April 18, 2014 Volume 44, No. 32 www.themessageonline.org
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Serving the Catholic Church in Southwestern Indiana
THE MESSAGE
Mensaje de Pascua Abril 2014
Catholic News Service image/courtesy of Bridgeman Art Library
The Resurrection
The glory of Easter is portrayed in “The Resurrection of Christ” by Italian Renaissance painter Mariotto di Cristofano. The painting is in the collection at the Gallery of the Academy of Florence. Easter, the feast of the Resurrection, is marked April 20 this year.
Easter Message April 2014 Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ: Let us rejoice and be glad! The Light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin and death. On this most sacred occasion, as all heaven and earth exults in praise of God’s triumph over Satan, we dare to proclaim the Good News of Salvation. Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Along with Bishop-emeritus Gerald Gettelfinger, who recently celebrated his 25th Episcopal Anniversary, I wish each and every one a blessed Easter! The tomb of our Savior is empty so that we may be full of Jesus Christ’s abiding life. Regardless of our status or circumstances, we have cause to rejoice with Easter joy. We are not quite the same persons we were when starting out on Ash Wednesday. Just as the cross was transformed from a tree of condemnation and humiliation to the ultimate sign of salvation and justification so we have been transformed by our Lenten journey. Through penance and self-denial, anchored in the three-fold means of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we grow closer to God and one another. As we draw closer, we are transformed bit by bit into becoming more fully the intentional disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ
that we are called to be. Like those first witnesses to the empty tomb, the externals of our lives do not necessarily change. Our sacred encounter with the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, however, leaves an indelible imprint upon our internal disposition. Like those first witnesses, a response is demanded of us. We must now go forth as evangelizers, continuously drawing upon this personal encounter with the Risen Son of God through Word and Sacrament, proclaiming the gospel message by the witness of our words and actions. So may the world be transformed by the saving love of Christ! With assurance of my prayers and every good wish for you, I remain
Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo: ¡Regocijémonos y alegrémonos! La Luz de Cristo ha disipado las tinieblas del pecado y de la muerte. En esta sagrada ocasión el cielo y la tierra se regocijan en alabanza al triunfo de Dios sobre Satanás, nosotros nos atrevemos a proclamar la Buena Noticia de la Salvación. ¡Aleluya! ¡Cristo Jesús ha Resucitado! ¡Aleluya! Junto al Obispo-emérito Gerald Gettelfinger, quien recientemente celebró su 25 Aniversario Episcopal, quiero desearles a cada uno de ustedes una Pascua de Resurrección llena de bendiciones! La tumba de nuestro Salvador está vacía para que estemos llenos de la vida perdurable de Jesucristo. Independientemente de nuestra condición o circunstancias tenemos motivos para alegrarnos con el gozo Pascual. Nosotros no somos las mismas personas que éramos cuando empezamos la Cuaresma, el Miércoles de Ceniza. Así como la Cruz fue transformada de un árbol de condena y humillación al último signo de salvación y justificación así nosotros hemos sido transformados por nuestro camino Cuaresmal. A través de la penitencia y el sacrificio anclado en medio de la triple dimensión de la oración, el ayuno y la limosna nosotros crecemos en la cercanía de Dios y de uno con otro. Así como nos acercamos, así nos transformamos poco a poco hasta convertirnos más plenamente en discípulos de nuestro Señor Jesucristo que estamos llamados a ser. Como los primeros testigos de la tumba vacía, las cosas externas de nuestras vidas no necesariamente cambian. Sin embargo, nuestro encuentro sagrado con Jesucristo el crucificado y resucitado deja una huella indeleble en nuestra disposición interna. Como a esos primeros testigos se nos exige una respuesta. Ahora debemos caminar hacia adelante como evangelizadores continuamente corriendo a este encuentro personal con el Hijo de Dios Resucitado a través de la Palabra y Sacramento a proclamar el mensaje del Evangelio por medio de nuestro testimonio en nuestras palabras y acciones. ¡Entonces el mundo será transformado por el amor salvador de Cristo! Con la garantía de mis oraciones y mis buenos deseos quedo de usted Sinceramente en Cristo,
Sincerely yours in Christ, + Charles C. Thompson Bishop of Evansville + Charles C. Thompson Bishop of Evansville
— Translated by the staff of the Guadalupe Center, Huntingburg
Chrism Mass Homily
Misa Homilía Crismal
St. Benedict Cathedral Evansville, Indiana
Catedral de San Benito Evansville, Indiana
April 15, 2014
15 de Abril 2014
In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelli Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”), promulgated on 24 November 2013, Pope Francis stated: “Evangelization is the task of the Church. The Church, as the agent of evangelization, is more than an organic and hierarchical institution; she is first and foremost a people advancing on its pilgrim way towards God. She is certainly a mystery rooted in the Trinity, yet she exists concretely in history as a people of pilgrims and evangelizers, transcending any institutional expression, however necessary.” (n. 111) The Holy Father added: “The salvation which God offers us is the work of his mercy. No human efforts, however good they may be, can enable us to merit so great a gift. God, by his sheer grace, draws us to himself and makes us one with him . . . The Church is sent by Jesus Christ as the sacrament of the salvation offered by God. Through her evangelizing activity, she cooperates as an instrument of that divine grace which works unceasingly and inscrutably . . . The principle of the primacy of grace must be a beacon which constantly illuminates our reflections on evangelization.” (n. 112) During this Holy Week, we call to mind how God chose to move more intimately towards us rather than waiting for us to draw closer to Him. The saving action of Jesus Christ — every fiber of his life, death and resurrection — is based solely on the unconditional love and mercy of God rather than any merit on the part of humanity. Jesus, in turn, established the Church, in order that we be saved as a community of believers rather than mere individuals. At the very core of the gospel, the Good News, is this notion of salvation announced by the Kingdom of God at hand for those who dare to believe in Jesus Christ as Son of God and Savior of the World. This is the essence of the message in the Church’s task of evangelization. To carry out this sacred mandate, the Church has been entrusted with special gifts to be utilized in ministry and service. These special gifts include the gift of the priesthood (e.g. common and ordained), the deposit of faith (e.g. Sacred Scripture and Tradition), and sacramental grace; each made sacred by the ultimate gift of divine presence among us. Tonight, in accordance with Sacred Scripture and Tradition, in union with the whole Church, we bless the elements of bread, wine and oil. As we do at every Mass, we consecrate bread and wine that becomes for us the very real presence of Jesus Christ in Body and Blood. Drawing from the assembly of all the baptized, members of the common priesthood, we renew the promises of ordained priesthood. In such a way, we recall the necessity of the priesthood for the Eucharist, as well as the necessity of the Eucharist for the Church. In turn, we are reminded of the awesome responsibility of ordained ministry in service to the People of God. Providing a brief catechesis on the Sacrament of Holy Orders during his weekly General Audience (26 March 2014), Pope Francis commented: “Holy Orders, articulated in the three ranks of episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate, is the Sacrament which enables the exercise of the ministry, entrusted by the Lord Jesus to the Apostles, to feed his flock, in the power of his Spirit and according to his heart; To feed Jesus’ flock not with the power of human strength or with one’s own strength, but with that of the Spirit and according to his heart, the heart of Jesus which is a heart of love. The priest, the Bishop, the deacon must feed the Lord’s flock with love. If he does not do it with love, it is useless.” The blessed oils of the sick, of catechumen and sacred chrism enable us to cooperate with the spirit in the task of evangelization; namely, to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners, to announce a year of favor, and to comfort mourners. In essence, these sacred oils will be used in the administering of the sacraments as means of mediating God’s compassion, consolation, reconciliation and redemption. They mark our resolve to journey with those in need of mercy, hope, forgiveness, love and understanding. In Jesus Christ, the Spirit of the Lord is indeed upon us. In Him, we have been made into a kingdom and priests for God. We who have been anointed with these oils, in turn, are called to anoint those in need of God’s grace as provided by the Sacraments of the Church. The Church’s task of evangelization is rooted in the bold proclamation of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest and Good Shepherd, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke; “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
En su Exhortación Apostólica, Evangelli Gaudium (“La Alegría del Evangelio”), promulgada el 24 de noviembre de 2013, el Papa Francisco declaró: “La evangelización es tarea de la Iglesia. Pero este sujeto de la evangelización es más que una institución orgánica y jerárquica, porque es ante todo un pueblo que peregrina hacia Dios. Es ciertamente un misterio que hunde sus raíces en la Trinidad, pero tiene su concreción histórica en un pueblo peregrino y evangelizador, lo cual siempre trasciende toda necesaria expresión institucional.” (n. 111) El Santo Padre agregó: “La salvación que Dios nos ofrece es obra de su misericordia. No hay acciones humanas, por más buenas que sean, que nos hagan merecer un don tan grande. Dios, por pura gracia, nos atrae para unirnos a sí . . . La Iglesia es enviada por Jesucristo como sacramento de la salvación ofrecida por Dios. Ella, a través de sus acciones evangelizadoras, colabora como instrumento de la gracia divina que actúa incesantemente más allá de toda posible supervisión . . . El principio de la primacía de la gracia debe ser un faro que alumbre permanentemente nuestras reflexiones sobre la evangelización.” (n. 112) Durante esta Semana Santa, recordamos cómo Dios escoge relacionarse más íntimamente con nosotros en vez de esperar que nosotros nos acerquemos a Él. La acción salvadora de Jesucristo — cada fibra de su vida, muerte y resurrección — se basa únicamente en el amor incondicional y la misericordia de Dios en lugar de cualquier mérito por parte de la humanidad. Jesús, a su vez, estableció la Iglesia, con el fin de ser salvados como una comunidad de creyentes en lugar de simples individuos. En la misma esencia del Evangelio, la Buena Noticia, se encuentra esta noción de salvación anunciada por el Reino de Dios para aquellos que se atreven a creer en Jesucristo como Hijo de Dios y Salvador del Mundo. Esta es la esencia del mensaje en la tarea de la evangelización de la Iglesia. Para llevar a cabo este mandato sagrado, la Iglesia ha sido confiada con dones especiales para ser utilizados en el ministerio y el servicio. Estos dones especiales incluyen el regalo del sacerdocio (p.e. común y ordenado), el depósito de la fe (p.e. Sagrada Escritura y Tradición) y la gracia sacramental; cada uno hecho sagrado por el último regalo de la presencia divina entre nosotros. Esta noche, según las Sagradas Escrituras y la Tradición, en unión con toda la Iglesia, bendecimos los elementos de pan, vino y aceite. Como lo hacemos en cada Misa, bendeciremos el pan y el vino que se convierte para nosotros en la presencia real de Cristo Jesús en el Cuerpo y la Sangre. Junta en la asamblea de todos los bautizados, los miembros del sacerdocio común, renovamos las promesas del sacerdocio ordenado. De tal manera, recordamos la necesidad del sacerdocio para la Eucaristía, así como la necesidad de la Eucaristía para la Iglesia. A su vez, se nos recuerda la gran responsabilidad del ministerio ordenado en el servicio al Pueblo de Dios. Dando una breve catequesis sobre el Sacramento de las Ordenes Sagradas durante su Audiencia General (26 de Marzo, 2014), el Papa Francisco comentó: “El Orden, constituido por los tres grados de episcopado, presbiterado y diaconado, es el sacramento que habilita para el ejercicio del ministerio, confiado por el Señor Jesús a los Apóstoles, de apacentar su rebaño, con el poder de su Espíritu y según su corazón. Apacentar el rebaño de Jesús no con el poder de la fuerza humana o con el propio poder, sino con el poder del Espíritu y según su corazón, el corazón de Jesús que es un corazón de amor. El sacerdote, el Obispo, el diácono debe apacentar el rebaño del Señor con amor. Si no lo hace con amor no sirve.” Los aceites de los enfermos, de catecúmeno y crisma sagrado bendecidos permiten cooperar con el espíritu en la tarea de evangelización; es decir, para llevar buenas nuevas a los pobres, a sanar a los quebrantados de corazón, para proclamar libertad a los cautivos y liberar a los presos, para anunciar un año de favor, y a los dolientes confort. En esencia, estos aceites sagrados se utilizarán en la administración de los sacramentos como mediación de la compasión de Dios, de su consuelo, de su reconciliación y de su redención. Estos marcan nuestra determinación de caminar con los necesitados de la misericordia, la esperanza, el perdón, el amor y la comprensión. En Cristo Jesús, el Espíritu del Señor está en efecto sobre nosotros. En Él, hemos sido hechos reino y sacerdotes para Dios. Nosotros quienes hemos sido ungidos con estos aceites, a su vez, estamos llamados a ungir a los que necesitan la gracia de Dios por medio de los Sacramentos de la Iglesia. La tarea de la Iglesia de la evangelización está arraigada en la proclamación audaz de Jesucristo, nuestro Gran Sumo Sacerdote y Buen Pastor, como está escrito en el Evangelio de Lucas; “Hoy se cumplen estas palabras proféticas y a ustedes les llegan noticias de ello.” — Translated by the staff of the Guadalupe Center, Huntingburg
April 18, 2014 Volume 44, No. 32 - 50 cents www.themessageonline.org This issue was mailed April 17, 2014
Serving the Catholic Church in Southwestern Indiana
THE MESSAGE
Anniversaries Mass fills our Cathedral BY TIM LILLEY The Message editor
The Message photos by Peewee Vasquez
Above top, Bishop-Emeritus Gerald A. Gettelfinger celebrated the special Anniversaries Mass on April 11 with brother bishops from across the region, including Bishop Chrisopher Coyne of Indianapolis, left; Bishop William Medley of Owensboro, Ky.; Bishop Emeritus William Higi of Lafayette, Ind.; and Bishop Charles C. Thompson of Evansville, who delivered the homily. Not shown in this photo is Bishop-Emeritus Robert McRaith of Owensboro, who also Concelebrated. Above bottom, Bishop-Emeritus Gettelfinger acknowledges the applause from his brother bishops and priests as he leaves St. Benedict Cathedral following the Anniversaries Mass.
