The Catholic Spirit - February 27, 2014 by The Catholic Spirit Publishing Co.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens: Together, we must serve those in need page 2A

Faces of the Catholic Services Appeal pages 3A-5A

Why we donate to the CSA page 6A

The Catholic Spirit â&#x20AC;˘ February 27, 2014

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

Seek first the kingdom of God The theme of this year’s Catholic Services Appeal is “Seek first the kingdom of God”(Matthew 6:24-34). In that Gospel passage, Jesus invites us as Christians to take a different

chaplain ministry that serves thousands of patients and their families at 19 local hospitals, and our prison ministry that ministers to people in 32 correctional facilities across our area. • Your gift helps nearly 2,500 students access a life-changing education at local Catholic elementary and high schools. A total of $2 million goes to expand access to Catholic schools for families all over our community. For example, 386 high school students from more than 140 cities and towns in the archdiocese each receive a $2,500 CSA scholarship. • Your gift helps hundreds of high school students from our local Church come together for a time of praise, fellowship and growing in the faith at the annual Archdiocesan Youth Day. • Your gift helps 23 Latino ministry parishes care for the spiritual needs of tens of thousands of Spanish-speaking Catholic immigrants. These are just some areas of ministry the Catholic Services Appeal supports — there are many, many other ways the appeal helps people throughout this local Church and beyond. You can read more about these ministries on pages 3A to 5A. These are very challenging times in our local Church. Sometimes the bad news feels overwhelming. Still, we must not let the moral failure of those who harmed others define who we are — or force us to shrink back from living out our faith. We must turn to Christ for strength and healing — and continue to heed his call to serve as his hands and feet here on earth. Together, we must still serve those in need, form leaders for the future, and reach out to others to invite them to full life in the faith. Together, we must still answer the call to serve compassionately and

GUEST COLUMN BISHOP ANDREW COZZENS perspective on our lives than the rest of the world does. We are invited to see that some things in our life are more important than the material things we have or desire. Jesus Christ and his kingdom must come first in our lives. The Catholic Services Appeal offers us all a concrete way to put the kingdom of God first by answering Jesus’ call to love and serve those in need. By giving to the Catholic Services Appeal, you are able to help local Catholic ministries that could not continue their vital work without your support — because they do not have the resources to go out and ask for your support directly. In this issue of The Catholic Spirit, you can see personal stories of some of those you help serve through your gift to the Catholic Services Appeal. Here are a few examples: • Your gift supports hospital

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

continue the good work being done in parishes, Catholic schools and other ministries throughout this local Church. Together with thousands of other local Catholics, your generosity makes possible what no one parish or individual can do alone — feed, house, educate and encourage tens of thousands of adults, families and children who need our help. And up to 25 percent of every dollar raised is returned to your parish for use in its work. Beginning this year, all funds given to the CSA will be held by the independent Catholic Services Appeal Foundation, ensuring that your gift is used solely for the benefit of the designated ministries that the CSA helps to support and to run the appeal — and nothing else. For more than 40 years, the appeal has provided a way for local Catholics to respond to Christ’s call by sharing with him and with his Church a portion of those gifts that God has given to us. Now more than ever, many vital ministries supported by the Catholic Services Appeal need your help. Let each of us ask the Lord how he wants us to seek first his kingdom so that we can receive all he wants to give. Thank you for your consideration and may God bless you!

“Together with thousands of other local Catholics, your generosity makes possible what no one parish or individual can do alone — feed, house, educate and encourage tens of thousands of adults, families and children who need our help. And up to 25 percent of every dollar raised is returned to your parish for use in its work.” Bishop Andrew Cozzens

3A Contributions to the 2014 Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) are used to operate CSA and for the benefit of the specifically identified ministries and not for other purposes, such as chancery administration. The people on the following pages represent the hundreds of thousands who benefit from the generosity of local Catholics through the various ministries.

MINISTRY FOR THE DEAF “Contributions to the Catholic Services Appeal help subsidize the ministry to the deaf at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in northeast Minneapolis. OLMC provides all its parish liturgies and sacramental celebrations in both American Sign Language and voice. The parish provides sacramental preparation for baptism, first Communion and first reconciliation, confirmation, pre-marriage preparation, weddings inside and outside of Mass, and funerals in ASL. A variety of other liturgical opportunities for the deaf are provided, including extraordinary minsters of holy Communion, lectors, and a sign choir. Opportunities for spiritual growth and support are provided through a local chapter of the International Catholic Deaf Association, Deaf Cursillo, and Rediscover: book clubs and Deaf Senior Citizen lunches, all of which the parish supports. Through this ministry, those who use ASL as their primary language are encouraged to be fully active and equal members of the body of Christ and participate in the richness of life as Catholic Christians.”

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

We are the Catholic Services Appeal

Deacon Michael Powers Director, archdiocesan Office for the Deaf Elizabeth Siebert, a deaf member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel writes: “I have been going to Our Lady of Mount Carmel for over 25 years and I really appreciate the effort to make the church more accessible for the Catholic deaf and hard-of-hearing community. They are working hard to provide programs, services, and activities for parishioners including the signed Mass, confession, classes, weddings, baptisms, book clubs, potlucks, and social interactions. And they are making differences in our lives. The church consistently challenges us to be closer to God by attending the Mass, listening, thinking and discussing about the homilies in depth, going to confession, reading the Bible, participating in the church activities, and praying. Because of this, my faith has become stronger. I live near North St. Paul and it takes 25 minutes to drive to the church in Minneapolis. I do not mind driving this far because this is where I feel most comfortable being with people who share our language and culture, making the church more accessible and meaningful. On OLMC’s website, it states ‘A Church You Can Call Home” and I agree with this statement 100 percent.’”

“I really appreciate the effort to make the church more accessible for the Catholic deaf and hard-of-hearing community. They are working hard to provide programs, services, and activities for parishioners including the signed Mass, confession, classes, weddings, baptisms, book clubs, potlucks, and social interactions. And they are making differences in our lives.”

Cristy Goerdt of St. John the Baptist in Savage enjoys praise and worship during Archdiocesan Youth Day Sept. 21, 2013. She is a sophomore at Convent of the Visitation in Mendota. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH DAY “Close your eyes. Imagine a school gym filled with more than 2,000 teenagers, religious and volunteers, all praising the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? That is the sight of Archdiocesan Youth Day. AYD 2012 holds a special place in my heart as the first time I heard God’s voice. Because of that experience, nothing could keep me away from attending in 2013 — I even chose to miss my school’s homecoming dance so I could go to AYD. What makes AYD so extraordinary is the fact that you can really feel the Holy Spirit working in every person there. I believe AYD is so important because it allows teens a chance to not only further their relationship with God, but with each other as well. It gives teenagers an opportunity to know that they’re not the only people their age who love God and have the same values. It’s a time for us to come together to let God into our hearts, so that we can get to know him and better serve him in our lives.” Cristy Goerdt Sophomore, Convent of the Visitation School, Mendota Heights Parish: St. John the Baptist, Savage

Elizabeth Siebert, a deaf member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minneapolis

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

We are the Catholi

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

Participants at the 2013 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration at the RiverCentre in St. Paul.

REDISCOVER: “This outreach to the faithful is unlike any before. It is a continuing, multifaceted initiative, to invite every Catholic to take their next step forward in their faith journey. The 2013 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration was exceptional, and as a friend said, ‘How could you pick a winner from all those fantastic speakers?’ It was, for me, an inspirational event that I will never forget. I never felt more engaged as a Catholic, with a few thousand more who felt something similar. [Matthew Kelly’s] “Rediscover Catholicism” book has caused me to read the New Testament in a new light. The book points out that the Bible is full of imperfect people, and the real story is how they reconcile their friendship with God after having fallen away for a time. Not only is Rediscover: an opportunity for every Catholic to go deeper in their faith and friendship with Christ, but equally as important, it gives each one the resources to invite back a Catholic, who either hasn’t been to church in a while, or has given up.” Phil Rief Rediscover: co-chair, St, Raphael, Crystal

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS “I like the work we do. It’s not easy, but they give you a challenge. The teachers there are very helpful. Ms. [Dorwatha] Woods, my princpal, is a very nice lady. People there are very respectful. Being there has helped me draw closer to God. Being in religion class, learning more and things I didn’t know about God has helped me become a better person toward people and being nice and respectful and spiritual in helping them understand some of the things that they don’t know.” Victoria Sanders Eighth-grade student, Ascension School, Minneapolis

CSA funds help hundreds of high school students through the $2,500 Archdiocesan High School Scholarship, in addition to providing tuition assistance to elementary school students.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

SEMINARIANS “Today’s cost of education is not cheap. Unfortunately, the seminary isn’t immune to those cost inflations. There is no denying it. In fact, if it weren’t for your generous support, the majority of us seminarians would not be able to afford to study for the priesthood. Being a full-time seminarian means that we can’t earn money to pay for our education. But your support to the Catholic Services Appeal and the funds, which are directed to the seminary, really do allow for the seminarians at St. Paul Seminary to follow God’s call in their lives and to minister to the people of God. Along with tuition, your Mark PAVLAK contributions help with other things. To name a few: allowing us go to on retreats, to enter into rest and relaxation with the Lord; two months of hospital ministry in the summer [when] seminarians go to various hospitals for eight weeks, and they allow us to be present to the sick and suffering and to bring Communion to those who long to be close to Jesus in their final hours; giving us teaching parishes for four years, which enables us to learn how to live, work and pray as a parish priest and engage a parish. From the external operations to the internal day-today life of a seminarian, you make it possible for us to be at the seminary.” Mark Pavlak Seminarian at The St. Paul Seminary

VEN

“The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Min sending down priests to work in Venezu and many lay men and women from th worked here in different ways over the CSA funds are used in a variety of way salaries and benefits of the two archdioc working in Venezuela and the salaries an six Venezuelans employed at the mission serves the parish of Jesucristo Resucitado of 11 barrios — or distinct neighborhood estimated 65,000 people living in the pa The parish has one church and five chap people where they live. There are at least celebrated every weekend at the church The rest of the CSA funds help to cov operational costs of the mission — food vehicle maintenance and administrativ huge blessing! The CSA funds help us t mission here to so many people with so spiritual and physical. I very much admire how so many pe faith for help and support during the v especially like the times Venezuela is cu through. In the midst of the violence a many people turn to their faith to help and many times forgiveness. The peopl especially on Sundays, less out of as sen but because they want to be there and — they need to be fed by God’s Word a and blood just to have the strength to struggles.

ic Services Appeal “The children — you can see the positive change they experience. They know who they are, they know where they come from. And it is only when we know who we are and where we come from that we can share each other to the other community, to really create the cultural integration that we need in our parishes. During the year, the leaders of the Pastoral Estela Leadership Institute MANANCERO learn about different cultures and how to reach them, they learn about Catholic Church teachings, they learn how to work in collaboration, to raise money, to organize volunteers, how to run meetings, how to manage conflicts, and to do theological reflection and lectio divina for their spiritual journey. Your investments also allow us to support our families. We run marriage preparation, we have five different retreats around the [arch]diocese during the year, and we also have mentor couples, where we train couples how to deal with crisis situations. Without your support, none of these programs could run. You can see the difference you’re making in our communities. It’s truly an investment in our future leaders.” Estela Villagran Manancero Office of Parish Services/Latino ministry

eople turn to their very difficult times, urrently going and injustices, p them find peace, le come to Mass, nse of obligation, need to be there and Jesus’ body continue in their

Father Greg Schaffer, right. The generosity of the people in the archdiocese through CSA is making a difference in peoples’ lives. The mission is able to respond to the physical needs of the people through the parish soup kitchen, medical clinic, dentist office [and] medical laboratory. We also provide funds for scholarships and emergency assistance to buy food and medicine and help with funeral costs in times of unexpected tragedies and difficulties. And we work closely with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the archdiocese that helps our parish help the poorest of the poor.”

PRISON CHAPLAINS “Our archdiocese covers 12 counties. Within those 12 counties, we have 32 correctional facilities — prisons, jails and juvenile institutions. And in those 32 correctional facilities, we have about 10,000 prisoners. My responsibility is to see that the sacraments are brought into these correctional facilities, that the Catholics receive the sacraments, and we have clergy go in to do Mass and confessions, deacons to minister to the people there, Communion services outside of Mass, and gather lay people to hopefully minister to these people as well. But part of our job’s not to just minister to the Catholic brothers and sisters, but those in the non-Catholic faith, as well. We talk about the new evangelization. It’s not about selling our Catholicism, it’s about living our Catholicism. And so what we do by our actions and deeds, people take notice of. [We need to] make ourselves aware and continue to show the love of Christ in everyone’s lives, even those incarcerated.”

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

LATINO MINISTRY

NEZUELAN MISSION

nneapolis has been uela since 1970 . . . he archdiocese have years. ys. They cover the cesan priests nd benefits of the n. This staff of eight o, which is made up ds — with an arish boundaries. pels to serve the t seven Masses and in the barrios. ver some of the d, electricity, ve costs. This is a to complete our o many needs,

Deacon Tim Zinda Coordinator of corrections for the archdiocese, chaplain at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center Parish: St. Paul, Ham Lake

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS “Our hospital chaplains are critical to the mission of the local Church. Through their ministry, Christ’s work of healing is continued for our faithful who are hospitalized. Our chaplains work tirelessly to be the presence of Christ for the infirm and members of their families. Our chaplains are on call pretty much 24/7 to the hospital that they are assigned to. We encourage them to take at least a day off. I’m here during the week and typically get called in on the weekends to check on people. I think the most meaningful part of it is being a healing presence to the people that we see. It’s intense sacramental ministry in terms of the Sacrament of the Sick and offering communion to those who request it. I have a very active team of volunteers here that come in daily to distribute Father Larry communion. That allows me to concentrate on the BLAKE critical care stations. It’s hard for me to describe the impact on patients. This happens all the time, but I had a call to the room of a patient who was dying. The family had gathered and asked for the Sacrament of the Sick and prayers for their loved one. Sometimes when we step into a situation, the patient isn’t fully cognizant of our presence, but I can tell you that for the family it’s deeply meaningful.” Father Larry Blake Chaplain, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis

Father Greg Schaffer Pastor, Venezuelan Mission

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

Why we donate to the Catholic Services Appeal DIANA & THOMAS GOEBEL “A long time ago when we first started with the appeal, I was contributing because you contribute to the Church. Then I saw a news report on TV, and there was this mother who had run away from an abusive husband, she had a little one in a stroller and she was holding the other one’s hand. It was cold outside, and she was looking for a warm place to stay, and no one had room for her. And Catholic Charities found her a place. And I said to myself, ‘that’s me, that’s my Church. That’s what I contribute to.’ So, I always remember that. That’s an important part of my life. But the annual Catholic appeal gives Catholics an opportunity to be a part of many, many wonderful things that happen in the archdiocese for less fortunate people. How easy is that? When I had my children, I couldn’t go out and do it myself, but I could support the archdiocese and the appeal, so that’s why we do.” Diana and Thomas Goebel St. John the Baptist, Jordan

MICHAEL FONDUNGALLAH “The Catholic Services Appeal is the only place you can donate money to help a whole lot of ministries. Instead of giving to individual things, you can give your money to one organization and it will be shared with so many different ministries. The reason I donate there is because it has an impact, not only in all the ministries it is divided between, but especially in the black community and the African immigrant community. St. Peter Claver Church and School where I come from, is in a black neighborhood in the Rondo area [of St. Paul]. Without the Catholic Services Appeal, a lot of the African-American kids who come to Catholic school would not have the experience of Catholic education. Most of them come tuition free because of the Catholic Services Appeal. I contribute because I want to give back and I want to help others who wouldn’t get a Catholic education to get it.” Michael Fondungallah St. Peter Claver, St. Paul

H. UYEN NGUYEN

MIKE & SARAH LARSEN

“Catholicism has been a big part of my life. I went to St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Savage from kindergarten through eighth grade, and I’m still a parishioner there. I actually live really far from there. St. John’s is in Savage, but I live right by the U of M St. Paul campus. It’s about half an hour away, but it’s been a huge part of my life, and that’s why I give back. When I went to St. John’s, it was just a good environment. I also give because my parents — growing up — they were all about giving and they instilled in us the value of giving. So now that I’m older with a job, I’m able to give back.”

“We wanted to spend our donation dollars with something that was attached to the Catholic Church, and we’re excited to do that. When we found out about the different categories that it was being spent on, that was just more reason to donate our dollars to it. There are a lot of places asking for donation dollars these days, but it feels better, and it feels good to give it to places that are spreading out the money and doing it with a faith-based approach.”

“I think Catholic education is so important, and also at this time, the poor people need support, we need to help the less privileged people, and the Catholic Church needs all the support we can give them — the poorer parishes we need to help to grow. The Catholic Church in general needs help today, especially in our archdiocese at this time. I think religious vocations are so important to support, too.”

Mike and Sarah Larsen St. Peter, Mendota

Ken Herriges Assumption, St. Paul

H. Uyen Nguyen St. John the Baptist, Savage

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

KEN HERRIGES

“I know the hearts of

“We really want

each one of you and

to give people

just thousands of other

more than just a

Catholics that are out

handout — we

there, they want to do

want to give

good things, and we

them the love of

can do good things,

Christ, and

and we will do good

share our faith.”

things.” Tim Healy, president of the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation and 2014 CSA co-chair with his wife, Helen Healy

TIM & HELEN HEALY

Helen Healy, 2014 CSA co-chair with her husband, Tim Healy

About the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

‘We are called to do the work of Christ’

The Catholic Services Appeal Foundation of the St. Paul and Minneapolis area (CSAF) is an independent Minnesota nonprofit corporation that is tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Contributions will be used for the benefit of designated ministries of the CSAF and for no other purposes. The CSA provides funds for ministries that serve families, strengthen parishes, support Catholic school students, form local Church leaders, and reach out to invite others to a full life in the faith. Learn more at csafspm.org.

Last year You helped give:

FATHER RALPH TALBOT “The CSA supports ministries that are critical to the mission of the local Church and ministries that everyone expects the Church to provide, and yet, ministries that are not supported in the budgets of most parishes. For example, everyone knows we need to educate and form our seminarians to be our future priests. Everyone expects the Church to provide this education and formation. Everyone wants to benefit from the education and formation of our seminarians by having educated, well-formed and holy priests assigned to their parish. However, few, if any, parishes have “seminarian support” as part of their operating budget. Everyone in the archdiocese has the opportunity to be a part of the education and formation of our future priests by financially supporting the CSA. The CSA helps provide those ministries that are the responsibility of the entire Church, but not the sole responsibility of any particular parish or individual. I have written letters and bulletin articles to my parishioners encouraging them to support the CSA, reminding them that their support of the CSA benefits critical ministries of the local Church and also benefits the ministries of the parish through the rebate. I tell the parishioners that my gift to CSA will be based on their support of the CSA, pledging $1 for every gift made to the CSA. Over the years, several people have matched my gift.” Father Ralph Talbot Pastor, St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake

• 2,456 students access to a life-

FATHER BOB HART “The CSA is important because through that appeal, [we are] able to support a number of different ministries. Without our support, the ministries simply cannot function. Father Bob Hart Pastor, St. Patrick, Inver Grove Heights

changing Catholic school education that would have been impossible without your help. • 28,370 local men, women, and children crisis shelter, food, and essential services. • 467,007 nights of shelter to people who would have otherwise slept on our streets. • 1 million meals to those in need in our community. • 65 seminarians tuition and room & board support while they prepare to become priests for our archdiocese. • 65,000 people access to the sacraments, food, and necessary services at the Jesucristo Resucitado mission in Venezuela. • 23 Latino ministry parishes support to attend to the spiritual needs of tens of thousands of Spanish-speaking immigrants. • 133,733 people from all 50 states and 188 countries inspiring ways to grow in the Catholic faith through resources on Rediscoverfaith.org.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Catholic Services Appeal Foundation

ways

Registered parishioners received a letter in the mail along

TO GIVE

with a personalized pledge envelope earlier this month. Blank pledge envelopes are available in parish pews, or ask the parish office. Please complete the pledge envelope information and return it to your parish.

