de fe En - Diocese of Joliet

Transcripción

2
Advent:
A time to rediscover
U
Christ is our Hope / December 2009 / Dioceseofjoliet.org
Un amigo sacerdote de Misuri trabajó
detalladamente haciendo su árbol genealógico,
pero se encontró con un gran obstáculo. Su
investigación se detuvo en una pareja que había
venido a este país, desde una pequeña ciudad de
los Países Bajos desde hace más de 100 años.
Do you have a petition for Bishop Sartain’s prayer list? You may send it to him at:
Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Joliet; 425 Summit St., Joliet, IL 60435-7193.
his birth.
But, how will we welcome him if we do
not admit that we need a Savior, if we do
not take time to search for him in humility
and silent prayer?
There is probably no better way to
prepare for Christmas than to admit our
insufficiency, our weakness, our incapacity to save ourselves. In many ways this is
what Advent is all about: preparing a way
by recognizing that only God can fulfill us.
To admit our insufficiency is not a sign
of defeat; to do so is a sign of welcome to
the Savior. Jesus is ready – and desires –
to come to us. Will we let him in?
The two great branches of God’s family tree met the day the pregnant Mary
greeted the pregnant Elizabeth. But, these
branches meet again and again, hand-inglove with a perfect fit, each time you and
I pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” As St. Augustine wrote in the 5th century, “You have
made us for yourself, O Lord, and our
hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
A friend once told me that his youngest
son, who had recently become an altar
server, wanted to make sure he awoke on
a particular morning to serve early mass,
so he slept in his clothes. When his dad
went into his room at 5:45 a.m. to awaken
him, he saw a sign on the wall with an
arrow pointing to a glass of water on the
nightstand. The sign read, “Please pour
this on my head.”
John the Baptist appeared on the
scene as the one about whom Isaiah had
spoken: “A voice of one crying out in the
desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make
straight his paths.’” (Luke 3:4). God is about
to pay the price of our ransom. Jesus
Christ our hope is born! He has made us
for himself, a perfect fit.
Merry Christmas!
Él decidió viajar a ese lugar para
pasar allí unas vacaciones de verano,
llevando consigo su incompleto
árbol genealógico y los nombres de
esta pareja de inmigrantes. Llegó al
atardecer y fue directamente hacia la
municipalidad. Cuando mencionó los
nombres de sus ancestros, las personas
de la oficina municipal, inmediatamente
los reconocieron. Ya, para el final de la
tarde, él se encontraba en la casa de
estos parientes lejanos. Ellos, también,
habían estado trabajando en su árbol
genealógico y, también, habían llegado
a este punto muerto donde justamente
se había detenido la investigación de
mi amigo. Los dos árboles familiares se
complementaron como anillo al dedo.
Adviento nos lleva al preciso momento
donde nuestro árbol familiar del Antiguo
Testamento y del Nuevo Testamento se
encuentran, el punto de contacto entre
nuestro anhelo y el cumplimiento de
Dios, cuando María visita a Isabel (ver
Lucas 1, 39-44). Juan el Bautista, el último
de los profetas del Antiguo Testamento,
se encuentra con Aquel, a quién él
vino a preparar el camino. Incluso en el
seno de Isabel él reconoce la presencia
del Mesías y, por lo mismo, llega un
momento en la historia cuando el árbol
familiar de Dios del Antiguo Testamento
empalma – como anillo al dedo – con el
del Nuevo Testamento.
Adviento es un tiempo para
encontrar entre lo antiguo y lo nuevo,
entre la promesa y el cumplimiento,
entre nuestra limitación y la plenitud
de Dios. Es el tiempo para recordar
la perfecta complementación hecha
posible por Dios cuando derramó su
amor en Jesucristo. Es la oportunidad
para redescubrir con alegría nuestra
necesidad de salvación.
¿Le ha sucedido alguna vez que
habiendo hecho lo mejor que ha podido,
habiendo hecho todo lo que le enseñaron
y le capacitaron para hacer para que al
final sólo encuentre que la vida aún no ha
cubierto todas sus expectativas?
¿Alguna vez ha tratado de ser el
esposo perfecto, la madre perfecta, el
médico perfecto, el maestro perfecto,
para que al final sólo mire que ha caído
en el stress del día?
¿Ha intentado usted tomar el Evangelio
con seriedad queriendo con toda su
fuerza seguir a Dios sinceramente; para
que al final sólo descubra que es capaz
de pecar como siempre?
¿Usted nunca ha sufrido una
enfermedad seria y sentirse sin fuerzas
para curarse a sí mismo?
¿Alguna vez ha tenido la sensación
que a pesar de que todo en su vida iba
bien – familia, trabajo, ambiente social –
todavía había un vacío profundo que le
hizo preguntarse qué estaba faltando?
¿Se ha sentido como si fuera usted
contra todo el mundo, que era su
responsabilidad luchar sus propias
batallas, estar solo y ser fuerte contra
cada tempestad, conquistar cada desafío
sin ayuda de nadie – sólo para que al
final admita avergonzado que usted
necesita ayuda, necesita gente, necesita
un hombro para llorar?
¿Alguna vez ha esperado en lo que
parecía una anticipación interminable
para que Dios le muestre el camino?
¿Alguna vez ha admitido que necesita
a Dios?
Estas son las grandes preguntas de la
Biblia, el profundo anhelo de los profetas,
el dolor persistente del corazón humano.
Adviento es el tiempo para que nosotros
saboreemos estas preguntas y lleguemos
a la aceptación más grande de todas:
Nosotros no podemos salvarnos solos.
Nosotros necesitamos un Salvador.
A través de este tiempo litúrgico
escuchamos el anhelo del pueblo de
Israel por el Mesías, escuchamos a Juan
el Bautista diciendo que debemos estar
Bishop Peter Sartain
Christ is our Hope
December 2009
¿Deseas que el Obispo rece por alguna intención en especial que tú tengas?
Escríbele a: Lista de Oraciones del Obispo Sartain. Diocese of Joliet, 425
Summit St. Joliet, IL 60435-7193
From the Bishop
our need for a Savior
A
priest friend from Missouri once worked diligently
to map out his family tree but eventually hit a brick
wall. His records stopped with the couple who
had come to this country more than 100 years
earlier from a little town in the Netherlands.
He decided to spend a summer vacation traveling to that town, armed with his
incomplete family tree and the names of
the immigrant couple. Arriving late one
afternoon, he went straightaway to the
town hall. When he mentioned the name
of his ancestors, the people in the office
recognized it immediately; and, by the end
of the evening, he was sitting in the home
of distant relatives. They, too, had been
working on the family tree; they, too, had
come to a standstill at the precise place my
friend had stopped. The two family trees
fit hand-in-glove.
Advent brings us to the precise point
where our Old Testament and New
Testament family trees meet, the point of
contact between our longing and God’s
fulfillment, when Mary visits Elizabeth (see
Luke 1:39-44). John the Baptist, the last of the
Old Testament prophets, meets the one
whose way he has come to make ready.
Even in Elizabeth’s womb, he recognizes
the presence of the Messiah, and thus
comes a moment in history when God’s
family tree of the Old Testament fits handin-glove with that of the New Testament.
Advent is a time for encounter between
the old and the new, between promise and
fulfillment, between our insufficiency and
God’s fullness. It’s the season for recalling the perfect fit made possible as God
poured forth his love in Jesus Christ. It’s
the opportunity for joyfully rediscovering
our need for salvation.
Have you ever done your best, done all
you had been taught and trained to do,
only to find that life still had not met your
expectations?
Have you ever tried to be the perfect
husband, the perfect mother, the perfect
physician, the perfect teacher, only to
watch yourself blow it under the stress of
the day?
Have you ever tried to take the Gospel
seriously, wanting with all your might
to follow God wholeheartedly, only to
discover that you are just as capable of sin
as ever?
Have you ever suffered from serious
illness and felt powerless to heal yourself?
Have you ever had the feeling that even
though everything in your life was going
fine – family, job, social scene – there
was still a deep vacuum which made you
wonder what was missing?
Have you ever felt like it was you
against the world, that it was your duty to
fight your own battles, brave every storm
alone, conquer every challenge without
help from anyone – only to admit eventually, and with embarrassment, that you
needed help, needed people, needed a
shoulder on which to cry?
Have you ever waited in what seemed
like endless anticipation for God to show
you the way?
Have you ever admitted that you need
God?
These are the great questions of the
Bible, the deep longing of the prophets,
the persistent aching of the human heart.
Advent is the time for us to savor these
questions and come to the greatest admission of all: We cannot save ourselves. We
need a Savior.
Throughout this season we hear the
longing of the people of Israel for the Messiah; we hear John the Baptist telling us to
be ready for his coming, and we celebrate
preparados para su venida y celebrar su
nacimiento.
Pero, ¿cómo podemos darle la
bienvenida si no admitimos que
necesitamos un Salvador, si no tomamos
tiempo para buscarlo en humildad y en
una oración silenciosa?
Probablemente no hay mejor manera
de prepararse para la Navidad que
admitir nuestras limitaciones, nuestra
debilidad, nuestra incapacidad para
salvarnos a nosotros mismos. En
muchos sentidos, esto es lo que Adviento
significa: preparar el camino para
reconocer que sólo Dios puede llenarnos.
Admitir nuestras limitaciones no es un
signo de derrota; al contrario, hacerlo es
un signo de dar la bienvenida al Salvador.
Jesús está listo – y deseoso – para venir
a nosotros. ¿Lo dejaremos entrar?
Las dos grandes ramas de la familia
de Dios se encuentran el día que María
embarazada saluda a Isabel embarazada.
Estas dos ramas se vuelven a encontrar
una y otra vez – como “anillo al dedo”
– como una complementación perfecta,
cada vez que usted y yo rezamos: “Ven,
Señor Jesús.” Así como San Agustín
escribió en el siglo V: “Nos hiciste para
ti, Señor, y nuestro corazón está inquieto,
hasta que descanse en ti.”
Una vez, un amigo me contó que el
menor de sus hijos, quien recientemente
había sido admitido como acólito, quería
estar seguro de despertarse una mañana
en particular para servir temprano en
misa; por eso, el durmió en su closet.
Cuando su papá fue a la habitación a
las 5:45 de la mañana para levantarlo
vio una nota en la pared con una flecha
señalando un vaso con agua en la mesa
de noche. La nota decía: “Por favor,
derrame esto sobre mi cabeza.”
Juan el Bautista apareció en escena
como aquel del cual el profeta Isaías
había dicho: “Una voz grita en el
desierto: ‘Preparen el camino del Señor,
enderecen sus senderos’” (Lucas 3, 4).
Dios está a punto de pagar el precio
de nuestro rescate. ¡Jesucristo, nuestra
esperanza, nace! Él nos ha hecho para
él mismo, esa es una complementación
perfecta.
¡Feliz Navidad!
Obispo Peter Sartain
Cristo es nuestra
Esperanza
diciembre 2009
Liturgical Calendar: St. Francis Xavier, priest December 3 | St. John of Damascus, priest and doctor of the church December 4 | St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the church December 7 | Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary December 8 | St. Juan Diego, hermit December 9 | St. Damasus I, pope December 11
3
4
Scam Alert – Spreading Hope Evangelization Drive
Table of contents
La semana pasada, se comunicó a la diócesis de Joliet que algunos fieles estaban recibiendo
llamadas para solicitarles donaciones a través de su tarjeta de crédito para la Revista Cristo Es
Nuestra Esperanza (Christ is our Hope). Si usted ha recibido una de estas llamadas sepa que se
trata de una estafa y no debe responder. Si usted ha respondido a esta solicitud, le sugerimos que
se contacte con su compañía de crédito inmediatamente.”Evangelización: Propagar la Esperanza”
es una inicativa para conseguir fondos de apoyo a la Revista Cristo Es Nuestra Esperanza. En esta
iniciativa no se solicita donaciones a través de llamadas telefónicas! Gracias, y sentimos
mucho por cualquier inconveniente que esto pueda causarle. Nosotros hemos reportado esta
estafa a la policia. Si usted tiene preguntas o comentarios, por favor, llame a Carlos Briceño, 815834-4060; Tony Brandolino, (815) 834-4032; Doug Delaney, (815) 722-6606; ó Miguel
Moreno, (815) 834-4038.
PUBLISHER
Doug Delaney
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
December 2009 • Volume 2: Issue 10
Carlos Briceño
EDITOR
Amy Kiley
STAFF WRITER
Oliva Cervantes
Miguel Moreno
SPANISH TRANSLATORS
FAITH Catholic
Rev. Dwight Ezop
CHAIRMAN
Patrick M. O’Brien
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Elizabeth Martin Solsburg
DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING/
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Joanne Eason
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICE
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Patrick Dally
12
ART DIRECTOR
Whether you are a less-active Catholic coming
home for Christmas – or a practicing Catholic
