Voice of the Southwest, March/April Issue

Voice Southwest of the

The Official Publication of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup | dioceseofgallup.org | Vol.57 No.1

Called to

Healing How Fr. Pio O’Connor reaches out to sick and homebound patients

Columns 4

22 23

Bishop James S. Wall This Lent: Unite Your Sacrifices and Suffering to Christ on the Cross Saints for Today Saint Katharine Drexel Making Sense of Bioethics The Harm of Cohabitation

News 6

Safe Environment Audit

20 Cover Story

Diocese of Gallup found in full compliance with USCCB national guidelines

8

Obituaries Remembering Deacon Daniel Resendes and Sr. Michael Claire Wilson

9

New Teacher Housing Lumberton school receives generous donation for renovation

10

Basketball in Klagetoh On the reservation, basketball is life, and a way to evangelize

12

Sisters’ 40th Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph reach big milestone

12

Features 14

Religious Jubilarians Celebrating the courageous service of 5 religious

17

Catholic Scouting

20

Hospital Chaplain

Integrating faith, service, and civil duty

Follow Fr. Pio O’Connor as he ministers to the sick, elderly, and homebound

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06

Voice

of the

Southwest

Publisher

The Most Rev. Bishop James S. Wall

Editor

Suzanne Hammons

Advertising/Office Manager Ella Roanhorse

Contributors

Bishop James S. Wall Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Email comments to:

designoffice@dioceseofgallup.org

Write to:

Voice of the Southwest PO Box 1338, Gallup NM 87305-1338

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Live Sunday Mass from Sacred Heart Cathedral Sundays at 11:00 AM MST

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From the Editor It’s that time of year again! Not only are we in the Lenten season, but priests across the Diocese have begun to ask their parishioners to contribute once again to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Each year, we also try to bring you stories of the real people affected by the Appeal, who rely on its funding in order to carry out their ministries. And since the theme for this year is “Healing”, who better to profile than Fr. Pio O’Connor?

His work in hospital ministry is made possibly by the contributions from the Appeal.

You’ll find his story on page 20.

This theme of “Healing” is especially appropriate now that we’ve concluded our Chapter 11 Reorganization. Although the reorganization is behind us, our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children and other vulnerable persons will never end. In December the Diocese of Gallup underwent an extensive audit to make sure that we are upholding national safe environment standards - that report is on page 6. You can also find a list of upcoming healing services on page 7, and any future changes to this schedule can be found on our website at dioceseofgallup.org.

Finally, I’d like to include the letter from Bishop Wall announcing the 2017 Appeal.

To find out more, or make a contribution (any amount and every prayer helps!), visit bishopsannualappeal.info.

“My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am writing to you today to announce the beginning of the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for 2017. Each year, your generosity and prayers contribute to the success of the Appeal, which funds many ministries throughout the Diocese - ministries dedicated to promoting the spiritual and physical well-being of Catholics, students, seminarians, the elderly, and the poor.

Our theme for this year is “healing”. In his earthly ministry, Christ dedicated many of his efforts toward healing: curing the sick and disabled, preaching and spreading the word of God, and reaching out to the marginalized, ignored, and despised people on the fringes of society.

In our own Diocese, the Appeal helps to support five Catholic Charities agencies which provide food, shelter, clothing, and emergency assistance to people who struggle financially and have nowhere else to turn. Tuition assistance, operating costs, educational materials are provided to our Catholic schools. This ensures that students from any economic or cultural background have the opportunity for an enriching education, both spiritually and academically. The Appeal also helps support the priests’ retirement plan, along with funding substantial health care costs and related expenses. It is also instrumental in sustaining the many programs at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center.

Each of these ministries, along with many more within the Diocese, rely on the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, and the prayers and pledges provided so generously by you, the Catholics of the Diocese of Gallup.

Pope St. John Paul II once said, “The world you are inheriting is a world which desperately needs a new sense of brotherhood and human solidarity. It is a world which needs to be touched and healed by the beauty and richness of God’s love.”

I am grateful for the love each of you displays in following Christ, through your prayers, words, and actions, and I offer my own prayers and efforts to yours as we answer the call to live the Gospel.

I remain, sincerely yours in Christ, Bishop James S. Wall” Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Left: Bishop Wall blesses the ashes for Ash Wednesday Mass on March 1, 2017.

Right: The distribution of ashes during Mass on March 1, 2017.

From the Bishop:

This Lent, Give Your Heart to Christ, Who Loves You “Lent is a period of spiritual combat which we must experience alongside Jesus, not with pride and presumption, but using the arms of faith: prayer, listening to the word of God and penance. In this way we will be able to celebrate Easter in truth, ready to renew the promises of our Baptism.” –Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI We are now in the season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday of Holy Week. Lent is an opportunity given to us so that we might become more like Christ, the one who came into the world to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life. When we receive an opportunity, we must make sure we take full advantage, avoiding the temptation of either letting it pass by or giving a halfhearted approach to our Lenten observance. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church informs us, “by the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.” (CCC 540). There is no better companion on our Lenten journey than our Savior. Therefore, let us courageously make the conscious decision to unite ourselves to Jesus as he leads us into the desert.

Lenten Observance The three basic tenants of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They are external acts of penance which should

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affect our interior disposition and conform us closer to Jesus. Our Lenten observances, when properly approached, have the potential for a conversion of our hearts. This is the goal for the life of all Christians: conversion of heart so that we might become more like the one whom we profess as our Lord and God. It is important that we approach Lent with patience for others and for ourselves.

Saint Francis de Sales wrote, “Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.”

Prayer The Catechism defines prayer as “The elevation of mind and heart to God in praise of His glory; a petition made to God for some desired good, or in thanksgiving for a good received, or in intercession for others before God. Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church”. The movement of the heart and mind toward our loving God is an act that expresses our gratitude to God for His generosity to us. Our act of prayer is also an expression of trust, as we take the disposition of a child, who relies upon his or her Heavenly Father, who will only give us what we need.

For many people this is only a matter of strengthening one’s prayer life - always a noble endeavor at the beginning of Lent. Sometimes our prayer life simply needs a “tweaking” or “refocusing”

to intensify it. But for some, the prayer life might be nonexistent or possibly on life support. For those who find themselves in this situation, it might be difficult to jumpstart your prayer life. One of my favorite saints, Saint Josemaría Escrivá said, “You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, “Lord, I don’t know how to pray!’ you can be sure you’ve already begun.” If you’ve been away from Mass, simply return. If it has been a while since you’ve picked up your bible, give ten minutes to the Lord by opening your heart to the scripture, in particular the Gospels. If your rosary is unused, pick it up, meditate on the life of Christ through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and ask Our Lady to help you pray. She loves you, so she will intercede on your behalf, removing any obstacle to prayer, as she desires you to be in a deep and intimate relationship with her Son.

Fasting “Refraining from food and drink as an expression of interior penance, in imitation of the fast of Jesus for forty days in the desert. Fasting is an ascetic practice recommended in Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers. It is sometimes prescribed by a precept of the Church, especially during the liturgical season of Lent” (CCC). When we fast and abstain, we deny ourselves in imi-

“These three acts of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving afford us the opportunity to move beyond ourselves. They assist us in our efforts to be more Christlike in our love toward our brothers and sisters, especially those who are most in need.”

tation of Our Lord’s 40-day journey, in an act which moves us beyond ourselves.

Any pain or discomfort we experience is meant to remind us of the pain and suffering Our Lord experienced in the desert, but even more so moves us to meditate upon suffering on the cross. These are two events in the life of Christ which remind us of His perfect love for humanity - especially the cross. It is by the cross that our wounds are healed and the doors of heaven are opened to us. Saint Rose of Lima said “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven”.

When we fast and abstain, it is imperative for the Christian to keep the Crucified Lord before our eyes, figuratively and literally. It is then that fasting and abstaining do not become an end in themselves, but rather the means by which we grow closer to and more like the Pierced One, who said “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me“ (Luke 9:23).

Almsgiving “Money or goods given to the poor as an act of penance of fraternal charity.

Almsgiving, together with prayer and fasting, are traditionally recommended to foster the state of interior penance” (CCC).

Lent is a time when we are able to not only think about those who are less

fortunate, but we are moved into action to alleviate their struggle. There are different ways we are able to accomplish almsgiving. We can contribute to an organization or religious community whose charism is to care for the poor. In particular, I think of the Missionaries of Charity and the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Their foundresses, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint Jeanne Jugan, responded to the Lord’s invitation to not simply give of their treasures, but to give of their lives in service to the poor. This was an act of love to the people who were closest to them. Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us”.

