THE CATHOLIC New priest assignments announced
Transcription
THE CATHOLIC New priest assignments announced
THE CATHOLIC MIRROR The primary task of a diocesan newspaper is to “serve the truth with courage, helping the public see, understand and live reality with the eyes of God.” - Pope Benedict XVI, Nov. 25, 2006 Vol. 50, No. 5 “People’s priest” Father Kiernan dies at 81 By Anne Marie Cox Staff Writer Father Jim Kiernan, a priest for 54 years, died May 15 at the age of 81. “It’s a loss to the community, but not to him,” said Jeanine Mulvihill, a family member and friend. “How many times did I hear him say, ‘I just can’t wait to get to heaven. I’m excited about going to heaven.’” Indeed, his cousin, Bob Mulvihill shared a similar story: “He would frequently say something about ‘When the Lord says I’m ready, punch my ticket.’ He would talk very openly about that. He was ready to go.” The family will receive friends from 2-5 p.m. May 22 at St. Ambrose Cathedral. There will be a rosary at 2 p.m. and a vigil service at 5 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines on May 23 at 10 a.m. Burial will be in the priest section of Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. Born in 1935, he grew up with three brothers and a sister on a farm near St. Patrick Parish at Irish Settlement. He and classmate Father Frank Palmer attended Dowling Catholic High School, Loras College and Mt. St. Bernard Two men to be ordained June 3 Deacon Dan Gehler will become a priest as seminarian Carlos Gomez Pineda enters transitional diaconate How they knew God was calling By Deacon Dan Gehler It has been a long journey to arrive where I am today and it shows God is very patient. I first thought about the priesthood in 10th grade. I talked to our pastor about it and he told me to go home, talk to my parents, and pray about it. He never said anything to me about it after that; I assumed he didn’t think I would make a good priest so I got my teaching degree in agriculture education. I taught for three years and decided teaching was not for me. Again I went to the pastor of the parish and talked to him about the priesthood and again he never said anything after our meeting. Bishop Richard Pates will celebrate the annual Memorial Day Mass at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines on Monday, May 30 at 10 a.m. If it rains, Mass will be celebrated at St. Theresa Church in Des Moines at 10:15 a.m. Local assemblies of the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus are sponsoring the Mass in cooperation with the diocesan Office of Worship. by Carlos Gomez Pineda The Good Shepherd (John 10: 1-16). As I approach my transitional diaconate ordination on June 3, I have been meditating on passages of the Gospel that talks about the mission of those whom God calls to Holy Orders; one of them is the passage of the good shepherd It is important to connect the discourse of the good shepherd with the previous passage about the healing of the man born blind. This miracle created tension among the Jewish authorities who earlier had expelled the blind man from the Stories continued on page 10 Continued on page 3 Memorial Day Mass May 20, 2016 New priest assignments announced By Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer Bishop Richard Pates has made the following priest assignments, effective July 14. Father Michael Berner Father Michael Berner has been named pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Griswold and St. Timothy Parish in Reno/ Cumberland. A graduate of St. Albert Catholic School in Coun- cil Bluffs, Father Berner was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at St. Ambrose Cathedral. During his 30 years as a priest, Father Berner Father has spent the Michael Berner majority of his time serving rural parishes: St. Peter, Defiance; St. Joseph, Earling; Holy Spirit, Creston; St. Edward, Afton; St. Patrick, Audubon; Holy Trinity, Exira: St. Anne, Logan; Holy Family, Mondamin; and St. Patrick Parish, Missouri Valley. He also served the following urban parishes: St. Anthony, Des Moines; Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, Ankeny; and Corpus Christi, Council Bluffs. Father Bob Dufford Jesuit Father Bob Dufford has been assigned to Creighton Retreat Center in Griswold by the Jesuit Provincial. Father Dufford was ordained by Archbishop Dan Sheehan at St. John Parish in Omaha in 1973. He served as pastor in the Des Moines Father diocese at Our Bob Dufford Lady of Grace in Griswold Continued on page 7 2 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org In the Heartland with Bishop Pates Preparing for the upcoming elections Everyone who follows the presidential election cycles, readily admits our ’16 experience is much different from the past. I am receiving a great many questions and people are taking the opportunity to enter into conversation even though the election is in November. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides an outstanding electoral resource entitled “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” (usccb. org, USCCB Publications) The pamphlet offers reflections and guidance on the principal issues facing Catholics in the upcoming election and applicable teaching from the Church on these matters. Also, of note, is the highlighting of the contributions that Pope Francis has made in the last few years. One important aspect of the booklet is its treatment of conscience – which is valuable for By Bishop Richard E. Pates us Catholics in all circumstances. It is helpful to again reacquaint ourselves with this capacity. We ask: What is conscience? The Second Vatican Council elaborated on the nature of conscience. It defined it as “the most secret core and sanctuary where one is alone with God whose voice echoes in one’s depths.” There, a person “detects a law which one does not impose upon oneself, but which holds the individual in obedience. Always summoning one to live good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience, when necessary, speaks to one’s heart: do this, shun that.” That is to say, conscience is where a person discovers “in his heart a law written by God . . . which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor.” (Gaudium et Spes, #16, Second Vatican Council) Guided by conscience, persons employ reason to “judge the moral quality of a concrete act that one is going to perform or has already completed. In all one says and does, a person is obliged to follow faithfully what one knows to be just and right.