At the end of the April 11 Mass celebrating the anniversaries of BishopEmeritus Gerald A. Gettelfinger’s ordination and installation as the fourth bishop of Evansville, and of his dedication of St. Benedict Church as the diocesan Cathedral, our Bishop-Emeritus had a simple message for those who attended. “We are called to be kind to everyone we meet,” he said, “regardless of who they are.” That air of kindness filled the Cathedral as bishops from across the region, diocesan priests and deacons, students from St. Benedict Cathedral School and dozens of faithful came to-
gether to celebrate Bishop-Emeritus Gettelfinger’s 25th Anniversary and the 15th Anniversary of St. Benedict Cathedral. Bishop Charles C. Thompson concelebrated and delivered the homily. Joining him as concelebrants were Bishop Christopher Coyne of Indianapolis; Bishop William Medley of Owensboro, Ky.; Bishop-Emeritus William Higi of Lafayette, Ind.; Bishop-Emeritus John McRaith of Owensboro; and priests of the Diocese of Evansville. Many of our deacons also participated in the Mass. Former Diocesan Director of Communications Paul Leingang and his wife, Jane, served as lectors. You’ll find more photos from the Anniversaries Mass on pages 10-11.
Strategic planning continues; merging communities become Annunciation of the Lord Parish BY TIM LILLEY The Message editor
The Message photo by Tim Lilley
‘Happy Birthday to you!’ Kindergarten students from Flaget Elementary School in Vincennes surprise Bishop Charles C. Thompson April 10 with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.” They also delivered cards from the entire school, and Bishop Thompson blessed and gave them crosses.
As listening sessions continue during the second phase of the Diocese’s Strategic Plan, important work also is moving forward toward implementation of the plan’s first phase. On April 10, Bishop Charles C. Thompson issued a decree changing the name of the merged Christ the King Parish to Annunciation of the Lord Parish, effective July 1, 2014. The new parish was formed last September when Bishop Thompson announced the merger of Christ the King and Holy Spirit parishes in Evansville. You can read the Decree in its entirety on page 15. The names of the parish’s churches will not change. Annunciation of the Lord Parish will be home to Christ the King Church and Holy Spirit Church. Members of Christ the King and Holy Spirit,
who have been at work on details related to the merger for months, worked with Pastor Father Alex Zenthoefer to arrive at the new name. “God entrusts us with the responsibility of being vessels of his Presence,” Father Zenthoefer said. “Our task is not to have it all figured out; rather, it is to follow in faith, trusting that God will give us what we need along the way. This name really highlights the mission that is before us.” The current Christ the King and Holy Spirit Catholic Schools will become one parish school. However, that school will operate on two separate campuses and maintain their currect grade levels. And those two separate campuses will continue to report to the state independently, as they do now. Father Zenthoefer said the parishioners working on details for the merge have not completed a recommendation on how the new school will be named. See MERGE, page C
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Baby quilts lead to joy, new friendships across the diocese SPECIAL TO THE MESSAGE The joy of unexpected events accompanied Catholic Charities’ efforts to collect handmade baby quilts for its May 28 dinner and auction. One special “side effect” has been the acquaintances built between Catholic Charities staff members Sharon Burns and Kathy Wilkerson, and the quilters throughout the diocese who donated more than 80 quilts. Earlier this month Burns, Catholic Charities director, enjoyed visiting with the ladies from St. Rupert Parish in Red Brush who made 10 quilts for the auction. She shared with them how the proceeds would be used to assist more than 9,000 individuals in 2014. The quilters were surprised to learn that Catholic Charities counselor Debbie Tobin spends a day each week working with the school children and staff members of St. Bernard Parish in Rockport — and that Catholic Charities is increasing its services to the residents of Vincennes in May.
Joanna, one of the quilters, suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and is awaiting a transplant. Another, Elanora Lathery, is 96! She says she won’t be able to quilt next year — to the hoots of the others who say it will only take a phone call. All of them volunteer in a myriad of capacities for the parish — and yet asked how soon they can start on the next round of quilts. All are welcome to join Bishop Thompson at the Catholic Charities “Simply Soup” Dinner and Handmade Baby Quilt Auction on May 28. Thirty of the 82 quilts will be sold at live auction. The others will be auctioned online beginning May 10. A baby quilt show and breakfast will be held on the morning of May 10 at Kundek Hall (St. Joseph Parish) in Jasper. To order show tickets ($10), dinner and auction tickets ($25) or for more information please call 812-423-5456 or visit at www.charitiesevv.org/ babyquilts. The Message staff thanks Catholic Charities for providing this story and accompanying photo.
Submitted photo courtesy of Catholic Charities
These volunteers from St. Rupert Parish in Red Brush made and donated 10 baby quilts for Catholic Charities’ fundraising auction. Posing with their handmade quilts are, seated, Joyce Seib, left, Johanna Libbert, Elenora Lathery, Martha Spaetti and Doris Carter. Standing are Elaine Schmidt, left, Donna Wangler, Betty Wangler, Bernie Wargel, Betty Milhome, Carolyn Kaiser.
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Pope Francis is active on Twitter, one of the world’s most popular social-media platforms, and his followers get short messages from him on a regular basis. His English posts go to 3.91 million followers, and his Spanish posts reach 5.4 million followers! He is @Pontifex in English and @Pontifex_es in Spanish. He has Twitter accounts in several other languages, too. Beginning with this issue of The Message, we will publish the Holy Father’s posts from the previous week in English and Spanish. Here are his posts from April 8-14. References to EG in some of them note that they come from his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel): APRIL 8 “We need to rediscover a contemplative spirit, so that the love of God may warm our hearts.” “Necesitamos recuperar el espíritu contemplativo, para que el amor de Dios enardezca nuestros corazones.” APRIL 10 “Jesus teaches us to not be ashamed of touching human misery, of touching his flesh in our brothers and sisters who suffer.” (EG 270) “Jesús nos enseña a no avergonzarnos de tocar la miseria humana, de tocar su carne en los hermanos que sufren.” (EG 270) APRIL 11 “Only trust in God can transform doubts into certainty, evil into good, night into radiant dawn.” “Sólo la confianza en Dios puede transformar la duda en certeza, el mal en bien, la noche en alba radiante.” APRIL 12 “How beautiful it is to stand before the Crucifix, simply to be under the Lord’s gaze, so full of love.” (EG 264) “Qué dulce es ponerse delante del Crucifijo, quedarse simplemente bajo la mirada llena de amor del Señor.” (EG 264) APRIL 14 “Holy Week is a good occasion to go to confession and to take up the right path again.” “La Semana Santa es un buen momento para confesarse y retomar el camino correcto.”
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THE MESSAGE
APRIL 18, 2014
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St. Maria Goretti
Youth distinctions awarded at cathedral on April 13 Bishop Charles C. Thompson awarded the St. Maria Goretti youth distinction to high school juniors and seniors around the Diocese of Evansville following Palm Sunday Mass at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville. The young adults were chosen by their parishes to receive the diocesan distinction based on the life, mission and ministry they provide to their family, parish, school and community. It recognizes one of the Catholic Church’s youngest saints, Maria Goretti, who died in 1902 at the age of 11 from multiple stab wounds inflicted by an attempted rapist to whom she refused to submit. She forgave her assailant on her deathbed, and he later attended her canonization ceremony. Here is the list of the 2014 St. Maria Goretti recipients. It was provided by the diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Formation. • Shelby Doades, St. Philip Neri, Bicknell; • Ian Perkinson, St. Philip Neri, Bicknell; • Jillian Bucherl, St. Clement, Boonville; • Alicia Betz, St. Peter Celestine, Celestine; • Lauren Betz, St. Peter Celestine, Celestine; • Carolyn Burroughs, St. Martin, Chrisney; • Nicholas Waninger, St. Martin, Chrisney; • Alyssa Blankenberger, St. John the Evangelist, Daylight; • Tyler Odom, St. John the Evangelist, Daylight; • Travis Reuber, St. Raphael, Dubois; • Calvin Sander, St. Raphael, Dubois; • Ariel Kuhn, Corpus Christi, Evansville; • Meghan Lasher, Corpus Christi, Evansville; • Lacie Folz, Good Shepherd, Evansville;
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• Morgan Lamberton, Good Shepherd, Evansville; • Alexandria Crick, Holy Redeemer, Evansville; • Sydney Winstead, Holy Redeemer, Evansville; • Emily Burkart, Holy Rosary, Evansville; • Clare Bender, Holy Trinity, Evansville; • Thomas Shetler III, Holy Trinity, Evansville; • Riley Maynor, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville; The Message photo by Tim Lilley • Jordan Tucker, St. Benedict Cathedral Alex Taylor was one of many St. Maria Goretti Youth Distinction Evansville; honorees who got a photo with Bishop Thompson at the recep• Isaac Hoffman, St. Theresa, Evansville; tion that followed the awards ceremony. • Alex Taylor, St. Theresa, Evansville; • Kate Bittner, Holy Cross, Fort Branch; • Joseph Wildt, St. Joseph, Princeton; • Jennifer Riedford, Holy Cross, Fort Branch; • Davis Jeffries, St. Bernard, Rockport; • Hayden Baehl, St. James, Haubstadt; • Casey Sermersheim, St. Bernard, Rockport; • Austin Elpers, St. James, Haubstadt; • Shane Fendel, Sacred Heart, Schnellville; • Drew Happe, Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt; • Nicholas Knust, Sacred Heart, Schnellville; • Anna Sorg, Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt; • Robert Buehner, St. Bernard, Snake Run; • Eric Gehlhausen, St. Mary, Ireland; • Jenna Bieker, St. Anthony, St. Anthony; • Nicholos Montee, St. Mary, Ireland; • Brandi Kordes, St. Athony, St. Anthony; • Luke Messmer, Holy Family, Jasper; • Jessica Tidd, St. Mary, Sullivan; • Shannon Sonderman, Holy Family, Jasper; • Benjamin Walker, St. Mary, Sullivan; • Jake Day, Precious Blood, Jasper; • Aaron Pea, Sacred Heart, Vincennes; • Gregory Kreilein, Precious Blood, Jasper; • Margaret Westfall, Sacred Heart, Vincennes; • Adam Schwartz, St. Joseph, Jasper; • Emily Niehaus, St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes; • Erin Garman, St. Matthew, Mount Vernon; • Alyce Perry, St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes; • Adam Hoehn, St. Matthew, Mount Vernon; • Daniel Welage, St. John the Baptist, Vincennes; • Ryan Dilger, St. John Chrysostom, New Boston; • Joshua Welage, St. John the Baptist, Vincennes; • Julia Dayton, St. John the Baptist, Newburgh; • Elizabeth Ruppel, St. Thomas, Vincennes; • Anna Kalt, St. John the Baptist, Newburgh; • Blake Mouzin, St. Vincent de Paul, Vincennes; • Noah Elmore, Blessed Sacrament, Oakland City; • Shelby Thomas, St. Vincent de Paul, Vincennes; • Kyle Keepes, Sts. Peter and Paul, Petersburg; • Sam Baker, Our Lady Of Hope, Washington; • Emily Fortner, St. Joseph, Princeton; • John Buchanan, Our Lady Of Hope, Washington.