Here in the Diocese of Gallup, as well as other places in our country, the face of the poor is very real and near to us. As an Lenten act of love, our almsgiving is able to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor in our midst.

These three acts of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving afford us the opportunity to move beyond ourselves. They assist us in our efforts to be more Christlike in our love toward our brothers and sisters, especially those who are most in need. They might cause us discomfort - but that’s okay! - especially when we unite our pain, suffering and discomfort to that of Our Lord’s. As Pope Francis so poignantly stated, “Lent is a fitting time for self-denial: we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real pov-

erty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.”

Thank you for Prayers Many of you have offered prayers for my healing, of which I am grateful. If you are unaware, I have been quietly struggling with an imbalance (vertigo) issue for the past year, thinking it to be something that would simply pass.

However, it didn’t go away and only seemed to increase, especially toward the end of 2016. Thankfully, through the good care of doctors, I was diagnosed with bilateral vestibular damage, which was caused by antibiotics I had to take for a nasal infection a year ago. The damage is permanent, but the effects are not, as I have been working closely with physical therapists who have helped me get back to some sense of normalcy. It’s a slow process, but if I stay up on my exercises I’ll be back to normal in a month or so. Please continue to keep me in your prayers, as they are greatly appreciated.

Have a blessed Lent.

In Christ, Bishop James S. Wall The Most Reverend James S. Wall is the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup.

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Diocese Found “In Full Compliance” With National Safe Environment Guidelines An extensive audit conducted in December 2016 has found the Diocese of Gallup to be in full compliance with national guidelines for preventing abuse and maintaining a safe environment.

When the extent of sexual abuse cases and allegations came to public attention in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) met in an unprecedented conference in Dallas TX. The result was the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, a set of procedures and guidelines for spotting and preventing abuse in all dioceses in the United States.

To ensure that the requirements – or “norms” - of the Charter are followed, the USCCB partnered with outside investigation firms. Every three years, dioceses in the United States undergo an on-site audit, conducted since 2010 by Stonebridge Business Partners. The New York-based firm specializes in investigating whether business and religious organizations are following in-house compliance arrangements.

For Jim Morasco, a partner in the firm, it’s a process that is undertaken very seriously. His auditing teams require access to diocesan records and undertake interviews with diocesan officials and employees.

“We go through each article, we request certain documentation, we perform interviews, we look at the documentation that’s been prepared, and the processes and procedures and so

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forth,” Morasco said in a phone interview. “We look at that and we measure that against the minimum requirements set forth in the Charter.”

These requirements include an obligation to report allegations of abuse to authorities and cooperate with any investigations, as well as public posting of information on how to contact a diocesan Victims Assistance Coordinator.

But even if the minimum requirements are followed, the firm will continue to monitor diocesan activities in the intervening years between audits.

“Someone could be found in compliance, but that doesn’t just mean it’s a letter that says ‘You’re In Compliance’. We’ll go through and if there’s any area for improvement, we’ll make sure that information is communicated to the Bishop,” Morasco explained.

“If it’s serious enough, we’re following up to make sure they’ve remediated any issues that we believe are serious, whether or not they’ve been found compliant.”

Dioceses that are found to be noncompliant will be given recommendations on how to meet the requirements of the Charter. Each year the USCCB releases the national findings of the audit, including the list of noncompliant dioceses, in an annual report to the public.

There are some limitations, as Stonebridge notes in the report. If there are incorrect records in a diocese, the firm must take more time to comb through the data and issue corrections. And if certain records are

kept on a parish-by-parish basis, rather than a single diocesan database, Stonebridge may not have a complete picture of Safe Environment practices on a parish level.

But despite the extensive and painstaking nature of the process, Morasco has found both the USCCB and dioceses who undertake the audits to be fully cooperative and open to recommendations.

“If there were any limitations on what we’re doing we’d certainly note that, and over the last few years we’ve been doing this, we’ve found not to have those roadblocks or impediments to the work we’re doing.”

He also noted the commitment to the process he has seen from most bishops and dioceses.

“I think it’s a testament to the transparency of the USCCB that they do allow an outside auditor to come in and report on the individual diocese or parish level of compliance with the Charter,” he said. “The Church is really spending a tremendous amount of time and money in this area in terms of prevention, training, and of course, trying to heal victims and survivors... you work with any other non-profit organization and they are not doing anywhere near - or even any other church - they are not doing anywhere near what the Catholic Church is doing in this area, and I think having a firm like ours helps that process, that they are committed to spending that kind of money to ensure that Bishops are keeping the promise that they made.” +Vosw

Schedule of Healing Services Bishop James Wall and the Diocese of Gallup will unite in prayer for a series of healing services. We extend our invitation to attend these healing services to all who have been affected by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in the Diocese, especially our brothers and sisters who have survived abuse by members of the Church.

Families and friends of survivors, Catholics and community members who are struggling with forgiveness or who have been affected by the sin of abuse, and all people wishing to unite and seek healing; to them we extend the invitation to attend these services as well.

The healing services will consist of prayer, scripture reading, and a reflection from Bishop Wall. The Bishop will also be available after the service to meet privately with anyone who requests it.

“To those survivors, I wish to express my sincere apologies, profound sorrow, and deepest gratitude. I am sorry, first and foremost, that you were abused and betrayed by members of the Church, and that the Diocese betrayed your trust. I am also grateful to you, for your courage in coming forward, in continuing to seek justice, even when that justice was not given for many years.” - Bishop James S. Wall If you are unable to attend, please pray, first and foremost, for survivors of abuse, and love them as Christ calls us to love. Please also pray for our Church, that we act with justice, compassion, and vigilance in protecting children and vulnerable persons from abuse.

Holy Trinity Our Lady of Sorrows St. Peter St. Anthony St. Mary (Bloomfield) St. Bonaventure St. Joseph San Rafael (Concho) St. Michael St. Isabel St. Rose of Lima St. Catherine St. Mary of the Angels San Rafael (San Rafael) Our Lady of Light, St. Joseph, and

St. Joseph School St. Paul and Risen Savior St. Patrick and Good Shepherd Christ the King St. Mary (Farmington) Immaculate Conception Santo Niño de Atocha St. Francis (Gallup)

Friday, April 28, 2017 at 6:00 PM Friday, May 12, 2017 at 6:00 PM Friday, May 19, 2017 at 6:30 PM Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 5:00 PM Friday, June 02, 2017 at 6:00 PM Thursday, June 08, 2017 at 6:00 PM Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 7:00 PM Friday, July 21, 2017 at 6:30 PM Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 6:30 PM Friday, August 11, 2017 at 6:00 PM Friday, August 18, 2017 at 7:00 PM Sunday, August 27, 2017 at 1:00 PM Friday, September 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM Friday, September 29, 2017 at 6:00 PM Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM Friday, October 06, 2017 at 6:00 PM Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 6:00 PM

42 Rd 3520, Flora Vista NM Old State HWY 279, Seboyeta NM 203 E Apache St, Springerville AZ 260 Block N Hwy, McNary AZ 307 N. Church St, Bloomfield NM 25 W Navarre Blvd., Thoreau NM 220 W. 2nd St., Winslow AZ 3048 Hwy 277, Overgaard AZ 1654 Main St, Snowflake AZ 35411 US 180A, Concho AZ 24 Mission Rd., St. Michaels AZ 105 St Isabel Lane Lukachukai AZ 307 N. Hwy 64, Blanco NM Human Services Rd, Cibecue AZ 1915 S. Penrod Ln, Pinetop AZ 100 Guadalupe Plz San Rafael NM Water Canyon Road, Cubero NM

Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 6:30 PM Thursday, November 02, 2017 at 6:30 PM Friday, December 01, 2017 at 6:30 PM Friday, January 19, 2018 at 6:30 PM Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 3:00 PM Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 4:00 PM Friday, February 9, 2018 at 7:00 PM

268 Crownpoint Dr, Crownpoint NM 547 Cousins Rd, Vanderwagon NM US Hwy 64, Shiprock NM 2100 East 20th St, Farmington NM 6440 Main St, Cuba NM 155 Hwy 435, Aragon NM 214 W. Wilson, Gallup NM

Thursday, March 01, 2018 at 6:00 PM Friday, March 02, 2018 at 6:00 PM Friday, March 09, 2018 at 6:30 PM Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 6:30 PM Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 1:00 PM Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 6:00 PM Friday, March 16, 2018 at 6:30 PM Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 6:30 PM

3760 Sandhill Dr., Lumberton NM 414 N. Allen Ave, Farmington NM Navajo Rt. 7, Chinle AZ 455 S. Lake Powell Blvd, Page AZ 100 Aspen Drive, Tuba City AZ 203 E. Commercial St., St. Johns AZ 3048 Hwy 277, Overgaard AZ 1654 Main Street, Snowflake AZ

Rescheduled Services: St. Francis (Lumberton) Sacred Heart School and Parish Our Lady of Fatima Immaculate Heart of Mary Our Lady of Fatima St. John the Baptist Our Lady of the Assumption Our Lady of the Snows

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Obituaries Deacon Daniel Resendes

Deacon Resendes

Colonel Daniel F. Resendes passed away on November 17, 2016. He was born in Fall River, MA in 1926 and the son of Annie and Manuel Resendes.

