as responsorial psalms (Psalms 1, 128, 24). These consist of a refrain for the congregation with verses for a vocal soloist. The writing here is very accessible, with melodies reminiscent of David Haas or Michel Guimont and piano, guitar, bass and guitar accompaniment. (There is a lovely echoing violin obbligato on the setting of Psalm 128.)

The title song, “I’m Lifted Up,” is a gospel-styled song that testifies that “whenever I feel lonely . . . when peace cannot be found . . . I trust in God only to never let me down.” Piano, bass and percussion drive the performance, with Monica Stratton offering a powerful solo performance over the choir’s characteristic harmonies. A more lyric witness song has Lisa Amerongen testifying that “My Favorite Miracle” is the birth of a

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Music Review

child, which grounds belief in God.

A glimpse of life The majority of the pieces are what I would term singer-songwriter ballads in which we discover significant events and feelings in Will’s life: his awe at the sacrifice of Christ as he comes to receive holy Communion (“A Man I Never Met”), his identification with Christ in weeping for Lazarus at the death of his own best friend (“I Will Weep for You”), his gratitude for his mother’s love and sharing of faith in raising him (“Because of You”), his delight in the friendship of a married couple who welcomed him to Minnesota (“Someone Very Special”), and even a country-influ-

enced narrative about a hunting dog, Snickers, who modeled what it is to “follow and heed / in the footsteps of her master” (“Run”).

Will has a very distinctive voice; while others might have a more polished approach to his compositions, hearing Will sing them gives them an immediacy and authenticity reminiscent of singer-songwriters like Randy Newman or Greg Brown.

The final composition on the recording is a total surprise, an art song as lush as anything written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, resulting from a collaboration between Becker and Will. In 2005, Becker played his 1991 instrumental composition on Will’s new piano.

Haunted by the beautiful melody, Will sought to create lyrics for it, a task completed in 2009. Given a radiant performance by Monica Stratton, “What I Cannot Hold” is a magnificent conclusion to the collection.

What I find especially interesting about this collection is its mixture of liturgical music and music that I would find appropriate for other venues: prayer services, catechetical sessions, faith-sharing, Christian coffee houses or concerts. I think of Will as a Christian troubadour, both helping the community to sing its faith in formal worship and sharing his own faith journey.

Information about purchasing copies of “I’m Lifted Up” (as well as other recordings by the Guardian Angels Music Ministry) can be found at WWW.GUARDIANANGELS.ORG. Father Jan Michael Joncas is a well-known liturgical composer and a professor at the University of St. Thomas.

Calendar

DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

17

Don’t miss

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 shrimp and steak dinner at Knights Events Center, Shakopee — December 9: 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.

KC waffle and pancake breakfast with Santa at Knights Events Center, Shakopee — December 11: 8 a.m. to noon at 1760 Fourth Ave. E. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for ages 5 to 12.

Breakfast with Santa at St. Matthew, St. Paul — December 11: 9 a.m. to noon at 500 Hall Ave. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children under 12. Pictures with Santa are $3.

KC Brunch at Epiphany, Coon Rapids — December 11: 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 1900 111th Ave. N.W. Menu includes ham, sausage, eggs, pancakes, French toast and more.

Cost is $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors, $3.25 for 6 to 11 and $18.50 for family.

KC Lumberjack breakfast at Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — December 18: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 21304 Church Ave. Breakfast with Santa at St. Mary, St. Paul — December 18: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 261 E. Eighth St. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children.

Advent retreat for healing in Zumbrota An Advent retreat for healing will be held at St. Paul in Zumbrota Dec. 17.

Retreat directors are Father Randal Kasel and Father Jim Livingston.

The event begins at 8 a.m. with morning prayer, then coffee and rolls and continues with two talks, a healing Mass and individual prayer.

Childcare will be offered. For information, call (507) 732-5324.

St. Paul church is located at 749 Main St., Zumbrota.

‘Neal & Leandra: The Light of Christmas’ at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — December 11: 7 p.m. at 4537 Third Ave. S. Tickets are general admission and are $20. They are available at the door, online at WWW.STJOAN.COM or by calling (612) 823-8205. All proceeds are for the St. Joan of Arc Care Fund, helping the community’s needy neighbors. Refreshments will be available.

