The Catholic - Diocese of Altoona

Transcription

The Catholic
Register
Official Publication Of
The Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown
Volume LXXXVI, No. 10 Published Bi - Weekly
(USPS 094 - 280)
www.ajdiocese.org
September 12, 2011
Bishop - Emeritus Hopes People Will Remember
Lessons Learned About God’s Providence After 9/11
By Msgr. Timothy P. Stein
In the minutes, hours and
days immediately following the
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States
of America, Bishop Joseph V.
Adamec was gratified to see
people turning to God, and praying together as they sought to
make sense of the tragedy.
Because the tragedy hit
home in the Diocese of Altoona
- Johnstown, with United Flight
93 crashing in Shanksville in
rural Somerset County, the
Bishop - Emeritus was quick to
underline the message that God
had shown special care for the
people of West - Central Pennsylvania.
“The plane flew over Johnstown and over other communities in our area,” he said in a
Wednesday, August 31 interview at the Diocesan Administration Center in Hollidaysburg.
“It could have crashed into any
one of those towns. The plane
could have crashed into a home,
or on a car on Route 219. But
it didn’t. It crashed in an empty
field. I don’t believe that was
just a coincidence. When God
is in charge, nothing is coincidental.”
Like many people in the
eight county Diocese, Bishop
Joseph thought the first reports
of a terrorist attack involved
only places at some distance
away from the Allegheny Mountains. But soon after learning
of what was happening in New
York City and in Washington
DC, Bishop Joseph, who served
as diocesan Bishop from 1987
until the appointment of his successor in January, found out that
rural Pennsylvania was not beyond the reach of international
terrorists.
“I had walked some guests
to their car, and when I came
back into the house, my secretary said ‘Come and see what’s
happening on television.’ We
sat glued, hearing about New
York and Washington. Then we
heard a local report that Route
219 was closed. That made me
wonder what was going on,”
Bishop Joseph recalled. “There
was some fear and doubt in my
mind. I wondered where we fit
into to what was going on elsewhere. Then I heard that a plane
was down in Somerset County.”
Fear and doubt was a common emotion on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, and that evening hundreds of people sought
refuge from their fears by joining Bishop Joseph for Mass at
the Cathedral of the Blessed
Sacrament in Altoona.
“The people needed God.
They needed to ask God for
something,” Bishop Joseph
reflected. “They were afraid,
and in their fear they knew that
they needed God. They knew
that whatever was happening in
our world, they could not face
it alone. They knew that they
needed to be close to God.”
But, Bishop Joseph went
on, “there comes a day when
fear passes. We forget. We
think that we can go it alone.
We need to pray always, to approach God often.
“Do we need another disaster to remind us that that’s the
case? It would be unfortunate if
that’s the only thing that brings
us to God.”
At the Cathedral Mass
on 9/11, and on many subsequent occasions, Bishop Joseph
stressed that the people living in
the Allegheny Mountains should
feel particularly blessed by God
from having been preserved
from death and destruction
when Flight 93 crashed, killing
all on board.
“We in this area need to be
extremely thankful for the blessings we enjoy,” Bishop Joseph
said in the August 31 interview.
(Continued On Page 12.)
Photo By Bruce A. Tomaselli
SIGNS OF FAITH: Since the crash of United Flight 93 in a field in Shanksville, Somerset
County on September 11, 2001, many persons have brought crosses, rosaries and other signs
of faith including the statue of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima (pictured in 2004) to the temporary
memorial site. Bishop Joseph V. Adamec, Bishop of Altoona - Johnstown at the time of the crash,
has expressed his hope that people will remember to continue to turn to God as they did in the
immediate aftermath of 9/11.
Page 2
The Catholic Register, September 12, 2011
Foundation
Scholarship Established
Altoona: The members
of the class of 1961 of Bishop
Guilfoyle Catholic High School
have created a scholarship fund
within the Independent Catholic
Foundation For The Diocese Of
Altoona - Johnstown.
The fund will be utilized to
provide a permanent endowment
with distributions being used to
provide assistance to students
entering or continuing to attend
Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High
School. The scholarship stipulates that the recipients should
demonstrate financial need, be
members of a Catholic parish,
and be academically strong.
Scholarships may be the total
amount equal to the academic
cost per pupil as authorized by
the school’s financial assistance
process. Recipients will be chosen by the school and given in
honor of the class of 1961.
This scholarship was created through many generous
donations from members of the
class participating in their 50th
class reunion, and through solicitations. The class chose to
create a permanent endowment
fund to provide a lasting sign
of their dedication to their alma
mater, and their desire to help
students receive the same superior education they received.
“Hopefully, this will start a
tradition, that on the 50th anniversary of graduation, each class
will establish the same type of
scholarship,” said a class member.
A similar fund was set up by
The Shrine Of Saint Peregrine
At The Church Of
The Visitation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary
1127 McKinley Avenue,
Johnstown PA 15905 - 4323
Saint Peregrine is the
Patron Saint of
Cancer Sufferers.
He is a powerful intercessor
with God for all those
who are seeking good health.
Saint Peregrine (1260 - 1345)
was a Servite Friar canonized
in 1726. His feast is May 1.
Father Barry Baroni and the faith community at Visitation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish invite you to send your prayer
intentions to the new Shrine of Saint Peregrine at their parish church. The suggested donation for a candle to burn at
the Shrine is $3.00; a novena booklet may be obtained for
$1.00. All intentions will be remembered at every Mass celebrated at the parish for a period of 30 days.
Please remember my intentions at the Shrine:
Name:
Address:
Intention:
the class of 1960. That fund was
structured so that scholarships
will be offered in perpetuity.
With the addition of this
new endowment, the Foundation
now administers almost 178 different endowments.
Information on this scholarship, including how to contribute to it, may be obtained at the
Independent Catholic Foundation at (814) 201 - 2080, or via
e - mail to [email protected].
Parishes
Catholics Returning
Altoona: A training session will be held Saturday, October 15 at Saint Rose of Lima
Church, for parishes who wish
to establish a ministry in their
community for seasonal sessions of “Catholics Returning
To Their Church.”
“Catholics Returning To
Their Church” is the Church
opening her doors to those who
have drifted away from the
Church, or who have discontinued regular participation in
Cahtolic religious practices and
are feeling the desire to return.
A parish ministry team of one or
two persons, with their pastor,
can greatly support those desiring to return, or to retrace their
steps back to their “home.”
The training session will be
held in the social hall beneath
Saint Rose of Lima Church from
10:00 a.m. until noon, and will
be facilitated by Carmelite of
the Word Sister Linda LaMagna,
ministerial coordinator of evangelization and Catholics Returning To Their Church.
The training is free, and materials will be provided.
To register, call the Parish
Life Office at (814) 693 - 9605.
For further information contact
Sister Linda at 674 - 3712.
with materials based on Catechesis of the Good Shepherd,
and time for questions and answers.
The presenters will be Gaye
Boyer and Susan Stith.
Lunch is included in the
$15.00 fee. Registration must
be made by Wednesday, October
5.
Checks payable to Saint
Aloysius Church may be sent
to Saint Aloysius Church, 7911
Admiral Peary Highway, Cresson PA 16630.
For a brochure, contact the
parish at stals16630@yahoo.
com.
Spiritual Life Of The Child
Las Vegas Rector
Cresson:
A workshop,
“The Spiritual Life Of The
Child, Ages 3 - 9, will be held
Saturday, October 15 from
10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at
Saint Aloysius Parish.
The workshop is designed
for catechists, pastors, directors
of religious education, parents
and grandparents. Master catechists and lay ecclesial ministers
will receive three continuing
formation hours.
Included will be an overview of the spiritual capacities
and learning style of children
ages 3 - 9, several presentations
Las Vegas NV: Father
Timothy Clark Wehn, a Johnstown native, has been named
rector of Guardian Angel Cathedral by Bishop Joseph A. Pepe
of Las Vegas.
Father Wehn, son of Virginia Wehn of Johnstown,
and the late Robert Wehn, is a
1964 graduate of Saint Andrew
School, and a 1968 graduate of
Bishop McCort Catholic High
School.
He is a 1972 graduate of
the University of Nevada, and in
1979 completed studies for the
priesthood at Saint Patrick Major Seminary in Ireland.
Father Wehn was ordained
a priest at Saint Andrew Church
on June 30, 1979, by the late
Bishop James J. Hogan.
Father Wehn has served at
Sacred Heart Parish, Ely NV
and Saint Joan of Arc Parish in
Las Vegas. He has also served
as dean and as Episcopal Vicar.
Guardian Angel Cathedral
is located on the Las Vegas
Strip, directly north of the Wynn
and Encore Hotels, at 336 Cathedral Way.
People
Leader’s Training Course
Saint Michael: Deacon
David Hornick of Saint Michael
Parish was among 350 pastors
and congregation leaders at a
Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course held July 31 - August
6 in Pittsburgh.
In The Alleghenies
(Continued From Page 2.)