He was drafted from Harvard Law School and assigned to the infantry serving in the liberation of the Philippines. At the close of World War II, he served as a special agent for the War Crimes Commission during the investigation of experimental medical operations performed on seven American pilots at the University of Fukuoko, which resulted in being the basis for the book, “The Fallen”. Col. Resendes’ military career included tours of Korea, Portugal, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Vietnam serving as the Director of Counterintelligence Division (MACV). He graduated in 1962 from the Command and General Staff School, Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and later was Regional Commander of the 3rd Counterintelligence Group, HI. He served as Defense Attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica.

His last assignment prior to retirement was Director of Foreign Liaison at the Pentagon.

In addition to a notable military career, he was also instrumental in founding the Permanent Diaconate program for the Diocese of Arlington. In fact, he was the very first deacon ordained in the Diocese of Arlington, on October 5, 1974. In 2015, he celebrated 40 years as a permanent Deacon. He was asked to oversee the relocation of immigrants

from the Vietnam conflict in conjunction with Catholic Charities. He continued studies for advanced degrees at Catholic University. In 1982, upon completion of studies from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, he received a Masters in Religious Education. In 1985, he completed course work for his Doctor of Philosophy in Religion.

He spent five years in the Diocese of Gallup, working as Vice Chancellor, director of the Sacred Heart Retreat Center, and Director of Religious education. During his years in the Diocese of Gallup, he developed a deep respect and love of the Navajo nation. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Mary Elizabeth Wyche Resendes. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, as well as the Secular Franciscans at Saint John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton, Virginia.

Col. Resendes is survived by a son, Daniel R. Resendes of Orlando, Florida and a daughter, Ann Resendes Gutierrez of Warrenton, Virginia. Four Grandchildren, Sabrina and Cameron Resendes of Orlando, Florida, Allessandra Gutierrez of Warrenton, Virginia, and Mauricio Gutierrez of Rainmaker, Costa Rica. The surviving four great-grandchildren are Daniel Dylan Resendes of Orlando, FL, Fellissimo and Maximilian Gannon of Warrenton, VA, Cassandra Mary Elizabeth and Victoria Daniela of Rain Maker, Costa Rica.

Sr. Michael Claire Wilson

Sr. Michael Wilson

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Sister Michael Claire Wilson, baptized Barbara Lynn Wilson, was born on December 22, 1933, in Detroit. She was the first of five children born to Joseph and Evelyn (Schulte) Wilson. Both parents were born in Detroit. Her father was a lawyer-accountant.

Barbara had been educated in a public grade school and was attending Dominican High School when she received her parents’ permission to transfer to St. Joseph Academy and enroll in the Congregation’s Preparatory Program that began in 1943.

After graduating from the Academy in June 1949 she entered the postulate on September 8, 1949, at the age of fifteen. At reception the following year in August she received her religious name Sister Michael Claire.

Following profession on August 9, 1951, Sister Michael Claire was assigned to St. Joseph School in Homewood, Illinois, where she taught for seven years. In February of her last year at St. Joseph (1959), she was reassigned to study at Siena Heights College and to finish her undergraduate studies. She received a bachelor’s degree in the summer of 1959.

When the Congregation began open placement

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

in 1970, Sister Michael Claire revealed her personal interest and commitment to helping those most in need. She moved to Arizona in August 1972 and continued to minister there until she returned to Adrian in 2012.

During her first two years, Sister Michael Claire served as the assistant principal and teacher at St. Joseph School in Winslow, Arizona. In 1974 she taught at Salpointe High School, a co-ed school in Tucson that was sponsored by the Carmelites.

After one year, she returned to Winslow, where she would remain for the next thirty-six years.

In 2000 the diocese ceased supporting her ministry at St. Joseph Parish and five years later she was relieved of her position at the Winslow Unified School District that was funded under Title IV. Her last ministry in Arizona was at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Chinle, where she ministered in their religious education program for two years.

As her health declined, she reluctantly returned to Adrian and lived at the Dominican Life Center.

Sister Michael Claire died December 25, 2016, at the age of eighty-three.

Lumberton School Receives Long Hoped-For Teachers’ Housing Complex There isn’t much that can phase the young teachers at St. Joseph School in Lumberton, NM. At this small school, nestled in the heart of New Mexico’s northern Apache reservations, isolation, dirt roads, and inclement weather are all in a day’s work.

But for Madeline Lyon, principal at St. Francis, shoddy housing is one obstacle she won’t tolerate. Most of the teachers at the school come for a period of several years through placement

by Americorps, a national community service program. In years past, their housing at St. Francis consisted of an old building with cracked walls and foundation and unreliable heating. At one point, a colony of bees took over an unused room.

Eventually Lyon gave up her own home to the teachers, and she now commutes daily from Pagosa Springs in Colorado. But the end of this substandard housing is in sight. An anonymous donor has pledged enough money to the school to allow for a new housing complex to be built, and the teachers should be able to move in by the end of the school year.

“Our volunteers come from all over the country, and if we can’t house them, we can’t have teachers, and therefore we won’t have a school,” Lyon said. While the profession of teaching is built on the idea of service, Lyon believes that here, in remote New Mexico, the job takes on an extra amount of mission work.

“We serve primarily the native people from the Jicarilla Apache reservation, as we’re the only viable alternative to the public school here,” she said. “So most of our students come from the reservation, so we are serving an under-served population. This is a poverty area - we receive Title I funds from the federal government.

We’re also on the Federal breakfast and lunch program.”

When her young teachers are provided with good living conditions, they in turn are able to dedicate themselves to enriching the lives of their students.

And when students are happy, parents

are happy. Lyon believes there are good reasons why local parents prefer St. Joseph to public schools.

“We create a safe environment.

There is no bullying here, so even though they have to pay for it, because we do charge tuition - nominal tuition - even though they have to pay for it and they have to transport their children to and from school, it’s worth it to have high academic standards and a good safe environment.”

Lyon also eventually hopes to invest in new heating systems, beds, and furnishings for the teachers. But for now, the relief of new housing, longdesired, will help to keep St. Francis a worthy and welcome place to live, work and study for years to come. +Vosw

Construction on the new housing complex is expected to be completed for teachers by the end of the school year.

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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For Klagetoh Mission

Evangelization Comes Through

Basketball

O

n the reservation, basketball is life.

In an area where a one-way school bus ride can take over an hour, where running water is a luxury and a decently sized town is comprised of several hundred people, it can be pretty demanding to find time to just be a kid.

But on the basketball court, everything changes. Even a simple hoop, hung from a pole in the dirt yard of a family’s house, can provide hours of fun. It’s why basketball has taken the Navajo Nation by storm. All you need is a ball and a hoop – maybe a friend or two.

At St. Anne Mission in Klagetoh, Arizona, a single basketball court has become an impromptu gathering place for an entire community. It’s not much – a basic slab of concrete and two hoops, nestled under the huge sky and wide vistas of the surrounding reservation. But to the families and children of Klagetoh, this court is something almost sacred – a place for anyone, regardless of age, background or fitness, to come and play.

John Yonushonis has been visiting the mission as a volunteer for nearly ten years, and the basketball court has become his biggest project.

“Anywhere from ten or as many as thirty people every single day of the year can be using that court because it’s the only thing that offers any type of availability for exercise and families to get together,” he said.

At first, the court only needed basic surface repair. But over the years, after harsh winters and despite the mission’s best efforts, it has slowly devolved to the point where professional reconstruction is required.

Brother Charles Schilling is the administrator at St. Anne’s.