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APRIL 18, 2014
Praying to change a sad truth over the Easter Triduum
JOURNEY OF FAITH BY TIM LILLEY
Contact me any time at
[email protected] with your comments, questions or suggestions. My Twitter feed is @Timonbass.
Nothing surprises me any more, but some things still make me sad. Kirstin Ethridge discussed one of them in last week’s 1 Timothy column. As you sit in an overflowing church this weekend for the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday Mass, think about this . . . pray about it. According to a Pew Research survey on the public’s knowledge of Christianity, an average of four out of every 10 Catholics seated around you do not know what the transubstantiation means. Or, maybe, one or more of those four just don’t believe it, which to me is even sadder than their potential ignorance. Go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and read paragraph Nos. 1374-1377. As a taste of what you’ll find, here is one sentence out of CCC 1376, which quotes the Council of Trent: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine
into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.” When and where did Christ our Redeemer say that? At the Last Supper. Here is Luke 22: 19-20: “Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.’” In the Eucharist, we don’t receive a small circular piece of unleavened bread and a sip of wine in symbolic commemoration of the Last Supper. We receive Jesus — all of Him; body, blood, soul and divinity. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI emphasized that in the most impactful way I’ve ever encountered during the lengthy interview with German journalist Peter Seewald that became the manuscript for the 2010 book “Light of the World.” Seewald asked the Holy Father about his decision to begin administering Communion exclusively on the tongue during
Alleluia is our song CONNECTING FAITH AND LIFE BY KATHY GALLO
Kathy Gallo is the director of the Office of Catechesis and can be reached at
[email protected]
In the early days of Christianity St. Augustine proclaimed, “We Are An Easter People and Alleluia is our song.” It was Augustine who also said, “To sing is to pray twice.” Just a note — this is often misquoted as, “To sing well is to pray twice.” One of my professors once said that music is one of the most transformational religious experiences a person can have. Simply put, music teaches; it is a catechetical tool that goes beyond our heads and shapes hearts. Such a simple liturgical tradition as not singing the Alleluia during Lent and proclaiming it full throttle on Easter reinforces our understanding that the resurrection is the Good News and the center of who we are as Catholics. We live Lent knowing “the rest of the story.” We know that the resurrection completes our understanding of the Paschal Mystery and challenges us to live differently. The resurrection evokes joy and music and calls for a new song and new way of being. Learners of all ages relate to music. Music can lead to conversation on all levels as well. The words of the songs that we sing in church at this time of year celebrate the foundation of our beliefs. As we move into the celebration of Holy Week and the celebration of Easter it is good to pay attention to the words of the songs, listening for a particular
line or word that strikes you, and experiencing what the tempo moves us to during this holy time. Why does a certain song linger in the mind after leaving church? What Scripture passage does it call to mind? Why was this particular music chosen for this Eucharistic celebration? As family, parents, friends, church we can come together in song, listening and participating, letting the words and music steep us in the message of this time. The Psalms were written to be sung. They are a school of prayer wrapped in a musical tradition. Even music that arises out of an individual’s heart and reveals the heart’s joy, longing, concerns, etc. can lead one to prayer. Talking about songs that touch our very depths reveals what is most important to us. If we are to teach as Jesus taught we are challenged to use those signs, symbols and elements of daily life that speak of God. Music provides a pivotal way of coming to new understanding. “How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in them! Those sounds flowed into my ears distilling the truth in my heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed down my face — tears that did me good.” — St. Augustine, quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1157).
Masses celebrated for throngs at St. Peter’s Basilica and in St. Peter’s Square. “I have heard of people who, after receiving Communion, stick the host in their wallet to take home as a kind of souvenir,” Benedict XVI said. “In this context, where people think that everyone is just automatically supposed to receive Communion — everyone else is going up, so I will, too — I wanted to send a clear signal. I wanted it to be clear: Something quite special is going on here. HE is here, the One before whom we fall on our knees! Pay attention! This is not just some social ritual in which we can take part if we want to.” This issue of The Message is dated Good Friday, 2014 — April 18. Using that as a reference — yesterday, we commemorated Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Today, we commemorate His suffering and death for our sins. In less than 48 hours, we will celebrate His triumph over death. As a way of thanking Him for His incomprehensible sacrifice, let’s pray that everyone in our family and circle of friends understand and, even more importantly, fully embrace the truth and reality of transubstantiation. Remember . . . “HE is here . . . .”
Diocesan policy: Report and inform Report child abuse Every allegation of child abuse must be reported to Child Protection Services, an agency of Indiana state government. Toll-free: 800-800-5556 Denuncie Toda acusación de abuso de un niño debe ser reportado a los Servicios de Protección del Niño (Child Protection Service, CPS), una agencia del gobierno del estado de Indiana. Gratis: 800-800-5556 Report and inform In the event of an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor (a person under 18) by diocesan personnel, report the allegation to authorities, and inform the Victims Assistance Coordinator for the diocese. Toll-free: 866-200-3004, local: 812-490-9565 Denuncie e informe En caso de una acusación del abuso sexual de un menor de edad (persona menor de 18 años) por personal diocesano, es la pol’tica de la diócesis de Evansville reportar la acusación a las autoridades públicas e informar al Coordinador Diocesano de Asistencia para las V’ctimas. Gratis: 866-200-3004, local: 812-490-9565
4200 N. Kentucky Ave. Evansville, IN 47711 Weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Evansville 2013
Published weekly except one week at Christmas time by the Catholic Press of Evansville
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Did You Know? Internet Filter Software Is No Substitute for Parental Monitoring There is a lot of material on the Internet that is inappropriate for children. Parents can use filtering software to protect children from that material, but filters do not guarantee that children will not be exposed; a filter will never be a substitute for parents’ presence. Monitor your child’s online behavior. Keep your family computer in a highly visible, common area, like the family room or the kitchen. Ask your children to show you what sites they go to, and be open and willing to discuss the inappropriate material they might come across.
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THE MESSAGE
APRIL 18, 2014
5
How to deal with all the unrest around us
THE BISHOP’S CORNER BY BISHOP CHARLES C. THOMPSON
Someone recently commented that the most important piece of furniture in a home is the bed. After all, this same person noted, we are supposed to spend one-third of our time in bed. A good night’s rest is a key component to being happy, healthy and productive. This got me thinking about all the unrest around us. The great unrest going on in the Middle East (e.g. Syria, Egypt, Israeli-Palestinian relations), Ukraine (e.g. on the brink of war, striving to determine its own destiny), Mexico (e.g. drug wars), Washington (e.g. political and economic mine fields), North Korea (e.g. nuclear threats), China (e.g. human rights abuse) and elsewhere has implications for the entire world. Such unrest is not only apparent on national and international scenes, but also closer to home. It seems that we read about a new murder case, meth lab discovery or domestic violence arrest practically on a daily basis. Within homes, marriages and families are being wounded by addiction, abuse, betrayal and poverty. Pornography is wreaking havoc in many lives and relationships. Permeating all of this, perhaps, is the erosion of moral certitude and religious liberty that seems to be happening on every level of today’s society. It takes more than a good night’s rest to deal with all the unrest that exists around us. Physical health is but one focus of care that needs and deserves our attention. Mental and emotional health must also be taken into consideration. The increase of mental health services and self-care programs certainly attest to these concerns. Still, if one desires to be truly happy, healthy and productive, there is more that needs to be taken into account. At the
heart of it all is the state of our spiritual welfare, both individually and communally. Attention to one’s spiritual well-being will be lacking without full consideration of both moral and religious implications that are necessarily intricate to authentic spirituality. This edition of The Message is being delivered amid the Triduum of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Certainly, as the ritual of these most sacred of days recalls, this was a time of great unrest for Jesus. This time involved his agony in the garden, arrest, interrogation, abandonment, brutal scourging, humiliation, carrying of the cross and crucifixion. It’s hard to fully imagine the physical, mental and emotional toll involved in such an experience. How did Jesus stay focused? What kept him going? What enabled him to seek forgiveness for his persecutors? In the face of seemingly total despair, how did he muster the confidence to commend his dying spirit to the Father? After all, he was fully human like us in all things but sin. There was a source, one might even say a force, of energy and strength from within him that was supplied by something more than could be provided by a good night’s sleep or some type of self-care program. The answer is quite apparent. Jesus was a man of prayer, rooted in the moral teaching and scriptural revelations of the faith community. Jesus Christ, to be sure, had a fully divine nature as well as a full human nature. As the hymn in the Letter to Philippians (cf. 2:6-8) remind us, Christ Jesus emptied himself of equality with the God in order to humbly become like us in order to fully experience the human drama of life, suffering and death.
Thus, could he provide us with an example, a model of how to deal with struggle, with unrest, in our own lives. The intricate connection between the three Lenten prongs of fasting, prayer and almsgiving come into play here. Fasting enabled Jesus’ human nature to more fully be one with God the Father in prayer. In turn, almsgiving, the giving of himself in service, even unto death on a cross, gave evidence to the efficacy of his prayer. Jesus’ prayer was rooted in both scripture and tradition of the faith community. His relationship with both God the Father and us, therefore, evidenced both individual and communal aspects. As important as sleep, exercise and diet may be to our well-being, one cannot overlook or take for granted the necessity of prayer, both individually and communally. Like Jesus, prayer unites us with the life source, the wellspring, of our salvation. St. Augustine of Hippo observed, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” (cf. Confessions, I,1). Prayer is the essential key to addressing and dealing with the unrest all around us. Authentic prayer leads to proper focus and effectiveness in the act of unselfish service to others in need. The Church provides us with various forms of prayer — mental, recited, silent, intercessory, contemplation and liturgical, to name a few. Let us pray for divine rest (e.g. true and lasting peace) in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Mexico, in China, in North Korea, in Washington, in our local communities, in our families and, most especially, in our hearts. Let our prayer be as Jesus has taught us; Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done.