Deacon Hornick was trained
as a Stephen Leader at the event,
and he will serve as the spiritual leader of the Saint Michael
Parish Stephen Ministry group,
which has been operating for almost two years. There are two
lay Stephen Leaders in the parish: Eileen Polinski and Jane
Rodgers. Stephen Leaders help
to match each Stephen Minister
with an individual in need of
care, and provide the Stephen
Ministers with ongoing supervision and continuing education.
Prayer
Saint Therese Novena
WORLD YOUTH DAY PILGRIMS: Pilgrims from Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Johnstown, attending World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain in August were (left to right) Emmalee Solomon, Kegan Solomon, Conventual Franciscan Father Anthony Francis Spilka (pastor), Sarah Layton and Tmothy Scarff.
Johnstown Parish Represented
At World Youth Day
Four young people from
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish,
Johnstown, were among thousands of people from all over
the world attending World Youth
Day 2011 with Pope Benedict
XVI in Madrid, Spain, in August.
Sarah Layton, Timothy
Scarff, Kegan Solomon and
Emmalee Solomon traveled to
Spain with their pastor, Conventual Franciscan Father Anthony
Francis Spilka for the event.
They were among 150 young
people taking part in a Conventual Franciscan sponsored program bringing together youth
from the United States, Canada,
the United Kingdom and Ireland. They stayed at the Colegio San Bonaventura in Madrid,
under the patronage of the Convenual Franciscan Friars of the
Spanish Province.
According to Father Anthony Francis the 150 young people
in the program were among as
many as 1,700 young pilgirms
staying on the school grounds
for World Youth Day. “During the short time we camped
there, the place was quickly
transformed into a Franciscan
Village,” he said, “bursting with
bountiful enthusiasm and Franciscan events.”
Father Anthony Francis
continued “Our young pilgrims
enjoyed the time they spent at
the school, as they met new
friends from virtually every
corner of the globe and realized
how their faith and values as
Catholics truly bound them intimately as brothers and sisters in
the Lord Jesus.
“They actively participated in the catechesis offered
by the Bishops every morning,
followed by the celebration of
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
They were anxiously awaiting
the arrival of the Holy Fatther.
Some even took the pains of
standing in line from four to seven hours where the Popemobile
would pass by, in order to catch
a glimpse of the Pope and wave
their flags. Then in the evening
our pilgrims returned to the colegio with stories of their adventures and suprises of the day.”
Father Anthony Francis characterized the Vigil on
Satuday Evening and the Papal Mass on Sunday at Quarto
Vientos as the highlights of the
week in Madrid. “The young
pilgrims kept their good spirit
as they camped out in the open
field all night with spontaneous
singing, dancing and praying. It
truly was a celebration of their
Catholic faith despite the inconveniences.”
The four Johnstown pilgrims “came back enriched with
the experiences of their week at
World Youth Day,” Father Anthony Francis said,” firmly committed in their faith and beaming
with joy at having been in the
presence of the Holy Father.
“I am truly proud of the
enthusiasm of these four young
people from Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, and I wish them all
the happiness, success and profound holiness in the future.”
Loretto: The Discalced
Carmelite Nuns announce that
the annual Solemn Novena honoring Saint Therese will be held
in their monastery chapel from
Friday, September 23 to Saturday, October 1.
Discalced Carmelite Father
Jude Peters, prior of the Monastery of Mary, Help of Christians
in Hubertus WI will direct the
novena this year. Father Jude
has directed the novena several
times over the past years, and
Page 3
has been popular with the congregation.
Father Jude grew up in
Uniontown, and is a graduate
of Saint Francis University, Loretto. He taught at Bishop McCort Catholic High School in
Johnstown for two years before
joining the Order of Discalced
Carmelites. He has served his
community as provincial and as
shrine director.
Father Jude’s great love for
Saint Therese is revealed in the
many insights he offers about
her spirituality and love of God
and neighbor. The nine days
of the novena promise to be of
great profit for everyone’s spiritual life.
During the novena, recitation of the novena prayers will
take place during two daily liturgies: Benediction of the Most
Blessed Sacrament at 4:00 p.m.
and Mass at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, October 1, the feastday
of Saint Therese, roses will be
blessed in her honor and distributed at both services.
Those desiring to share in
the graces and blessings of the
Saint Therese novena may address their petitions to Mother
Prioress, P.O. Box 57, Loretto
PA 15940.
Annual Mini-Bazaar
&
Chicken Barbecue Dinner
Sunday, September 25, 2011
11:00 AM to ???
St. Demetrius Activity Center
(formerly St. Mary’s School Hall)
GALLITZIN, PA
ADULTS $7.50
CHILDREN UNDER
12 - $4.00
TAKEOUTS $8.00
INDOOR FLEA MARKET, BAKE SALE
BINGO, GAMES
Sponored by St. Demetrius Parish, Gallitzin, PA
Page 4
THE CATHOLIC
REGISTER
SERVING THE DIOCESE OF
ALTOONA - JOHNSTOWN
Published Bi - weekly at
Logan Boulevard
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Subscriptions: $8.00 Parish Based
$18.00 Individual
Periodical Class Postage Paid At
Altoona PA and other mailing offices.
Postmaster send change of address to:
P.O. Box 413 Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Publisher:
Most Reverend Bishop
Mark L. Bartchak
Editor:
Rev. Msgr. Timothy P. Stein
Manager:
Bruce A. Tomaselli
(USPS 094 - 280)
Member Publication Of
The Catholic Press Association
Secretary:
Frances M. Logrando
Phone (814) 695 - 7563
FAX (814) 695 - 7517
Point Of View
It’s been ten years! Ten
years since that day when our
complacency was shattered.
We’ve all shared our answer to
the question, Where were you on
9/11? Now we might move on
and ask, How has the experience
of 9/11 changed us?
Are our thinking, values,
and interactions with others different as a result of this tragedy?
How have we integrated the
experience with our Christian
faith?
For some Americans, the
devastating events of the attack
on the U.S. have made them
more susceptible to anger, revenge, prejudice, and even a
narrow-minded, selfish type of
excessive nationalism. If all we
do is focus on these, it is like watering weeds—we’ll get more of
the same.
So let’s look at the ways
that many Americans have
grown from this awful experience. It certainly has enlarged
our individual world, hasn’t it?
When have we ever felt closer to
thousands of people whom we
didn’t know?
Hopefully, the initial out
flowing of love and concrete
expressions of help and concern
have changed us into persons
who are more aware of the suffering of others. When lesser
The
Bureau Drawer
By Susan Stith
How Has 9/11 Changed Us?
tragedies occur, many of us are
now more responsive to others’
needs than before 9/11.
Many expressed a renewed
sense of solidarity with persons
in countries where bombings
are common occurrences. One
woman described a clear sense
of being a citizen of the world
more than only an American, all
as a result of 9/11.
9/11 taught many of the
need to refrain from characterizing all members of a religious
group by the actions of a few.
Militant jihadist Muslims are
a tiny, tiny minority of an essentially peace-loving Muslim
faith. It would be just as unfair
to say all Muslims hate Christian Americans as to say that
all Catholics are violent and kill
abortionists.
Because of 9/11, everyday
Christians and Muslims have
looked for ways to connect and
learn about each others’ beliefs
and life-styles. As these ef-
As we commemorate the events of
9/11 in our homes, we might reflect
on how we talk about the event. Is
it with hatred or revenge, or a more
humble, Christian attitude?
forts increase, perhaps we can
become more Christian in our
actions towards those different
than us.
The attack on America has
energized some to learn more
about non-violent resolutions to
interpersonal and international
problems. A good book to start
with is The Powers That Be by
Walter Wink. Finding realistic
ways to use non-violent techniques in small situations is the
path to a just peace among nations.
As we commemorate the
events of 9/11 in our homes, we
might reflect on how we talk
about the event. Is it with hatred
or revenge, or a more humble,
Christian attitude?
Do we ever pray at home
and in our churches for those
who use violence, that they
might be converted to love in
whatever religious tradition is
theirs? (We used to pray for the
conversion of Russia after every
Mass.)
Do we need to return to
some of the initial reactions we
had immediately after 9/11 of
solidarity, openness to meet others’ needs, generosity in gifts of
time, money or presence?
9/11 has changed us. Has it
made us more Christ-like?
Another
Perspective
By Monsignor Timothy P. Stein
Look Back In Hope
How, you might well ask, can we look back in hope?
Hope, after all, is an emotion that is geared towards the
future; it represents a seeking, a striving, a searching for a
time that will be better and brighter than the times we find
ourselves in today.
Yet, as we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks upon the United States of America, September
11, 2001, the day that will be forever remembered simply as
“9/11” it is imperative that we look back, not in anger, not in
fear, but look back in hope for lessons learned then that can
carry us forward into the second decade following that sad
and terrible day.
Shock - - disbelief - - rage, and a terrible sadness filled
the hearts of Americans as the ghastly images of death and
destruction filled our television sets on 9/11 and the days and
weeks following. But in the midst of all that, there were other
powerful images too. They were images of hope, images of a
better world, images of the country the United States has always prided itself on being. Those images of hope represent
the very best of what it means to be an American.
Our hearts were filled with gratitude as we saw the valiant
first responders enter into what looked like the very depths of
hell on earth, risking life and limb in the effort to seek out survivors in the ruins of the World Trade Center, the devastation at
the Pentagon, and the deep furrows of a field in Shanksville.