looking to extend a Christmas welcome – may
God bless you as you celebrate the birth of Christ!
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/WEB MASTER
Janna Stellwag
Abby Wieber
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
18
– Fathers Ryan Larson and Matthew Pratscher
7 Catholic Life Every Symphony Unfinished
– Father John Welch, O.Carm
8 Spirituality From a Crib in Bethlehem comes a light in
the darkness – Father Thomas Rosica
10 Year of the Eucharist The Eucharistic Theology of St.
John’s Gospel – Father Robert Schoenstene
24 Liturgy Gathering as the body of Christ
– Father Douglas Martis
28Reflexiones de fe La Virgen de Guadalupe
y la Navidad – Miguel Moreno
31Last word Reflections on the birth of Christ
– Carlos Briceño
Why he is a saint: Saint John of the Cross was commonly
known to sacrifice himself and “take up his cross.” From living a
San Juan de la Cruz
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
InnerWorkings
PRINT MANAGEMENT
Christ is Our Hope (USPS 25288) is a membership
publication of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, 402 S.
Independence Blvd., Romeoville, IL 60446-2264.
Published monthly except for February and August.
Gift subscription rates are $15 per year. Individual
issues are $2.50. Send all subscription information and
address changes to: Christ is Our Hope magazine, 402
S. Independence Blvd., Romeoville, IL 60446-2264;
(815) 834-4060 or email magazine@dioceseofjoliet.
org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Christ
is Our Hope magazine, 402 S. Independence Blvd.,
Romeoville, IL 60446-2264 ©Christ is Our Hope
magazine, Diocese of Joliet. ©FAITH Publishing
Service. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Publishing
Service. No portion of Christ is Our Hope magazine
may be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
reproduced or distributed in whole or in part without
prior written authority of the Diocese of Joliet and/or
FAITH Publishing ServiceTM. For reprint information or
other questions regarding use copyright material, contact
the Christ is Our Hope magazine editorial offices at the
Diocese of Joliet. Periodicals postage paid at Romeoville,
IL and at additional mailing offices.
To submit story ideas and news
Send e-mails to [email protected]
For subscription information
Please call (815) 834-4060
Día de la fiesta: 14 de diciembre
Patrón: de la vida de meditación, la teología mística,
los poetas españoles, y la ciudad de Ta’ Xbiex, Malta
Canonizado: 27 de diciembre de 1726
Significado del nombre: Dios es misericordioso; regalo
de Dios
Es conocido por: San Juan de la Cruz nació en España
en el 1542. Su padre fue criado por una familia noble,
pero cuando decidió casarse con la hija de un tejedor, dejó
su riqueza y posición. Cuando su padre murió, su familia
no tenía hogar, por eso, deambulaban. A la edad de 14
años, Juan aceptó un trabajo en un hospital en Medina. Fue
entonces cuando empezó a sacrificarse en el cuidado de los
pacientes, cuyas enfermedades eran mentales e incurables.
En el año 1567, ingresó a la orden de los Carmelita donde
fue ordenado sacerdote.
Durante su sacerdocio conoció a Santa Teresa de Ávila,
y ellos trabajaron juntos para reformar la orden de los
carmelitas, cuyo propósito era regresar a una vida de oración.
Muchos de los monjes no estaban contentos con sus planes,
y, por eso, lo raptaron y lo encerraron durante nueve meses.
Juan de la Cruz pudo escapar de la ciudad de Toledo,
llevándose la poesía que había escrito en la celda. Durante
su vida San Juan de la Cruz escribió varios libros sobre el
crecimiento espiritual y la oración.
Por qué es un santo: A San Juan de la Cruz se le conocía
comúnmente por sacrificarse y “cargar su cruz.” Desde
llevar una vida de pobreza hasta sanar el abuso de algunos
miembros de la orden de los Carmelita. Él cargó muchas
cruces, pero nunca se quejó. Casi al final de su vida, Juan de
la Cruz pedía “sufrir y ser detestado.”
Frase más conocida: “¡Qué más quieres, oh alma! ¿Y qué
más buscas afuera, cuando dentro de ti mismo posees tus
riquezas, deleites, satisfacción y reino ... tu amado a quién
deseas y buscas? Deséale ahí, adórale ahí. No lo busques
fuera de ti. Sólo te distraerás y no lo encontrarás, ni lo
disfrutarás más que si lo buscas dentro de ti.”
Cómo murió: A la edad de 49 años, San Juan de la Cruz
murió en Úbeda en Andalucía, España. Se conoce muy poco
sobre su muerte, y sus restos descansan en Segovia.
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe December 12 | St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the church December 14 | St. Peter Canisius, priest and doctor of the church December 21 | St. John of Kanty, priest December 23 | Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord December 25 | Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr December 26
Santo del mes
6 A
sk the priests What do we mean when we say in the
Creed “the communion of saints”?
28
How he died: At the age of 49, Saint John of the Cross died at
Ubeda in Andalusia, Spain. Little is known about his death, and
his relics are in Segovia.
Tom Gennara
Phillip Shippert
What you’ll get
out of this issue
24
Claim to fame: Saint John of the Cross was born in Spain
in 1542. His father was raised in a noble family, but, when he
decided to marry the weaver’s daughter, he gave up his wealth
and status. When his father died, John’s family continued to be
homeless wanderers. By the age of 14, John had taken a job at
a hospital in Medina. There he began sacrificing himself by caring for patients with incurable diseases and mental illnesses. He
entered the Carmelite order and was ordained in 1567.
During his priesthood he joined with Saint Teresa of Ávila
in reforming the order and focused on returning to a life of
prayer. Many of the monks were displeased with their plans, and
members kidnapped John of the Cross. They imprisoned him for
nine months. He eventually escaped from Toledo, Spain, taking
only the poetry he had written in the cell. In his lifetime he wrote
several books on spiritual growth and prayer.
Best quotation: “What more do you want, o soul! And what
else do you search for outside, when within yourself you possess
your riches, delights, satisfaction and kingdom – your beloved
whom you desire and seek? Desire him there, adore him there.
Do not go in pursuit of him outside yourself. You will only become distracted and you won’t find him, or enjoy him more than
by seeking him within you.”
GRAPHIC DESIGNERs
Christmas art from children reflects
the joy of the season
16
Feast day: December 14
Patron saint: of contemplative life; mystical theology;
Spanish poets; Ta’ Xbiex, Malta
Canonized: Dec. 27, 1726
Meaning of name: God is gracious; gift of God
Lynne Ridenour
Father Bill Ashbaugh
Dcn. Tom and JoAnne Fogle
Father Joseph Krupp
Dr. Cathleen McGreal
Tim Ryan
The magazine recently asked children from
Lisa Boyer’s classes at St. Dennis Catholic
School in Lockport to give their artistic impressions of Christmas.
Saint John of the Cross
Most Reverend J. Peter Sartain
Jillane Job
Catholics Come Home … for Christmas
26
The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet
life of poverty to curing the incurable to enduring abuse from the
members of the Carmelite order, he carried many crosses but
never complained. Toward the end of his life, John of the Cross
prayed “to suffer and be despised.”
Saint of the month
This past week it was brought to the attention of the Diocese of Joliet that some parishioners are
being solicited by telephone for credit card donations to Christ is our Hope magazine. If you receive
such a phone call, it is a scam and you should not respond. If you may have already responded to
such a request, we suggest that you contact your credit card company immediately. The “Spreading Hope Evangelization Drive,” initiated to raise financial support for Christ is our
Hope Magazine, does not include solicitation by phone! Thank You, and we are very sorry
for any difficulty this may have caused you. We have reported this scam to the police. If you have
any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Carlos Briceno, (815) 834-4060; Tony
Brandolino, (815) 834-4032; or Doug Delaney, (815) 722-6606.
5
6
Ask the priests:
Who can be saved?
ather Ryan Larson is a parochial vicar at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Naperville. Father Matthew Pratscher is a parochial
F
vicar at Visitation Parish in Elmhurst. To submit questions to Father Ryan or Father Matt, e-mail them at [email protected].
Q
I have been struggling with
prayer. My mind wanders a lot,
and I don’t know what to expect
or listen for. How do I know if
God is talking to me?
Ask the Priests
A
Jesus said, “I
A:
am the way and
the truth and the life;
no one comes to the
Father except through
me” (John 14:6). People are
saved through Jesus, or
they are not saved.
So does this mean
that all non-Christians
go to hell? No.
Acts 17:22-31 records Saint Paul’s
speech in Athens. In
it he speaks to people
who are truly ignorant
of the God of Israel,
but he gives them
credit for unknowingly
worshipping God and
says they could have
the hope that God
would overlook their
previous ignorance of
him.
However, in Romans
1:20-23, Saint Paul
talks about how even
pagans who lived during the time of the Old
Testament and did not
have God’s law revealed
to them faced the real
danger of being condemned for their sins.
He explains it is pos-
sible to know of God’s
existence and his laws
through our natural
reason and conscience.
Everyone is accountable to God. More is
demanded of those
who have truly encountered the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. But,
everyone, no matter
how little or how much
they know about God,
can turn toward him
and be saved or turn
away from him and be
condemned.
Someone who knows
that the Catholic
Church was founded
as necessary by God
through Christ and
refuses to enter it or
remain in it could not
be saved. However,
“those who, through no
fault of their own, do
not know the Gospel of
Christ or his Church,
but who nevertheless
seek God with a sincere
heart, and, moved by
grace, try… to do his
will as they know it…
those too may achieve
salvation.” (For a fuller
explanation, read the
Catechism 836-848.)
– Father Ryan Larson
it bears and the profound sense of peace and
thanksgiving it produces, even amid difficulties. To your surprise, the object of God’s communication may not be a special task for you,
but, more likely, something more personal or a
deeper love for a particular aspect of the faith.
In interpreting your prayer, it is helpful to turn
to Scripture, tradition and the wisdom of the
saints. –Father Matthew Pratscher
Every Symphony Unfinished
Father John Welch, O.Carm, is the prior provincial of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Province of the Carmelite order.
His office is in Darien, Ill.
I
was buying a Twinkie, a Coke, and a newspaper. The
young woman behind the counter said, “Is that all?” I
glibly replied, “Isn’t that enough?” She said, “We never
have enough.” I had to agree, but, at that moment, I
just wanted lunch.
Why is it we are never satisfied? Sure, there may be times
when our lives seem to be just
right. But, more often than not,
we are restless. The simple
Christian response is: we
are made for God. All of our
desires are ultimately a desire
for God. And, until we are one
with God, we are restless.
Remember Saint Augustine’s
counsel: “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in Thee.”
unfulfilled, ill-at-ease, never
finally settled. Certainly, there
can be a neurotic restlessness, but a low-grade ache
for more tugs at most of us.
One theologian observed:
“Every symphony is unfinished.” In every possession,
in every relationship, in every
accomplishment is an incompleteness.
We are made to yearn, to
desire, to ache, to hunger and
thirst until we find something
or someone that meets the
depths of our yearning. The
Christian story tells us that
only God is sufficient food for
the hungers of our heart.
ment us, are gradually shaped
through discipline and grace.
We are not getting tougher.
Our desires are changing.
The desires of our hearts are
more and more in accord
with God’s desire for us and
the world. We begin living in
a consonance of desire. Or,
as Saint Teresa of Avila said
simply, “And now, I want what
you want.”
Song and celebration
The hungers of the heart
are ultimately good. And, food
abounds in God’s creation.
Those things that properly
nourish those hungers, which
speak to that deep-down ache,
should be celebrated. We hunGod, the first contemplative
ger for wholeness, intimacy,
justice and peace. We have
We Christians believe the
family, friends, places, prayers
true story of our lives is a love
and experiences which God
story. One telling of the story
provides for us to give us sussays that God, the first contenance on our journey.
templative, gazed on us and
Transformation of desire
Truly enjoying God’s gifts
made us alluring. Attracted
sometimes is difficult for us. It
by one hair of our head, God
But, our hungers and our
goes against our Catholic sushad to fall in love with us. It
desires can lead us down
is not we who first loved, but
troubled paths. Our God-given picion that behind every good