Cómo lidiar con todo el malestar que nos rodean Recientemente alguien comentó que la cama es el mueble más importante en la casa. Además, esta persona notó que debemos pasar una tercera parte de nuestro tiempo en la cama. Suficiente tiempo para dormir es la clave para ser feliz, estar saludable, y ser productivo. Esto me llevó a pensar en todos los disturbios que nos rodean. Los disturbios grandes en el Medio Oriente (p.e. Siria, Egipto, relaciones entre Israel y Palestina), Ucrania (p.e. a punto de una guerra, luchando para determinar su propio destino), México (p.e. guerra de drogas), Washington (p.e. campos de minas políticos y económicos), Corea del Norte (p.e. amenazas nucleares), China (p.e. abusos de derechos humanos) y en otros lugares que afectan todo el mundo. Tales disturbios no se ven solamente a nivel nacional o internacional, sino también cerca de nosotros. Parece que leemos casi diariamente sobre un nuevo caso de homicidio, descubrimiento de un laboratorio de metanfetamina o violencia doméstica. En los hogares, los matrimonios y las familias hay heridas por causa de la adicción, el abuso, la traición y la pobreza. La pornografía está causando estragos en muchas vidas y relaciones. Dentro de todo esto, tal vez, es el deterioro de la certidumbre moral y la libertad religiosa que parece que está ocurriendo a todos los niveles de la sociedad. Se necesita más que una noche buena de descanso para lidiar con todos los disturbios que existen a nuestro alrededor. La salud física es solamente un enfoque de cuidado que necesita y merece nuestra atención. Se
Bishop’s schedule Mass, Easter Vigil, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville, Holy Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m., CDT. Meeting, Priest Retirement Board, Catholic Center, Evansville, Monday, April 21, 4 p.m., CDT. Meeting, Diocesan Finance Council, Catholic Center, Evansville, Tuesday, April 22, 4 p.m., CDT. Meeting, Clergy Personnel Board, Catholic Center, Evansville, Wednesday, April 23, 1:30 p.m., CDT. Mass and Confirmation, Martin County Parishes; St. John Church, Loogootee; St. Joseph
necesita considerar también la salud mental y emocional. El crecimiento de servicios de salud mental y programas de auto-cuidado atestiguan que esto es una realidad. Es más, si uno desea ser verdaderamente feliz, saludable y productivo, hay más que debe ser tomado en cuenta. Sobre todo lo más importante es el estado de nuestro bienestar espiritual, tanto individual como comunitario. La atención al bienestar espiritual faltará sin la consideración plena de las implicaciones morales y que son necesariamente integrales para una espiritualidad auténtica. Esta edición de The Message llega hasta sus hogares en medio del Triduum de la pasión, muerte, y resurrección de Jesús. Ciertamente, el rito de estos días sagrados nos recuerda que este tiempo fue de grandes disturbios para Jesús. Este tiempo incluyó su agonía en el huerto, arresto, interrogación, desamparo, azotes brutales, humillación, cargando de la cruz y la crucifixión. Es difícil comprender totalmente el grave efecto físico, mental, y emocional que tuvo esta experiencia. ¿Cómo permaneció Jesús enfocado? ¿Cómo pudo seguir? ¿Qué le ayudó a perdonar a sus perseguidores? Frente a este desamparo total, ¿cómo pudo confiar y encomendar su débil espíritu al Padre? Sobre todo, El fue totalmente humano como nosotros menos en el pecado. Jesús tenía por dentro una fuerza, una energía mucho más profunda que fue concedida a El; una fuerza que no se logra en una buena noche de descanso ni en un programa de auto-cuidado. La respuesta es bastante obvia. Jesús fue un hom-
Church, Bramble; St. Martin Church, Whitfield; St. Mary Church, Shoals at St. John Church, Loogootee, Wednesday, April 23, 6 p.m., EDT. Banquet, Right to Life of Southwest IN, The Centre, Evansville, Thursday, April 24, 5 p.m., CDT. Invocation, MEO Tri-State Idol, Clarion Inn & Conference Center, Evansville, Friday, April 25, 5:30 p.m., CDT. Mass and Confirmation, St. John the Evangelist, Daylight, Saturday, April 26, 5 p.m., CDT. Mass and Confirmation, Our Lady of Hope, Washington, Sunday, April 27, 10:30 a.m., EDT.
bre de oración, enraizado en la enseñanza moral y en las Sagradas Escrituras de la comunidad de fe. Por supuesto, Jesucristo tenía una naturaleza divina y plenamente humana. Como nos recuerda el himno en la Carta a los Filipenses (cf. 2:6-8), Cristo no se apegó a su igualdad con Dios, sino se hizo semejante a nosotros para experimentar el drama humano de vida, sufrimiento, y muerte. De esta manera, El nos dio un ejemplo, un modelo de cómo enfrentar los desafíos, y sufrimientos en nuestras vidas. Aquí está la conexión compleja entre las tres acciones Cuaresmales de ayuno, oración y limosna. Por el ayuno Jesús en su naturaleza humana pudo estar más unido a Dios Padre en la oración. También, la limosna, el darse a sí mismo en servicio, aun hasta la muerte en una cruz, dio evidencia de la eficacia de su oración. La oración de Jesús estuvo enraizada en la sagrada escritura y en la tradición de la comunidad de fe. Su relación con ambos Dios Padre y nosotros, por lo tanto, probó ambos aspectos individual y comunitario. Aun que tan importante puedan ser el sueño, ejercicio y dieta para nuestro bienestar, no se puede olvidar la necesidad de la oración tanto comunitaria e individual. Como Jesús, la oración nos une con la fuente de vida de nuestra salvación. San Agustín de Hipona observó “Tú nos has hecho por ti mismo, O Señor, y nuestros corazones están inquietos hasta que descansen en ti.” (cf. Confessions, I, 1). La oración es la clave esencial para tratar y confrontar la conflictividad alrededor de nosotros. La oración auténtica nos guía al enfoque correcto y a la efectividad en el acto de servicio desinteresado a los necesitados. La Iglesia nos provee con varias formas de oración—mental, recitada, en silencio, de intercesión, de contemplación, y litúrgica, para mencionar unas pocas. Recemos por la paz verdadera y duradera en el Medio Oriente, en Ucrania, en México, en China, en Corea del Norte, en Washington, en nuestras comunidades locales, en nuestras familias y, especialmente, en nuestros corazones. Qué nuestra oración sea como nos enseño Jesús: Venga Tu Reino, Hágase Tu Voluntad. — Translated by the staff of the Guadalupe Center, Huntingburg
THE MESSAGE
6
BULLETIN BOARD Send information to Bulletin Board at least one week in advance. Items to be considered for publication Friday, May 2, must be received in writing no later than noon on Thursday, April 24. Entries may be repeated if time and space permit. All items may be edited. All times are local times. Mail information to Diane Csukas, Bulletin Board, P. O. Box 4169, Evansville, IN 47724-0169; e-mail to
[email protected], or
[email protected], fax to 812-4240972.
General Interest New Weekend Mass Schedule for Dubois County Parishes, 8 a.m. Sundays, Sacred Heart, Schnellville; 5:30 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m. Sundays, St. Anthony, St. Anthony; effective April 5 and 6. Good Friday Way of the Cross, 3 p.m., April 18, Four Freedoms Monument, Evansville; process from monument to Holy Trinity, Evansville; reflecting on the path that Christ followed for our redemption; open to the public; sponsored by Communion and Liberation; questions or for more information contact Father Alex Zenthoefer at
[email protected]. Triduum Morning Prayer, 9 a.m., Easter Saturday, April 19, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville; Morning Prayer includes singing of psalms and canticles, reading of Scripture, homily, intercessions; questions or for more information contact Matt Miller at mmiller@ evdio.or or 800-637-1731 or Jeremy Korba at
[email protected]. Sisters of Providence Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday Services, Church of the Immaculate Conception, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, 7 p.m., April 19, Easter Vigil Mass with blessing of the New Fire, procession, communion, 11 a.m., April 20, Easter Sunday Mass; Easter Brunch available, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., April 20, O’Shaughnessy Dining Room, for more information and cost visit www.SistersofProvidence.org. 2014 Engaged Encounter Weekends, April 26-27, Sept. 20-21, Sarto Retreat Center, Evansville; weekend retreat with other engaged couples that affords time alone together to plan for sacramental marriage; trained facilitators lead the program; call Dominic Faraone at 812423-5456 at Catholic Charities for more information or to register or visit www.charitiesevv.org/engagedencounter.html. Divine Mercy Sunday, 2:30 p.m., April 27, St. Philip, Posey County; service includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, reflection on Divine Mercy, Holy Rosary/Glorious Mysteries, Divine Mercy Litany, Chaplet of St. Michael, Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song, Benediction and Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confession available during the service. Divine Mercy Sunday, 3 p.m., April 27, St. Mary, Huntingburg; one-hour service will include pro-
cession, solemn blessing of Divine Mercy Image, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, teaching by Father Ryan Hilderbrand, rosary, Benediction. St. Mary, Evansville, Resumes Mass, beginning Sunday, April 27, St. Mary Parish will resume the 4 p.m. Mass. Catholics Returning Home, 6:30 p.m., April 28, Parish Activity Center, St. Mary, Huntingburg; six consecutive Monday informal gatherings for non-practicing Catholics who have a desire to return to the church; for more information call the parish office at 812-683-2372. Twenty-Eighth Annual Sisters’ Night Out, 5-8 p.m., May 6, CJ’s Willow Bowling Center, Evansville; fun filled evening of cosmic glow bowling, pizza, drinks, cookies and ice cream open to all religious women serving the Diocese of Evansville; reservations due by May 5, call Marty Horning at 812-4766803, 812-425-4596 or by email at
[email protected] or Sister Jane McConnell at 812-479-0367; sponsored by Evansville Serra Club. Traditional Latin High Mass with Gregorian Chant, every Sunday, 2 p.m., Holy Trinity, Evansville; celebrant and homilist Father Donald Dilger; Latin-English missalettes provided.
Card Party Corpus Christi, doors open at noon, April 27, Corpus Christi cafetorium, Evansville; $3/person; party includes Chinese auction, half pot, tasting table, snacks; proceeds to benefit school; for more information call Debbie Singer at 812-426-2057.
Classes Classes at Memorial Hospital, Jasper, Outsmarting Diabetes, fourhour class, Fridays, 8 a.m.-noon or two, two-hour classes, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., program teaches participants how to control diabetes, physician’s referral required; Outsmarting Pre-Diabetes, second Wednesday of each month from 5:30-7 p.m. or first Thursday of each month from 11:30-1 p.m., focuses on diabetes prevention plan; for more information or to pre-register call 812-996-0521.
College Faith Life Sunday Masses, UE Newman Center Sunday Mass at 1 p.m., Neu Chapel, University of Evansville (unless otherwise noted); April 27, Father Lowell Will; May 4, Father Christopher Droste. USI Newman Center Masses, Masses at USI, Evansville are held at 4 p.m. in Kleymeyer Hall (LA 0101); April 27, to be announced; May 4, Father Ron Zgunda. UE Newman Club’s Dinner and Discussion Program, April 21, John Payne speaking about St.
APRIL 18, 2014
Vincent de Paul; April 28, end of the year cookout; for more information call Michael Roesch at 812477-6446. USI Newman Club Meetings and Dinner, student meetings, Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., library basement (RL0018), Evansville; for more information e-mail choehn@ evdio.org. Evening Mass, every Wednesday, Neu Chapel, University of Evansville; 9 p.m. opportunity for reconciliation and rosary before 9:30 p.m. Mass; April 23, Benedictine Father Godfrey Mullen; April 30, Father Jeff Read; call Michael Roesch at 812-477-6446 for more information.
Dinner Knights of St. John, Haubstadt, Mothers Day Chicken Dinner, 10:30 a.m., May 11, Knights of St. John, Haubstadt; enjoy fried chicken, dressing, dumplings, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, Cole slaw, rolls, dessert; dine in, carry out; Adults/$9, Children/$5. Mother’s Day BBQ Chicken Dinner, 10 a.m., May 11, St. Anthony, St. Anthony; drive thru meals include chicken, baked beans, vinegar slaw, bread.
55+ Fit Over Fifty, 7 p.m., Mondays, 10 a.m., Tuesdays, 8 a.m. Fridays during the school year, St. John the Baptist School Arena, Newburgh; fitness program designed for people 50 and over includes aerobics, strength, flexibility, balance exercises, go at your own pace; no cost, donations accepted; for information call Cindy Shoulders at the parish office at 812-490-1000.
