Layout 1 (Page 1) - Diocese of Kalamazoo

Transcripción

Layout 1 (Page 1) - Diocese of Kalamazoo
T he O ffic i al P u b l i ca ti o n fo r t h e C a t h o l i c Dioc ese of K alamaz oo
November 2013
www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org
Volume 16 Issue 9
The Good News
Year of Faith comes to a close this month
The Year of Faith, which began in October
2012, is coming to an official close this month.
When calling for the year Pope Benedict XVI hoped
for a year that the faithful had an opportunity to
grow in their relationship with Jesus, encounter Him
in the Sacraments and rediscover the beauty of the
faith.
The diocese marked the past year with a
number of special events which included: nine
Holy Hours, seven pilgrimages to sites across the
nine counties of the diocese, a first-ever Diocesan
Day of Reflection in February, 2013, with more t
han 600 people participating at six parishes.
Additionally, Bishop Bradley released his
second pastoral letter, We Dare to Say; and just
last month close to 600 people attended the annual
Catechetical Conference.
Final programs include a pilgrimage stop on
Sunday, November 3rd at the Holy Family Chapel
on the grounds of the Nazareth Center in Kalamazoo
beginning at 2 p.m. Rev. Robert Creagan, diocesan
pilgrimage director, will share historical details and
offer a tour of the facility. The Year of Faith closing
Mass with Bishop Paul J. Bradley will be held November 17, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral.
Looking for more ways to expand your faith?
The Diocese is offering many new programs this
year from how to engage with the new media to
building intercultural competency as a minister.
An attitude of gratitude
The diocesan Catholic Community Center is one shining
example of staff and volunteers pooling their talents to
reach out to those in need in the Benton Harbor community.
Shown above is a volunteer assisting a woman in the
Center’s food pantry. This month The Good News offers a
special section on stewardship. See page 6 for feature
articles on how to be a good steward of our time, talent and
treasure; stewardship in action throughout the diocese and
how to keep God in our Thanksgiving celebrations.
Annual Diocesan Heating
Assistance Program collection
set for November 23 and 24
Check out the complete Diocesan Program
Catalog online at www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org.
Bishop Paul J. Bradley celebrates a Year of Faith
Eucharistic Holy Hour at Ss John/Bernard Parish in
Benton Harbor. The Year of Faith closing Mass will
be celebrated November 17 at 11:30 a.m. at
St. Augustine Cathedral.
Diocesan conference draws close to 600 participants
By Kimberly Beaubien
Nearly 600 Catholics from 43
parishes and several other dioceses
gathered at the Kalamazoo Expo
Center last month for the diocesan
New Evangelization conference.
“It was a great success,” said
Jamin Herold, Associate Director
for the New Evangelization, “the
largest one we have had in years.”
Perhaps that is because of the two
keynote speakers headlining the
event: Dr. Edward Sri and Fr.
Dwight Longenecker. Dr. Sri, a well
known Mariologist, kicked off the
conference with a talk on Mary as
our model for the New Evangelization. Fr. Longenecker topped off the
day by encouraging everyone to
evangelize others by becoming saints. Additional highlights included Mass with Bishop Paul J. Bradley and
breakout sessions offered on a variety of topics from vocations to observing the Church calendar.
“It was a great event to have toward the end of the Year of Faith and beginning of the school year, as we
prepare to bring that faith to the children we teach and everyone,” added Herold. The opportunities to grow in
the faith and share it with others will continue beyond the Year of Faith with other diocesan programming. One
event that Herold recommends is a new family-focused program called the Monthly Energizer. The evening activity is scheduled on the third Saturday of every month at St. John Bosco Parish in Mattawan.
“It’s like a mini-conference that will continue to boost your faith throughout the year,” he said. Other
diocesan offerings can be found in the Diocesan Program Catalog on our website.
The Diocesan Heating Assistance Program (DHAP) provides emergency heating assistance to needy persons residing within the nine counties of the Diocese of Kalamazoo (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch,
Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St Joseph, and Van Buren counties). The program begins the first Monday in January and ends March 30th (earlier if
no funds remain). The program helps those in need defray heating expenses and obtain heating resources (fuel oil, natural gas, electricity, firewood).
The DHAP is funded through a special collection which will be
taken November 23 and 24 — with funds contributed from more than 50
parishes and missions across the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Parishes/missions may keep 20 percent of the funds collected for local use, serving
the poor and vulnerable. The remaining 80 percent is contributed to the
DHAP Fund and given out to families in need.
Last winter the Diocesan Heating Assistance Program assisted 390
families (a total of 1,210 people) with heating assistance funds. In total,
more than $71,000 was given to those in need. Seven DHAP volunteers
oversaw the disbursement process at the Catholic Charities offices and an
additional 52 volunteers assisted with the collection of funds at parishes
and missions across the Diocese. Despite challenging economic times, a
total of 50 missions and parishes contributed to the DHAP. In its 31 year
history, the DHAP has assisted a total of more than 11,000 families
(36,300 people) by providing heating assistance totalling close to $1.7
million. For more information on how you can give or volunteer, contact:
Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo, 269-381-9800.
INSIDE NEWS
2|
U.S. Bishops meet
this month
3 | Bishop’s Perspective
5 | Global Marketplace
comes to Portage
6 | Vocation updates
10 | Página en Español
12 | Around the Diocese
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
2 | The Good News
From the Editor
By Victoria Cessna
Communication Director & Editor of The Good News
“Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.” – Shakespeare, Rome&Juliet
My grandpa was great at goodbyes. Every time his seven grandchildren piled into the weathered Dodge van to leave his house after a visit,
he would stand at the end of the driveway and wave until we were completely out of sight. This wasn’t a dainty wave with cupped hands in the
style of royalty or pageant contestants but an exaggerated up and down
motion of his entire arm that enthusiastically sent us on our way and giggling as we peered out the back windows watching him shrink smaller
and smaller.
I wish I could channel that enthusiasm for all my send-offs but the
truth is goodbyes are tough. In just the past few weeks I’ve sent sympathy cards to four dear people that have had to say goodbye to one of their
parents. It comes with the season of life I find myself in I suppose, but
still, it’s not easy. Fortunately I am comforted by one, rather monumentally important thing: our faith tells us that our goodbyes are really “so
longs.”
Losing someone close to us, who impacted our lives, who we felt
electrically connected to, is heart-wrenching. But I take solace in the
beautiful way, this month especially, our Church reminds us how in death
there is also hope our loved ones are with God and an expectation that
we, too, will join with them.
So during November, even after the passing of All Saints Day and
All Souls Day, we’re called to conclude the end of our Church calendar
in the coming weeks with additional fervent prayers for those who’ve
journeyed ahead of us because as the Catechism tells us, “Our prayer for
[the dead] is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their
intercession for us effective.” [CC #958]
I don’t know about you, but I could use all the intercessions I can get.
There was a beautiful quote on one of those sympathy cards taken
from my mom’s beloved book, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
“In one of the stars I shall be living / In one of them I shall be laughing /
And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing when you look at the
sky at night “
My grandfather died almost 30 years ago but whether I’ve lit a candle for him, prayed a rosary or imagined him as one of those laughing
stars my aching heart that misses him is soothed by knowing that the
next time I see him I’ll be getting a big wave “hello.”
Pope Francis
November Intentions
Suffering Priests. That priests who experience difficulties may find comfort in their
suffering, support in their doubts, and confirmation in their fidelity.
Latin American Churches. That as fruit
of the continental mission, Latin American
Churches may send missionaries to other
Churches.
The Good News for the
Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo
I hereby designate The Good News as the
official publication of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
All notices and regulations, appointments,
assignments, etc. issued under the caption “Official” are to be regarded as official communications of the
Bishop of Kalamazoo. Opinion columns, features and
letters to the editor that appear in the publication do not
necessarily reflect the opinions held by The Good News
or the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
+Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley
Bishop of Kalamazoo
The Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley
PUBLISHER
Victoria Cessna, ext. 350
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR & EDITOR
Terry L. Hageman, ext. 302
GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ADVERTISING
Fanny Tabares, Director of Hispanic Ministry,
ext. 236 — SPANISH EDITOR
Kim Beaubien
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
PUBLISHED: monthly/10 times per year
DISTRIBUTION: The first weekend of the month via parish bulletins.
Circulation: 20,000. DEADLINES: Advertising reservations by the 1st of the month preceding
the month of publication. Mailing address: THE GOOD NEWS, Diocese of Kalamazoo, 215 N.
Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3760. Fax 269-349-6440, Telephone: 269-903-0163.
Email: [email protected].
NOTICE: The December/January edition will be distributed in all parishes December 7-8.
Catholic Press
Association
www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org
Mission Statement of The Good News: The Good News is the official newspaper of the Catholic Diocese
of Kalamazoo. The Bishop of Kalamazoo is the publisher and president. The Good News is an extension in
the print medium of the teaching authority of the Bishop. Therefore, it must always and at all times present
Catholic teaching in an orthodox, authentic and balanced manner. Its mission and goals proceed from this
fundamental reality.
The mission of The Good News, therefore, is to enable its readers to grow in their Catholic faith, to
develop as mature, well informed Catholics and to deepen their commitment to, and relationship with,
the Lord, their Catholic faith and their Church.
November 2013
U.S. Bishops to Meet November 11-14 In Baltimore,
Hear Addresses By Cardinal Dolan, Nuncio
WASHINGTON—The annual fall General Assembly
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
will be November 11-14, at the Baltimore Waterfront
Marriott Hotel. During the meeting, the bishops will
hear addresses by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New
York, president of USCCB, and Archbishop Carlo
Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The bishops will also hear a report from the National
Advisory Council and a report on the status of their
strategic/pastoral plan, “The New Evangelization:
Faith, Worship, Witness.” They will elect the next
president and vice president of USCCB, the chairman
of the USCCB Committee on Catholic Education, the
chairmen-elect of five other USCCB committees, and
members of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network
Incorporated (CLINIC) and Catholic Relief Services
(CRS) boards.
Other agenda items include:
• Consultation on the sainthood cause of Mary
Teresa Tallon, Servant of God
• Discussions and votes on the Misal Romano,
the Spanish translation of the book of prayers
at Mass, and adaptations to it for use in the
United States
• Discussions and votes on the draft translations
of the Order of Celebrating Marriage and the
Order of Confirmation, as well as proposed
adaptations for the Order of Celebrating Marriage
• An update by Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone
of San Francisco, chairman of the USCCB Sub
committee on the Promotion and Defense of
Marriage
• Presentation for a proposal to develop a formal
statement on pornography.
The Word from Lansing: Preserving the Religious
Liberty of Faith-Based Child Placement Agencies
By Paul A. Long, October 18, 2013
Among the legislative issues under consideration in Lansing is a three-bill package to protect the religious
liberty rights of faith-based child placement organizations. Michigan Catholic Conference strongly supports
these bills as organizations that serve vulnerable members of their communities, such as Catholic Charities, require legal recognition of their conscience rights in order to sustain their relationship with the State well into
the future. Simply put, the bills seek to place into law what has been practiced for well over 50 years: collaboration between non-public agencies and the State to license foster parents and to place adoptive children in loving
homes.