God who first loved us. We
spiritual longing, which may be thing lurks a catastrophe. The
were born loved. And that love expressed in many ways – in- Irish lady was greeted with,
wounded our heart, making it
cluding creative, erotic energy “Isn’t it a great day!” She
responded, “Yes, and we’ll be
ache for love’s fulfillment.
– is dangerous for us if not
paying for it!”
Our pilgrimage through life
carefully tended. We need to
We will “pay for it” if we
is to find the One who made
be realistic and have a reverus this way. We want that One ence for that energy within us. cling to the good things of
creation, trying to tease from
to come back and finish the
One contemporary spiritual
them the nourishment only
love affair. Our search takes
writer comments: “SpiritualGod can give. But, enjoying
us through God’s creation,
ity is about finding the proper
them properly, holding them
and we ask that creation to tell ways, disciplines, by which to
in freedom and giving thanks,
us something about the One
both access that energy and
can bring us life. Surprisingly,
who wounded us. Creatures
contain it.” The goal is not the
we may discover a deep-down
do speak of their Creator but
annihilation of desire but the
joy. We may even hear ourthen point down the road, urg- transformation of desire.
ing us to continue the quest.
Over a lifetime, our desires, selves humming, “Jesu joy of
It is natural to be restless,
which often dissipate and frag- man’s desiring …”
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 27 | Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs December 28 | St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr December 29 | St. Sylvester I, pope December 31
Catholic life
It is common to wonder if God hears
us and responds, especially when
prayer seems uneventful. Your very
desire to hear God is possible because God has made us to be in relationship
with him, which necessarily implies the possibility of mutual communication. Furthermore,
he has given Christians the Holy Spirit to well
up within us and realize this union expressed
in prayer.
Our prayer can be inhibited by many distractions, expectations and the avoidance of
wounds, conflict or change. It is important for
us to humbly open ourselves to God rather
than hide from him. We need to bring our
whole selves to the Lord – including our anxieties, guilt, and fears – and to set aside time to
spend with him in silence with “nothing to do.”
Sometimes we approach prayer as if it depends upon us or is about us, but prayer is
not just about receiving answers, but about
recognizing where God is and how he may be
drawing us toward conversion and a stronger
union. We may hope or demand God to communicate through grand signs or an audible
voice. Although some people may be able to
hear God directly speaking to them, for most of
us, God’s voice is more subtle. God, who made
our hearts and knows them, often goes deeper
than our ears and speaks to our hearts through
the simple and unexpected.
While in prayer, God can use our thoughts,
words, imagination, memories and emotions
to speak to you. While participating in devotional exercises such as Eucharistic adoration,
lectio divina, Ignatian meditation, the rosary,
and the Stations of the Cross, something often
catches our attention, such as a word, concept,
prayer, or memory. God may be using that to
speak to us.
Search where God is in it; ask him to show
you. You will know its authenticity by the fruit
Q:
Who can be
saved?
7
8
9
From a Crib in Bethlehem
comes a light in the darkness
Father Thomas Rosica is chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network (saltandlighttv.org
in Canada). He is a weekly contributor to the Zenit International News Service (zenit.org) and serves as a consultor to the Pontifical Council
for Social Communications. He can be reached at: [email protected].
T
authentic peace means a full and unconditional
acceptance of God in the midst of our own
ambiguity and darkness. The true peace of
Christmas is given to all those who long for
healing, forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation,
unity, justice and peace each day of their lives.
The drama of Jesus’ birth reminds us that the
elite and powerful, those who benefited most
from keeping the status quo, were the least
open to insights and solutions to the injustices
and the heartbreaks of this world. Who caught
on to the whole thing in the beginning? Some
go together.
The real work of Christmas begins as we
accompany the infant Jesus from Bethlehem to
Nazareth to Capernaum and up to Jerusalem.
Christmas does not ask us to pretend we were
back in Bethlehem, kneeling before a crib. It
asks us to recognize that the wood of the crib
became the wood of the cross – that the child
of Bethlehem is the Man of Jerusalem, the Man
of Sorrows and of the Cross, the one who lays
down his life for us, the one who is our guide
and model.
Spirituality
God’s purposes. The
Lukan Gospel story
of the birth of Jesus
calls for the whole
world, and not only
for Israel, to welcome
the birth of the Son of
David. We are invited
to follow shepherds
and kings, saints and
sinners, and that long cortège of witnesses
The Roman Republic had come to an end.
Caesar Augustus was emperor and had himself of all generations as they seek the light in the
darkness to share their message of good news
declared a god. Monuments were built to
with a world steeped in darkness.
honor Augustus’ birth as the beginning of good
And yet there is a tremendous and rather
news for the world. Another monument to him
terrifying paradox at the heart of the Gospel
in Asia Minor proclaimed Caesar Augustus
story: this great heir to the Davidic line comes
as the “Savior of the World.” It is against this
to inherit his ancestor’s throne in the form of
background that the evangelist Luke sets the
a tiny, powerless baby wrapped in swaddling
birth of Jesus. We know the Lukan Infancy
clothes and lying in
Narrative (Luke 2) so well
a manger (Luke 2:12).
that we often forget
Beyond the charm of the story, Jesus’ birth heralds
what lies at the heart
the beginning of life
of its message of
Luke’s message is clear: no
in the world of death,
deceptive simplicity.
event in our shadow-filled history of
the protest of hope
The society of
the world is alien to the coming of the
against all fear, the
Augustus’ time was
promise of everlasting
an alienated one: a
Savior. No power, however violent and
in the midst of so
world divided into
oppressive, escapes the reach of God’s light
much darkness, the
conquerors and
consolation of truth
victims, occupiers and purposes.”
against despair. Those
the occupied, the very
who accept this paradox are invited to make it,
wealthy and the starving poor, those who were
in the light of the cross and the resurrection, the
free and an ever-growing population of slaves.
standard of their deepest attitudes.
And, this alienation not only existed in society’s
The message of the Incarnation is not an
structures of sinfulness, but also in peoples’
invitation to behold an innocent baby lying in
hearts. The old Roman spirit had collapsed.
a manger, but, rather, to take sides with God
Roman virtues were gone, and the Roman
who agitates for reform and shatters the status
gods were declared dead. There was peace on
quo. It is an invitation from God to become
the surface, but political, social, economic and
instruments of dialogue and peace. The child
spiritual unrest underneath. People back then
of Bethlehem, who later becomes the man of
truly yearned for a genuine sense of salvation,
the cross of Jerusalem, means it’s no longer
peace, wholeness, harmony and healing.
Luke’s story is one of God writing straight with business as usual, folks.
More than anything, the Christmas story is
our human, crooked lines. Beyond the charm of
a vision of how God is present in the world.
the story, Luke’s message is clear: no event in
our shadow-filled history of the world is alien to It is not the political and ecclesiastical power
structures of the world that grant salvation
the coming of the Savior. No power, however
and peace. The birth of Jesus reminds us that
violent and oppressive, escapes the reach of
he liturgy of Christmas is one of those magic moments in
our Christian tradition. Who of us cannot be captivated by
the birth of a baby, born of simple, poor parents in a little
village practically lost in obscurity? Yet, the powerful message
of this great feast we are about to celebrate makes it clear
that the story of the birth of a baby in a stable was no idyllic country folktale.
Jesus was born into a world in which it seemed, on the surface at least, that
salvation and peace had already been achieved.
shepherds from fields
outside of Bethlehem,
a few wise men from
the east, an old, pious
Jewish couple who
longed for Israel’s
salvation, day and
night in the Temple.
And now, maybe even
us.
At Christmas we
are invited to possess
the innocence and
the hope of a child.
Yet, that child within
us is not a helpless
child unable to speak,
one totally dependent
on others. That child
within us is our adult
self transformed by
God. Jesus’ birth at
Bethlehem changed
the course of world
history and gave that
history a new direction
and meaning. On
Christmas night, in
the darkness of prayer
and in the mystery of
this wonder, Jesus
gives us new direction
and vision. He is the
light in our darkness.
He is our peace. On
this Holy Night we are
not given one new,
mighty and glorious
throne from which our
God will rule over us,
but two ways by which
God will reign among
us: from a crib in
Bethlehem and from
a cross in Jerusalem.
We cannot have one
without the other. They
The Eucharistic Theology
of St. John’s Gospel
Father Robert Schoenstene is a priest of the Diocese of Joliet, ordained in 1975. He did his seminary studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. Following ordination he did graduate studies in classics at Loyola University, and biblical studies at the
Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1978 to 1981. He taught Scripture at the Pontifical College Josephinum from 1981 to 1988 and
at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary from 1988 to the present. He helps on weekends at Christ the King Parish in
Lombard. This is the first part of his series on the Eucharist in honor of next year’s diocesan Year of the Eucharist.
T
he first three of the canonical Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, contain the
words of institution in their narration of the Last Supper. Saint Paul’s First
Letter to the Corinthians, which was written earlier than any of the Gospels,
also contains these familiar words: “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was
handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said,
‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the
cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (I Cor. 11:23-26).
While the three Gospels
and First Corinthians differ a
bit in the exact wording, the
core of each is the same. In
the Last Supper, Jesus gave
new meaning to two of the
elements of the Passover Meal
– the unleavened bread and
the cup of wine. Saint Paul
witnesses in his letter, written
in the middle of the fifth
decade of the first Christian
century, to the practice of
the church in continuing to
proclaim the death of the
Lord in the Eucharistic meal.
Saint Paul also witnesses to
the Christian belief that the
elements of the Eucharist are
a real sharing in the body
and blood of Christ: “The
cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the
blood of Christ? The bread
that we break, is it not a
participation in the body of
Christ?” (I Cor. 10:16).
This sacrificial meal was
clearly a major part of the life
of the very early church, so,
when the Gospels repeat the
narrative of the Last Supper,
they are not presenting
something new to their
readers. They are affirming
a practice with which
Christians were familiar.
When we look at the
Last Supper narrative in
the Fourth Gospel, that of
Saint John, this repetition
of the words of institution
is missing. The Last Supper
runs from 13:1 to 17:25
in the Johannine Gospel.
It is far longer than any of
the three earlier Gospels,
but it does not contain the
familiar words. The narrative
contains the washing of the
feet in chapter 13 along with
the description of Judas’
reception of the piece of
bread that Jesus has dipped.
Chapters 14 through 17 are
a long farewell discourse that
Jesus speaks to the disciples
gathered with him.
Why is there no familiar
11
narration of the institution
has taken away the sins of
of the Eucharist? The Fourth
the world. In the farewell
Gospel is the last to be
discourse of chapters 13-17,
written. It seems to come
he amplifies the meaning of
from late in the first century,
the Eucharist meal, “Remain
perhaps 40 or so years
in me as I remain in you. Just
after the First Letter to the
as a branch cannot bear fruit
Corinthians and perhaps 15
on its own unless it remains
to 20 years after the writing
on the vine, so neither can
of the first three Gospels.
you unless you remain in me.
(These three are often termed I am the vine, you are the
the Synoptic Gospels because branches. Whoever remains
they share
in me and I
much of their
in him will
This sacrificial
