Voice of the Southwest Winter 2012/2013

Voice Southwest of the

The Official Publication of the Catholic Diocese of Gallup | Winter 2012 | dioceseofgallup.org | Vol.52 No.4

Journey to Canonization:

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Also in this issue:

A Saint of the People Year of Faith 2012-2013

Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert

Meet our Seminarians

5 Cover Story

News 5 Kateri Tekakwitha

Gallup pilgrims journey to Rome for 2012 canonization

8 Leonard Meyer Principal of St. Francis School in Lumberton retires after 15 years’ service

8 Priestly Assignments 2013

9 Bishop's Annual Appeal 2012 Results

Features 13

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Bishop Wall and companions travel The Way

Gallup Seminarian Series Meet Josh Mayer, one of our future priests

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El Camino de Santiago

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Ella Roanhorse acts with constant kindness

Calendar of Events

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Youth Conference Southest youth conference focuses on faith and the gift of chastity

Parishioner Spotlight

Advent A liturgical season of expectation and renewal

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11 Priests from India Four new priests from the Diocese of Guntur

12 Year of Faith Pope Benedict calls for a year of renewing the faith starting in October 2012 2

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Voice

Columns Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Bishop James S. Wall

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From the Bishop

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Answering the call for the New Evangelization Fr. Tim Farrell

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Through a Glass Darkly

Making Sense Out of Bioethics

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Paul Mulligan

“We Need Christmas” Fr. Matthew Keller

Jean Lee, M.A., D.Min.

Just what is an indulgence?

Weekly Updates on Facebook facebook.com/dioceseofgallup

The Official Publication of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup

Publisher

The Most Rev. Bishop James S. Wall

Does our humanity precede our consciousness?

Taxes and Catholic Education

Indulgences, Part 1

Southwest

of the

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Editor

Suzanne Hammons

Advertising/Office Manager Ella Roanhorse

About Us The Voice of the Southwest (ISSN 8750-5975) is published four times a year by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup, 711 S. Puerco Rd, Gallup NM 87301. Subscription is free. Periodicals postage paid at Gallup, NM 87301 and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Voice of the Southwest, PO Box 1338, Gallup NM 87305-1338.

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For advertising, contact: Ella Roanhorse, 505.863.4406 Postmaster:

Send address changes to Voice of the Southwest, PO Box 1338, Gallup, NM. Winter Issue Contributing Writers

The Most Rev. James S. Wall Rev. Tim Farrell Rev. Matthew Keller Rev. Tad Pasholczyk Jean Lee, M.A., D.Min. Paul Mulligan

www.dioceseofgallup.org Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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From the Bishop

Be Followers of Christ in Both Deed and Word

This season, the New Evangelization calls us to come together in expressing our Catholic Faith

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Porta Fidei, the apostolic letter that announced the Year of Faith, “Belief in Jesus Christ is the way to arrive definitively at salvation”. Our present age has grown cold to this message. We see an increase of people who identify Jesus as simply a wise teacher who shows people how to be kind to one another.

His teachings are viewed as simply a pathway through life that may be accepted with no real consequences should one choose to follow them or not. For many people, belief in Jesus Christ is not necessary should one desire to gain eternal life. They feel that simply showing kindness to others is all that is needed to gain eternal life.

For those who hold this position, how might they view the world’s focus on the birth of the child in the manger? Do they not see that the sole purpose of the child born in Bethlehem is to “go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised”? (Matthew 16:21) Is it not clear that he must exchange the wood of the cradle for the wood of the cross? Is it not clear that His suffering, death and resurrection, the Paschal Mystery, is what brings about forgiveness of sins and the way to eternal life? Unfortunately, many people have grown cold to these truths. People who had once embraced the faith and who knew of the necessity of a personal encounter with the living Christ no longer hold this belief. The world is in need of a renewal, and this renewal is found in the New Evangelization, in which we are called to participate.

Each Sunday when the Church gathers for the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, we make a solemn profession of our Christian faith as we either sing or say the Creed. The words of the Creed speak of this reality, when we profess as a community “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.” It is an individual profession each person makes as four times the words “I believe” are spoken, along

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

with a communal profession as our voices are joined together as one. The individual makes this profound statement in response to his or her own baptism. The communal proclamation is an outward expression of one of the four marks of the Catholic Church, the Church being “one”, so the individual voices blend together to form one worshiping community with Christ as its Head.

If we believe and profess that Jesus is Lord, then we must live our lives according to this profession.

This reality, which the members of the Church have come to believe, must be one that is expressed in the daily lives of the faithful. If it is not, then it sends a false message to the world. If we believe and profess that Jesus is Lord, then we must live our lives according to this profession. Therefore, we are faithful to all that has been divinely revealed, which means we are faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. To say “I believe” or “we believe” means to believe all “that which is contained in the word of God, written or handed down, and which the Church proposes for belief as divinely revealed”. (CCC 182) Pope Benedict XVI wrote “The renewal of the Church is also achieved through the witness offered by the lives of believers” .(PF 6) We are most aware of this in the lives of the saints. Their fidelity to God was an outward expression of their faithful obedience, in which they completely submitted their intellect and will to God. They were “salt of the earth”, selflessly giving their lives for the proclamation of the Gospel. They are examples to us as to what it means to evangelize, to announce Jesus Christ and His victory over sin and death. We too must participate in the New Evangelization by living lives as faithful believers. As our Lord reminds us in the Gospel “You are the light of the world”. Faithful lives illuminate a world

that is growing dark.

At the Mass during the Night of the Nativity of the Lord, the Church prays “O God, who have made this most sacred night radiant with the splendor of the true light, grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries of his light on earth, may also delight in his gladness in heaven”. Let us imitate Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, by following Him according to the state of life to which we have been called. In doing so, we give witness to Jesus and the necessity of a personal encounter with Him, which leads to eternal life.

May your celebration of the Lord’s birth be filled with peace and joy, and may you experience God’s perfect love for humanity as you contemplate the Child born in the manger.

Sincerely yours in Christ, The Most Reverend James S. Wall

News

Journey to rome

"Lily of the Mohawks” St. Kateri Tekakwitha “In her, faith and culture enrich each other! May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are.”

-Pope Benedict XVI, Canonization Homily Mass

A banner of St. Kateri, bearing an image said to be closest to her likeness, hangs in front of St. Peter’s Basilica

While each and every Saint is worthy of celebration, it was this young woman who on this day inspired thousands of devotees from the United States and Canada to make the long journey to Rome.

Early in 2012, Bishop James Wall made the decision to lead a pilgrimage to witness the canonization.