We bent our knees to the one God who is Father of all
when beams in the shape of a cross were plucked from the
carnage at Ground Zero. Our faith was made stronger by that
symbol of our redemption. Churches were filled as we gathered to pray together for peace and for healing. On the day of
the National Prayer Service (coincidentally held on the Feast
of the Triumph of the Cross) our nation joined in a common cry
to the Father of Mercies, asking for His protection and blessings upon the land we call home.
Our Senators and Representatives in Congress stood as
one body on the steps of the United States Capitol Building in
Washington DC to sing “God Bless America.” There were no
divisions along party lines that evening. There was no squabbling about whether or not it was politically correct to sing a
song invoking the name of God. There was unity. There was
harmony. There was a common prayer for peace.
Americans came together from one coast to the other to
volunteer their services to those who had suffered incomparable losses at the three crash sites, and to minister to those
who were involved in recovery efforts. We stood together as
one community, one family. We said to the world “This is who
we are; we are a people who care for one another.”
That spirit of generosity, cooperation, unity and the sense
of God’s abiding presence sustaining us is what made our nation strong. It’s the spirit that brought us through 9/11 and its
aftermath.
We cannot look back in anger on this tenth anniversary.
To do so would be to hand a victory to those who attacked us.
We must look back in hope and move forward in hope, giving
a witness to the world of what one nation, under God, can accomplish in His name.
BISHOP AND YOUNG PEOPLE: Bishop Mark L. Bartchak
meets and greets students at Camp Zacchaeus, the Diocesan summer camp, last month. Bishop Mark is championing school choice
in Pennsylvania to provide more educational opportunities for students.
Bishop Asks Faithful To
Support School Choice
Photo And Text
By Tony DeGol
Students are back in the
classroom for a new school year,
but they are not the only ones
getting homework assignments.
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak is asking the Faithful of Altoona-Johnstown to take steps to ensure the
passage of school choice legislation in Pennsylvania.
Legislators return to Harrisburg next week after a summer
recess. According to officials
at the Pennsylvania Catholic
Conference, the public affairs
arm of Pennsylvania’s Catholic
Bishops and Catholic Dioceses,
school choice is expected to be
a priority.
“We know we have the support of the governor,” said Amy
Hill, PCC Communications Director. “Senate and House lawmakers ran out of time to negotiate the details of school choice
before the summer recess. Over
the summer, high level discussions took place among key
leaders, and we believe that
Pennsylvania is ready for school
choice.”
With this in mind, Bishop
Mark is urging supporters of
Catholic education in this Dio-
cese to step up efforts to promote school choice. In a recent
letter to pastors and parish administrators, the Bishop asked
that each parish engage in a
variety of advocacy initiatives,
including visits to local lawmakers. The Bishop also instructed
pastors and administrators to appoint a person who would direct
the outreach in his or her parish.
“I am counting on the clergy
and laity of our Diocese to lead
the effort to do what is right for
students and parents throughout
the eight counties of the Diocese
of Altoona-Johnstown and the
rest of Pennsylvania,” Bishop
Mark said in the letter. “All taxpaying families should have a
true choice in how their children
are educated.”
A special message from the
Bishop on school choice also
appears in this edition of The
Catholic Register (see adjacent
item).
The latest effort to pass
school choice legislation in
Pennsylvania began in January
with the introduction of Senate Bill 1. The measure would
increase funding for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit
(EITC) program and provide
vouchers to qualified families to
send their children to the school
of their choice. The bill would
be phased in as follows: in the
first year, low-income children
currently attending the lowestachieving schools only; in year
two, all low income students
residing within the attendance
boundary of a persistently lowest-achieving school; all lowincome students regardless of
school would be eligible in year
three.
In June, a member of the
House introduced House Bill
1708. This legislation would
also offer vouchers and increased EITC funding, but with
a slightly different approach
than SB 1. HB 1708 would provide vouchers beginning next
school year to low-income children who attend a low-achieving
school this year or will enroll in
kindergarten in a low-achieving
school next year. The student
would also have to live within
the attendance boundary of a
low-achieving school as of the
first day of class.
Supporters of school choice
say both SB 1 and HB 1708
would give low and middle income parents options if their
child is in an underperforming
public school or if a non-public
school would be a better fit for
the child.
“It’s abundantly clear that
parents need to have choices,”
Hill said. “Not every school is
a good match for some students.
We as a community have an
obligation to help those parents
find the best education for their
child.”
According to Hill, HB 1708
is considered a “pilot program,”
or, in other words, a test to see
what works and how things
could be improved to provide
the best opportunities for students.
“Some lawmakers may be
more comfortable with a program that is going to start out
as a pilot and then build from
there,” she added.
Hill said the PCC expects
lawmakers to tackle the school
choice debate throughout the
fall, and she is encouraging
people to voice their support for
vouchers and increased EITC
funding with their lawmakers as
early as possible.
“All politics is local,” she
said. “If you care about school
choice, contact your legislator.”
Page 5
A Special Message From
Bishop Mark
Growing up in a family of eight children, my brothers, sisters
and I received many invaluable gifts from our parents. One of the
most important gifts was a Catholic education. It was a gift that
came about through much sacrifice on their part, but one they were
willing to make. My parents knew that a Catholic education was an
investment that would pay dividends for life. How right they were!
I am grateful to my mom and dad for many things, especially the
opportunity to be educated in an environment where I could grow
spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I discovered my vocation to be a priest while attending
a Catholic high school.
Times have changed since the days when my siblings and I
hopped on a school bus. These days, more and more parents are
finding that their willingness to sacrifice for their children’s education is no longer enough. No matter how hard they try, a non-public
education for their kids is financially out of their reach. As a result,
students sometimes are forced to be educated in an environment
that is just not the right fit. No child should be in that situation.
State legislators have an opportunity to address the problem by passing school choice legislation that includes vouchers
to qualified families to send their children to the school of their
choice. Earlier this year, lawmakers introduced two viable measures -- Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 1708. Both bills contained
money for a voucher program and increased funding for the popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Unfortunately, legislators did not act on either bill before they recessed for
summer. As senators and representatives return to Harrisburg next
week, I call on them to do the right thing for students and families.
School choice has worked in many other states, and it will
work here in Pennsylvania. We know that families blessed with
the financial means already have choices. If public schools are
not meeting their child’s needs, they can afford non-public options.
Vouchers would give lower-income families those same choices,
and more funding to the EITC would help more middle-income
families. In the end, better-educated children will become bettereducated adults. That will lead to stronger workforces and more
vibrant communities. Everyone wins.
Unfortunately, school choice will not become a reality if we do
not tell our lawmakers to support it. I am calling on the faith communities of this Diocese -- parishes and schools -- to help make
this successful education reform a reality in Pennsylvania. Your efforts will be critical. Please take the time to visit, call, write or e-mail
your state senator and state representative as soon as possible.
Thanks to our friends at the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference,
making your voice heard is easy. Visit their website and become
part of the “Advocates for Catholic Education in Pennsylvania”
(ACE-PA) network. The link is www.pacatholic.org/ace-pa. This will
give advocates the opportunity to e-mail their lawmakers quickly. If
legislators fail to pass a school choice bill this fall, it may be a long
time before such a measure is considered again. We cannot afford
to let that happen. Now is the time for school choice. Now is the
time to make a real difference for students and families.
In my first months as Bishop, I have experienced an awesome
spirit and energy among the laypersons, priests, and religious of
our Diocese. I have been particularly impressed by the faith of the
children and teens. They inspire me to be an advocate for school
choice, and I hope they inspire you. Soon, I will begin my visits to
all of the Catholic elementary and high schools in our Diocese. I
cannot wait! I especially look forward to the day when the halls of
our fine schools are filled with even more young faces enjoying the
benefits of school choice in Pennsylvania.
As I am meeting people all over our Diocese, many of you
have told me to just ask if there is anything that you can do to help
me. I am asking, not for me, but for our children. My parents knew
the value of the right education for their children. Please join me
now in making sure all young people have the same opportunity.
Page 6
ICEBREAKER: Social Studies and Theology teacher John Roche
(right) conducts an icebreaker exercise with students on the first day
of school at Saint Joseph Catholic Academy.
SETTLING IN: Settling in to her classroom, teacher Melissa Martin greets students at Saint Joseph
Catholic Academy on the first day of classes Thursday, September 1. Martin teaches biology, honors
biology, health and business.
Doors Open At Saint Joseph
Catholic Academy, Boalsburg
Photos And Text
By Bruce A. Tomaselli
The 38 students may not
have realized the significance of
the day, but it certainly didn’t escape, Douglas R. Bleggi, D. Ed.
“I look at these kids (students)
as pioneers--risk takers,” he
said. He was speaking of the first
two classes of students to attend
Saint Joseph Catholic Academy.
The new Catholic high
school held its first official day
of classes on Thursday, September 1. It is the first new Catholic
High School to open in the Altoona - Johnstown Diocese in
nearly 51 years.
Located just outside of
State College in Boalsburg, the
school is a picturesque building
that has been remodeled while
maintaining its charm. Much
of the building was built in the
1930s and 1960s.