telling of the
bear much
meal was clear- fruit, because
story of Jesus
in common.) ly a major part of the life without me
Saint John
you can do
of the very early church, nothing” (John
presumes
so, when the Gospels
15:4-5).
that
Christians
Saint John
repeat the narrative of
know the
indicates that
the Last Supper, they
practices of
the Lord’s
are not presenting
the church
Supper is
– that they
the source of
something new to their
have been
the disciples’
baptized and readers. They are afunity with
firming a practice with
that they
Jesus; the
celebrate the which Christians were
source of
Eucharist.
their unity
familiar.”
In the Last
with each
Supper,
other;
he gives a meditation on
and the true source of the
the meaning of what the
Christian life, which is
church does when she
ultimately the life of God,
commemorates the death of
as is revealed in the unity
the Lord in His Body and His of the Father, Jesus and the
Blood.
Paraclete. Jesus’ sacrificial
The washing of the feet,
death is the means by which
a gesture of hospitality and
the disciples have become
service missing in the other
washed clean and the model
Gospels, occurs at the place
of the practice of Jesus’ gift of
that a reader would expect
eternal life in daily practice,
the Words of Institution.
“If I, therefore, the master
Saint John expects his
and teacher, have washed
readers know what the other
your feet, you ought to wash
accounts narrated; he also
one another’s feet” (John 13:14).
knows the church has been
But, it is not only in his
celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Last Supper scene that
He is interested in what it
Saint John meditates on the
means rather than how it
meaning of the practice of
originated. The washing of
the Lord’s Supper. In Chapter
the feet is an act of service in 6, he has already given a long
which the Master welcomes
and beautiful contemplation
his disciples and makes
on the meaning of the Bread
them clean. Here Saint John
of Life to his readers. The
illustrates what it means to
rest of the articles of this
proclaim the death of the
series will deal with that
Lord, the saving event that
chapter.
Year of the Eucharist
10
12
13
Catholics Come Home … for Christmas
T
A
These preparations might include putting on special clothes;
filling the cooler with homemade
goodies destined for the post-Mass
Christmas party at Grandma and
Grandpa’s home; opening one
present before church; reviewing
the words to the hymns the choir
will be singing at Mass; spending
a few minutes talking about the
importance of Christmas in modern life; or saying a prayer for safe
travel before leaving the house.
As people gather in the church
narthex, the atmosphere buzzes
with a sense of excitement and
anticipation. After greeting friends
the faithful enter the nave of the
church, where their feelings turn
into reverence. Those who have
prepared for this special celebration at home now have time to
reflect on that preparation and
continue making preparations for
this Christmas Mass.
Looking around the nave of the
church, they see beautifully lit
Christmas trees and many colorful poinsettia plants. A Nativity
scene might catch the eyes of the
children, who, during this preparation time, make their way over
to the scene to look at Jesus, Mary,
Joseph, the shepherds, the animals
and the angel. While there they
talk to each other about Jesus’
birth and the story of Christmas
Joliet Litho-Print Company
t 3 p.m. on
Christmas Eve,
homes across
the diocese are
busting with
activity. What is this activity?
The faithful are preparing to go
to church for the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass.
St. Joseph Parish in Joliet stands decorated for Christmas.
night. Those near the Nativity
scene are drawn into the conversation of the children, and smiles of
understanding appear.
The children’s choir sings a
prelude that brings the thoughts
of all present to anticipation of the
celebration of Mass. Then, as all
stand to sing the entrance hymn,
the sounds of voices filled with
joy are heard. As the preparation
phase is over, the parishioners now
enter more deeply into the mystery
of the Eucharist, and, for the next
hour, minds and hearts all center
on the Mass for full, active and
conscious participation.
During the Liturgy of the Word,
the words of Scripture detail God’s
coming into the lives of humans,
and Father breaks open these
words to explain what they mean
today. On this day it is through the
minds and hearts of children that
the faithful experience the Christmas story. Father speaks in a special way to the children (and to the
child in everyone) about the birth
of Jesus and his coming into human lives, not only on this day, but
every day. So much in the world
today can draw us away from the
Christmas story; however, listening
to the words of Scripture and the
homily, the faces of children ignite
a new sense of wonder and, more
importantly, a renewed sense of
who Jesus is in human lives.
As the Mass continues, the
Liturgy of the Eucharist draws
the faithful into a deeper sense of
the sacred. Through the words
of the Eucharistic Prayer, our
simple gifts of bread and wine are
changed into the Body and Blood
of Christ. As God’s people, gathered around the Altar, the faithful
make immediate preparations for
the reception of the Eucharist by
praying together the Lord’s Prayer
and sharing a sign of peace. Then,
filled with overflowing joy, the
assembly approaches the altar and
receives the Body and Blood of Jesus. Singing praise to God for the
gift of his Son brings added joy to
the reception of the Eucharist. After all have received, the congregation pauses in silence to spend
time in conversation with Jesus,
sharing the deepest thoughts of
minds and hearts.
Only then it is time to leave this
special place and complete this special celebration. The faithful do so
knowing they continue the mission
to share Jesus with others by living
as disciples of Jesus.
– Sister Sharon Marie Stola, O.S.B., is the diocesan
director of the Office of Divine Worship.
E
ach Christmas
at Midnight
Mass, evergreens, nativity
scenes, Christmas carols and candlelight
draw the faithful into the mystery of Christ’s birth. While
the stillness of night expresses the peace of salvation, the
liturgy expresses the joy and
hope of Emmanuel – “God
with us.”
Attendees can usually pick up
worship materials before the
Mass to help them participate,
and ushers are often on hand to
help spot open seats.
Many parishes celebrate with
choral and instrumental music
that starts about a half hour
before the liturgy. “Christmas
seems like it just fills the whole
church with the joyful music
and the joyful noise of proclaiming Christ’s birth and awaiting
the second coming,” said Kelly
Rapp, music director of St. Patrick Parish in Yorkville. Before
this year’s liturgy, she said, her
parish adult and teen choirs are
performing a Christmas cantata
– a multi-part composition with
a seasonal text.
After the preludial music, the
Midnight Mass begins with a
hymn, such as a well-known
carol.
Then comes the opening
prayer, one of the Mass’s
many texts expressing the joy
of Christmas. “They’re good
words for the season of light
coming into the world, banishing the darkness,” said Father
Richard Pighini, pastor of
Maternity of the Blessed Virgin
Catholics Come Home
he joy and hope of Christmas make it a popular
time for less-active Catholics to reconnect with
their faith roots by attending Mass. With the diocesan Catholics Come Home initiative reaching
out to such believers, this Christmas promises to
be especially inviting.
Liturgically, Christmas is unique in that it has four Masses
with four different sets of readings. As such, the faithful can
choose to attend the Vigil (Christmas Eve) Mass, the Mass at
Midnight, the Mass at Dawn, the Mass During the Day – or all
four. Then, the season continues to unfold with several weeks
of additional liturgies.
This collection of stories explores two of the most beloved
Christmas liturgies – the Christmas Eve Mass (popular with
families) and the Midnight Mass (popular with music lovers).
Information on finding Mass times and locations is on Page 14.
Whether you are a less-active Catholic coming home for
Christmas – or a practicing Catholic looking to extend a Christmas welcome – may God bless you as you celebrate the birth
of Christ!
14
Story and Nativity photography by Amy Kiley
Father Siegel selected
Mary McCann
as new auxiliary bishop
Bishop Joseph Siegel stands outside the parish where he is pastor, Visitation in
Elmhurst, the day after he was selected to be an auxiliary bishop in the diocese.
P
ope Benedict XVI
recently named
Father Joseph
Siegel as a new
auxiliary bishop
for the diocese.
In making the announcement Bishop
J. Peter Sartain said: “I was delighted
to learn that Pope Benedict had named
Father Joseph Siegel as auxiliary bishop
of the Diocese of Joliet. Father Siegel is a
native son with deep roots in the city of
Joliet and the entire diocese, and he has
served a number of parishes with great
love since his ordination to the priesthood in 1988. He is deeply respected
by his parishioners and brother priests,
and he will bring many gifts to this new
ministry. I personally look forward to
working in collaboration with him in
the pastoral care of our people. I express
my gratitude to Pope Benedict for this
appointment and to Father Siegel for
accepting with generosity and humility a
surprising call from God once again.”
He will be ordained bishop on Jan.
19, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of St.
Raymond in Joliet.
Bishop-Elect Siegel will hold the title
of auxiliary bishop, meaning he will
assist Bishop Sartain in the pastoral
administration of the Diocese of Joliet.
He will receive the office of teaching,
governing and sanctifying as a bishop.
He will exercise his ministry in union
with the pope and his fellow bishops
throughout the world. An auxiliary
bishop is also given a “titular see”
since he is not a diocesan bishop. The
“titular see” is usually the name of a
diocese somewhere in the world that
has been suppressed at some time
in the past (meaning, absorbed into
another diocese.) It is an honorary title
given to the bishop to remember in
prayer those who have gone before us.
Bishop Siegel’s titular diocese will be
Pupiana, northern Africa, in modernday Tunisia, near the ancient city of
Carthage.
“I was both humbled and honored
when I received the unexpected news
that Pope Benedict had named me to
serve as auxiliary bishop of Joliet,” said
Bishop-elect Siegel. “I am deeply grateful
to our Holy Father and Bishop Sartain,
and I pray that I will be worthy of the
trust they have placed in me as I strive to
be a faithful shepherd after the heart of
Jesus. I ask for the prayers of our clergy,
religious and laity that I may serve the
people of this diocese with love, wisdom
and courage.”
Father Siegel, 46, was born in Joliet
and was raised on a farm in Lockport
Township. He was baptized at the
Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus and
attended the parish grammar school.
He attended St. Charles Borromeo High
School Seminary in Romeoville from
1977-1980 and continued his studies at St. Meinrad Seminary College in
Indiana, where he graduated magna cum
laude with a degree in history in 1984.
He completed his seminary formation at
the Pontifical North American College in
Rome from 1984-1988, where he earned
his Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology
(STB) cum laude from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1987, and
continued his theological studies at the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. He was ordained to the diaconate
by Cardinal William Baum at the Basilica
of St. Peter in Vatican City on April 14,
1988. Father Siegel returned home to
be ordained to the priesthood on June
4, 1988, by Bishop Joseph Imesch at
the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus
in Joliet. After ordination, Father Siegel
completed his studies in systematic theology at the University of St. Mary of the
Lake, Mundelein, earning a Licentiate in
Sacred Theology (STL) in 1990.
Father Siegel was assigned as parochial
vicar at St. Isidore Parish, Bloomingdale;
St. Mary Immaculate Parish, Plainfield;
St. Mary Nativity Parish, Joliet; and the
Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus,
where he also served as diocesan master
of ceremonies. He has been pastor at
Visitation Parish in Elmhurst since 2004.
In addition to his parish ministry, Father Siegel has also served the diocese in
many capacities. He has been a member
of the Presbyteral Council for nine years,
including three years as chairman and
was appointed to the Diocesan Board of
Consultors. He has been director of Continuing Formation for Priests, a member
of the Diocesan Vocation Board, the
Priest Personnel Board and served as the
Dean of Eastern Will County. With the
Catholic Conference of Illinois, he served
on the Executive Committee as a priest
representative and was chairman of the
Catholics for Life Department. He is
currently chairman of the Steering Committee for the Joliet Diocesan Year of the
Eucharist and Eucharistic Congress and
is a member of the Bishop’s Respect Life
Advisory Board. He is a Fourth Degree