As the Gallup Diocese has a large and vibrant Native American culture, the idea was to lead a trip that would give an opportunity to witness the impact and legacy of one of their dearest patrons. Indeed, for years many of the faithful had been conducting “Kateri Circles”: groups of individuals, often but not always from Native American backgrounds who would come together to learn about the life of Kateri and pray for the cause of her sainthood.

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

On October 21, 2012, a group of over eighty people from the Diocese of Gallup stood shoulder to shoulder in St. Peter’s Square with thousands of other pilgrims from around the world. Some were dressed in the native clothing of their Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, or Apache heritage, and all were gathered for one reason – to witness the canonization of the first Native American saint.

On that day, Pope Benedict XVI elevated seven Blesseds to Sainthood. Among them was the 24-year-old Mohawk tribal member, Kateri Tekakwitha.

One such member of the Kateri Circle in Ft. Defiance, Arizona, is Marie Tso Allen. This was not her first trip to Rome – she previously visited in 1988 for the beatification of St. Katharine Drexel.

“I attended St. Michael’s Indian School, which was run by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. I was very honored when they asked if I would participate in the Beatification Mass and say a prayer in Navajo.” Allen smiles as she remembers: “One of the Cardinals came up to me afterwards and said, ‘Did you know that’s the first time Navajo has ever been spoken in St. Peter’s Basilica?’ And now, to come back for Kateri Tekakwitha, it’s a great honor. We’ve had so many people praying for her canonization.”

Roberta Duncan, from St. Michael’s, AZ, traveled with the group along

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the crowds gathered after the canonization Mass

Left: Bishop Wall celebrates Mass at St. John Lateran with concelebrants Fr. Matthew Keller and Fr. Lawrence O’Keefe Right: Pilgrims from Gallup gather at the viewing edge of the Colosseum

with her husband, Ron Duncan, and their two children, Caleb, 14, and Chrissa, 12. She emphasized how important the trip was not only to her and her husband and children, but to all Native peoples as well.

“She brings so much hope, because if she became a Saint, [there is] much hope for us Native Americans to practice her virtue and faith,” Duncan said.

“Sometimes I struggle with reconciling

my faith with my culture, just like Kateri did, or I have a lot of questions, but at other times it’s very beautiful and it coincides. There’s a lot of peace in Native culture, and a lot of humility, so in that respect it coincides with Catholicism.”

Ron Duncan agrees with his wife. “If you go far enough back in history you see where the tradition lies, and that’s the basis forming your own identity, both as a Catholic and a Native American.”

The Duncan’s two kids smile shyly and explain how excited they are to walk the streets of Assisi and Rome, hear Italian all around, and visit the great churches. Ron explains that he expects a lot from his children and from other young people.

“We’re of an oral tradition, and they’re our next generation. One of the main reasons we brought [our kids] is that in 40 or 50 years, they’ll still be able to speak about this event, and about witnessing it – to be a resource for our community.”

The trip for the pilgrimage group from Gallup began on Thursday, October 18th, and ended when the group departed from Italy on October 25th.

The main event was the canonization, but the group also spent two days in Assisi, and the rest of the trip divided between various Basilicas and pilgrim-

age sites throughout Rome.

Many other pilgrimage groups from around the world, totalling in thousands of people, converged in Rome for the canonization. While many of them were devotees of one of the six other saints being canonized with St. Kateri, the number of pilgrims present for the Native American saint was beyond was most could have anticipated. Around Rome, shops quickly sold out of rosaries, medals, and posters showing Kateri’s likeness. It seems that the influence of this young Saint is one that spreads across people of all cultures.

Although this was not her first trip to Rome, Marie Allen was still happy with how much she learned.

“One thing I didn’t know that I really liked was when we went to the church of Quo Vadis, where Jesus appeared to Saint Peter and asked him, “Where are you going?” You know bits and pieces about it, but to go to the place where it actually happened, I just thought that was really wonderful.”

To see more pictures and view daily articles related to the canonization and the pilgrimage group from Gallup, you can visit the diocesan pilgrimage blog at: dioceseofgallup.org/pilgrimage Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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A Well-Deserved Retirement

Principal Leonard Meyer to depart from St. Francis School in Lumberton, NM Fifteen years ago, perhaps no one would have guessed that a single retired businessman from Chicago would make such a big difference in lives of students and teachers at St. Francis School in Lumberton, NM. As Leonard Meyer tells it, when his career finished he and his wife were simply “looking for something to do – something to help people.” After hearing about St. Francis, they came to the Southwest, and Meyer started teaching at the small school, eventually becoming its principal and board president.

“I taught there for three years,” he said. “At that point in time we didn’t even have books. Now, we have twelve teachers and plenty of books.”

Meyers explains that he only stayed a teacher a short while.

“At the end of that three years we moved to Tucson, although in 2001 I became board president.”

This new retirement, however, was short-lived.

“Five years ago they lost their principal, and asked if I could come back.

We had a lot of friendships there, and so I agreed. At that point, enrollment was down to 58 students. Now, we have 100 and we’ll be up to 101 in the next few weeks.”

Meyer recently announced his resignation as principal in order to take a final retirement at the end of December. His time with St. Francis has not been without its trials, but after such a long time, he feels ready to hand the reigns of the school to someone else.

“You know, this place was founded back in the early 1900s. The Franciscans ran it for many years, and now it’s mostly lay people. But still, a lot of these kids come because they get a better education. Two years ago, we went to National Certification. These outside level-one teachers came to our school, and when they left they said they had never seen such friendship. They’d never seen a school like

this.”

Fr. Jim Walker, the interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Gallup Diocese, said that he will miss Meyer.

“I don’t know how many calls we’ve had, asking that [Meyer] be recognized for his service,” Fr. Walker said. “I’ve been in meetings and at events with him, and he’s a very conscientious individual. He’s done great things for that school.”

Ask Meyer, though, and he’ll consistently maintain that all his efforts are for the benefit of his students.

“So many of our kids go on to higher-level schools and professional careers....I’ve come back every year happy as can be. And now, we’re teaching the kids of my old students.

You see that and you think ‘this is wonderful.’ You can’t help but be happy.”