DONATE ONLINE

TRANSFER STOCK

This is a quick and easy way to make your yearly donation. Go to csafspm.org to make your donation online. You can use your credit card or bank account.

Transferring appreciated stock directly to the Catholic Services Appeal is both easy and tax deductible. For more information, contact the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation at (651) 291-4448.

WRITE A CHECK

MAKE A PLEDGE GIFT

You can make your check payable to the Catholic Services Appeal and mail it along with your pledge envelope directly to your parish or to: Catholic Services Appeal Foundation, 328 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, MN 55102.

Gifts to the CSA can be pledged over a 10-month period. By spreading your commitment over 10 months, you can increase the size and impact of your gift.

SEEK MATCHING FUNDS

CREATE AN AUTOMATIC BANK WITHDRAWAL

It may be possible to double your gift to the Catholic Services Appeal through a matching gift. Many employers (and former employers, for retirees) match the charitable gifts of their employees. Check with your employer’s human resources department to see if it will match your charitable contribution. Complete its matching gift form (or fill one out online) and send it along with your gift information to the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation.

Instead of a one-time gift, consider spreading your pledge throughout the year. Both the pledge envelope and the online giving site allow you to create a weekly or monthly gift withdrawal from your credit card or bank accounts.

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Men’s Conference 3B • New cardinals 11B • ‘Son of God’ movie 25B February 27, 2014 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

thecatholicspirit.com

Deacon: God gives us what we need to get through difficult times

Sister stories St. Kate’s students to let cameras roll as they share the lives of women religious

By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Dominican Sister Mary Soher had a brief career in television. Little did she know the dividends it would produce today. “I worked for the CBS Television affiliate in San Antonio [Texas] for five years in the production department,” said Sister Mary, 48, who now lives and works at the University of St. Catherine in St. Paul. “It was an incredible experience.” She is more than 20 years removed from that career, but her TV production skills are coming back to life in her new role as co-director of an initiative at the St. Catherine University in St. Paul designed to bring college-aged women in touch with sisters. By spending one-on-one time with sisters during the course of a semester, the students will become aware of the rich tapestries of the sisters’ lives, and they also will record conversations that eventually will be put on a website, SisterStory.org, beginning March 8.

National effort That date is significant because it is the kickoff of National Catholic Sisters Week, a week dedicated to build awareness of religious women that takes place during National Women’s History Month. St. Kate’s has a week of activities planned, including welcoming students from Please turn to ST. KATE’S on page 4B

University of St. Catherine sophomore Laura Crepeau, left, talks about her National Catholic Sisters Week video project with Dominican Sister Mary Soher, co-director of the initiative, made possible by a three-year, $3.3 million grant from the Hilton Foundation. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

National Catholic Sisters Week events The following are among the events St. Catherine University is hosting as a way to celebrate National Catholic Sisters Week: • March 8 2-3:30 p.m. — “Sister Stories: How Did I Know?” In Partnership with The Moth Radio Hour. Hosted by Soledad O’Brien, an American broadcast journalist, at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium. 4-5 p.m. — Inaugural eucharistic celebration, with Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn, at Our Lady of Victory Chapel. • March 11 6:30-9 p.m. — Sister panel presentation with instructor Deborah Organ. Sisters share their lived experience in the elementary school classroom, with the opportunity to ask questions, at Whitby 204B.

We shouldn’t be surprised when God allows us to experience trials. Instead, we should turn to him humbly and continue living our faith as well or better than we do in good times, Deacon Joseph Michalak said at a Feb. 19 presentation, “Crisis and Difficulty: A Time for Growth.” The talk was part of the Deacon Joseph Archbishop MICHALAK Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute’s Learn & Live Series. “There’s a mystery here that God our Father will allow things to happen to us that we might not expect, that we might not want, that we might not anticipate,” Deacon Michalak said to attendees at Holy Spirit in St. Paul. “We might not even be able to imagine that he would allow it in his will, his providence, which sees all in order to bring us closer to him.” The Scriptures capture the depth of anguish we sometimes experience in our own difficulties and in problems like those the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is facing related to some of its priests, said Deacon Michalak, who is diaconate formation director for the archdiocese. Please turn to WHEN on page 9B

ALSO inside

Getting ready for Lent

Rediscovering joy in health care

Novel approach

Ash Wednesday is March 5. Deepen your experience of the season with these resources and activities. — Pages 13B-17B

Catholic apostolate hosts Twin Cities conference integrating faith and health care. — Page 24B

Local author hopes her book will help readers see Passion of Christ with ‘fresh eyes.’ — Rediscover: section

Page Two

2B OVERHEARD

in PICTURES

“If a lot of time has passed, don’t lose even one more day. Go. The priest will be good. Jesus will be there and he’s even nicer than the priest.” — Pope Francis, speaking Feb. 19 during his weekly general audience about the need to go to confession

VIOLENT PROTEST: Demonstrators confront police during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 22. The country’s Catholic leaders urged dialogue and respect for the demonstrators’ human rights. CNS photo/Carlos Garcia Rawli ns, Reuters

“We totally uphold the rights of the child, of which love and respect are the most important. But the right of the child to demand its own death is a step too far. It transgresses the prohibition of killing, which is the foundation of our human society.” — Belgium’s Catholic bishops, in a statement Feb. 13, after Belgian legislators voted to make their country the world’s first to allow euthanasia for small children

NEWS notes • The Catholic Spirit

Rite of Election set for March 9 The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion will be celebrated on March 9 at 1:30 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul. The rite marks the beginning of the final period of preparation of catechumens (those not baptized) for the sacraments of initiation, ordinarily celebrated at the Easter Vigil. From the time of the Rite of Election until the time of their initiation, the catechumens are referred to as “members of the elect.” During the Call to Continuing Conversion, those individuals already baptized who are preparing for entrance into the Catholic Church are recognized.

Visitation teacher honored by social studies council PRAYERS FOR PEACE: Women light candles during a prayer service at a church in Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 23. Ukraine’s acting government issued a warrant Feb. 24 for the arrest of President Viktor Yanukovich, last reportedly seen in the pro-Russian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, accusing him of mass crimes against protesters who stood up for months against his rule. CNS photo/David Mdzinarishvili, Reuters

WHAT’S NEW on social media A Catholic Spirit Facebook post this week asks: What are the best side dishes for your Lenten fish dinner? Follow the latest news about the local and universal Church by following The Catholic Spirit on Twitter @CatholicSpirit. Check out Fathers Nels Gjengdahl and John Floeder testing out the track before the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championships. Watch it at www. youtube.com/thecatholicspirit. Bob Zyskowski reviews the book, “ACulture of Holiness for the Parish,” by Bill Huebsch. The book can be a good tool to help reinvigorate parishes, he says. Read it at CatholicHotdish.com.

The Catholic Spirit is published bi-weekly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 19 — No. 5 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT, Publisher SARAH MEALEY, Associate publisher JOE TOWALSKI, Editor

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Molly Hickok, a second grade teacher at Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights was recently named the 2014 Elementary School Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Council for the Social Studies. Hickok, a teacher at the school since 2005, is committed to integrating social studies concepts into the elementary curriculum, particularly in the area of technology. She serves on Visitation’s Technology Integration Committee, assisting new faculty and offering insights into the seamless integration of technology into the curriculum. She will be honored at the annual MCSS awards gala on March 2 at the Sheraton Bloomington. Each year, MCSS honors three excellent teachers, at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Hill-Murray girls top BSM for state hockey title The Hill-Murray girls hockey team won its first ever state title by defeating Benilde-St. Margaret’s School 5-3 in the Class 2A championship game Feb. 22 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The Pioneers, who were second last year, finished the season with a record of 26-3-1. Hill-Murray junior Jess Bonfe scored two goals in the championship game, and was named to the All-Tourament team. BSM senior Kelly Pannek scored a hat trick against Hill-Murray and also was named to the All-Tournament team.

CORRECTION In the Rediscover: center section of the Feb. 13 issue of The Catholic Spirit, Brett Lamport’s last name was spelled incorrectly.

Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by The Catholic Spirit Newspaper. 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 Office of Communications, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 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. TheCatholicSpirit.com • email: catholicspirit@archspm.org • USPS #093-580

3B Douglas Bushman to speak at Archdiocesan Men’s Conference By Kristi Anderson For The Catholic Spirit Douglas Bushman’s Minnesota roots run deep. A Twin Cities native, he attended the University of St. Thomas, then called the College of St. Thomas, graduating in 1976, the final year it was an all men’s liberal arts college. He later served as a lay Douglas theologian at BUSHMAN St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony for four years and then spent six years in the Diocese of Duluth’s education office. Bushman, who now resides in Colorado where he holds the Blessed Pope John Paul II Chair of Theology for the New Evangelization at the Augustine Institute, is excited to return to Minnesota as the keynote speaker for this year’s Archdiocesan Men’s Conference March 22. “Men’s conferences are an important sign of the times,” Bushman

explained. “We have to ask, ‘With all of the responsibilities that men carry and the access they have to so many activities, why would they set aside an entire morning, a day, or a weekend for a conference?’” “Clearly, men’s conferences are meeting a profoundly felt need,” he said. “My view is that ultimately all their aspirations and hopes, their drive to live a meaningful life and to make a difference in the world — in their families, in the workplace, for their communities and nation, for the poor — can only be fulfilled by becoming disciples of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And, they find him in the church Christ established, its teaching and sacraments and in the fellowship they experience with one another.”

Setting the course Bushman will speak on the theme “Set a Steady Course: Christian, Recognize Your Dignity,” which he said comes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “Following the Second Vatican Council, Pope John Paul II often reminded us that human dignity is rooted in being people of conscience,” Bushman explained. “So, I proposed to talk about conscience and truth. I would say that God is the one who sets the course for our

lives. And our job . . . is to trim the sails of our freedom in order to best catch the Breath of Truth that he sends to sustain us on the pilgrimage of faith.” In addition to his theological studies and teaching, Bushman’s experience as a father of six ignites his passion for sharing what he has learned. “What I want most for my children is that they become men and women of conscience,” he said, “that they encounter Christ there, in their conscience, and that they live in the certainty of being loved by him. If they have that, they will be men and women able to bear witness to Christ, they will be able to love others as they have been loved. They will be active contributors to the new evangelization.” The event is from 8 a.m. to noon at the Anderson Fieldhouse on the University of St. Thomas campus. It includes adoration, confession, Mass, fellowship and food. St. Paul native and former standout hockey player Brian Bonin will also speak on “Men of this World or Men of God: Where are the Sports of Today Leading You and Your Family?” Bushman hopes the time spent together will be an occasion of grace and inspiration for all who attend. “I hope that these men have a new encounter with Christ, precise-

ly in their consciences,” he said. “That is to say, I hope that they will have their best instincts reinforced and that they might recommit themselves to daily prayer, a daily examination of conscience, and regular celebration of the sacrament of confession and regular study.” “Now, these are lofty hopes, and it is a certainty that I cannot make this hapRegister online pen,” he continued. “I am fond The Archdiocesan of saying to my Men’s Conference is students, ‘What from 8 a.m. to noon, takes place in March 22, at the the human Anderson Fieldhouse on heart, in the the University of St. conscience, is a Thomas campus. management isTo register online, visit sue, and I’m the Men’s Conference only in sales.’” event page at events. “Only Jesus archspm.org/MFL-Menscan accompany Conference-2014. these men into Adults are $20 and the secret recessstudents are $10. es of their own For more information, consciences,” call (651) 291-4488. Bushman said. “If my words are received as encouragement to meet him there, to talk with him there, then I will be satisfied to have done my part, to have made a sales pitch.”

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February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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crashed ice

The Cathedral of St. Paul provided a majestic backdrop for the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championships for the third consecutive year. Despite the frigid temperatures, nearly 120,000 people crowded around the temporary track for the finals Feb. 22. Skaters clear the first jump at the start of the 430-meter track. The top 100 U.S. skaters and the top 100-ranked international skaters raced four at a time until there was only one winner. Austrian Marco Dallago came out ahead with last year’s winner Canadian Scott Croxall in second and Lakeville native Cameron Naasz in third. Moscow, Russia, hosts the next stop of the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship on March 8. Photos by Dianne Towalski/The Catholic Spirit

St. Kate’s helps kick off National Catholic Sisters Week Continued from page 1B 33 other colleges and universities throughout the country who are hoping to continue this effort on their campuses. Sister Mary, whose co-director is St. Catherine adjunct professor Molly Hazelton, arrived on campus last fall due to a three-year, $3.3 million grant awarded to the university by the Hilton Foundation. So far, 12 students at St. Kate’s have signed up to spend a semester getting to know a sister one-onone. They will meet regularly with a sister and film some of the sisters’ remarks. At the end of the semester, finished videos will go online. Then, in the fall, more students will continue the project. One of the 12 students, sophomore Laura Crepeau, already has talked with the person assigned to her, St. Joseph Sister Susan Oeffling. And, she likes what she is hearing. “She seems like one of the most upbeat people I’ve ever met,” said Crepeau, who is majoring in biochemistry and biophysics, and hopes

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

to go on to medical school. “She shows a lot of excitement and energy for life, and I feel like she’s just as excited about the project as I am.” It took very little for Crepeau, a Catholic who belongs to St. Andrew parish in Elk River, to become interested in applying for this opportunity. She was looking for ways to engage in her Catholic faith and already had gotten to know sisters on campus through weekend Masses at the campus chapel. “I definitely feel that this project was tailored to something I wanted to do while I was at St. Kate’s,” Crepeau said. “When I originally read the job description for this project, I was like, ‘Wow.’ I want to learn the history of these sisters and let the world see their stories.”

Finding the perfect fit Though Sister Mary is not one of the sisters who will be featured in the student-produced videos, she has her own unique and compelling story. She spent her childhood in Oklahoma, then relocated to California with her family. When

“I definitely feel that this project was tailored to something I wanted to do while I was at St. Kate’s.” Laura Crepeau, sophomore, St. Catherine University

she started work with CBS in 1987, she thought she would spend her entire career in the industry. Then, she reached a plateau in her job in San Antonio and decided to go back to California. She made a career change and then felt a desire to explore religious life. She thought her investigation would be a casual look that she could do briefly and check it off her “bucket list.” But, an experience she had that resembles what the

students are doing at St. Kate’s transformed her cursory look into membership to the Adrian Dominicans in August of 1996. It became permanent with her final vows in 2004. The key element in her vocation journey came during a year spent meeting with a Dominican sister in California beginning in 1995. She now realizes that belonging to the order, formally known as the Order of Preachers, is a perfect fit for her role in this project, which will last for the three years of the grant, and hopefully, beyond. “As a member of the Order of Preachers, we talk about preaching the Gospel with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in your other hand because you’re connecting the signs of the times to the Gospel message,” she said. “Now, I think it’s the smart phone or Internet connection in one hand and the Gospel in your other hand.” For more information about National Catholic Sisters Week and the ongoing project, visit www.stkate.edu/ncsw.

5B By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit When Jennifer Haller answered her phone on Feb. 11, she was more than a little surprised to be talking to the producer of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” But she wasn’t surprised to hear what the producer had to say. Haller’s 13-year-old son, Jonathan — a seventh-grader at St. Michael Catholic School in St. Michael, where his mom is principal — had entered and won a contest for young inventors sponsored by the show. His prize: the opportunity to introduce his invention to the world, and Jimmy Fallon, along with two other winners on the Feb. 19 show. The “Fallonventions” segment was sponsored by General Electric. “He’s always creating new things for unique purposes,” Haller said. His invention, the “iHead,” is a device you put on your head that holds an iPhone, iPod or iPad so you can watch movies, read or chat with friends while keeping your hands free to do other things. When he found out about the contest, he sat down at his desk and came up with a list of problems he faced in everyday life. “For each problem, I came up with

See Jonathan’s invention: • www.nbc.com/the-tonightshow/segments/1456 • Web exclusive interview post-show: m.nbc.com/ the-tonight-show/ segments/1461 • Jonathan’s video entry for “The Tonight Show” consideration (self-made footage): www. youtube.comwatch?v =IVdjpvGfYV8 Jonathan Haller, a seventh-grader at St. Michael Catholic School in St. Michael, posed for a photo with Jimmy Fallon Feb. 19. After winning a young inventors contest sponsored by GE and “The Tonight Show,” he appeared on the show with two other winners. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Haller a solution where I created something new,” Jonathan said. Haller calls him an “artsy inventor,” saying this is one of many things he has created. “He has a unique way of seeing the world,” she said. “He has been blessed with a storehouse of clever ideas that show up through art, science and acting.” Jonathan was flown to New York, along with his mom, dad Mark and older sister Kristen, as guests of the show. His brother

Ben, a college student, wasn’t able to go along. He got to experience rehearsals, wardrobe, hair and make-up, and was given his own dressing room with his name on the door. “It still kind of seems like it’s all a dream,” Jonathan said. “The most wonderful part of the entire experience was that Jonathan was selected and recognized and honored for exactly who he is and who God created him to be,” Haller said.

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Student’s invention lands him on ‘The Tonight Show’

She credits his Catholic school education for encouraging creativity. “St. Michael Catholic School fosters and supports this kind of thinking through its curriculum, professional staff and a variety of projects and events,” she said. At the end of the “Tonight Show” segment, the three young inventors were surprised with checks for $5,000 each from GE. “It’s a blessing to me that I got to do all this,” Jonathan said. “It’s just crazy to think that I got to go to New York City and go on ‘The Tonight Show.’ I got to show the world who I really am, I guess.”

Hearing Tests Set for Senior Citizens

Church / Ministry Jobs Director of Adult Faith Formation - FT Location: Church of St. Michael; Prior Lake, MN The Church of St. Michael in Prior Lake, MN is seeking a Director of Adult Faith Formation / Family Life. This position coordinates adult formation programs for the Parish of more than 2500 families. Primary responsibilities include: RCIA, Bible Study Group offerings, Small Group Faith Sharing, Family Ministry coordination and Vacation Bible School Coordinator (optional assignment-additional). Liaison to various adult ministry groups, coordinator of program materials in Parish communication materials. Full job duties available on Parish website (stmichael-pl.org). Qualifications include, but are not limited to: The ideal candidate will have three (3) or more years of demonstrated relevant experience (with a strong preference for experience in the parish setting), demonstrated enthusiasm for ministry, demonstrated organizational skills with excellence-in-execution, and demonstrated spiritual and emotional maturity, including understanding and support of the parish vision and mission. A bachelor’s degree in religious/pastoral studies, education, or a related field.

Announcement — Free electronic hearing tests will be given all next week Monday thru Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. The tests have been arranged for anyone who suspects they are not hearing clearly. People who generally feel they can hear, but cannot understand words clearly are encouraged to come in for the test, which uses the latest electronic equipment. Everyone, especially those over age 55 should have an electronic hearing test once

a year. Demonstrations of the latest devices to improve clarity of speech will be programmed using a computer to your particular needs — on the spot — after the tests. See (and HEAR) for yourself if newlydeveloped methods of correction will help you understand words better. Tests will be performed at one of 20 convenient Greater Twin Cities Avada Hearing Care locations.

Call 1-877-328-9161

Annulment Questions?

Teacher of 6th Grade - FT Location: Ascension School; Minneapolis, MN Self-contained classroom 6th grade teacher. Teach science, math, reading, literature, religion, social studies, spelling, writing, English. Work day from 7am-3pm M-F. Teacher duties include: bus duty after school, cafeteria duty once per week, recess duty once per week. Specialist teachers teach art, music, technology, physical education. Qualifications include, but are not limited to: Experience in inner city setting. Experience in teaching students of color/diverse cultures of color. Practicing Catholic-Bible knowledge and personal prayer practice. Current MN State teacher Certification. Mental stamina. Strong and consistent disciplinarian. Principal - FT Location: Epiphany Catholic School; Coon Rapids, MN Lead the entire school community in realizing Epiphany School’s mission in conjunction with the mission of The Church of the Epiphany. Provide educational and spiritual/Catholic leadership for The Church of the Epiphany School (K-8). This includes the supervision of the staff and teachers and curriculum development necessary to promote the academic and religious development of each student. Qualification include, but are not limited to: preferred Master’s Degree and or Ed.S. licensure or equivalency (or working towards licensure); preferred current State of Minnesota Teaching License; practicing Catholic; work and lead effectively and collegially with others. Ability to make decisions based on reflection and data; work without supervision; work effectively with all students and parents. Ability to take direction from the administrator and effectively implement new programs, processes, and procedures as directed. For more information on these and other job openings, or to apply online, please visit www.archspm.org/ careers.