Knight of Columbus and a member of
the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing
the piano and organ, reading, classical
music and Chicago Cubs baseball. He
is the youngest of nine children. His
parents, Francis and Marie Siegel, are
deceased. His aunt, Sister M. Clotine
Siegel, OSF, was a Joliet Franciscan.
New Bishop
Mary Parish in Bourbonnais.
the Eucharist. Pope John Paul II wrote, “No one
Also during these Introductory Rites, the parcan fail to see that the divine Eucharist bestows
ish usually sings the Gloria, which proclaims the
an incomparable dignity upon the Christian peowords of the angels to the shepherds: “Glory to
ple. … Christ is truly Emmanuel, which means
God in
‘God with
the highus.’”
est, and
Midpeace
night
to his
Mass
people on
usually
earth.”
concludes
Then
with a
the Liturfavorite
gy of the
carol.
Word unRapp said
folds the
her parish
Christalways
mas tale
ends
from the
with “Joy
Gospel of
to the
Luke. World,”
A homily
and
follows
Father
during
Paghini
which
said his
the priest
parish
helps exrings
plain the
its bells
story and
when the
its relliturgy
evance to
ends –
the lives
even at 2
of the
a.m.!
faithful.
Paul
To the
noted
liturgist
about the
of St.
Mass at
Joseph
Midnight,
Parish in
“There’s
Bradley,
just
Jeanine
somePaul, the
thing holy
Liturgy
about the
of the
quiet hour
Euchathat it is.
rist that
Most of
comes
the town
A Nativity scene sits in front of the altar at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Romeoville.
next feels
[has]
especially
settled
unifying at the Midnight Mass. “Some people
in. Everything is just really pared back. It’s just a
might look to the overflowing Masses at Christgreat time to get out of the rat race and just sit
mastime as, ‘Gee, where are these people the
and be.”
rest of the year?,’ but I don’t look at it that way. I
Rapp added, “When a child is born, there’s
think it’s hopeful. I think it’s wonderful that there’s just so much joy and love, and I just feel that at
something that moves in people and stirs them
Christmas.”
and makes them want to be together in Mass at
Christmas,” she said.
To contact your local parish for Christmas
The remembrance of Jesus’ birth can also reMass times, visit dioceseofjoliet.org/parmind the faithful of the true presence of Christ in ishes.asp.
15
16
17
Christmas art from children
reflects the joy
of the season
T
he magazine recently asked children from Lisa Boyer’s classes at St. Dennis Catholic School in Lockport to give their artistic impressions of Christmas.
On the following two pages, are some of the works
that they came up with.
Christmas Art
18
19
Bûche de Noël (Yule Log)
Christmas
Culinary Traditions
Butter Cookies
Because my mother’s
family has been in the
United States for a number
of generations, our recipes
don’t really reflect our
German-Polish heritage.
However, my mom passed
down to me a recipe my
grandmother got from a
Hungarian neighbor in the
1930s. That was shortly
after my grandparents got
married, when they were
living in Chicago. The bitesized butter cookies, with
their bright red or green
cherries on top, have always
been my Christmas treat.
German Cookies
The Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana (my
community) has recently opened a bakery called Simply Divine.
Since many of the sisters are of German descent, they make
and sell German cookies. Springerle (traditional for Christmas),
Butter Cookies
1 pound butter
2 egg yokes
1 cup brown sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
Red & green candied
maraschino cherries,
quartered
Cream butter with egg yokes and brown sugar. Add
flour and vanilla and stir into a stiff dough. Form into
one-inch balls and press down once with floured fork.
Top each with cherry piece. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at
375 degrees. Makes 6 to 8 dozen. – Joyce Donahue
Making the cookies each
year was a family affair. When
we were small, my brother
and I helped Gram or Mom
by “smushing” the dough
balls flat with a fork. (It was
our job to remember to keep
dipping the fork in flour, or it
would stick.) After the cherries
were added and the cookies
baked, Mom put the cookies
into tins, stored under her
bed in an unheated bedroom
because they were best if they
had a cool place to “cure.”
When my own two sons
were young, I let them
help with the “smushing”
process. Now that they are
adults, these cookies are
still a Christmas favorite.
I will be passing on the
recipe this year to my new
daughter-in-law.
almerle and hildegard cookies are three of the favorites. The
recipes have been passed down from generation to generation
and have strong flavors of anise, almond and spice. They
remind us of our German heritage and traditions.
To order cookies from Simply Divine, call (812) 367-2500
or visit simplydivinebakery.org.
– Sister Helen Jean Kormelink, O.S.B.
Photography by Amy Kiley
sented both sides of the
family, including salmon for
the meatless Wigilia custom
and duck for le réveillon.
My favorite element of the
meal was the finale – the
bûche de Noël (Yule log).
Mostly, my excitement was
from the anticipation of taking
a bite of the magnificent chocolate-covered cake, decorated
with candied holly and berries.
With my eyes barely able
to reach over the top of the
table, I had a perfect view of
my mother’s carefully crafted
French classic.
The bûche de Noël on the
le réveillon table is equivalent to the turkey on the
Thanksgiving table. Many
variations exist for the recipe
and the decorations, but the
components are the same:
the rolled cake (le gateau
roule), the cream filling (la
crème), and the frosting and
decorations (le glaçage et la
décoration).
The legends surrounding
its origin are hazy. As Christmas came to replace the
Winter Solstice celebrations,
France carried on the Celt
tradition for a Yule log by
Looking back on our family’s Christmas Eve, I see my
parents united their diverse
cultures, traditions, and
friends effortlessly that night
with one thread – love.
The bûche de Noël has a
rolled cake (a basic sponge
cake), filling, icing and
decorations. The fillings and
decorations can vary – whether chocolate or fruit, buttercream or mousse, ganache or
powdered sugar, etc. Below is
one recipe suggestion.
Christmas Culinary Traditions
A
cross cultures the dinner table is
a popular location for celebrating
the birth of Christ. To help with this
year’s festivities, employees of the
St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral
Center in Romeoville are divulging their familial
Christmas traditions. Enjoy their stories of baking
and cooking to celebrate Jesus – or put on your
apron, read the accompanying recipes and begin
your family’s own Christmas culinary traditions.
One of my earliest and
fondest childhood memories
took place on Christmas
Eve. My mother, from a small
town near Paris, and my
father, from Warsaw, filled
our home with a delightful
blend of traditions from each
of their native lands – as well
as the United States.
Around 9 p.m., in the backdrop of candlelight and European and American decorations, my father commenced
our Wigilia Dinner (Polish)
or le réveillon (French) by
breaking the opłatek in half.
In his native language, he
paid homage to the birth of
Jesus. Each family member,
by breaking and eating a
piece of the opłatek, showed
unity with Christ. He or she
then passed the remainder to
next person with a blessing of
good health, joy and happiness for the coming years.
When the ceremony was
complete, our family and
friends lingered for the next
couple of hours over twelve
dishes that symbolized the
twelve apostles. Having
twelve is a Polish tradition,
but the assortment repre-
cutting down a tree to put in
the fireplace that was used to
prepare the Christmas supper. A popular story is that
Napoleon I issued a proclamation requiring households
in Paris to keep their chimneys closed during the winter
because he believed cold air
from the flue caused health
problems. French bakers
invented this dessert as a
replacement which the family
could gather around for their
holiday celebrations.
Bûch de Noël (Yule Log)
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup water
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 15x10x1-inch jelly
roll pan with parchment paper. In large glass bowl, beat egg
whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar
until stiff peaks form. In smaller bowl beat egg yolks and
vanilla three minutes. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating
two additional minutes. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture alternately
with water to yolk mixture until batter is smooth. Fold
chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites until well blended.
Spread batter into pan. Bake 12-15 minutes until top
springs back. Loosen cake from pan. Invert onto a tea towel
sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove parchment. Roll
cake with the towel to prevent the cake from sticking. Cool
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup roasted hazelnuts, skins
removed, finely ground
completely for thirty minutes.
Unroll cake. Spread chocolate mocha hazelnut buttercream across entire cake. Evenly sprinkle ground hazelnuts.
With the aid of the towel, roll cake into a log. Shape log into
desired roundness and refrigerate for one hour.
Place the log on a large, oval platter, preferably white. Cut
three inches, on a diagonal, off the end of the log and, with
buttercream, reattach on the side creating a branch. Cover
the entire log with the rest of the buttercream, creating a
bark-like pattern. Decorate the platter and log with meringue
mushrooms and any other Christmas décor to create a
woodsy Christmas scene.
– Liz Michalski
20
21
Baklava
Popcorn Ball Ornaments
two (to ensure they would
pass inspection!).
Where the idea of the
dowel Christmas tree came
from to display the “ornaments” I’m not really sure.
As a little girl, it was my
job to make sure the tree
branches were always full
and that, as a token of our
friendship, everyone who
came to our home during
the holidays got an “ornament” off the little tree by
our front door. I still have
and use our tree although it
has seen mending, repainting and many replaced
branches over the years!
Someday, the little tree will
pass to my children who,
along with my grandchildren, continue our family
tradition of sharing popcorn
ball ornaments and friendship blessings with all who
visit their homes during the
holidays.
Popcorn Ball Ornaments
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
Few drops of food coloring
8 cups popped corn
Heat sugar, corn syrup, margarine, salt and food coloring
in a four-quart, heavy, metal pan over medium-high heat.
Stir constantly until simmering. Remove from heat and add
popped corn and stir until popcorn is well coated. Cool
slightly. Shape into 2 1/2-inch balls and place on wax paper;
cool completely. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or sandwich bags and tie. Cover with wrapping paper and ribbon if
desired. – Susan Drake
Baklava
1/2 cup honey
1 cup water
1 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 pound chopped mixed nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (16-ounce) package phyllo dough
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo
and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with
a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from
drying out. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the
prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle two
to three tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat
layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about six
sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the
way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows,
then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a
small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir
in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer
20 minutes. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before
serving. Store uncovered.
– Sharon Houk Téllez (Recipe: familyownedmarkets.com)
My grandmother, Agnes McPhail Anglin, came to this country
from Blantyre, Scotland, in 1906 when she was seven years old.
She was an amazing woman, the only surviving daughter of the
McPhail clan, which boasted of seven sons. The family moved to
America and first went to work in the coal mines of Pennsylvania
before settling in southern Illinois to work the coal mines there.
“Granny” left school after the fourth grade to help her mother in
the boarding house they ran for the miners. She was a marvelous
combination of “old country” and “down home.”
Her recipes ran the gamut from Scottish haggis to country
chicken and dumplings. The following is the recipe for the fam-
Baked
Manicotti
à la Mama
Dalpiaz
This is a recipe my
mother used to make
every Christmas as
a side dish. My wife,
Carolyn, has continued Mama’s tradition by also making
it for our family each
year. Our children and
grandchildren really
look forward to having
it and so do we.
ily’s Scottish shortbread that entered Ellis Island in 1906 with
my grandmother’s mother, Martha Nelson McPhail. It might
have been altered over the years:
Scottish Shortbread
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 pound butter