Priestly Assignments for the Diocesan 2012-2013 Year Fr. Edward Bryan-Diesen

Fr. Patrick Wedeking

Parish Administrator at St. Peter’s Parish in Springerville

Pastor of Santo Nino Parish in Aragon and missions in Datil, Reserve, and Glenwood

Fr. Frank Chacon Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Farmington

Fr. Kingsley George-Obilonu Parish Administrator at Holy Trinity Parish in Flora Vista, and St. Joseph’s Parish in Aztec

Fr. Jeff King Pastor of St. Joseph and Madre de Dios parishes in Winslow

Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Cathedral

Appointments Fr. Joachim Blonski Vicar for Priests

Fr. Bala Narisetty

Fr. Timothy Farrell

Temporary Parochial Vicar of St. Mary in Farmington

Fr. Dale Jamison

Diocesan Media Relations

Fr. Joseph Puli

Director, Office of Native American Ministry

Parochial Vicar of St. Theresa Parish in Grants

Please keep them in your prayers as they undertake this transition and adjust in their new assignments.

Fr. Michael Vigil Pastor of San Rafael Parish in San Rafael, and St. Vivian Parish in Milan 8

Fr. Raja Yeruva

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

Bishop’s Annual Appeal | 2012 Results Missions

Vocations

Education & Evangelization

27% $143,500

6%

$35,000

Costs

9%

$45,800

20%

$109,000

13% 25%

$68,500

Ministry

$133,000

Catholic Charities

Out of our donors: 32% donated prayers and funds; 64% donated only funds, and 36% donated prayers.

Thank you for your generosity.

May God bless you always.

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

These will be used to help with the transportation needs of international priests serving our Diocese. This will not only help the needs of our Church but may also qualify as a taxdeductible contribution.

If you would like to donate a vehicle to the Diocese of Gallup, please contact the Diocesan Finance Office to make arrangements.

505.863.4406 PO Box 1338 Gallup, NM 87305

Diocese Gains Four New Priests

Despite having recently made a journey of over 8000 miles, Fr. Raja Yeruva, Fr. Joseph Puli, Fr. Bala Narisetty, and Fr. William Polanki all conduct themselves in a manner that is both cheerful and warm.

All four priests hail from the Diocese of Guntur, India. Throughout the coming months and years, they will act primarily as parish priests, saying Mass, conducting the Sacraments, and serving the people of the Diocese of Gallup.

They are here under the direction of their home Bishop, The Most Reverend Gali Bali, and are now ready to work under the direction of Bishop Wall.

Even with the new climate, people and culture of the desert southwest surrounding them, they were delighted to sit down for an interview by way of introduction to their new home.

For the most part, each priest knew a relative or colleague who

About the Diocese of Guntur Date founded: 1940 4945 Square Miles Number of Parishes: 79 Catholics: 218, 097 % of Population Catholic: 4.2% Diocesan Priests: 103 Religious Priests: 65 Religious Sisters: 570 Founded in 1940, the Diocese is located in the region of Andhra Pradesh, on the eastern side of India.

It is almost fortuitous that our four new priests come to us near the season of Advent, since Guntur is known for its glorious celebration of the Christmas season.

had traveled or worked overseas, and knew they wanted to serve outside of their home diocese.

“Our Church is universal, and I was excited to try a different experience,” said Rev. Polanki. “I wanted to work elsewhere, and so my bishop sent me here.”

Fr. Narisetty cited the influence of his brother. “I’d been to Canada before – my elder brother was there.

And so I knew I wanted to serve in North America.”

All four priests commented on the differences between the Gallup Diocese and India, but remained unfazed and eager to meet their new parishioners.

“At home, we have had the Faith for hundreds of years,” said Fr. Narisetty. “Many people think the British brought it, but it was Thomas the Apostle, in the first century after Christ, who first came here with it.”

He noted the cultural influence

of Catholicism in other facets of Indian life.

“There are Hindus who have a lot of religious devotion to Mary.

India is a religious country, so they appreciate religion.”

Fr. Polanki spoke about his first impressions of the Southwest.

“Everything is different. Here there is less population, and over there we have many more people,” said Fr. Polanki. “But I have come here with much courage. As priests, we have the priesthood, which is a gift from God, and I would like to be a blessing for the people – I want always to be approachable to them.”

“We are eagerly waiting to be exposed to the culture,” said Fr. Narisetty. “First we want to observe, and then figure out where we can fit in. The people here are good.

The Bishop and priests provide for us. We don’t feel far away, we feel right at home.”

“Nowhere in India is Christmas celebrated on such a colossal scale as at Phirangipuram, a modest town in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh. For over a century, for the people of the place, Christmas has been the “Big Feast”. The celebration is marked by profound faith and fascinating festivity.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, the Bishop of Guntur, Most Rev, Gali Bali blesses the statue of Child Jesus and takes it to the crib and leaves it in the manager in the midst of the statues of Mother Mary, St. Joseph, the shepherds and the cattle.

The evening Christmas procession with the statues of Lord Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Joseph forms the final highlight of the celebration. During the procession, people march praying and singing while fire works are displayed at every street corner. The climax of the fire works is witnessed leisurely at one end of the town and is a thrilling spectacle for most people. The procession ends in the cathedral almost at dawn. People trudge home heavy with sleep and with mild disappointment that Christmas is over so soon, but happy in their new developed faith and fondness for the Child Jesus, their loving God and Saviour.

Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Guntur Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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“…They called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith...”(Acts 14:27).

The Year of Faith is an opportunity for every Catholic to turn towards Jesus Christ, encounter him in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and rediscover the Faith and Church.

With his Apostolic Letter of October 11, 2011, Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict XVI declared that a “Year of Faith” will begin on October 11, 2012 and conclude on November 24, 2013. October 11, 2012, the first day of the Year of Faith, is the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. . .

(Vatican II) and also the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. During the Year of Faith, Catholics are asked to study

and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith.

The upcoming Year of Faith is a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). In other words, the Year of Faith is an opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion – to turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with him. The “door of faith” is opened at one’s baptism, but during this year Catholics are called to open it again, walk through it and rediscover and renew their relationship with Christ and his Church.

8 Habits for the Year Read the Documents of Vatican II Study the Catechism Recite the Nicene Creed often Read the lives of the Saints Study the Gospels Recite the Rosary everyday Practice the Corporal Works of Mercy Practice the Spiritual Works of Mercy Prayer for the Year of Faith O God our Father, in Jesus you call all Christian families and homes to be signs of living faith.

By the light of the Holy Spirit, lead us to be thankful for the gift of faith, and by that gift may we grow in our relationship with Jesus, your Son,

and be confident witnesses to Christian hope and joy to all we meet.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Year of Faith 2012-13 “The Door of Faith is always open for

us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into His Church.

It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace.

To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime.”

Pope Benedict XVI, Porta Fidei 12

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

Meet the Seminarian Each issue, we’ll be bringing you an interview with one of our Diocesan seminarians. Currently, the Diocese of Gallup has five young men studying for the priesthood.