Cathedral of St. Paul 239 Selby Ave, St. Paul

March 5, Ash Wednesday 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. — 7 p.m.

Send notice of your upcoming parish event to us: spiritcalendar@archspm.org February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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Additional disclosures made as part of clergy file review False media report

The Catholic Spirit As part of a continuing commitment to transparency and ongoing disclosure, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released the names and additional information Feb. 17 of nine priests against whom claims of sexual abuse of a minor were found to be substantiated. (See the list, below.) A substantiated claim, according to the archdiocese, “is one for which sufficient evidence exists to establish reasonable grounds to believe that the alleged abuse occurred.” In all but one case, the incidents occurred 25 to 50 years ago and “all of the clergy involved have been out of ministry in the archdiocese for many years, in most cases for decades,” the archdiocese said in a statement Feb. 17. Three of the nine clergy on the list are deceased. The names of the clergy can be found on a special page on the archdiocese’s website, www.archspm.org. (Click on “Advocacy and Victim Assistance,” and then on “Disclosures Regarding Clergy Sexual Abuse of Minors.”) Two of the nine cases were made known to the archdiocese after the so-called “John Jay list” was compiled in 2004 to fulfill a request by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, which published a national study of clergy sexual abuse. The Feb. 17 disclosure brings the total cases made known to the archdiocese after 2004 to three, including Curtis Wehmeyer, whose name the archdiocese previously disclosed to the public. Of these three claims, the archdiocese said one relates to incidents that occurred in the 1950s but were not made known to the archdiocese until several years after the John Jay list was compiled.

Third-party review The disclosures were made as part of the ongoing review of clergy personnel files by Kinsale Management Consulting, which the archdiocese hired last November. Kinsale is headed by Kathleen McChesney, a former high-level official at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and former head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Child

“The Catholic faithful want to know we are doing everything we can to resolve these matters. I can say truly that we are.” Father Charles Lachowitzer, vicar general and moderator of the curia

and Youth Protection. The Kinsale process began in December with files of all living clergy, whether in active ministry or not, the archdiocese said. It also now includes several priests who are deceased. Several clergy members whose names have been disclosed to the public through press releases or media reports during the last few months are not included as part of the most recent disclosure, the archdiocese said. These clergy remain under investigation and, if the claims made against them are substantiated, their names will be added to the public disclosure page on the website. If the claims against them are unsubstantiated, the archdiocese said it also would make that information known. The archdiocese’s Feb. 17 disclosure is its second in two and a half months. On Dec. 5, it released Wehmeyer’s name and the names of 33 priests that appeared on the John Jay list of clerics believed to be credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor when the list was compiled by the archdiocese. The names from December also are listed on the disclosure section of the archdiocesan website. “It is a testament to the comprehensive review by the experienced Kinsale team that we are today disclosing seven cases of the nine that were not originally accounted for in the John Jay study in 2004,” the archdiocese said. “We were able to identify these additional cases because of the review of the files of all living priests, whether active or inactive, and many of the deceased priests.”

Following media reports about the most recent disclosure, the archdiocese released a statement disputing a report by Minnesota Public Radio claiming that the archdiocese’s disclosure to date of 43 clergy members (39 having substantiated claims against them of sexual abuse of a minor) was incomplete. MPR cited an additional 28 clergy members for whom it said it “found allegations of child sexual abuse and other sexual improprieties.” “This statement is wrong and misleading,” the archdiocese said Feb. 19. “The 28 clergy members identified by MPR have not been publicly disclosed by the archdiocese because they do not, to date, constitute substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor.” Some of the clergy members identified by MPR were the subject of “false, meritless or unsubstantiated accusations,” the archdiocese said. Others are not from the archdiocese and the allegations against them concern alleged conduct that occurred outside the archdiocese. Two never served as clergy in the archdiocese. (Read the full statement at right.)

Maintaining resolve In its original statement, the archdiocese said it remains committed to the promises it has made to create safe environments for children, care for victims, facilitate a healing process for the local Church to restore trust with the Catholic faithful, and restore trust with clergy who are serving honorably. “The archbishop’s senior staff is dedicating tremendous time and energy to get to the bottom of the allegations that have surfaced in recent months,” said Father Charles Lachowitzer, archdiocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia. “Kinsale’s professional expertise and meticulous approach to the clergy file review contributes to giving us confidence we are doing just that. The Catholic faithful want to know we are doing everything we can to resolve these matters. I can say truly that we are.” The archdiocese said it would continue to make “prudent and ongoing” disclosures in the future as needed.

Statement regarding MPR report on accused clergy The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released the following statement on Feb. 19. Consistent with the paramount goal of protecting children, the archdiocese has committed to the public disclosure of clergy members against whom claims of sexual abuse of a minor have been found to be substantiated. The archdiocese has been clear and consistent in defining “credible” and “substantiated” claims of sexual abuse of a minor. Following the report made to appropriate law enforcement, the first step in our internal evaluation is to determine whether the claim is credible. A credible claim is one that is not manifestly false or frivolous. In other words, it is not blatantly false. Separate from our internal evaluation process, any claim whether credible or not, is immediately reported to police. If the archdiocese determines that a credible claim exists, the archdiocese opens an investigation to determine whether a claim is substantiated. A substantiated claim is one for which sufficient evidence exists to establish reasonable grounds to believe that the alleged abuse occurred. Following an initial disclosure of 30 clergy members in December 2013, the archdiocese publicly disclosed an additional 9 priests on Feb. 17, 2014, following a comprehensive file review by Kinsale, an experienced outside national firm. Kinsale’s file review is ongoing and we will continue to make prudent and ongoing disclosures as we proceed forward. Please turn to STATEMENT on page 27B

Additional clergy with substantiated claims against them of sexual abuse of a minor Robert Blumeyer Date of birth: 6/11/1922, deceased Date of ordination: 3/19/1956 Cleric’s prior assignments: • Associate pastor, St. Boniface, Hastings, 1956-65; • Associate pastor, St. Augustine, St. Cloud, 1966-1967; • Associate pastor, St. Benedict, Bronx, N.Y., 1968-1969; • St. Bartholomew, Wayzata, 1969-1973; • St. Boniface, Hastings,1973-1978;

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

• St. Benedict, Avon, 1978-1982; • Pastor, St. Catherine, Farming, 19821983 Diocese or religious order: Benedictine (St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville) Date permanently removed from ministry: 1983 Last residence: Farmington Current status: Died in 1983

Gerald Funcheon Date of birth: 7/22/1938 (age 75)

Date of ordination: 5/22/1965 Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Outside of archdiocese, 1965-1971; • St. Odilia, Shoreview, 1971-1974; • St. Stephen, Anoka, 1974-1975; • Outside archdiocese, 1975-1985; • Associate pastor, St. Stephen, Anoka, 1985. • Left archdiocese, 1986 Diocese or religious order: Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross

(Crosiers); Diocese of Lafayette, Ind. Date permanently removed from ministry: 1993 Current location: Dittmer, Mo. Current status: Retired

Kenneth Gansmann Date of birth: Unknown, deceased Date of ordination: Unknown Continued on page 7B

7B The Catholic Spirit Since Dec. 5, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has listed the names of 43 clergy members — 39 of whom have substantiated claims against them of sexual abuse of a minor — on the disclosure section of its website. Just three of 43 names involve claims made known to the archdiocese since 2004, and one of those three relates to incidents that were alleged to have occurred in the 1950s. Most of the claims allege abuse that happened decades ago. So why have people been hearing about these cases in the media during the last several months, including news of lawsuits filed on behalf of those alleging abuse? The answer dates back to the 2013 Minnesota state legislative session, when lawmakers passed a bill eliminating the civil statute of limitations for cases of past child sexual abuse, allowing anyone with a claim of abuse to file lawsuits for a threeyear period regardless of how far back their claims date and regardless of whether the alleged abuser is deceased. Previously, an alleged child sex-abuse victim had until age 24 to file a lawsuit. This is the first time Minnesota has enacted a three-year window. The state twice previously eliminated the civil statute of limitations for Continued from page 6B Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Pastor, St. John’s of Union Hill, 19491959; • Returned to Chicago, 1960 Diocese or religious order: Order of Friars Minor (Franciscan) Date permanently removed from ministry: Left archdiocese (1960) Last residence: believed to be Chicago Current status: Deceased

Thomas Gillespie Date of birth: 7/24/1937 (age 76) Date of ordination: 5/30/1964 Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul, 19641978; • St. Mary Church, Stillwater, 1978-1986 • Left archdiocese, 1986 Diocese or r eligious order: Benedictine (St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville) Date permanently removed from ministry: 1996 Current location: Collegeville Current status: Under supervision for sexual misconduct

Michael Kolar Date of birth: 10/1/1943 (age 70) Date of ordination: 5/24/1969 Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Assistant director, Catholic Youth Center, St. Paul, 1969; • Associate pastor, St. Raphael, Crystal, 1969-1970; • Assistant director/director, Catholic

cases of past child sexual abuse for one-year windows — in 1989 and 1991. Seven new lawsuits alleging clergy sexual abuse of minors have been filed on account of the new law, which became effective May 25, 2013, said Joseph Kueppers, archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs. They involve incidents that occurred from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Pros and cons Supporters of repealing statutes of limitations in cases of sexual abuse say it empowers victims, many of whom are not prepared to deal with the ramifications of the alleged abuse until later in life Marci Hamilton, a law professor at the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in New York who tracks statute of limitation laws nationwide, testified in favor of the Minnesota bill at the state Legislature last March before it was signed into law. Hamilton said the bill “would protect the children of Minnesota by making it possible for victims to come forward and identify their perpetrators in a court of law. It would also bring delayed, but still welcome, justice to these victims.” In Minnesota and around the country, however, a variety of organizations have expressed concerns about changing the law in this way. Youth Center, 1970-1988; • Appointed to Latin American apostolate 1990-1991; • Resigned 8/14/1991; • Dispensed 12/29/1992 Diocese or religious order: Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Date permanently removed from ministry: 1991 Last residence: believed to be St. Paul Current status: Laicized (1993)

Kenneth LaVan Date of birth: 9/23/1932 (age 81) Date of ordination: 2/23/1958 Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Associate priest, St. Michael, St. Paul, 1958-1964; • Associate priest, St. Anne, Minneapolis, 1964-1965; • Associate priest, St. Raphael, Crystal, 1965-1970; • Vicarius Oeconomus, Guardian Angels, Oakdale, 1970-1973; • Pastor, Guardian Angels, Oakdale, 1973-1983; • Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, Lake St. Croix Beach, 1983-1985; • Pastor, St. Richard, Richfield, 1986-1987; • Co-pastor, St. Joseph, Lino Lakes, 19871998; • Associate priest, St. Joseph, Lino Lakes, 1989-1998; • Retired, 1998 Diocese or religious order: Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Date permanently removed from ministry: Retired from full-time ministry in 1998; removed from all active ministry December 2013

A statute of limitations law is based in part on fairness, as an acknowledgment that “it is almost impossible to defend against claims that are very old, and correspondingly difficult for judges and juries to have everything they need to do their jobs effectively,” Anthony Picarello, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ former general counsel and now associate general secretary, explained in a Catholic News Service interview in 2011. “Plaintiffs can always submit their own testimony as evidence, which alone can satisfy the low burden of proof in civil cases; but the evidence available to defendants would be severely compromised — witnesses die, those who remain have faded memories, and documents deteriorate or get lost,” he said.

Helping victims The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been the focus of intense media scrutiny since last fall, fueled in part by new lawsuits filed because of the change in the law. However, one of the aspects of these stories that has not been relayed in media reports are the many actions and financial commitment made by the archdiocese to help victims and create safe environments for children and vulnerable adults. “Any incidence of abuse within Church ministry is horrific and canCurrent location: Oakdale Current status: Retired; removed from all active ministry December 2013

Francisco (Fredy) Montero Date of birth: 5/24/1967 (age 46) Year of ordination: 1996 Cleric’s prior assignments: • Parochial vicar, San Simon, Guatemala, Ecuador, 1996-2002; • Chaplain to Hispanic community, Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Minneapolis, 2002-2007 Diocese or religious order: Diocese of Guaranda, Ecuador Date permanently removed from ministry: 2007 Current location: Believed to be residing in Guaranda, Ecuador Current status: Unknown; permanently removed from ministry from archdiocese in 2007

James P. Stark Date of birth: 7/14/1936, deceased Date of ordination: 2/22/1964 Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese: • Assistant pastor, St. Stephen, Anoka, 1964-1967; • Assistant pastor, St. Andrew, St. Paul, 1967-1969; • Assistant pastor, Nativity of Mary, Bloomington, 1969-1973; • Associate pastor, Holy Spirit, St. Paul, 1973-1974; • Associate pastor, St. Peter, Richfield, 1974-1977; • Pastor, St. Michael, Farmington, 19771986; • Leave of absence, 1986 Diocese or religious order: Archdiocese

not be tolerated,” said Father Charles Lachowitzer, vicar general and moderator of the curia for the archdiocese. “The impact on victims and their families is devastating and life-long. We want to do all that we can, with Christian compassion and love, to assist them in the healing process.” The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has maintained an advocacy and victim assistance office since 1992 to respond to victims’ complaints and concerns and offer a variety of assistance, including helping victims to make a report to civil and Church authorities. The office also assists victims in obtaining independent counseling services and other forms of support. As reported in broad financial disclosures made by the archdiocese earlier in February, significant resources have been dedicated to aiding and caring for victims of abuse over the past decade, relating in most cases to abuse that happened as many as 40 or 50 years ago. “It’s the right thing to do as a Church. We cannot apologize enough for the harm that has been caused,” Father Lachowitzer said. “And there is always more that we can do. At the same time, the more that we can do doesn’t negate all that has been done with sincere

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Lawsuits, extensive media coverage of clergy cases follow change in law

Please turn to HELPING on page 8B

of St. Paul and Minneapolis Date permanently removed from ministry: 1986 Last residence: believed to be Minneapolis Current status: Died, 1999

Harold Walsh Date of birth: 4/20/1934 (age 79) Date of ordination: 9/25/1960 Cleric’s prior assignments: • Mission priest, Ireland, 1960-1963; • Davenport, Iowa, 1963-1965; • Holy Redeemer Church, Detroit, Mich., 1965-1967; • St. Michael, Chicago, Ill., 1967-1969; • Assistant pastor, St. Pius X, White Bear Lake, 1969-1970; • Assistant pastor, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Paul, 19701971; • Assistant pastor, St. Stephen, Minneapolis, 1970-1974; • Pastor, St. Anne, LeSueur, 1974-1979; • Assigned outside the archdiocese, 1979-1980; • Pastor, Holy Trinity, South St. Paul, 1980-1985; • Pastor, St. Henry, Monticello, 1985-1991; • Leave of absence 1991-1994; • Retired, 2001 Diocese or religious order: Ordained Redemptorist Fathers (Ireland); incardinated in 1972 into Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Date permanently removed from ministry: 2005, laicized 2012 Current location: Monticello, Minn. Current status: Laicized (2012)

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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Myth vs. fact: Setting the financial report record straight The Catholic Spirit Following the online disclosure of the archdiocesan Chancery Corporation’s full audited financial report Feb. 13 and the publication of a condensed version in The Catholic Spirit, some local media stories misinterpreted or did not accurately present the information. Thomas Mertens, chief financial officer for the archdiocese, offers the following information to set the record straight. Myth: A $3.9 million deficit at the end of fiscal year 2013 puts the archdiocese in a very precarious financial situation. Fact: “The $3.9 million deficit is a result of the $3.9 million accrual that we recorded as a reserve for potential litigation,” Mertens said. “Without this reserve, our operating net income would have been slightly positive. As a result of this reserve, our liabilities have increased, our expenses have increased; however it hasn’t affected our cash balance. “We booked the reserve at the end of June 30, 2013 because, prior to releasing our audit report in December, sexual abuse civil lawsuits were filed as a result of the current three-year removal of the statute of limitations in Minnesota. Even with this reserve, we’re in a solid financial position.”

Myth: The annual report does not reflect all of the archdiocese’s assets. Fact: “The audit report for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis covers the Chancery Corporation and the General Insurance Program Trust,” Mertens said. “It does not include the parishes, Catholic schools, health care facilities and other Catholic entities within the 12-county area that make up the archdiocese.Under Minnesota law, those are separately incorporated and operated, and the Chancery Corporation has no fiscal or operating control over these entities.” “There is a lay pension trust, a priest pension trust and an archdiocesan medical benefit plan trust, but those are separate entities that are not part of the Chancery Corporation,” he said. “Footnote No. 1 in the audit report provides a clear explanation of the nature of the organization.” (View the report at www. archspm.org.) Myth: The archdiocese has paid more in clergy abuse-related expenses than what is listed in the annual report. Fact: The archdiocese has not paid more in clergy abuse-related expenses than what is listed in the annual report, Mertens said. But additional funds have been paid by the archdiocese’s insurance provid-

er; some men have received disability payments from the priest pension plan. That number is under three-quarters of a million dollars during the past 10 years, he said. Myth: The archdiocese is facing impending bankruptcy because of current lawsuits and the threat of future ones. Fact: “In regard to potential litigation, we’ve explained very clearly how we approached our Litigation Reserve Liability, which amounts to a $5 million change year over year between FY 2012 and 2013,” Mertens said. “As I said in my report, that’s an estimate. The Chancery Corporation is involved in various lawsuits relating to claims of alleged sexual abuse. For known claims, there is no practical means to determine the likelihood of outcome. Under accounting standards, when no amount within a particular reserve range is a better estimate of a particular outcome than any other amount, we are required to use the minimum amount of the range for our accrual. We have not accrued any amount for unknown claims because they cannot be reasonably determined, due in part to the unprecedented third ‘open window’ for civil sexual abuse claims in Minnesota.” “In terms of the impact of future litigation expenses, we just don’t know,” Mertens added. “It’s going

to depend on the number of claims that surface over the next two years and how these may be litigated or settled.” Myth: The priest pension plan will be insolvent in 10-15 years. Fact: “The priest pension plan is underfunded like most pension plans are in the state and across the country,” Mertens said. “The current contributions to the plan are great enough to pay out the current obligations of the plan. So the good news is that our plan isn’t becoming worse off — the money we bring in from the contributions of the active priests is currently able to pay the obligations of the retired priests.” “Back in July, we formed a new pension board of trustees, and we created a subcommittee of that pension board of trustees: an investment advisory committee,” Mertens added. “We brought new people onto those committees to take a fresh look at both the priest and lay pension plans. We’re looking at our options and strategies to essentially put ourselves in a position where we can get the priest pension plan better funded as we move forward. It might take us 1520 years to get it to where it’s near 100 percent funded, which is our goal. To say the program is going to be insolvent in 10-15 years is simply inaccurate.”