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1778) In the resource cited above, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has outlined how a person exercises the responsibility to judge rightly by forming one’s conscience for political choice. It is summarized in four steps: Each person must “begin being open to the truth and what is right.” Does this mean setting aside the sometimes colored perspectives of the likes of CNN, Fox News or Rush Limbaugh? In any case, we are to forego ideological biases and approach issues and situations with authentic openness of mind and heart. Each of us must carefully and regularly study sacred Scripture and classic fonts of human wisdom. We should reflect every day on authentic inspiration to serve the common good. The third element of conscience formation entails examination of the objective facts, data and options that pertain to a particular decision. We are expected to avoid narratives from biased commentators and seek objective, thoughtful reflections from trusted analysts who are not swayed by any sort of special interest or agenda. Frequently occurring in our day is that described in “Laudato Si” by Pope Francis: “There are too many special interests, economic interests who easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their plans will not be affected.” (#54) Finally, as believers, we are called to prayerfully reflect in order to discern the divine will in a particular situation. We are invited to bring our openness, reflections and examination to quiet reflection and be open to God’s spirit to enlighten our hearts and minds of how to act. The foregoing certainly points us in the direction of making solid, moral decisions. Unfortunately, the objects of our decisions are not always crystal clear. Oftentimes, we have to sort out various shades of grey. Nonetheless, we are fortunate to have such guidelines as we begin to formulate our upcoming voting decisions. Bishop’s Schedule Thursday, May 19 Ankeny – Iowa Catholic Conference meeting, Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Parish, Ankeny, 10:15 a.m. Thursday, May 19 – Friday, May 20 Chicago – Lumen Christi Institute Conference, Caring for our Common Home: Economics, Environment, & Catholic Social Thought, University of Chicago Friday, May 20 Des Moines – “In the Heartland with Bishop Pates,” Iowa Catholic Radio, Des Moines; KVSS, Omaha, 9 a.m. THE CATHOLIC MIRROR Bishop Richard E. Pates Publisher [email protected] Anne Marie Cox Editor [email protected] Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer [email protected] The Catholic Mirror (ISSN 0896-6869) is published monthly for $18 per year by the Diocese of Des Moines, 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50309. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines. POSTMASTER: Send changes to THE CATHOLIC MIRROR, 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50309. PHONE: (515)237-5046 E-MAIL: mirror@dmdiocese. org DIOCESAN WEBSITE: www.dmdiocese.org Saturday, May 21 Des Moines – Cohort XV of Permanent Deacon Candidates Installation of Lector, St. Ambrose Cathedral, 4 p.m. Sunday, May 22 Council Bluffs – St. Albert Graduation, St. Albert, 2 p.m. Des Moines – Spring Dinner, St. John Foundation, Basilica of St. John, 6 p.m. Monday, May 23 Des Moines – Long-range planning, Catholic Charities, Pastoral Center, 8 a.m. Des Moines – Diaconate Leadership Meeting, Pastoral Center, Noon Des Moines – Communication Advisory Committee Meeting, Pastoral Center, 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 24 Des Moines – Diocesan Executive Committee meeting, Pastoral Center, 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 25 Norwalk – Holy Family Golf Outing, Legacy Golf Club, 11 a.m. Council Bluffs – Pregnancy and Infant Loss Mass, Corpus Christi Parish, Queen of Apostles Parish, 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26 West Des Moines – Dowling Catholic Baccalaureate Mass, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27 Des Moines – “In the Heartland with Bishop Pates,” Iowa Catholic Radio, Des Moines; KVSS, Omaha, 9 a.m. Des Moines – Dowling Catholic Graduation, Knapp Center, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28 Council Bluffs – Confirmation, Corpus Christi Parish, Queen of Apostles Worship Site, 9 a.m. Council Bluffs – Confirmation for St. Patrick Parish, Queen of Apostles Worship Site, 1 p.m. Glenwood – Confirmation, reception, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, 5 p.m. Sunday, May 29 Walnut – Celebration of Father Thomas Dooley’s 25th anniversary of piesthood ordination, St. Patrick Parish, 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 30 Des Moines – Annual Memorial Day Mass, Glendale Cemetery, 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 1 Springfield – Installation of Bishop Edward Rice, Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Thursday, June 2 Des Moines – Mass and Blessing of Chalice for Deacon Dan Gehler, St. Ambrose Cathedral, 12:10 p.m. Friday, June 3 Des Moines – “In the Heartland with Bishop Pates”, Iowa Catholic Radio, Des Moines; KVSS, Omaha, 9 a.m. Des Moines – Priesthood and diaconal ordination, St. Ambrose Cathedral, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 4 – Friday, June 10 Rome – U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, International Justice and Peace Committee, dialogue with Iranian counterparts Friday, June 10 Des Moines – “In the Heartland with Bishop Pates,” Iowa Catholic Radio, Des Moines; KVSS, Omaha, 9 a.m. Saturday, June 11 Des Moines – Send-off