The first interview is with Joshua Mayer, a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California. He is in his fourth year of study at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, CO. Tell us a little about your background.

I grew up around San Jose, California, and after I graduated college in 2003 I kept trying different vocational paths, and nothing really worked out. Eventually, I heard about Gallup from some of my friends from Thomas Aquinas College who had moved here, and I came out as well to have a change of scenery and pace.

What did you do while you were in Gallup?

I taught at Gallup Catholic - four science classes and one religion class, for one year exactly. Towards the end of that first year teaching I started sensing a call to be a priest for the Diocese of Gallup. I talked to my spiritual advisor and friends about it. I applied and got accepted in the 2008-2009 school year.

The biggest challenge here is the recurring call to follow Christ.

Sometimes I’m really excited about it, but other times it’s hard, following the Lord into a way of life I hadn’t considered before.

What do you most enjoy about being a seminarian?

There’s a special load that the priest is allowed to enter into - to help people enter Heaven forever.

To offer my life for that, for the love of God. You were in Gallup for such a short time - how did you know you were called to be a priest for this Diocese?

Right now I’m in what’s called “Theology II”. I think I have two-and-ahalf years left, but that’s really up to the Bishop and the instructors here at the seminary.

Originally I had applied to an order in California, but it didn’t work out. So when I came to Gallup I was pretty free - I didn’t have any of my own goals I was trying to follow. And then, I would get this peaceful, happy feeling thinking about being a priest for Gallup. All of the obstacles that I might have encountered before were kind of... removed. For the most part, what the priesthood will be like in Gallup is a mystery to me, but I’m excited for it anyway.

What do you find challenging about being a seminarian?

What would you say to other young men who are considering

How many years are left in your studies?

Features

- or perhaps have not yet considered - a call to the priesthood?

The most important thing is going to Mass often, and especially spending time in Adoration and prayer - spending time with the Lord. Take courage that whatever adventure the Lord has planned for you, it’s more exciting than what we have planned. That’s for anyone, not just guys. It’ll take us deeper than we ever could have imagined.

Do you have anything you’d like to say specifically to the people of the Diocese?

Although I haven’t been a lot of places in the Diocese, I’m already praying for everybody and all my future parishioners. I’d like to ask them to pray for us, since we’ll be their priests someday and we want to love them as best we can.

If you are a man discerning a call to the priesthood, you may contact Fr. Matthew Keller, the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Gallup, in one of the following ways: Mail: PO Box 1338, Gallup, NM 87305-1338 Phone: 505-863-4406 | 1-888-Priesthood Email: vocationsoffice@dioceseofgallup.org

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Calendar of events | Winter 2012-2013 December 2012 December 1 - 24 Season of Advent

For a great page with prayers, homilies, and other resources, visit usccb.org

January 2013 January 1

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation

January 15

6th Annual Sanctity of Life Awareness Day: Youth Event Santa Fe, NM Youth rally preceding SOLAUD, will feature all-night Adoration For more info call Laura at 575644-3957 or Stephanie at 505480-6114

January 16

6th Annual Sanctity of Life Awareness Day (SOLAUD) Santa Fe, NM All day event, 8AM-5PM Mass celebrated by the three bishops of New Mexico, followed by a prosession through the Plaza of Santa Fe to a rally at the Roundhouse.

For more info, visit: defendinglife.org 14

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

January 18-19 RCIA Inservice

Sacred Heart Retreat Center Gallup, NM Inservice on RCIA for all interested parties, as well as Deacon and Lay Ministry Program participants

February 2013 February 2 Jubilee Mass

Sacred Heart Cathedral Mass at 12 PM Celebrating men and women religious’ years of service.

February 9

Bishop’s Mardi Gras

February 15-17 Deacon and Lay Ministry Program Sacred Heart Retreat Center

February 17

RCIA Rite of Election Sacred Heart Retreat Center Gallup, NM 2 PM A group gathering for RCIA candidates.

February 20

Senior Citizen Retreat Sacred Heart Retreat Center Gallup, NM 10:00am - 3:00pm Fee: $20 This event will be led by Monsignor Leo Gomez and include Mass and Lunch.

Red Rock State Park Gallup, NM 7:00 PM Tickets: $50 Silent auction, raffle, music, and food! Proceeds to benefit the building renovation fund. To order tickets or for more info call 505.726.8295

February 22-24

February 13

February 26

Lent Begins

February 13

40 Days for Life Begins A nationwide effort of prayer and action for the pro-life cause www.40daysforlife.com

Engaged Encounter

Sacred Heart Retreat Center Gallup, NM “A weekend retreat to plan for sacramental marriage.” www.engagedencounter.org

Lenten Evening Retreat Sacred Heart Retreat Center Gallup, NM Retreat focusing on Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation during Lent. Featured speaker will be Bishop Wall.

'Arise, O Sleeper'

Bishop Wall blesses the participants

First Annual Conference Brings Hundreds of Youth Dan Anguis is a jovial, energetic man who quickly moves from booth to booth as the sounds of instruments tuning streams from the auditorium not twenty feet away. The doors of the Farmington Civic Center have just opened, and crowds of teens, all wearing colorful t-shirts to identify them by group, stream into the lobby.

To a casual observer, what may seem like the beginning of a large concert or show is actually the kickoff of the first Southwest Catholic Youth Conference. The booths contain presentations on chastity and pro-life groups, the instruments are gearing up for hymns, and Anguis, the director of the pro-life group LifeGuard, sponsor of the event, is there with his team to make sure this first-time event is a success.

The dioceses of Gallup and Pueblo, Gallup’s neighbor to the north, helped to sponsor the event. Both Bishop James Wall of Gallup and Bishop Fernando Isern of Pueblo were in attendance.

In the days following, it became clear that the event had been a huge success.

“There was definitely a desire for something like this to be brought to the region,” said Anguis. “The fact that God brought us nearly 800 kids our first year was incredible...to our knowledge this was the largest Catholic Youth Conference ever put on in this region and we only expect it to grow.”

With featured speakers including Jason Evert, whose books include “How To Find Chris Stefanick as emcee

Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul”, Anguis noted that the main goal of the conference was to increase chastity, partly motivated by seeing so many rosaries dangling from cars at the Durango Planned Parenthood.

“We pray that teens were moved by the message of chastity and strengthened in their Catholic faith. Both of those goals go handin-hand, really. You can’t expect to live a pure chaste life without the grace of God from the sacraments in the Church.”

At the conference, these sacrifices were provided in abundance. Interspersed throughout the talks were priests, ready and willing to hear confessions. A Mass celebrated by both bishops was held just before supper, and the final event of the evening culminated in Eucharistic procession and adoration.