Christmas musical at St. John the Baptist, Dayton — December 11: 2 p.m. at 18380 Columbus St. Features the Alzen Family Musicians. Free will offering.

‘I Hear the Prophet Callin’, a Christmas Cantata’ at St. Rose of Lima, Roseville — December 11: 2 p.m. at 2090 Hamline Ave. N. ‘Driving No More: A guide for Families of Impaired Drivers’ at Lumen Christi, St. Paul — December 13: 7 to 9 p.m. at 2055 Bohland Ave. Part of the parish Senior Wellness Education series. Free will offering. RSVP at (651) 698-5581.

Concert featuring parish instrumental Sunday Spirits walking group for 50-plus Catholic singles — ongoing Sundays: For Catholic singles to meet and make friends. The group

Christmas bake sale at St. Matthew, St. Paul — December 10 and 11: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday at 500 Hall Ave. Features cookies, candy and other holiday treats packaged for gift-giving.

St. Anthony of Padua Women’s Guild Christmas craft and bake sale at Catholic Eldercare, Minneapolis — December 10 and 11: 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunday at 817 N.E. Main St. Features baked goods, crafts and “Toni’s Attic Treasures.”

Unique boutique and cookie sale at St. Austin, Minneapolis — December 10 and 11: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at 4050 Upton Ave. N. French Christmas Boutique at Our Lady of Lourdes,Minneapolis — December 10 and 11: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at 1 Lourdes Place. Featuring French Tourtiéres (meat pies), caramel rolls, Christmas Village, raffle, silent auction items, fleur-de-lis jewelry and much more! For information visit WWW.OURLADYOFLOURDES MN.COM.

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 11: 5 p.m. at 4537 Third Ave. S. Includes social hour, old-fashioned Christmas celebration with a sing-a-long at 7 p.m. Cost is $10. Call (952) 884-5165.

School events ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’ presented at Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield — December 8 and 10: 7 p.m. Thursday and 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday at 6600 Nicollet Ave. S. Tickets are $5. Call (651) 789-2651 for information.

Open house at St. Rose of Lima School, Roseville — December 9: 8:30 to 10 a.m. at 2072 N. Hamline Ave. N. For information, call (651) 646-3832.

Calendar Submissions

Parish events

usually meets in St. Paul on Sunday afternoons. For information, call Judy at (763) 221-3040 or Al at (651) 482-0406.

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.

‘A Very Hill-Murray Christmas’ variety show at Hill-Murray School, Maplewood — December 9 to 11 and 15 to 18: 7 p.m. Dec. 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17; 2 p.m. Dec. 11 and 18. Dinner Theatre Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students and $6 for children under 12. To order tickets, visit WWW.HILL-MURRAY.ORG.

Other events ‘Discover the Star of Bethlehem’ presentation at Our Lady of Victory Chapel at St. Catherine University, St. Paul — December 8: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 2004 Randolph Ave. Physicist Terry Flower will speak. RSVP to (651) 690-6819.

Advent retreat for Healing at St. Paul, Zumbrota — December 17: Begins at 8 a.m. at 749 Main St. Retreat directors are Father Randal Kasel and Father Jim Livingston. Features two talks, a healing Mass and individual prayer.

Childcare will be offered. For information, call (507) 7325324.

Minor upgrades on ‘FIFA Soccer 12’ make it best of the franchise One complaint perhaps too easily lodged against “FIFA Soccer 12” (Electronic Arts) is it seems to amount to little more than a minor upgrade over last year’s edition. That criticism has been leveled at almost every installment of the franchise since its 1993 incepAdam Shaw tion.

Yet, every year “FIFA” does get better, and “FIFA 12” — as played for review on the Xbox 360 — is no exception. A clear advance on “FIFA 11” in almost every respect, die-hard soccer enthusiasts will undoubtedly find enough in this latest offering to justify the outlay of a further $60. But will the same be true of more casual fans or parents on a budget?

It’s best to begin by noting that the game engine has undergone some fundamental changes, including the new defending system, and the impact engine.