Fundraisers South Gibson Catholic Schools’ Circus Fundraiser, 5 and 7:30 p.m., April 25, Fort. Branch Community Park, Fort Branch; performances of Culpepper and Merriweather Circus include clowns, acrobats, animals, numerous acts; $10/adults, $6/child; tickets available by calling Holy Cross School at 812-7533289, St. James School at 812-8672661 or Sts. Peter and Paul School at 812-768-6775; credit card orders call 866-244-8676. MEO Tri-State Idol Gala, April 25, Clarion Inn, Evansville; fundraiser for students across the diocese with diverse learning needs; tickets $85 each; for information and tickets call 812-402-6700 ext. 312 or visit www.meoidol.com. Holy Rosary Premium Smoked Baby Back Ribs, pick up 10 a.m.noon, April 26, corner of Green River Rd. and Washington Ave., Evansville; $20/slab; pre orders email
[email protected] or call parish office at 812-477-8923; proceeds used to purchase server albs; sponsored by Holy Rosary Men’s Club. CR Youth Group 5K Run/Walk, sign in 7 a.m., race 8 a.m., May 3, St. Raphael parking lot, Dubois; pre-registration $12/grades K-12,
Prayer service St. James teacher Laura Nixon washes the hands of eighth grader Josh Mayer during a Lenten prayer service at the Haubstadt school. “During last week’s activity, the fourth graders shared a reflection on Jesus washing the feet of His disciples,” said Angie Johnson, principal. “Afterwards students took turns in a hand-washing ritual and completed a reflection sheet on how they were doing on their Lenten promises.” $15/adults, $18 day of race; entry forms available at St. Peter Celestine, Celestine, at 812-634-1875, St. Raphael, Dubois, at 812-6782011 or any Northeast Dubois school; printable form available at www.celestineduboiscluster.com or for more information call Tim Friedman at 812-678-5961. Making Memories Gala and Auction, 7-11 p.m., May 3, Sweetwater Event Center, Evansville; evening includes signature cocktails, dinner from Biaggi’s, dancing and live entertainment, silent and live auctions; $75/person, $1,000/ corporate table of eight; cocktail attire; for reservations or more information contact Karen Oldham at 812-475-1012 or koldham@ aolz.org; proceeds to benefit local Alzheimer’s Association chapter. Baby Quilts offered by Catholic Charities, baby quilt show and continental breakfast, 8:30-11 a.m., May 10, Kundek Hall, St. Joseph, Jasper, tickets $9 in advance or $10 at the door; dinner and auction of 30 baby quilts, 6 p.m., May 28, St. James, Haubstadt; tickets are $25 for both events, call 812-423-5456 or visit www.charitiesevv.org/ babyquilts to purchase tickets. Rummage and Bake Sale, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., May 16, 8 a.m.-noon, May 17, St. Anthony parish hall, St. Anthony; clothing, baby items, kitchen items, Christmas items, toys, books, furniture; $5 bag sale on Saturday; refreshments available; proceeds to be used for boiler and roof replacement of parish hall. Get Moving at the Mount 5K Run/Walk, 9 a.m., May 31, Mount St. Joseph, Maple Mount, Ky.; register online now at ursulinesmsj.org/ help-the-sisters/5k, $20 fee until May 1; for more information contact April Ray at 270-229-2009 or by email at
[email protected]. St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville, Bingo, every Monday night; doors open 5:30 p.m., early bird starts 6:30 p.m., regular bingo starts 7 p.m.
Retreat A Day Apart: Rest and Reflec-
tion, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., May 3, Kordes Center, Ferdinand; retreat provides quiet time for relaxation and personal reflection; opportunity for brief presentation at 9:30 a.m. and group Lectio Divina at 3:30 p.m.; no cost to attend, free will offering appreciated; lunch available for $9.10 or feel free to bring lunch; for more information or to register call 800-8802777 or 812-367-1411, ext. 2915 or visit www.thedome.org/programs; registration deadline is April 30.
Reunion Mount St. Joseph Academy or Junior College, May 17-18, Mount St. Joseph, Maple Mount, Ky.; Saturday includes registration 3-5 p.m., memory room, Mount Saint Joseph Museum, supper, evening prayer; Sunday includes registration beginning at 7:30 a.m., alumnae association meeting, class photos, Mass at 11 a.m., awards banquet at 12:30 p.m.; for more information or to register call 270-2292006 or e-mail
[email protected].
Spot Shoot Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun Spot Shoot, noon-5 p.m., April 27, Hilltop Grove, 3714 Detroy Rd., Evansville; all ages are eligible to shoot with Kids Only Rounds; BB guns available to use; sponsored by Sacred Heart Knights Hilltop Grove; for more information call 812-963-9304.
Youth/Young Adult Camp Little Red Door, summer camp held July 27 through Aug. 1 open to any child 8-18 years old with cancer or in remission living in Indiana, one sibling/friend is welcome to attend if space allows; camp includes swimming, canoeing, fishing, archery, camp fires, arts and crafts; experienced medical staff onsite 24 hours a day; $25/camper, $50/sibling or friend; registration deadline is June 13 by calling 317-925-5595 or downloading application at www.littlereddoor.org/camp.
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THE MESSAGE
APRIL 18, 2014
7
AROUND THE DIOCESE Parish catechetical leader Honoring Dr. Hagan in Huntingburg “Giving thanks to almighty God for many blessings received, I’d like you to know that Rachel Wright has accepted our parish catechetical leader position,” writes Father Ryan Hilderbrand, administrator at St. Mary Parish in Huntingburg. “Rachel brings a wealth of knowledge and teaching experience with her, and I’m excited that she will get to be part of the team at St. Mary’s. “She is very enthusiastic about the many possibilities to make our great religious education program even better. Rachel will begin on July 1.”
Anniversary of ordination Father Eugene Schroeder, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Vanderburgh County, was ordained to the priesthood April 27, 1979.
Martin County anniversaries Congratulations to couples in Martin County parishes celebrating April wedding anniversaries. • St. Mary Parish, Shoals: Bob and Marilyn Horsting, 53 years;
The Message photo by Tim Lilley
During their April 8 meeting at the Catholic Center, administrators from Catholic schools across the diocese honored Superintendent of Schools Daryl Hagan on his recent completion of a doctoral degree. Assistant Superintendent of Schools Michelle Priar presented Dr. Hagan with a graduation tam, which he modeled during a group photo. • St. Martin Parish, Whitfield: George and Bernadette Abel, 58 years; Charles and Oenone Bradley, 55 years; Bill and Dianna Wilson, 46 years; Mike and Vonda Elliott, 45 years; John and Diana Fegan, 41 years; • St. John Parish, Loogootee: Robert and Mary Norris, 61 years; Don and Juanita Taylor, 57 years; Harold and Brenda Dant, 54 years; Leo and Joan Haag, 51 years; Tom and Jean Walker, 50 years; Eugene and Aggie Wilcoxen, 47 years; Don and Jackie Arthur, 44 years; Terry and Marsha Street, 43 years; Bob and Beverly Miller, 42 years; Richard and Nancy Summers, 40 years; • St. Joseph Parish, Bramble: Guy and Stasia Padgett, 65 years; Leo and Carolyn Arvin, 55 years.
New website “Please check out our new parish website — http://stjohnloogootee.com — which is a wonderful addition to our Martin County parishes,” writes Father Kenneth Walker, pastor. He thanked Alan Lagree and Ryan Johnson for their work on the site.
Happy Birthday! Roberta Burch, parish catechetical leader at St. Martin Parish, Whitfield, celebrates her birthday April 28.
Steward of the Vineyard Richard Kempa is named as a Steward of the Vineyard in the newsletter for the Catholic Community of North Spencer. He is a member at St. Nicholas Parish in Santa Claus, and “always willing to lend a hand and help wherever needed.”
It’s a girl! Congratulations to Washington Catholic Elementary School teacher Sarah Hopf and her husband, Ryan, on the birth of their daughter, Abigail Joann. Katie Kuester will be the first grade teacher while Sarah is on maternity leave.
Art Show winners Mater Dei High School stu-
Scouting awards Tonya Sander from St. Mary Parish in Ireland and Father Zach Etienne, pastor at Good Shepherd Parish in Evansville, display St. Elizabeth Ann Seton emblems they received during a recent award ceremony for Girl Scouts in the Diocese of Evansville. They are joined by Deacon Charles Koressel, diocesan Girl Scout chaplain, and Bishop Charles C. Thompson. dents Tori Wagner and Amanda Blankenberger have received first place awards in the Evansville Museum High School art show. Megan Fulton receive a second place. Blankenberger also received a second place and is a USI merit award winner. Emily Heldman is a Bishop Shea merit award winner.
K of C donation The Knights of Columbus Council 2215 has donated $700 to St. James School in Haubstadt. The money will be used to purchase a “new reading assessment called Early Literacy,” according to Angie Johnson, principal. Funds will also go to the school’s Star Reading program.
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THE MESSAGE
Bishop Thompson acknowledges those in attendance, who sang “Happy Birthday” to him (April 11 is his birthday) at Bishop-Emeritus Gettelfinger’s request.
APRIL 18, 2014
APRIL 18, 2014
THE MESSAGE
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Bishop William Medley, left, of Owensboro, Ky.; Bishop Charles C. Thompson of Evansville; Bishop-Emeritus William Higi of Lafayette, Ind., Bishop-Emeritus Gerald A. Gettelfinger of Evansville; Bishop-Emeritus Robert McRaith of Owensboro; and Bishop Christopher Coyne of Indianapolis visit just before the opening of the April 11 Anniversaries Mass.
Bishop-Emeritus Gettelfinger’s family attended the Mass, along with members of the Catholic Center staff.
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke went straight from the special Anniversaries Mass to the historic announcement that the Indiana University Medical School would be built in downtown Evansville.
Priests from across the Diocese of Evansville Concelebrated the Anniversaries Mass with the Bishops.
Bishop-Emeritus Gettelfinger reminisces with John and Marian Witting, who appeared in a photo with then-Bishop-Elect Gettelfinger just before his ordination and installation as the fourth bishop of Evansville on April 11, 1989.
Jane Leingang, Paul’s wife, also served as a lector.
Former Diocesan Director of Communications, Paul Leingang, served as a lector.
— The Message photos by Peewee Vasquez
THE MESSAGE
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APRIL 18, 2014
Today, as lowly servants, we wait for Him
PERSPECTIVE FROM THE PEW BY ERIC GIRTEN
Eric Girten is a life-long member of Holy Rosary Church in Evansville. He welcomes your feedback at girtenclan@wow way.com.
I am a lowly servant of my Master’s house. I go about my tasks, performing them inadequately and yet my Master has always wrapped His arms around me, even in my most feeble of efforts to serve Him. He has always held me high, so much so that I am treated as one of His own; His kindred; His flesh and blood. Even in the midst of His love for me, I have often been unable to understand the depth of such compassion and giving. For many years now gone by, I have taken to frequently walking the path past His house, checking on Him from the gate. Maybe it has been to ensure that He is safe or maybe it has been simply because I wish to be near Him. No matter the reason, I have always been drawn to Him as a meager moth is to eternal glow of a soft flame. As I have walked past His home, I would pause and bow, looking for a glimpse of Him through a window or maybe to catch Him walking in His garden in the afternoon breeze. Knowing of my routine and that my love for Him was of great importance to me, a candle was placed beside the entry of His house,
always lit and clothed in red, so that I could easily know that my Master was home and that He was safe. For a low servant such as I in the midst of the turbulent waters of this life, the very sight of this candle lit and upon seeing that my Master was safe in His house, was enough to give me peace and comfort. And yet this day I have seen my fears realized. It has been enough to shake me to the inner parts of my soul, for today when I passed by my Master’s house, the flame had been quenched. I looked for it again, hoping that my eyes had deceived me but the flame was not lit. Even further did my heart sink as I found the doors to my Master’s home flung open and left for thieves to enter in and plunder His dwelling. Flinging the gate open, I ran to the entrance, not daring to breach the entry out of respect, but even from this vantage point I could see nothing in the home. There was no stirring. There was no life. There was only emptiness and darkness. I searched around the house and in the garden and yet I found nothing until I found that a
tree had been cut off at the stump, a dogwood that had provided Him shade, and it appeared to have been dragged off under the cover of darkness. I find myself searching frantically for answers in my mind. Where has my Master gone? Who has taken Him? What is to become of me, a feeble man, if I cannot find my strength and my rock? Will they lash the back that has carried me? Will they stretch out the arms that have embraced me? Will they bloody the smile that has been my hope and my solice? Will the One who has removed my stain be stained with His own blood? What am I to do? What are we all to do, those who follow the Son of Man, if He is taken from us by those who wish to do Him harm? I cannot bare the thought of a world that has been emptied of its Creator; devoid of its light. We must hurry now, my brothers and sisters; hurry to find the One who finds Himself in want of us as much as we are in want of Him. Light your lanterns and stay vigilant until we find where they have taken Him and until we can return Him safely home.
Blood of Martyrs, Seed of the Church
BOOK NEWS BY SISTER ANNE FLANAGAN, F.S.P.