Catholic agencies have provided invaluable community services in Michigan even prior to the State’s involvement in foster care and adoption. Pregnancy counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, homeless assistance
and refugee resettlement are just a few of the services provided by the Church’s social service agencies. Their
concern for vulnerable persons and the best interest of children has served Michigan well. Over the last several
decades, Catholic and other faith-based agencies have partnered with the State to help more children find safe
and loving environments. As a result of these and other non-public agencies, Michigan has been cited as a national model in terms of diversity in family services.
In March 2012, the Michigan Department of Human Services praised the State’s partnership with the faith
community to provide adoption and foster care services, stating faith-based organizations are “committed to
helping children in need.” Governor Snyder echoed these comments, referring to the partnership with the faithbased community as “a perfect way” to ensure Michigan children “[have] a chance at a real home.” Current
policy is working to maintain the integrity of faith-based institutions. Placing effective practice into law is good
public policy.
Michigan Catholic Conference recently testified before a legislative committee with local Catholic agencies on behalf of the proposed legislation. These bills do not change who can adopt children; rather, they ensure
faith-based agencies are able to continue to live out their religious mission as they always have. Unfortunately,
in other areas of the country, such as Massachusetts, Illinois, and Washington DC, Catholic Charities agencies
shut down child placement services after the State or city forced them to choose between acting contrary to
their religious teaching or discontinuing services. This is a choice that should never have to be made in a country that was built upon religious freedom.
House Bills 4927-4928 and 4991 are not a Catholic issue, as other faith denominations support the bills.
This policy, however, will directly impact the Catholic Church’s mission to serve Michigan’s children and is
necessary to preserve the place of faith-based agencies in the process of uniting children with loving families.
Every day Catholic organizations are living out their religious mission to help others, often serving those on the
margins of society, including vulnerable children. Their work must be protected.
Continued support will be needed in order to encourage elected officials at the State Capitol to take action
on these important bills. Please visit www.micatholic.org/adoption/ today to make your voice heard.
Paul A. Long is President and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference, the official public policy voice of the
Catholic Church in this state.
Memoriam
Sr. Edna Ternes, CSJ entered eternal life on September 27, 2013. A funeral Mass
was held for her on October 1, at Holy Family Chapel at Nazareth, Kalamazoo,
Mich. Sister Edna earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Nazareth College and a Master of Arts degree in Social Work from St. Louis University in Missouri. After teaching a few years, she entered the field of social work. She worked at
St. Joseph Hospital in Flint and then transferred to Borgess Hospital, St. Agnes
Foundling Home in Kalamazoo where she ministered to women with troubled pregnancies, placed children in foster and adoptive homes. In 1970 she became administrator of Catholic Family Services in the Diocese of Kalamazoo (now Catholic Charities Diocese of
Kalamazoo). After fourteen years she moved to Dowagiac Nursing Home. Sister Edna returned to
Kalamazoo and retired in 1994.
November 2013
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
The Bishop’s Perspective
Gratitude reaps blessings
The Good News | 3
La Perspectiva del Obispo
La gratitud cosecha bendiciones
For some people the month of November can seem like a somber month with the
shorter days and the looming promise of winter. However, it’s also a month filled
with treasured celebrations. During this month we honor our loved ones both
with All Saints Day and All Souls Day. We celebrate the brave men and women
who have fought for our freedom with Veteran’s Day and we gather with our
friends and families for our annual Thanksgiving feast. Here in the Church we
mark the conclusion of our Year of Faith, on November 24th, the Feast of Christ the King.
So from saints to souls; from soldiers to church-goers, all these occasions remind us of the
gratitude we should have daily for the gift of faith.
Para algunas personas el mes de noviembre puede parecer un mes sombrío con
los días más cortos y la promesa de que se avecina el invierno. Sin embargo, también es un mes lleno de celebraciones preciadas. Durante este mes, honramos a
nuestros seres queridos, el día de Todos los Santos y el día de todos los Difuntos.
Celebramos los valientes hombres y mujeres que han luchado por nuestra libertad
con el día de los Veteranos y nos reunimos con nuestros amigos y familiares para
nuestra fiesta anual de Acción de Gracias. Aquí en la Iglesia marcamos la conclusión de
nuestro Año de la Fe, el 24 de noviembre, fiesta de Cristo Rey. Así que desde santos a almas;
desde soldados a asistentes a la iglesia, todas estas ocasiones nos recuerdan la gratitud que
debemos tener todos los días por el don de la fe.
Last month before my departure for my pilgrimage to the Diocese of Lodwar, Kenya, I had
the pleasure of having some of my family visit for a beautiful fall weekend. My niece
Amanda came with her 18-month-old son, Cameron, who is just learning to talk. Amanda
was coaching Cameron when he was “asking” for things in that very familiar way many parents do. Each time he requested something or received something, she would ask him,
“What do you say?” with the obvious expected answers to be: “please” and “thank you.”
As we get older, we have to interiorize and transform good manners into our very personality. Eventually, as we mature, those courteous practices turn into virtues for us, as people of
faith, who know that God is the ultimate source of all blessings — the One to whom we
need always to say: “thank you!” We come to realize that no matter what is going on in our
lives, and no matter what challenges or painful circumstances we are facing, we have many
reasons each and every day to give thanks to God. In that sense, every day should be
“Thanksgiving Day.”
El mes pasado, antes de mi partida a la peregrinación a la diócesis de Lodwar, Kenia , tuve el
placer de tener algunos de mis familiares de visita para un hermoso fin de semana de otoño.
Mi sobrina Amanda vino con su hijo de 18 meses de edad, Cameron, que justo está aprendiendo a hablar. Amanda estaba instruyendo a Cameron cuando el “ pedía “ cosas, de esa
manera tan familiar con que muchos padres lo hacen. Cada vez que él pedía algo o recibía
algo, ella le preguntaba: “¿Qué se dice? “, Con las evidentes respuestas esperadas: “por
favor” y “gracias “. A medida que vamos creciendo, tenemos que interiorizar y transformar
las buenas costumbres en nuestra propia personalidad. Con el tiempo, a medida que maduramos, esas prácticas de cortesía se convierten en virtudes para nosotros, como personas de fe,
que sabemos que Dios es la fuente última de todas las bendiciones — al que tenemos que
decir siempre: “¡gracias!” Nos damos cuenta de que no importa lo que está pasando en nuestras vidas, y no importa qué retos o circunstancias dolorosas estamos enfrentando, tenemos
muchos motivos todos los días para dar gracias a Dios. En ese sentido, todos los días deberían ser “Día de Acción de Gracias. “
There’s a legend with which you may already be familiar. It tells the story about a servant
whose master is dying. He wants to leave the servant a bag of blessings, filled to the brim.
As the master was breathing his last, he promised the servant that this “magic bag” would
always remain full, as long as he remembered four special words. He whispered those words
into the servant’s ear as he breathed his last; unfortunately, the servant was so excited to get
the magic bag that he didn’t pay attention to what those four magic words were.
Hay una leyenda con la que pueden estar ya familiarizados. Cuenta la historia acerca de un
sirviente al cual su amo se le está muriendo. Él le quiere dejar al sirviente una bolsa de bendiciones — llena hasta el borde. A medida que el maestro daba su ultimo respiro, prometió al
sirviente que esta “ bolsa mágica “ siempre permanecería llena, siempre y cuando el se acordara cuatro palabras especiales. El le susurró al sirviente esas palabras al oído mientras expiraba, por desgracia, el siervo estaba tan emocionado de tener la bolsa mágica que no le presto
atención a cuales eran esas cuatro palabras mágicas.
After the master died and was buried, the servant set out to pursue his own dreams, happy
and excited with his bag of blessings. Anytime he was in need, he would reach into the bag
and pull out what he wanted. Soon he realized that the bag was getting empty; he desperately tried to remember those four special words, but he could not do so.
Después de que el maestro murió y fue sepultado, el criado se dispuso a perseguir sus propios sueños, feliz y emocionado con su bolsa de bendiciones. Cada vez que tenia necesidad,
metía la mano en a la bolsa y sacaba lo que quería. Pronto se dio cuenta de que la bolsa se estaba vaciando, trató desesperadamente de recordar esas cuatro palabras especiales, pero no
pudo hacerlo.
He sought out a local wise man in the next village, who said: “Perhaps the words are ‘I wish
I had’!” So the servant started back on his way, running down the road shouting: “I wish I
had — I wish I had — I wish I had as much as all my neighbors have.” But the bag remained nearly empty.
Buscó a un hombre sabio local en el pueblo de al lado, quien dijo: “ Tal vez las palabras son
Me gustaría tener ‘ “ Entonces el siervo comenzó de nuevo su camino, corriendo por el camino gritando: “ Me gustaría tener — me gustaría tener — me gustaría tener tanto como
todos mis vecinos tienen. “ Pero la bolsa se mantuvo casi vacía.
Further along, he asked another person, who said: “Perhaps the words are: Give me some
more.’” So again, he went on his way, shouting to the skies: “Give me some more — give me
some more — Oh fill my bag of blessings as full as it was before!” Still the bag remained
perilously empty.
Más adelante , le pregunto a otra persona , quien dijo : “ Tal vez las palabras son: Dame un
poco más” “ Así que de nuevo , siguió su camino , gritando a los cielos : “ Dame un poco
más — dame un poco más — ¡Oh llena mi bolsa de bendiciones tan llena como estaba antes
! “Aún así la bolsa se mantuvo peligrosamente vacía.
Lonely and dejected, he sat down by the side of the road ready to eat the last piece of bread
from the bag. As he started to eat it, a beggar came along and pleaded for the bread. He gave
it to him, forgetting his own hunger, and watched in wonder as the beggar, before eating the
bread, looked up to Heaven and said: “I thank You Lord!” That’s when the servant realized
what the four special words were, and he began running down the road shouting: “I thank
You Lord — I thank You Lord!” And the bag of blessings became full once more.
Solo y abatido, se sentó a un lado de la carretera listo para comer el último trozo de pan de la
bolsa. Cuando lo empezó a comer, un mendigo se acercó y le suplico por el pan. El se lo dio,
olvidándose de su propia hambre, y vio con asombro como el mendigo, antes de comer el
pan, alzó la vista al cielo y dijo: “ ¡Te doy gracias Señor!” Eso es cuando el siervo se dio
cuenta de cuales eran las cuatro palabras especiales, y empezó a correr por el camino gritando: “ ¡Te doy gracias Señor — Te doy gracias Señor! “ y la bolsa de bendiciones se llenó
una vez más.
The more we can develop that same sense of gratitude deep within us — that “attitude of
gratitude” — the more we will find peace in our hearts and joy in our outlook on life, even if
our life circumstances are difficult and challenging. Even when the servant was dejected he
shared his very last treasure with one less fortunate than himself with no thought of reward.