Helping abuse victims

Archdiocese files motion with state Court of Appeals

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The Catholic Spirit

concern and outreach for those who have been hurt.” As part of efforts to create safe environments, all clergy, Church and Catholic school employees and volunteers who have contact with minors are required to sign a code of pastoral conduct, submit to a background check and attend an adult safe-environment training session called “VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children.” The archdiocese implemented VIRTUS in 2005 following the U.S. bishops’ 2002 adoption of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” which requires dioceses to maintain safe environment programs. Most of the local news reports in recent months about clergy sexual abuse of minors involve, with a few exceptions, abuse or alleged abuse committed between the mid1950s and 1980s before many elements of the archdiocese’s prevention programs were implemented. Lynette Forbes-Cardey, coordinator of the archdiocese’s Office for the Protection of Children and Youth, said she believes VIRTUS and the archdiocese’s other safe environment initiatives are making a difference in protecting youth. “You can’t prove a negative. We don’t know how many victims we have saved by people who have taken the VIRTUS training, and have intercepted it,” Forbes-Cardey told The Catholic Spirit in an interview last January. But, she added, her office has received information from parishes and schools that they have raised awareness and safety levels because of the training.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has appealed a Ramsey County District Court judge’s rulings made earlier this month in a case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a minor. The archdiocese’s appeal, filed with the Minnesota Court of Appeals, seeks to overturn Judge John Van de North’s ruling Feb. 11 that Archbishop John Nienstedt and former archdiocesan vicar general Father Kevin McDonough must submit to depositions taken by the alleged victim’s attorneys within 30 days and testify about the archdiocese’s policies and procedures for handling clergy sexual abuse allegations, said Joseph Kueppers, archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs. The judge’s order also requires that John Brown, a 93-year-old priest of the archdiocese who was permanently removed from ministry in 2002, be deposed. He is suffering from advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease and is currently residing in a memory care unit at a senior care facility. Additionally, Van de North ordered the archdiocese to prepare and submit to the court by Feb. 18 the names of all priests accused of sexually abusing minors since 2004, regardless of the merits of the accusations. The archdiocese sought an emergency stay regarding the submission of the names, but the appeals court was not able to give it consideration before the Feb. 18 deadline, Kueppers said. The names were subsequently filed by the deadline with the district court under seal. Van de North’s rulings stem from a lawsuit involving a plaintiff known as “John Doe 1.” The plaintiff alleges that former priest Thomas Adamson, who had assignments in the archdiocese and Diocese of Winona, sexually abused him from 1976 to 1977 when he was a minor. “We are appealing the rulings of Judge Van de

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

North because his sweeping order allows for discovery efforts that are not related to the specific case before the court,” the archdiocese said in a statement Feb. 14. The facts in the Adamson case have been well-documented in prior cases and have received extensive media coverage, it said. “All we seek is a fair trial for all parties, and we want all parties to be required to follow the rules of court and the discovery rules in an equal fashion,” Kueppers said. Archbishop Nienstedt did not arrive in the archdiocese until 2007 and “clearly has no knowledge that’s relevant to Doe 1’s claims from 1976 and 1977,” Kueppers added. Father McDonough served as vicar general from 1991 to 2008. He was archdiocesan chancellor from 1987 to 1991. Brown’s name appeared on a list of clerics believed to be credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor when the list was compiled by the archdiocese in 2004. The archdiocese said Brown has no information that is relevant to the “John Doe 1” case. In addition to its concerns about the scope of discovery Van de North is allowing, the archdiocese said his ruling that the archdiocese must submit to the court any allegation of child sexual abuse by clergy since 2004, regardless of an accusation’s credibility, jeopardizes the reputations of clergy who have been falsely accused. And it could force the Church to publicize even frivolous and malicious accusations. Van de North allowed the list to be filed with the court under seal with an explanation about why it should not be released publicly. This would not, however, necessarily prevent it from becoming public later. The judge said the plaintiff in the Adamson case could ask the court to unseal the list.

The Catholic Spirit After five months of news stories about past clergy sexual misconduct, many Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are feeling a mix of emotions: sadness, grief and anger among them. Clergy members and parish and archdiocesan staff feel the strain daily, frequently dealing with these feelings in their parishes and pastoral relationships. But by acknowledging these emotions, supporting one another and letting their best selves shine forth, clergy and lay ministers can work through the current challenges in healthy and effective ways that enhance their ministry while keeping victims and other vulnerable people at the center of it, said Paul Ashton, an expert in child sexual abuse prevention and healing who presents workshops and training seminars across the United States. He spoke Feb. 19 to archdiocesan clergy at St. John Neumann in Eagan and Feb. 20 to parish and archdiocesan staff members at St. Peter in Mendota. The sessions were conducted within a scriptural framework. They included prayer and a refresher on the VIRTUS safe environment training undergone by all archdiocesan clergy, Church and Catholic school employees, and volunteers who have contact with minors. Joseph Kueppers, archdiocesan chancellor for civil affairs, also spoke about laws and procedures for reporting suspected child abuse.

Transforming loss Ashton, a sexual abuse survivor who is a consultant to VIRTUS, ac-

knowledged the grief and loss that many feel in light of recent media reports. He spoke about his own grief when his mother, brother and grandmother died within a year of each other. He cried while watching sad movies, accessing his own grief and sense of overwhelming loss. One day, while watching a cooking show host go through a process of slowly folding one ingredient into another, he had a revelation about how to handle his grief. “Instead of fighting grief, I folded it into my life,” Ashton said. “It was all a part of me. [Grief] makes us stronger. You don’t fight it, you don’t push it away, you walk right through it.” Grief accumulates over a lifetime, and how a person deals with it is crucial, he said. In the archdiocese, every newspaper article or TV news story about clergy sexual misconduct is a source of grief and loss. “The archdiocese will experience this loss, but you’re coming together [today] and then you’re going to transform this loss,” Ashton said. “Don’t let it overpower you. It will get better down the road. Programs will be better. The people who are drawn to you will be better and better-intentioned.”

Becoming vulnerable A key to transforming the grief and loss to effectively reach out to abuse victims and others who are vulnerable is to become vulnerable oneself, just as Jesus did, he said. “Being vulnerable isn’t about being weak; it’s about harnessing the necessary strength to be open and authentic,” Ashton said, citing a

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Education day aims to equip clergy, lay staff to answer ‘call to ministry’ in difficult times “When we are vulnerable, we are able to access our strengths and access our light and let that light show — sometimes not so much in words, but in our actions, being present and listening.” Paul Ashton

definition of the word he once read. “When we are vulnerable, we are able to access our strengths and access our light and let that light show — sometimes not so much in words, but in our actions, being present and listening.” “You can’t help [the vulnerable] unless you become like them or acknowledge that you are them,” he said. “You can’t do it unless you show who you really are. When you’re truthful and honest, and you’re sincere, it’s real. “Real,” in the way that Pope Francis is “real” — being down to earth, accepting people where they are, and listening to them, Ashton said. Victims need to be listened to, he said. “Victims advocates and all the people in the Church we have interfacing with victims do this well,” Ashton said. “Sometimes [victims’] pain is so overwhelming, they don’t see that. We’re always looking for ways to improve our outreach, but it starts person by person. “The way you’re going to fix this problem in this archdiocese is person by person, showing your light,” he said.

“Each of you must show joy despite the sorrow,” Ashton said. “Each of you should present yourself as vulnerable people open to whatever comes your way. And, in any way possible, be present to those who are angry or upset or trapped in whatever emotion they find themselves. This is the call to ministry.”

Healthy approach “We all need to be vigilant,” said Leon Axtman, parish business administrator at Holy Cross in Minneapolis who attended the Feb. 20 gathering. “These kinds of sessions help us get a better idea of what we should be doing.” “Today has been really good,” added Sharon Wilson, respect life coordinator for the archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life, who also attended the session. “As a community of people who work for the Church, we’re dealing with this every day,” she said. “It all feels personal. You can get a fatigue, and you don’t want to be numb from it. Giving us permission to be able to process it and talk about it is really good and really healthy.”

When facing a crisis, we should pray for God’s presence Continued from page 1B When tempted to get angry and throw off our faith, we need to humble ourselves, surrender to God’s will, love him and others, and praise him, he said. “God’s not waiting for us to get our act together before he comes to us,” Deacon Michalak said. “He enters where we are right now if we just receive him.” In Luke 22, Jesus’ prayer is not that the apostles would avoid trials, but that they would have the strength to endure them. The Bible also says we should continue to love during difficult times even when we’re tempted to sin in other areas of life, he said. “Often when we experience difficulty, crisis, temptation, suffering and life challenge, the first response is anger, rebellion, ‘why me?’” Deacon Michalak said.

Throughout any crisis, we should pray, and God will reward us with his presence, he said. A practical step is to pray even more than when things are going well. He suggested praying all the Psalms, which begin with following God’s law in Psalm 1, then offer accounts of many struggles, and end with praising God.

Surrendering to God Only God knows all about our situation, which is why we should surrender to him, said Jeanne Barron, a parishioner at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton and second-year student at the Catechetical Institute. “God sees all,” she said. “We’re only seeing our perspective. We need to surrender to him because he sees more.”

“God’s not waiting for us to get our act together before he comes to us. He enters where we are right now if we just receive him.“ Deacon Joe Michalak

When we’re struggling through a trial, we need to allow ourselves to grieve through it, said Karena Johnson of Holy Family in St. Louis Park. “It’s a chance to let the Lord love you through it.”

In the Church, we have everything we need to live a godly life. And even in times of difficulty, we need to pass on this truth to the next generation, said Jeff Cavins, the institute’s director. “We’ve been given everything we need to stand in very difficult times.” A program of the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute offers a two-year course for Catholic adults seeking deeper knowledge of their faith and spiritual formation through studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Since welcoming its first class in 2008, the institute has graduated 600 people, Cavins said. For more information about the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, visit cistudent.com.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

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Legislation aims to restore felons’ right to vote Minnesota Catholic Conference among its supporters By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit The day Rob Stewart decided to get his life back on track is the day he wound up in jail after police found his girlfriend’s drugs in their shared apartment. Stewart said at other times in his life, the drugs would have been his, but not then. That’s why he pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of first-degree possession with intent to sell. The jury didn’t side in his favor, though; he was convicted and sentenced to eight years and three months in prison at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility. That was seven years ago. Through an early release program, Stewart got out of prison in 2009 and will serve the remainder of his sentence on parole until October 2015. At age 33, he is studying at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus as a graduate research fellow with the National Science Foundation. Ultimately, he wants to teach and do research at the college level. He’s on track to earn a doctorate degree in sociology in 2017, just two years after his civil rights are restored — among them, his right to vote. Under Minnesota law, people convicted of a felony — any crime punishable by a year or more of incarceration — cannot vote while on probation, in prison or out on parole. Stewart, who graduated summa cum laude in law criminality and deviance, said for him and others, not being able to vote plays into psychological issues of feeling disconnected from the communities they’re trying to succeed in. “It’s not necessarily the actual ‘this is who I want to vote for,’” Stewart said. “To me, it’s more about being a member of the community, your neighborhood

Rob Stewart, a doctoral graduate student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, supports legislation that would grant felons like him the right to vote as long as they’re not incarcerated. Dianne Towalski/The Catholic Spirit and your city. It’s about who’s on city council, like in Minneapolis, or in Owatonna where I’m from. Because in most cities like that, they make all the decisions, so it’s important to have a say in that.” While in prison, Stewart got a job in the transitions department helping inmates who were about to be released write resumes, complete financial aid forms for school and locate resources and social services in the communities where they would reside. He also tutored fellow inmates and took some college courses. He attributes his success to reconnecting with family, “good people in the community,” his church in Owatonna and friends from younger years. He enrolled in graduate school as “a way to give back to the community, to help people that were no different from me, but that maybe didn’t have the same advantages that I had,’” he said. Stewart didn’t realize he was ineligible to vote until he went to the polls in a 2010 precinct caucus

Join the Minnesota Catholic Conference in reaching out to state legislators this session Restoring the right to vote

“Please support legislation (HF 491/SF 107) that restores voting rights to Minnesotans who were convicted of a felony yet are no longer incarcerated. HF 491/SF 107 gives Minnesotans with criminal convictions a stake in the community and in decisions that affect their lives. It helps foster political participation of minority communities disproportionately affected by the current system, and it might decrease the likelihood that past offenders will commit another crime.” The Catholic Advocacy Network is an initiative of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota. To join the advocacy network and get tips on how to talk to legislators, visit mncc.org.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Learn more • mncc.org • mnsecondchancecoalition.org • restorethevotemn.org • crimeandjustice.org and heard the rules. “It’s embarrassing, it’s frustrating, but I think most of all, it’s just kind of depressing,” Stewart said. “It’s a reinforcement of the fact that the sins of your past are going to continue to haunt you. I’m out here and I have a job, I pay taxes, I do all these things, but I don’t have any say in anything.”

Potential change Legislation in Minnesota’s 2014 session that started Feb. 25 aims to change part of that law. State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion of Minneapolis met many like Stewart on the campaign trail in 2008. He is the chief author of SF 107 — legislation that, if passed, would restore felons’ right to vote as long as they aren’t in prison. As is, Champion said, people have to sit on the sidelines while others have discussions and make decisions. “I really do think that a person’s right to vote should not be connected to them being punished,” Champion said. “When people take ownership in something, they’re more invested in it. When they can use their voice as a form of their power, they become more influential and relevant. They see themselves as part of the solution, not the problem.” Champion challenges the notion that offenders will offend again — the reason he hears most about why people oppose restoring felons’ voting rights. “I think the more people see that so many of Minnesotans from

cross sections of communities are denied the right to vote, people will realize the issue and stop to think about what this really means,” he said. “It requires people to think differently about felons — who they are.” Stewart wants to change the misconception that most felons commit violent crimes like murder and rape; forgery and fraud can constitute felonies, too. “The people that we’re talking about are not some other group — they’re people that are among us, that live next door, they’re the people we work with, they’re our kids’ parents,” Stewart said. “Instead of looking for the differences, I encourage people to look for the similarities.”

Having a voice The Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the state’s Catholic bishops, is among local organizations that support felon disenfranchisement reform through a partnership of the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition, which will host its sixth annual Second Chance Day on the Hill at 2 p.m. March 12 at the Capitol Rotunda. “From our perspective, it’s a justice issue, and in a spirit similar to those other issues like Ban the Box, where we really take seriously the desire to restore and rehabilitate people and bring them back into society,” said MCC executive director Jason Adkins. “I think this is an important place for the Church to be speaking.” The Second Chance Day on the Hill event aims to put people and stories in front of legislators because, according to Mark Haase, vice president for the Council on Crime and Justice in Minneapolis and Second Chance Coalition member, typically, policies get made without understanding how they impact people. “The law’s original intent was to disenfranchise the most serious offenders,” Haase said. “We’ve just really broadened the impact.” According to a 2012 University of Minnesota study, in 2011, 63,000 Minnesotans were unable to vote because of a felony conviction. Of those, 75 percent were living again in local communities. Champion would like his fellow legislators and Minnesota voters to remember the Prodigal Son parable from Luke 15:11-32. “When our people get lost and broken, but come to themselves and seek forgiveness, we, as a society, need to welcome them back,” he said. “If we believe that people should be given a second chance, then we have to create an environment that would welcome them.”

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By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

Cardinal Kelvin Felix, retired archbishop of Castries, St. Lucia, accepts his scroll from Msgr. Guido Marini after receiving the red biretta from Pope Francis during a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb. 22. Pope Francis created 19 new cardinals in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI, who made his first public appearance at a liturgy since his retirement. CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope tells cardinals they are servants, not courtiers

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service

Celebrating Mass with the newest members of the College of Cardinals one day after their elevation, Pope Francis urged them to regard their new role not as one of worldly honor but of humble service and sacrifice. “A cardinal enters the church of Rome, not a royal court,” the pope said in his homily Feb. 23, during morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. “May all of us avoid, and help others to avoid, habits and ways of acting typical of a court: intrigue, gossip, cliques, favoritism and preferences.” “May our language be that of the Gospel: ‘yes when we mean yes; no when we mean no,’” he said. “May our attitudes be those of the beatitudes, and our way be that of holiness.” Pope Francis celebrated the Mass with 18 of the 19 men he had raised to the rank of cardinal the previous day in the same basilica. Cardinal Loris Capovilla, who at age 98 is now the oldest member of the college, was absent on both occasions for reasons of health. Retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose appearance at the previous day’s consistory had surprised practically all the participants, did not return to the basilica for the Mass. Pope Francis’ call for humility echoed a letter he had sent the new cardinals shortly after the announcement of their elevation in January, telling them that a red hat “does not signify a promotion, an honor or a decoration; it is simply a form of service that requires expanding your vision and enlarging your heart,” and that they should celebrate their new distinction only in an “evangelical spirit of austerity, sobriety and poverty.” In his homily, the pope said that “Jesus did not come to teach us good manners, how to behave well at the table. To do that, he would not have had to come down from heaven and die on the cross. Christ came to save us, to show us the way, the only way out of the quicksand of sin, and this is mercy.” “To be a saint is not a luxury,” he said. “It is necessary for the salvation of the world.” Quoting from the day’s reading from the Gospel

New cardinals Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, of Italy, 59. Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, of Italy, 73. Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Germany, 66. Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, of Italy, 72. Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, England, 68. Leopoldo Brenes Solorzano of Managua, Nicaragua, 64. Gerald Lacroix of Quebec, 56. Jean-Pierre Kutwa of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 68. Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 63. Gualtiero Bassetti of Perguia-Citta della Pieve, Italy, 71. Mario Poli of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 66. Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, South Korea, 70. Ricardo Ezzati Andrello of Santiago, Chile, 72. Philippe Ouedraogo of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 69. Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, Philippines, 74. Chibly Langlois of Les Cayes, Haiti, 55. Fernando Sebastian Aguilar, retired archbishop of Pamplona, Spain, 84. Kelvin Felix, retired archbishop of Castries, St. Lucia, Antilles, 81. Archbishop Capovilla of Italy, 98. according to St. Matthew, in which Jesus enjoins his disciples to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors, the pope said cardinals are called to live out that injunction with even “greater zeal and ardor” than other Christians. “We love, therefore, those who are hostile to us; we bless those who speak ill of us; we greet with a smile those who may not deserve it,” he said. “We do not aim to assert ourselves; we oppose arrogance with meekness; we forget the humiliations that we have endured.”

As some 150 cardinals from around the world gathered with Pope Francis to talk about the family, their two days of discussion focused particularly on three points: the Christian vision of people and family life; essential pastoral programs to support families; and ministry to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics. Although the discussions during the Feb. 20-21 meeting were closed to the press, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, gave an overview of the discussions. Retired German Cardinal Walter Kasper gave a two-hour opening presentation, laying out the biblical and theological basis of Church teaching on marriage. He also emphasized the challenge of finding ways to always fulfill two basic obligations: remaining faithful to Jesus’ words about the indissolubility of marriage and embodying the mercy God always shows to those who have sinned or fallen short. Father Lombardi said many of the cardinals spoke broadly about Christian anthropology — the biblically based vision of people — and the challenge of living that out in the “context of a secularized society that promotes visions of the human person, the family and sexuality that are very different.” “The climate wasn’t one of complaining, but of realism,” the spokesman said. The second focus, he said, was on the kinds of pastoral programs offered to families and the forms of support available to them in parishes and dioceses. Several cardinals insisted on the importance of mandatory marriage preparation programs. A third group of talks, Father Lombardi said, focused on divorced and civilly remarried Catholics. Several cardinals spoke about the church’s process for granting annulments and possible ideas for improving the process or simplifying it. Other cardinals, he said, spoke about the desire of some divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to be able to receive Communion even though they have not received an annulment. There was “a clear commitment to finding the best way to keep together fidelity to Christ’s words and mercy in the life of the church,” Father Lombardi said. The cardinals did not make any decisions during their meeting, he said. Rather, they were holding the discussion in preparation for October’s extraordinary synod on the family and a 2015 world Synod of Bishops on the same theme.

U.S. & World

Cardinals outline broad approaches to family ministry, spokesman says

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

U.S. & World

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African missionaries stay despite dangers By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Catholic leaders in the Central African Republic praised the courage of missionary priests and nuns who remained in the country during the current conflict, despite offers of evacuation. “That most have remained here is the greatest act of witness our Church has given,” said Bishop Nestor-Desire Nongo Aziagbia of Bossangoa, Central African Republic. “Even when life is insecure, people still look to their priests and religious as a sign of hope and to Catholic missions as places of refuge. This makes their continued presence very important,” he told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview Feb. 20. The bishop said most missionaries and foreign religious order members had defied dangers and remained in the Central African Republic, where French and African forces are attempting to restore order after more than a year of fighting. Bishop Nongo said some members of his diocese’s religious congregations had been forced to leave. “One group of nuns called me in the morning to say their house had been under fire all night,” the bishop told CNS. “But even then, though their lives were at stake and they clearly couldn’t stay, one of the nuns still decided to remain.”