“These students are amazing,” Dr. Bleggi added. “They
DIOCESE OF ALTOONA-JOHNSTOWN
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OFFICE
CATECHIST FORMATION SCHEDULE-FALL, 2011
BASIC CATECHIST FORMATION –
Part 1 -EBENSBURG-Bishop Carroll
Starts Thursday, September 15
6:30-8:30 PM
ADULT CATECHESIS COURSES
ALTOONA
AC-30-D-MORALITY
Bishop Guilfoyle High School Library
Wednesdays starting October 12
6:30-8:30 PM (8 weeks)
EBENSBURG
AC-30-C-NEW TESTAMENT
Holy Name - 8:30 AM - 12:30m PM Saturdays - October 8, 15, 22 and
November 6 -(4 weeks)
JOHNSTOWN
AC-30-F-PRAYER AND SPIRITUALITY
Our Mother of Sorrows School 3:15-5:15 PM - Tuesdays - Starting
September 20 (8 weeks)
MASTER CATECHIST ONGOING
FORMATION COURSES
ALTOONA
Paul, The Apostle - A Closer Look
Starts Tuesday, September 20 6:30-8:30 PM
Sacred Heart Formation Center
EBENSBURG
Contemporary Theologians
Starts Tuesday, September 20
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Holy Name School
There is a $35 fee per course to
pre-register. Fee if not pre-registered or
less than one week prior to the course is
$50.00.
For more information, or to request a
registration form, call the Religious
Education Office - (814) 693-1401.
committed to attend this school
when there was no building,
administrators, teachers or
coaches.” Dr. Bleggi is the principal and chief executive officer
(C.E.O.)
Sister of Charity Donna
Marie Leiden, director of Education for the Diocese, was excited
“because this has finally become
a reality. Now that people see
the school is here we’ll continue
to grow.”
Freshmen and sophomore
students have been welcomed
this year. Junior and Senior
classes will be added over the
next two years.
“This school is the culmination of eight years of work and
we’ve exceeded our expectations,” said the principal.
“We are really excited. We
are very happy and honored to
be the first teachers and administrators in this school, the first
of its kind in Centre County.”
The highest priority of the
school is to provide the opportunity for high school students to
receive a quality education in a
faith - based environment.
Dr. Bleggi said that teachers will tailor instruction to fit
WELCOME: Dr. Douglas R. Bleggi, principal (left) and 10th
grade student Jonathan Hayes (center) extend at warm welcome to
Saint Joseph Catholic Academy to Sister of Charity Donna Marie
Leiden, diocesan director of education.
the needs of each student. The
school has high academic and
behavioral expectations.
“I think the community
needed an alternative. I feel
it’s important that the students
are in an environment with a
faith - based foundation,” commented Mary Kay Paterno Hort,
a school board member. The student to teacher ratio is “amazing,” she said.
Hort added that Dr. Bleggi
was a great find and that he has
worked incredibly hard for the
past year. “He’s done a phenomenal job and this couldn’t have
happened without his vision and
commitment.” Hort has a daughter enrolled in the school.
The students are transported
to the school on public school
buses from places like Lewistown, Huntingdon, State College, etc. They’ve all been given
their own computers.
The first days of operation
have been hectic at the school.
“I’ve done everything from ordering food, to buying groceries and developing curriculum,”
laughed Dr. Bleggi. But, he
wouldn’t want it any other way.
A Prince In The Service
Of The Great King
The Servant Of God
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
1770 - 1840
Celebrations Of Anniversaries
Have Honored Gallitzin
Even before the Diocese of
Altoona (now Altoona - Johnstown) was established in 1901,
the local faithful have gathered
h
in Loretto to celebrate the mems
ory of the Prince - Priest, Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin. We
begin a series of articles about
those celebrations with this account of the Loretto Centennial
on October 11, 1899, by author
Katherine Burton in her 1948
history of the Sisters of Mercy
of Loretto - Cresson, So Surely
Anchored.
October 11 was a fair clear
day, cool but not cold. The little
towns around about were almost
empty by mid morning for everyone was on the way to Loretto. Public schools were closed
for the day as well as were the
church schools.
A dozen arches spanned
Saint Mary Street. Every house
was decorated with flags and
bunting. The papal colors of yellow and white were displayed in
honor of Monsignor Martinelli,
the Apostolic Delegate. The red
and white and blue of the national flag hung in many places.
Prayer For
Father Gallitzin’s Intercession
Gracious and loving God, in your providence you sent your
faithful servant, Father Demetrius A. Gallitzin, to sow the
seeds of faith among the people of the Allegheny Mountains.
May you listen to his intercession for us in our day, even as
we ask that we be allowed to invoke him publicly as our patron
with you.
Pour out your merciful love upon us and hear our prayer. We
humbly beseech you to grant us the favor of (name your intention).
Finally, we ask for the courage to serve you faithfully and to
give you praise. May we do it in the strength of your Spirit, in
witness to Jesus, as did Demetrius when he preached your
Word and baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
+ + +
Kindly send information about favors granted to:
The Cause for the Servant of God
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Diocese Of Altoona - Johnstown
927 South Logan Boulevard
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Inside the church a huge
picture of Gallitzin had been
hung on the wall over the sanctuary. On the gospel side of the
sanctuary the Apostolic Delegate was to sit and opposite him
the Archbishop.
It had rained on the 9th and
the weather had been still threatening on the 10th, but the next
was a beautiful day. The Apostolic Delegate had arrived on the
evening before, greeted at Loretto by fifty young men of the
parish riding on gaily decorated
horses. A band played as his
carriage came in sight. Later in
the evening Archbishop Ireland
arrived with Governor William
Stone, who with Monsignor
Martinelli were to remain at Mr.
Charles Schwab’s home for the
night.
On the morning of the 11th
all the roads in Cambria County
were filled with vehicles of every description. A great crowd
came by the railroad. There
were a score of representatives
of the press to record the event.
Among the crowds gathered about the buildings Cresson Academy and Convent were
well represented. The school
girls who had come in hay wagons now clustered in a crowd in
front of the statue. Not far away
was a fine new leather seated
phaeton in which were Mother
DeSales and other Cresson Sisters.
At seven Archbishop Ireland had said Mass in Gallitzin’s
little chapel, at his altar, and
wearing vestments often used by
the Prince, vestments made from
the material of his mother’s wedding dress which she had sent to
him. At seven - thirty Monsignor Martinelli celebrated Mass
in the parish church, gave Holy
Communion to a group of First
Communicants and confirmed
another group.
Later Pontifical High Mass
was celebrated by Bishop Curtis
who represented Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore. Sixty priests
were in the sanctuary and the
front pews.
In the afternoon the memorial services began. The guests
of honor were to have been drive
to the grandstand in carriages
and work their way on foot to
the stand. In the crowd that
watched them were some who
had known Father Gallitzin and
many of them were descendants
of the original men and women
from whom he had formed his
mountain community.
Father Kittell, who had
worked for nine years to achieve
this result, was a happy man as
he read aloud letters from various well wishers and also the
regrets of those who could not
attend. The last read was from
Mr. Schwab who greatly regretted that he could not be present
Page 7
but who stated that he wished to
make the offer of a new church
building as a gift to the parish of
his boyhood days - - a stone edifice to replace the old brick one.
Then Father Kittell unveiled the statue of the prince
priest as five thousand spectators cheered. When at last they
were silent, Archbishop Ireland
rose to speak. Dwelling first
on Gallitzin’s work as a pioneer of Catholic colonization in
America, he said that had there
been more like him, had leading priests and laymen worked
as systematically as he to draw
people from the slums of large
cities - - “then the Catholic
Church would be a power so
great that we do not dare contemplate the vision for the grief
which would take possession of
our souls at the thought that such
a vision had not become a reality.”
Page 8
Word of Life
The Pope
Teaches
By Pope Benedict XVI
Beautiful Art Is An
Open Doorway To God
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Appreciating beautiful
works of art is not just for cultural enrichment, it’s also an important
way to experience God and become aware of the human thirst for the
infinite, Pope Benedict XVI said.
A sculpture, a painting, a poem or a piece of music can arouse
a feeling of joy when it becomes apparent it is something more than
just a chunk of marble, a canvas covered with colors, or words or
notes on a page, he said.
“It’s something bigger, something that speaks and touches your
heart; it carries a message and lifts the spirit,” he said Aug. 31 as
he held his weekly general audience in the town square at Castel
Gandolfo.
“Art is like an open doorway to the infinite, toward a beauty and
truth that go beyond everyday reality,” he told some 3,000 visitors
and pilgrims present for the audience.
The pope continued a series of talks on the importance of prayer
and the need to set aside some time in one’s busy day for God.
One way people can sense God’s presence or strengthen their
relationship with him is through beautiful art, he said.
An artist is often trying to discover the true or deeper meaning
of reality through “a language of forms, colors and sounds,” he said.
“Art can express and render visible humanity’s need to go beyond what one sees, revealing a thirst and quest for the infinitive.
“Art can open the mind’s eye and one’s heart, pushing us upward” toward the heavens, he said.