He’s been running the mission for four years, and he’s gotten to know the people who live here, young and old. Most aren’t Catholic, but he sees them every day playing basketball. Like Yonushonis, Br. Charles wants to provide them with a space that fits, at the very least, the basic needs for the sport.

“It’s a concrete surface right now, and there are spots on it The area around Klagetoh, right, is subject to harsh winters and large open spaces between communities.

Far right, middle: the layout and plans for the new basketball court.

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where the concrete is starting to kind of chip in weather. I’m sure it’s an effect of winters we have here, where it freezes and the concrete just chips,” he explained. “What we want to do is put in an all-weather surface that’s more resistant to – especially - the winters. And we want to enlarge the court. It’s not quite a regulation court, as it presently stands.”

But this is a mission that, like most in the Diocese of Gallup, relies almost exclusively on the generosity of outside donors in order to sustain itself. Each summer, groups of young people on mission trips come from throughout the country to help with maintenance and work projects. At the end of each day, they too find themselves drawn to the basketball court, where they meet local families.

“It’s kind of a natural way young people can start relating to one another, through sport,” reflected Br. Charles. “And then they can carry that conversation through in just a sharing of ideas. So the people who are visiting us, engaging in conversation with people their own age, learn about their situation and also share what their lives are like.”

To Br. Charles and Yonushonis, the basketball court has grown into an essential part of the St. Anne’s ministry.

“I think it’s important for young people, especially those who aren’t associated with or familiar with the Church - their

connection with us is going to start with something that they find fun and recreational,” said Br. Charles. “Our hope is from that they may be open to being invited to come to classes, to come to church, to get more involved in the spiritual aspects of what we do. It’s a different approach to evangelization, but we’re hoping it might be something we can work to strengthen and evolve.”

There are physical benefits as well.

Like many poor areas, much of the Navajo Nation is a “food desert” - an area where fresh or healthy food is either unavailable or too expensive to afford in decent quantities. Obesity and diabetes are common and ongoing problems.

So even if the benefits of the basketball court are purely physical, the mission considers it a success. This is especially true when the entire family gets involved.

“I tell people I’m always impressed by these young people, these kids, because they just come out to play,” said Br. Charles. “I’ve never seen a fight, I’ve never even really heard a harsh word spoken. So it’s really a positive thing that we kind of provide for the community here. They have no other place to play. I mean people have hoops, you know, set up on their house. But there’s no place where there’s a court where they can actually play a game. The nearest other place would be in Ganado, which is 14 miles away...it’s everyone from grandpa to the grandkids who come out and play a game, occasionally, on our court. It’s a very nice thing that happens here.”

Along with the all-weather surface, Yonushonis hopes to include lighting for night access and safety. He’s found a Navajo father and son contractor team for the renovation, and plans to fundraise the cost of the court through donations and a silent auction.

In the meantime, the Klagetoh basketball court beckons, filled with families who find joy in the simple pleasure of a ball and hoop.

If you’d like to find out more about the project, or contribute to the fundraiser for a new basketball court, you can find the project’s GoFundMe page at: gofundme.com/f7p9azv8 Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Celebrating 40 Years...

...And a New Home For 40 years, the Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph have served the marginalized minorities of Gallup. At their intimate, dual-building complex, they open their door to whoever comes knocking. Most of their visitors speak Spanish as a first language, and have trouble navigating the demands of a new country. Others know the sisters as the teachers of their children, or come to look through a box of free clothing.

Mother Magda Garcia first came to the Diocese of Gallup in 1976 at the invitation of Bishop Jerome Hastrich.

Two local schools, Gallup Catholic and St. Francis, were in danger of closing and needed teachers. Their efforts helped to save the schools, and eventually their ministry grew and evolved.

“We assist everybody who comes for whatever need they have, but especially people that speak Spanish, in anything they need,” said Mother Magda. “When they get in trouble

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they go to the church, or the hospital - whatever their need is, they usually come here, they call us, whatever we can do for them.”

They are the only community founded inside the Diocese of Gallup, established on December 12, 1976.

Mother Magda and three other sisters had a desire to form their own community, and Bishop Hastrich was the first to answer their letter, granting permission for them to establish a home in the Diocese.

That home, on Gallup’s north side, has served as a base of operations for 40 years. One building, tight and cozy, contains the bedrooms where the sisters sleep and a larger room that is used as a living space, dining room, and office all in one. The second building holds a small chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament has been placed for perpetual adoration for decades.

“We wanted to be called Missionaries of St. Joseph, but Bishop Hastrich said that he was asking Our

Lady for some sisters. He had this house, and he called it Casa Reina because of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” Mother Magda recalls. “So he said he wanted us to be called Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but we had promised St. Joseph, if he helped us, we would be called after St. Joseph.

So in order to fulfill both promises, we were called Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph.”

Our interview was a little late, since I was not the first visitor to the house that morning. When I arrived, a young couple sat at the dining room table, trying to make sense of a large amount of paperwork in English. Mother Magda acted as both translator and agent, describing for them how the papers should be filled out.

This is another component of the work the sisters do each day.

“We are recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals,” said Mother Magda. “We have accreditation - three of us are accredited. And

"Love is the most important thing that we can have. We love the community, we love the Diocese, and that’s why we are here."

then we do family immigration, family integration, naturalization, adjustments, appeals, everything they need.”

Their time in the Diocese has not been without its share of obstacles, however. Until now, the sisters had only been a private association of the faithful, and not what is known as a “public association of the faithful within the Diocesan Rite” - that is, officially recognized

by Rome as a public order within the Diocese. Often if women came expressing interest in joining the order, the lack of official recognition would discourage them. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

On December 12th, a special 40th anniversary Mass was held at Sacred Heart Cathedral in honor of the sisters, and Bishop Wall formally signed the documents that will go to Rome, asking that the sisters be recognized as a public order.

Soon they will also have a new home. The building recently vacated as chancery headquarters was purchased

by Dr. Raymond Ponce, a long-time benefactor of the Sisters from California. A construction team will undertake extensive renovations to the old chancery and turn it into a proper convent, complete with a chapel and comfortable living quarters.

For Mother Magda, the transition will be bittersweet.

Their current home is well-known, and people have grown accustomed to visiting them on the north side of town. While the new convent will give them much more room for privacy and work, they will miss their old

The Sisters renew their vows at their 40th anniversary Mass.

Mother Magda at her home where she serves the people of Gallup.

neighborhood.

Our interview ends on a note of gratitude, from Mother Madga to the community, “because of the confidence they have in the sisters and the work that we do. I wish that all the sisters of my community have appreciation for their vocation, for the love of God...being apostles of Christ, you can serve anywhere, anything, anybody, everybody. I guess love is the most important thing that we can have.

We love the community, we love the Diocese, and that’s why we are here, regardless of struggle with many things, on many occasions. We’re faithful to God through our promises as we have shown these 40 years. We implore our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph to keep us faithful to God.” +Vosw Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Meet Your 2017 Jubilarians 5 Religious Celebrate Major Anniversaries Sister Catherine Mary Gachau of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 25 years Sr. Catherine grew up in Kiambu, Kenya. She entered the congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor because of their unique charism around the world of caring for the elderly poor with modest resources.

She is currently stationed at Villa Guadalupe in Gallup. This is her first time in the Diocese of Gallup, but not in the USA. After her final vows in 1997, she got her assignment to be in Palatine, Illinois, where she did her nursing studies. After graduating in 2001, she went back to her country of Kenya for one year where she was in charge of the postulates, women wishing to be sisters. For the next six years she was a member of the Formation Team in the novitiate in France and in Benin, West Africa until 2009. After that, she had the joy of going back to the care of the elderly poor in France and England. She has only been in the Diocese of Gallup for three months.

Sister Catherine Mary says with a great smile on her face, “I always knew that my place was to be with the elderly residents, and I am looking forward to serving them in the church in my new Diocese of Gallup.”

Father Dale Jamison, OFM of the Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, 50 years Michael Stephen Jamison was born in Detroit on January 11, 1947.

Joining St. John the Baptist Province, Order of Friars Minor, he attended St. Francis Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, prior to commencing his philosophy studies at Duns Scotus College, Southfield, Michigan.

As was tradition, after one year of studies, he received the Franciscan habit and began his novitiate on August 15, 1966, being given the religious name Dale.