Read more from Sister Anne Flanagan at her blog (http://romans8v29.blogspot.co m/) and follow her on Twitter (@nunblogger).
Sometimes on the feast of a martyred saint, homilists are tempted to remark that, “we’ll never be martyred the way today’s saint was.” They might want to rephrase that. John Allen’s appallingly sober The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution (Image, New York, 2013) takes the reader to “the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian” (you’d be surprised). Allen is a solid journalist (and now an associate editor of The Boston Globe), not given to hysterics. He highlights examples of the different forms persecution takes: “legal harassment, social discrimination, arbitrary detention . . . torture, physical assault and injury, and, all too often, death,” and the reasons these many persecutions fail to make headlines (much less waves) in the more comfortable nations. John Kiser’s The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love, and Terror in Algeria (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2002) is a thorough presentation of the martyrdom of a Trappist community in an otherwise godforsaken stretch of a former French colony (the subject of the movie “Of Gods and Men”). The monks were not taken by surprise when armed men invaded their monastery. They weren’t even the first religious community to be kidnapped
or put to death in that civil war. But their German Lutherans, but a worldwide body deaths did something that the many (many!) encompassing every race, language and culprevious murders failed to do: bring the whole ture. According to Metaxas, there is a pretty country up short. Within a short span, stability straight line from that insight to Bonhoeffer’s came to Algeria. At times, the extended historirejection of Nazi race-based ideology and his cal background on Algeria and France causes increased marginalization as a Lutheran pastor the book to drag, but the beauty of the monks’ in Nazi Germany — as well as his involvement lives makes up for it. in a major plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler, for Before reading Eric Metaxas’ massive (634 which he was hanged just 23 days before the pages!) biography, I was more familiar with the Nazi surrender. A must-read! writings of the noble Dietrich Bonhoeffer (espeFor young adult readers (or for grownups who just want a quick read), “Martyred: The cially his “Cost of Discipleship”) than with the Story of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz” (Pauline Books & journey his life took. “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Media, Boston, 2013) is historical fiction on the Martyr, Prophet, Spy” (Thomas Nelson, life and martyrdom of the first Filipino saint, Nashville, 2011) filled in the details (sometimes told for the most part from the perspective of too many details!) while inspiring me no end. I the (fictional) Samurai ordered to carry it out. had no idea that Bonhoeffer had been brought Author Susan Tan skillfully weaves Catholic up in such a culturally and academically rich prayers and devotional practices into the story, environment, surrounded by learning and by as Lorenzo and his companions endure imprismusic. Truly, he was well prepared for the onment, trial and torture simply for being world stage. Catholic Christians in 17th Century Japan. As a Catholic, I was deeply impressed that it was the young Bonhoeffer’s experience of a Papal Mass on Traylor Fertilizer Service, Inc. Palm Sunday that brought home to him just what it Box 69 • Montgomery, Indiana 47558 meant to be the Church of “Serving You Since 1957” 812-486-3285 • 888-486-3285 Jesus Christ: not an assembly Fax: 812-486-3339 www.traylorfertilizer.com of culturally homogeneous
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THE MESSAGE
APRIL 18, 2014
‘God’s Not Dead’ is a very mixed bag
SCRIPTOGRAM A passage from Sunday’s Scripture readings is represented below in code. CLUE: In this week’s SCRIPTOGRAM, A equals U. SUGGESTION: See the Gospel Commentary page in this week’s Message, to find the citations for the chapters and verses of the readings. Solving the biblical reference will provide clues for solving the rest of the puzzle. For Sunday, April 20: N W D AY F U X H _ _ _______ RYGFYMXZG, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, TPWB _ _ _ _ NWYCN _ _ _ _ _ JOZPZ _____
JOZ ___
VCR ___
“OZ “_ _
OVG _ _ _
RZVR, _ _ _ _,
SZTWPZ ______ H WA _ _ _
JZXX ____
VCR ___ H WA _ _ _
LY X X ____
OZ _ _ JW _ _
GZZ ___
DISCLAIMER: Some Christians believe that any Christian film that is trying to do good and tell the truth should be praised and promoted, regardless of whether it displays excellence in filmmaking and theology/philosophy. I am not one of those Christians. You have been warned. Proceed with this knowledge.
MOVIE NEWS
OYG _ _ _
SZZC ____
PVYGZR ______
BY SISTER HELENA BURNS, F.S.P.
Read more from Sister Helena Burns at her blog (http://hellburns. blogspot.com/) and follow her on Twitter (@SrHelenaBurns).
YG __ NVXYXZZ, _ _ _ _ _ _ _,
OYB.” _ _ _. ”
— B V J J O Z L — _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11
28:7 28:7
CROSSWORD
The new Christian film “God’s Not Dead” is a VERY mixed bag. It had such potential, an exciting premise, and set out to fill a huge gap — an almost untouched pastoral field — but I feel much of it was squandered and went awry. Premise of the film A young Christian man goes to college and finds himself in an atheist professor’s philosophy course. The professor is intent on proving there is no God, or rather simply insists his students agree with him at the beginning of the year so they can get the God question out of the way. The whole class agrees — except Josh. A series of classroom debates are set up between the young man and the professor, and the class
SCRIPTURE SEARCH SHE RAN Gospel for Saturday, April 19, 2014 Matthew 28:1-10
gets to decide who they think is right. What’s good about the film The acting is totally up to snuff. Shane Harper plays Josh in a very believable manner. Harper projects this sweet, innocent-but-informed, unable to be intimidated Christian guy. Kevin Sorbo plays Professor Radisson to the hilt. GND also stars Dean Cain, so we have Hercules and Superman in the same movie. “God’s Not Dead” makes some really good philosophical/scientific points. It also makes clear that being a Christian is not the “in” thing to be today. Family and friends won’t understand if we try to take our faith too seriously. There will be big risks, momentous choices and, sometimes, heavy costs — even when we are minding our own business. The credits roll forth a long list of court cases in the USA dealing with religious freedom/persecution on campuses — it’s bracing. The best parts of the film are the debates themselves. Young people who see this movie will be exposed to the classic facile, often-illogical arguments of atheist proselytism, but this time with rebuttals — almost all in the scientific realm. The rebuttals do not go far enough, however; and Josh devolves into an ad hominem attack on Professor Radisson, using some personal information against him, and then devolves further into an all out emotional plea and then an altar call and then [SPOILER ALERT!] everyone comes to believe in Jesus/God. Which brings us to:
Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Easter Vigil: Mary Magdalene’s early morning trip to the tomb. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle. EASTER MARY STILL DARK SIMON PETER THE LORD ROLLED UP HE SAW R O L L E D U P D L P B
E L S S K E E W E H T D
T K I I N A N A D A H A
S R E N M A R Y K O E E
FIRST DAY THE TOMB STONE JESUS NOT GO IN PLACE RISE A A D S T O N E W N T D
E D R P H H N T A I O E
A L O E C A L P S O M H
THE WEEK EARLY SHE RAN TAKEN HIS HEAD WENT IN FROM THE DEAD R L L M R L J L E G B T
L I E E G E H L H T F M
Y T H I S H E A D O E O
J S T U W E N T I N B R
By PATRICIA KASTEN © 2014 Tri-C-A Publications
See answers to SCRIPTOGRAM and CROSSWORD on page 16.
DISTRIBUTED BY TRI-STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS INC 1220 E DIAMOND AVE EVANSVILLE INDIANA 800-457-3749 812-425-4337
O J S G Y A D T S R I F
What’s not so good about the film One of my biggest beefs with the film, besides the shoddy philosophy, is its portrayal of atheists. Talk about reverse stereotyping. All the atheists in the film are incredibly shallow, selfish and cruel. The students who all purport to be atheists, but who then all suddenly believe, are portrayed mostly as kind of mindless sheep. The dialogue vacillates from utterly realistic and brilliant to utterly silly and ridiculous. The young people in my theater appropriately snorted at each instance of “what planet are these people living on” dialogue. As far as film structure goes, the set up is very well done; but we have an early resolution, which would normally be the end of the film, when Josh is victorious in the classroom. The rest of the film is one long epilogue of fairly disjointed vignettes. But the momentum/ tension has already been broken. Convincing? Will “God’s Not Dead” be convincing to atheists and/or young people? Some of Josh’s nuggets from the debates should be helpful. But other elements would not convince me. I might even be insulted. I don’t believe argumentation is the best way to bring about faith. I believe the best way involves love, prayer, proclamation and example.
THE MESSAGE
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APRIL 18, 2014
The big reveal: Looking back at God’s plan
20SOMETHING BY CHRISTINA CAPECCHI
Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. She can be reached at www.ReadChristina.com.
Blue or pink? That was the secret contained in the cake. My younger brother and his wife are always looking for an excuse to throw a themed-party — a World Series game for the Cardinals, an end-ofthe-world prediction, the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. They couldn’t resist the opportunity to kick-start the celebration of their firstborn by hosting a gender-reveal party, so we gathered on a chilly Sunday afternoon to learn about the baby due in July. A gender-reveal party takes the news captured at an ultrasound and announces it in a more dramatic fashion: pulling a sheet out of an envelope, Oscars style; slicing into a blue- or pink-colored cake; opening a box of balloons. The concept took off in 2011, according to BabyCenter.com, which reported an explosion of discussion threads. It is the antithesis of a baby shower, heavy on obligation and estrogen. A genderreveal party centers on the surprise, delivering a sweet pay-off for a breathless audience — the promise of big news and bakery-made cake. Its popularity has surged with Pinterest, where pregnant women dream up a million ways to decorate with light pink and powder blue. My brother hung a cascade of pink and blue balloons in the entrance of his home and used his pitcher’s arm to fling crepe paper onto the ceiling fan in his two-story great room.