The “true paths toward God” that inspire prayer and strengthen
one’s relationship with God, the pope said, are works of art that express the faith and spring from the artist’s own faith in God.
Pope Benedict praised the Jewish artist Marc Chagall, who created a large series of illustrations of the Bible, which the RussianFrench artist called “the greatest source of poetry of all time.”
The pope also fondly recalled his attendance at a 1981 Munich
concert of Leonard Bernstein conducting music by Johann Sebastian
Bach.
When the last note of Bach’s cantatas was played “I felt, not out
of reasoning, but deep in my heart, that what we had listened to had
given me something of the great composer’s faith, and it compelled
me to praise and thank the Lord,” the pope said.
He said he also turned to Lutheran Bishop Johannes Hanselmann, who was sitting next to him, and they both agreed that “Anyone who has heard this knows that the faith is true.”
The pope also recalled how sacred music had the power to
convert the French poet, dramatist and diplomat Paul Claudel who,
though he was raised Catholic, had turned away from the faith.
Claudel had gone to church one Christmas in Paris’ Basilica of
Notre Dame to argue with those gathered there, but, instead, when
he heard the choir chant the “Magnificat,” he felt God’s presence and
became devoutly Catholic, the pope said.
The pope invited everyone to take advantage of the numerous
works of art and architecture that “express the faith and call us to a
relationship with God.”
He asked that museum-hopping “not just be an occasion for cultural enrichment, but be able to become a moment of grace, a motivation to strengthen our ties and dialogue with the Lord, to stop and
contemplate the ray of beauty that strikes us -- almost wounding us
deep inside -- and invites us to rise up toward God.”
ONE MORE TIME: Sister Cindy Burns (center) made her first profession as a member of the Carmelite Community of the Word on December 14, 1996. The vows were witnessed by Bishop Joseph V. Adamec and Sister Martha Burbulla, general administrator of the Sisters (right). Her perpetual profession
was made September 24, 2001 during the liturgy in which the community was canonically recognized as
a religious congregation of diocesan right. The Sisters celebrated the tenth anniversary of that recognition and the 40th anniversary of their founding on August 28.
Are you about to retire? If
so, what might be a good practice for making your retirement
a success?
No doubt, a number of excellent books on retirement are
worth reading, and your retired
friends’ wisdom is something
that you should tap into.
However, as beneficial as it
is to read books and ask questions, a good place to start is to
decompress yourself, to slowly
surface from the depths of your
rushed life and to firm up your
grip on it.
I am not suggesting that you
withdraw from activities. Just
change them in an effort to allow for more discernment.
It is so common to see people of all ages in a rush. Posted
speed limits and traffic signals
changing to red are ignored.
Pedestrians dodge in between
oncoming cars while metro riders hustle down escalators, cram
into the cars of the train, often
jamming closing doors.
As a society, Americans are
people on the run. We are forever running our children to school
or to practice after school. We
run for buses, airplanes and
trains. We run to be first in line,
to go on vacation and to return
home quickly.
We tell ourselves we are in
control, but more often than not
we are a scatterbrain. We need
The Human Side
By Father Eugene Hemrick
Retiring In Style
the discipline of being able to
focus on what is important regardless of what else is happening around us.
Periodically an awesome
athlete comes along who does
this, shutting out all distractions
and going deep inside himself or
herself to master the power of
concentration.
This same interior focus is
a winner for ensuring a happy
retirement.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once
said that “concentration is the
secret of strength.” Although
many retired people work out
“Retirement is a
wonderful
opportunity that gives us
needed time to enter
more fully into our
inner self and renew
the wonderful Godgiven gift of interiority.”
to maintain muscle tone, reason
would counsel: Don’t overlook
toning up your interiority along
with your body.
One of the legacies of renowned theologian Father Romano Guardini (1885 to 1968)
was to point out repeatedly that
Christians were losing their contemplative edge and didn’t know
how to be still and “all there.”
To be “all there” is to be
focused, to concentrate, to be in
touch with oneself to fully absorb what is being experienced.
A beautiful outcome of being “all there” is the power that
will result, allowing us to see
through situations and respond
to them better. It endows us with
the kind of prudent maturity that
should come with aging.
I believe that Father Guardini would tell us that “retirement is a wonderful opportunity
that gives us needed time to enter more fully into our inner self
and renew the wonderful Godgiven gift of interiority.”
Question Corner
By Father Kenneth Doyle
Mary Magdalene
Q. I am an elderly woman,
now in my late 80s, and I have
always been curious about the
life of Mary Magdalene. I can’t
seem to get any clear answers
from reading the Bible, and I get
a variety of opinions when I ask
my friends. So I’m wondering if
you could supply some informa-tion:
How did she become one
nof Christ’s followers? What was
sher relationship with Jesus and
-his apostles? Why was she the
only one who went to his grave
on Easter Sunday morning and
found it empty? (Altavista, Va.)
A. Your fascination with
Mary Magdalene is well-placed.
She is one of the key figures in
the New Testament and in Christian history, the first to proclaim
to others the resurrection of Jesus.
In the four Gospels, Mary
Magdalene is mentioned more
often than most of the apostles,
more frequently even than Mary,
the mother of Jesus.
Despite this prominence,
there are a few personal details
about Mary that are not men-
tioned: her age, status or family.
Most likely she was from
Magdala, a fishing village on
the Western shore of the Sea of
Galilee, about 120 miles north
of Jerusalem.
There is no description of
the “call” of Mary Magdalene by
Jesus to be a disciple, as there is
for several of the apostles. When
we first meet her, she is already
among several Galilean women
who are journeying with Christ,
assisting him in his ministry.
Mary Magdalene is listed
among the women who stay
faithful to Christ to the end. As
to why she, rather than one of
the apostles, would go first to the
tomb on Easter morning, I think
it is fair to say that, when they
were tested, the women around
Jesus were more courageous
than the men.
While the apostles fled in
fear (with the exception of John),
the women friends of Christ
stood with him at the cross and
accompanied his body to the
tomb; then, after taking the prescribed Sabbath rest, they went
back early Sunday morning to
anoint the body once more.
Robert Bellarmine
1542-1621
September 17
Crosiers
A doctor of the church and key figure of the Catholic Reformation,
Robert was born in Montepulciano, Italy, and by 18 had mastered
the violin, debating and writing Latin verse. He was ordained a
Jesuit in 1570 and taught at Louvain. Subsequently, he advised
several popes; mediated theological conflicts, including the Galileo
controversy; and became a cardinal, archbishop of Capua and
prefect of the Vatican Library. He wrote an acclaimed 3-volume
work defending Catholicism against the heresies of the age.
Saints
Finding the tomb empty,
Magdalene is charged by Jesus
(Jn 20:17) to “go to my brothers
and tell them, ‘I am going to my
Father and your Father.’”
Only after that do Peter and
John dare to venture to the tomb,
so St. Augustine rightly calls
Mary Magdalene “the apostle to
the apostles.”
Unfortunately, Mary Magdalene’s image has been tarnished through history by the
inaccurate linkage of Magdalene with the unnamed “sinner” (commonly thought to
have been a prostitute) in Luke
7:36-50. That woman repents
in Christ’s presence, anoints his
feet with oil from her alabaster
jar and dries them with her hair.
This linkage seems to stem
from a homily given by Pope
Gregory around the year 600,
where he identified Magdalene
not only with the anonymous
sinner but also with Mary, the
sister of Martha and Lazarus. In
fact, though, in the 14 times that
Mary Magdalene is mentioned
in the Gospels, never once is she
identified as a prostitute or a sinner.
Luke does say of Magdalene (Chapter 8) that she had
once had “seven demons” cast
out of her, but in the vocabulary of that day, this could well
have meant being been cured of
a physical or psychological illness, not of moral fault; and, significantly, Luke never identifies
Magdalene with the unnamed
sinner he had described in the
chapter immediately before.
The church’s most current
thinking on Mary Magdalene is
reflected most clearly in this: In
1969, when the liturgical calendar was reworked, a new Gospel was assigned to the feast of
Mary Magdalene on July 22. No
longer do we read from Luke 7
(the pardon of the sinful woman)
but from John 20, where Magdalene visits the tomb and stands
as the first witness to the risen
Christ.
(Questions may be
sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at [email protected]
and 40 Hopewell St.,
Albany, NY 12208.)
Page 9
Spirituality
For Today
By Father John Catoir
The Afterlife
“Although doubts and denials seem to be on the increase in certain parts of the world, this ‘disquiet’ cannot be ignored.”
So says theologian Sister Joan Hush, 79, who spent many years
as a Dominican contemplative and is now living her vowed life as a
Dominican associate in a reclusive setting.
Sister Hush says that, to believe in Christianity is to believe in
eternal life with the risen Lord. If there is no resurrection, the whole
structure of faith collapses.
The Nicene Creed puts it succinctly: “I await the resurrection of
the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.” (Note the double
orientation: a personal resurrection set within the ambient of a ‘world’
to come.)
What will the world to come be like?
Faith gives us permission to use our imagination. We are destined to live forever in a new order of life, for “eye has not seen, and
ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, (is)
what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9-10).
Eternal life is certain for those who trust God’s word.