No wonder he was richly blessed!
Cuanto más podamos desarrollar ese mismo sentimiento de gratitud profundo en nosotros —
esa “ actitud de gratitud “ — más vamos a encontrar la paz en nuestros corazones y la alegría en nuestra visión acerca de la vida, incluso si nuestras circunstancias de vida son difíciles y desafiantes. Aun cuando el sirviente estaba abatido compartió su último tesoro con uno
menos afortunado que él, sin pensar en recompensa. ¡Con razón estaba ricamente bendecido!
I hope like the servant with the full “bag of blessings” you have journeyed through the past
Year of Faith filling your spiritual bag with a renewed vigor for your faith. Whether you attended one of the 12 Holy Hours throughout our diocese; or went to one of the pilgrimage
visits or took part in the Diocesan Day of Reflection last February, or even just adopted a
new prayer habit, I hope you grew closer in the knowledge of God’s love for you.
Espero que como el siervo con la “bolsa de las bendiciones “ llena, hayan viajado a través
del pasado año de la fe llenando su bolsa espiritual con un renovado vigor por su fe. Hayan
asistido a una de las 12 Horas Santas a través de nuestra diócesis, o ido a una de las visitas
peregrinas o participado en la Jornada Diocesana de Reflexión el febrero pasado, o incluso
hayan adoptado un nuevo hábito de oración, espero que se hayan acercado mas al conocimiento del amor de Dios por ustedes.
Just last month I had the great privilege to celebrate Mass at our annual diocesan New Evangelization conference with close to 600 attendees! Teachers, catechists, pastoral staffs and
volunteers, clergy and lay people dedicated one Saturday to grow in their faith and I’m very
grateful for that commitment. What a wonderful witness to embracing the new evangelization.
El mes pasado tuve el gran privilegio de celebrar la Santa Misa en nuestra conferencia diocesana anual de la Nueva Evangelización, con cerca de ¡600 asistentes! Maestros, catequistas,
personal pastoral y voluntarios, miembros del clero y laicos le dedicaron un sábado a crecer
en su fe, y estoy muy agradecido por ese compromiso. ¡Qué maravilloso testimonio de abrazar la nueva evangelización!
As our Holy Father so beautifully said in his first encyclical letter, Lumen Fidei, (Light of
Faith): “There is an urgent need, then, to see once again that faith is a light, for once the
Como el Santo Padre dijo tan bellamente en su primera carta encíclica, Lumen Fidei, (Luz de
la Fe):
Continued on page 4
“Por tanto, es urgente recuperar el carácter luminoso propio de la fe, pues cuando su llama
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
4 | The Good News
Parishes to take up new collection
to support military archdiocese
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has approved a
new collection to assist the Archdiocese for the Military “serve those
who serve.” The collection, which takes place every three years, will
occur for the first time this November 10-11, 2013.
The Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) receives no funding from the government, nor does it have parishes with regular collections to support its work. The Archdiocese depends solely on generous
donations from the general public, current and retired priest-chaplains
and private grants.
Catholics make up 25 percent of the military, but only 8 percent
of military chaplains are Catholics. This forces many of our Catholic
servicemen and women to turn to other denominations for pastoral care.
Thanks to support from bishops and religious superiors, more men are
entering the seminary now to become priest-chaplains through the CoSponsored Seminarian Program, which splits the cost of seminarian education between a home diocese and the AMS. Funding is also needed to
evangelize young servicemen and women through the AMS Office of
Evangelization, to provide them with an encounter with Jesus Christ and
His Church.
The Archdiocese for Military Services provides for the spiritual
needs of those who put their lives on the line for our country. They need
us to be generous in providing for their needs.
Rev. Brian Stanley, former Army chaplain and now Parochial Vicar,
St. Margaret Parish, Otsego, offered his support of the collection. In a
letter to all parishioners in the diocese he said, “Numerically, the AMS is
responsible for more than 1.8 million men, women and children. Your
donation will help recruit vocations…support religious education programs, and preserve sacramental records…”
For more information visit: www.milarch.org
The Bishop’s Perspective Continued from page 3
flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin
to dim. The light of faith is unique, since it is
capable of illuminating every aspect of
human existence. A light this powerful cannot
come from ourselves but from a more primordial
source: in a word, it must come from God. Faith is
born of an encounter with the living God who calls
us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and
upon which we can lean for security and for building
our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see; we realize that it contains a
great promise of fulfillment, and that a vision of the
future opens up before us. Faith, received from God
as a supernatural gift, becomes a light for our way,
guiding our journey through time.” (4)
When all is said and done, what makes the basic difference in each of our lives is to have that personal
encounter with the living God. The more we can say:
“I thank You Lord!” and mean it, through word and
action, the more we will find peace in our hearts and
the strength to continue living our lives as people of
faith, no matter where our life journey takes us. At
that point, Jesus will also give us the greatest miracle
of all — greater than a magic bag of unending blessings, greater than miraculous cures. He will welcome
us home to Heaven with those beautiful words found
in Matthew’s Gospel: “Well done, good and faithful
servant; come, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you
from the beginning of the world” (Matt. 25:21).
God bless you now, and always.
And...Happy Thanksgiving!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
+ Bishop Paul Bradley
November 2013
se apaga, todas las otras luces acaban languideciendo.
Y es que la característica propia de la luz de la fe es la
capacidad de iluminar toda la existencia del hombre.
Porque una luz tan potente no puede provenir de nosotros mismos; ha de venir de una fuente más primordial, tiene que venir, en definitiva, de Dios. La fe nace
del encuentro con el Dios vivo, que nos llama y nos revela su amor, un amor que nos precede y en el que nos
podemos apoyar para estar seguros y construir la vida.
Transformados por este amor, recibimos ojos nuevos,
experimentamos que en él hay una gran promesa de
plenitud y se nos abre la mirada al futuro. La fe, que
recibimos de Dios como don sobrenatural, se presenta
como luz en el sendero, que orienta nuestro camino en
el tiempo” (4)
Cuando todo está dicho y hecho, lo que hace la diferencia básica en cada una de nuestras vidas es tener ese encuentro personal con el Dios vivo. Cuanto más
podamos decir: “¡Te doy gracias Señor “!, y decirlo en
serio, a través de la palabra y la acción, más vamos a
encontrar la paz en nuestros corazones y la fuerza para
seguir viviendo nuestras vidas como personas de fe, sin
importar a donde el viaje de la vida nos lleve. En ese
punto, Jesús también nos dará el milagro más grande de
todos — más grande que una bolsa mágica de bendiciones sin fin, más grande que curaciones milagrosas.
Él nos dará la bienvenida a casa en el cielo con esas
hermosas palabras que se encuentran en el Evangelio
de Mateo: “ Bien hecho, servidor bueno y fiel, entra a
participar del gozo de tu señor”. “ (Mateo 25:21 ) .
Que Dios los bendiga hoy y siempre. Y.... ¡Feliz día de
Acción de Gracias!
Fielmente suyos en Cristo,
+ Mons. Paul Bradley
Television host to lead New Evangelization
workshop in Vicksburg November 16th
ARMY CHAPLAIN CELEBRATES MASS AT FORWARD OPERATING
BASE IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2009 — Father Carl Subler, a U.S. Army
chaplain, celebrates Mass for soldiers at a forward operating base in
Zabul province, Afghanistan, in this Dec. 12, 2009, photo provided by
the U.S. Department of Defense. One of the top concerns of the U.S.
Archdiocese for Military Services has been for soldiers deployed in
Afghanistan. (CNS photo/courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense)
Dr. Ralph Martin, President of Renewal Ministries, host of the weekly television program, “The Choices We Face,” and Director of Graduate Programs in The New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, will be conducting a workshop at St.
Martin of Tours in Vicksburg on November 16th. Dr. Martin will speak on the theme,
“Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times,” which will address the call to intentionally
evangelize all those we encounter in our lives in word and deed.
Cost is $15 and includes lunch if registration is received before November 8th.
Lunch cannot be guaranteed after the deadline. For more information,
contact St. Martin Parish, 269-649-1629.
Group unites
young adults
looking to share
faith and fun
Young adults looking to grow closer to God and others in community
may want to check out Young Disciples, a group geared towards adults in
their 20’s and 30’s. The group meets on Thursdays at 7 p.m. at St.
Thomas More Student Parish to learn about prayer and do community
service and also organizes many impromptu social events. Some
upcoming events include a service project at Kalamazoo Gospel Mission
on November 14 and cookie decorating at Southern Care Hospice on
December 5.
For more information, contact Franco at [email protected].
Stop in to shop our great gift selection for
First Holy Communion & Confirmation
First Missals
White gloves & ties
Gift Bibles Medals
Rosaries
Cooperatores Veritatis
340 East Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo
Mon-Fri: 9 am - 6 pm Sat: 10 am - 4 pm Phone: 269-553-0482
www.newmansbookshoppe.com
Free parking in front of the store on both sides of Michigan Ave.
Members of the Young Disciples group recently visited the Noah’s Ark Corn Maze in Union City.
November 2013
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
The Other Six Days By Jane Knuth
Bustin’ Open a Cloud
Borgess Tree of Love
campaign gives area
women a lifesaving gift
Embrace the spirit of giving, and give someone a
free mammogram. That’s the message behind the annual Borgess Tree of Love.
The 2013 Tree of Love campaign kicked off last
month in connection with October’s Breast Cancer
Awareness Month. The campaign culminates with a
tree lighting ceremony sponsored by the Borgess
Foundation at 6 p.m., Thursday, December 5, in the
Lawrence Education Center Auditorium at Borgess
Medical Center. Borgess-Pipp Hospital and Borgess at
Woodbridge Hills will turn on their Tree of Love
lights on December 5 as well. Supporters this year
hope to raise more than $60,000 in donations to fund
mammograms and diagnostic mammography services.
“Tree of Love enables women to live healthy,
cancer-free lives, thanks to free mammography services at any Borgess facility that offers breast care diagnostics,” said Tony McDonnell, chief development
officer, Borgess Foundation. “One out of every eight
women — our mothers, sisters, daughters, coworkers,
friends, neighbors — will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. When breast cancer is detected early,
the five-year survival rate is nearly 98 percent. Tree of
Love helps women beat the odds.”
In 1985, the Borgess Service League launched
the first Borgess Tree of Love. Since then, more than
The Good News | 5
Shown above is the Tree of Love outside Borgess
Medical Center with physician campaign champions
(from left) Dr. Dean Copely, Dr. Kathryn Wimbish,
and Dr. Lauren Mann.
$435,000 has been given by donors to support the
Borgess Tree of Love campaign so that countless
women without health insurance can receive free
diagnostic mammography services to identify breast
cancer. The campaign also provides an opportunity
for donors to honor employees, colleagues, family
and friends. Last year’s Borgess Foundation campaign
reached more than $71,000, exceeding its $60,000
campaign goal.