Rachel and Dominic Boucher attended the conference with their mother, Rebecca Boucher, and a small group of other students and parents from Gallup Catholic School.

“There’s just something so powerful about being with a large group like that,” said Ra-

chel. “We all have this common love for Christ that I would like for [other young people] to experience.”

“I think this would definitely encourage them to go to Mass and confession more often,” said Dominic.

Rebecca Boucher mentioned that the conference had something not only for young people, but for their parents and leaders as well.

“While not everyone is able to attend something like World Youth Day, this is an opportunity for all people,” she said. “I think it’s important that parents attend with their children, because it helps them to learn from these young people. The enthusiasm that the youth felt – it’s not just Mom and Dad telling you ‘oh, you have to go to Church’ – they were really able to experience this with people their own age.”

To find out more about LifeGuard, the pro-life group in charge of the event, please visit lifeguardlaplata.org.

Presentation of flowers to Mary

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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El Camino de Santiago

(3 Bishops) Archbishop Paul Coakley, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Bishop James Conley, Diocese of Lincoln Bishop James Wall, Diocese of Gallup (2 Priests) Fr. Don Kline, Diocese of Phoenix Fr. Jerry Baker, Diocese of Owensboro

(100 Miles) Fr. Tim Farrell Special to The Voice MADRID, Spain -- There are thousands of trails on which to walk throughout this world, but only El Camino has the spiritual spark which attracts millions of pilgrims to walk the grueling trails to end up at Santiago de Compostela.

The Way of St. James, “El Camino de Santiago,” is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where legend has it that the remains of the apostle, St. James the Greater, are buried.

The Way of St. James has existed for over a thousand years. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times. It was considered one of three pilgrimages on which a plenary indulgence could be earned. The others are the Via Francigena to Rome and the Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Legend holds that St. James’ remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where they were buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela. During the Middle Ages, the route was highly traveled. However, the Black Plague, the Protestant Reforma-

Day 7

“We carried our personal and intercessory prayers and laid them at the altar of our Eternal High Priest.”

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

tion and political unrest in 16th-Century Europe resulted in its decline.

By the 1980s, only a few pilgrims arrived in Santiago annually. However, since then the route has attracted a growing number of modern-day pilgrims from around the globe. The route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in October 1987; it was also named one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 1993. Today tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims and other travelers set out from their front doorsteps, or popular starting points across Europe, to make their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Most travel by foot, some by bicycle, and a few travel as some of their medieval counterparts did, on horseback or by donkey.

In late August, Bishop James Wall along with Fr. Jerry Baker, Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City; Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Fr. Don Kline set out from the United States by air and landed on Aug. 21, 2012, to begin this historic and life-changing walk. Bishop Wall kept a journal and photo-blogged. To view more pictures and the full blog entries, visit dioceseofgallup. org/bishopwallblog

Photos and excerpts from Bishop Wall’s blog: Day 1

“We continued to climb until we reached the highest point of our journey”

Day 2

“The Camino is full of all sorts of life lessons”

Day 3

“Lesson of the day: everyone makes their own Camino.”

Day 4

Day 5

“It was great to see the growth of the Church in Spain in an unexpected way.”

“In all things we are able to see the ever present hand of God, leading us toward our final destination.”

Featured Parishioner:

days she worked with theneditor Martin Link.

She remembers them as good years with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

“I left when Michael (her son) got sick,” she remembers sadly.

She came back to the job when Michael got somewhat better, then answering phones at the front desk at the request of Brother Duane Torisky, then the secretary to Bishop Donald Pelotte. She also took on the billings and paperwork for “The Voice of the Southwest,” working under Rev. Tim Farrell, who had become editor of the newspaper and remained in that position for 13 years.

But her main role with the Diocese of Gallup has been as a receptionist.

Day after day, month after month, year after year, she has sat pleasantly greeting all who come to the Chancery or call on the phone. She says she has always loved her job, but admits “we here at the Chancery have been through a lot. But I’m still here. I like what I do. I look on it this way: I help give a good image to the Church. I love my Church.”

In the midst of her years working at the Chancery, Ella’s strong Roman Catholic Faith has sustained her through many terrible losses. Her oldest son was killed in an automobile accident. Then Michael relapsed and the leukemia wore him down and he lost his battle to the disease.

“Michael lived to be 21. I miss him so.”

Her voice falters and she puts her head in her hands.

“He was so good, so outgoing. He was very curious about his Faith. He loved the Church. When he relapsed he went back on chemo but he got so tired . . . Watching him suffer was the toughest thing I’ve ever been through.”

But she credits her strong Roman Catholic Faith for her survival. “You know, my parents (Ambrose Roanhorse and Garnet Claw Roanhorse) were very strong Catholics. They passed the Faith on to me, but like a lot of young people I came and went. Then I looked at my kids and I wanted them to be good Catholics and if they were to be good

Perseverance in Faith Fr. Tim Farrell Special to The Voice GALLUP -- For over a quarter of a century, Ella Roanhorse has worked in the Chancery, the office building which houses the Bishop’s office and all the departments which administer the Diocese of Gallup.

She has served through the terms of four bishops and still sits at the gatekeeper’s position, answering the phones and projecting a positive image of the Roman Catholic Church to the world she meets.

Ella was asked to help in the Chancery offices by Msgr. Art McDonald and Deacon Dan Resendes, working on the filing systems within the Chancery.

“I was going to take care of the files and was also in charge of Bishop (Jerome) Hastrich’s appointments. It was very different from what I had been doing.”

The atmosphere under Bishop Hastrich, was “very pleasant. It was what I needed.”

In working with Bishop Hastrich, she soon began helping with secretarial work with the “Voice of the Southwest.” In those

Catholics, I had to show them how. So I went back to church and then I got involved in helping with the RCIA. That lit up my Faith. RCIA taught me to be a good Catholic and the more I got involved, the more I got into the Church.”

Even with a recent bout with Bells Palsy (“I have to now have an operation to fix my eye”) she quietly, and with great dignity, continues on to show the gentle, loving image of the Church.

One of the highlights of her recent life was being able, as a “full-blooded, proud” Navajo, to be able to be at the canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

“Bishop (James) Wall talked to me about going to Rome with him. I wasn’t sure. I had broken my leg years ago and it never healed right so walking a lot is very hard and painful for me. I didn’t know if I could do it. But I went and, wow! There was the first Native American saint. I was so proud. I remember back in 1987 Pope John Paul II declaring her blessed and here I was, in St. Peter’s Square, watching Pope Benedict canonize her. I remember hearing from Pope John Paul that we Native Americans had to pray and work really hard to help Kateri be canonized a saint. And we have worked very hard. We had a long struggle. But now we have our saint. She made it. We made it!”