1 stick oleo (margarine)
5 cups flour
1/2 cup corn starch
Mix with hands until like pie dough and then like Playdoh. Put in cookie sheet and press down. Prick all over
with a fork. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
– MaryEllyn Duffin Peterek
Baked Manicotti
Making the Shells
(Crepes):
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup unsifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup water
Combine all ingredients
in a medium mixing bowl.
Beat with electric mixer until
smooth. Preheat an electric
frying pan to 375 degrees
and brush it very lightly
with olive oil. Using a large
spoon, put two tablespoons
batter onto the skillet. Spread
batter quickly with the
back of the spoon, making
4x6-inch oval crepes. Cook
approximately six to seven
seconds until top surface
is dry, but bottom surface
is not brown. Flip over with
spatula and cook another six
to seven seconds. Remove
for cooling. Continue making
shells until all the batter is
used. You do not have to
continue to oil the pan; the
crepes do not stick to it.
The finished crepes may be
stacked on one another until
ready to fill.
Making the Filling:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 package frozen chopped
spinach, cooked and well
drained
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped
parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Brown onion in butter until
golden brown. Add the meat
and brown thoroughly. Add
remaining ingredients and
mix well.
Stuffing the Shells
(Crepes):
24-oz. jar of marinara sauce
Coat the bottom of a
9x13, flat baking pan with
about 1 cup of marinara
sauce. Now you are ready
to assemble your crepes by
placing a heaping tablespoon
of the filling on the crepe and
then rolling it up. Place the
rolled-up crepes in one layer,
closely packed in the pan.
Coat them with more of the
sauce and sprinkle them with
grated parmesan cheese.
Cover the pan with foil and
bake in a 350-degree oven
for 30 minutes. The recipe
will probably make enough
manicotti for two 9 x 13
pans. – Deacon Joe Dalpiaz
Christmas Culinary Traditions
The smell of popped
corn still brings to mind
my family’s Christmas
tradition of making and
sharing popcorn ball
ornaments with all who
visited our home during the
holidays. Since my mom
worked outside of home
full-time when my brothers
and I were growing up,
our Christmas traditions
centered on things that
could last the whole
season.
On popping day we
would all get up early to
begin the preparations:
Dad on the popper, Mom
making the syrup and we
kids cutting ribbon and
paper squares in which to
wrap the balls. Soon, paper
bags full of popcorn would
litter the kitchen as we kids
waited for our favorite part
– forming the balls and, of
course, snagging a taste or
This Christmas my husband
and I decided to create a
Christmas food tradition for
our new family. His family hails
from the Andes Mountains
in Bolivia. My family comes
mostly from Ireland and
Germany.
For Humberto and me, this
Christmas will be our first together as a full-fledged married couple. We needed the ingredients
for a food tradition all our own. We settled on baklava – a Greek
pastry made with phyllo dough, honey, and nuts.
The essential ingredients are:
1)It takes a lot of time. This recipe will never be made
any other time of the year.
2) It’s cooperative. Especially because we don’t know
what we are doing, it will have to be a group effort.
3) It’s uniquely ours.
4) It tastes heavenly.
5) It’s portable.
Our family stretches from Sweden to California and from
Connecticut to Bolivia. Our food tradition needs to fit in a carryon bag. Even if it turns out that Humberto and I make dreadful
baklava, it makes me happy to think that, 20 years from now,
someone will be saying, “Here come Aunt Sharon and Uncle
Humberto with the baklava!”
Scottish Shortbread
22
Seminarians share a special
Christmas memory
from their pasts
Michael Bannon:
I remember when I
was a little kid I walked
into the Cathedral of St.
Raymond [in Joliet], and
I remember the manger
scene and all the lights
that had been set up. I
just thought: “Wow, this
is a great place to be.” It
kind of really started my
faith journey. I felt like I was at home that day. That
was where I really need to be and where Christ was
calling me to be. I believe I was probably 15 at the
time. I remember feeling a sense of peace – like the
Savior was born and I needed to love him and adore
him.
Paul Solomon:
I have two Christmas
memories. The first one
was when my grandfather passed away. That
Christmas was probably
the first time my mom’s
side of the family had
gotten together since his
death. I don’t believe we
got together for Thanksgiving that year. Essentially, it was just a great time
of unity in the family like never before. It was a very
different atmosphere in the family. You could tell
there was a piece of the puzzle missing. I think it was
a way the Lord used to bring us together as a family
where, in the past, we kind of had gone along doing
our typical passings, typical relations. Because of that
experience, the Lord brought us closer together as a
family. The other memory also dealt with a death. For
the duration of my life, as far as I can remember, on
Christmas day we would get together with my dad’s
best friend, my godfather, because my dad doesn’t
have any living relatives except for one. One of my
godfather’s brothers had passed away and then his
mom died in the same
year. The absence of their
presences was really felt
at the time, but, at the
same time, it brought us
together as a group.
Michael Pawlowicz:
The feast of Christmas is a stunning reminder of God’s hidden
work within our lives. So often we ask, “Where
is God? If he loves us so much, why does he not
show himself to us? Why is he not more present?”
These questions are very good to ask because they
demand that we think to our own lives and reflect
on those instances in which God does, indeed,
present himself and his love to us.
In Christmas we find the beginning of the answers to these questions. The incredible answer
is that, in fact, he has shown himself to us. The
invisible God has shown his face to man – and
that face is the face of Jesus. On Christmas we
remember Jesus the Lord, whom Isaiah describes
as “Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father Forever,
Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:5).
We can say this because, on his birthday, Jesus
brought to mankind the love of God our Father,
who desires to guide and counsel us through an
unpredictable, difficult and often-times sorrowful world. In the end he wishes to bring to us his
love, placing within our hearts an inexplicable
peace.
I know that peace in a particular way when I
am with my family for Christmas. It is easy to allow the stress of preparing for Christmas to get in
the way of this experience of family. Surely, there
is delicious food to make, the perfect presents
to buy, beautiful decorations that take days to
put up and those Christmas pictures that require
hours of “plastic-faced” smiles. However, these are
all a preludes to the times with our families and
friends when – if just for a moment – everyone is
smiling and simply being with their loved ones.
I encourage you, in that very moment, to take
notice of that peace and joy, and to thank God
because there the everlasting Father has placed
his Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, and Prince of
Peace – Jesus himself – in your midst.
Matthew Malicki:
I remember when I
was little we would go
to the vigil Mass for
Christmas at St. Joseph
Parish in Bradley. I
remember always being
really excited about
that particular Mass,
especially the music.
One particular year
– I don’t remember how old I was; I was maybe
10 – they were playing “Silent Night.” That song
has always really meant a lot to me, and I found
out later that my mom used to sing that to me
when I was a baby. Something hit me about that
song, about the lyrics – about how profound and
deep the words were and what they meant and
how soothing it was. I remember all of a sudden
feeling a lot of peace and feeling a more direct
connection with God at the time. I almost felt like
somehow this song was special for me. How does
it affect me now? Every time I hear it now it takes
me back to that time. It really does. It takes me
back to that particular Christmas. I feel like there
is something deeper in the words, in the lyrics of
the song. There is something really, really profound going on that I haven’t quite understood.
Deacon John Lindsey:
Many of us have family traditions. We live
by them. They help to
define us. They help us
tell our story. Some traditions fade away with
passing generations.
New ones arise. When
I was a college student
at Loyola University in
Rome, I remember visiting a Christmas market in
Piazza Navona. Merchants were selling Nativity
figurines of the Holy Family everywhere in the
square. As I traveled in Rome and throughout
Italy, in the many urban centers and small towns
I visited, I would find in churches and town halls
displays of the Nativity, or Presepio, welcoming
the Christ-child. Many of the displays contained
entire villages with hundreds of figurines representing local people engaged in the everyday activities of work and leisure. Yet, they all seemed
to be directed to the place, usually outside the
village, where Jesus Christ was born. For me, the
Presepio is a constant reminder that the Incarnate
God comes to us in the ordinary and everyday
circumstances of our daily lives. When school
ended that year and I returned from Rome, I
came home with many photographs, great stories and my first Nativity set of the Holy Family.
Since then, it has been my tradition of adding
figurines to my Nativity set and each Christmas
watching the Presepio come to life. However, my
story would not be complete without recognizing
the great saint who is responsible for giving us
the Christmas crèche. Tradition states that Saint
Francis, in the year 1223, visited the mountain
village of Grecio to celebrate Christmas for the
people. Saint Bonaventure tells us that, for the
celebration of Midnight Mass, Saint Francis set
up an altar in the niche of some rocks near the
town square because the Franciscan hermitage
could not accommodate the crowds. He also
prepared a manger, gathered hay together and
brought in animals. When the townspeople gathered, they saw brilliant lights, heard hymns of
praise, and witnessed Saint Francis chanting the
Gospel and preaching around the manger. “Glory
to God in the highest and on earth peace to those
on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
Seminarians
Recently, Christ is our Hope asked the seminarians of the diocese to recall a special Christmas
memory. Here are some of the responses:
Deogratias Massawe:
In Tanzania, the
country where I grew
up, Christmas is the
most joyous celebration
of the church for the
family. As a child among
the many things I liked
about Christmas were
the family togetherness,
nice food, new clothes,
gift exchanges and beautiful Christmas songs. I never
sat down and meditated deeply on the meaning
of Christmas until much later. I mainly associated
Christmas with tangible things and those that appealed to my feelings.
One time, while teaching Sunday school, I asked
students what they had planned for Christmas. Since
they were still children, around eight to 10 years
old, I expected them to mention things like beautiful clothes, food, gifts exchanges, etc., as I used to
do when I was their age. But one little girl told me
something that captured my mind. She told me, “This
Christmas I told Mom not to buy me clothes because
I have the previous ones. I also told her not to buy
me many gifts. Instead, we can take that money to
buy something nice for the guy who sleeps under that
bridge and to buy something good for the refugees in
that camp.” I asked her why she decided to do that.
She said, “Because I want to get more blessings from
God and also because God does not look so much at
what I have on the outside but inside. Those people
have nothing to eat, and I want to share with them
my little joy of Christmas and show them that the
baby Jesus has brought joy to them too.”
I was impressed with her answer because I had
never thought about that at that age. Hearing a little
girl tell me God is not so much interested about how
I look from the outside, but from the inside, and that
she wanted to share her joy of Christmas with the
refugees and the poor was powerful. I realized that we
could learn something spiritual even from the kids.
This little girl made me think that Christmas is not so
much about doing things for myself, but extending a
hand, sharing my time and gifts with the people who
have never had a chance to enjoy Christmas in their
lives and who know nothing about Christmas. As
this little girl said, “I want to show them that the baby
Jesus has brought joy to them too.” I think Christmas
is the time of bringing joy to each other, especially to
those who have no one to bring joy to them. All of us
are invited to do so.
23
24
25
Gathering as the body of Christ
Father Douglas Martis is the director of the Liturgical Institute at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein (usml.edu/liturgicalinstitute/liturgicalinstitute.htm) and a