For information on the 2013 Tree of Love
campaign, call 269-226-8100 or visit
treeoflove.borgess.com.
Paula D’Arcy named keynote speaker for
professional caregivers program
Professional caregivers are invited to the 12th Annual Community of Caregivers
gathering – The Alchemy of Grief and Loss: The Personal & Professional Impact – with
Paula D’Arcy on Friday, December 6, 2013 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Transformations
Spirituality Center. Paula D’Arcy is a writer, playwright, retreat leader and conference
speaker. A former psychotherapist, Paula survived the loss of her husband and young daughter in an accident
in 1975. She was three months pregnant at the time. Among her best-selling books are Gift of the Red Bird,
Waking up to This Day and When People Grieve.
The conference will explore both the nature and wide range of grief and loss, including how they affect us
personally, and how they impact our roles as professionals. Additionally D’Arcy will examine the implications
of unaddressed grief (how we process pain), and will learn about the importance of meeting our own losses in
preparation for companioning others in moving through theirs.
Registration is $80 if paid by November 15, $90 after and includes lunch. Professional nursing and
social work CEUs are approved for this event. For more information or to register
call 269-381-6290 ext. 327, or visit TransformationsCenter.org.
In the past year, several of our Vincentian brothers and
sisters have gone on ahead of us to their home in eternity.
We miss them a lot. We miss their experience, their friendship, and their smiles. We don’t miss their prayers because we’re sure
they are still praying for us, the same as we do for them.
Every few months, during our regular meeting, we pass a coffee can
around and collect money to have a Mass said for our deceased members. The Mass is scheduled on a Monday because the thrift store is
closed on that day and we can all attend. Fr. Dan at the cathedral is getting used to seeing our two rows of faces, and he gently makes a point of
praying for our work along with our deceased brethren. He makes us feel
a little better.
Last month, there was an elderly gentleman in the thrift store who
needed help with his electric bill because he had broken his budget to
pay for his nephew’s funeral. It is a privilege to be of assistance in these
situations.
I offered my condolences. He nodded and said, “You gotta give a
person a flower while they can still smell. I did what I could for my
nephew when he was alive, so I have no regrets. He’s in a good place
now. Jesus has him.”
I thought about our Vincentians who had passed away, and this man
made me feel better on account of the flowers we had taken to the nursing homes and to the hospitals, rather than the funerals. I smiled at him.
He grinned back. “Jesus is coming back, you know? And he’s gonna bust
a cloud open with that book of his.”
I laughed. “You have a lot of wisdom.”
He shrugged. “It would be sad if God kept me on the earth this long
and I couldn’t tell you nothing.”
“Is it all right if I tell other people what you know?”
“Sure it’s all right, especially the part about Him coming back.”
Making a Report of Sexual Misconduct
A report of sexual misconduct may be initiated at the Diocese of Kalamazoo’s
Sexual Misconduct Question and Reporting Line: 877-802-0115. A caller will be requested
to provide his or her name and telephone number. All calls regarding
sexual misconduct will be returned, usually within one hour. This toll-free
telephone number has been established as a part of the diocese's effort to protect
children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries.
This line is for reporting suspected sexual misconduct or child abuse within diocesan institutions and ministries only. If you have some other concern about diocesan schools, parishes
or ministries, please contact the appropriate
diocesan school, parish or office directly. In all cases of sexual abuse you
are encouraged to report all cases to the local police or protective services.
“Buy locally/think globally” philosophy founding
inspiration for St. Catherine’s fair trade marketplace
Responding to the call to support fair-trade global markets and food systems, Mary and Ed Bachleda and other
members of the Just Faith program at St. Catherine of Siena
Parish, Portage, founded Marketplace, an event featuring
food, gifts and crafts sold by fair trade and “agent of
change” vendors from around the world.
This November for the 10th consecutive year the parish’s
Marian Hall will be transformed into an international marketplace from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, offering an
early opportunity to shop for unique holiday gifts and fair
trade products. Entrance is free and open to the public. The
church is located at 1150 W. Centre Street, Portage, Michigan.
About 20 vendors will offer a wide variety of gift items, including Equal Exchange coffees, teas, chocolates and snacks, hats and scarves; children’s toys and books; and, handmade jewelry, soaps, note cards and
paper.
“More than 600 people attended the 2012 Marketplace and with their buying power they made a positive
difference in our world,” said Ed Bachleda. “Marketplace is a fair trade, non-profit endeavor of St. Catherine’s
Justice Mission. All profits go to Marketplace vendors to support their continued good work helping workers of
the world to be fairly compensated for the goods and services they produce.”
Though Marketplace founder Mary died in 2012, her legacy of activism and heart for social justice lives on
in the many people who help make the event a success. Numerous volunteers serve countless hours assisting
Bachleda in planning and hosting Marketplace where, he adds, “Every purchase made at Marketplace helps us
build peaceful relationships with people from other cultures by supporting fair trade.”
For more information, contact Ed Bachleda via e-mail at [email protected] or phone (269) 327-1159.
62
or Better?
If you’re 62 or better, now’s the time to start
enjoying the better things in life!
Take a close look at Dillon Hall Apartments. You’ll enjoy
convenient maintenance-free living in your own apartment.
• Pay 30% of your income for rent
• Utilities Included
• Emergency Response System
• Low cost lunch
• Laundry Facility
• Beauty Salon
• Storage Units
• Garden Plots Available
• Beautiful Community Room
• Metro Bus Service on the bus line
DILLON HALL
Gull Road & Nazareth
(269) 342-0263
Smoke-Free Environment
Now Taking Applications!
2725 Airview Boulevard, Suite 205,
Kalamazoo, MI 49002
A sponsored ministry of the
Congregation of St. Joseph.
6 | The Good News
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
STEWARDSHIP
How to become a good steward
November 2013
,.
Time • Treasure • Talent
“Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his
commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all
your soul.” Joshua 22:5
We are called upon to be a servant. This is not an
easy thing for many people to be in today’s world.
People want to be in control of their own lives and
their own schedules. But being God’s servant means
turning over control of everything to God.
Sometimes, we may be asked to serve in ways in
which we feel we are not prepared. The first reaction
may be to make excuses as to why we could not possibly serve. We may say that we are not gifted in that
way, or that our busy calendar would not permit us to
serve.
But the scripture above tells us that we are to
serve God with all our heart and soul. Each of us
20 Stewardship Ideas
By Effie Caldarola
1. Think of a charity which is amply blessed at
Christmas. Remember them with a gift mid-year.
2. Invite a single friend over for a meal.
3. Attend an extra Mass on a weekday this month.
4. Abstain from something you like – meat, a latte,
a cold drink – on Fridays and save the money for
a charity.
5. Take your rosary with you for an early morning
walk.
6. Recycle more.
7. Each day, say a prayer for one of the world’s
trouble spots.
8. Turn off the TV, phone, and computer, and
spend an hour devoted to someone you love.
9. Surprise an old friend with a phone call.
10. Buy or pick a flower for someone without a
“reason.”
needs to serve when asked, and give it all we have to
give. We need to serve willingly by developing a servant’s heart.
Not only may we be asked to serve in our church,
but we may be called upon to help a family member,
neighbor, or community organization. Begin each day
by allowing God to control your schedule. If there are
unexpected interruptions to your day’s plan, recognize
that God may be calling you to service elsewhere. We
need to follow God in these times. God will give us
all that we need to serve him. God will give us time to
serve.
,.
11. Take your family to a farmers’ market if in
season.
12. Stop for a moment during your busy day
and enjoy an ice cream cone or other favorite
treat.
13. If you hear a great homily, tell the homilist.
14. Splurge on some produce and buy enough
to share with someone in need.
15. See if you can go one day without complaining.
16. On occasion, try turning your prayer before
meals into a spontaneous prayer of thanks,
using your own words.
17. Send an unexpected thank you note for a
small favor.
18. If you spot a neighbor in the yard, stop for a
brief chat.
19. When standing in the store checkout line,
let someone with fewer items go ahead of you.
20. Sing – or sing louder – at Mass.
St. Catherine of Siena parishioners share gifts
with sister parish in El Salvador
This past summer Melissa Centofanti traveled to
a sister parish in El Sitio for a life changing cultural
experience. Melissa had the opportunity to stay with a
local family, and share letters and photos from St.
Catherine of Siena parishioners.
In addition, Melissa shared nutritional tips with
many local mothers, teaching them how to provide the
best possible diet for their families.
Melissa said her experience has allowed her to
look at things differently. “What I didn’t understand is
how important our relationships can be to others. The
connections we make and the giving of our time and
attention can have more of an impact on someone’s
life than a $20 bill will ever have.”
Melissa Centofanti (Pictured above) and Samatha
Cabala (left) were members of the 2013 Summer Delegation,
St. Catherine of Siena Parish, sent to its sister parish in El Sitio.
A volunteer nurse checks a
man’s blood pressure at the
diocesan Catholic Community
Center, Benton Harbor, Mich.
Visit the diocesan
website to view the
November issue of
The Stewards Way
along with back
issues and additional
resourses that will
help you become a
better steward.
http://www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org/Stewardship
Ways to keep God in
Thanksgiving
Every December, we hear much talk of “keeping Christ in Christmas.” But
sometimes in the national discussion of Thanksgiving in the United States, we talk
about being thankful but leave out God as the source of all. Good stewards never
miss an opportunity to thank God. Here are some suggestions for “keeping God in
Thanksgiving.”
• Many parishes see as many people attend Mass on Thanksgiving Day as
on holy days of obligation. Make sure you’re in the crowd, and bring your
kids to say thank you to God on this special day.
• Food banks and shelters need food all year long, but many launch special
drives on Thanksgiving. Fill up your trunk with donations, and make clear
you are acting out of a spirit of gratitude to God.
• Line up a trip to help at a soup kitchen, food bank or meal delivery service
on Thanksgiving or sometime near the feast. This can be especially beneficial
to children, but everyone who experiences the needs of others appreciates not
only what they have, but the fellowship they share with their sisters and
brothers who may have less.
• Make grace at your family feast especially memorable. Let people know ahead
of time that they will be asked to name a person, a situation, an experience,
for which they are grateful to a loving God.
• Make that phrase, “thank God,” a little more frequent and sincere in your
conversation. Don’t be afraid to use the language of a grateful steward.
• Set time aside this month to pray over some experience in your life that was
difficult for you. Let God show you his presence in this moment and feel your
heart respond with gratitude.
• Set aside another time in which you recall an experience of deep happiness and
joy — the birth of a child, a special moment with a loved one, a gift you
received that was beyond your expectation. Let God be with you in these
moments and express your deep thankfulness.
Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council
November 2013
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
The Good News | 7
Sr. Paula Terese Pilon, CSJ,
Makes final profession of vows
Local artist enters Daughters of
St. Paul as postulant
Sister Paula Terese Pilon, CSJ professed her final
vows as a sister of the Congregation of St. Joseph on
September 21, 2013. The ceremony was held during
Eucharistic Liturgy in the chapel at the Congregation’s
center in Nazareth, Michigan. As a Sister of St. Joseph,
Sr. Paula Terese professed her final, or perpetual, vows
of lifelong commitment to chastity, poverty, and obedience. She also dedicated herself to God, to unifying
love in community, and to serve a world in need.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sister Paula
Terese attended Fr. Gabriel Richard High School and
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from
Siena Heights University in Adrian, Mich. She entered
the Congregation of St. Joseph in September of 2003
and began her novitiate in August of 2005. During her
novitiate period, Sister Paula Terese completed two inSister Paula Terese is the daughter
ternships in Clinical Pastoral Education, one at Chilof Frances and Paul Pilon of Ann
dren’s Hospital of Michigan and the other at Sinai
Arbor, Mich.
Grace Hospital in Michigan. In September of 2007,
she was the first woman to make vows in the newly formed Congregation of St. Joseph.
Currently working as the Coordinator for Workplace Spirituality for Borgess Health in
Nazareth (Kalamazoo), Mich., Sister Paula Terese is also pursuing a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies at the Catholic Theological Union.
“I was drawn to the CSJ charism of unifying, inclusive love and knew this same
charism was in my own DNA,” said Sister Paula Terese. “Another trait of the CSJs that attracted me then, and keeps me now, is what I call our ‘hidden’ charism of hospitality. When
one is with a Sister of St. Joseph, one is never a stranger, but always family. I have a mother
who lives a life of unifying, reconciling love and exemplifies hospitality, so I immediately
felt ‘at home’ in this community. I knew this is where I was called to live my life.”
Danielle Lussier, a St. Joseph Parish, Battle Creek
parishioner, recently entered into the Daughters of St.
Paul on September 8, 2013. Lussier, an artist and former assistant to Very Rev. John Fleckenstein, worked
with the Laboure Society to conduct fundraising to
eliminate all her college debt—a requirement before
entering the religious order.
As a postulant Lussier will spend two years in St.
Louis and will then move to Boston which is the
Mother House for the Daughters of St. Paul known as
the “media nuns” and for their Pauline books and
media projects (see www.daughtersofstpaul.com).
Lussier expressed her gratitude for the generosity of
the faithful in the diocese who helped with her
fundraising efforts.
“Together we surpassed my goal [of $45,000],
raising over $52,000 for vocations,” she said. “The Sisters and I pray for you regularly as
the benefactors of my vocation. I am especially offering my entrance and this time of
deeper discernment for our wonderful Bishop Bradley, our local priests and for the families of this diocese.”
You can reach Lussier at: [email protected] and follow her journey at
www.supportdanielleshabit.com
Seminarian road show
The seminarians of the Diocese of Kalamazoo recently spent an October
weekend visiting parishes and participating in the annual New Evangelization
Catechetical Conference. During the catechetical conference the seminarians
presented a panel discussion on vocations as one of the breakout sessions lead
by Vocations and Ongoing Formation director, Rev. Christopher Derda. During
that same weekend the seminarians visited St. Edward Parish, Mendon;
St. Mary Visitation Parish, New Salem, Immaculate Conception Parish,
Three Rivers and St. Therese Parish, Wayland. After each Mass the
seminarians presented a talk on vocations to interested parishioners.
Retirement Fund for Religious set for
December 7 and 8
The national collection to support the
Retirement Fund for Religious (RFR) will be
held Dec. 7-8, 2013. The U.S. bishops initiated the collection in 1988 to address the
significant lack of retirement funding among
U.S. religious communities. Proceeds benefit
more than 34,000 senior Catholic sisters,
brothers, and religious order priests by helping eligible communities underwrite retirement and health-care expenses, including
such day-to-day expenses as prescription medications and nursing care.
In 2012 the collection raised $27 million toward the over $1.1 billion annual cost of
care for senior religious. The people of the Diocese of Kalamazoo contributed $91,411.17.
In the past, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests — known collectively
as women and men religious — served for small stipends that did not include retirement
benefits. Their sacrifices now leave their religious communities without adequate savings
for retirement and elder care. As the cost of health care rises, so does the number of religious needing care. In 2012, 61 percent of the religious communities providing data to the
National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) had a median age of 75 or older. Accompanying the higher median age is a decrease in the number of religious able to serve in compensated ministry. By 2023, the NRRO projects that retired religious will outnumber
wage-earning religious by four to one.
Many religious continue in active and volunteer ministry, however others are frail and
need assistance. This annual collection is an opportunity to say thank you to those who put
others’ futures and welfare ahead of their own.
Visit www.retiredreligious.org to learn more or contact Lisa Irwin,
Associate Director in the Secretariat for Parish Life and Lay Leadership
at 269-903-0177 or [email protected].
From Kalamazoo
to Kenya:
Bishop visits
sister diocese
At presstime Bishop Bradley,
Msgr. Michael Hazard and
Fr. John Peter Ambrose were
halfway through their pastoral
visit to the diocese’s “sister,”
the Diocese of Lodwar.
Bishop Bradley’s blog gives a
detailed daily account:
www.sisterdiocese.blogspot.com. The three are shown above with Bishop Dominic
Kimengich, Bishop of Lodwar, along with members of the St. Francis de Sales Missionary
house. Look for an expanded pictorial feature on the pastoral journey to Lodwar in the
December edition of The Good News.
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
8 | The Good News
November 2013
Spoiler Alert — Technology and the Mystical: A Meditation on the Film “Gravity”
By Very Rev. Robert Barron
Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity”
is the most visually arresting movie
since “Avatar.” Its special effects
have been quite rightly characterized as revolutionary and groundbreaking. But what is perhaps
most surprising about this stunning
film is its clear and profound religious import. The movie opens with a splendid vista of the earth viewed from
outer space. As we are taking in
this delicious vision, we begin to
notice a vehicle moving toward our
point of vantage. We then make out
around the craft a crew of astronauts busily working, fixing and
exploring. The sheer wonder of
human technology, our capacity to
master our environment, is vividly
on display. But trouble quickly
comes. The debris from a series of
shattered satellites, we learn, is
moving rapidly toward the craft.
Before the crew can fully brace for
impact, the space station is struck
and catastrophically compromised. Most of them are killed instantly, but two figures — mission
commander Matt Kowalski
(George Clooney) and Ryan Stone
(Sandra Bullock)—are left alive
but in desperate danger. After a series of unfortunate accidents and
coincidences, Kowalski is left
clinging to Stone as she clings to
the remains of an abandoned Soyuz
Soviet space station. It becomes
clear that Stone can survive only if
Kowalski detaches himself from
her. Despite her tearful protestations, he lets go and drifts lazily off
into space and certain death. The
last word we hear from him — and
it is the first hint of the movie’s
spiritual ambitions—is his serene
comment that the Ganges looks
beautiful with the sun glinting off
of it. As he performs the supreme
act of love (“greater love hath no
man than to give his life for his
friend.”), he contemplates one of
the most religiously charged locales on the planet. Freed from Kowalski, Stone
makes her way into the Soyuz and
finds the pod on which she hopes
to fly to a Chinese vehicle, which
will finally take her home. But to
her infinite chagrin, she discovers
that there is no fuel in the Soviet
pod and that she is, accordingly,
surely doomed. With tears and
much hesitation, she commences to
pray, though she admits she doesn’t
really know how to pray, and at this
Global Marketplace at St. Catherine’s of Siena
Shop early for unique holiday gifts. Entrance is free and open to the public.
The church is located at 1150 W. Centre Street, Portage, Michigan.
St. Catherine’s of Siena,
Portage, Marian Hall
Saturday, Nov. 9
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
All profits go to Marketplace
vendors to support their
continued good work helping workers
of the world to be fairly compensated for the
goods and services they produce.
For more information, contact Ed Bachleda.
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (269) 327-1159.
point, we notice an icon of St.
Christopher on the instrument
panel of the pod. Her prayer apparently unanswered, and resigned to
her demise, she then allows the
oxygen to run down, so as to commit suicide by hypoxia. But just as
she starts to drift into unconsciousness, Kowalski, to our infinite surprise, suddenly opens the hatch and
bursts in. With bravado and confidence, he switches on the lights,
turns on the oxygen and shows
Stone how to activate the
pod. However, just when we
thought that the day had been saved
by this deus ex machina, we discover, in the next scene, that Stone
is still alone. Had Kowalski’s appearance
been just a hallucination produced
by oxygen deprivation, or had it in
fact been a visitation from a figure
now in heaven, or was it, perhaps,
the latter by means of the former? At any rate, she took it to be a
link to the transcendent, for she immediately asked Kowalski to communicate her love to her four-yearold daughter who had died some
years before in a freak accident.
None of the vaunted technology
that she had mastered had ever allowed her to contact her beloved
daughter, but now she had found,
precisely through a figure who had
manifested perfect love, a route of
access, a means of communication
to a realm beyond this one. Inspired by her supernatural
visitation, Stone summons the
Sandra Bullock and George Clooney star in a scene from the movie
“Gravity.” The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults.
courage to fly to the Chinese spacecraft and hurtle on it back to earth.
While she navigates the vessel, she
sees, over its instrument panel, a
little statue of the smiling Buddha—the third explicitly religious
symbol in the film. After splashing
down in an unidentified body of
water, Stone crawls to shore, grasps
the wet sand in her hands, and mutters the final word of the
movie: “Thanks.” The one who had
admitted that she didn’t know how
to pray utters, at the end, a beautiful and altogether appropriate
prayer. The technology which this
film legitimately celebrates is marvelously useful and, in its own way,
beautiful. But it can’t save us, and
it can’t provide the means by which
we establish real contact with each
other. The Ganges in the sun, the
St. Christopher icon, the statue of
the Buddha, and above all, a visit
from a denizen of heaven, signal
that there is a dimension of reality
that lies beyond what technology
can master or access. The key that
most effectively opens the door to
the reality of God is nothing other
than the kind of self-forgetting love
that George Clooney’s character
displayed, for God, as the first letter of John tells us, is love. In and
through that love, which permeates
and animates the whole of the creation, we find connection to everything else and everyone else —
even to those who have passed
from this life to the next. How
wonderful the technology that allows us to explore the depths of
space, but infinitely more wonderful is the love which, in Dante’s unforgettable phrase, “moves the
planets and the other stars.”
Father Robert Barron is the founder of the
global ministry, Word on Fire, and the Rector/President of Mundelein Seminary. He is
the creator of the award winning documentary series, “Catholicism”
and the recently released documentary,
“Catholicism:The New
Evangelization.” Learn more at
www.WordonFire.org
Sacrament of the Sick is not just for the dying
By Rev. David Grondz
The Sacrament of the Sick is commonly referred
to as anointing, Last Rites, the Sacrament of Healing
or Extreme Unction. The practice of anointing the
sick with oil by priests is directly mentioned in the
Letter of James (Ch 5: 14) and this is considered the
Scriptural basis for what we do as Catholics.
The two essential elements of the Sacrament are
the laying-on of hands and the anointing of at least the
head while the priest says the prescribed words.