On the day of his first profession, August 16, 1967, Fr. Dale remembers feeling like the rich young man from Scripture. “I can remember my little hands being enshrined in the much larger hands of the minister and he ‘looks at me with love.’” The Minister Provincial’s promise, “And if you can live this life, I promise you life everlasting with God in heaven,” touched Fr. Dale deeply. “All of that felt pretty good to me. I believed it then, and I believe it now!” he noted.

After professing his vows, Fr. Dale resumed his studies at Duns Scotus, continuing on to theology studies at St. Leonard’s College, Centerville, Ohio. Since his ordination on June 15, 1974, he has ministered in the Gallup Diocese and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, primarily among the Pueblo peoples. He also spent six years in the Diocese of Phoenix as Director of Native American Ministry.

Fr. Dale has spent 40-plus years in the Southwest, and is remembered fondly as the “Roadrunner” or “Running Rev” for the many mornings he spent jogging remote, packed dirt tracks, training for numerous marathons, in order to raise thousand of dollars for the parishes and schools where he served. His running days may be past, but he still walks five miles a day!

Personally, Fr. Dale holds a more recent memory close to his heart.

In October, 2016, he traveled to Rome at the invitation of friends, to concelebrate and preach at a wedding Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. “In this chapel, the altar of sacrifice contained the remains of St. John Chrysostom” known as “Golden Mouth”. He continued, “Preaching for the occasion in his presence was a little intimidating, but also very energizing.” He also presided at a Mass in the Basilica of San

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

Clemente, first century priest and martyr, and concelebrated Mass on the Feast of St. Francis in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi with the Minister General, Michael Perry, OFM. Fr. Dale concluded, “Hands down, this was the highlight of my entire Franciscan and priestly life.”

The current pastor of St. Mary Mission, Tohatchi, NM, Fr. Dale also serves as Director of Native American Ministry for the Diocese of Gallup, as Dean of the McKinley County Deanery, and on the Presbyteral Council. He is on the board of directors of St. Michael Indian School, and a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Provincial Council. He was named a “Missionary of Mercy” by Pope Francis during the Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016.

Having been blessed with good physical health, friends and crosscultural experiences, Fr. Dale’s “sincerest wish and prayer” is to “continue as a Franciscan-priest in this kind of ministry for the Church” for many years to come.

Brother John Friebel, OFM, 50 years as a Franciscan brother in the Order of Friars Minor John Friebel is originally from Shelby, Ohio, the ninth of ten children. Educated by the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate (Joliet Franciscans) through grade school, he learned young about Franciscan spirituality. Graduating from public high school, his sister, Marie, invited him to visit her in Dayton, and see St. Leonard’s College, the seminary for St. John the Baptist Province of Franciscan Friars.

There, Br. John picked up a brochure titled “Hands for Christ: What Brothers Do”. He recalled discerning, “This is exactly what I want to do.”

His pastor at the time, however, encouraged Br. John to pursue the priesthood. He traveled to Boston, where four years of Latin were crammed into a nine month course. He then studied at Duns Scotus College, Southfield, Michigan, for three months, before deciding to join the “brothers out having fun”.

Beginning his formation in Oldenburg, Indiana, on February 14, 1963, Br. John noted “I knew that’s where I was meant to be”. Yet he admitted to having difficulty during his novitiate year. “There was too much quiet time, and not enough work.” He added, “I’m a doer.”

On the day of his first profession, August 16, 1967, he found himself relieved the year had ended. “I made it!”

With prior experience as a brick layer, Br. John traveled to St. Michaels Mission in Arizona in 1969. He joined other temporary professed friars - a plumber and two carpenters - to work on a variety

of projects in the Southwest. “I’ve been here ever since,” he stated.

Some of those projects included building a hall in Tuba City; Christ the King Church, Shiprock, NM; the friary at St. Mary Mission, Tohatchi, NM; and the hall at St. Anthony Church, Naschitti, NM. The latter holds humorous memories for Br. John. On one particular day – his birthday – coworkers raised objections about working due to strong winds. Nonetheless, Br. John was installing gables on the roof, when he asked for plywood to be handed up to him.

“There I was, holding a 4-foot by 8-foot piece of plywood,” he recounted. “A gust of wind caught me, and picked me up.” Fortunately, he landed on the ground safely.

Br. John is also well-known for his garden at St. Michaels - flowers and vegetables. “Flowers are my first love,” he said. “The garden is my hobby.” He shares his bountiful harvest with many, including the Poor Clare Colettines in Roswell, NM. An ample delivery of pickles, sauerkraut, apple sauce, and pickled beets arrived at the monastery door this past October, an annual tradition.

Br. John continues to keep busy with maintenance projects, as well. “I’ve been able to use my hands, my talents,” and he hopes to continue doing so into the future. He’ll also enjoy a jubilee celebration with his entire extended family in Shelby, Ohio, on October 14, 2017, with his nephew, Richard Friebel, CPPS, presiding at the Mass, followed by a special dinner.

Members of various religious communities in the Diocese were present at the Jubilarian Mass.

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Sister Joleen Retzer, CSA, 50 years as a sister in the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Agnes Sister Joleen made her first vows in 1967.

She was born outside the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin into a family of eight children. Because she was interested in the community, she attended high school as an aspirant with the Sisters of St. Agnes at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She went on to receive her Master’s degree in education from Saint Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota and later received her librarian certification from the state of Arizona. She has taught in Minnesota, Indiana, New York City, and Wisconsin. She spent a year as an audiovisual librarian in Mary College and summers assisting in community hospitals as a physician’s research librarian.

She came to the Diocese of Gallup in 1984 and taught middle school science for four years at Sacred Heart Cathedral School (as it was then called) in Gallup. She currently ministers as a teacher/librarian after many years of teaching middle school science in Fort Defiance, Arizona (a total of 29 years). She adds these personal comments: “I especially enjoy the wonders of nature, gardening, sewing and reading. I am very, very thankful for the many people who have colored my life and the countless opportunities that have enriched it!”

Sister Maria Cristina Sosa (left) of the Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Joseph, 50 years Sister Maria also grew up outside of the United States, in Puebla, Mexico. Her current ministry is as a pre-K teacher at St. Francis Catholic School, which she has happily been doing for 10 years. She is not new to the diocese. Forty years ago, before coming to Gallup, she served in the churches at San Mateo, New Mexico and at Saint Vivian church in Milan, New Mexico. Sister Maria Cristina says with a sparkle in her eyes, “I am very happy to be serving the little children. I enjoy being with them. Even though at one time I worked teaching at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California and was very happy, I really have a wonderful time with the little ones.” +Vosw

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Catholic Scouting

“Because we’re Catholic, we have this need to serve God, to feed the hungry, so we talked about the Corporal Works of Mercy. It all ties together.”

Catholic Scouting Aims to Foster Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Virtue For over 100 years, many of America’s children have grown up with a standard of moral virtues and physical skills taught to them through the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The groups are not aligned with any particular faith, but have received criticism from secular groups in the past for citing a duty to God in their pledge. At the same time, some religious groups are concerned with ties between the Girl Scouts and organizations that support abortion, such as the March of Dimes.

Some Catholic parents may admire the emphasis on citizenship and “physical, emotional and mental fitness” for Scouts, and yet may have concerns over certain policies. But two national Catholic groups are in place for both boys and girls: the National Committee on Scouting and the National Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire.

Neither of these programs are separate from the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, but they do build on the activities and directives of the original troop programs by adding Catholic teachings, catechesis, and activities focused on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Groups of Catholic scouts are usually run on an individual Diocesan basis through a volunteer network of parents and a sponsoring

member of the clergy.

Carly Burnham is the director of the Catholic scouting committee in the Diocese of Gallup. Five of her six children are members of the program, and she runs the committee with her husband, Dan, and Fr. Jeff King, an associate pastor at Sacred Heart Church. Catholic scouts attend regular meetings, and then receive assignments which tend to encourage parents and families to participate and help their children to earn badges.

“We want to relate what we do in our faith to what we do with scouting, what we do in school, how it all works together,” Burnham said. “When you go camping, you’re still a Catholic scout, you know? [Or] why do we collect food for Catholic charities?

Because we’re Catholic, we have this need to serve God, to feed the hungry, so we talked about the Corporal Works of Mercy. It all ties together.”

Diocesan committees also introduce badges for special occasions.

During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, scouts could earn a unique badge by performing corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

“We also have a rosary series, where you can earn these rosary badges. You learn how to pray the rosary and then you learn about the different mysteries, so there’s five

altogether. Then there’s a bunch of Saints’ badges.”