Trust leads to hope, and hope gives us the energy to reach out
to God for eternal life.
On May 17, 1879, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith issued a letter concerning belief in an afterlife. The document notes that, “when setting forth this teaching, it is not permissible
to remove any point ... without endangering the faith and salvation of
Christians.”
It recalls the essential elements of our faith in the afterlife, noting
that the church:
-- Professes belief in the resurrection of the dead, as referring to
the whole person, as an extension of Christ’s own resurrection. This
means that a spiritual element, namely the soul, which is endowed
with consciousness and will, survives the body after death.
-- Rejects anything that would render meaningless or unintelligible her prayers, funeral rituals, etc. Catholics await “the glorious
manifestation of our Lord, Jesus Christ” (“Dei Verbum”), a manifestation that differs from our personal encounter with him at the moment
of our death.
-- Rejects any ideas contrary to the Virgin Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven and the church’s “anticipation of the glorification”
destined for the elect.
-- Believes in the final beatitude (heaven) or punishment (purgatory and hell): “There will be eternal punishment for the sinner, who
will be deprived of the sight of God, and that this punishment will
have a repercussion on the whole being of the sinner.”
As Christians, we are bound to:
(1) Belief “in the fundamental continuity, thanks to the power of
the Holy Spirit, between our present life in Christ and the future life
(charity is the law of the kingdom of God and our charity on earth will
be the measure of our sharing in God’s glory in heaven).”
(2) Belief in “the radical break between this present life and the
future one” since “the economy of faith will be replaced by the economy of the fullness of life: We shall be with Christ and ‘we shall see
God.’”
All of this is an immense mystery! Neither Scripture nor theology can provide us with a clear idea of exactly what the afterlife will
be like; nevertheless, through faith, we know that it is a reality that
awaits us.
Primitive man believed in an afterlife. The science of anthropology and archaeology provide us with abundant evidence that the ancients buried their dead with tools and food to help them in the next
life.
We live by faith, not science. Nevertheless, we have both to reassure us.
Page 10
SAINT THERESE SHRINE: At the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Carmelite Community of the Word, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak blessed a shrine
to Saint Therese of Lisieux on the grounds of the community’s Motherhouse, Incarnation Center, in Gallitzin. The shrine was a gift of the Society of the Incarnation, the lay
associates of the Sisters.
Carmelites Of The Word
Celebrate 40th Anniversary
Community Also Notes
10th Anniversary Of
Canonical Recognition
Photos And Text
The Prophet Jeremiah once
cried out to God “You duped
me O Lord, and I let myself be
duped.”
Addressing the Sisters of
the Carmelite Community of the
Word on the 40th anniversary of
their foundation, Bishop - Emeritus Joseph V. Adamec said that
“Thirty - eight, or thirty - nine
years ago, you Sisters might
well have asked ‘Who duped
me?’ Was it really God?”
But noting that the Sisters
were also marking one decade
since they were recognized as
a religious institute of Diocesan
Right, Bishop Joseph said “Ten
years ago the Church confirmed
that God had brought you into
being for His purposes.”
Bishop Joseph helped the
community attain that status,
and recalled the day, in Rome,
when the Sacred Congregation
for Religious gave up all objections to approving the Sisters’
petition for recognition.
“There were no more objections. What you had been seeking was granted. It happened,
praise the Lord! But your lives
have not been without their challenges,” he said.
“You have, in your journey
gone through the valleys, as well
as climbing the peaks. You have
remained faithful to the Lord
and to our diocesan Church,”
said Bishop Joseph. “You have
supported us and ministered to
us.
“We thank you for that support and that service, and we
rejoice with you. This is indeed
the day the Lord has made.”
Bishop Joseph made his
remarks at the end of a Sunday,
August 28 Mass celebrated by
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak at the
Basilica of Saint Michael the
Archangel in Loretto. During
the festive liturgy, the 15 members of the community renewed
their religious vows as they gave
thanks for their decades of service in consecrated religious
life.
The Carmelite Community of the Word was founded
in 1971 when 14 former Sisters
of Saint Ann, with the permission of the late Bishop James J.
Hogan, began a new community
in Ebensburg. Sister Theresa
Nelen, the oldest in religious
profession, was named the first
administrator of the community.
At the August 28 celebration Sister Marilyn Welch, the
community’s current general
administrator echoed Bishop Joseph’s sentiments as she thanked
her Sisters for their faithfulness
to the community’s founding vision.
“I thank each of you for
walking this journey for forty
years,” she said. “Each of you
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP: Prior to the 40th anniversary
Mass, Sister Marilyn Welch (left) the present general administrator
of the Carmelite Community of the Word, listens to Sister Theresa
Nelen (right) who was the community’s first general administrator
when it was founded in 1971.
has stood faithful to God and to
our community. Sometimes our
path was strewn with rocks and
with boulders. Sometimes it
was strewn with roses. We have
stepped around, and through,
and continued to follow where
God leads.”
Thanking God for being
a “good and faithful compan-
ion” to the community over the
course of four decades, Sister
Marilyn also thanked the guests
who assembled for the Mass.
“All of you have been images of
God to us in some way, over the
years.”
CARMELITE CROSS: The distinctive wooden cross worn by the
Sisters of the Carmelite Community of the Word was borne in procession by Luke Rosenbaum, pictured with Sister Marilyn, at the
anniversary Mass.
PIONEER SISTERS: Among the pioneering members of the Carmelite Community of the Word were Sister Maryann Palko (foreground) who was one of the founding Sisters in 1971, and Sister
Karen Grusek (background) who was the first postulant to join the
new religious community after its foundation.
Sister Marilyn expressed
the community’s gratitude to
Bishop Joseph for his part in
helping them achieve canonical recognition, noting that as
Carmelites, the Sisters always
wanted to share in Saint Teresa
of Avila’s hope that Carmelites
would be “true daughters of the
Church.”
Bishop Mark, in his homily, said that the members of the
Carmelite Community of the
Word have truly lived out Saint
Teresa’s wish, in their service to
the local Church.
“The Sisters of the Carmelite Community of the Word un-
Page 11
COUNCIL MEMBERS: Sister Cindy Burns (left) and Sister Karen Duddy (right), members of the
Carmelite Community of the Word’s general council, present offertory gifts to Bishop Mark L. Bartchak
at the anniversary Mass, Sunday, August 28 at the Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel in Loretto.
BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS: Sister Cindy Burns points out the
beauty of the grounds at Incarnation Center to one of the guests who
joined the Sisters for a reception held on the Motherhouse property. Incarnation Center is home to the 15 members of the Carmelite
Community of the Word.
derstand themselves to be an active contemplative community,”
he explained. “They are drawn
to meditate on the Word of God
each day as individuals and as a
community, while understanding that to fulfill their vocation,
they have other work to do.”
The Bishop enumerated the
many ways in which the Sisters
serve in the Altoona - Johnstown
Diocese: pastoral ministers in
parishes; directors of religious
education; prison ministers; advocates for the abused; teachers
in Catholic schools; coordinators of evangelization efforts;
leaders of outreach to Catholics who have left the Church
or stopped practicing the faith;
ministry to the poor at the diocesan Mission in Fulton County;
and caseworker for Catholic
Charities.
“All of that has come with
the help of God’s grace, and it
has brought challenges to the
Sisters, both individually and
as a community,” Bishop Mark
said.
When Jeremiah felt himself
duped by God, he was tempted
to keep quiet, because he often suffered when he did speak
God’s word. But, in the end,
Bishop Mark said “he did speak
because the Word of God within
him became like a fire burning
in his heart.”
The temptation to keep quiet
is a strong one, the Bishop stated, “but,” he continued “thanks
be to God, we are inspired by
the ones who choose to take the
Gospel seriously and put it into
action as the primary focus and
purpose in their lives.”
“Sisters of the Carmelite
Community of the Word,” he
said, “I wish to thank you on
behalf of everyone here and everyone in our Diocese for your
presence among us.”
Recalling the Sisters’ devotion to God’s word, a deep life
of prayer, and active ministerial
service, Bishop Mark said “you
have distinguished yourselves as
true disciples of Carmel and of
the Word.”
Page 12
Bishop Joseph Reflects
On Lessons Learned After 9/11
“Why we have been given
these blessings is something that
I don’t know. But we should
be more grateful for them than
what we have been.”
Bishop Joseph recalled that
just over ten months after the
crash of Flight 93, Somerset
County was again in the international spotlight when nine miners were trapped underground
for over 78 hours, from July 24
to 28, 2002, when the Quecreek
Mine flooded.
“I spoke to some of those
miners after they were rescued,”
Bishop Joseph said, “and they
told me ‘There weren’t nine of
us down there. There were ten
of us.’ They believed that God’s
angel was with them. They
felt God’s presence supporting
them.”
He continued, “We have
these blessings - - we’ve been
given these blessings, and our
thanks for them should be expressed by our worship; by taking time to pray and to go to
church and be with God. We
need to work on being a better
people than what we sometimes
are.
“Our gratitude for God’s
blessings should show itself in
our actions and in our speech.”
Bishop Joseph said when
he learned of the crash of the
United plane, he did not think he
should rush to Somerset County
to be present at the crash site.