Sometimes in serious emergencies, this is all that that
can be done. In more amplified celebrations, which
are preferred, the community and/or family gathers,
Scripture is read, a brief homily is given and then the
laying-on of hands and the anointing of the head as
well as the hands occur. The entire ceremony is concluded with a special blessing for the sick and those
who care for them. Sometimes the Sacrament of
Penance is also celebrated and Holy Communion is
distributed if the celebration does not occur during
Mass.
With the reform of the Liturgy and the Sacraments following the Second Vatican Council, the
Church has taken a broader approach to the celebration of this Sacrament, no longer restricting it to those
in eminent danger of death. This understanding
should help to encourage the faithful to receive it at
an appropriate moment so that they can actively take
part in the celebration. The faithful are encouraged to
receive it before surgery, during a serious or reoccur-
Rev. David Grondz, pastor, St. Mary Parish, Kalamazoo,
anoints a woman during the annual Word Day of Prayer
for the Sick at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo.
ring illness or even at advanced age. A more timely
reception of the anointing assures that more of the
faithful can benefit from the grace of the Sacrament,
allows for a better preparation for its reception and
gives the priest the opportunity to exercise a pastoral
approach. It is rarely possible for these considerations
to be adequately met if there is undue delay in either
notifying the priest or waiting until shortly before
death.
Fr. David Grondz is the pastor of St. Mary Parish,
Kalamazoo, and a member of the Diocesan Worship
Commission.
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
November 2013
A Lesson from
the Road
By Ron Rolheiser
Several years ago, Hollywood produced a movie about
the famous Camino walk in
Spain. Entitled The Way, it chronicles the story of a
father whose son was killed in an accident shortly
after beginning this famous five hundred mile pilgrimage. The father, played by Martin Sheen, had
been largely estranged from his son, but when he goes
to France (where the Camino begins) to collect the
ashes of his dead son, he feels a compulsion to complete the walk for his son and sets out with his son’s
hiking equipment and backpack, carrying his ashes.
He’s unsure as to exactly why he is doing this,
except that he senses that somehow this is something
he must do for his son, that this will somehow address
his estrangement from his son, and that this is something he must do to ease his own grief. Despite being
in a rather depressed and anti-social state, he is befriended on the trail by three people, each on the trail
for different reasons.
The first of these people is a man from the
Netherlands who is walking the trail to lose weight,
fearing that, if he doesn’t, his wife will divorce him.
The second of his new friends is a French- Canadian
woman, ostensibly walking Camino to give up her addiction to smoking, but clearly also trying to steady
her life after the breakup of a relationship. The third
person is an Irish writer, hoping to overcome “writer’s
block”. And so the story focuses on four unlikely
walking companions, each doing this pilgrimage with
a certain goal in mind.
They persevere and complete the pilgrimage,
enter the Cathedral of Santiago, observe the customs
that have marked the end of the Camino for countless
pilgrims for a thousand years, and then realize that
what each of them had hoped to achieve hadn’t happened. The man from the Netherlands hadn’t lost any
weight; the French-Canadian realized that she would
not give up smoking; the Irish writer realized that his
real issue was not writer’s block, and the father who
was doing this walk vicariously for his son realized
that he had done it for other, more personal, reasons.
None of them got what they wanted, but each of them
got what he or she needed. The roads of life work like
that, as the Camino Santiago. I learned that exact lesson, walking the Camino a
year ago. I went there with a certain dream in mind. I
was six months beyond chemotherapy treatments, refreshed with new energy, on sabbatical, and looking
forward to walking this ancient and famed road to
stretch myself physically and spiritually. The physical
stretch happened and fitted the fantasy I’d had before
leaving for the walk. But the spiritual stretch was a
long, long ways away from what I’d fantasized.
My dream had been that I would use this walk to
do some deeper inner work, to read some classical
books on mysticism, blend the depth of the mystics
with the mystique of this ancient trail, do some journaling, and return a deeper and more contemplative
person. Such was my dream, but the trail had other
ideas.
We were many long hours on the trail each day so
that there was basically no time to read or to journal.
Evenings found me exhausted, without energy for
much inner work. A shower and a hot meal were essentially the only thing I was up to. The major book
that I’d taken along, The Cloud of Unknowing lay unopened at the bottom of my suitcase. I managed some
hours each day, walking alone on the trail, to pray, but
it wasn’t the kind of inner work I’d fantasized about.
I’d had a fantasy about what I’d wanted to achieve,
but, just as for the characters in the movie, apparently
this wasn’t what I needed.
The trail taught me something else, deeper, more
needed, and more humbling: What I learned from
walking the road in the company of three close friends
was how spoiled and immature I’d become. Having
lived as a celibate priest, outside of the conscriptive
demands of marriage, children, and family for more
than forty years, I realized how idiosyncratic and selfcentered the patterns and habits of my life had become. I was used to calling the shots for my own life,
at least in its day-to-day rhythms. The Camino taught
me that I need to address other issues in my life that
are more pressing and more deeply needed than understanding The Cloud of Unknowing. The Camino
taught me that in a number of important ways, I need
to grow up!
Robert Funk once wrote that grace is a sneaking
thing: It wounds from behind, where we think we are
least vulnerable. It’s harder than we think and we
moralize in order to take the edge off it. And, it’s
more indulgent than we think; but it’s never indulgent
at the point where we think it ought to be indulgent.
Such too is the Camino Santiago.
Pilgrims walk along the Way of St. James in the northern
Spanish town of Burgos.
The Good News | 9
Clergy and pastoral associates
participate in Project Rachel training
Program offers hope and healing for those impacted
by abortion experience
By Lisa Irwin
Associate Director, Sanctity of Life
Close to twenty pastoral
associates, including priests,
deacons and lay people, recently attended a clinical
training day entitled, “Pregnancy Loss and Unresolved
Grief: Healing After Abortion.” These participants can
now bring back to their
parishes a heightened understanding of the trauma an
abortion causes in the lives of
women and men.
The program is a component of Project Rachel, an
outreach ministry of the
Catholic Church, created to
Above is a sample brochure for the parish
offer mercy and compassion to kit available from Project Rachel to help
those impacted by an experi- with outreach to those suffering from the
pain of an experience with abortion. Visit
ence with abortion. It is esti- HopeAfterAbortion.org.
mated that more than 60
million women and men have lost a child to abortion. Through Project
Rachel individuals struggling with the spiritual and emotional pain of an
abortion experience can receive confidential referrals to priests and counselors to begin the journey of healing and reconciliation.
Another aspect of Project Rachel is creating a broad based support
network through education including the workshop offered in Grand
Rapids last month.
One participant included Deacon Mike Carl, St. Ann Parish, Augusta. “I was very educated by the day,” he said. “I had no idea that the
statistics were that high, which is a very sad statement about how we feel
about life.
“This topic has so many layers and there are so many aspects I’ve never
thought about,” he added.
“Through sharing stories of women she has worked with, Dr. Burke
put a personal face on the abortion experience, the grief and pain it
causes, and the reality that there is hope for healing and reconciliation,”
stated Lisa Irwin, Project Rachel Coordinator for the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
The Diocese of Kalamazoo partners with the Diocese of Grand
Rapids to bring the Project Rachel post-abortion outreach to Southwest
Michigan.
If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion,
confidential non-judgmental help is available at 800-800-8284
(MI only). To learn more about Project Rachel visit
HopeAfterAbortion.org. Spanish-speakers may visit
EsperanzaPosaborto.org. And please keep all those who have been
impacted by an abortion in your prayers.
The Diocesan Program Catalog 2013-2014
Retreat focuses on the life of St. John Neumann —
November 9th, Pretty Lake, Mattawan
Adults with developmental/cognitive disabilities are invited to “In the Footsteps of
St. John Neumann: A Day of Reflection” on
Saturday, November 9th. The retreat takes
place at Pretty Lake Vacation Camp Retreat
Center in Mattawan from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Come and join us for a day of retreat, prayer
and study focused on the life of the first
American man and first American Bishop to
be canonized.
Contact Lisa Irwin today to register at
269-903-0177 or
[email protected].
The Diocesan Program
Catalog details a list of
programs and workshops
offered by the various
Secretariats and ministry
offices of the Diocesan
Pastoral Center staff. Each
entry includes a detailed
description of the faith
formation workshop, conference or course, the related
cost and a contact person.
All these programs are
funded in part, or in whole,
by parishioners’ generous
support of The Bishop’s
Annual Appeal.
The catalog may be downloaded online at
www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org/programs.
10 | The Good News
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
Evangelio de Juan.
Claves para Estudiar y Conocer la Biblia #15
Por Fanny Tabares
Juan era pescador e hijo de Zebedeo
quien también era pescador; fue uno de los
discípulos de Jesús. El Evangelio de Juan,
se centra más en la persona de Jesús y en
su misión para que sus discípulos vean en
Jesús al maestro y modelo para que continúen con su misión. Escribió su evangelio después de los evangelios de
Marcos, Lucas y Mateo alrededor del año 95. Dice que escribió su
evangelio “para que creáis que Jesús es el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios, y,
creyéndolo tengáis vida en su nombre” Juan 20,31
Juan escribe en momentos difíciles para los cristianos porque había
que clarificar la fe cristiana frente al judaísmo; escribe para instruir a las
primeras comunidades cristianas. Estuvo escribiendo su evangelio por
varios años y murió cuando ya estaba completo pero en cierto desorden.
Su evangelio se publicó después de su muerte; los que rodeaban a Juan
después de su muerte dijeron: “Este es el mismo discípulo que da testimonio de estas cosas y que las ha escrito aquí, y nosotros sabemos que
dice la verdad” Juan 21, 24. El estilo del evangelio de Juan es muy diferente al de Marcos, Lucas y Mateo podríamos decir como dicen varios
autores, que es muy espiritual, profundo y algo poético sobre todo al comienzo.
La mejor manera de conocer más sobre este evangelio, es arriesgarte a leerlo. Animo y disfruta su lectura y meditación.
Buena suerte en tu lectura y reflexión bíblica. Si tienes preguntas o deseas
que tratemos algún tema, comunícate conmigo o por correo electrónico: [email protected]. Por teléfono al 269-903-0209. (Este tema de estudio bíblico, continuará en la próxima edición).
Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Misa
bilingüe en la Catedral. Preside Nuestro
Obispo Paul J. Bradley, Obispo de la Diócesis
Como todos los años, el Señor Obispo, Paul Bardley, preside en la catedral la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Este año será el Jueves,
12 de diciembre del 2013 a las 6:30 p.m. en la Catedral de San Agustín,
542 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Reserven su tiempo para
acompañar a la Virgen María en su día. Se sugiere vestirse con vestidos
típicos de su país de origen y llevar rosas para ofrecer a la Virgen María
y compartir con otras personas. Después de la Misa habrá una recepción
para todos.