priest of the Diocese of Joliet. He will examine various aspects of the liturgy as part of the preparations for the Year of the Eucharist, which starts next April.
For nearly a generation, we have been told
and have been telling
others that we have to
“gather” in church. Our
songs reinforce the no-
tion: “We gather together
to sing the Lord’s praises.
…” The hymnals, too,
speak. “Gather,” they
tell us. Yet, if we stay at
that level – at the level
of gathering only – we
have missed an essential
aspect of the liturgy.
I think of a model
airplane that I can buy at
the local hardware store.
All of the pieces are there
in the box, gathered
in the same place. But,
they do not get to be an
airplane until the pieces
are assembled!
The same is true of the
church at prayer. The
worshiping assembly is
formed into one body
on a variety of levels:
Our participation in the liturgy
happens because we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Saint
Paul explains this magnificent idea for us
in the First Letter to the Corinthians.”
of Christ. By the sacrament of baptism, we
become members of his
body and are “equipped”
with the ability to join
his prayer to the Father.
When the community gathers to pray, it
must pray as the body
of Christ. The community prays as a kind of
“corporate” Christ. In
the liturgy the word “I”
rarely means one of us
individuals. It usually
refers to this assembly
that prays as one. The
“my” in the liturgy does
not mean “mine alone.”
It is the voice of Christ
that speaks here; we
fold our voices into his.
The liturgy is the most
exquisite presentation
of the church, since, in
her liturgical prayer, the
church shows herself
most perfectly – both as
the bride of Christ and
as his own beloved body.
This “my” in the liturgy
is the Body of Christ; it
is Corpus Christi.
The initial task, then,
of the liturgical assembly
is to form, or better yet,
to be formed into the
body of Christ. Saint
Augustine commanded:
“Become what you receive, receive what you
are.” The Christian people, gathered as Christ’s
body, joins with him, its
head and spouse, in offering a unified prayer of
praise. In union with the
whole church and with
Christ, we participate in
his prayer to Father. This
gathering, moreover, is
not an amorphous mass,
or a group of disconnected individuals who
happen to be in the
same place and the same
time. There is order
and structure both to
the gathering and to its
prayer.
Each member of the
community has a role
to play in the liturgical act. This means the
highest value of liturgical
expression, in this sense,
is that each person plays
his or her part fully. Not
only that, but that each
plays only that part. In
this way, rather than
making all the members
the same, each will respect the unique quality
and contribution of the
other.
The church has
resisted calling this
gathering an “audience”
because the members of
the community are assembled for a collective
action, collective prayer,
rather than watching
or merely listening.
They do not come to
be entertained; to be
impressed by the discourse, no matter how
eloquent; nor by the
music, no matter how
phenomenal. Liturgical
celebrations should not
be evaluated as if they
were performances.
We want to learn to
live a Christian life that
feeds into and is nourished by the celebration
of the sacred mysteries.
This is living liturgically.
Father Douglas Martis
S
ome time ago, as I was praying in a chapel, I looked up and
saw the hymnals neatly arranged in the book holders of
each pew. On the cover of each book, the word “Gather”
in gold lettering popped out against the dark background.
“That’s our problem!” I said almost out loud.
in speech, in song, in
gesture, but also in mind
and heart. While it is true
that, when we gather to
pray, each brings his or
her own prayers, none
should come with any
other motive than the
praise of God.
The Christian community joined in public
prayer is decidedly not a
group of anonymous individuals who happen to
be gathered in the same
place and at the same
time. They are called
brothers and sisters in the
Lord – related by nothing
less than blood and water
– the blood of Christ and
the water of baptism.
They are perpetually
trying to connect every
aspect of their lives with
the Mystery of Christ.
Assembling into one
body is only possible for
those willing to do so.
They must come to the
liturgy with openness
and charity, ready to
pray together, ready to
share and celebrate what
really matters, ready to
care for one another. In
some ways the liturgical
assembly never really
exhausts its role because
concern for others extends beyond the walls
of the building.
Our participation
in the liturgy happens
because we are members
of the Mystical Body
of Christ. Saint Paul
explains this magnificent
idea for us in the First
Letter to the Corinthians. Each one of us,
in his or her own and
unique way, has something to contribute.
Since the Eucharistic
Liturgy is the prayer of
Christ to his Father, we
can only participate in it
fully if we are members
26
Finding Christmas meaning
in Nativity settings
Throughout my Catholic education, I found that artistic expression was very important
in virtually everything I did. I
graduated from the College of St.
Francis with an art degree. I worked
as a carpenter for a couple of years
and then returned to run the family
farm with my brother for the next
15 years. Making another career
change, I went back to carpentry
until 2008, working for a large
residential stair company when the
housing market collapsed and I was
laid-off. I had been with the company nine years and, being over 50
years old, I took this turn of events
pretty hard.
In trying to make sense of why
this had happened, I discovered
that I needed to turn this setback
into an opportunity rather than a
liability. I looked at my skills and what
I have been doing with Nativity sets
and thought that perhaps the Lord
was trying to direct me into using
my talents to tell his story. I decided
I would look seriously at making
Nativity settings a business. In my
investigations I could find no one
who specialized in Nativity settings.
Many manufacturers made (and
make) figures, and they offered
some rather rudimentary settings, basically
little lean-tos.
Combining my carpentry skills with
my art skills, I was
able to come up
with designs that I
thought were good
to create a complete setting for a
Nativity, doing complete buildings that fit
the figures properly,
both by building them to scale and
combining elements of the environment in which the Nativity would be
situated. I wanted to make sure each
fitted its location properly – that it
complemented the architecture of
the church so that it looked like it
belonged there.
The first Nativity set I did was
in 2002, and that was for the
Cathedral of Saint Raymond
in Joliet. My brother [Father
Joseph Siegel, who was recently
appointed to be the new auxiliary
bishop for the diocese] was the
associate there, and he asked if I
was interested in doing something
to enhance the Nativity scene. I
was thrilled to be given the opportunity, and, after doing considerable
research, I came up with a design
and built it for Saint Raymond’s. It
included a lot of little details, not just
the buildings, but vines growing on
the stucco walls and some accessories for the figures. The little donkey
had saddle bags, and I included a
basket of fruit and bread because
the Holy Family was traveling.
Inside the scene were herbs drying
on the walls, so it really looked like
an inhabited space and not just an
empty building with figures in it.
I’m hoping to build a business
designing and constructing
Nativity scenes. It combines my
Christian faith and my desire to
express that faith in religious art.
I hope it helps make Christmas
more meaningful to the community.
I try to visit the churches that have
my settings and try to get a feel for
the response from the community.
The most gratifying is when you
see children stop by and kneel
down or sit down in front of the
scene and stare at it. I believe they
are probably getting a complete
message from it. They are looking
at the figures, the newborn baby,
and internalizing a little bit more of
the whole scene, bringing it more
to life. It is a story they read about
but now they really have a sense
of feeling what the first Christmas
might have been like.
Every one of these settings
I design is like a rebirth of
the Christmas story for me.
Each one is different, and I get to
meditate on it and express how I
feel about Christmas and my total
faith. That’s why I enjoy it so much
because I’m not just doing some
nice artwork. Our world today
has so much commercialism at
Christmas; the season is so hectic, and there’s so much focus on
gift-buying and holiday parties and
so forth. I get a lot of satisfaction
out of doing the Lord’s work; doing
something that helps bring Christ
and the story of Christmas to more
people; and maybe giving them
a renewed perspective on things,
getting people’s attention back to
where it belongs. The biggest thing
to remember is this season exists
because of the birth of our Lord.
Hopefully, people will realize this
and put Christ at the forefront of
their holiday celebrations.
Art Siegel’s work can be viewed at
artisticendeavors-idc.com. He can
be reached at (815) 474-1126
or at [email protected].
Left: Art Siegel’s Nativity set at the St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center in Romeoville
My story
Growing up in a large Catholic
family on a farm on Weber Road
in Lockport had a profound
influence on my outlook on life.
My folks were involved in many
church organizations.
One I fondly remember was the Christian
Family Movement.
Dad was one of first
lectors/commentators after Vatican II,
and Mom was active
in many women’s
service clubs, such as
the Altar and Rosary
Society and Council
of Catholic Women. It
was essential to them
that all of us children
be brought up learning the importance of prayer and Sunday Mass.
27
28
La Virgen de Guadalupe
y la Navidad
Miguel Moreno es el Director de la Oficina Diocesana del
Ministerio Hispano. Usted puede comunicarse con él a
[email protected].
E
n este mes de
diciembre, nuestro
pensamiento
va del Cerrillo
del Tepeyac al
pequeño establo
de Belén. De la Virgen María,
que es la estrella de la mañana,
a Jesús Nuestro Señor, que
es el sol radiante del mediodía.
La Virgen Morena, que llega a
recordarnos el amor de Jesús
por el ser humano y Jesús,
cuyo nacimiento nos recuerda
su “próxima y definitiva venida.”
Dos acontecimientos, dos
celebraciones y una alegría que
no tiene fin.
la próxima y definitiva venida de Nuestro Señor. Él
vendrá, nosotros lo sabemos, por eso decimos: “No
tardes, Señor. ¡Ven pronto!” En ese clamor se unen
todas nuestras voces; allí está el significado de nuestra
celebración. La Navidad es la celebración de nuestra
esperanza.
Gratitud y esperanza es lo que nos debe unir durante
este tiempo. ¿Cómo podemos celebrar la Navidad sin
Jesús? No, no es posible. Sin Jesús la Navidad es sólo
una fiesta vacía, que, para darle valor, requiere de otras
cosas como “regalos.” Y allí encontramos a muchas
personas – tal vez, estamos nosotros mismos – tratando
de llenar el vacío de las “Navidades” con regalos y más
regalos – una actividad vacía y sin sentido.
Si algo Dios está pidiendo de nosotros en estos
momentos, no es otra cosa que “tiempo.” Ofrezcamosle
“tiempo.” Es uno de los regalos que más nos cuesta
encontrar. Es mucho más fácil dar una chamarra a
alguien que pasa frío, pero qué dificil es ofrecerle nuestro
tiempo que le pueda dar calor humano. Es más fácil dar
un pan a quien tiene hambre, pero qué difícil ofrecerle
nuestro tiempo en un diálogo que pueda alimentar el
espíritu. Qué fácil es dar unos guantes, pero qué difícil
ofrecer nuestras manos, que le brinden a alguien amistad
y fraternidad. Damos cosas, pero no nos damos.
Te invito a que este 12 de diciembre, participes en
las actividades que tu parroquia está organizando en
la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Este mes,
la Morenita nos recordará una vez más el Amor de
Dios por nosotros. También, ayudémonos a recuperar
el sentido de la Navidad. No dejemos que los regalos
secuestren a Jesús. Ofrezcamos nuestro tiempo para
que podamos seguir viendo al Niñito del establo en el
pesebre y no una caja registradora que trata de medir
nuestro amor en dinero. No permitamos que nadie nos
quite la razón de nuestra alegría, de nuestra esperanza.
Navidad es Jesús, y no hay Navidad sin Él. ¿Tu Navidad
tendrá a Jesús o tendrá regalos?
You can read Miguel’s column in English at
dioceseofjoliet.org.
Renovación Carismática Católica en Español:
Nuestro Obispo Pedro Sartain ha nombrado a
Padre José Cilia, O. Carm, como director espiritual
de la Renovación Carismática Católica en español
en nuestra diócesis. Su nombramiento ha traido
entusiasmo y alegría a los miembros de los diferentes
grupos de oración de nuestra diócesis. ¡Que Dios
continue bendiciendo a Padre José en este servicio a
la Iglesia!
¡Te extrañamos … Bienvenido a Casa! Católicos
Regresen: La Arquidiócesis de Chicago, la diócesis
de Rockford y nuestra diócesis empezarán este mes
una serie de avisos televisivos donde se presentará la