Power of love The bishops’ conference president, Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga of Bangui, told the Cath-

Pope establishes panel, with lay members, to oversee Vatican finances Catholic News Service

People hide from gunfire near a church during a Feb. 18 firefight between African peacekeepers and fighters from the Anti-Balaka militia in Bangui, Central African Republic. CNS photo/Luc Gnago, Reuters olic charity Aid to the Church in Need that missionaries provided “reference points and ramparts” for local people as a “manifestation of the power of love.” “In many places, the missionaries have stayed and haven’t wanted to leave, although we placed no obligation on them and left them free to decide,” Archbishop Nzapalainga said. “They should be given support to remain as a light in the night. In every crisis, when the missionaries stay, their presence has a mitigating effect,” he added. Catholics make up around a third of the 4.4 million inhabitants of the Central African Republic, one of the world’s poorest countries; Muslims are about 15 percent.

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Missionary clergy and religious order members, many from the U.S., France, Italy, Spain and Poland, as well as from other African countries, have helped circulate information and offered shelter to some of the estimated 1 million people displaced by the violence, which has continued despite the December deployment of 1,600 French paratroopers under a U.N. mandate. Polish Capuchin Father Benedykt Paczek told his country’s Radio Plus Feb. 4 he had taken refuge at a school after his mission at Ngaoundaye was raided and burned by rebels. He added that the 38 Polish missionaries working at nine separate locations had rejected offers of evacuation by their country’s foreign ministry.

In a move reflecting both his drive to reform the Vatican bureaucracy and his oft-stated desire to include laypeople in the leadership of the Church, Pope Francis established a new panel, to include almost as many lay members as clerics, to oversee the finances of the Holy See and Vatican City State. Another new office, to be headed by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, will implement the panel’s policies. The Vatican announced the changes in a statement Feb. 24, explaining they would “enable more formal involvement of senior and experienced experts in financial administration, planning and reporting, and will ensure better use of resources,” particularly for “our works with the poor and marginalized.” The Council for the Economy will include “eight cardinals and bishops to reflect the universality of the church” and “seven lay experts of different nationalities with strong professional financial experience,” the Vatican said. They will “meet on a regular basis and to consider policies and practices and to prepare and analyze reports on the economic-administrative activities of the Holy See.” The lay members of the new council will exercise an unprecedented level of responsibility for non-clerics in the Vatican, where the highest offices have always been reserved for cardinals and bishops. The Vatican did not release any names of council members.

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Focus on Faith • Lent

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

13B

Pope: Sacrifice key to God’s love, fighting misery By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Courageously follow Jesus in seeking out the poor and sinners, and in making difficult sacrifices in order to help and heal others, Pope Francis said. Christians are called to confront the material, spiritual and moral destitution of “our brothers and sisters, to touch it, to make it our own and to take practical steps to alleviate it,” the pope said in his first message for Lent, which begins March 5 for Latin-rite Catholics. Saving the world will not come about “with the right kind of human resources” and token alms, but only “through the poverty of Christ,” who emptied himself of the worldly and made the world rich with God’s love and mercy, he said. Released by the Vatican Feb. 4, the text of the pope’s message focused on the theme of Christ’s poverty, with the title “He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich,” which is from a verse from St. Paul’s Second Letter

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to the Corinthians. Pope Francis said he chose the passage to explore what St. Paul’s references to poverty and charity mean for Christians today. There are many forms of poverty, he said, like the material destitution that disfigures the face of humanity and the moral destitution of being a slave to vice and sin. But “there is only one real kind of poverty: not living as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ,” he said. People experiencing the spiritual destitution of believing they don’t need God and can make it on their own “are headed for a fall,” the pope wrote. “God alone can truly save and free us. “The Gospel is the real antidote to spiritual destitution,” he said, and the greatest treasure of all is “boundless confidence in God” and the desire to always do his will. All Christians are called “to proclaim the liberating news that forgiveness for sins committed is possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he freely loves us at

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the future,” he said. “How many have lost hope? “By loving and serving the poor, we love and serve Christ,” he said, but such service also entails conversion. “When power, luxury and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth. Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing,” he said. While Lent is a time for “self-denial,” don’t forget that real sacrifice and poverty have a “dimension of penance” and pain, he said. “I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt,” he said. “God did not let our salvation drop down from heaven, like someone who gives alms from their abundance out of a sense of altruism and piety,” the pope said. God operates according to “the logic of love, the logic of incarnation and the cross” — to be with Please turn to PEOPLE on page 16B

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all times and that we were made for communion and eternal life.” Spreading the joy of the Gospel, consoling broken hearts and offering real hope means “following and imitating Jesus, who sought out the poor and sinners,” and by opening up “new paths of evangelization and human promotion” with courage, he said. Imitating Christ also includes confronting the abuses, discrimination and violations against human dignity, which often cause the material poverty suffered by those who lack the basic rights to food, water, work, development and “equal access to education and health care,” he said. Sometimes the unjust social conditions that rob people of their dignity lead to moral destitution — a kind of “impending suicide,” he said. Think of how much pain is caused by people, especially the young, when they turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography or other vices because they “no longer see meaning in life or prospects for

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14B

Focus on Faith • Lent

Funds from CRS Rice Bowl come back to archdiocese Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis For The Catholic Spirit

William, Alivia, Megan, Dan and Julia Rohda of St. Thomas Becket in Eagan plan to make meals and participate in other activities through Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl during Lent and throughout the year. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Families help the poor through Lenten tradition CRS Rice Bowl extends throughout the year By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit When William Rohda compares his life to the lives of the poor, the 12-year-old St. Thomas Becket

(Eagan) faith formation student finds it easier to consider how he could share what he has with them this Lent. “They’re starving right now, and I’m just sitting,” said William, who with his family plans to participate in Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl. “I don’t even give it any thought that I didn’t have to go through any trouble to get this

food, just went to the store and bought it.” When they place the familiar cardboard bowl designed to hold financial contributions in a prominent spot on the kitchen counter this Lent, Dan and Julia Rohda hope it will encourage William and his younger sisters, Alivia and Megan, to have more dinnertime discussions and prayers about what they have and how they can help people who are less fortunate. Julia, who remembers doing CRS Rice Bowl activities as a kid, said she and Dan want to open their kids’ eyes during Lent and throughout the year to help them realize they can make a difference for the poor. “I want it to be something they think about each day,” she said. “When they have change left over from something, that they will put it there.” CRS Rice Bowl is a faith-in-action program for parishes, schools and families, traditionally done during Lent, but now encouraging participation throughout the year. Introduced in 1975, it invites Catholics to live in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable through the Lenten pillars of praying, fasting and almsgiving. CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community, the overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a member of Caritas International and the National Catholic Development Conference. Please turn to FAMILY on page 15B

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Each year, 25 percent of the proceeds collected in the archdiocese through Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl return to help fund the programs of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Typically, Catholic Charities receives about $20,000 annually to help people who use its Dorothy Day Center, Opportunity Center, Family Service Center, North Side Child Development Center, and Higher Ground. In 2013, Catholic Charities provided more than one million meals to people in need. The meals went to those who sleep in Catholic Charities’ shelters, to people who have homes but simply cannot afford to put food on the table, to veterans, to children — to anybody who simply stood in line. Over the years, Catholic Charities has come to depend on funds from CRS Rice Bowl to help those most in need. People throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have helped provide nutrition and the comfort of hot meals. Catholic families who participate in CRS Rice Bowl help people like Verdarrell. When he first came to Catholic Charities’ Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul, he was scared, desperate and hungry. He remembers crying himself to sleep each night on his mat in the center’s dining room. Verdarrell soon discovered that while he needed help, he had the power to help himself and others. Just as children, adults and families who contribute to CRS Rice Bowl make a difference for others, so does Verdarrell. Recently, he transitioned from the floor of the Dorothy Day Center to Catholic Charities’ Mary Hall. He no longer sleeps on the floor, but he does continue to come to the Dorothy Day Center to eat and help prepare the meals for the hungry. “Now I see why God brought me down here,” he said. “I’m kind of proud of myself. Dorothy Day Center has been my home away from home. I have learned a lot. I gave a lot. It changed me. It made me a better person.”

15B Continued from page 14B On crsricebowl.org, there are articles and videos about a different country in need each week, along with gift suggestions, quotes and recipes for meatless dishes from the countries featured. The roughly 500 youth in St. Thomas Becket’s faith formation program will be involved in Rice Bowl in different ways this Lent through locally- and internationally-focused activities. They’ll also be encouraged to serve the poor in a variety of ways during the year, said Lynn Schelitzche, faith formation director for the Eagan parish. She hopes CRS Rice Bowl activities give the children a sense of how small the world is. “The experience of faith on the stories and issues we hear around the world put a face on it and make it seem real and apply to our needs close to home,” she said. Kristin and Tony Sundgaard, parishioners at St. Thomas Becket, started doing Rice Bowl activities

“We’ll never be wealthy monetarily, but we certainly have a lot of wealth in family.” Kristin Sundgaard

with their daughter, Brynn, about eight years ago and have done the Lenten program on and off ever since. Now with Brynn, 14, and son, Cade, 11, the family prays intentionally at dinner but would like to do more, Kristin said. “We’ll talk about how we’re grateful for the things we have and how lucky we are,” she said. “We’ll never be wealthy monetarily, but we certainly have a lot of wealth in family and how lucky we are to have what we do have.” Along with prayer, the family

will make small sacrifices, such as giving up coffee or computer time. Said Cade, “Over that time, I’m probably going to try to stay away from my electronics and work on other things like the Rice Bowl project.” The Sundgaards want their kids to see the faces of people in need in the community and help them not just during Lent, but throughout the year. Kristin hopes it will bring the family closer. “I’m hoping it not only increases awareness, but we become closer as we spend more time actively, intentionally praying together on these things,” she said. Dan Rohda would like his family to have a thoughtful approach to its prayer, discussions and activities related to Rice Bowl, and consider its own spending priorities. “When we think about what we don’t have, those are more wants. And these kids [featured in Rice Bowl materials] have true needs,” he said. “We have food. One reason we do Rice Bowl is we don’t want to take it for granted.”

Download the free CRS Rice Bowl app Visit crsricebowl. org/app, iTunes or the Google Play Store

Focus on Faith • Lent

Family hopes Rice Bowl will guide prayer, discussions

Features include: • Prayerful reflection for each day of Lent • Customizable tool to set Lenten sacrifice goal and track its progress • Meatless recipes for Fridays during Lent • Stories and videos of people who benefit from prayers and almsgiving to CRS Rice Bowl

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Focus on Faith • Lent

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People urged to choose the poverty of Christ Continued from page 13B those who need him most, “to take upon himself the burden of our sins” and to comfort, save and free people from their misery. “What gives true freedom, true salvation and true happiness is the compassion, tenderness and solidarity of his love, Christ’s poverty, which enriches us,” he said. Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the office that handles the pope’s charitable giving, presented the Lenten message at a Vatican news conference.

The cardinal said the pope’s message reminds people that their “bourgeois consciences” cannot be put to rest merely by “denouncing the lack of resources for others” or denouncing the structural underpinnings of poverty. The only way to truly help people is to care for all their needs — spiritual, material and moral — the cardinal said, and not “pretend to solve a person’s problems just because one has solved the problems related to his physical and material well-being.” “I think the Holy Father does well to insist on these three types of

poverty and destitution,” the cardinal said. “There’s the destitution of material poverty that’s easier to solve because it takes a bit of money, and one can find ways to resolve this problem. But it’s much more difficult to [address] moral and spiritual destitution,” which is why Cor Unum and the Church put added emphasis on that area. The Church urges people to choose the poverty of Christ in order to fight the misery and destitution in the world — not for ideological reasons, the cardinal said, “but for the love of Christ.”

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“He Leadeth Me” by Father Walter J. Ciszek

Lenten regulations for fasting and abstinence Here are the Church regulations for fasting and abstinence during Lent: • Everyone 14 and older is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all the Fridays of Lent and Good Friday. • Everyone 18 and older, and younger than 59, is bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. • On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. • Catholics should not lightly excuse themselves from these prescribed minimal penitential practices.

17B

Why no meat on Fridays in Lent?

By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit

The imposition of ashes is a solemn ritual that signals the beginning of the holy season of Lent. The ceremony is distinctive; there is no liturgical action like it throughout the entire church year. The ashes come from a previous Palm Sunday. The palms are burned, the ashes collected and then crushed into a fine, sooty powder and placed into bowls. The ashes are blessed by the priest during the Ash Wednesday Mass — March 5 this year — after the homily. Then, in a Communion-like procession, people are invited to come forward and the ashes are applied to each person’s forehead in the shape of a cross as the minister says either, “Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15), the usual prayer, or “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19), the older, more traditional invocation. Ashes symbolize two main CNS photo/Karen Callaway, Catholic things in the Old Testament. New World Ashes are equivalent to dust, and human flesh is composed of dust or clay (Genesis 2:7), and when a human corpse decomposes, it returns to dust or ash. For example, Abraham told God, “I am but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27), a reference to his human mortality. Jeremiah described death as a “valley of corpses and ashes” (Jeremiah 31:40). Ashes are an ominous sign, and we use them on Ash Wednesday to remind ourselves of our own impending deaths. Death might come sooner, or it might come later, but it will surely come. And if death is coming, we need to be prepared, and the time to prepare for death is now, and the way to prepare is to live according to God’s ways. When the prophet Daniel shamefacedly clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes, they were a sign of his people’s contrition for their rebellion, wickedness and treachery (Daniel 9:3). When Jonah warned the Ninevites that God planned to destroy their city because of their corruption and depravity, the people covered themselves with sackcloth and ashes as a sign of their intention to turn from their evil ways (Jonah 3:6,10). Ashes are a plea to God for mercy and compassion, pardon and forgiveness. Moreover, they are a public admission of guilt, an expression of sorrow for sins that have been committed, a promise to reform and a pledge to resist temptation in the future. We, too, are sinners. When we come forward to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, we are saying that we are sorry for our sins, and that we want to use the season of Lent to correct our faults, purify our hearts, control our desires and grow in holiness so we will be prepared to celebrate Easter with great joy.

Catholics abstain from flesh meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and the Fridays during Lent. Abstinence is one of our oldest Christian traditions. “From the first century, the day of the crucifixion has been traditionally observed as a day of abstaining from flesh meat (‘black fast’) to honor Christ who sacrificed his flesh on a Friday,” according to “The Catholic Source Book.” Up until 1966, church law prohibited meat on all Fridays throughout the entire year. The new law was promulgated in 1983 in the revised Code of Canon Law, which states: “Abstinence [is] to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Canon 1251). “All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence” (Canon 1252). The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops extended this law to include all Fridays during Lent. Since Jesus sacrificed his flesh for us on Good Friday, we refrain from eating flesh meat in his honor on Fridays. Flesh meat included the meat of mammals and poultry, and the main foods that come under this heading are beef and pork, chicken and turkey. While flesh is prohibited, the nonflesh products of these animals are not (like milk, cheese, butter and eggs). Fish do not belong to the flesh meat category. The Latin word for meat, “caro,” from which we get English words like “carnivore” and “carnivorous,” applies strictly to flesh meat and has never been understood to include fish. Furthermore, in former times, flesh meat was more expensive, eaten only occasionally and associated with feasting and rejoicing; whereas fish was cheap, eaten more often and not associated with celebrations.

In his Lenten message for 2014, Pope Francis takes inspiration from the words of St. Paul (Cor 8:9), and asks us to contemplate

Focus on Faith • Lent

Why ashes on Ash Wednesday?

• Abstinence is a form of penance. Penance expresses sorrow and contrition for our wrongdoing, indicates our intension to turn away from sin and turn back to God, and makes reparation for our sins. It helps to cancel the debt and pay the penalties incurred by our transgressions. • Abstinence is a form of asceticism, the practice of self-denial to grow in holiness. Jesus asks his disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross (Matthew 16:24). • Abstinence is a sober way to practice simplicity and austerity, to deny the cravings of our bodies to honor Jesus, who practiced the ultimate form of self-denial when he gave his body for us on the cross. Thus, to give up flesh meat on Fridays, only to feast on lobster tail or Alaskan king crab, is to defeat the ascetical purpose of abstinence. Less is more! There are countless options for simple Friday meatless dinners: pancakes, waffles, soup and rolls, chipped tuna on toast, macaroni and cheese, fried egg sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese pizza and, of course, fish.

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Focus on Faith • Scripture Readings

18B SUNDAY SCRIPTURES Deacon Marc Paveglio

What Olympians can teach us about the pursuit of greatness and glory Just recently, the winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, concluded, and the victors went home with their medals. I’m always riveted by the level of power, agility and endurance these athletes display on the ice and snow. I’m even more impressed, however, by their stories. Many of them discovered their talents at an early age and then committed their entire lives to the perfection of their physical and mental abilities. They trained every day, they sought the best coaches, and they sacrificed myriads of other opportunities, interests and pleasures for the pursuit of one single goal — Olympic glory. The words of Jesus from this weekend’s gospel, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24), can be seen clearly in the life of an Olympian. Every day is a choice to be “devoted” to the demanding regimen of practice, exercise and healthy nutrition, or to “despise” it — by devouring potato chips and watching TV all day long. One of these “masters” requires self-denial and patience, but it leads to greatness, joy and glory. The other “master” might be attractive at first, but it leads to mediocrity and boredom. What Jesus reveals to us is that this principle, which we see at work in natural life, is even truer in the spiritual life. When it comes down to it, every person chooses and acts for one final end. We pick one master. This master will determine how we will live our lives, what we are willing to undertake and what we are willing to sacrifice. Christ, the master, wants to set us free to

DAILY Scriptures Sunday, March 2 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 49:14-15 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Matthew 6:24-34

live lives of generous love. Another master constrains us to seek only our own interests, excluding our neighbor. For that reason, the Lord tells us that we cannot serve both God and mammon — the idols of money and material possession. They are contradictory and cannot be reconciled. But Jesus goes even further. Beyond avoiding the selfish pursuit of money and wealth, he even tells his disciples — that’s us! — not to worry about food, drink and clothing. Doesn’t Readings this seem a little extreme? Sunday, March 2 Doesn’t Jesus strain our attention span here? Might Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time we think that this is a • Isaiah 49:14-15 mystical ideal for ancient • 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ascetics, which doesn’t apply • Matthew 6:24-34 anymore? Actually, these words ring true today as much as ever. Reflection Jesus is essentially asking us, In a faith sense, what does it “Do you really trust that God mean to strive for greatness? will provide for you?” All of How can we prioritize to make our daily anxieties spring sure we’re following only Christ? from the inner fear that God is not good, the fear that God will not provide for my needs, and the compulsion that I have to seize what I need in order to anything else in life (Matthew 6:33). get by. The saints proved otherwise Once he is our one master, he will when they faced life’s most trying order our lives in his wisdom. situations with peace and confidence. St. Paul wrote that athletes Jesus wants us to grow in the compete to obtain a crown that same peace and confidence day by perishes, but Christians strive to win day. Two things are necessary. First, a crown that is imperishable (1 that we remember how loving a Corinthians 9:24-27). May we, like father we have, one who will never the Olympians, strive for greatness. forget us (Isaiah 49:14-15). Second, But may this striving not be filled that we seek God’s kingdom and with anxiety, but with trust in our righteousness before we desire father. When you find yourself this

Wednesday, March 5 Ash Wednesday Joel 2:12-18 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday, March 6 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Luke 9:22-25

Monday, March 3 St. Katharine Drexel, virgin 1 Peter 1:3-9 Mark 10:17-27

Friday, March 7 St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, martyrs Isaiah 58:1-9a Matthew 9:14-15

Tuesday, March 4 St. Casimir 1 Peter 1:10-16 Mark 10:28-31

Saturday, March 8 St. John of God, religious Isaiah 58:9b-14 Luke 5:27-32

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Sunday, March 9 First Sunday of Lent Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11 Monday, March 10 Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday, March 11 Isaiah 55:10-11 Matthew 6:7-15 Wednesday, March 12 Jonah 3:1-10 Luke 11:29-32

week saying, “How am I going to get through this today?” turn it into a prayer: “Father, how will you marvelously provide for me today?” and expect to be surprised. Deacon Paveglio is in formation for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His home parish is St. Stephen in Minneapolis, and his teaching parish is St. Lawrence and the Newman Center in Minneapolis.

