JUNE 8, 2023
NATION+WORLD
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 11
HEADLINES u Pope prays for Indian train crash victims
during Angelus. Government authorities June 4 were working to get rail services back in operation in the district of Balasore after the deadliest train crash in India in decades killed 275 people and injured at least 1,000 June 2. At the Vatican, Pope Francis during his June 4 Angelus remembered the victims of a crash that involved three trains. “May our heavenly Father receive the souls of the deceased into his kingdom,” he said, echoing a papal telegram sent to the apostolic nuncio of India. The pope also assured the injured he is close to them and their families. News outlets reported June 4 that the death toll was lowered to at least 275, after officials found that some victims had been counted twice during the chaos that followed the crash. The number of injured was reported variously as about 900, more than 900 and at least 1,000. Two days after the crash, news outlets were consistently reporting at least 1,000 injured. By June 4, rescue efforts had ended and the derailed cars had been removed from the tracks. The crash occurred in Odisha state in eastern India southwest of Kolkata, the home of St. Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity. Kolkata is in the neighboring state of West Bengal.
u Uvalde Catholic community marks painful
anniversary with Mass, prayers. Community members gathered in Uvalde, Texas, to pray and honor the 21 lives taken last year in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. “We kneel once again today before God, united and looking for ways to support each other. We continue sharing the pain while we give thanks for the greatness of the short lives that were taken from us a year ago,” said San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller during a bilingual Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Uvalde May 24, the first anniversary of the tragedy. The Remembrance Mass drew more than 500 people to Sacred Heart Church, according to the San Antonio Archdiocese, to honor the memory of two teachers and 19 children, most of whom were 10 years old. Attendees told the archbishop that the Mass was helpful for everyone present. Some talked about the homily and an art commission designed to aid healing, and others spoke about a “sense of the Spirit working” in the community that has experienced division in the shooting’s aftermath.
u Priest is among heroes fighting flames in
Canadian wildfires. While Canada is fighting wildfires from western Alberta province to eastern Nova Scotia, at least one priest is on the frontlines of the battle in firefighter uniform. Father Gerald Mendoza, pastor at Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Chateh and St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Rainbow Lake, both located in Alberta province, is also a volunteer firefighter. He assisted in the putting out of blazes in both of his communities — and he helps out around the fire hall. Though mindful of not appearing to be “showy,” Father Mendoza said he tries to bring a “priestly presence” to the fire hall by praying the rosary in his firefighting gear. Around 16,400 people had to evacuate their homes near Halifax, Nova Scotia’s largest city, on May 29. Drier than normal weather conditions have already caused nearly 550 wildfires in the province — over 100 more wildfires than in 2022. The blaze led officials to declare a local state of emergency in Halifax late May 28, according to the BBC. Justin Trudeau, Canadian prime minister, tweeted May 29 that “the wildfire situation in Nova Scotia is incredibly serious,” adding that he is “keeping everyone affected in our thoughts, and we’re thanking those
who are working hard to keep people safe.” Meanwhile, heavy rainfall throughout the province of Alberta over the Canadian long weekend May 20-22 potentially signaled a hopeful turning point in the effort to quell the 2023 wildfire state of emergency.
units and four commercial units because of its affordability. Many of them often turned to St. Anthony for a meal or pantry items to tide them over, said John Cooper, St. Anthony’s pastoral associate and business manager. Emergency shelter has been worked out for the time being for tenants, including with help from Humility Homes and Services Inc. But Cooper and Ashley Velez, HHSI’s executive director, worry about a more permanent solution, with 80 units of affordable housing now eliminated. Velez said. “We have a crisis and we need to do something together.” Cooper said, “What’s going through my mind is how fragile people’s lives can be.”
u Victims of apartment building collapse in
Davenport, Iowa, turn to nearby Catholic church. Had it not been for a Pentecost prayer vigil, St. Anthony Catholic Church in downtown Davenport would not have been open at 5 p.m. on a Sunday night, said its pastor, Father Rudolph Juarez. Tenants fleeing from a partially collapsed apartment building a little more than a block away were grateful for that blessing the night of May 28. “It was providential this (prayer vigil) was going on. I’m just glad there were no deaths,” Father Juarez told The Catholic Messenger, newspaper of the Diocese of Davenport. A section of the apartment building — six stories high — had collapsed, leaving the residents dazed and shaken. Many of them lived in the building that housed 80 apartment
u Nearly 2,000 children abused by Catholic
clergy over decades, says Illinois AG report. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a May 23 report revealing decades of abuse by Catholic clergy against almost 2,000 children. The report, unveiled during a May 23 press conference and totaling almost 700 pages, concludes a multi-year
investigation launched in 2018 into child sexual abuse by 451 clergy and religious brothers from all six Catholic dioceses in Illinois. Prior to Raoul’s investigation, the Catholic dioceses of Illinois publicly listed just 103 credibly accused abusers. “I was raised and confirmed in the Catholic Church and sent my children to Catholic schools. I believe the church does important work to support vulnerable populations,” said Raoul in a May 23 statement. “However, as with any presumably reputable institution, the Catholic Church must be held accountable when it betrays the public’s trust.” Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich said in a statement that archdiocesan officials “have not studied the report in detail but have concerns about data that might be misunderstood or are presented in ways that could be misleading.” He also said, “We must think first of the survivors of sexual abuse who carry the burden of these crimes through their lives.” — OSV News
Your Family’s Legacy Starts with a Simple Conversation What do you want your family’s legacy to be? If you struggle to answer that question, consider this one: What do you want to pass on to your children when you yourself pass on? You might think of gifting your children an inheritance of money to provide financial support. Or perhaps, you picture an heirloom, an artifact that has been in the family for generations. Maybe you’re thinking more sentimentally of family traditions that you’ve honored together at countless Christmases or Easters. You might even be thinking of what could have an impact beyond your immediate family: your faith and values.
The obstacle many face
We know many families that were Catholic for years are now mixed-faith families. Research shows that half of young Americans who were raised Catholic no longer identify as such. Maybe your family has experienced this statistic personally. But just because your children or grandchildren don’t share your faith now, doesn’t mean they won’t always. And, it doesn’t mean your values can’t still be passed on.
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How to talk about your faith and values
Having a conversation about your faith and values doesn’t have to be a big deal. It doesn’t have to be tense or contentious. Start at the dinner table by asking your children how they would like your family to be remembered – kind, compassionate, intelligent, ambitious, generous, fun-loving? What traits and values drive their everyday decisions? If they had $1,000,000 to give away, what organizations would they support? Whom do they admire for their generosity, and why? As you listen to their answers, you’ll likely find similarities and common ground. Even if your daughter’s path has strayed from the Church, your faith – and your shared experiences – has likely left an imprint.
Practice what you preach
A beautiful way you can express your faith and values as a family is through generosity. Once you’ve identified as a family how you’d like to be remembered, which charities you love, and whom you hope to honor, put your money where your heart is! By giving together, you’ll not only make a difference for your selected nonprofits, you’ll make a lasting impression on your children too. This practice will quickly establish generosity as a family value and a key piece of your family’s legacy.
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