for statewide Year of Mercy pilgrimage, St. Ambrose Cathedral, 7 a.m. Council Bluffs – Pastoral installation of Father Thomas Thakadipuram at Corpus Christi Parish, Queen of Apostles Worship Site, 4 p.m. Sunday, June 12 Council Bluffs – Pastoral installation of Father Thomas Thakadipuram at Corpus Christi Parish, Holy Family Worship Site, 9:30 a.m. Council Bluffs – Pastoral Continued on page 15 Official Bishop Richard Pates has made the following appointments effective July 14: Father Ken Gross – from Pastor of St. John Parish Greenfield and St. Patrick Parish, Massena to Retirement Father Vernon Smith – from Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Shenandoah and St. Mary Parish, Hamburg to retirement Father Chori Seraiah – from Pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Atlantic and St. Mary Parish, Anita transferred to community affiliated with the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter in Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Father Bob Dufford, SJ – from Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Griswold and St. Timothy Parish, Reno/ Cumberland to Creighton Retreat Center, Griswold by Jesuit Provincial Father Michael Berner – from Sabbatical to Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Griswold and St. Timothy Parish, Reno/Cumberland Father Chris Reising – from Pastor of Our Lady of the Americas parish, Des Moines to Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Perry Father Adam Westphal – from Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish to fulltime Canon Law Study Father Paul Nguyen, SVD – from Administrator, St. Patrick Parish, Perry to Parochial Vicar, Corpus Christi Parish, Council Bluffs Father Fabian Moncada – from Parochial Vicar at Corpus Christi Parish to Administrator, Our Lady of the Americas Parish, Des Moines Father Andrew Windschitl – from Parochial Vicar at St. Anthony Parish to Parochial Vicar, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, West Des Moines Rev. Mr. Dan Gehler – newly ordained, is assigned as Parochial Vicar, St. Anthony Parish, Des Moines Bishop Richard E. Pates Bishop of Des Moines Sister Jude Fitzpatrick Chancellor www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 3 Father Kiernan dies, 54 years in priesthood Two priests retiring summer Continued from page 1 Seminary together in Dubuque. “From day one, he a l w a y s wanted to be a priest,” said Father Palmer. “He never wavered in that. He was a people’s priest.” Father Father Jim Kiernan Kiernan was ordained by Bishop Edward C. Daly, OP on June 3, 1962. He did graduate work at Creighton University and earned a master’s degree in education. After ordination, he served Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines and St. Albert High School in Council Bluffs, where he was the principal. He then served the Basilica of St. John Parish in Des Moines. In 1977, he went south of Des Moines to serve the Leon Regional Catholic Community and Sacred Heart Parish in Chariton. “I think students loved him as a teacher,” said Father Palmer. “He identified with them very much. He was able to break down things into simple ways so kids could understand them.” In 1988, he began serving St. Patrick Parish in Missouri Valley and coordinated the Harrison County Team Ministry. While serving in this capacity in 1992 he served as director of St. Thomas More Center, home of Catholic Youth Camp, in Panora. In 1993, Father Kiernan began serving St. Peter Parish in Council Bluffs and three years later, he became rector of St. Ambrose Cathedral. He retired in Priests’ celebrations Retirement Father Ken Gross will celebrate with a party on July 8 at St. John Church in Adel from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. he invites everyone to come for brats, burgers, beer, salads, and ice cream bar. No gifts. 60th anniversary Father Edward Pfeffer is celebrating his 60th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood at St. Catherine Parish in Des Moines on May 29 after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. 40th anniversary Msgr. Frank Chiodo will celebrate his 40th anniverary of ordination to priesthood June 4-5. A reception will follow all the Masses at St. Anthony Church in Des Moines after the 4:30 p.m. Mass June 4 in the lower church and on June 5 after the 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Masses in the parish hall. 25th anniversary Father Anthony Adibe,, C.S.Sp., chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, will celebrate his 25th anniversary of ordination to priesthood Aug. 14 with 11 a.m. Mass at St. Pius X Church in Urbandale. A luncheon follows in the Martha and Mary Fellowship Hall. RSVP by July 8 to [email protected] or call 515-418-3926. July, 2005. After retiring, Father Kiernan led retreats, said Bob Mulvihill. And, when he’d visit family in California, he’s stop at a car show. Father Kiernan loved cars and old airplanes. Father Kiernan was two years behind Msgr. Larry Beeson at Dowling and was an altar server at Monsignor’s first Mass. “He always liked to get things going. He prided himself on being Irish,” said Msgr. Beeson. “He could easily tease and liked to point out inconsistencies. When he walked into the room, you knew things were going to move. He himself received plenty of that, too. He was a fun person.” Father Kiernan had a deep spirituality, said Msgr. Beeson. “He always spoke from the heart and he had a deep love for God. It was very evident with him. That’s the way he lived.” Two diocesan priests are retiring this summer. Father Ken Gross is a graduate of St. Boniface High School in Westphalia and was ordained by Bishop Maurice Dingman in 1971. In his 45 years of service, Father Gross served the following urban parishes: St. Ambrose Cathedral, St. Augustin, and All Saints in Des Moines; and Holy Family in Council Bluffs. He also served several rural parishes: St. Mary, Anita; St. Joseph, Casey; St. John, Adair; St. Joseph, Villisca; St. Clare, Clarinda; Sacred Heart, Bedford; St. Mary, Red Oak; and