Thursday, March 13 Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Matthew 7:7-12 Friday, March 14 Ezekiel 18:21-28 Matthew 5:20-26 Saturday, March 15 Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Matthew 5:43-48 Sunday, March 16 Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 12:1-4a 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9

19B

Father Kenneth Doyle

Dating after a divorce? Capitalize deity pronouns? Q. A few years ago, I fell away

from the practice of my Catholic faith. During that time, I ended up marrying a man who was very abusive verbally and mentally. I divorced him recently, but not without waiting and praying for a change in behavior that would save the marriage. The situation has brought me back to the Catholic Church, where I have gone to confession, have been attending Mass weekly and reading the Bible daily. I feel blessed to know that I have such a loving and merciful Savior and heavenly Father. But my question is this: When I married this man, we were married by his father, who is a pastor of a nondenominational church. (The ceremony took place in the minister’s house.) Was this marriage recognized by God? And if I were ever to date again, would that be adultery? (At this point in my life, I am quite content to spend my time with the Bible, but I was curious as to where I stood.)

A. I am assuming that you did not seek permission ahead of time for your marriage to be done in a non-Catholic setting and by a nonCatholic minister. Since you did not, your marriage ceremony was not recognized as valid by the

Catholic Church. As to whether it was recognized by God, I don’t presume to know, but I do feel sure that God approved your leaving that man, especially since he was abusive and since you made a goodfaith effort to try and make the marriage work. So yes, you are certainly free to date. If you ever decide to marry in the Catholic Church, you would first need to meet with a priest and do a bit of paperwork, which he would then submit to the diocese to have your first marriage officially declared invalid. (The technical term is “lack” or “absence” of canonical form.) This is a fairly simple process that in most dioceses has a turnaround time of only a few weeks. I would suggest, though, that you do that sooner rather than later. Not only would it clear the way for you, should you ever decide to marry on rather short notice, but you might also feel a sense of closure and peace in putting that first marriage clearly in the past.

Why are pronouns referring to Jesus no longer capitalized? Using uppercase would add clarity to many passages when a reader is trying

“If you feel that capitalizing pronouns referring to God or Jesus shows greater respect, by all means do so.” Father Kenneth Doyle

to determine whether the word “he” refers to Christ or to another person in the account. We have no compunction about capitalizing “I.” Yet the name at which every knee should bend is relegated to lowercase.

A. Whether to capitalize pronouns referring to the deity is largely a matter of personal preference and conviction, and there really is no “right” or “wrong.” In the original languages of the Bible, the issue never arose. In Hebrew, there was no such thing as capital letters, simply an alphabet; and in the original Greek manuscripts, the text was written entirely in capitals. So it is not a matter of conforming to original texts. Publishers must look for consistency and English-language book and magazine publishers, for the most part, follow the Chicago Manual of Style, a widely-regarded authority on grammar and usage. The style guide of the U.S.

Conference of Catholic Bishops notes that deity pronouns are lowercase in USCCB publications. Similarly, Catholic News Service uses lowercase, as does the Associated Press. Most of the English-language translations of the Bible follow that same practice, including The New American Bible, which is the text used at Catholic Masses. Similarly, the Catechism of the Catholic Church uses lowercase for such pronouns. That having been said, you are free, of course, to write it as you wish. If you feel that capitalizing pronouns referring to God or Jesus shows greater respect, by all means do so. That is what I do when I put my Sunday homily on our parish website.

Focus on Faith • Seeking Answers

SEEKING ANSWERS

Father Doyle writes for Catholic News Service. A priest of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., he previously served as director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Celebrate the launch of National Catholic Sisters Week

Please join us for a storytelling event —

SisterStories: Don’t need it? Sell it with Catholic Spirit classifieds, 651.290.1631

How Did I Know? Saturday, March 8, 2 P.M.

Followed by Mass, 4 P.M.

The O’Shaughnessy

Our Lady of Victory Chapel

ST. PA UL C A M PU S

Learn more about National Catholic Sisters Week: stkate.edu/NCSW

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

From Age to Age

20B

When is the right time to move? Consider these tips By Scott Saffert and Lola Amendt For The Catholic Spirit Marianne and Dennis have lived in the same home for their entire marriage of 62 years. They raised children, re-modeled living spaces, celebrated holidays, hosted parties and created loving memories in their home. But, Dennis’ health has become unpredictable and the couple has begun the conversation with family to plan for their future. This emotional discussion can be daunting as the couple’s desire to stay in familiar surroundings seems difficult to overcome. At St. Therese Southwest in Hopkins and The Glenn senior housing in Minnetonka, staff members partner with families to work through the question: “When is the right time to make a move?”

Factors in moving The timing is different for each individual situation. It may be a loved one’s significant health change that is propelling the need for assisted living or care suites. It may be the need for peer interaction to combat social isolation or the convenience of supportive services and a dining experience to monitor health and encourage good nutrition. The journey of memory loss can be a factor in choosing senior living to support the person and family. No matter the situation, those who have already made a move to a senior community often reflect, “I wish I would have done this sooner.”

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

So when is the right time to move to a senior community, and how do you choose one that is right for you? Here are some helpful tips: • Location. Select a location close to family and friends. Their capacity to continue to provide support and encouragement will be important. • Budget. Assess your financial situation, including monthly income and expenses, and available assets. Utilizing a financial adviser or case manager could also help to assess eligibility for various benefits available to seniors. • Services. Prioritize the kinds of services and amenities that are important and necessary to you. Having access to a range of health care, housekeeping, laundry, beauty salon and maintenance services, as well as having a wide range of activities to choose from, are all considerations for getting the most out of your new community. • Spiritual care. Being part of a community with strong ties to local faith-based organizations can provide you with the pastoral

care activities and faith support you have come to rely on. Mass, interfaith services, Bible studies, Rosary, an on-site chapel and individual consultation can be considerations when making a move to senior housing. • Transportation. If you are still an active driver, heated underground garage parking will be an important perk, especially in Minnesota! If driving is no longer an option, seeking a community with regularly scheduled transportation to shopping, entertainment, medical appointments and special events will keep you connected to your active lifestyle without the burden of vehicle maintenance. • Benefits. Living in a community with peers and expert staff who can support your independence can bring you peace of mind in knowing that someone is there when and if you need assistance, resources, advocacy and just someone to listen. Every senior is unique in bringing their goals and life experiences to their later retirement years. It is never too early to have a conversation about senior living. The more children and parents are engaged in expressing their concerns and discussing goals, the better prepared the transition can be navigated when that time comes. Saffert is assistant campus administrator for St. Therese Southwest. Amendt is assistant campus administrator at The Glenn. For more information, visit The Glenn by St. Therese Southwest 5300 Woodhill Road, Minnetonka, on March 3 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the presentation “Exploring Senior Housing Options and How to Make the Decision.” RSVP to (952) 345-4404.

21B The Catholic Spirit St. Therese, a faith-based senior care and housing organization, accepted an Aging Services of Minnesota Leading Change Innovation Award for its cardiac care program Feb. 7 at the Aging Services of Minnesota Institute and Expo. The program, located at St. Therese of New Hope, promotes specialized care for cardiac patients in the transitional care unit (TCU). The program began in May 2012 in an effort to prevent hospital re-admissions for cardiac patients through excellent care and detailed follow-up support. More than 450 TCU patients have participated in the cardiac care program to date. Last quarter, St. Thereseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s average readmission rate while patients were under its care was approximately 7 percent, while the national average for Medicare patients is 18 percent, according to Kaiser Health News.

From Age to Age

Cardiac care program receives award

life is good

NEXT YEAR, IT COULD BE YOU! 2014 Leading with Faith award nominations open now! Visit thecatholicspirit.com/leadingwithfaith to nominate someone today or call 651-251-7709

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February 27, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Catholic Spirit

This Catholic Life • Commentary

22B witness to what he calls, without exaggeration, a global war on Christian believers. That witness includes, in his book, a continent-by-continent overview of anti-Christian persecution, a debunking of various myths about anti-Christian persecution, and some counsel on what can be done to support those who are literally putting their lives at risk for love of the Lord and the Gospel.

COMMENTARY George Weigel

Spending time with the martyrs this Lenten season The Catholic Church began compiling “martyrologies” — lists of saints, typically martyrs — during the first centuries after Constantine. In the pre-Vatican II breviary, a reading from the Roman Martyrology, or what we might call the Catholic Book of Witnesses, was an integral part of the Office of Prime, the “hour” recited after sunrise. The day’s date was given, followed by a reading of the names of the saints commemorated that day, with information about each saint’s origin and place of death — and, if the saint were a martyr, the name of the persecutor, a description of tortures endured, and the method of execution. It was a bracing way to begin the working day and a reminder of Tertullian’s maxim that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church. It is somewhat ironic that the loss of Prime from the Liturgy of the Hours — and thus the loss of a daily liturgical reading from the Roman Martyrology — coincided with the greatest century of persecution in the history of the Church. It’s a point well-established but little appreciated within American Catholicism: We have been living, and we’re living now, in the greatest era of persecution in Christian history.

More Christians died for the faith in the 20th-century than in the previous 19 centuries of Christian history combined. While the character of the persecutors has changed, from the lethal heyday of the 20th-century totalitarianisms to the first decades of the 21st century, the assault on the Christian faithful today is ongoing, extensive and heart-rending. Solidarity with the persecuted Church is an obligation of Christian faith. Reflecting on how well each of us has lived that obligation is a worthy point on which to examine one’s conscience during Lent. That brings me to a suggestion: Revive the ancient tradition of daily readings from the Roman Martyrology this coming Lent by spending 10 minutes a day reading John Allen’s new book, “The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution” (Image). The longtime Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and CNN’s senior Vatican analyst, Allen has recently moved to the Boston Globe as associate editor, where he (and we) will see if talent and resources can combine to deepen a mainstream media outlet’s cov-

OPINION Stephen Kent

A governor’s brave step against the death penalty The state of Washington will not be executing anyone for at least three years. That in itself is good news. Equally encouraging is how that decision came about and the opportunities it presents for eventually putting an end to capital punishment in the state. “During my term, we will not be executing people,” Gov. Jay Inslee announced in a February news conference. The moratorium does not commute death sentences or pardon the state’s nine convicts on death row. Barring other circumstances, they will live three more years — or longer — should Inslee serve a second term.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

The decision is unique because it was not the result of a bill in the legislature or from a botched execution. There were no polls. It was the result of a yearlong study by the governor, reflection, and conversations with penal authorities and families of victims. Inslee went to the state penitentiary to learn about executions, step by step. His conclusion: “It’s not right.” His action drew predictable reaction from those who called it a misuse of executive authority and “shortsighted.” Dan Satterberg, prosecuting attorney for King County, which includes Seattle, said the moratorium will not resolve the issues against capital punishment raised by the

Modern-day martyrs

A nun holds a picture of Pakistan’s slain minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti during a candlelight vigil in Lahore, Pakistan in 2011. CNS photo/Mohsin Raza, Reuters erage of all things Catholic, both in print and on the Web. Meanwhile, Allen will continue the Roman work that has made him the best English-speaking Vatican reporter ever — work that has given him a unique perspective on the world Church, and indeed on world Christianity. His extensive experience across the globe, and his contacts with everyone who’s anyone in the field of international religious freedom issues, makes him an ideal governor. However, he said, “let’s have an informed public debate and let the citizens of Washington decide if we should keep capital punishment in our state.” The bishops of Washington, in a statement of support for the moratorium, also called for serious discussion. “We hope this will lead to a fruitful discussion about the dignity of human life, help us find the answers to the compelling questions surrounding the death penalty and eventually lead to permanently abolishing the practice of executions” in the state, they said.

Emotional issue The reasons raised by Inslee are not new. They have been addressed over and over: The sentence is applied unequally; it is rarely carried out. There is no evidence it is a deterrent, and a life without parole sentence is less expensive than prosecuting a death sentence through years of appeals. These reasons can be addressed. More difficult will be the one Inslee didn’t mention but was present in many of the criticisms. “To victims, it’s the wrong message; the relatives who have suf-

Most poignant for Lenten reading, of course, are those parts of Allen’s book that truly are a contemporary martyrology: his telling of the stories of such martyrs of our time as Shahbaz Bhatti of Pakistan, Ashur Yakub Issa of Iraq, the Tibhirine monks of Algeria, and the pastors and church elders who were crushed to death by a bulldozer in front of their North Korean place of worship. In pondering these cases, and the hundreds more that Allen cites, one gets a new understanding of “hatred of the faith,” that ancient “odium fidei” that identified the deaths of martyrs. It expresses itself in many ways, of course, not all of them lethal. Allen’s close focus on those who really are at risk of life and limb for the faith is a useful reminder that, whatever the contempt Christians are called to suffer today for fidelity to biblical truth in the comfortable, decadent, and increasingly intolerant West, others are being called to suffer far more. Their witness should strengthen ours. Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. fered the deaths. They have gone through 10 years or more of waiting,” said one state legislator. A man whose wife and two sons were murdered said he was “appalled by Inslee’s blatant disregard for victims’ suffering.” Similar comments have surrounded delayed executions around the country. Unlike issues raised by Inslee, which can be rationally debated, the emotional issue will cloud attempts to repeal the death penalty. The assumption is that the relatives of victims have a right to the death penalty, that the death of a human being is something to which they are entitled. Not so. An execution by the state “proclaims that taking one human life counterbalances the taking of another life. This assumption is profoundly mistaken,” the state’s bishops said. Repeal will mean showing Gospel values to the survivors. We can join them in seeking justice but not in seeking vengeance. Pray for a fruitful discussion. Kent is the retired editor of archdiocesan newspapers in Omaha and Seattle.

23B

Ginny Kubitz Moyer

Like a child: Mindfulness as a way to praise God Since becoming a mom, I’ve discovered that young kids have an astonishing ability to ignore both past and future. They are experts at being totally, completely in the moment. As every parent knows, this isn’t always a good thing. When that long-awaited trip to the toy store has to be postponed for a day, young kids generally greet this news with a stunning lack of perspective. At moments like this, we wish our preschoolers could see the big picture a little more clearly. But, though our children’s inability to look past the here-and-now can be challenging, it’s also something I envy. There is something downright appealing about being able to disable

the constant awareness of the future. Spiritual writers call this “mindfulness,” a state of pure engagement in the present moment. I call it really, really hard. Even on a leisurely Saturday morning, when my kids are playing nicely and I’m hunkered down with a good book and a cup of coffee, there’s usually some distraction tempering my joy. Inevitably, the future sends its little gray-suited ambassadors to knock on the door of my mind. Remember that you have to clean the bathroom this afternoon, they tell me firmly. And you need to hunt down those income tax documents, too, don’t you? And before I know

SOCIAL CONCERNS Kathy Tomlin

Home: A foundation for everything in life Home is where we start and end our days. It’s where we keep our belongings safe, create healthy meals, have space to be alone, entertain family and friends, deal with distress, and prepare for our future. Home is the foundation for stable individuals and families, strong communities and a competitive state. Many of our clients at Catholic Charities do not have homes. Among other places, they sleep on mats at the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul, just inches apart from each other. They have nowhere to keep their belongings, to cook, to be alone, to entertain, and to prepare for what comes next. We know we can and must do better. The solution to homelessness is a home. With this in mind, top policy items for Catholic Charities this 2014 legislative session focus on the creation of affordable housing, dignified emergency shelter and services to help people find a home. We have the opportunity to fund these needs during this year’s bonding session. To accomplish this, Catholic Charities is working as a lead member of Homes for All, a statewide coalition of organizations representing a continuum of shelter and housing providers. Together, this

coalition seeks increased state funding for programs and other investments that benefit people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. This legislative session, Homes for All is advocating for a $100 million investment in affordable housing construction and rehabilitation projects around the state. From the Wilder Foundation’s research, we know that for every $1 invested in supportive housing, the state receives $1.44 back in saved costs in other areas like health care. In addition to this critical statewide investment, we are advocating for urgent investments needed to address the mounting crisis at the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul. Just before Christmas, a task force convened by St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman issued a report recommending a new vision for the Dorothy Day Center. The Dorothy Day Center ReVision plan (DorothyDayReVision.org) is not simply about replacing Dorothy Day — which is overwhelmed and undignified — it is an entirely new approach that will bring greater dignity, permanent homes and pathways out of homelessness. The Dorothy Day Center ReVision has three key components, each its own separate building: a dignified

Being ‘in the moment’ All of this makes me think about Christ’s famous words: “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18: 17, NRSV). There are many ways to apply this passage to our lives, but perhaps one is that we need to be fully in the moment, like children, in order to experience the fullness of joy. We need to train ourselves to see happy moments as little previews of heaven, gifts to be savored. We assume that we’ll have lots of fun times with the people and activities we love, but life offers no guarantees. This is why I’ve found that people who have battled serious illness are often very good at relishing their joy. They know what it’s like to have future fears creep into their lives, but they also know firsthand that happiness is precious, and should be protected. emergency shelter connected to permanent homes; permanent affordable housing; and a daytime Connection Center to provide people with the support and resources they need to escape or avoid homelessness. The first building will be modeled on Catholic Charities’ Higher Ground in Minneapolis, which opened about a year and a half ago. Higher Ground includes emergency shelter, pay-forstay shelter and permanent supportive housing in one building. This innovative, nation-leading model has been incredibly successful, providing more dignified living options and more permanent solutions for the chronically homeless. It is time to bring this model to St. Paul. The Dorothy Day Center ReVision isn’t only about new buildings — it’s about better services and opportunities to meet the needs of our clients. To build the Connection Center and ”Higher Ground-style” emergency shelter and housing building, we are partnering with the City of St. Paul to ask the state Legislature to allocate line-item funding in General Obligation bonds. This state investment is critical to help more people find stable housing, and to provide them with better access to the services that they need. We are also raising private funds in order to make this ReVision possible. It is our firm belief that we need to move our clients from sleeping on mats on the floor in a crowded room to space that is more dignified, with separate bunks and apartments and services that will assist them in finding a pathway out of poverty. In addition to the state’s return on investment, individuals will again be on solid footing by having a stable house that has become a home. Take Julie, for example, who found success at the top of the career ladder

Thinking back to my leisurely mornings, I know that I can’t totally block out those little ambassadors of the future. That said, maybe I can change the way that I engage with them. “I’m not available now,” I can tell them politely but firmly. This present happiness is important business, and I’m going to give it my full attention. After all, my responsibilities aren’t going anywhere. Happiness, on the other hand, sometimes feels elusive. When I have it, I should cherish it as much as I can, knowing that doing so is one beautiful way of praising God. This kind of mindfulness takes practice, of course. It’s an irony that I need to re-learn something that came instinctively to me as a child. But watching my sons laugh with joy as they whoosh down the playground slide, I’m reminded that it’s an effort worth making, and that the best teachers are right in front of me. Kubitz Moyer is the author of three books, including “Random MOMents of Grace: Experiencing God in the Adventures of Motherhood” (Loyola Press). She blogs at RandomActsofMomness.com.

This Catholic Life • Commentary

GUEST COLUMN

it, my moment of bliss is ringed with the indelible marker of other moments and other concerns. Kids, as far as I can tell, aren’t like this. Their great moment is a great moment, pure and simple.

as a mortgage banker for 20 years and as a bank vice president. This lifelong Minnesotan doesn’t have the expected background for a woman who experienced homelessness for a four-year period. “I became homeless because of some bad things that happened. When you fall into a depression, your mind is not right,” she said. Julie lived on the streets. She stayed with family. She stayed at Salvation Army and Our Saviour’s shelters. But at Higher Ground, Julie said, she has found a home. “I am very blessed that I’m here,” she said. She is finding hope and peace.