Burnham says there are currently between 20-30 families participating in the Diocese of Gallup’s scouting program. One of the main events she looks forward to is the annual retreat, which brings more parental involvement into the group.

“We combine all of the Catholic scouting into one event, so we had the retreat this year, and then the pack oath, that they have this duty to serve God,” she recalls. “We had a fallen-away Catholic with her daughter and she has that desire to get back into the Church, I think. So she was there getting her religious emblem book for her daughter.”

Burnham hopes to see new committees formed throughout the Diocese as the program expands. As a parent and a leader, she’s proud of what her scouts have accomplished since the beginning of the program.

You can almost hear the smile in her voice as she adds, “I like the identity. I think it’s a great way to evangelize.”

To learn more about Catholic scouting in the Diocese of Gallup, visit their Facebook page at: facebook.com/gallupccos Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Calendar of Events/Classifieds March 10

Senior Citizens’ Retreat Father James Walker, retreat presenter. Includes Mass & lunch, $25.00.

Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Time: 6:00pm - 10:30pm Contact: 505-722-6755

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Thomistic Philosophy Class One in a series of classes for ministry formation and adult religious education.

Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Contact: Sr. Rene at 505-722-6755 or email shrc@dioceseofgallup.org

April Chrism Mass 06 Annual Mass, blessing and

distribution of Holy Oils.

Place: Sacred Heart Cathedral

Gallup, NM 87301 Time: 7:00 pm

08

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Diaconate Ordination Everyone is invited to attend the transitional diaconate ordination of Mitchell Brown, one of our seminarians! “Transitional” means that Mitchell is being ordained a deacon as one of the final steps for his eventual ordination to the priesthood.

Place: Sacred Heart Cathedral

Gallup, NM 87301 Time: 11:00 am Moral Theology Class One in a series of classes for ministry formation and adult religious education.

Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Contact: Sr. Rene at 505-722-6755 or email shrc@dioceseofgallup.org

18 Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

April (continued) 29

Annual Blue Mass Please join us for the annual Blue Mass in honor of police, firefighters and first responders, celebrated by Bishop Wall.

Place: Our Lady of Light Church

Cubero, NM 87301 Time: 10:00 am Contact: 505-8863-4406

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Day of Retreat with Sr. Paula Gallagher Sponsored by the Sisters’ Council. Cost of retreat: $30.00 Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Time: 6:00pm - 10:30pm Contact: 505-722-6755

May Moral Theology Class 20 One in a series of classes for

ministry formation and adult religious education.

Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Contact: Sr. Rene at 505-722-6755 or email shrc@dioceseofgallup.org

June Waterflow Centennial 03 Celebration

Sacred Heart Church in Waterflow, New Mexico will hold its Centennial Celebration with Mass and a dinner on June 3, 2017. All are welcome!

Place: Sacred Heart Church

9 Rd 6820

Waterflow, NM 87421 Contact: 505-782-2888

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Priestly Ordination Join us for the ordination of Rev. Mr. John Cormack to the priesthood.

Place: Sacred Heart Cathedral Time: 11:00 am Contact: 505-863-4406

Stations of the Cross Join Bishop Wall every Wednesday in Lent for Stations of the Cross, in person or in spirit. The Stations are offered for the survivors of abuse in the diocese. Please join in praying for all those who have suffered abuse as children or teens.

Place: Sacred Heart Retreat Center

Gallup, NM 87301 Time: 6:00pm - 6:30pm Contact: 505-722-6755

Fundraisers Klagetoh Basketball Court St. Anne Mission in Klagetoh is holding a fundraiser to build a new basketball court for the enjoyment of the youth and people of Klagetoh.

Basketball is hugely popular, and a court where families can exercise and play together is a way for the mission to serve the local people in a healthy manner for generations to come. For more info, visit gofundme.com/f7p9azv8

Virtus Trainings March 9 VIRTUS Training at the Chancery offices.

Time: 9:00 am Contact: 505-863-4406 April 20 VIRTUS Training at the Chancery offices.

Time: 9:00 am Contact: 505-863-4406 May 18 VIRTUS Training at the Chancery offices.

Time: 9:00 am Contact: 505-863-4406 Want to see your event here or online?

Send notices about upcoming events to designoffice@dioceseofgallup.org or call 505-863-4406

Advertise With Us! Want to see your event here or online?

Send notices about upcoming events to media@dioceseofgallup.org or call 505-863-4406

Promise to Protect If you or someone you know has been abused by a priest, deacon or other employee or minister of the Catholic Church, please report this to: Elizabeth Terrill Victim Assistance Coordinator 505-906-7357

A new podcast hosted by Bishop Wall, with topics on everything from movies and pop culture to Saints and Scripture. Catch new episodes every Tuesday on iTunes or voiceofthesouthwest.org

victimsassistance@dioceseofgallup.org

We will help.

Your confidentiality will be protected.

Si usted o alguien que usted conoce ha sido víctima de abuso por parte de un sacerdote, diácono u otro empleado o ministro de la Iglesia Católica, favor de reportar el incidente a: Elizabeth Terrill Coordinador de Asistencia para Víctimas 505-906-7357

Celebrating the Sacraments

All are invited to attend:

Diaconate Ordination

Special Gifts for

of Mitchell Brown

1st Communion Confirmation RCIA Baptism Wedding Ordination

April 8, 2017 at

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Rosaries

victimsassistance@dioceseofgallup.org

Nosotros le ayudaremos.

Su confidencialidad será protegida.

Do Háida’bił bee hodozįįł daíigi beeádee haho’dzíí’ Catholic Church dóó éé’ neishoodii yił ndaałnishi’ igíí dóó Baa ndaałah’ igíísh doo há’ atééh’ igoo da, nínįi’ yiyiiłaah’ Dóó’ oóshlí ła’ ísh ákóbí’ diiłyąą go nił beehoozin, Akohootįįngo nił beehoozin’go baahwíí’ diłníi’ Elizabeth Terrill Victim Assistance Coordinator 505-906-7357 victimsassistance@dioceseofgallup.org

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Crucifixes • Fine Art Special Occasion Frames Jewelry • Greeting Cards • Gift Wrap

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7460 E. McDowell Rd • Scottsdale 480-947-9205 Hours M-F 9 - 5; Sat 9:30 - 4:30 Retail Divisions of F.C. Ziegler 1-800-331-4117 • www.zieglers.com Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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The Life of a Hospital Chaplain:

Bringing God’s Light to the Sick, Suffering and Dying Bishop Fulton Sheen once said “There is nothing more tragic in all of the world than wasted pain.”

This quote was related to me by Fr. Pio O’Connor, OFM, as we sat down in a little nondenominational chapel for an interview. In this quiet room on the first floor of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital, Fr. Pio prepares his chaplain’s badge, stole and rosary beads – tools he’ll need as he makes the rounds to the sick rooms of patients.

He often finds himself returning to Sheen’s words during these visits, when suffering is torn from a concept or idea and given a living, breathing human face.

“We try to alleviate suffering - that’s what hospitals do - but sometimes we can’t,” Fr. Pio reflects. “So what the Church teaches is that we can take our suffering and unite it with the suffering on the cross, and then it becomes very powerful. It becomes a mighty prayer that can bless us, our families, and the whole world through uniting our suffering with Christ’s suffering. So I think the aspect of redemptive suffering is maybe what I’d like everybody to know - that suffering can be redemptive.”

It’s not an easy task, this call to redemptive suffering, but Fr. Pio is a veteran when it comes to messy, emotional situations. His first jump into the fray as a hospital chaplain came from an assignment to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque. This was no small-town insti-

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tution, and it included a trauma ward where a priest could expect to be regularly called on at all hours of the day and night. The day-in and day-out efforts of comforting and ministering to patients with extreme injuries – and often their deaths - can take a very human toll on the priest. Fr. Pio recalls many of his colleagues, after the loss of a patient, who reported trouble sleeping.

He often volunteered to take over for priests who felt overwhelmed, noting, “I have a personality that can come into a crisis situation and just try to sense what’s going on and not panic myself.”

But one patient finally got to him – a young mother with two children. “I was asked to go in there - we would pray the rosary. And I would say to the Lord, ‘let me suffer and get her better’. She had a virus that went to her brain, and then she ended up dying. I remember going home and just started crying, you know? So you get to be affected by it.”

Even a practical, easygoing man like Fr. Pio needs a break from the stresses of hospital life, and for a few years this break came from a transfer to the Diocese of Gallup, as a school chaplain at St. Michael’s Indian School.