“There were many other clergy
in Somerset County, many of
our own priests who were there,
on the spot, ready to be of service if they were needed.”
But, a few days after the
crash, when he learned that an
interfaith prayer service was being planned for the steps of the
Somerset County Courthouse,
the Bishop felt that his presence
there was imperative, and that
his brother Bishops from other
Christian traditions should be
there too.
Speaking of Bishop Gregory Pile of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church, Allegheny
Synod, Altoona, and of the late
Metropolitan Nicholas Smisko
of the Carpatho - Russian Orthodox Diocese in Johnstown,
Bishop Joseph remembered
“None of us were invited to the
service, or asked to be there officially. So, I called the other
two Bishops and said ‘Don’t
you think we should be there?’
They both agreed with me that
we should be.”
The three Bishops met in
the parking lot of Saint Anne’s
Church in Davidsville, and
drove together to Somerset.
“We didn’t go anonymously,” Bishop Joseph explained.
“Metropolitan Nicholas was in
his robes, and Bishop Pile and
I in our black suits and pectoral
1x6
Photo By Monsignor Timothy P. Stein
SIGN OF PEACE: Worshippers exchange the sign of peace at a Mass at the Cathedral of the
Blessed Sacrament in Altoona on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Hundreds filled the Cathedral on
the evening of the terrorists attacks against the United States of America.
“We simply stood with
the crowd as concerned people and as
religious people, wishing to pray with our
people.”
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crosses, but we had no official
role to play in the service.
“We simply stood with the
crowd as concerned people and
as religious people, wishing to
pray with our people.”
Bishop Joseph said the
three prelates did not mill about
in the crowd, and remained in
one place throughout the service. Still, their presence was
noted by many in the gathering,
and they were greeted by those
they met with words of thanks
and appreciation.
“I think our presence with
the crowd was like something
I used to do when I was a pastor in Michigan, before I was a
Bishop,” said Bishop Joseph.
“I was always fortunate
enough to have a parochial vicar, and from time to time I would
go to his Mass, after celebrating
Mass myself, just to be with the
people of the parish and to pray
with them.
“Often,” he went on, “the
people would say to me, ‘Thank
you for coming to pray with us,
even when you didn’t have to.’
“I hope that the people we
three Bishops met in Somerset
had the same reaction,” Bishop
Joseph concluded, “that they
were glad to see that we had
come to pray with them, ‘even
though we didn’t have to.’”
ARTIST’S RENDERING OF THE SUZANNE POHLAND PATERNO
CATHOLIC STUDENT FAITH CENTER AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
Faith Center A Tribute To
Sue Paterno’s Catholic Faith
“We are achieving a dream
that Sue Paterno has been involved with since the inception
of our Catholic Campus Ministry fifty years ago,” said Father
Matthew, alluding to the arrival
at University Park of Benedictine Monks from Saint Vincent
Archabbey, Latrobe, in 1962.
Naming the Catholic Student Faith Center for Suzanne
Pohland Paterno, wife of Penn
State football coach Joe Paterno
is in recognition not only of the
Paterno’s financial support of
the project, but of Mrs. Paterno’s commitment to the Catholic
faith and her active participation in the life of the Penn State
Catholic Community.
Tribute to Mrs. Paterno’s
faith was expressed by her
daughter, Mary Kay Hort, who
spoke on the family’s behalf at
the cornerstone blessing.
“My mother is known for
her dogged pursuit of accomplishing what she believes in,”
said Hort. “This is a great day;
it represents a generation - long
dream of my mother’s.”
Hort said “My mother takes
her job as a Catholic mother
very seriously. She has always
viewed her faith as a gift, and as
a gift that must be shared with
others.”
The new Suzanne Pohland
Paterno Catholic Student Faith
Center will provide students
“with a place for support and
growth” as they face the many
competing values and other di-
versions they will encounter at
Penn State, said Hort. “This
center will foster and nurture
the next generation of Catholic
leaders.”
Hort spoke of her personal
pride in what her mother has
accomplished for Catholic students at Penn State.
“There have been many accolades for my parents over the
years,” she said, “but none have
been more fitting than this honor
for my mother.”
Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki of Saint Vincent Abbey
echoed those words of tribute to
Mrs. Paterno in his remarks.
“This center represents Sue
fulfilling her responsibility as a
disciple of Christ,” he said. “I
thank Sue for responding in faith
to the challenge we all receive in
our lives as disciples of Christ.”
Bishop - Emeritus Joseph
V. Adamec who presided at last
year’s groundbreaking ceremony, and who spearheaded the
efforts to start the construction
project during his episcopacy,
also spoke at the August 29 ceremony and said that the center’s
name “embodies all that we
hope to embody in our presence
on campus.”
Naming the center in Sue
Paterno’s honor, he said “will
hopefully prompt future generations of students to see Sue
Paterno as an example of someone living our faith in the world,
witnessing the values of God to
our world. That’s what Sue has
done. She promotes Catholic
life and identity on campus, and
God is pleased with what she
has been doing. It’s coming to
fruition.”
Bishop Joseph also spoke
of the partnership between the
Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown
and Saint Vincent Archabbey in
making Catholic Campus Ministry possible at Penn State.
“The ministry is diocesan,
but it is staffed by the Benedictine monks,” he explained, “and
they are very good partners.”
Before the cornerstone was
blessed, Bishop Mark explained
that there is an old tradition of
placing within such stones artifacts symbolic of those connected with the raising of a building.
Continuing that tradition, he
invited Bishop Joseph to place
a Prince Gallitzin Cross upon
the stone, Archabbot Douglas to
place a Benedictine medal, and
Mrs. Paterno to place medals of
the Infant Jesus of Prague and
Saint Jude.
Bishop Mark quipped that
he had been invited to climb the
roof of the structure to bless the
cross atop the steeple, but opted instead to say the prayer of
blessing from within the safety
of the chapel space.
The cross is a gift from
Frederick and Patti Fernsler of
State College. Mr. Fernsler and
his son, Adam, are the architects
for the project.
Mr. and Mrs. Fernsler met
as students at Penn State in 1966
and were married in 1967. They
received pre - marriage instructions from campus minister
Benedictine Father Ildephonse
Wortman, and donated the cross
to recognize him and all of the
Benedictine monks who have
served on campus since 1962.
The cross is a half - size replica
of the cross atop the Basilica at
Saint Vincent Archabbey.
“It seemed appropriate to
carry the spirit of Saint Vincent’s to our new worship center
in tribute to the monks attentive
care,” said Fernsler in making
the gift. “The Fernsler family would like to celebrate Saint
Vincent’s gifts to Penn State as
well as our gratitude for wonderful 44 years of marriage, by donating this cross to the Catholic
Faith Center as a tribute to the
ongoing service by the monks of
Saint Vincent’s.”
All who spoke at the blessing ceremony emphasized that
the center will help Catholic
students remain grounded in
Page 13
their faith during their college
years. Bishop Mark said the
message of the Catholic Student
Faith Center is the same as that
preached by Pope Benedict XVI
during World Youth Day celebrations in Madrid in August.
“Pope Benedict accepts and
understands how important it is
to speak to the hearts and minds
of young people,” Bishop Mark
reflected. “He points out that the
search for knowledge and truth
is a search for God.
“The Pope has reminded
young people that you can only
discover who you are when you
come to know Jesus Christ,”
Bishop Mark continued.
“Thanks be to God that for
generations to come, students
will find here in this center a
place where they can discover
their true identity by discovering
the identity of Jesus Christ.”
Page 14
Now Showing
‘Conan’ Remake
Nothing More Than A
Blood - Saturated
Piece Of Hokum
By John P. McCarthy
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -Bringing 21st-century moviemaking techniques to the
sword-and-sorcery
subgenre,
the makers of “Conan the Barbarian” (Lionsgate) have delivered up a blood-saturated piece
of hokum. Although visually dynamic, the 3-D action-adventure
is exceedingly violent and bereft
of any positive message.
In the role that brought
Arnold Schwarzenegger to
prominence back in 1982, Jason
Momoa plays the eponymous
warrior. Bent on avenging his
father’s murder, which he witnessed as a boy (after literally
being born on the battlefield),
Conan pursues the culprit,
Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang),
throughout the mythical land of
Hyboria.
The stakes are raised when
warlord Zym and his half-witch
daughter, Marique (Rose McGowan), kidnap the last descendant of the House of Acheron,
a martial arts maiden named
Tamara (Rachel Nichols). Ta-
Sunday Mass
Broadcast Live from
the Cathedral of
the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona
10:00 a.m. WFBG Radio, 1290 AM
CNS Photo/Lionsgate
CONAN THE BARBARIAN: Jason Momoa stars in a scene from the movie “Conan the Barbarian.”
The Catholic News Service classification is O - - morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of
America rating is R - - restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
mara’s blood has the ability to
reanimate an ancient mask, thus
giving Zym supreme powers.
About two-thirds of the way
in, Conan expresses his philosophy: “I live. I love. I slay ... I am
content.” He’s right about the
slaying part, but the only values
he upholds are filial loyalty and
an antipathy toward slavery. Regrettably, he demonstrates the
latter by urging freed slaves to
kill their former captor in a distinctly cruel and inhumane manner.