When Tony and Jodie lifted a slice of blue cake, pinched holiday expectations, helping her keep I felt a flicker of that hospital thrill right there in calm and carry on when her visions of a the dining room. My voice broke when I congrat- Victorian Christmas go unfulfilled. ulated him. “You’re going to have a son!” When I review my 20s, I can see how an Later that day, after I’d downloaded my picunwelcome “no” paved the way to a blessed tures, I found myself thinking about the idea of a “yes.” Doors we never would’ve closed on our big reveal. So few major events can be known in own lead to opened windows, once we pick ouradvance through an announcement or alert. selves up and look around. Sorrow softens us, It’s in the looking back, not looking ahead, that kneading our hearts into doughier, more comwe can trace the hand of God. We are guided passionate organs. along in extraordinary ways, through ordinary This long winter has reminded me that I can’t means. For Sister Mary Madonna Ashton, a 90mastermind my future with a spreadsheet and a year-old Sister of St. Joseph, it was the neighbor stopwatch. Life doesn’t unfold in even numbers girl who happened to attend a Catholic high and rhyming couplets. I’m learning what it school and persuaded her to enroll, which led to means to be open to life, the Church’s charge to her conversion to Catholicism and pursuit of reli- married couples, on a broad level. It can be scary gious life. For my husband, the impromptu decito trust God, to dive headfirst when you can’t see sion to stop at my college one afternoon — the net beneath you. But I want to operate on which turned out to be registration day — led grace, not strategy. I’m entering into Easter, the our paths to cross. ultimate surprise. Disappointments also take on new meaning in God’s plan for my life is different from mine — retrospect. My friend Natalie’s labor did not go and, I have no doubt, better. according to her labor plan — which, she later told me, was FORD apt preparation for parenthood. MERCURY Learning to deal with the LINCOLN space between fantasy and realJASPER ity is how we grow up. For one FORD - LINCOLN - MERCURY 482-1200 mother of five, praying a daily rosary takes the edge off
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APRIL 18, 2014
THE MESSAGE
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What is the USCCB? BY DOMINIC FARAONE Coordinator, Diocesan Family Life Services/Respect Life
The rural town of Carthage, Mo., may not strike you as particularly illustrative of the scope — or the cultural variation — of the Catholic Church in the United States. Readers may be surprised to learn that Carthage annually hosts “Marian Days,” a pilgrimage of Vietnamese Catholics and their descendants in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary that typically draws 50,000-70,000 people. Consider other numbers that suggest the size and diversity of the U.S. flock. According to the “Official Catholic Directory,” the recorded Catholic population of the U.S. in 2013 was almost 67 million. Catholics reside in nearly 200 dioceses. In the Midwest’s numerically largest, the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Eucharist was regularly celebrated in roughly 20 different languages — and occasionally in more than 40 — in the recent past. Perhaps even more astonishing, the 2.2 million baptized Catholics in Chicago is only slightly greater than half the number of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles flock (4.3 million) — approximately 70 percent of whom are Latino. This large and varied body presents countless opportunities and challenges to serve the faithful and the communities in which they live. Every diocese is unique insofar as it is shepherded by a particular bish-
op, is comprised of specific communities, and must negotiate distinct challenges. What national body helps to pinpoint the joint concerns that affect the life of the Church both within the church community and within contemporary society? Who addresses and then applies Catholic faith and teaching in the United States? Who helps to spearhead and manage educational, spiritual, and charitable initiatives that span dioceses? The answer is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, an assembly of the hierarchy of the U.S. and the U.S. Virgin Islands that exercises certain pastoral functions on behalf of the U.S. faithful. This article begins a series that will examine contemporary USCCB documents on family life — one gift that is of clear concern to many Catholics. Before we investigate these documents, it would be helpful to outline the history and work of the USCCB. In 1917, American bishops formed the National Catholic War Council to supervise Catholic material and spiritual provisions to U.S. servicemen. The War Council represented the first sustained union of American bishops in voluntary association to meet and discuss national issues that affected the Church. Following the War, the bishops created the National Catholic Welfare Council (NCWC), which essentially supplanted the War Council. “Conference” very soon replaced “Council” to underline the consultative and
voluntary nature of the body. Partly to help offset the political influence of Protestant churches, the Conference was centered in the nation’s capital. An adminisDOMINIC FARAONE trative committee, general secretary, and some staff oversaw the Conference’s five original branches (social action, education, legal, press, lay activities) and helped to manage the internal and external affairs of the Church. Participating bishops met in annual assembly. In October 1965, the Second Vatican Council’s “Decree Concerning the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church (Christus Dominus)” formally encouraged the formation of national or regional episcopal conferences throughout the world. Shortly thereafter, the American bishops essentially reorganized the NCWC into two organizations: the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB), which focused on ecclesiastical concerns and provided a court wherein bishops could collectively respond to a host of issues; and the United States Catholic Conference (USCC), which conducted the Church’s work in society at large, such as public policy and educational and charitable initiatives. In 2001, the NCCB and USCC were combined into the USCCB, also incorporated and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The episcopal body’s broad purpose is to promote the greater good that the Church offers humankind. The USCCB offers a forum where bishops can share concerns, pray, and consult one another. Civilly, the body’s objective is to “unify, coordinate, encourage, promote, and carry on the Catholic activities of the United States; to organize and conduct religious, charitable, and social welfare work at home and abroad; to aid in education; to take care of immigrants; and generally to enter into and promote by education, publication, and direction the objects of its being.” Presently, the USCCB includes four executivelevel and management committees and 16 programming committees (e.g. committees on Catholic education, doctrine, and pro-life activities). A general secretariat oversees day-to-day operations on behalf of the bishops. Bishops constitute the membership of the Conference. Staff composed of clergy, religious, and laypeople serve the bishops. To shepherd the faithful, the USCCB periodically issues documents, which often require bishops’ majority approval and, in some instances, must be confirmed by the Vatican. In a thoughtful and accessible manner, documents have sought to address and apply Church teaching to a wide range of pressing national and international, ecclesial and ethical issues that bear on the lives of many Catholics in dioceses across the U.S. Over the next few months, articles in this series will focus on bishops’ documents that directly center on family life and address fascinating, and continually relevant, questions like: how does the economy wound or support family life; what is a “family perspective” and how can it be fashioned in Church and society; and what concrete steps can be taken to “put children and family first”? The U.S. flock is large and diverse, to be sure, and we can be thankful for the gift of episcopal collaboration. At the same time, the bishops’ earnest concern and unwavering support for the family strongly suggests that we not lose sight of that smallest expression of the Church and indeed the very source of society — the family.
THE MESSAGE
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APRIL 18, 2014
The Resurrection of the Lord Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10; First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
T H A I N S S W W E E R E S K S
The liturgy for Easter Sunday gives us the option of using John 20:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10. The topic of both readings is the discovery of the empty tomb by disciples of Jesus. In addition Matthew includes an annunciation by an angel of the resurrection of Jesus with further instructions, plus an appearance of Jesus to his faithful women disciples. The reading from Matthew is also the gospel for the Vigil. Since many do not participate in the Easter Vigil, let’s examine this reading from Matthew. Jesus’ disciples were faithful, observant Jews. The body of Jesus was buried late on the previous Friday evening. Observant Jews rested on the Sabbath — the seventh day of the week. Therefore Matthew begins, “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning . . .,” or as we would say, “Early Sunday morning. . . .” There were quite a few Marys connected with the Christian movement. Besides the mother of Jesus, one Mary stood out beyond the others. She was called “Mary of Magdala,” or Mary Magdalene because she was from the city of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. “Magdala” means “tower.” The city seems to have gotten its name from a fish-drying tower located there for the convenience of the fishing industry of the Sea of Galilee. There was a group of wealthy women-disciples of Jesus who supported his ministry in Galilee. Mary of Magdala was one of these. See Luke 8:1-3. There is no evidence in the gospels that Mary of Magdala was a former prostitute. That label was first attached to her two hundred years later by the Church Father Tertullian, and was then taken up by Pope Gregory the Great
who died in 604. Magdalene was a wealthy disciple and supporter of Jesus. With another Mary she was first on the scene on that memorable morning. They do not come to anoint the body of Jesus as they do in Mark and Luke. For Matthew the anointing of Jesus’ body had already taken place in the house of Simon the leper at Bethany when a woman poured precious ointment on Jesus’ head. As the two women approached the tomb of Jesus, there was “a great earthquake,” the fourth earthquake noticed only by Matthew’s gospel. In Matthew’s theology, formed by the Old Testament, earthquakes are a sign of God’s intervention in history. Matthew gives the immediate cause of the earthquake: “An angel of the Lord descended from heaven . . ., and rolled back the stone.” Many burial places were carved into the relatively soft stone of hillside cliffs. In a groove constructed for the purpose, a round stone was rolled across the opening to the tomb. The guards posted by Pilate went into shock out of fear of what they saw happening and “became like dead men.” The angel proceeds to an annunciation, “Do not be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus the crucified one. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.” The angel invites the women to see the place where Jesus’ body had been placed in the tomb. Further instructions: the women are commanded by the angel to report Jesus’ resurrection to his disciples. This is especially notable since the witness of women was not usually considered reliable. Neither the angel, nor God who sent the angel, are bound by human prejudice against women or by male chauvinism. The text of the women’s message to the disciples follows. First, an annunciation of Jesus’ resurrection. Then an appointment to meet Jesus in Galilee. In Galilee
he had first called his disciples to follow him, and in Galilee they would see him for the last time, no longer as the village carpenter who had begun a ministry of teaching and healing. They would see him vindicated and with the authority of God himself. To some extent Matthew has been following Mark’s version of these events, but now makes a profound change. Mark had ended the women’s encounter with the angel by closing his gospel with these words, “Trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.” Mark carries the theme of abandonment of Jesus to the very end, when even the faithful women do not fulfill the command of the angel to report Jesus’ resurrection. Matthew will have none of this final abandonment. From Mark’s version he keeps only the fear of the women, but adds compliance with the angel’s directions, “They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” Matthew’s theology will not allow these faithful women of Galilee, disciples and supporters of Jesus’ ministry, to go unrewarded. Jesus himself, the risen Lord, meets them and greets them. They recognize him, “embrace his feet and worship him.” Encounters with the supernatural unsettle human beings. Jesus assures them as did the angel, “Do not be afraid!” His message is a bit different from that of the angel, “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” We are left with a mystery. Are the brothers the earlier mentioned disciples, or are they the extended family of Jesus of which Mathew wrote in 13:55-56? One of these “brothers” mentioned in Matthew 13 later became the leader of the Christian community at Jerusalem and was martyred there in 62 A.D. Happy Easter!
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APRIL 18, 2014
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Learning to look at Lent in a new way Thank God Lent is over! Now I can get back to eating my three pork chops instead of two; my chocolate cake, which I sacrificed for 40 days; not to mention my Cokes and Pepsis! I’ve attended enough extra daily masses that, in case I miss Sunday mass this year, I should be taken care of!! Such was my (our!) thinking about Lent when we were children. We would give up candy or soft drinks, always asking when does Lent end. Our parents’ typical response was “on Holy Saturday at noon” — although very few Catholics knew why Lent ended “on Holy Saturday at noon.” The Easter Vigil was celebrated in the morning until Pope Pius XII changed it to after sundown around 1952. Adults would give up their beer or cigarettes just scratching at the bit until Lent ended to have a swig or light up. But did those customs make us better people? Unfortunately this was not — and is not — the purpose of Lent. Although Lent is a season of penance and good works, we were supposed to examine our lives to see where we needed to change to become more like Christ. By ridding our lives of sin and evil, we would “rise with Christ” on Easter a little more. Sadly, this understanding of Lent changed when the Church no longer baptized new members on Holy Saturday, but scattered them throughout the year. The connection between Lent and our dying/rising with Christ was lost. The new members — who are baptized, confirmed and celebrate Eucharist on Holy Saturday with us — promise to die to sin and a
THE CHRISTIAN JOURNEY BY FATHER JIM SAUER
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self-centered life, and to live for God alone in Christ. They proclaim to us the real purpose of our Lenten sacrifices and good works — we too are to die to sin and self-centeredness so that we may rise a little more with Christ on Easter. As St. Paul proclaimed so exquisitely in Romans 8:8-11 on the fifth Sunday of Lent, “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.” The Spirit wants to raise us NOW to new life in Christ, not only in the resurrection from the dead. Our new members are living witnesses of the risen Lord’s presence among us as He calls women, men and children in our generation to become His disciples. He fills them with God’s own Spirit so that they may love with God’s love, see with the vision of the Gospel, and walk with Jesus to heaven’s glory. The restoration of celebrating the sacraments of initiation (also, called the “Easter Sacraments”) is a great blessing in our church. It may take several generations for us who learned to look at Lent the old way to change our thinking and connect it with our rising with Christ today. But then again, we have Lent next year. Lent is only a
reminder of what we are to be about every day — dying to sin and self-centeredness and living for God. St. Ignatius of Loyola probably invites us to ask ourselves the most important question each year as we begin the season of Lent — if not every day: “Lord, is there one more thing that I can do for You?” It’s a daring question because Jesus might tell us that He wants us to do more than give up Cokes, candy, and other food items. He may tell us to let go of a grudge; to forgive; to make peace; visit someone in the nursing home we haven’t taken time for in a while; or spend more family time. Most people on their death beds rarely say, “I wish I had spent more time working; rather, I wish I had spent more time with loved ones.” During this entire Easter Season until Pentecost, our parish families are called to welcome our new members. In doing this, we welcome Christ Jesus, ever ancient and ever new. In the coming weeks, I will share some ideas of how parishes can help our new members feel more at home and how our new members can inspire us who have been hard at it following Christ for many years. “Christ has been raised! Indeed Christ is risen and is alive!”
Why fish, but no meat?
QUESTION CORNER BY FATHER KENNETH DOYLE
Questions may be sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at askfatherdoyle@ gmail.com and 40 Hopewell St., Albany, N.Y. 12208
Question: Why is it OK to eat fish on Fridays during Lent, but not other animals? Isn’t fish meat as well? Is shellfish, like lobster and shrimp, considered fish, and does the church allow its consumption on meatless days? (It seems to me that lobster is extravagant and shouldn’t be eaten during a season when almsgiving and abstinence are encouraged.) (Canal Winchester, Ohio) Answer: First, a clarification on the rule. The prohibition against meat on Lenten Fridays is not universally binding. National conferences of bishops, and even bishops of each diocese, have some discretion in applying the rules of fast and abstinence. In the diocese where I live, for example, Catholics are asked to refrain from eating meat on the Fridays in Lent. However, the published guidelines specify that “by retaining these traditions for our diocese we do not intend that they be interpreted as laws binding under pain of sin, but as customs from which we will not hold ourselves lightly excused.”