“We know that for every $1 invested in supportive housing, the state receives $1.44 back in saved costs in other areas like health care.” Kathy Tomlin

As we reflect on our homes and their foundational place in our lives, the clients, staff and volunteers at Catholic Charities hope you will continue to join us in our efforts to end poverty and homelessness by being a vocal supporter for affordable housing and the Dorothy Day Center ReVision. Tomlin is vice president for social justice advocacy for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Faith & Culture

24B

Curatio conference integrates faith and health care By Jennifer Janikula For The Catholic Spirit Dianne Johnson, a registered nurse in Minneapolis, almost quit her job 10 years ago. After 30 years in health care, she was frustrated, burnt out and felt empty, like she had nothing more to give. Through prayer and conversations with friends, Johnson realized that quitting wasn’t the answer. Instead, she had to find a way to rediscover the joy and meaning in her profession — a way to invite the love of Christ into patient care. Johnson responded to this invitation by creating the Curatio: Apostolate of Catholic Health Care Professionals. The apostolate calls all members to “heal from the heart of Christ.” “We see Curatio as part of the new evangelization — bringing Christ into every encounter,” said Johnson, a parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony. “Experiencing Christ’s love, even in the midst of profound suffering, brings joy.” Members of the Curatio Apostolate seek to help all health

Register for the bioethics conference “Rediscovering Joy in Healthcare — The Call to Virtue and Holiness” The two-day conference will focus on the “dignity of the human person in the midst of escalating challenges and threats to human life in health care.”

• 5 p.m. Friday, March 28, at St. Catherine University • 8 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at the University of St. Thomas For the complete conference schedule, registration options, and continuing education credit information, visit www.curatioapostolate.com.

Nurse practitioner Teresa Tawil checks on Lenny Deering at the North Ridge assisted living center in New Hope Feb. 24. Tawil is a board member of Curatio: Apostolate of Catholic Health Care Professionals, which will host a bioethics conference March 28-29 in St. Paul. Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit care professionals bring their faith to work during their bioethics conference “Rediscovering Joy in Health Care — The Call to Virtue & Holiness” March 28-29. Johnson, who will speak at the conference, hopes attendees leave feeling hopeful, re-energized and lighter in the soul. “Our work has meaning beyond ourselves when we let God lead us and transform us,” Johnson said.

and in their lives.” Father Austriaco, associate professor of biology at Providence College in Rhode Island, will call attendees to focus on their approach to bioethical issues like abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. “We need to speak differently about all topics in bioethics in a way that emphasizes joy, mercy and grace,” Father Austriaco said.

Living the joy of the Gospel at home and work

Solidarity with patients

The conference’s keynote speaker, Dominican priest Nicanor Austriaco, will remind attendees to bring the joy of the Gospel to their personal and professional lives. “Catholic health care professionals need to recognize that their Christian vocation calls them to live out the joy of the Gospel in the hospitals and clinics where they serve,” Father Austriaco said. “This is the only way they can find fulfillment in their work

Nurse practitioner Teresa Tawil embodies Father Austriaco’s image of health care professionals who infuse the joy of the Gospel into their work. Tawil encounters Jesus every day — in the faces of her elderly patients. Her work and her faith are integrated in a way that brings fullness and joy to all of her interactions. A nurse for nearly 30 years and a Curatio board member, Tawil described her approach to patient care as an escalation of grace.

“The patient is promoted to the divine place of humanity, created in the image and likeness of God,” explained Tawil, a member of St. Raphael in Crystal. “I am aware of their inherent dignity and approach them in the honor it is to serve them.” Tawil believes in the transformative power of her Christfilled mindset and finds joy in the notion that “love is compounded in us when we give to others.” This joy, along with daily prayer and participation in the sacraments, sustains Tawil through her most challenging days. “We are in such need to transform the hearts and minds of those working in health care to be ones communicating affinity and solidarity with their patients,” Tawil said. For more information about Curatio: Apostolate of Catholic Health Care Professionals and its bioethics conference, visit www. curatioapostolate.com.

Build your business with Catholic Spirit display and web advertising Call 651-291-4444 for information February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service The upcoming movie “Son of God” should be seen as “a love story,” according to two of its executive producers, the husbandand-wife team of Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. “This really is a love story — the greatest love story ever told,” Downey said. The couple brought the 10-hour miniseries “The Bible” to television last year, garnering sizable ratings on the History cable channel. Among those 10 hours was the story of Jesus. But Burnett and Downey decided even before the miniseries was televised that they would make a separate movie focusing on Jesus. “When we were in Morocco filming,” Downey said, “I said to Mark, ‘We should have been making a film here.’” Downey, perhaps best known for her starring role for nine seasons on “Touched by an Angel,” plays Mary, mother of the adult Jesus. Burnett, whose TV successes have been primarily in reality programming from “Survivor” to “The Voice” and “The Apprentice” to “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader,” concurred, but noted, “It wasn’t shot any differently” for multiplexes than “The Bible” had been for TV. “We use different camera angles. We shoot so much film of every scene, it’s easy to make alternate choices.”

25B

Faith & Culture

‘Son of God’ movie ‘a love story,’ say husband-wife producers

Some intense scenes “Son of God” premieres in theaters nationwide Feb. 28. It tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of an elderly St. John — the only apostle who did not meet a martyr’s fate — on the isle of Patmos. The film portrays the same kind of brutality seen in “The Passion of the Christ” a decade ago, although it’s concealed or suggested, as it had been in the Study guide available miniseries. On its website, the Archdiocese of “Son of God” is rated PG-13 Washington features catechetical by the Motion Picture video guides based on the film that Association of America for have been prepared by Msgr. J. Brian “intense and bloody depiction Bransfield in conjunction with the of the Crucifixion, and for some archdiocesan offices for catechesis sequences of violence.” Some and communication. Visit www.adw. material may be inappropriate org/sonofgod. for children under 13. Downey did not dwell on the violent aspect of the movie, but in comparing the two films noted Mel Gibson’s film presupposes the viewer knows the story of Jesus, as it begins with Holy Thursday. “Son of God,” though, begins with Jesus’ birth, and through the signs and wonders he performs in the first hour of the movie, she said, “you get a chance to fall in love with him all over again.”

Wide support During a Feb. 4 interview with Catholic News Service while Downey and Burnett were in Washington to promote the movie, Downey said the endorsement of religious leaders is a big help. Two Catholic prelates have endorsed “Son of God”: Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles. High-profile Protestant leaders endorsing the film include Bishop T.D. Jakes and the Rev. Rick Warren. “Cardinal Wuerl has been so much of a help to us,” Downey said. Burnett added his hope that “Son of God” audiences “could actually see themselves as the disciples” in this stew of political intrigue. One of Downey’s favorite moments in the movie is not from the dramatic side, but something that wasn’t even in the script. In a scene presaging Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000, Jesus and the Apostles are in a boat near the coastline. Children running along the shore wave to Jesus, and Jesus (Diogo Morgado) waves back and smiles. “That wasn’t Jesus waving,” Downey said. “That was Diogo waving. We got so much feedback (after the miniseries) from people saying they like what Diogo Morgado brought to the role.” Morgado is a native of Portugal, where he is a popular TV star.

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

26B

Calendar

Don’t miss More events online Additional parish and school events in the archdiocese can be found at TheCatholicSpirit.com/ calendar.

and is presented by Franciscan Father Albert Haase. For information, visit www. churchofsttimothy.org. Marriage in Christ seminar at Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville — Tuesdays, March 11 to April 8: 7 to 9 p.m. at 3333 Cliff Road. For all married couples. Each night includes a short talk, small group discussion and more. Cost is $125/couple. For information or to register, email geneearhart@comcast.net or call (952) 895-9219.

Music Parish events ‘The Music Man’ presented by St. Odilia, Shoreview — February 27 to March 2: Performances Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. For information regarding tickets contact boxofficestodilia@gmail.com or (651) 415-3367. St. Odilia is located at 3495 N. Victoria St. Two-day Lenten Mission featuring nationally-known performer Frank Runyeon at St. Patrick, Inver Grove Heights — March 2 and 3: Frank Runyeon will perform three separate one-man plays based on the Gospels 9 a.m. March 2 — Salt and Light a comedy for children and their families; 1 p.m. March 2 — Signs, the Gospel of John; 6:30 p.m March 3 — The Sermon on the Mount, followed by a discussion of Hollywood vs. Faith. Pasta luncheon March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and appetizers March 3 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. For information, visit www. churchofstpatrick.com or call (651) 455-6624. Crafters club spring sale at Guardian Angels, Oakdale — March 8 and 9: 1 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at 8260 Fourth St. N. Features handmade crafts and gifts, a bake sale, a plant sale and more. Parish mission at St. Timothy, Blaine — March 9 to 11: 6:30 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at 707 89th Ave. N.E. Theme is “Sealed with the Cross”

CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. Recurring or ongoing events must be submitted each time they occur. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and institutions. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your press release.

Concert featuring pianists Tommy Barbarella, Dan Chouinard and George Maurer at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — March 2: 7 p.m. at 4537 Third Ave. S. Tickets are $20 at the door. Saint John’s University Men’s Chorus at St. Richard, Richfield —March 9: 3:30 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S.The program features a wide variety of sacred and secular music under the direction of Dr. Axel Theimer. The performance will include compositions by Kurt Bestor, Darius Milhaud, Bob Chilcott, Ken Jennings, Stephen Hatfield and Carl Maria von Weber. Admission is free, but donations are welcome to offset the cost of the group’s travels. Visit www.strichards.com for more details.

Prayer/ liturgy World Day of Prayer service at St. Peter, North St. Paul — March 7: 1 p.m. at 2600 Margaret St. This year’s service was written by the women of Egypt. The theme is “Streams in the Desert.” Sponsored by the Northeast Ecumenical Council, made up of representatives from various local churches.

Retreats Lenten retreat at Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville — March 8: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3333 Cliff Road. Theme is “Drinking from the Well – Dipping into the Heart of the Trinity.” Children’s retreat also offered. Cost is $15 and includes lunch. For information about the retreat, call (952) 890-0045, ext. 236. For information about the children’s retreat, call (952) 890-0045, ext. 243. Lenten Retreat at St. Olaf, Minneapolis — March 8: Begins at 9 a.m. and concludes with noon Mass at 215 S. Eighth St. Theme is “Keep These Words in Your Heart and Soul.” Paul Inwood is the presenter. Free will offering.

Meetings

FAX: (651) 291-4460

Women’s group meeting at Annunciation, Minneapolis — March 8: 9 to 11 a.m. at 509 West 54th St. 9 a.m. Mass, 9:30 a.m. light breakfast, 10 a.m. Teresa Collett, Professor of Law at the University of St. Thomas, will speak about the upcoming U. S. Supreme Court case on the fight over the federal requirement that employers provide insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization, and abortion inducing drugs. Free will offering. For more information, call (612) 824-9993, Ext. 251.

MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102

Singles

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.)

Singles 50-plus Second Sunday

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

Lenten dinners March 5 St. Stanislaus, St. Paul — meatless spaghetti dinner from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 398 Superior St.

March 7 St. Peter School, North St. Paul — 4 to 7 p.m. at 2620 N. Margaret St. St. Pascal Baylon — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 1757 Conway St. St. Anne, Hamel — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 200 Hamel Road. Holy Family Maronite Church, Mendota Heights — 4 to 7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S. Fish and Lebanese side dishes. Good Shepherd, Golden Valley — 5 to 7 p.m. at 145 Jersey Ave. S. Epiphany, Coon Rapids — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 11001 Hanson Blvd. N.W. St. Peter, Forest Lake — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1250 S. Shore Drive. St. Joseph the Worker, Maple Grove — 5 to 7 p.m. at 7180 Hemlock Lane N. Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — Lenten Enchilada dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St. St. John the Baptist, Hugo — 5 to 8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. Supper at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — March 9: 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. corned beef dinner and 7 p.m. entertainment at 4537 Third ave. S. Cost is $10. For information, call (952) 884-5165 or visit www. secondsundaymn.us.

School events Mardi Gras fundraiser at Guardian Angels, Oakdale — March 1: 6 to 10 p.m. at 8260 Fourth St. N. Features local wines and beers, king cake, live music and more. Cost is $30 at the door. Must be 21 or older to attend. Kinder camp at St. Jude of the Lake School, Mahtomedi — March 4: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 700 Mahtomedi Ave. For children entering kindergarten in the fall. Pre-register by calling (651) 426-2562. ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ presented by the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at Notre Dame Academy, Minnetonka — March 13 to 16: 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at 13505 Excelsior Blvd. For information, visit www. nda-mn.org/academics/drama.asp.

Speakers ‘The Hope of Muslim-Christian Dialogue’ at The University of St. Thomas, John Roach Auditorium, St. Paul — March 4: 7 p.m. at 2115 Summit Ave. Dr. Terence Nichols will speak.

Other events World Apostolate of Fatima 2014 Marian Congress ‘You Can Change the World’ at St. Joseph, West St. Paul — March 1: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1154 Seminole

St. Michael, Prior Lake — 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 16311 Duluth Ave.

March 14 Holy Family Maronite Church, Mendota Heights — 4 to 7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S. Fish and Lebanese side dishes. Epiphany, Coon Rapids — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 11001 Hanson Blvd. N.W. St. Peter, Forest Lake — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1250 S. Shore Drive. Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — Lenten Enchilada dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St. St. John the Baptist, Hugo — 5 to 8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. St. Pascal Baylon — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 1757 Conway St. Ave. Includes Mass, confession, Rosary and three talks. Register at www.fatimaonline. org. Call (612) 419-7677 for more information. Cost: $30. $10 for college/high school students; scholarships available. St. Paul’s Outreach benefit banquet at the DoubleTree Hotel, Bloomington — March 4: 6 p.m. at 7800 Normandale Blvd. Proceeds support the efforts of St.Paul’s Outreach. Register at www.spoweb.org. Minnesota Non-public Schools’ Day at the Capitol, begins at the Hayden Center, St. Paul — March 13: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Morning session includes speakers Alice Seagren, former Minnesota Commissioner of Education, and Kathy Saltzman, director of Students First. After lunch, buses will take participants to the capitol for a rally. Visits with legislators follow. Cost is $20. Register at www.mncc.org/minnesota-nonpublicschools-day-capitol-event-st-paul-mn.

‘Rediscovering JOY in Health Care – The Call to Virtue & Holiness’ at St. Catherine University and the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul — March 28 and 29: 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Couer de Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Anderson Student Center, 2115 Summit Ave. This Bioethics Conference is sponsored by Curatio, in cooperation with: St. Catherine University Myser Initiative for Catholic Identity and Henrietta Schmoll School of Health, University of St. Thomas Center for Catholic Studies, The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, The Catholic Medical Association Twin Cities Chapter: Catholic Physicians Guild. For information, visit www.curatioapostolate.com.

27B Statement continued from page 6B In a Feb. 19, 2014, online article, MPR states that the public disclosures made by the archdiocese are, to date, incomplete. In support of its position, MPR identifies a total of 28 clergy members who have not been publicly disclosed by the archdiocese and against whom MPR claims that it has “found allegations of child sexual abuse and other sexual improprieties.” This statement is wrong and misleading. The 28 clergy members identified by MPR have not been publicly disclosed by the archdiocese because they do not, to date, constitute substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor. For context: • The archdiocese has, to date, publicly disclosed 43 clergy members (39 of them having substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor). MPR incorrectly claims that an additional 28 clergy members should have been disclosed. • At least 16 of the 28 clergy members identified by MPR were the subject of false, meritless or unsubstantiated accusations against them. And those accusations made known to the archdiocese after 2004 have been properly filed with Ramsey County District Court. In addition to those individuals already disclosed to the Court, over

10 of the clergy identified by MPR are not from our archdiocese and the allegations against them concern alleged conduct that occurred outside of this archdiocese. In these cases, the accused clergy members are subject to the authority of other orders and dioceses and, consistent with the policy that we have previously announced to the public, the archdiocese does not have sufficient information or even jurisdiction to determine whether those foreign claims are credible or have been substantiated. As MPR correctly observes, several of these individuals have already been publicly disclosed by their respective dioceses and orders. At least two of the 28 clergy members identified by MPR have never served as clergy members in our archdiocese. James Porter, who never held an assignment in the archdiocese, merely resided as a lay person in the St. Paul area for a period of time. Thomas Kemp was never an ordained deacon of the Catholic Church, although he falsely represented himself to be a deacon. While there are many individuals who have been falsely accused of sexual misconduct in the MPR report, three specific examples illustrate the injustice of publicly identifying them in the report.

Allegations of sexual abuse by Bishop Paul Dudley, now deceased, were thoroughly investigated and ultimately found to be baseless following a review by a retired judge. Allegations against Father Gerald Grieman, now retired, were reported to the New Brighton Police Department and determined to be without merit. And allegations concerning Father Robert Hazel, also retired, were referred to the police for investigation. That investigation was concluded and no charges were filed when the police determined that the claims had no basis. With the engagement of the Kinsale team, the archdiocese continues to work on fulfilling the public promises we have made to create safe environments for children, care for victims, facilitate a healing process for our local church in order to restore trust with the Catholic faithful, and restore trust with clergy who are serving honorably. In the event any of the claims against 28 of the clergy members identified by MPR are substantiated, they will be disclosed on our website according to our policy. The archdiocese is dedicated to accurate and responsible reporting of clergy against whom substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor have been made. MPR’s reporting of inaccurate information,

which improperly identifies individuals, is irresponsible and does not serve victims, safety of children or the public good. For these wrongly accused individuals, we seek the same due process, justice and dignity granted to other citizens. The public should be assured that in making the disclosures we have made since December, we are aware of and have used the information contained in various lists that were prepared by the archdiocese. We also have been proactive, especially over the last year, in our process to identify and track claims made by victims to the archdiocese. The hiring of Kinsale, and its review of nearly 800 files to date, is evidence of this fact. And it is our policy, as articulated on multiple occasions and on our website [www.archspm.org], that anyone who suspects abuse of a minor should first call civil authorities. VIRTUS training and other procedures put in place by the archdiocese over the last decade have had a material, positive impact in dramatically reducing any incidents of abuse. We are appreciative of the tens of thousands of volunteers, staff members and clergy who have proactively engaged in this training for the safety of our children and youth.

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February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

The Last Word

28B

Residents of Tacloban, Philippines, play basketball Feb. 4 amid rubble and two maritime ships that washed ashore during November’s Typhoon Haiyan. According to the Philippine government, more than 6,000 people died as a result of Typhoon Haiyan. CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn

What I learned in the Philippines Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently visited the Philippines with other U.S. Catholic Church officials to see recovery efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck Nov. 8. The trip was organized and sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. “Catholics in the bishops’ overseas relief United States should and development agency.

know that their generosity enables essential work of the

By Archbishop Joseph Kurtz

Seven cargo ships ran aground in the Anibong region of Tacloban City during Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda, as it’s called Gospel, serving in the Philippines. Three months later, children those in need run and play around the without any thought mud-encrusted rudders of one ship. Wooden poles stick out of the of repayment.” water nearby where now-destroyed houses Archbishop Joseph Kurtz once sat on stilts. Debris litters the ground for miles. Power lines overhead dangle on patched and broken poles, impossibly tangled. Anibong was my first encounter with a neighborhood devastated by the typhoon. Our delegation representing the U.S. bishops and Catholic Relief Services could see immediately how great the need for aid remains. From Feb. 4 to 6, I also would see the vital work of CRS in the lives of these people, work made possible by

February 27, 2014 • The Catholic Spirit

the generosity of U.S. Catholics and donors around the world. Walking among some houses now reduced to rubble, I encountered some young people playing basketball. Children are a great prism to view the life of a community. They reflect the values of their families and conditions at home. Speaking to these young people, I saw something I would see repeatedly: the courage and resiliency of the Filipino people. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila had met with us the previous day and cautioned against regarding the Filipino people as victims or ourselves as rescuers. We should be open to learning from the people, he said. What I learned was that, even as they rebuild their homes and struggle for their families’ livelihoods, the Filipino people have real faith and radiate what Pope Francis calls the joy of the Gospel. They have felt Yolanda’s wrath, but they feel God’s love even more.