A UPS delivery man comes to the window and Ella greets him like a long-lost friend. She buzzes him in and takes the package and talks to him. He smiles warmly in return and heads off into the day.

Ella Roanhorse, the first person most people meet or talk to exudes a quiet dignity and openness which draws people in.

Through all her hardships in life, she continues to smile through her days.

Like St. Kateri Tekakwitha, she survives the struggles.

“I look at the life of Kateri and I see the hardships she had, especially no one accepting her. That was hard. But she kept strong, her Faith was strong. She desired Jesus. She kept going through it all.”

She smiles again. The phone rings and she blithely answers.

“The Diocese of Gallup,” she says sweetly.

“How may I help you?”

Do you know someone in your parish who serves as a good example of faith in action? Tell us about them by emailing designoffice@dioceseofgallup.org or writing to: Editor, Voice of the Southwest, PO Box 1338, Gallup NM 87305

Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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Advent 2012 Beginning the Church’s liturgical year, Advent (from, “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come to”) is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

Liturgical Notes for Advent Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight.

Advent begins with First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Sunday that falls on or closest to November 30 and it ends before First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of Christmas.

The Sundays of this time of year are named the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of Advent.

The weekdays from December 17 up to and including December 24 are ordered in a more direct way to preparing for the Nativity of the Lord.

The liturgical color for Advent is purple, just like Lent— as both are seasons that prepare us for great feast days.

Also Advent (like Lent) includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas. This penitential dimension is expressed through the color purple, but also through the restrained manner of decorating the church and altar.

The third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete” Sunday (coming from the first word of the Latin Entrance Antiphon for this day, meaning “Rejoice”) and the liturgical color may be rose instead of purple. This is the Church’s way of further heightening our expectation as we draw ever nearer the Solemnity of Christmas.

Pope Benedict XVI on the Mystery of Christmas “Christmas is a privileged opportunity to meditate on the meaning and value of our existence.

The approach of this Solemnity helps us on the one hand to reflect on the drama of history in which people, injured by sin, are perennially in search of happiness and of a fulfilling sense of life and death; and on the other, it urges us to meditate on the merciful kindness of God who came to man to communicate to him directly the Truth that saves, and to enable him to partake in his friendship and his life. Therefore let us prepare ourselves for Christmas with humility and simplicity, making ourselves ready to receive as a gift the light, joy and peace that shine from this mystery.”

Through a Glass Darkly:

We Need Christmas

Columns

“Yes, we need Christmas, and may we live its spirit into the new year, a people no longer in darkness because we have seen a great light.” By Fr. Tim Farrell

The old year filled with its busyness, headaches, heartaches and joys, comes to an end very soon. But before the old year draws its final breath, we gather together to remember in greatest solemnity the birthday of our Savior. Soon we will cheer and shoot off fireworks welcoming in a new year. But at the end of this tired, old year, in the midst of winter shadows and a people tired and needing hope for the future, our Church celebrates Christmas.

We need Christmas. We have been hurried and have been hassled. We have bought all sorts of new things and bristled at terrible traffic jams and have been a part of harried humanity readying for the holiday. We need Christmas very badly, don’t we? We need this peaceful time of simple rejoicing in the Christ Child lying in a manger.

We need renewal and light in our darkness.

My mother, who passed away several years ago, wrote me a Christmas letter years ago which captures what we all wish this holy night: “I shall put my manger scene out on Christmas Eve and look for the Christmas Star in the sky and remember that First Christmas and remember our past Christmases when your father and I and all our children were happy and content with just a little because Jesus was our greatest gift.”

She looked for that Christmas Star and we, too, must look for that light

and that new birth in the midst of a dying year. As Isaiah states in his prophecy: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. . . For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.

They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.”

Titus writes: “We await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our Great God and savior Jesus Christ.”

We sing Christmas carols, we hear the wondrous Word of God, we worship at the altar of the Lord and we look upon the manger. There is the baby Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the Light in our Darkness. There is Mary and Joseph in awe before the Word made flesh, their Son and their Savior. There are the shepherds who have heard the angel proclaim: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” There are the lowly shepherds who heard the multitude of the heavenly host praising God, saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

There are the little animals and big

who quietly watch as the salvation of the world unfolds in their humble stable. And far away, three wise men, wander into unknown lands to one day greet the new born king.

We gather at Christmas with tired and troubled hearts, just as they did long ago, perhaps fearful and sorrowful at wars far away and terror close at hand, and we ask for that hope which helps us lift up our souls and journey into a new year. We have that hope fulfilled on Christmas as we recall the coming of the little baby who is Lord of All, Prince of Peace.

Yes, we need Christmas and may we live its spirit into the new year, a people no longer in darkness because we have seen a great light.

Praise God for Christmas. Praise Him for the Incarnation. For the Word made flesh. Tonight let us sing praise to the Father who stood on heaven’s threshold and said farewell to His Son as He stepped across the stars to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. And we shall sing praise to the infinite, eternal Son, Who became most finite, a baby.

Who would one day be executed for our crimes. Praise him in the heavens. Praise him in the stable.

Praise him in our hearts.

“Through a Glass Darkly” is the column of Fr. Timothy Farrell, the Media Liaison for the Diocese of Gallup. He is currently the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Farmington, NM. Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

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The doctrine and practice of granting of indulgences by the Church is not a simple subject and takes a little bit of work to understand properly. Because there have been controversies over the granting of indulgences in the past, some of the rhetoric and propaganda that once swirled around the topic still exists, and can occasionally cause misunderstandings. Once indulgences are properly understood they can be seen as a very logical consequence of the power that our Lord gave the Church to forgive sins, and as a tremend o u s spiritual

part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.” (Norms for indulgences.)

The faithful can obtain partial or plenary indulgences for themselves, or they can apply them to the dead by way of suffrage.”(Norms.)

The key to getting a good handle on this definition is to understand that every sin has two consequences; the guilt of the sin that is incurred, and the debt of temporal punishment that is owed to God to make reparation for the sin once the guilt is forgiven. (Cf. 2Sam12; 13-14)

sors, when he declared to them, “whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, who sins you hold bound are held bound”(Jn 20:23). But even when the guilt of sin has been forgiven, there remains the need to make reparation for the forgiven sins, which we do through acts of penance, and the acceptance of the crosses that we encounter in the course of living out our lives as Christians.

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance, the priest absolves us from the guilt of the sins we have confessed, and for which we have expressed sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment not to repeat. Then we are assigned a penance to help us make satisfaction to God for those already forgiven sins.