St. Patrick, Imogene. Father Gross currently serves as pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Massena and St. John Parish in Greenfield. He will celebrate with a retirement party at the Greenfield parish’s hall on Friday, July 8 from 4-7 p.m. Father Vernon Smith is retiring. He was ordained by Bishop James Sullivan at St. Mary Cathedral in Fargo, North Dakota in 1989. Since coming to the Diocese of Des Moines in 2005, he has served St. Mary Parish in Shenandoah and St. Mary Parish in Hamburg. “During my time as their pastor, I have come to know and to love the people that our dear Church has entrusted to my spiritual care as their local shepherd,” he said. “It has truly been a privilege and joy to serve here in southwest Iowa.” Healing Mass Sunday, June 12, 2016 5:00 P.M. St. Ambrose Cathedral Des Moines, IA Sign Language interpretation, assistive listening devices and gluten free hosts will be available For information contact: Mary at 515-865-3861 Everyone is welcome Correction A recent edition of “The Catholic Mirror” referred to St. Michael Parish’s sister parish in Nicaragua. The sister-parish relationship exists for all six parishes in Shelby County. Canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa St. Thomas More Center & Catholic Youth Camp Come with us to Italy as the Catholic Church bestows sainthood on Blessed Mother Teresa. The thrill of a lifetime! Visit the Christian highlights of Rome for a deluxe 3-night stay, including the opportunity to receive special graces this year by walking through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s at the Vatican. Then spend 4-nights staying in the heart of Assisi with visits to Orvieto, Siena and Florence. Tour Includes: • Round Trip Air to Rome, Italy • Deluxe Transportation • 7 Nights in Deluxe Hotels • 10 Meals (7 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners) • Admission to Attractions & Activities Space is very limited. Reserve TODAY! Exclusive to • Porterage Services • Current Taxes and Fees • Gratuities to Drivers & Guides • Professional Tour Manager • Audio Headsets Veryive Inclus $3,999 pp Double Call for details and a full brochure 712-792-9793 800-284-4440 www.stardestinations.com present Established 1960 2nd annual Gala d fun n a h it a f f o n io it d Celebrating a tra s. e d a c e d e h t h g u o r th September 17, 2016 Tickets available at stmcenter.com 4 Opinion Chaplain: Chicago Cubs can win A vocation to the priesthood was the last thing on his mind as the 22-yearold Burke Masters stepped up to the plate for Mississippi State University in the ninth inning of a game MSU was losing by a run. The bases were loaded and a trip to the 1990 College World Series was on the line. Florida State was the opponent. The count was 3-1. Burke Masters wasn’t even Catholic when his dream to play major league baseball began. His father was a member of the United Church of Christ and his mother was Baptist. The Joliet, Illinois, native attended a public grade school but went to a Catholic high school for its academics and its baseball program. It was there that he first felt drawn to the person of Jesus. “As I began to read the bible, my heart began to fill with a peace and joy that I had never experienced before. It reminds me of what St. Augustine once said, ‘My heart is restless until it rests in thee.’” One day at Mass, the priest was distributing communion and as he approached and said “The body of Christ,” Burke tried to say he wasn’t Catholic, but the priest, not hearing, placed the host on Take a break with Deacon Mike Manno By Deacon Mike Manno his tongue. “At that moment I felt the most powerful presence of Jesus. … I remember thinking, ‘Now I understand what they have been trying to teach me.’” He converted to Catholicism his senior year in high school. He went on to MSU to play baseball, graduated with a degree in math, but was unclaimed in the Major League Draft. Putting aside his dream to play, he obtained a master’s degree in sports administration and began a career in baseball management, working for a minor league affiliate of the Florida Marlins. But that dream was also sidetracked when he felt the call to the priesthood, a call he felt strongest when he sat in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He entered the seminary in 1997. “As soon as I entered the seminary, I felt a sense of peace and joy that I had felt when I read the bible back in high school.” In June of 2002 he was ordained a priest and in 2006 was named director of vocations for the Joliet diocese. Currently they have 41 seminarians, a 33-year high. “I tell the prospective seminarians to be generous with God because you can’t out do God with generosity. God says to us, ‘Be generous with me and watch what happens.’” And he admitted that often they are surprised that we’re just regular people who play sports but also serve the Lord. On Sundays before home games, Father Masters celebrates Mass at Wrigley Field for both teams as well as park employees. “It’s quite a mix,” he said. “There sit million-dollar ball players next to hot dog vendors, all in prayer. God sees them all the same and it tells us that it is not the material things that matter.” He finds a lot of faith among the players and sees Manager Joe Maddon as a good example of Christian leadership. Maddon, a Catholic, is in his second year as Cubs manager. “He treats everyone the same and provides a great example for players and everyone else. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but I think this could be the year they take it all.” Sports have a lot to do with faith: it teaches teamwork, interacting with all kinds of people; discipline and hard work, he said. “My ministry with the team is mostly one of presence … being there when they need you; to talk and to pray with them.” Thinking back to that game in 1990, the 3-1 pitch was headed toward the plate. Burke swung. The left fielder didn’t take a step; he just turned and watched the ball clear the fence. The grand slam sent MSU to the College World Series. Since that time, Father Masters has found more ways to hit home runs – five of them will be ordained priests this month. Deacon Mike Manno is the diocese director of the permanent diaconate, has a weekly show “Faith on Trial” on Iowa Catholic Radio and serves St. Augustin Parish in Des Moines. Family is a living reflection of God On May 22, we’ll celebrate Trinity Sunday, when we remember what the catechism calls God’s “innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love” (CCC 221). On Trinity Sunday, we rejoice in the fact that God is not just a person, but He is a communion of persons, an eternal giving and receiving of love! Since we’re created in God’s image, this revelation has something to teach us about ourselves, we don’t just imagine God in isolation, but in a unique and profound way we reflect God in our human giving and receiving of love. And there is no better place to learn this than in the family. Pope Francis makes this Invited to Joy By Adam Storey observation in his exhortation, “The Joy of Love,” where he notes that “the triune God is a communion of love, and the family is its living reflection” (11). In fact, throughout his exhortation, Pope Francis continually reminds us that our ordinary exchanges of love are by no means ordinary. They are the means by which we participate in the divine life of God! As a father of three young children, I can tell you that many of my ordinary exchanges feel far from divine. I mean, what part of potty training can possibly point to God’s love for us? On Trinity Sunday God gives us the shocking answer that all of it is meant to point back to him! In the Incarnation, God entered into the messiness of human life so that our messiness might be united to his eternal life. And on May 22, we see that this means participating in an eternal exchange of love! That’s something to rejoice in, and it should also challenge us to become more thankful for the small acts of love in our lives, and more intentional in sharing love with others. I hope we all truly celebrate Trinity Sunday this weekend, and I hope our celebrations draw us more deeply into this mystery of love! Adam Storey is the diocesan director of the Office of Marriage and Family Ministry. Contact him at astorey@dmdiocese. org or 515-237-5056. Jesuit Father Gene Merz: Leading the way in spiritual direction Originally appeared in MUHS Magazine. Printed with permission from Marquette University High School. This article has been edited for space. Each morning, a prominent city official would stop at the retreat center Emmaus House to pray in the chapel on his way to his downtown Des Moines office. One day, the gentleman said to Jesuit Father Eugene Merz, co-founder and thensuperior of Emmaus House, “Gene, I have to do something with my life.” Knowing the gentleman and thinking well of him, a puzzled Merz asked, “What do you mean by that?” “You know I have two adopted children. I go home after work, I have two double martinis and I’m just . . . blotto,” the man said. “Well, you come here in the morning before you go to work. Why don’t you stop on your way home? Come in and dump all the stuff in chapel and give it to the Lord,” Father Merz suggested. Two months passed and the official’s wife came to visit him. Warmly greeting him with a hug, she said, “Father, thank you. You saved our marriage.” Today, he reflects on his time at Guest Column By Julie Felser Emmaus House as a “gift and privilege to have served the women and men of the Des Moines diocese. Just a tremendous gift.” He and Jesuit Father Gary Brophy were initially missioned to Iowa in 1974 by then-provincial of the Wisconsin Province Father Bruce Biever at the request of Bishop Maurice Dingman. On July 31, the feast of St. IgnatiusLoyola, Emmaus House, a center for spiritual reflection and renewal began. Through the Emmaus House ministry, Fathers Merz and Brophy provided much-needed spiritual renewal of the diocese through retreats and programs for priests and lay people. Located in the heart of Des Moines in a neighborhood of need, Emmaus House was named after the story of the disciples’ encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus in the Gospel of Luke. Father Merz explains, “That scripture passage is the perfect paradigm of spiritual direction. It is the experience of the Spiritual Exercises: people experiencing the meaning of their lives in terms of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.” Word spread quickly about the ministry. Married people, sisters, priests came for spiritual direction and retreats. Through his work at Emmaus House, along with his long list of leadership assignments within the Society of Jesus, Father Merz has become a highly esteemed leader in spiritual direction and renewal. He has directed retreats and Ignatian spirituality workshops internationally, penned three books with Sister Carol Ann Smith, of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, and has served his religious community. “For me, the heart of Ignatian spirituality is reflection on experience in order to discover there the action of God,” he said. “All my life, I’ve seen the importance of helping people to reflect on their experience of God. Formation, all the books I’ve written, conferences, all have confirmed for me that the heart of Ignatian spirituality is reflection on that experience.” Last August, Merz celebrated 67 years as a Jesuit, but he shows no signs of slowing down at age 85. He rides his exercise bike every morning and watches what he eats and drinks so he can continue his ministry. “My life has been very blessed. It is all God’s work. I want to pass along to others what God has given to me.” For more information about Emmaus House, go to theemmanushouse.org. 5 Legislature allocates funds to help refugees By Tom Chapman Contributing Writer The Iowa General Assembly concluded its 2016 session on May 6. The last part of the session is almost always focused on budget items. Here are a few notes from the last couple of days of the session. Refugee support