Previous generations of the title encouraged players to launch themselves unre-

Video Game Review

alistically at oncoming opponents in possession of the ball, instead of tactically surrounding them and ushering them out of danger, as would be done on the field.

EA recognized this flaw and the system now rewards a more careful approach to defending. Veteran gamers trying to handle defense in the artificially aggressive way they used to will soon find themselves conceding a flurry of goals.

The impact engine is a subtly implemented feature by which the game takes more notice of players’ movements toward one another — thus it acts as the soccer equivalent of a collision engine.

The result is that tackling now feels more realistic, as players on the receiving end of hearty take-downs go flying, and receive more lifelike injuries to boot.

These refinements may not sound particularly groundbreaking, and there is nothing all that revolutionary about “FIFA Soccer 12” — EA prefers, apparently, to rely on a more studied and deliberate evolution of the franchise.

This can be seen in other aspects of the game. Career mode remains largely the same, with the player managing one of the many teams available, buying and selling athletes, then competing through the season. As with previous versions, injuries must be managed and tactics selected. Yet the mode has been tweaked by the implementation of youth systems and slower transfer deadline days, the latter building to a climax at midnight, just as in real life.

New features include “Play for Your Club” where the gamer wins experience points that contribute to a virtual league, and teams are relegated or promoted ac-

cordingly week by week. This does add a sense of increased incentive.

In other ways, “FIFA Soccer 12” risks insulting the gamer. The most egregious example of this concerns the Live Season and certain customizations through the Creation Center. On top of laying out the initial price of the game, a player wishing to operate some of these features will have to spend more money to access them.

Most games have features that require further payment. Yet it is troubling to have certain game modes in the retail version of “FIFA Soccer 12” denied to the gamer until more cash has been extracted.

Such imperfections notwithstanding, “FIFA Soccer 12” is undeniably the finest chapter yet of the best soccer franchise available.

The Catholic News Service classification is A-I — general patronage. The Entertainment Software Rating Board rating is E — Everyone.

Adam Shaw reviews video games for Catholic News Service.

18

DECEMBER 8, 2011 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Ministry empowering women to transform society CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

2012 — Year of Celebration

Friends in a blessed life Glaraton, now the associate director for the ministry, said her life has been blessed many times over as a result of her participation in a ministry group. “The friendships I have developed with other moms I met through the ministry are so deep and so real and unlike connections I’ve had with other friends in my life,� she said.

Samantha Barron, a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle in St. Paul, was also awakened to the deeper meaning of her role as the mother of three children, ages 9, 7 and 5, through her experience as a prayer leader with the Ministry of Mothers Sharing group founded at her parish four years ago. “A lot of times as mothers, we can feel isolated. There are things we do every day that don’t seem to matter, like running kids to hockey practice or cleaning peanut butter off the counters,� she said. “However, I realized, through being part of a ministry group, that everything we do as mothers really is a little act of God.�

Over the past 20 years, more than 500,000 mothers of all ages across the country have experienced their own moments of transformation through Ministry of Mothers Sharing eight-week sessions, retreats and workshops, which focus on prayer, faith, ritual, spiritual gifts and friendship.

Working on the future In January, the organization will kick off its “2012 — Year of Celebration� with an event at St. Paul’s Monastery to raise awareness and funds for the sustainability of the 20-year-old ministry, while creating opportunities for past ministry participants from

The Ministry of Mothers Sharing logo uses this simple representation of the Visitation between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth to emphasize the inherent holiness in spiritual friendship.

various local parishes to reunite, pray and reflect. Similar events will be held across the country throughout the year. “Our vision for Ministry of Mothers Sharing is to ‘empower women from the inside out for the transformation of society,’� said Mary Boespflug, national director. “One of the ways we do this is to offer, through our sessions and retreats, an opportunity for women to reflect. Reflection is a lost art because in today’s society, we take such pride in our multi-tasking abilities. But it is in our moments of reflection when God reaches out to us.�

The next chapter for the ministry is the projected 2012 launch of a new Spanish version of the program, which has been

■What: Sister Paula Hagen, OSB, will reflect on the impact of Ministry of Mothers Sharing, followed by prayer ritual, presentations, discussion of a vision for the future, music and refreshments. ■Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. ■Date: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 ■Place: St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, St. Paul ■Cost: $25 per person. RSVP to Jean Glaraton at JGLARATON@STPAULS MONASTERY.ORG or by calling (651) 7484089.