If we embrace the penance wholeheartedly and have sincere contrition, then we have then made reparation. If we do this poorly, we may still have a debt of temporal punishment which we must satisfy in order to be sufficiently purified and detached from the effects of the sin. These imperfections must be purged from our soul in order to enter Heaven. Any purification that remains for us to complete when we die, is satisfied in Purgatory. If in our efforts, we surpass in reparation what God has deemed necessary for temporal restitution, then we gain merit. This merit will result in greater reward in heaven and is included in the infinite treasury of the merit of Christ and the saints.

Because the Church is the chosen vessel to distribute Christ’s Grace through the Sacraments, and the minister of Redemption who was given the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, She is able to authoritatively distribute not only the forgiveness of the guilt of sin, but also the merits of Christ and the saints to make restitution for sins that have already been forgiven.

To summarize then, this is what an indulgence is: the Church, using the authority given her by the Lord, applying the merit of Christ and the saints to make restitution for the temporal punishment owed by the faithful Christian for sins already forgiven.

The next installment will give the norms for obtaining an indulgence and the special indulgences that are available during the year of faith.

Fr. Matthew Keller is the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Gallup.

Just what IS an indulgence?(Part 1)

“God’s plan requires a participation on our part in the Passion of our Lord Jesus. Therefore, our Lord exhorted sinners to both repent (seek forgiveness) and do penance (make reparation). treasure for the faithful, and the faithful departed.

This is how an indulgence is defined in the Code of Canon Law (can. 992) and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1471): “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints”.

“An indulgence in partial or plenary according to whether it removes either

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

By Fr. Matthew Keller Our Lord Jesus suffered and died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world.

His perfect sacrifice of love has an infinite value. But God’s plan requires a participation on our part in the Passion of our Lord Jesus. Therefore, our Lord exhorted sinners to both repent (seek forgiveness) and do penance (make reparation). The forgiveness of sins comes about when we have contrition, or sorrow for our sins, and seek pardon from God. For venial sins, an act of contrition is sufficient to obtain forgiveness, but for mortal, or deadly sins as Scripture calls them (1 Jn 5:16-17), we need to avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our Lord gave the power to forgive the guilt of sins to the Apostles and their succes-

Consciousness and Abortion Making Sense Out of Bioethics

Imagine a deadly scenario like this: a successful businessman is rendered unconscious by medical professionals to help him heal after a serious car accident, using powerful pharmaceutical agents to cause a medically-induced coma.

A few days later, a business competitor, wanting him dead, enters the hospital and kills the comatose patient. During his trial, when questioned about the murder, the competitor tries to argue, with an unnecessarily detailed explanation, that, “the medically-induced coma rendered him quite incapable of feeling any pain, because those parts of his brain involved in sensory processing and pain perception were clearly decoupled from consciousness. So killing those who are unconscious, at least on the grounds that they might feel pain, should not be seen as problematic nor should it be restricted as a personal choice.”

Unreasonable conclusion Anyone would appreciate the absurdity of such an argument, much as they ought to recognize the unreasonableness of a similar conclusion reached by neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Bor in a recent piece in The Dallas Morning News: “The evidence is clear that a fetus can respond to sights, sounds, and smells, and it can even react to these by producing facial expressions. The evidence is equally clear, however, that these responses are generated by the most primitive parts of the brain, which are unconnected to consciousness, and therefore these actions don’t in any way imply that the fetus is aware.

“Furthermore, the fetus is deliberately sedated by a series of chemicals produced by the placenta, so even if it had the capacity for consciousness, there is almost no chance it could ever be conscious in the womb.

Consequently, it can’t consciously feel pain. . . . There are therefore no scientific reasons for restricting abortion on the grounds that the fetus will experience pain, at least until very late in pregnancy. This evidence has heavily influenced my views here, and consequently I am very much pro-choice.”

As a neuroscientist and an ethicist myself, it’s clear how Dr. Bor’s conclusion does not follow from his premises.

He seeks forcibly to crown consciousness as king, turning it into the highest good, elevating it above life itself.

Consequently, he misses the deeper truth that human consciousness (and particularly self-consciousness) is a feature of certain kinds of beings, namely human beings, who are valuable in and of themselves.

Our humanity precedes our consciousness, and affords the necessary basis for it, with our value and inviolability flowing not from what we might be capable of doing (manifesting consciousness or awareness) but from who we intrinsically are (human beings and members of the human family).

Humanity deserves respect Regardless of whether we might or might not be able to manifest consciousness at a particular moment (as when we are asleep, under anesthesia, in a coma, or growing at early timepoints in utero), our humanity is still present and deserving of unconditional respect. Those who lack consciousness or awareness are still human, and should be cherished and protected as much as anyone else with limitations or disabilities.

Some might reply that a sleeping or comatose person’s consciousness is merely dormant. If they wake up, they will have memories, awareness, etc.

For a very early human embryo, on the other hand, no consciousness exists yet, since the brain has not developed, or may not have developed sufficient-

By Fr. Tad Pacholczyk ly. Until that development occurs, the argument continues, there is “nobody home,” and therefore nothing important can be stripped away by abortion.

Human embryo is special But it would be false to conclude that “nobody is home.” As that embryonic human continues to grow up, she will develop a brain, as well as memories, awareness, and consciousness.

Such carefully choreographed and remarkable embryonic development will occur precisely in virtue of the kind of being she already is, namely, a very small human being.

All of us, in fact, are embryos who have grown up. The human embryo is special because of her humanity, not because of her consciousness, which will invariably arise as long as she is afforded even the smallest chance at life. We actively deny her the right to manifest her future personality, her individuality, her consciousness, and her genius by selecting her for termination.

Hence, we should appreciate an argument like Dr. Bor’s for what it really is, namely, an attempt to carve out a subclass of human beings (those deemed weaker than the rest of us due to their diminished personal consciousness) so that they can be singled out for death by abortion.

This move constitutes an unjust form of discrimination against a voiceless class of humans, cloaked in a specious intellectual construct that misconstrues both the essential character of being human, and the essential moral obligations we have.

Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk 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

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Helping to Drive Catholic Education

By Paul Mulligan CEO, Catholic Education Arizona Note: this article accompanies the ad on page 10

Timely new Tax Credit Guide a “how-to” for painless year-end giving I don’t know about you, but I love the word “rebate.”

Remember “Cash for Clunkers?”

Yes, it’s always better when you get your money back.

Here in Arizona, we have a couple community-serving tax credit programs that effectively work the same way: the Private Education Tax Credit that supports our Catholic schools, and the Charitable Tax Credit, which helps our Catholic charitableservice organizations.