We are very pleased to see $300,000 in RefugeeRISE funding as a part of the human services bill. Alert readers will recall this is something we have been working for all year. The money will help the EMBARC group to pair teams of one native English-speaking person with one refugee to help provide job readiness skills and other resources to refugees in Iowa. Resettlement agencies such as Catholic Charities and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants provide direct assistance to refugees during the first 90 days following arrival. Other groups such as EMBARC, Lutheran Services in Iowa, and Visiting Nurse Services provide important services after the first 90 days. The bill also included compromise language regarding oversight of Medicaid, and $3 million in grants for two regional mental health care areas. The current law regarding property tax levies for mental health services will remain in place for at least another year. Legislators had considered removing a cap. Human Services Unfortunately, the final version of the human services budget bill, HF 2460, still included funding of abortion providers for family planning services. The House attempted to set up a state program for family planning that would not send money to abortion providers, but the Senate did not go along. However, as a part of the final deal between the chambers, the state tax credit for adoptive parents was doubled from $2,500 to $5,000. The ICC supports this increase, as it will be helpful for many parents hoping to adopt a child. School funding We are sorry to report there was no action on additional funding for nonpublic students and parents. Current levels were maintained. Thousands sent messages to their legislator on these issues through the combined efforts of ICC, Iowa ACE and the Iowa Association of Christian Schools. We just never could get the final commitments from leaders in either chamber to allocate additional funding to help nonpublic school parents. Legislators were able to find at least $150 million in new funding for public schools – not bad! Human trafficking The standings bill also includes $200,000 in funding for the new human trafficking office in the Department of Public Safety approved earlier in the session. A $250,000 appropriation for emergency food purchase programs didn’t make the cut. Treatment and rehabilitation The final version of the justice budget bill includes “intent” language we were working for requiring several of the corrections districts to retain their drug courts. The goal of a drug court is to offer non-violent offenders with addictions Bishop Richard Pates participated in the Iowa Interfaith Power & Light press conference at the State Capitol today. Echoing the thoughts of Pope Francis, Bishop Pates said “there isn’t a great deal of time before the deleterious effects of climate change become irreversible.” Bishop Pates also praised the efforts of MidAmerican Energy for moving towards renewable wind energy, remarking that the company’s effort “demonstrates that positive action can effectively and efficiently be taken.” Bishop Richard Pates at a religious freedom celebration at the Capitol, said, “Today we come to celebrate religious liberty and to express profound gratitude to our nation’s founders and to succeeding generations who have guarded this precious freedom, some even to the point of giving their lives in its defense. May all of us, beneficiaries of the American experiment, commit ourselves to the preservation of our hallowed tradition so that all might be truly free.” an opportunity to change their lives with the help of an intensive treatment and rehabilitation program. Catholic Charities assists with these programs in some parts of the state. of human life and dignity.” Many legislative issues were resolved following your input to legislators. We really appreciate your getting involved and bringing your faith into the public square. Thank you Thanks so much for staying in touch with our work. Our cause, as the U.S. bishops’ “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” says, “is the defense Tom Chapman is the executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, which advocates on legislative issues for the CathoJob in #: 40116-1 Color(s): 4C lic Church Iowa. Size: 9.75" x 7.75" Folded Size: NA Bleed?: Y Misc: catholic regional conference September 24 & 25, 2016 • Wells Fargo Arena • Des Moines, Iowa World-Class Speakers: Archbishop Charles Chaput Bishop Richard E. Pates Fr. Tom Hagan Fr. Michael Schmitz Jackie Francois Angel Mark Hart Jesse Romero Alex Jones Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow Doubting Thomas 1602–1603 Caravaggio All-Weekend Pass: $25 Adults $15 Student/Youth ChristOurLifeIowa.com 866-319-0616 Steve Angrisano Ike Ndolo Band 6 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org Around the diocese May 24 Tuesday Catholic Widows and Widowers WEST DES MOINES -Business meeting at 2 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church. Park on north side of church. Dues for 2016 are $12. Make checks payable to C.W.W. and send to Patty Seiler, 713 32nd St., West Des Moines, IA 50265. May 28 Saturday Night of Adoration URBANDALE – St. Pius X is hosting ENCOUNTER, a night of adoration with praise and worship. This event is open to all parishes in the diocese and is multifaith and multi-generational. Terry Clark, Dowling Catholic teacher, will be speaking and Father Joe Pins, diocesan Vocations director, will be presiding. More information can be found at stpiushome.org/encounter. May 29 Sunday Year of Mercy – Pilgrimage Walk DES MOINES -- St. Pius X Parish’s Social Justice Committee and Mercy Committee are sponsoring a pilgrimage walk from Our Lady of the Americas Parish to St. Ambrose Cathedral. Walk Options include: (1) Start at Birdland Marina (by Union Park) at noon and take the bike path to the Principal River Walk to Grand Avenue and finish at St. Ambrose Cathedral. (2.5 mi.); (2) Start at Our Lady of the Americas (parking at Lutheran Hospital) at 12:15 p.m. (1.8 