For more information about Ministry of Mothers Sharing, including upcoming eight-week sessions and local retreats, visit WWW.MINISTRYOFMOTHERS SHARING.ORG.

spearheaded by Anne Attea of Ascension Church in Minneapolis. Focus groups have been formed around the translation of materials, which Boespflug said will be based on a cultural translation, rather than a strict language-based translation. “We want it to be globally workable for women of all Hispanic cultures,� she said.

Glaraton said Ministry of Mothers Sharing staff members have been especially gratified by the enthusiasm they have observed in those working on the Hispanic initiative and their desire to bring the program to mothers who may feel particularly isolated in their communities. “Several of those involved in the focus groups attended our national conference last summer and there was such joy and passion among the women to bring the ministry to a Spanish-speaking audience,�

Glaraton said.

Pope prays for migrants, urges international help Catholic News Service Pope Benedict XVI expressed concern for the millions of migrants around the world, and encouraged the agencies trying to help them. “I entrust to the Lord all those who, often forcibly, must leave their homeland, or who are stateless,� the pope said at his Dec. 4 blessing. “While I encourage solidarity for them, I pray for all those who are doing their utmost to protect and assist these brothers and sisters in emergency situations, even if it means exposing themselves to serious hardships and dangers,� he said.

The pope noted the upcoming anniversaries of international conventions dedicated to assisting migrants worldwide.

In early December, government representatives were to meet in Geneva to mark the 60th anniversary of the International Organization for Migration and discuss migration issues.

The next day, the Vatican announced that the international organization had accepted the Holy See as a full member state.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican representative to international organizations based in Geneva, told Vatican Radio Dec. 5, that being a full member of the International Organization for Migration, rather than a permanent observer as the Vatican is with many U.N. agencies, will give the Vatican a stronger voice in an area where politics is not as important as meeting real human needs.

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President and Chairman of the Board Catholic United Financial, a 130+ year old Fraternal Life Insurance and Annuity Organization, is excited to announce its search for its next President and Chairman of the Board. This position requires an experienced insurance professional with traditional Catholic values to continue its legacy of Catholics helping Catholic through life insurance, annuities and fraternal benefits. Catholic United Financial is the largest Catholic Fraternal Life Insurance Association in Minnesota and 11th largest in the United States.

Qualified candidates will have BA in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Actuarial Science or Law and 10+ years of progressive management experience in a financial services organization, working with a board of directors and supervising staff and demonstrated leadership at a strategic level.

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19

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • DECEMBER 8, 2011

Vatican II treasure hunt: Seeking bishops’ notes, diaries

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

With a view toward the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, a pontifical committee has launched a worldwide treasure hunt.

Many of the more than 2,800 cardinals and bishops who participated in all or part of the 1962-65 council kept diaries, or at least notes; some wrote articles for their diocesan newspapers and most — in the days before emails and relatively cheap trans-Atlantic phone calls — wrote letters home.

The Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences is asking church archivists, and even the family members of deceased council fathers, to look through their papers to find reflections that can add a personal touch to the historical research al-

ready conducted on the official acts of the council.

In planning a Vatican II anniversary conference, Norbertine Father Bernard Ardura, committee president, said he is well aware that the treasures unearthed can become the object of squabbles over whether they add to an authentic or fraudulent reading of the council.

The committee is promoting “a balanced and scientifically grounded” historical study of the council, in line with the teaching of the pope and “devoid of any ideological inspiration,” he wrote in his project proposal.

Father Ardura said the committee contacted archivists last spring and urged a careful search in the diocesan archives and personal papers of bishops who attended the council. By March they should have the beginnings of a decent catalogue of

the material and its location.

In October, the committee will sponsor an international conference aimed at sharing progress in cataloguing the information and, especially, offering researchers ideas about areas ripe for further study given the availability of documentation.