Bilingual Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Presiding
Bishop Paul J. Bradley
As in past years, the Most Rev. Paul Bradley will preside the bilingual
Mass in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This year it will
take place on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Augustine
Cathedral, 542 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. We hope you
can reserve some time to accompany the Virgin Mary on her day. It is
suggested to dress in traditional clothing of different countries of origin. It
is also suggested for families to bring roses to offer the Virgin Mary. There
will be a reception after Mass.
Calendario/Calendar
Noviembre/November
2 (Sábado) Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead)
9 (Sábado) 8:30a.m. – 5 p.m. Programa de Formación Pastoral y de Liderazgo, Tercer Año de Formación, Tema: “Doctrina Social de la Iglesia” por Feliciano Tapia. Lugar:
Lawrence Education Center. (Hispanic Pastoral Leadership Formation Program, Third
Year of Formation. Topic: “Catholic Social Teaching” by Feliciano Tapia)
19 (Sábado) 10 a.m.-12m. Comité Diocesano de Pastoral Hispana, Elección o reelección de la junta directiva. Centro Pastoral Diocesano (Hispanic Ministry Diocesan
Pastoral Committee meeting, election or re-election of the executive members), Kalamazoo.
Diciembre/December
7 (Sábado) 10 a.m.-12m. Comité Diocesano de Pastoral Hispana, Centro Pastoral
Diocesano (Hispanic Ministry Diocesan Pastoral Committee meeting, Diocesan Pastoral
Center), Kalamazoo.
12 (Jueves) 6:30 p.m. Misa Bilingüe, Celebración de Nuestra Sra. De Guadalupe,
Catedral de San Agustín, Kalamazoo, MI, Preside el Señor Obispo Paul J. Bradley
(Bilingual Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Augustine Cathedral,
Kalamazoo, MI. Presiding Bishop Paul J. Bradley).
16 (Lunes) Comienzan las Posadas y Novenas Navideñas en las Parroquias.
(Beginning of the Posadas and Christmas Novenas in the Parishes.)
Enero/January 2014
18 (Sábado) 10 a.m.-12m. Comité Diocesano de Pastoral Hispana, Reunión anual
con el Obispo y el Comité Diocesano de Liturgia. Centro Pastoral Diocesano (Hispanic
Ministry Diocesan Pastoral Committee, annual gathering with the Bishop and the Liturgy
Committee), Kalamazoo.
Nota/Note: Si necesita más información sobre esta agenda, comuníquese con la Oficina del Ministerio Multicultural e Hispano al 269-903-0197. For more information regarding this
calendar, contact the Office of Multicultural and Hispanic Ministry at 269-903-0197.
November 2013
Marcha por la Vida, Marcha por la Dignidad
Por Fanny Tabares
Durante el pasado mes, hemos estado atentos a temas muy importantes como por ejemplo defender la vida
y la dignidad de toda persona sin importar su clase social, religión, grupo étnico o manera de pensar.
El respetar a la vida es también un llamado a respetar y honrar al ser humano en su totalidad. No solamente significa nacer; también significa recibir amor, protección, núcleo familiar, vivienda, alimento, cuidado
de salud, buenas condiciones en el trabajo y salario justo, educación y muchas cosas más esenciales para que el
ser humano se desarrolle plenamente.
En la marcha por la dignidad se pidió también una reforma migratoria urgente que ayude a
sanar las heridas y el dolor de la separación familiar que ha quebrantado también la unidad familiar y la felicidad de tantos niños y jóvenes. Una
reforma migratoria que ayude a evitar los abusos
sobre los indocumentados y el tráfico y explotación del ser humano. La Iglesia Católica ha sido
solidaria con los que sufren por la pobreza o por
su situación de vulnerabilidad por falta de documentos y recuerda que Jesús recién nacido, también tuvo que emigrar a Egipto y ser extranjero
(Mateo 2,13-15). Así también, muchas familias, jóvenes y niños han tenido que emigrar llevados por la necesidad de encontrar comida, de buscar a sus padres o para huir de la violencia.
La iglesia católica de Estados Unidos es joven y alegre gracias a la presencia renovadora de los inmigrantes que traen como ofrenda a esta Iglesia su profunda fe, el sentido de solidaridad y el amor por la familia. Parece que Dios se da a conocer más facilmente cuando emigramos, cuando nos despojamos de lo que ya tenemos
seguro como nuestras costumbres, cultura e idioma. Al estar despojados, tenemos el corazón más abierto y
vacío para llenarlo con Dios, para escuchar su llamado y también para arriesgarnos a encontrarlo en la novedad
de cada día y de cada lugar.
Rincón de los Jóvenes hispanos/latinos
Por Veronica Rodriguez
¡Buenos deseos! — les deseamos unos días de mucha convivencia, aprendizaje y especialmente de un encuentro con Cristo a todos los jóvenes que asistirán a la Conferencia Nacional de Jóvenes Católicos (NCYC
por sus siglas en inglés). La conferencia será del 21 al 23 de noviembre del 2013 en Indianápolis, Indiana.
¡Regresen con muchas fotos!
Cursillos 2013
Durante el mes de octubre se realizaron los cursillos para hombres y
para mujeres con la dirección espiritual del Padre German Perez-Diaz.
En el cursillo de hombres, participaron treinta y tres y en el cursillo de
mujeres, participaron alrededor de cincuenta. En los dos grupos había representantes de diferentes parroquias de la Diócesis.
En la clausura de los cursillos se notaba la gran alegría y fervor no
solamente de los cursillistas sino también de sus familias e hijos que llegaban al templo para cantar emocionados y celebrar con ellos, sus padres
o familiares este encuentro personal con Jesús y su renovación espiritual.
Felicitaciones queridos cursillistas; que sean luz en su hogar, que su
testimonio alegre ilumine a otros y que continúen tan comprometidos en
sus parroquias como lo han sido hasta ahora.
Fortaleciendo las
Familias en la Fe
Por Veronica Rodriguez
“La familia es: un paraíso de amor
incondicional, aceptación, afirmación y
consuelo, donde
los niños aprenden
mediante el ejemplo de sus padres
a aceptar a los
demás y a amar
generosamente, a
compartir y a cuidar a los necesitados. Es un lugar para
aprender la humildad y la misericordia,
para aprender a imitar a Cristo” (Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, USCCB).
“El encuentro con Cristo, el dejarse aferrar y guiar por su amor, amplía el horizonte de la existencia, le da
una esperanza sólida que no defrauda.
Los niños aprenden a fiarse del amor
de sus padres. Por eso, es importante
que los padres cultiven prácticas comunes de fe en la familia, que acompañen el crecimiento en la fe de los hijos”
(Papa Francisco, Encíclica Lumen
Fidei).
Actividad para hacer en familia: Ahora
en el mes de noviembre se celebra el
Día de Acción de Gracias o “Thanksgiving.” Si se reúnen en familia, porque
no componer una oración para la cena
donde cada miembro de la familia
aporta una frase para la oración dándole gracias a Dios por todas las bendiciones recibidas. Si no se reúnen en
familia en ese día, porque no comenzar esa linda costumbre. Algunas parroquias tienen una cena de
“Thanksgiving” para familias necesitadas. Esa es otra excelente oportunidad
para una actividad en familia. Quizás
ayudando a la parroquia a servir los
platos de comida o en la entrega de las
despensas de comida. Así toda la familia esta junta y compartiendo con la familia extensa, la familia parroquial.
November 2013
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
Are you a candidate for the Trauma Recovery Program?
Discerning a few questions may give you the answer
Here & There
Here & There publishes parish,
Catholic school and diocesan-sponsored events. Submissions should
be sent to Vicki Cessna,
[email protected]
the public with a good will donation of
$10. Contact: St. Augustine Cathedral,
269-345-5147.
SAVE THE DATE
November 20: Charities Dine. A
fundraiser to benefit Catholic Charities
Diocese of Kalamazoo. Dine at any of
our participating restaurants for breakfast, lunch or dinner and a portion of
proceeds will be donated to support the
great work we do. To learn more visit
www.ccdok.org or call 269-381-9800.
2014
SAVE THE DATE
March 1: Better Dads with Rick
Johnson, St. Philip Parish, Battle
Creek. Contact: St. Philip Parish,
269-968-6645.
March 22: Diocesan Youth Rally.
Keynote speaker Jackie Francois. Contact: Tim McNamara, 269-903-0139 or
[email protected].
NOVEMBER
November 16, 17: Collection for
Home Heating Assistance
CENTRAL DEANERY
Kalamazoo:
November 16: Faith in All Things,
FIAT Women’s Study Group, St.
Catherine of Siena Parish, Portage, 10
am – Noon. Meets Saturdays twice a
month. Bring with you a Bible and
Catechism. Contact: Jamin Herold,
269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
November 3: Diocesan Confirmation
Mass, St. Augustine Cathedral,
Kalamazoo, 3 p.m. followed by
diocesan reception.
Nov. 3, 10, 17: “A Quick Journey
Through the Bible,” St. Joseph
Parish, Kalamazoo. A DVD presented
by Jeff Cavins, the Quick Journey study
briefly covers salvation history in a series of eight, 30-minute talks that are
complemented by group discussion
questions and brief assignments for
home study. Cost: $20 fee includes
workbook and materials. Contact:
Jason Aiello at [email protected] or 343-6256 x110.
November 3: Year of Faith Pilgrimage –St. Joseph Motherhouse,
Nazareth, 2 – 5 pm. Schedule: 2 pm
tour of the parish facilities; 3 pm presentation on the local history*; 4 pm Q &
A; refreshments; additional tour; 5 pm
closing prayer and dismissal. Contact:
Fr. Bob Creagan, 269-327-5165.
November 4: Why Faith: Saints, St.
Mary Rectory meeting room, St. Mary
Parish, Kalamazoo, 6 pm. Meets the
first Monday of the month. Contact:
Jamin Herold, 269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
November 7, 14, 21: Grief Share, St.
Thomas More Student Parish, Thursdays 1 p.m. or 7 p.m. Each of 13
weekly sessions includes a 35-minute
video followed by small group discussions. Videos present national experts,
ministers and Christian counselors discussion grief and recovery subjects.
For more information contact the parish
office, 269-381-8917.
November 8: Sacred Music at the
Cathedral with Scott Montgomery,
St. Augustine Cathedral, 7 pm. Open to
The Good News | 11
November 10: Communal Anointing
of the Sick, St. Augustine Cathedral,
2 pm. Any Catholic who is sick, chronically ill, anticipating surgery or in need
of healing is encouraged to come
receive this Sacrament.
November 17: Year of Faith Closing
Mass, St. Augustine Cathedral,
11:30 a.m.
Mattawan:
November 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24:
Uncover the Mysteries of Revelation
Video & Discussion Series, St. John
Bosco Parish. All are invited to join in
weekly on Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. or
Sundays 9:15-10:45 a.m. Contact: St.
John Bosco Parish, 269-668-3312.
November 9: In the Footsteps of St.