mi.); (3) Start at Chinese Pagoda (park on Robert D. Ray Drive) at 12:40 (.8 mi.) Father Dave Fleming and Father Dan Krettek will be available at St. Ambrose Cathedral for a Mercy Prayer Liturgy with reconciliation available. For more information contact Bonnie Reed 515-276-6988 or Bill Cox 515-771-2206. June 3 Friday Ordinations DES MOINES – Join the diocese at St. Ambrose Cathedral at 7 p.m. for the priestly ordination of Deacon Dan Gehler and the transitional diaconate ordination of Carlos Gomez Pineda. Golf outing and barbecue dinner URBANDALE – Since 1969 the St. Pius X Holy Name Society has held a golf outing. The golf outing is a shotgun start, best shot at Terrace Hills golf course, starting at 8:30 a.m. and will include men’s, women’s and couple’s flights. There will be hole contests and the opportunity to play dart golf ($20/4some). The barbecue dinner is in the St. Pius X Parish Center at 6:30 p.m. with social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit improvements for the St. Pius X Parish Center. More information can be found on the St. Pius X Parish website stpiushome. org or contact Barry at 515-253-0117 or at [email protected]. June 4 Saturday Natural Family Planning Classes URBANDALE -- The next three-part series of classes on the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning is 2-4:30 p.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church. Cost is $130 for all course materials, classes, one year of consultation with certified instructors, plus a oneyear digital subscription to “Family Foundations” magazine and one-year subscription to CycleProGo App. Financial Assistance is available as needed. On-line registration is required at register.ccli.org. For more information, call Patty or Mark at 515-276-0313 or send an email to [email protected]. June 4-5 Saturday-Sunday 40th Anniversary of Ordination DES MOINES – St. Iowa Catholic Radio co-hosts producing video about consecration Project called The Veil Removed Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson, co-hosts for Iowa Catholic Radio’s “Catholic Women Now,” are co-producing “The Veil Removed,” a video detailing what happens during the consecration of the Eucharist during Mass. They were inspired to make the short film, which has been approved by Bishop Richard Pates, after one of their radio shows focused on the Mass. “The film will highlight when all the saints and angels gather around the altar at the consecration because Jesus is really present,” Nelson said. “At Mass we enter the sanctuary of heaven. While there are some excellent videos produced to instruct on the aspects of the Mass, we have not seen one that focuses on this miracle. Many are unaware of this wondrous moment.” The script has been written and they have selected the production company from Chicago that produced Bishop Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” videos. However, they still need to raise funds for the project. “Once the financial goal has been achieved, the filming will begin,” Nelson said. “We are hoping to market the video through established Catholic outlets such as Dynamic Catholic, Formed and possible use as a teaching tool for RCIA, faith formation, etc.,” she added. To learn more about the project and make a donation, visit theveilremoved.com. Anthony Parish invite everyone to the 40th anniversary of ordination of Msgr. Frank E. Chiodo. Reception follows all the Masses on June 4 after the 4:30 p.m. Mass in the Lower Church and on June 5 after 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Masses in the parish hall. June 5 Sunday Corpus Christi Procession DES MOINES – St. Augustin Parish is inviting all to “come adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.” The Corpus Christi procession will begin at 3 p.m. at 545 42nd Street in Des Moines. Food and entertainment will follow the procession. June 12 Sunday Healing Mass DES MOINES -- A Healing Mass will be held at St. Ambrose Cathedral at 5 p.m. and celebrated by Bishop Richard Pates. This is part of the “Mini-Jubilee of Mercy for those who are ill and those with disabilities.” Assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation and low-gluten hosts will be available. St. Ambrose is also a designated Holy Door in this Jubilee year, through which the Church confers a plenary indulgence, in the total forgiveness of sin, when the prescribed prayers and practices are completed. For more information, contact Mary at 515-865-3861. June 18 Saturday Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court #302 will meet at All Saints Church for 9:00 am Mass and formal installation of newly elected officers for the 2016-2018 term, followed by a coffee reception in the hall. All members are encouraged to attend in appreciation to outgoing Regent Peg Jacobson and her board. Upcoming events July 2 Candidacy Mass, when seminarians take the next step toward priesthood. Vocationsonline.com. July 16 The Well, a lay-led combination women’s conference, retreat and ladies’ night out. Thewelldesmoines.com. July 21 Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart in Ankeny rummage sale. Proceeds benefit the Center for Social Ministry. Centerforosocialministry.com. Aug. 21 Rural Life Mass, sponsored by Catholic Charities Social Justice Consortium, catholiccharitiesdm.org. Annulment series begins, questions answered By Adam Storey People have questions about how they can maintain their relationship with God through the Church, or return to practicing the Catholic faith, after the breakdown of their marriage. These questions come up through searches on the diocesan website (dmdiocese. org) and they arose during the recent Catholics Come Home campaign. The diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Ministry has produced a brochure that answers many of the frequently asked questions. “The Catholic Church recognizes the pain and hurt associated with divorce and offers healing of those who want to move on while retaining the dignity of marriage,” wrote Bishop Richard Pates in the