Father Ardura said the council fathers’ personal papers should give people an idea of what the bishops thought going into the council and whether, to what extent and why, their attitudes changed as the council continued.

Even setting aside the council’s discussions, Father Ardura also said he expects the research to underline big, even revolutionary changes, in the church over the past 50 years.

For one thing, he said, while all the world’s bishops were invited to the council and many from Africa participated, in the

1960s most of the heads of African dioceses were missionaries from Europe. He suspects their personal papers are in the archives of their religious orders in Rome.

Another issue stems from the fact that, up until 1966, very few bishops retired; they tended to die in office, he said. After the council, Pope Paul VI asked bishops to voluntarily offer to resign at age 75 — which became a requirement with the Code of Canon Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1983.

What that has meant for archivists, Father Ardura said, was that even the personal papers of bishops who died in office tended to be filed in the diocesan archives. Bishops who retire at 75 obviously leave official papers with the diocese, but they tend to take their personal papers with them. That’s why family members of bishops at Vatican II are being asked to help, he said.

Latino students bring new life, diversity to St. Bernard CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

new students.

Have a success story at your school?

top of that, there are language issues because students are coming from households in which Spanish is the primary language spoken.

Thanks in large part to Sister Jancy’s efforts, the money has been there for the students to come. To be sure, she has some strong marketing features to highlight — Mass is celebrated four days a week, and graduates go on to successful academic careers in high school. In the last 10 years, seven graduates of St. Bernard went on to become valedictorians of their high school class.

“It’s a long-standing tradition of academic excellence,” said Sister Jancy, a member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, based in India, along with Sister Pranitha Parambil, who came to teach at the school six years ago.

“I have a great faculty, a great community and the kids are awesome.”

“They’re wonderful students,” he said. “They’re grand and they’re a joy. . . . They’re an asset. They bring a whole dimension to learning and they’re doing well.”

If your school has implemented an idea that you think would be helpful to other schools in the archdiocese, tell us about it and we might feature your idea in an upcoming issue.

Email responses to: CATHOLICSPIRIT@ARCHSPM.ORG (subject line “Schools).

Or, mail them to: Schools, The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

Another stakeholder in the school’s progress is the pastor of a nearby parish, Father Thomas Joseph of St. Nicholas in Carver. Fluent in Spanish, he celebrates a Spanish Mass weekly at Guardian Angels in Chaska, which also has Latino students at its school. Father Joseph has directed some families toward St. Bernard and would like to see all Catholic schools welcome more Latinos.

Questions? Call editor Joe Towalski at (651) 2914455.

Watching Sister Jancy’s efforts with amazement is the pastor of St. Bernard, Father Martin Shallbetter. With a smile on his face, he notes that “Sister Jancy is in charge,” then goes on to express his delight in the presence of the

“The momentum is already there,” he said. “It is not just the school in Cologne; every Catholic school has the potential to bring in [Latino] children. It is like setting the forest on fire. Once people buy into how the sisters in Cologne have succeeded . . . we can make Catholic education a dream come true [for all].”

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“It is sad that such a secular spirit has swept over our state.”

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, R.I., questioning Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s decision to avoid the term “Christmas” and invite the public to attend a “Holiday Tree Lighting” ceremony Dec. 6

Overheard 20

Quotes from this week’s newsmakers

The Catholic Spirit

Carondelet Village opens its doors The Catholic Spirit St. Joseph of Carondelet sisters living at Bethany Convent in St. Paul moved to their new residence, Carondelet Village, on Dec. 6. To mark the occasion, Archbishop emeritus Harry Flynn celebrated Mass and blessed the new Carondelet Village Chapel.

“This new ministry comes at the close of a year that marked the sisters’ 175th anniversary in the United States and 160th year of service in Minnesota,” said Sister Margaret Belanger, project manager. “The sisters will be joined by residents from the general public later in December.”

Carondelet Village is a senior living community that is a joint project of the CSJs, St. Paul Province, and Presbyterian Homes and Services. It features Carondelet Circle, a wellness and life-enrichment center that includes a library, bistro, conservatory, market and gift shop, arts and crafts studios, and intimate gathering spaces for residents and the general community.