Witnessing the good work People in the United States and around the world who have given to typhoon relief efforts don’t get to see the good that their generosity promotes. It was humbling to feel the gratitude of the Filipino people and to see the warmth and emotion in their faces as they greeted us. CRS works with partner Caritas organizations from around the world, and the local church takes the lead in terms of discerning needs and responding. Together they work on a scale that makes a crucial difference in the lives of individuals and communities. Four million people were displaced by the typhoon, and CRS has helped repair or build 20,000 shelters. They’ve brought clean water and sanitation services to thousands of

displaced people. Farmers and others left jobless by the storm are able to support their families through livelihood recovery programs, clearing debris, planting crops and building homes. Catholics in the United States should know that their generosity enables essential work of the Gospel, serving those in need without any thought of repayment.

Churches need repair Dioceses in the United States have the option to specify whether their donations go only to relief efforts, like CRS, or to relief efforts and church rebuilding. The overwhelming majority of churches in the Archdiocese of Palo sustained damage of some kind. This included eight that were completely destroyed and a cathedral that, despite having its newly renovated roof blown completely off, still drew a full house on a Wednesday evening when we celebrated Mass. This experience and others showed the essential role of the Catholic Church in the Philippines as a hub of community life. During Yolanda, countless people sought shelter in churches. Following the storm, churches have played a role in storing and distributing supplies. People’s everyday lives and identities are enmeshed in the parish. As I visited communities, urban and rural, and spoke, listened and prayed with the Filipino people, the sense that we are one church overwhelmed me. The people of the Philippines are walking a difficult road, but the whole church walks it together, as we are present in our relief efforts, our friendship and our prayers. I return to the United States filled with joy and gratitude for the gift of the Filipino people and with the firm belief that they will continue to overcome.

Lent Learning more about our faith The Catholic Spirit’s 4-page Rediscover: pullout section in each issue highlights a new Rediscover: theme for you and discuss with others. Coming up March 13: How can I develop a prayer routine?

Making prayer an integral part of the Lenten season

HEART OF THE MATTER Father Michael VAN SLOUN

rayer should be part of each and every day, and since Lent is a time of conversion and renewal, prayer deserves even greater time and attention. In the Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Jesus told his disciples, “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret” (Matthew 6:6). Jesus did not say, “If you pray” but rather, “When you pray.” For Jesus, prayer is presumed, both in Lent and throughout the rest of the year. Jesus instructed his disciples to pray alone, and he modeled this when he spent 40 days in the desert by himself (Matthew 4:1). Private prayer is highly recommended for Lent. Find a place free of distractions. Reserve a block of time. Quiet yourself. Call upon the Holy Spirit. Listen attentively. Speak in your own words. Read and meditate on Scripture. Before Jesus was transfigured, he prayed with Peter, James and John, his closest disciples (Luke 9:28). During Lent, it would be wise to pray with those with whom we

The Catholic Spirit • February 27, 2014

are closest: our spouse, children, parents, co-workers, classmates or teammates. Offer special Lenten prayers at the dinner table together. Go to Mass together. Say the rosary together. Lent is a time to turn away from sin. The sacrament of reconciliation is highly recommended during Lent. The seven penitential psalms (Psalm 6; 32; 38; 51; 130 and 143) are extremely valuable prayers to reflect upon God’s gracious mercy, meditate on the reality of sin, examine one’s conscience, express contrition and offer penance. The single best form of communal prayer is to offer the sacrifice of the Mass. Begin Lent with Mass on Ash Wednesday. Then, plan to attend Mass every Sunday of Lent. And, if Sunday Mass is good, weekday Mass is also good. Consider attending daily Mass, either every day or once or twice each week, whatever your schedule will allow. If you are Please turn to MEDITATE on back page of section

Rediscover-faith.org

“The seven penitential psalms . . . are extremely upon God’s gracious mercy, meditate on the reality of sin, examine one’s conscience, express contrition and offer penance.” Father Michael Van Sloun

During Lent, form life-giving habits In 2014, the Rediscover: section’s “Celebrating Catholicism” column will feature a variety of writers. The following is an excerpt from Matthew Kelly’s book “Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose.” It is reprinted with permission. There is great wisdom in the Christian practice of fasting. Though Christian fasting has been largely abandoned, the one expression of fasting (and CELEBRATING penitential practice) that seems CATHOLICISM to have survived the turmoil of this modern era is that of Lenten penance. Although I Matthew suspect it is hanging on by a KELLY very thin cultural thread, which will break unless we can make people aware of the great beauty and spiritual significance of these acts. As I have said over and over again in my books and talks, our lives change when our habits change. The Lenten experience is a perfect example of the Church’s intimate understanding of the nature of the human person. The 40 days of Lent are an ideal period for renewal. Lent is the perfect span of time to form new life-giving habits and abandon old self-destructive habits. But most of us just give up chocolate, and when Easter arrives we are not much further advanced spiritually than we were at the beginning of Lent.

What fasting will do for you Our faith seeks to integrate the relationship between body and soul. There is a war taking place within you. It is the constant battle between your body and your soul. At every moment of the day, both are vying for dominance. If you wish to have a rich and abundant experience of life, you must allow your soul to soar. But in order to do that, you first need to tame and train the body. You cannot win this war once a week, once a year, or even once a day. From moment to moment, our desires need [to] be harnessed. Fasting should be a part of our everyday spirituality. For example, suppose you have a craving for a Coke, but you have cranberry juice or a glass of water instead. It is the smallest thing. Nobody notices. And yet, by this simple action you say no to the cravings of the body that seek to control you and assert the dominance of the soul. The will is strengthened and the soul is a little freer. In that one action you create an ounce of self-possession. Never leave a meal table without practicing some form of fasting. It is these tiny acts that harness the body as a worthy servant and strengthen the will for the great moments of decision that are a part of each of our lives. Beyond these small moments of fasting, we should each seek more intense encounters with fasting and abstinence if we are serious about the spiritual life — not because it is in the catechism, but because it will help us to turn away from sin and turn back to God, which is why it is in the catechism. Fasting helps us to turn our backs on the-lesser-version-of-ourselves and embrace thebest-version-of-ourselves. Kelly is an international best-selling author, speaker and founder of The Dynamic Catholic Institute.

Local author hopes novel will help readers see Passion of Christ with ‘fresh eyes’ By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

not-so-gentle encouragement from her oldest, daughter Rachel, now 20, to start pursuing her dreams.

The season of Lent may seem like an odd time to read fiction. After all, it is during this time that we ‘Just do it’ read the most important non-fiction story of all — “She said, ‘What do you want to do now that the Passion of Jesus, on Palm Sunday and again on Anna’s in school and you have all this time on your Good Friday. hands?’” Landsem said. “I said, ‘I don’t know. I really Yet, a recently released novel may be a great tool want to read, and I would really like to write for getting more engaged in the biblical accounts of historical fiction.’ She said, ‘Well, do it.’ I said, ‘I Christ’s crucifixion. don’t know how to write. I know how to do history, Stephanie Landsem of St. Michael in Stillwater has I know how to do research, but I’ve never written written the second of three books that connect with anything, never taken a [writing] class. I’ve never key Gospel stories. done anything other than write research papers.’ She started with a book titled “The Well,” which And, she’s like, ‘Well, just figure it out, Mom. Just do came out this past June and connects with the it.’” Gospel account of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Her second is called “The Thief,” and With her daughter’s inspiration, which seemed to it was published just this month. come right out of a Nike shoe ad, Landsem spent a As the name implies, it centers on a young thief year trying to figure out what her story should be. living in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ public Finally, it came after hearing a homily by Bishop ministry. The thief, a girl named Nissa who John LeVoir (then Father LeVoir, pastor of St. masquerades as a boy while picking pockets, has an Michael) in 2008 during Lent about the woman at encounter with Jesus that ultimately changes her the well. life. Also woven into the intense, fast-moving plot “I still remember exactly where I was sitting,” she are the man born blind mentioned in the Gospel of said. “I just sat there and started thinking about her John (Chapter 9), along with a Roman soldier who and the people around her. What was going on also meets Jesus. around her? How did her encounter with Jesus affect Landsem remained faithful to the Gospel texts her family, her village, herself, everything? What that she used in her storyline. But her fiction writing happened after [the end of the Gospel account]? You takes off in describing the lives of several key never know what happened after she had this characters mentioned only briefly in the New encounter with Jesus. How did that change her? And Testament. so, by the time I got home, I had a story. That’s And, it is precisely this type of writing that pretty much how it started.” ultimately can bring readers to a more intimate But, the early days of her writing career were understanding of the life and Passion of Christ. brutal. She did hours of research, wrote a draft of the “Fiction doesn’t replace reading the Bible, but it first book and then placed it in front of her harshest can enhance it by giving us fresh eyes as we go back critic — daughter Rachel. to the Bible with new knowledge of the history, “Rachel read it and told me it was boring,” culture and times in which it was written,” said Stephanie said. “She’s a huge reader and she’s Landsem, 46, who is brutally honest. I had married with four her read it, and she said, children. “We’ve heard ‘Nope, Mom, I hate to the Gospels — such as tell you, but it’s boring the Passion on Palm — too much history, not Book signing is March 15 Sunday — many times in enough stuff going on.’ our lives, and it can It was very sad. I went Landsem will sign copies of her books and speak become routine and stale. and cried for a while. about her writing at 1 p.m., March 15 at Loome We want to feel Jesus’ Then, I put it away and I Theological Booksellers, 2270 Neal Ave., N., Stillwater. pain, or his disciples fear, went and read a bunch For more information about her books and to order but we can’t. Fiction can of writing books, like copies, you may also visit www.stephanielandsem. bring those accounts to how-to-write books. I com. life again and open our probably read 50 of hearts to the truth within them.” them through characters A few drafts later, we have come to care for Rachel was wowed. So were people in the publishing and identify with.” industry. After being a finalist in two writing Most of her story extends beyond the Gospel contests, she secured an agent and signed a threepassages, emphasizing the struggles and tensions of book contract with Howard Books, a division of people from different groups living in Jerusalem, Simon and Schuster, Inc. “The Well” was book No. 1, mainly Jews and Romans. However, Jesus always and she now is working on the third book, called remains at the center of the book, with each of the “The Tomb,” which is fiction surrounding the characters struggling to understand who he is and account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead how he is able to heal people. And, it takes almost all (John 11:1-44). of the book’s 322 pages for some of them to understand the Messiah and what his true mission In time for Lent was. For Landsem, the writing started when her Originally, “The Thief” was scheduled to come out youngest child, daughter Anna, now 12, was in June, but the publisher moved up the release date entering kindergarten. That event prompted some to coincide with the beginning of Lent. This fact

The Catholic Spirit • February 27, 2014

alone upcom “I th becau what’s differe Greek accou “I’v Thief, emoti missin I think really more the hi Geths

hints at the relevance of the book to the ming liturgical season. hink it is a very good way to [prepare for Lent] use you read it and you have all the history of s going on at that time in Jerusalem, all of the ent groups — the Jews, the Romans, the ks,” she said. “Then, when you read the passion unt, you can see it in a new way, with new eyes. ve had a lot of people get back to me about “The ,” that it has really opened their eyes. It’s that ional connection that sometimes people feel is ng in their prayer life. Hopefully, this can help. k it helps. Now, when I listen to the Passion, I see it in my brain. I can imagine it so much after writing this book and learning about all istory and even the settings — the Garden of semane and the Temple of Jerusalem. I can see

Standing in the gap

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

those things better now, I can be there.” One of the best fruits to come out of the bookwriting experience for Landsem has been a deepened prayer life. Throughout the project, she has spent much time in the eucharistic adoration chapel at St. Michael. Over and over, she has turned to God so that his voice can be heard in the characters and the story. “I love that chapel; I go there and just rest my brain and think,” she said. “I couldn’t do it [writing books] without keeping my prayer life up and staying connected to the Eucharist and to the adoration chapel and going to Mass and saying, ‘What do you want of this story, how do you want it to go?’ I don’t want to mess it up. I want to get out of the way.”

It was Sept. 15, 2007, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the news came that my brother Mark would likely die within the year. A friend later joined me for the Sunday Vigil Mass where the first reading spoke of the Israelites and the golden calf. God was going to turn his wrath on the Israelites, but Moses reminded God of the promises He had made, thus staying his anger. In his homily, Father Thomas Dufner reminded us of the next part of the story; Moses begged God to forgive the Israelites, but if he would not, to take Moses instead. Father told us that we needed to be Moses for others in our lives who suffer, especially our family members. He said that some of us might have family who are away from the Church, who may be PRAYER sick, perhaps even on the verge of death. JOURNAL My tears began to pour; my friend could only catch her breath as we listened. We Alyssa were to make our sacramental and prayer lives for them. In essence, standing in the BORMES gap for them. My commission was clear. Thus began prayers, novenas, adoration hours and Mass intentions for my brother. As Lent 2008 approached, it was clear that the whole season must be a prayer for Mark. I had decided what to give up for Lent, and what to add in the way of prayer and sacrifice. The question was how For reflection to let him know, having it come across as an act For whom can you “stand in the of love, not of gap” this Lent? How will you do it? judgment. There it was, a small box of stationery. Each night before going to bed, I would write to Mark. There was a sort of formula for the letters: “J.M.J. Dear Mark, Praised be Jesus Christ!” This was followed by what I had learned at Mass; then how offering Lent for him had helped me keep my Lenten promises, even in the midst of temptation. They all ended the same way, “May this Lent be my love letter to you.” Each morning the new note was mailed. Not only was there one for each of the 40 days of Lent, but also the Sundays, the Triduum and Easter. Mark received letter after letter; there were days when several would arrive at once. He spoke of being very moved, and that, even if there were a stack of letters, he could only open one per day because he wanted to savor them. In all of this, the most amazing gift is Mark’s health. It is much better than those terrible months. Did my prayers save him? There was host of medical care that most certainly was its own sort of miracle. What seems clear is that Mark’s illness called me to a deeper and more mature spirituality. Before writing this article, I asked his permission to tell the story. He agreed, and then said that he has never forgotten receiving the letters; they are safely kept together in a box, in order, from Ash Wednesday to Easter. We all know a person who suffers and could use someone to stand in the gap. It’s just 52 cards and as many stamps. Write the cards each night, mail them each morning. It will create a bond that goes far beyond your written words. This will be followed by a surprise. For me it was that somehow both Mark and Moses were the ones who stood in the gap, interceding for me. They were the ones who gave me strength. And, in the end, it seems that Lent 2008 was their love letter to me. Bormes, a member of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, is the author of the book “The Catechism of Hockey.”

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Cor Jesu: Coming together to celebrate the heart of Jesus By Angela Deeney For The Catholic Spirit

community of people gathered at Cor Jesu uplifting.

A peaceful presence fills the dimly lit chapel while prayerful music plays softly. Although it’s a Friday evening, 300 people have set aside their busy schedules for a couple of hours to come inside the doors of the church, all for one reason: Cor Jesu. Cor Jesu, meaning “heart of Jesus” in Latin, takes place on the first Friday of every month in accordance with the day the Catholic Church celebrates the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The two-hour evening consists of eucharistic adoration, confession, reflection, praise and worship music and fellowship. Begun in 2006 by Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Mother Mary Clare of the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus, Cor Jesu started as a small gathering of 30 young adults in St. Mary’s Chapel of the St. Paul Seminary before expanding to other young adult groups, including NET (National Evangelization Teams) ministries. Today, Cor Jesu draws more than 300 people and 15 priests each month to St. Mary’s chapel.

“Seeing all of the people gathered there lights a fire in your heart and gives you hope,” he said.

Being present to the Lord Ali Hoffman, a senior at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, first experienced Cor Jesu while serving with NET ministries. “I love praise and worship, and I love adoration and I love confession — so putting all of these together was incredible to experience,” Hoffman

Although one is surrounded by other people worshiping the Lord, Cor Jesu is also a very personal time between a person and God. Molly Behun, a senior at UST, said Cor Jesu helped her with personal prayer. “At first, I saw God as more of a distant entity,” Behun said. “But Cor Jesu helped me come closer to the Lord and really rely on him . . . come totally to him and be healed. “It’s really about going before the Lord . . . and going over things that go on in your life, while at the same time keeping in mind his love for you,” she said. Cor Jesu is for anyone who wants to grow in his or her faith and create a deeper relationship with the Lord. University of St. Thomas student Gemma Shaffer prays during Cor Jesu at the St. Paul Seminary chapel. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit said. She also noted that the sense of community generated by Cor Jesu was one of the selling points in her coming to St. Thomas. Cor Jesu is a time to gather as Catholics and rediscover what it means to sit in the presence of the Lord.

“Cor Jesu means that I can come before the Lord in freedom and be who I am in front of him, with all of these other people, and worship how I love to worship,” Hoffman said. Brandon Theisen, a seminarian at the St. Paul Seminary, also finds the

“It calls you on to holiness to devote one night specifically that’s not a Sunday, to grow in personal devotion to your faith,” Theisen said. As part of the archdiocese’s Rediscover: Prayer theme this year, Cor Jesu will be offered on three Tuesday evenings this Lent at different locations in the archdiocese (see schedule, below).

Meditate on Lord’s Passion during Lent unable to attend Mass, read and meditate upon the Scripture readings assigned for Mass for that day.

Conversion theme Three Lenten themes deserve special prayerful reflection: conversion in year A (this year), the cross in year B, and forgiveness in year C. Year A features three compelling conversion stories for meditation: the woman at the well (John 4), the cure of the man born blind (John 9), and the raising of Lazarus (John 11). Year B features three texts that anticipate the cross: the cleansing of the Temple (John 2:13-15), the midnight encounter with Nicodemus (John 3:14-21), and the arrival of Jesus’ hour (John 12:20-33). Year C features three powerful forgiveness Gospels: the parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9), the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), and the pardon of the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). The last Sunday of Lent is Passion Sunday, and because Lent looks forward to Good Friday, meditation on the Passion of Our Lord is particularly appropriate throughout Lent. Read and

reflect upon the Passion narratives (Matthew 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19). Contemplate the Servant of the Lord Canticles (Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 50:411; 52:13-53:12). Kneel or sit in prayer before a crucifix. Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary or Stations of the Cross. Watch the movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” or attend the movie, “Son of God.”

Other options There are many other forms of prayer that are very suitable for Lent: eucharistic adoration, the Liturgy of the Hours, a holy hour at church or elsewhere, intercessory prayers for the candidates and catechumens in the RCIA program, Bible reading, Bible study and spiritual reading. Also good options are reading the lives of the saints; praying litanies; listening to spiritual music; singing or chanting; taking a trip to a church, shrine, or a spiritually important place; and reading from prayer books or daily devotionals like “Magnificat,” “The Word Among Us,” or “Living with Christ.”

How to Pray

Presented by Pat and Kenna Millea Monday, March 3 Our Lady of Grace, Edina Tuesday, March 4 St. John the Baptist, New Brighton All Rediscover: faith 2014 Speakers Series talks begin at 7 p.m. and run 90 minutes, including hospitality time.

Cor Jesu These evenings are a unique opportunity to experience Cor Jesu, meaning “Heart of Jesus,” as we worship Christ in community with the Church through Eucharistic adoration, confession, praise, benediction and fellowship. Tuesday, March 11 Cathedral of Saint Paul, Saint Paul Tuesday, March 25 St. Hubert, Chanhassen Tuesday, April 8 All Saints, Lakeville All Cor Jesu evenings begin at 7 p.m. and end around 9 p.m.

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.

The Catholic Spirit • February 27, 2014

prayer

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