When a vacancy for a hospital chaplain came up, Fr. Pio was ready to return to the trenches, so to speak. The two hospitals in Gallup receive fewer patients than Albuquerque, but these have no less need of a priest.

At each visit to the hospital, Fr. Pio receives

a list of Catholic patients – at the government-run Gallup Indian Medical Center, he is permitted by law only to visit Catholics. But sometimes the sight of his brown Franciscan robe is enough to catch someone’s attention.

“I was at the hospital the other day and I heard ‘Father, Father!’”, he recalls. “And I go in and they’re not even Catholic and I said ‘That’s okay’ and then we talked a little bit and we said a prayer. So I can pray with anybody.”

It’s immediately apparent that Fr. Pio is the type of man who loves conversation, capable of making friends with every person he meets. But in the back of his mind he tries to be cognizant of the role he represents, and sometimes that presents boundaries that suffering people may not want him to cross.

“I think everyone is vulnerable, because they’re sick. Of course I’ve gone to some rooms and I’ll say ‘I’m Fr. Pio, and would you like a visit?’ And 99% of the time there’s someone who says ‘yes, please’! But sometimes someone says ‘no, no, I don’t want a visit’. So I’ll say ‘Ok, God bless you!’ and walk out.” He laughs in a self-deprecating manner. “But then I’m always aware of them and praying for them, and I try to stop by and just say hi, and maybe they’ll change their minds and want to talk.”

His duties in the Diocese of Gallup also take him into nursing homes, and the houses of elderly or ill parishioners.

At one nursing home, a large recreation

For Fr. Pio, the hospital, the nursing home, and the sick room are his parish, their ailing residents his sheep.

Left: Fr. Pio celebrates Mass at Red Rocks Care Center, a nursing home in Gallup.

Right: Marcella Phillips, one of Fr. Pio’s patients, is a huge fan of the Green Bay Packers.

She requested a photo as the two of them posed with the team’s hats.

Below: Fr. Pio brings Communion and administers Anointing of the Sick to Phillips in her home in Gallup.

room pulls double duty as a makeshift chapel for morning Mass. A nurse sits in the back and keeps a watchful eye on the residents.

She mouths along with the words of the “Our Father” as she fills out paperwork.

After Mass, Fr. Pio does not leave, but moves about the room, bending over to speak with each resident. Some are Catholic, some are not. Many are elderly Navajo, confined to wheelchairs, who speak English as a second language or not at all. Heedless of these barriers, Fr. Pio knows them each by name. If they as for a blessing, he gives it readily, placing his hands on their foreheads.

This is another challenge that he has tackled head-on: the language of a people that is virtually unknown outside the reservation.

Fr. Pio first picked up some prayers in Navajo when he worked on the reservation many years ago, under the tutelage of Fr. Cormac Antram, the Franciscan who oversaw a Holy

See-approved Navajo translation of the Mass.

Since then, Fr. Pio has continued to learn, this time under a more modern method – a Rosetta Stone computer course.

Like so many of the Franciscans who have lived and served on the Navajo Reservation, Fr. Pio understands the significance and beauty of the native tongue.

“One time this lady told me that when she heard the words of consecration in Navajo she broke down in tears, because it’s her language,” he recalls.

After the nursing home and rounds at the hospital, Fr. Pio ends his day with a house call to an elderly woman with terminal cancer. He prays with her and administers the anointing of the sick and Holy Communion.

Earlier in the day, Fr. Pio told me “whether you’re at home or in the hospital, you’re cut off in a sense from the body of Christ. But if we bring the Lord to them, then they’re reunited with Christ.”

And indeed, even a casual observer could not help but note the lifting of the woman’s spirits during his visit. After their prayers are finished, they spend nearly half an hour chatting about books and football teams.

For most priests, the call to ministry requires a parish, a home base from which they minister to and look after their flock. But for Fr. Pio, the hospital, the nursing home, and the sick room are his parish, their ailing residents his sheep.

“These are people in crisis. You get in the hospital, you’re in a crisis,” he says. “You might be with somebody one day, you come back the next day and they’ve gone home. A lot of times there are two ways people can go. They either draw closer to the Lord, like ‘I need your help, Lord, please help me’ or ‘God’s punishing me’ and they turn bitter, and turn away from God. So we kind of want to bring them back, to say ‘no, you’re not being punished, we all go through things like this.’”

Each time you meet Fr. Pio – whether it’s the first time or the hundredth – he gives a slight sign of the cross, a smile and a quick “God bless you!” It’s an almost instinctual action for someone who willingly accepts the burdens of the suffering each day.

And just as Bishop Fulton Sheen, now on the road to sainthood, once asked “Let my little cross be entwined with your great Cross”, so does Fr. Pio try to bring the comfort of God to his ailing charges.

“We’re physical people...the spiritual can bring healing to the physical,” he tells me.

“Well now, you’re there with the Lord and He can help you get through this.” +Vosw Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

21

Saints for Today:

Katharine Drexel (1858-1955)

by Dr. Jean Lee

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Ball, Ann. “Modern SaintsTheir Lives and Faces.” Rockford: Tan Books & Publishers, 1990.

Craughwell, Thomas J. “Saints Preserved-An Encyclopedia of Relics.” New York, NY: Image Books, 2011.

Gallick, Sarah. “The Big Book of Women Saints.” New York, NY: HarperOne, 2007.

Mother Drexel at St. Michaels Indian School in the Diocese of Gallup.

Katharine was born in Philadelphia, the second daughter of Francis Drexel and his Quaker wife Hannah. A month after Katharine’s birth, her mother died. In two years, her father was remarried to Emma Bouvier, a devout Catholic. The Drexel household was a devout home with a strong religious sense and a generous spirit.

Francis Drexel, along with his brothers, shared ownership of a large, international banking empire. While Francis worked and made fortunes, Emma taught her children the value of responsible charity, and she prudently and wisely distributed Drexel funds to the poor and needy. This deeply religious couple believed that their wealth belonged to God, who had entrusted them with it to serve and aid the poor.

In 1885, after the eventual death of her father and stepmother, Katharine inherited an immense, multimillion-dollar estate. While on a European tour, she met Pope Leo XIII and asked him to send more missionaries to Wyoming. The pope replied, “Why don’t you become a missionary?” His answer shocked her into considering new possibilities. Back home, and with her two sisters, she traveled to the American West, where they saw firsthand the deprivations of the Native Americans on reservations. Immediately Katharine purchased food, clothing, and medicine for the Natives.

She built schools and furnished them, as well as hired the teachers and paid their salaries.

In addition, she recruited Catholic priests to establish missions on the reservations.

Encouraged by her friends and spiritual directors, Bishop James O’Connor and Archbishop Patrick Ryan of Philadelphia, Katharine trained for the religious life and founded a new congregation of nuns, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, who would dedicate their lives to serving Native Americans and African American children. Katharine who came from such a wealthy family made the national news after making the decision to become a nun.

Mother Mary Katharine, as she was known in the religious life, founded schools for Native children in New Mexico, and schools for African American children in Virginia. One of her greatest achievements was the founding of Xavier University in New Orleans, which today sends more African American graduates to medical schools than any other university in the country. By the end of her life, she had founded sixty schools and missions and spent $20 million of her fortune on their support.

At seventy-seven, she suffered a heart attack and was forced to retire. Apparently, her life was over. But now came almost twenty years of quiet, intense prayer from a small room overlooking the sanctuary. Small notebooks and slips of paper record her various prayers, ceaseless aspirations and meditation. She died at ninety-six and was canonized in 2000.

Millions of dollars or eternal wealth— which is more valuable?

Katharine Mary Drexel chose to be poor in order to gain great spiritual wealth, believing that her great fortune would be very well spent if used for God’s poor among the African American and Native American people of the United States. She considered the giving up of her wealth not a sacrifice, but a privilege.

Jean M. Lee, M.A., D.Min., is a licensed behavioral health and substance abuse counselor. A Catholic revert after 32 years away from the Church, she is devout in the Catholic faith, loves the saints, and lives a deeper spiritual/religious and more joyful life since returning to the Church.

Making Sense Out of Bioethics:

Garden of Eden, Jacopo da Ponte

Cohabitation before marriages raises a host of issues and concerns

by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk Men and women clearly need each other and naturally gravitate towards arrangements of mutual support and lives of shared intimacy.