Phase 2 construction of Carondelet Village is scheduled to begin in January, with completion anticipated in the summer. Those interested in getting more information or being added to the waiting list can call housing adviser Karen Vento at (651) 695-5005, or email KVENTO@PRESHOMES.ORG.

“If you’ve been away, come home to your parish, and visit CATHOLICSCOMEHOME.ORG today.”

— Part of the message of a new advertising campaign airing on major television networks Dec. 16-Jan. 8 sponsored by the Atlanta-based organization Catholics Come Home, which seeks to bring Catholics back to church

“It’s somewhat of a pilgrimage, and somewhat of a retreat, too. We’re having a spiritually enriching time, educationally enriching, an examination of conscience, a call to accountability, fraternal. It’s good. I wish we did it more often.”

— Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, speaking about the New York state bishops’ recent “ad limina” visit to the Vatican, during which they met with the pope and Roman Curia officials and spent time in prayer

“I look at this and, you know what, we got gamed on this.

We structured this so tightly, we put language in there that would remove Catholic bishops participating even though they have a great track record, even though they scored so high, even though they outscored other people.”

Archbishop emeritus Harry Flynn greets St. Joseph Sister Marie de Paul Rochester after Mass Dec. 6 at the new Carondelet Village residence. With Sister Marie are St. Joseph Sister Bernadette Newton, left, and Larry Russ.

Archbishop Flynn celebrated Mass and blessed the new chapel.

From left, St. Joseph Sisters Eileen Breault and Mary Madonna Ashton make their way down the hallway of the new Carondelet Village residence.

Michael Fitzgerald / For The Catholic Spirit

BSM student newspaper, website and writers pull in several awards Benilde-St. Margaret’s student newspaper, the Knight Errant, has collected some awards recently. The National Scholastic Press Association awarded the Knight Errant website, HTTP://BSMKNIGHTERRANT.ORG, fourth place in the national best of show contest for schools with enrollThe Catholic ment under 1,500. The Minnesota High School Spirit Press Association honored the Knight Errant with five awards.

The online publication received first place for Website General Excellence. Another top honor was given for staff editorial. Logan McMillen (a 2011 graduate) earned third place for review writing, senior Emma Eldred (online editor-in-chief) took home second place for feature writing, and senior Ethan Perushek received honorable mention for page one design. For each of the past three years, The National Scholastic

News Notes

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Press Association has named the Knight Errant website a winner of the national Pacemaker Award, NSPA’s highest honor.

Tourney for teens Four local men are helping a small, but deserving group: teenagers who have lost a parent. John and Joe Seidel, Tim Foley and Tim McKasy, all Cretin High School graduates, established the Joe Finnegan Memorial Golf Tournament in 2004 to honor both their friend and their Catholic school tradition. This past September marked the 8th annual tournament, which raised $28,000 for scholarships for teenagers who have lost a parent. Funds from the tournament are split among Visitation, Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Thomas Academy. Since its inception, the memorial tournament has raised more than $260,000.

KC scholarships The Knights of Columbus presented

$1,800 to each of the three parish schools in the White Bear Lake area; St. Pius X, St. Jude of the Lake and St. Mary of the Lake.

The annual Our Lady of the Lake Council No. 4145 golf tournament took place Sept.

19 at Dellwood Hills Golf Course to raise funds to support Catholic schools.

New members in Malta Included among the 84 new members recently inducted into the Order of Malta, American Association, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, are two from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

AnneMarie Hansen of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul was invested as Dame of Magistral Grace. Colin Chisholm III of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis was invested as a Knight of Magistral Grace. For more about the Order of Malta and the activities of the American Association, visit WWW.MALTAUSA.ORG.

— Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), raising concerns Dec. 1 during a meeting of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigating that U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services department was denied funding for its program by the Department of Health and Human Services because the MRS does not provide access to services such as abortion, contraception and sterilization

“While I encourage solidarity for them, I pray for all those who are doing their utmost to protect and assist these brothers and sisters in emergency situations, even if it means exposing themselves to serious hardships and dangers.”

— Pope Benedict XVI, expressing concern for the millions of migrants around the world and encouraging the agencies trying to help them, during his noon blessing Dec. 4