With Marcus Nispel -- who
specializes in directing remakes
(such as 2003’s “The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre” and 2009’s
“Friday the 13th”) -- at the helm,
the production values are quite
impressive. The expected chees-
iness is minimized by solid cinematography and special effects;
and the 3-D format proves more
of a plus than is often the case.
As for the plot, the three
credited screenwriters -- Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood -- attempt to ground the mayhem
in a relatively detailed legend
about the pagan milieu, based on
the 1930s pulp fiction of Conan
creator Robert E. Howard. Alas,
with few respites from the brutality, the story quickly becomes
irrelevant.
As one fight sequence follows another, blood appears to
begin spurting even before the
sword blows have landed.
No mercy is shown for anyone on, or off, the screen. And
since no social or moral values, other than those mentioned
above -- and, perhaps, brute
physical courage -- are actually
affirmed, the numerous objectionable elements listed below
stand out all the more starkly.
The film contains pervasive graphic violence -- including decapitations, severed limbs
and torture -- explicit nonmarital
sexual activity, considerable upper female and brief rear male
nudity, some sexual innuendo
and one instance of crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is O - morally
offensive. The Motion Picture
Association of America rating
is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or
adult guardian.
Coming Up On ‘Proclaim!’
Sunday Mass Telecast
Live from Saint John Gualbert Cathedral
Downtown Johnstown
11 a.m. - Noon WWCP - TV FOX Channel 8
Proclaim!
10:30 a.m. (Early Edition 5:30 a.m.)
A half - hour of local Church news and features
Upcoming guests on “Keeping The Faith,” Bishop Mark L.
Bartchak’s segment of “Proclaim!” will include:
Sunday, September 18 - - As state lawmakers return to
Harrisburg this Fall, Amy Hil of the Pennsylvania Catholic
Conference previews the key issues they will face.
Sunday, September 25 - - Teen Talk co - hosts Samantha
Slezak and Adam Wood interview Bishop Mark.
May
They Rest
In Peace
Sister Anna Maria
Karrenbauer C.D.P.
Sister Anna Maria Karrenbauer, a member of the Congregation of Divine Providence in
McCandless Township, Pittsburgh, for 74 years, died Friday,
August 12.
A native of Mount Oliver,
she became a registered nurse
anesthetist. She was formerly
employed at Mercy Hospital,
Johnstown.
Surviving are nieces and
nephews.
The funeral Mass for Sister
Anna Maria Karrenbauer C.D.P.
was celebrated on Wednesday,
August 17 in the Motherhouse
chapel.
Agnes M. Valko
Agnes M. Valko, 85, of Portage, died Saturday, August 22
in Florida.
She was the mother of Monsignor George J. Valko, former
pastor of Saint Michael Parish in
Saint Michael.
Mrs. Valko was born June
8, 1926 in Lilly, daughter of the
late George and Anna (Packo)
Jubara.
She was preceded in death
on March 6, 2006 by her husband, George Valko. Also preceding her in death were an
infant brother and sister; brothers John and Paul; sisters Mary,
Veronica and Ann; and nephews
John and Paul Gidick
In addition to her son, she
is survived by a brother, Frank
Jubara of Portage.
She was a lifelong member
of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Parish, Portage, where her funeral Mass was celebrated by
her son on Monday, August 22.
Committal was in Saint Mary
Cemetery, Portage.
Condolences may be sent
to Monsignor George J. Valko,
1426 Jefferson Avenue, Portage
PA 15946.
Richard J. Tomkosky
Richard J. Tomkosky, 69, of
Richland, died Monday, August
29 at Windber Hospice. He was
the father of Father Richard B.
Tomkosky, pastor of Saint John
the Evangelist Parish in Everett
and Seven Dolors of the Blessed
Virgin Mary Parish in Beans
Cove.
He was born October 26,
1941 in Johnstown, the son of
the late Anthony and Helen
(Zolkos) Tomkosky.
Surviving is his wife, the
former Kathleen Rebochak;
his children: Father Richard;
Michelle of New Cumberland;
and Lisa, and her fiance James
Bassett, of State College. Also
surviving is a grandson, Tyler
Tomkosky of New Cumberland,
and a sister, Patricia Nagle of
Johnstown.
He was preceded in death
by a son, Darren Anthony Tomkosky.
A member of Saint Benedict
Parish, Johnstown, Mr. Tomkosky was a United States Navy
veteran of the Vietnam War, and
retired as a letter carrier from the
United States Postal Service after 25 years of service.
The funeral Mass for Richard J. Tomkosky was celebrated
by his son, Father Richard B.
Tomkosky at Saint Benedict
Church on Friday, September 2.
Committal was in Saint Joseph
Cemetery, Johnstown.
Memorial donations or offerings for Masses may be addressed to Father Tomkosky at
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 161 E. First Avenue,
Everett PA 15537, or to the
National Shrine of the Divine
Mercy, c/o Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Eden Hill,
Stockbridge MA 01263.
Sister M. Cecilia Rotthoff
O.S.F.
Sister Mary Cecilia Rotthoff, a member of the Franciscan Sisters at Mount Alvernia,
Millvale, Pittsburgh, for 74
years died Monday, August 29.
She was 92.
A native of Pittsburgh, she
taught in the schools of the Dioceses of Altoona - Johnstown
and Pittsburgh. In retirement,
she served in pastoral care at
Saint Francis Medical Center
in Lawrenceville, and in the order’s day care and learning center at the Mount Alvernia Motherhouse.
Surviving are nieces and
nephews.
The funeral Mass for Sister
Mary Cecilia Rotthoff O.S.F.
was celebrated on Thursday,
September 1 in the chapel at
Mount Alvernia.
Celebrations Honored Gallitzin
He said he would never
forget the emotion in his soul
earlier on that day, when he said
Mass in the old chapel, standing where Father Gallitzin had
so often stood and wearing the
vestments he had worn. When
the Russian prince came there
had been one Bishop in the United States; there were now a hundred. Instead of a few priests
there were twelve thousand.
Instead of a few Catholics there
were now almost fourteen million. And among the men who
had helped to bring this to pass
Father Gallitzin had his place.
“I bid farewell to Loretto,”
the Archbishop ended. ‘But I
speak no farewell to Gallitzin.
Archbishop Ireland said he
would never forget the emotion in his soul earlier on that
day, when he said Mass in the
old chapel, standing where
Father Gallitzin had so often
stood and wearing the vestments he had worn.
Page 15
His memory will ever live in my
heart.”
Next the Governor of the
state spoke. It was the first time
in its history that Loretto had
been honored by the presence of
so high an official. Then, as the
great crowd knelt, the Apostolic
Delegate bestowed the Papal
Benediction.
After the Cathedral choir
had sung a Te Deum the crowds
slowly dispersed and by dusk
all was again quiet in Gallitzin’s
town of Loretto.
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Page 16
CORNERSTONE BLESSING: On Monday, August 29, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak blessed the cornerstone for the Suzanne Pohland Paterno Catholic Student Faith Center
now under construction at Penn State University in University Park, State College (photo at left). Participating in the blessing were (right photo, left to right) Benedictine
Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, Bishop - Emeritus Joseph V. Adamec, Bishop Bartchak, Benedictine Father Matthew T. Laffey (director of Catholic Campus Ministry at Penn
State) and Suzanne Pohland Paterno.
Cornerstone, Cross Blessed At
Penn State Catholic Center
Photos And Text
PERIODICAL RATE MAIL
One year ago, the Suzanne
Pohland Paterno Catholic Student Faith Center at Penn State
University was literally nothing
more than a hole in the ground.
But just two days short of
the anniversary of the groundbreaking for the facility on Park
Avenue adjacent to the University Park Campus, a building
topped with a steeple and cross
has risen from the hole. On
Monday, August 29, Bishop
Mark L. Bartchak blessed the
cornerstone and the steeple cross
inside the framed - out room that
within another year will house
the center’s chapel.
“It is marvelous to be in this
space which will soon truly become a sacred space,” said Bishop Mark as he addressed the congregation of Paterno family and
friends; the family and friends
of Frederick and Patti Fernsler,
donors of the cross; students and
friends of the Catholic Campus
Ministry program at Penn State;
and campus ministry and diocesan representatives.
“Just imagine what this
space will look like a few
months from now when it will
be filled with students celebrating their faith here,” the Bishop
stated.
Guests were welcomed to
the ceremony by Benedictine
Father Matthew T. Laffey, director of Catholic Campus Ministry
at Penn State, who spoke of the
“privilege and blessing of working with the young students here.
“Today we take another
step to fulfilling our dream of a
home for Catholic students on
campus,” he said.
STEEPLE CROSS: Also blessed on August 29 was the cross on
the steeple atop the Suzanne Pohland Paterno Catholic Student Faith
Center. The cross is a half - size replica of that on the Basilica at
Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, and is a gift in honor of the
Benedictine campus ministers from Frederick and Patti Fernsler.
Fernsler and his son Adam are the architects for the center.
The Catholic
Register
Official Publication of the
Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown

The Catholic - Diocese of Altoona

Transcription

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