St. Michael Indian School in Window Rock, AZ, and St. Anthony Catholic School in Show Low, AZ, are two schools in the Gallup Diocese that benefit from these tax credit programs.

Don’t be afraid of the term “tax credit.”

In fact, instead of getting lost in technical tax jargon, just think of these two tax credit programs as “personal rebates” for you to apply towards a cause of your choosing.

Do you value Catholic schools over, say, a myriad of nebulous government programs with untold costs? How about taking a “rebate” of up to $2,006 for Catholic Education Arizona, and direct your tax dollars to be invested to help low-income students, right in your own zip code?

Would you prefer your state taxes go to serving needy individuals in our community? Why not take a “rebate” of up to $400 for our diocesan Catholic charitable organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, and Foundation for Senior Living?

Or better still, why not do both!

Really, these options sound so much better than paying taxes, don’t they?

Of course, the benefit of taking these “rebates” is only realized when taxpayers know how to take advantage of tax credits.

So to help Catholics learn how to direct

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Voice of the Southwest | dioceseofgallup.org

“But in Arizona, unlike death, taxes are actually NOT an unavoidable reality.” their “rebates” to deserving education and charitable organizations in our diocese, Catholic Education Arizona has created a “must-have” product for your end-of-year taxrelated planning: “The 1-2-3 Guide to Arizona Tax Credits,” and it’s available as a free PDF download at www.TakeTheCredit.org.

The new tax credit guide makes the complex simple (think of the “rebate” example above) and shows how Catholics can—and should—take advantage of Arizona’s unique tax credit laws that allow you to choose Catholic education and charitable giving in lieu of paying state taxes.

The “1-2-3 Guide to Arizona Tax Credits” provides answers to commonly asked questions: “How does giving through a tax credit cost me ZERO dollars out of pocket?”

“What if I get a refund? Can I still participate in these tax credit programs?” (Yes, surprisingly you can—and the clear explanation is in the Guide) “What’s the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction?”

(There’s a HUGE difference, so if you pay taxes, you’ll definitely want to read the answer in the Guide.)

We’re all very busy trying to be good, faithful Catholics and followers of Jesus: Who really has time for all this tax-stuff? It’s easier to just accept the whole “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” bit and move on. Taxes are just an unavoidable reality of life here on earth, right?

Well, it’s true that most people would rather get a root canal—or plan their own funeral—than discuss or even think about taxes.

But in Arizona, unlike death, taxes are actually NOT an unavoidable reality.

To help you navigate this likely unfamiliar terrain (the world of

“What? I don’t have to pay taxes?”), you just need something simple, straightforward, and “plug-andplay.”

You just need the “The 1-2-3 Guide to Arizona Tax Credits.”

With December 31 fast approaching, you owe it to yourself and the charities you could support to get online and download your free PDF copy today.

Who knows? By taking just a few minutes to look over the Guide, and get answers to the most commonly asked questions, you could be opening up a whole new chapter in your autobiography on charitable giving.

So don’t delay. Visit www.TakeTheCredit.org today and discover how taking advantage of these tax credits is a smart year-end giving strategy that will make your hard-earned dollars go further— and make quite a positive impact on deserving families in your community.

Talk about being a good, faithful Catholic.

Something tells me Jesus wouldn’t object to “giving to God what is God’s”…and what is Caesar’s, too.

To make a tax credit contribution to benefit the students at St. Michael Indian School, visit www.

CatholicEducationArizona.org.

You can also call 1-888-TAX-CRDT (888-829-2738), or send payment to Catholic Education Arizona, 2025 N. 3rd St, #165, Phoenix, AZ, 85004.

For students at St. Anthony Catholic School, send payment to White Mountain Tuition Support Organization, P.O. Box 2047, Lakeside, AZ, 85929 Paul S. Mulligan, M.T.S., is the President & C.E.O. of Catholic Education Arizona and an alumnus of Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Schools.

Saints For

Today

St. Francis Xavier Priest, 1506-1552 Feast Day: Dec. 3rd

By Jean Lee, M.A., D.Min Works Cited: Burns, Paul. Butlers Saint for the Day. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2007.

Cruz, Joan Carroll. Mysteries Marvels Miracles in the Lives of the Saints.Charlotte: TAN Books, 1997.

Foley, Leonard, O.F.M., and Pat McCloskey, O.F.M. Saint of the Day.Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2009.

Jesus asked, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Matthew 16:26a). The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honor before him.

Francis Xavier, twenty-four at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless persuasion finally won the young man to Christ.

Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community (the infant Society of Jesus). Together they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.

Francis Xavier is regarded as one of the Church’s most illustrious missionaries born of noble parents and was by nature refined, aristocratic and ambitious.

His missionary career began in 1540, when he journeyed to the East Indies. Within ten years he had made successful visits to Ceylon, India, Malaya and Japan.

Francis worked with the most deprived among the native populations: prisoners, lepers, slaves.

Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and rough accommodations. He summoned children to catechism by ringing a bell in the streets and used the tunes of popular songs to compose simple verse versions of basic Christian teachings, which were soon sung everywhere. Very often he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his letters, he was filled always with joy. He baptized thousands, performed many miracles, and exercised many mystical gifts.

His missionary efforts had been

superhuman and his achievements in many areas were lasting. He was a prophet raising his voice against the exploitation and injustice of colonial rule.

Francis’ plans for a Chinese mission never matured as he was taken ill. His last days were a nightmare: He was taken off by a Portuguese merchant ship but became so ill from seasickness that he was put ashore on a deserted windswept beach, where his faithful convert, Antony, cared for him until he died. Pope Pius X proclaimed Francis Xavier patron of all foreign missions.

Something to think about: All of us are called to “go and preach to all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Our preaching is not necessarily on distant shores but to our families, our children, our husband or wife, our coworkers. And we are called to preach not with words, but by our everyday lives. Only by sacrifice, the giving up of all selfish gain, could Francis Xavier be free to bear the Good News to the world. Sacrifice is leaving yourself behind at times for a greater good, the good of prayer, the good of helping someone in need, the good of just listening to another. The greatest gift we have is our time. Francis gave all of his to others.

Dr. Jean M. Lee is a licensed behavioral health and substance abuse counselor who is a Catholic revert from six years ago after being away from the Church for 32 years. In 2012 she founded a Christian gift & book store called Gabriel’s Landing in Show Low, AZ. Her weekly column,“Faith and Inspiration: Saints for Today” is originally published for the White Mountain Independent and Fort Apache Scout. She lives a more joyful life since returning to the Church.

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