Because women are frequently the immediate guardians of the next generation, they have a particular need to ascertain if there will be steady support from a man prior to giving themselves sexually to him. The bond of marriage is ordered towards securing this critical element of ongoing commitment and support.

Cohabitation, where a man and woman decide to live together and engage in sexual relations without marriage, raises a host of issues and concerns.

Selfish patterns of behavior Sex, of course, has a certain power all its own, and both sides may be tempted to play with it in ways that are potentially damaging, all the more so when they decide to cohabit.

One concern is that cohabitation can often become a rehearsal for various selfish patterns of behavior. It perpetuates an arrangement of convenience, popularly phrased as, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”

Even as many women try to tell themselves they are “preparing” for marriage by cohabiting with their partner, they may sense the trap of the “never ending audition” to be his wife, and become intuitively aware of how they are being used.

Cohabitation also invites the woman to focus on lesser concerns like saving on rent or garnering transient emotional attention from her partner by moving in with him and becoming sexually available.

Even as a woman becomes attuned to the power of sex from an early age, she can eventually fall prey to an easy mistake. Aware that sexual intimacy is also about bonding, she may suppose that by surrendering this deeply personal part of herself through cohabitation, she now has a “hook” into a man and his heart.

While such an arrangement can trigger various platitudes, (that he “cares for her,” “loves her”, etc.), experience shows it doesn’t typically help him reach the commitment reflected in those all-important words, “Will you marry me?”

Holding back on commitment Cohabitation, in fact, is a relationship that is defined by a holding back of commitment.

The notion that it somehow allows both parties to “try out” a marriage beforehand is conveniently make-believe, a kind of “playing house,” mostly because it’s impossible to try out something permanent and irrevocable through something temporary and revocable.

As Jennifer Roback Morse has described it, “Cohabiting couples are likely to have one foot out the door, throughout the relationship. The members of a cohabiting couple practice holding back on one another. They rehearse not trusting.”

They don’t develop the elements crucial to a successful marriage, but instead keep their options open so they can always beat a hasty retreat to the exit. Or as Chuck Colson has put it, “Cohabitation -- it’s training for divorce.”

Higher divorce rate Many studies confirm that the divorce rate among those who cohabit prior to marriage is nearly double the rate of those who marry without prior cohabitation.

Some researchers believe that individuals who cohabit are more unconventional to begin with, being less committed to the institution of marriage overall and more open to the possibility of divorce.

Others suspect something more insidious -- that living together slowly erodes people’s ability to make a commitment by setting

them up into patterns of behavior that work against succeeding in a long-term relationship. Both may actually be true.

Risks with cohabitation Various risks correlate strongly with cohabitation. Compared with a married woman, a cohabiting woman is roughly three times as likely to experience physical abuse, and about nine times more likely to be murdered.

Children also tend to fare poorly when it comes to these live-in arrangements. Rates of serious child abuse have been found to be lowest in intact families; six times higher in step families; 20 times higher in cohabiting biological-parent families; and 33 times higher when the mother is cohabiting with a boyfriend who is not the biological father.

Cohabiting homes see significantly more drug and alcohol abuse, and bring in less income than their married peers. Cohabitation is clearly bad for men, worse for women, and terrible for children.

“Marriage,” as Glenn Stanton notes, “is actually a very pro-woman institution. People don’t fully realize what a raw deal for women cohabitation is. Women tend to bring more goods to the relationship -- more work, more effort in tending to the relationship -- but they get less satisfaction in terms of relational commitment and security.”

While marriage doesn’t automatically solve every problem, it clearly offers a different and vastly better set of dynamics than cohabitation for all the parties involved.

Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., and serves as the director of education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

23

reland

Presents

with

Patrick Madrid Patrick Madrid Your Host

Bishop James Wall Pilgrimage Chaplain

September 18 – 26, 2017

September 18: Our Pilgrimage begins as we depart the USA for an overnight flight to Europe and the beautiful country of Ireland.

September 19: Upon arrival at Dublin Airport, we meet our driver and guide and enjoy a panoramic tour of Dublin City. This area offers many striking monuments such as the General Post Office, O’Connell Street, the Custom House along the quays and Phoenix Park. Next, we visit Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and the oldest University in Ireland. We will complete the day with our opening Mass celebrated by Bishop Wall at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral, built on the site of the12th-century Cistercian abbey of St. Mary. Welcome dinner at hotel. Overnight Dublin

Temple Bar, Dublin

September 20: Today we journey from Dublin to County Donegal, stopping first at Monasterboice, home to an impressive collection of ruins dating back to the 5th century. Our next stop brings us to St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland. We celebrate Mass in the Neo Gothic style cathedral which features a very distinctive tabernacle holder and crucifix, Austrian oak woodwork with an Irish granite altar and an ornate painted ceiling. Overnight Donegal September 21: Following breakfast, we begin a full day touring in the Donegal region. We tour Glenveagh National Park; its 10,000 acres of protected wilderness boast beautiful lakes set in dramatic ice-carved cliffs and deep peat bogs. We visit Glenveagh Castle and Colmcille Heritage Centre, an exhibition featuring the life of St. Colmcille, Patriarch of the Irish Monasticism and Scottish Church. His story is told through stained glass, artefacts, a wax model with authentic clothing and a step-by-step illustration of ancient manuscript fabrication. Dinner tonight in a traditional Irish Pub. Overnight Donegal

Cliffs of Moher

September 22: Today we depart for Galway. We visit and celebrate Mass at Knock Shrine, famous for over a century as the site of apparitions and miraculous cures. The story of Knock began in 1879 when Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared to fifteen people at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. Knock has been a place of pilgrimage for both St. John Paul II and St. Mother Teresa.

We enjoy an orientation tour of Galway city, a true delight with its narrow streets, old stone and wooden shop fronts, bohemian musicians and busy pubs. We finish our day at the Collegiate of St. Nicholas of Myra, built in 1320. Overnight Galway September 23: This morning we travel through the Burren Region and we see the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most spectacular sights. We visit O’Brien’s Tower and Atlantic Edge — a huge domed cave that contains images, exhibits, displays and experiences exploring different elements of the mighty Cliffs of Moher. We then take the Shannon Car Ferry. This pleasant, 20-minute journey travels across the Shannon Estuary which is home to a group of bottle nosed dolphins and a habitat for migrating birds and wild fowl. Dinner at Kate Kearney’s Cottage for a traditional Irish night with traditional music and costumed dancers. Overnight Kerry

Knock Shrine & Cathedral

September 24: After breakfast at the hotel we begin a superb tour of the Iveragh Peninsula and discover the Ring of Kerry. We take in spectacular scenery — mountains, peat bogs, lakes and magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean. We pass through Glenbeigh and step aboard a jaunting car to discover areas of the National Park that we might not otherwise visit. Our Jarvey [driver] takes us through the magnificent scenery of Killarney National Park, stopping often to allow for photographs. We will cap the day with Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney, a beautiful Gothic-style building. Overnight Kerry September 25: Today we depart for Limerick, first visiting Cahir Castle. Here guided tours help us fully understand the history of Cahir, its town, its castle and the surrounding area. We move forward to the Rock of Cashel where St. Patrick visited in AD 450. After Mass celebrated by Bishop Wall at St. Augustine’s Church, we enjoy a medieval banquet and entertainment at Bunratty Castle. Overnight Limerick

Rock of Cashel

Cost per Person Double Occupancy

$3,795.00

Single Occupancy

$529.00

A deposit of $450.00 is required to hold your reservation.

September 26: With a renewed sense of pilgrimage, new friends, and an invigorated love of our Catholic faith, we’ll board our plane for the return journey home.

Optional extended tour packages available! Enquire within. Limited Space Available!

Pilgrimage Includes

† Shannon Car Ferry ride † Jaunting Car Ride in Killarney National Park † Assistance of professional Tour Manager & local guides † Sightseeing & admission fees as per itinerary † Daily Mass & devotions along pilgrimage way † Commentary along the way

† Roundtrip airfare (including taxes and fees) from most Major U.S. Airports † Excellent Hotel accommodations along the route such as the Citywest Hotel near Dublin † Breakfast daily, 4 Dinners and 2 Banquets

by Patrick Madrid with Entertainment † Wine served with some dinners † Deluxe Air-conditioned motor coach transportation

166 South River Rd. Suite 110, Bedford, NH 03110-6928 | 800-653-0017 | canterburypilgrimages.com | reservations@canterburypilgrimages.com