historia, la belleza, la grandeza de nuestra Iglesia, que
nos hará sentir felices y orgullosos de ser católicos. Ve
la televisión o visita catolicosregresen.org.
Reflexiones de fe
Contra todo aquello que pueda
ser pensado, un 12 de diciembre
de 1531, la Virgen Morena
quedó impregnada en la tosca
túnica de un pequeño nativo
llamado Juan Diego y quien
se describe así mismo, “como
el más pequeño de tus hijos.”
Este asombroso acontecimiento,
sembró y extendió la fe católica
en todo el pueblo mexicano,
dándole identidad y sentido de
unidad. Además, este asombroso
acontecimiento, recordó a todo
el continente americano y a todo
el pueblo católico, la alegría de
sabernos amados por Dios. Ese
es el mensaje de la Virgen, razón
de su aparición y permanencia
entre nosotros en la tilma de Juan
Diego. Dios realmente nos ama.
Una afirmación tan corta y tan
profunda: Dios nos ama. A lo largo
de su vida, María experimentó
de este amor. Ella es testigo
del amor de Dios y, a la misma
vez, mensajera, evangelizadora,
constructura de una nueva
civilización, la civilización del
amor.
En todo el mundo católico, el
12 de diciembre, se recuerda este
acontecimiento – especialmente en
México. Ya desde ahora se puede
ver por diferentes ciudades, grupos
de personas caminando hacia la
Villita, lugar donde se encuentra
el viejo e intacto manto de San Juan Diego. Estos
peregrinos que cumpliendo una manda especial, van
cantando, rezando y ofreciendo sacrificios personales
por los favores que recibieron de Dios, a través de
la intercesión de la Virgen Morena. Los matachines
danzan como en tiempos memoriables mostrando así su
contento y su gratitud. Los mariachis no dejan de tocar
sus guitarras y de elevar su voz a la Madre del Salvador.
Toda una fiesta, tal y como se debe vivir el amor de Dios
en medio de su pueblo.
Otra fiesta que nuestra Iglesia Católica celebra en este
mes es la Navidad. En el año 2000, se estrenó la película
basada en el libro del Dr. Seuss titulada: “¡Cómo el
Grinch robó la Navidad!” En esta película se habla por
105 minutos de la Navidad y de los regalos y en ningún
momento se menciona el nombre de Jesús ni de su
nacimiento. Tal como esto y en muchas otras situaciones
más: ¡Alguien nos quiere robar a Jesús de la Navidad!
¡Alguien lo está haciendo! ¿Se lo vamos a permitir?
¿Vamos a celebrar una Navidad sin Jesús?
En un mundo que ridiculiza al creyente, que relativisa
la fe, que seculariza las celebraciones religiosas, por
supuesto, que tratará en lo posible de eliminar de
su visión, de su lenguaje, de su comportamiento, de
su vida, todo elemento religioso. Por eso, la Pascua
cristiana se convierte en la “celebración de la coneja”
o la memoria de las vísperas de los difuntos en la
“celebración de las brujas y fantasmas” y, ahora, la
Navidad en la “celebración de los regalos.” ¡Se quiere
celebrar la “Navidad” sin Jesús, o, mejor dicho, ya lo
están haciendo!
¡Qué mundo tan absurdo el que, consciente o
inconscientemente, estamos ayudando a construir! ¡Alto!
Detengámonos y repensemos lo que la Navidad debe ser
para ti, para mí y para todos.
Como creyentes católicos, la Navidad es el
agradecimiento que se eleva a Dios desde lo más
profundo del alma; pues, en un tiempo determinado
de la historia de la humanidad, Él “siendo de condicion
divina, no se apegó a su igualdad con Dios, sino que
se redujo a nada, tomando la condición de servidor, y
se hizo semejante a los hombres” (Filipenses 2, 6-7).
Exactamente, Dios se hizo ser humano, se hizo uno
de nosotros. Este hecho de humildad que desborda el
pensamiento cotidiano que nos confunde y que nos
alegra no puede tener en nosotros otra respuesta que no
sea la gratitud. La Navidad se convierte así en un tiempo
para agradecer a Dios, porque, gracias a su Encarnación,
vino hacia nosotros la Redención. La Encarnación de
Dios significa para nosotros la liberación que se llevó
a cabo en el Gólgota. La Encarnación de Jesús es un
hecho que ya no volverá a repetirse; es para nosotros un
recuerdo que nos llena de gratitud.
Además, para el creyente católico, la Navidad es la
celebración de la esperanza cristiana: es decir, Jesús
Nuestro Señor, volverá a nosotros con toda su gloria
y majestad. Por eso, nuestro clamor constante es:
¡Maranatha! Que significa: Ven, Señor Jesús, no tardes
que te esperamos! Nosotros los creyentes celebramos
29
1
30
What in
the world?
The top 10
Catholic news events
Catholic Sisters
save more than 300
children – Sister
Doris Barbero and her
colleagues at a Samoan primary school
saved the lives of 320
schoolchildren when
she quickly moved
them to higher ground
after an earthquake
triggered a tsunami
warning.
2
Cardinal lauds
House action to
ban funds for
elective abortions
– Cardinal Francis
George praised the
U.S. House of Representatives’ recent
decision to block
federal health care
reform money from
paying for elective
abortions.
3
4
New CD featuring
Pope Benedict’s
voice released –
“Alma Mater,” a CD
featuring Pope Benedict XVI’s voice leading
the “Regina Coeli”
prayers in St. Peters’s
Square, was released
on Nov. 30. It contains
lines from Marian
prayers/devotions and
classical music.
Pope asked about
Caritas in Veritate –
Responding to a question about the impact
of his latest encyclical,
Caritas in Veritate,
Pope Benedict XVI
said, “I am very content that this serious
discussion is taking
place. This was the aim
– to provide incentives and reasons for
a discussion on these
problems …”
Priests thanked via post card campaign
As part of the “Year for Priests” celebration,
during late October, parishes throughout the diocese distributed post cards so that people could
mail them to priests to express gratitude for their
influence.
“Our hope is that this will uplift and encourage
priests,” said Doug Delaney, executive assistant to
Bishop Peter Sartain, who helped to spearhead the
post card campaign. On the front of the post card
are pictures of four priests from the diocese with a
sentence expressing thanks and the back contains
blank lines meant to be filled in by an appreciative
person. For those who did not receive a post card,
5
Cuban dissident
condemned to
prison – Agustin
Cervantes, a prominent dissident who
has been involved
with the Christian Liberation Movement’s
Varela Project, was
condemned to two
years in prison after a
summary trial by the
Cuban government.
6
7
8
9
10
Extreme poverty
is a violation of
human rights – The
archbishop of Buenos
Aires has said not
only do terrorism,
repression and
murder violate human
rights, but so do
extreme poverty and
the “unjust economic
structures that give
rise to great inequalities.”
Mother Angelica
awarded top honor
by Pope Benedict
XVI – The pope
awarded the Pro
Ecclesia et Pontifice
Medal to Mother
Angelica, founder
of the Eternal Word
Television Network,
and also EWTN
executive Deacon Bill
Steltemeier.
Local bishop stated
Medjugorje is not a
shrine – The bishop
of Mostar-Duvno in
Bosnia and Herzegovina sent letters to the
pastor and a parochial
vicar in Medjugorje,
emphasizing that the
town’s parish is not a
shrine and directing
them, that they and
the parish are not to
promote the alleged
Marian apparitions.
Inquiry into the
beatification of Cardinal Otunga – The
investigation into the
possible beatification
of Cardinal Maurice
Michael Otunga,
former archbishop of
Nairobi, has begun
with the appointment
of the postulator of his
cause.
Synod for church in
the Middle East to
be held in October.
2010 – The pope
announced that a
Special Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops
for the Middle East
will take place Oct.
10-24, 2010.
31
Reflections on the birth of Christ
Carlos Briceño is the editor of Christ is our Hope magazine.
Post cards, such as this one pictured, were recently distributed throughout the diocese as a way for people to send priests
a thank you note for all that they do.
but still want to give thanks, feel free to send a note
to a priest thanking him for all that he has done to
enrich your faith or your life.
Things to do
Amy Kiley
Mission trips: Medical, construction and
daycare/education teams are forming for
upcoming mission trips to Sucre, Bolivia,
and Quito, Ecuador, from April 10 until April
24, 2010. More information and applications are available on the Peace and Social
Justice Ministry’s web site: paxjoliet.org/missions. Click on “Get Involved” to download
an application.
Coordinator for Catholics Come Home Joliet, Doug Delaney, speaks during the
initiative’s convocation Mass on Tuesday, November 3, at the St. Charles Borromeo
Pastoral Center in Romeoville. Bishop Elect Joseph Siegel, looking on from the left,
presides. The event kicked off a tri-diocesan campaign to persuade inactive Catholics to begin practicing again.
Vocations weekend: Men who are juniors
in college or older interested in a vocation to
the priesthood are encouraged to attend an
“Exploring Priesthood Weekend” at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago from Jan. 15-17,
2010. For more information, contact Father
Burke Masters, the diocesan vocations irector, at (815) 834-4004 or by email at
[email protected].
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:
The best way to understand the feast of Christmas is in
terms of a gift. The reasons we give gifts on Christmas is
because we, too, have received a gift – the gift of God to
men. Whenever we give gifts, we tear off the price tag so
that there will be no proportion between the gift of the lover
and the gift of the giver. There is no price tag on the gift of
Christ. His gift is free.
Pope Benedict XVI:
Heaven does not belong to the geography of space, but
to the geography of the heart. And the heart of God, during
the Holy Night, stooped down to the stable: the humility of
God is heaven. And if we approach this humility, then we
touch heaven. Then the earth, too, is made new. With the
humility of the shepherds, let us set out, during this Holy
Night, towards the child in the stable! Let us touch God’s
humility, God’s heart! Then his joy will touch us and will
make the world more radiant. Amen.
St. Katharine Drexel:
Reflect on the infant Jesus, how tiny were his feet. We
do not have to do anything too great in our lives; just follow in those tiny footsteps. Then, let God do the rest and
he will transform those tiny footsteps of ours into giant
strides, which will help us to carry the peace, the hope,
the love, and the joy, which is Jesus Christ, to all whom
we meet.
Pope John Paul II:
Advent … helps us to understand fully the value and
meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about
commemorating the historical event, which occurred
some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our
life must be an “advent,” a vigilant awaiting of the final
coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome
the Lord, who, as we say in the Creed, one day will
come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn
to recognize him as present in the events of daily life.
Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training
that directs us decisively toward him who already came,
who will come, and who comes continuously.
Father Raniero Cantalamessa,
preacher of the Pontifical Household:
There is much that we can do to solemnize Christmas,
but the truest and most profound thing is suggested
to us by these words. A sincere thought of gratitude, a
feeling of love for him who came to live among us is the
best gift we can give to the child Jesus, the most beautiful ornament in the manger. To be sincere, however,
love needs to be translated into concrete gestures. The
simplest and most universal – when it is pure and innocent – is the kiss. Let us kiss Jesus, then, as we desire
to kiss all children just born. But let us not just kiss the
statue of plaster or porcelain, but the child Jesus in flesh
and blood. When we have kissed those who are wretched, suffering, we have kissed him! To kiss someone, in
this sense, is to help in a real way, but it is also to speak
a good word, to give encouragement, to pay a visit, to
smile, and sometimes – why not – to give an actual kiss.
These are the most beautiful candles that we can light in
our manger.
Last word
Catechist Winter Institute: St. Martin of
Tours Parish, Kankakee, is sponsoring a day
for catechists on Feb. 6, 2010, from 8:30
a.m. until noon. Guest speakers include Diane Kleber (“10 Steps for Catechist’s Success”) and Father Tony Teschetta (“Teaching
the Eucharist at Various Grade Levels”). For
more information, call Karen LeClaire at
(708) 258-9580.
F
or this month’s Last word, we
at Christ is our Hope magazine
would like to give our readers the
gift of Christmas and Advent wisdom from our church leaders.
32
St. Patrick Church in
Kankakee
Immaculate Conception
Church in Gilman
p l e a s e
r e c y c l e
Sts. Mary & Joseph Church
in Chebanse

de fe En - Diocese of Joliet

Transcripción

Documentos relacionados

Week 4 - St. Mark the Evangelist

12th Sunday Ordinary Time

DevilWoman Album Lyrics

guias segundo periodo grado 9

NEWS NEWS - svdpusa.net

04-24-2016 - Mother of Our Redeemer

ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST

the eBook as a PDF to read online, on a

Contra Mundum - Book of Hours

Songs by Artist

Llave de Oro - Siete Portales - El CRISTO, Instructor de humanidades

catalog 2012 - Friends of Israel