John Neumann, a Day of Reflection
for Adults with Cognitive/Developmental Disabilities, Pretty Lake Vacation Camp Retreat Center, Mattawan,
10 am – 6 pm. Cost: $15, scholarships
available. Registration deadline,
October 31. Contact: Lisa Irwin,
269-903-0177 or
[email protected].
November 16: Monthly Energizer,
St. John Bosco Parish, Mattawan, 6 – 8
pm. Meets the third Saturday of the
month (no meeting in December). Contact: Jamin Herold, 269-903-0141,
[email protected] or
Tim McNamara, 269-903-0139,
[email protected].
Paw Paw:
November 12: Adult Faith Formation
with Jamin Herold, St. Mary Parish,
Paw Paw, 7-8:30 pm. Topic is: “Evangelizing Catholics: What does it mean to
be an Evangelizing Catholic and how
do we do it.” Contact: Jamin Herold,
269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
November 24: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Mass for Rev. Robert Creagan
with celebrant Bishop Paul J. Bradley,
2 p.m., St. Catherine of Siena Parish,
Portage. Reception following
in Marian Hall
Vicksburg:
November 16: Living as a Catholic in
Challenging Times, an all-day workshop with Dr. Ralph Martin, St. Martin
of Tours, Vicksburg, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm.
Dr. Martin was appointed in 2011 by
Pope Benedict XVI as an “expert” for
the World Synod of Bishops on the New
Evangelization. Registration begins at
8:30am & Mass is at 9am. Cost: $15
per person & includes lunch - please
register by November 8th to guarantee
lunch. Contact: the Parish Office with
any questions at 269-649-1629.
EASTERN DEANERY
Marshall:
November 11: Adult Faith Formation
with Jamin Herold, St. Mary Parish,
Marshall, 7-8:30 pm. This fall and
spring Jamin Herold will be presenting
adult faith formation presentations in
each of the six deaneries. The fall topic
is: Evangelizing Catholics: What does it
mean to be an Evangelizing Catholic,
and how do we do it. Contact: Jamin
Herold, 269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
By Sharon Froom
To date the Trauma Recovery
Program, now in its eleventh year,
has helped more than 300 participants. Discerning the answers to
the following questions may help
with your decision.
• Do you feel compelled to behave in ways you know will lead
to a negative outcome?
• Do you feel you are just going
through the motions of life?
• Do you believe you are at fault
for things that others assure you
are not your fault?
• Do you repeatedly set aside
your needs for the needs/wants
of others?
• Do you experience anger disproportionate to the current situation?
• Do you give up trying out of a
fear of failure?
LAKESHORE DEANERY
Benton Harbor:
November 6: Sharing Christ, St.
Bernard Church & Parish Center, Mass
at 5:30 pm, program to start at 6:30
pm. A seven-week program including a
Saturday retreat. You are not required
to attend all sessions. No cost but registration is requested. Contact: SS
John & Bernard Parish, 269-925-2425
or [email protected].
St. Joseph:
November 7: Adult Faith Formation
with Jamin Herold, St. Bernard, Benton Harbor, 7-8:30 pm. Topic is: “Evangelizing Catholics: What does it mean
to be an Evangelizing Catholic and how
do we do it.” Contact: Jamin Herold,
269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
NORTHERN DEANERY
Dorr:
November 9, 16, 23: Adult Catechism
Classes with Fr. Harry Potter, St.
Stanislaus Church & School, 9:15 am
gather & pray the rosary in the church,
9:45 – 11:30 class in Art/Science
Room. Join Fr. Harry on an exploration
of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. Contact: Sheryl O’Connor,
616-291-7443 or
[email protected].
SOUTHWEST DEANERY
Dowagiac:
November 13: Book/Movie Discussions, Church Hall, Sacred Heart of
Mary, Dowagiac, 6:30 pm. This month’s
discussion is on Jane Knuth’s Thrift
Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25 Cents
at a Time. Contact Howard and Charlotte Poole, 269-424-3221 or
[email protected]
DECEMBER
CENTRAL DEANERY
Kalamazoo:
December 2: Why Faith: Necessity
of Baptism, St. Mary Rectory meeting
room, St. Mary Parish, Kalamazoo, 6
pm. Meets the first Monday of the
month, no September Session. Contact: Jamin Herold, 269-903-0141 or
[email protected].
December 7: Faith in All Things,
FIAT Women’s Study Group, St.
Catherine of Siena Parish, Portage, 10
am – Noon. Meets Saturdays twice a
• Do you feel tired even when you
have had plenty of rest?
• Do you feel isolated and alone
even in the presence of others?
• Are you sick and tired of being
sick and tired?
module there is the option of attending an additional eight-session
module over a sixteen-week period. Groups are facilitated by
mental health professionals and a
priest in a private setting.
If any of the above questions apply
to you, it is possible that you could
benefit from the Trauma Recovery
Program. The program is for adult
Catholics who recognize that their
hurtful pasts continue to impact
their lives in a negative way. We
do not rehash the past. Instead, we
help participants understand why
these injuries go so deep and teach
skills for living more effectively in
the present
If you have further questions or
want to register, please call
Sharon Froom at 269-381-8917,
ext. 222
Participants meet weekly for ten
sessions in groups of seven to ten
people. Following the ten-session
NEW GROUPS BEGIN
*in English
February, 2014
Choose a morning or evening
group
Mornings: 9:30 to noon
Evenings: 7:00 to 9:30
Mondays
February 10, 17, 24
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 29
(Sat.), 31 April 7
month. Bring a Bible and Catechism.
Contact: Jamin Herold, 269-903-0141
or [email protected].
December 9: Theological Debate
Club for Men. Topic: Initial Salvation.
TGI Fridays, West Main Street, Kalamazoo, 7-9 pm. Meets the 2nd Monday, every other even-numbered
months. Contact Jamin Herold, Diocese of Kalamazoo, 269-903-0141.
December 12: Diocesan Guadalupe
Mass, St. Augustine Cathedral,
6:30 p.m.
Mattawan:
December 4, 8, 11, 15: Uncover the
Mysteries of Revelation Video & Discussion Series, St. John Bosco
Parish. All are invited to join in weekly
on Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. or Sundays 9:15-10:45 a.m. Contact: St. John
Bosco Parish, 269-668-3312.
NORTHERN DEANERY
Dorr:
December 8: Adult Catechism
Classes with Fr. Harry Potter, St.
Stanislaus Church & School, 9:15 am
gather & Pray the Rosary in the church,
9:45 – 11:30 class in Art/Science
Room. Join Fr. Harry on an exploration
of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. Contact: Sheryl O’Connor,
616-291-7443 or
[email protected].
Holy Family Radio Pledge Drive
November 6-8
Tune-in November 6-8 to Holy Family Radio’s semi-annual pledge drive.
Visit: www.holyfamilyradio.net for
the full schedule of on-air guests.
November 8: Noon-1 p.m.: Vicki
Cessna, Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs;
Jamin Herold, Associate Director,
Catholic Education and New Evangelization; and Timothy McNamara,
Associate Director, Youth and Young
Adult Ministry.
November 24: Twenty-fifth
Anniversary Mass for
Rev. Robert Creagan with
celebrant Bishop Paul J.
Bradley, 2 p.m., St. Catherine
of Siena Parish, Portage.
Reception following in
Marian Hall.
3427 Gull Road, Kalamazoo 49048
Please register in advance.
Letting go of Fear
Laura Smith, CSJ
Saturday, Nov. 23,
9:30 - 3:30pm, includes lunch
Converting fear to
compassion can be done. On
WKLVGD\ZHZLOOUHÀHFWRQ
God’s mercy as a path for
conversion into greater
personal freedom.
12th Annual
Caregivers Conference
with
Paula D’Arcy
The Alchemy of
Grief and Loss
The Personal & Professional
Impact
Friday, Dec. 6, 9am - 4:30pm,
We explore both the nature
and wide range of grief and
loss, including how they
affect us personally, and then
go on to impact our roles as
professionals. Nursing &
social work CEUs available.
More info & register at
TransformationsCenter.org
269-381-6290 ext. 310
12 | The Good News
“ Wa i t i ng i n J o y f u l H o p e ”
November 2013
Catholic Charities and Newman
Bookshoppe join for ArtHop
celebration of St. Nicholas Day
December 6, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Looking for a unique way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day
and learn more about Catholic Charities? Then plan to visit
the Downtown Kalamazoo’s December Art Hop on Friday,
December 6th. This monthly event features local artists’
work on display at businesses. For this year’s expanded
holiday event Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo
has teamed up with Newman’s Bookshoppe to create Art
Hop presence to mark St. Nicholas Day.
Stop by Newman’s from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and join
Bishop Paul J. Bradley. The venue will feature oil paintings by local artist, Phillip Cessna, a St. Catherine of Siena
parishioner. In addition, delicious treats, great shopping
deals and more information about the work of Catholic
Charities will be available.
St. Charles Borromeo Elementary School received a $2,000 grant recently from the Dollar
General Literacy Organization. The “Youth Literacy” grant will provide reading materials,
including big books, leveled readers, and curriculum materials to support the K-2 science
curriculum. Shown above is the St. Charles Borromeo kindergarten class.
“Christ the King in Tipperary” is one of several
oil paintings by Phil Cessna that will be on
display at the December 6th Art Hop.
On August 14, 2013 the Memorial of St. Maximilian
Kolbe, patron of media, and the Annual Day of
Prayer for Catholic radio, WVAV 91.5 FM was
blessed by Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley. The
event was held at Newman’s Bookshoppe, the
location of the 91.5 FM
studio. The semi-annual
pledge drive will occur
on November 6, 7 and 8
from 7 a.m. – 6 pm.
The theme for the
pledge drive is
“Everything is Yours,”
based on
1 Chronicles 29:11.
Jerry Usher, professional radio personality and former host of
Catholic Answers Live will be the on-air host.
Visit: www.HolyFamilyRadio.net.
v
The photo above was taken at the October 16 designation ceremony
where Borgess was the first hospital in the world to receive the Center for
Advanced Recovery designation for joint replacement from the Stryker
Corporation. Those pictured around the sculpture of Dr. Homer H. Stryker
at Borgess are (left to right): Thomas Ryan, MD, Medical Director,
Borgess Orthopedics; Paul Spaude, President & CEO, Borgess Health;
Kevin Lobo, President & CEO, Stryker Corporation; and Wayne Dahlberg,
President, Stryker Performance Solutions.
that’s where
great doctors
are easy to find
We believe you deserve excellent care no matter where you live. That’s why Borgess offers first-class
primary care right in your neighborhood. So no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be ready. To find a
doctor nearby who will connect you to all the life-saving specialty care Borgess offers, call (269) 226.8135.
Find a doctor near you
PhysicianFinder.Borgess.com
A member of Ascension Health®
Richland
Amie
Simpson, MD
Kalamazoo
Carrie
Sandborn, DO
Mattawan
Rosa
Maira, DO
Plainwell
Tom
Akland, MD
Battle Creek
David
Wang, MD
Three Rivers
Constance
Mumford, MD

Documentos relacionados