Evidence from the church’s earliest centuries indicates that meat was already singled out as a particular type of food from which Christians occasionally abstained. Why meat? Because meat was associated with celebrations and feasts and was considered a luxury in some cultures. Fish, by comparison, was more often the poor man’s meal. Your observation that fish is also meat is correct — technically and biologically. It is the flesh of an animal, but in many Western languages the term “meat” is used customarily to refer only to the flesh of mammals and fowl. In his 1966 apostolic constitution on penance, Paul VI used the Latin word “carnis” in regard to abstinence, a word that refers specifically to mammals and birds. As to lobster and shrimp, they are indeed fish, and so there is no prohibition against eating them on days of abstinence. But I agree with your point: The spirit of Lent is one of penance, in memory of Christ’s suffering, and of sharing our blessings with the poor. To forgo a hamburger on a Lenten Friday and substitute instead a lobster tail seems a bit hypocritical. As a matter of fact, the bishops of the U.S. agree; their website says, “While fish, lobster and other shellfish are not considered meat and can be consumed on days of abstinence, indulging in the lavish buffet at your favorite seafood place sort of misses the point.”
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Diverse Catholic schools provide consistently strong education BY KATHY MEARS When I interviewed for the position of executive director, I was asked if I liked to travel. I replied that I did; and I would be happy to visit teachers, principals, and students across the country. Now, 38 (arch)dioceses later, I am so very glad for the opportunity to visit so many different places and to learn from so many dedicated Catholic school educators. So, what have I learned from all those trips to all those places? The short answer is, “A lot!” The longer answers rest in this column. I have learned that Catholic educators care deeply about their students. Everywhere I go, teachers ask me to assist with particular students or a particular issue a student is having in mastering a standard. They tell me of their fears that they are not doing enough or that they are not doing the right thing for their students. I try to assure them, provide them with an idea or teaching tip, and in my heart pray a prayer of gratitude. I am so grateful that they care so much! I have also learned that each place I visit has its own unique celebrations and ways of doing things, but they are all grounded in our faith. I have yet to visit a place where I did not immediately know that I was in a Catholic school. From the greeting at the door to the smiles that receive me, our schools are welcoming centers where the love of Christ is modeled for all to see. No matter how many times I visit our schools, it does not get old. I love the visits, and I cannot wait for more visits! Our schools are working to be more inclusive, and the diversity I see in our schools is a reflection of our church. I see
children of many different racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds. I see children with learning needs, physical needs and emotional needs who might not have been in our buildings a decade ago. I see these children demonstrating the Golden Rule, and I see them working and learning together, exactly as it should be. When I see such diversity it makes me smile. It also inspires me to pray that more students with different backgrounds and needs will be able to enroll in our schools. There is also a lot of diversity in the buildings where our children learn. Some are brand new or newly remodeled. Others bear the marks of generations of children who have learned and grown in them. Some are very high tech, while others still rely on chalk. This type of diversity gives me pause. It makes me wonder what we could or should do. It makes me wonder if, as a church, we are ready for a conversation about this issue. It makes me wonder what Pope Francis would advise us on this topic. Learning is occurring in our schools! Children know their math facts, their capitols, and their governmental leaders. They can explain photosynthesis and the role that stewardship plays in our environment. They also let me know about the connections between their faith and their academic learning. When they bring up these connections, it is without prompting. They are receiving a Catholic education that helps them to know that God is the beginning and the end, and that Christ came to save us. Finally, students in our schools know that they can rely on prayer and each other. Children in our schools believe that they are part of God’s fam-
APRIL 18, 2014
“A Family Serving Families”
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KATHY MEARS ily. They know that they are part of a church that will be there for them. Our schools are not perfect, but they are striving to be the best they can be. They are working to provide a quality Catholic education, focused on faith, the classics, and a solid foundation of reading, writing, and arithmetic. At the same time, our schools are accepting the challenges of a world that keeps moving forward. They are embracing their role as agents of evangelization. The National Directory for Catechesis says, “Catholic Schools are vital to the Church’s mission of evangelization and catechesis. They exist in order to educate the entire person: mind, body, and soul. They present the totality of the Catholic faith” (National Directory for Catechesis, USCCB, 2005, p. 262). Our schools are accepting their role. They are passionately working to fulfill their purpose. The future is bright because of their work. Kathy Mears is the National Catholic Education Association Executive Director for Elementary Schools.
‘Let your light shine!’ Holy Family Catholic School welcomed some special guests April 11 for a convocation themed, “Let your light shine!” Indiana Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz, on the right, joined Diocesan Superintendent of Schools Daryl Hagan, left, Holy Submitted photo courtesy of Holy Family Catholic School Family Pastor Father John Boeglin and Holy Family Principal Sally Sternberg in celebrating the school’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School. “Lt. Gov. Ellspermann, Mayor Seitz, and Dr. Hagan each addressed the students,” Sternberg said, congratulating them on this achievement and challenging them to continue to learn, grow in faith and serve others, thus contributing positively to our community. I am so very proud of our students, who truly do let the light of Christ shine through their many God-given talents!”
Print. Digital. Same information. Your choice of format.
The Message continues to provide a weekly roundup of important news from parishes and ministries in the Diocese of Evansville. As 2014 unfolds, we expect to provide more local news than ever, and we don’t want you to miss a single issue. Every issue of The Message is now available TWO ways.
DIGITAL EDITION A Digital Edition of The Message is delivered to you every Thursday, and it is compatible with your computer, tablet or smart phone — ANY device that will open PDFs. The cost for one year is $12. You can subscribe online at www.TheMessageOnline.org. Click on the “subscribe button” at the top of the page and follow the simple instructions.
PRINT EDITION A Print Edition of The Message continues to be delivered every Friday. The cost is $24 a year, and your print subscription now includes the digital edition at no extra charge. Here is how to subscribe or renew: Tear off the address portion of the front page of this week’s issue, and place it in an envelope with $24. Send it to The Message, P.O. Box 4169, Evansville, IN 47724. If you are also interested in the digital issue, please include your email address. You can also subscribe online at www.TheMessageOnline.org and click on “subscribe” For additional information, call Diane or Steve at The Message office, 812-424-5536.
THE MESSAGE
APRIL 18, 2014
OYAYA announces details for WYD 2016 pilgrimage to Poland BY THE MESSAGE STAFF Diocesan Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Steve Dabrowski is accepting reservations for the Diocese of Evansville’s pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland, for 2016 World Youth Day, which will take place July 26-31. “2016 may seem like a long time in the future,” Dabrowski said; “however, we have already made our reservations, and given the strong interest shown from those across the diocese, spots will fill up quickly.” Anyone interested in making the pilgrimage must register and provide a $600 deposit no later than May 1, 2014. “This initial payment is actually our hotel deposit and first payment combined,” Dabrowski said. “Subsequent payments will be $300, with a final balance due in early 2016. Deposits are non-refundable, so we recommend that registrants purchase an optional travel-insurance policy to cover their investment. More information on travel insurance is available on the OYAYA website.” Dabrowski expects the total cost to be approximately $3,600 per person, but a final amount cannot be determined until air fares are published in 2015. The cost will include: • Roundtrip airfare from Chicago (airport subject to change) • Motorcoach from Warsaw to Krakow • 1 night accommodation in/nearby Czestochowa (with dinner) • Tour to Auschwitz • 7 nights at the 4-star Hotel Swing, Krakow • Walking tour of Old City Krakow • Group farewell dinner with Bishop Thompson • WYD Registration with meals You can listen to a recorded presentation (by Chris Dube of Dube Travel) about the pilgrimage and view the slide show that accompanies it on the official Diocesan WYD website: http://www.evansville-diocese.org/youth/WYD.html For additional information or to obtain a registration form, please contact Dabrowski at 812-424-5536 or
[email protected].
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St. Anthony Seder Supper St. Anthony of Padua Parish Youth Minister Benedictine Sister Teresa Gunter, below, describes the various foods of a traditional Seder Supper as Pastor Father Jay Davidson holds up a small bowl of salt water, which is symbolic of the bitterness that Israel endured in its experience of slavery. Parishioners from St. Anthony and St. Joseph Parish in the city filled the St. Anthony parish hall April 14 for the event. As shown on the table, at bottom, the Seder Supper includes Matza, left, the unleavened bread; and on the plate: lamb, represented symbolically by the shank bone, or zproah, as a reminder of the lamb offered on Passover; parsley, or maror, the bitter herbs; a roasted egg like that offered at the Temple of Jerusalem at the Passover festival; the haroset, a mixture of apples, cinnamon, nuts and wine, which is a reminder of the mortar used by the forced Hebrew laborers in Egypt. The Seder Supper also includes four toasts of wine or grape juice as part of the prayer ritual. Those in attendance enjoyed a dinner of roasted lamb, matza, parsley, haroset, rice and vegetables. St. Anthony Parish has hosted a Seder Dinner during The Message photos by Tim Lilley Holy Week for more than 20 years.
Merge Continued from page 3 All the parishes scheduled to merge beginning later this year continue to move forward. As announced in the Sept. 27, 2013, issue of The Message, merges will take effect beginning July 1, 2014, and will continue through July 1, 2016. Some of the other
merging parishes are working toward new names, and those will be announced in The Message as they are approved. Bishop Thompson and Diocesan Chief Operating Officer Tim McGuire also are continuing a series of listening sessions that began in January as part of the Strategic Plan’s second phase. Listening sessions will
continue into June as parishioners across the diocese get opportunities to hear about the process to date, and to ask questions and raise any concerns. All future announcements regarding the Strategic Plan will appear first in The Message. Our readers will be the first to receive announcements about the plan. Stay tuned!
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Thousands of new Catholics prepare to receive the Sacraments BY THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS WASHINGTON — A widower honoring his late wife and a Chinese graduate student are among the thousands of people joining the Catholic Church in the United States at Easter. All have participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a process of conversion and study in the Catholic faith for catechumens and candidates coming into full communion with the Church. Catechumens, who have never been baptized, will receive baptism, confirmation and first Communion at the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil. Candidates, who have already been baptized in another Christian tradition whose baptism is recognized by the Catholic Church, will enter the Church through a profession of faith and reception of confirmation and Eucharist. Across the Diocese of Evansville, 81 Catechumens and 107 Candidates will come into full communion during Easter Vigil Masses in our parishes. The Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston will welcome about 2,300 catechumens and candidates. The Archdiocese of Washington will welcome 1,306 new Catholics, the largest number of candidates and catechumens in its history. Also welcoming large numbers of converts this year are the Archdiocese of Atlanta, with 1,913 new Catholics; the Archdiocese of Los
APRIL 18, 2014
Sunday evening prayer at St. Benedict through Pentecost St. Benedict Cathedral will hold evening prayer (Vespers) at 5:30 p.m. CST every Sunday from Divine Mercy Sunday (April 27) through Pentecost Sunday (June 8).
The Message photo by Peewee Vasquez
Bishop Thompson speaks to Candidates, Catechumens, their families and sponsors March 9 during the Diocese of Evansville’s Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, which was held at St. Benedict Cathedral. Angeles with 1,666; the Archdiocese of New York with 1,350; the Diocese of Raleigh with 1,200; the Archdiocese of Newark with 1,075; the Archdiocese of Seattle with 1,045; the Archdiocese of Chicago with 950; and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati with 946. These numbers are based on participation in the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, the final phase of the RCIA process celebrated at the beginning of Lent.
Not included are infant baptisms that totaled 763,208 for the year 2012, according to the 2013 Official Catholic Directory. The directory also reported that there were 41,918 adult baptisms and 71,582 people received into full communion during the same year, the latest with complete statistical data. The Diocesan Office of Catechesis provided information for this story.
Framed in a mystagogical approach, the weekly service is intended to reinforce the importance of the sacraments to those who were welcomed into the Church during the Easter vigil. It also will reinforce and further the journey toward salvation for current and lifelong Catholics.
Renew, Rebirth, Rejoice . . .
Easter Blessings from The Message