brochure. “An annulment, or declaration of nullity, is a decree from the Church stating that from the beginning of the union an element, intention or understanding of marriage was missing,” he said. “It is my sincere hope that the annulment process is found to be healing and that all people know they are welcomed and loved by the Church.” Over the next few months, The Catholic Mirror will print questions and answers from this brochure. To get a complete copy, go to dmdiocese. org/tribunal-department.cfm. Q: What is an annulment? A: It is a judicial (legal) decree from the Church. It is issued at the end of a process that studied the details of the marital relationship. It determines from the beginning of the union an element, intention or a correct understanding of marriage was missing. When a Catholic person marries outside of the Church without permission, he or she can receive a “lack of form” annulment, which is a simple process that can usually be completed in less than 60 days. Q: What is the difference between a “formal” annulment and a “lack of form” annulment? A: A marriage can be considered null because of either internal or external factors. All Catholics are required to be married following Catholic Form (the Catholic rite of marriage). When this element is lacking, an external factor was clearly absent. Practically that means these situations are more easily addressed, and a “lack of form” annulment is about a 60-day process with no lengthy investigation. This is just a matter of gathering pertinent documents. If, however, Catholic form was followed, the Tribunal must discern whether an internal factor was absent, in which case a more detailed study is necessary. The Tribunal is the diocesan office that receives cases from parishes and reviews them in the order received. For more information on annulments, go to dmdiocese. org/tribunal.cfm. Adam Storey can be reached at 515-2375056 or astorey@dmdiocese. org. Eleven day Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy November 7 - 17, 2016 $3229 R/T - Chicago $3279 R/T - Omaha • This will fill up fast so this is First Come First Served • Includes daily Mass, most meals, roundtrip air, First Class Hotels, all tours, transfers, entrance fees, porterage, govt. taxes and fuel surcharges. Hosted by veteran pilgrimage leader: Father John Vakulskas Jr PO Box 347 Okoboji, IA 51355 (712) 490-8047 or [email protected] www.carnivalpriest.com Visit Rome Audience with Pope Francis Florence Assisi Sorrento Pompeii Monte Cassino June 3, 7:30 p.m. – June 4, 4:00 p.m. Experience Kathleen Norris, award-winning poet, writer, and author of The New York Times bestsellers! Her presentations draw from the wisdom of the early Christian desert monks. They are rich in poetry and meditations, brimming with exasperation and reverence, deeply grounded in both nature and spirit, sometimes funny, often provocative, and always important. Register now at www.StBenedictCenter.com www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 7 New priest assignments announced Continued from page 1 and St. Timothy Parish in Reno/ Cumberland. Father Dufford has worked as a campus minister at Creighton University in Omaha and is an internationally acclaimed composer of liturgical music. He began composing music more than 20 years ago as a member of the St. Louis Jesuits. Deacon Dan Gehler Deacon Dan Gehler, who will be ordained June 3, has been named parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish in Des Moines. Deacon Gehler was ordained a permanent deacon in 2010 by Bishop Richard Pates at St. Ambrose Cathedral. He served St. Joseph Deacon Gehler Parish in Des Moines and the diocesan Worship Office. He began attending seminary for the priesthood in February 2010. Father Fabian Moncada been administra Father Fabian Moncada tor at St. Patrick has been named administrator at Parish in Perry Our Lady of the Americas Parish since 2013. Prior in Des Moines. to that, he was Born and raised parochial vicar in Bogota, Coof Sacred Heart lombia, Father Parish in West Moncada at- Father Nguyen Des Moines. tended St. Paul Seminary in St. Father Chris Reising Paul, Minneso- Father Chris Reising has ta. He was or- been named pastor of St. Patrick dained by Bish- Parish in Perry. Father Reising Father Moncada op Richard Pates was ordained at St. Ambrose Cain 2013 at St. Ambrose Cathedral. thedral in Des Moines by Bishop After ordination, he served SaJoseph Charron, cred Heart Parish in West Des C.PP.S. in 2006. Moines. Most recently, he has Father Reising been serving as chaplain at St. has served at the Albert School and Corpus Christi following parParish, both in Council Bluffs. ishes: Our Lady of the Americas Father Paul Nguyen in Des Moines Divine Word Father Paul Father Reising and Queen of Nguyen has been named parochithe Apostles; al vicar of Corpus Christi Parish Holy Family and in Council Bluffs. Our Lady Carter Lake in Council Father Nguyen was or- Bluffs. dained by Bishop Dominic in Father Chori Seraiah Techny, Illinois in 2000. He has Father Chori Seraiah has Father Ed Pfeffer celebrates 60th anniversary Father Edward Pfeffer is celebrating his 60th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood at St. Catherine Parish in Des Moines on May 29 after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Father Ed Pfeffer A Dowling Catholic High School graduate, Father Pfeffer was ordained to the priesthood in May 1956 by Bishop Edward Daly. He served the following parishes: St. Anthony in Des Moines; Holy Trinity in Des Moines; St. Ambrose in Des Moines; Sacred Heart in West Des Moines; St. Patrick in Council Bluffs; and St. Joseph in Win- terset. During his time of service, Father Pfeffer also taught at Dowling; served as chaplain at the Des Moines Police Department and served as chancellor and chaplain at the Christ Child Home orphanage, which has since closed. He retired from the priesthood in July 2000. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Mass Commemorating Children Now Living with the Lord Wednesday, May 25th, 2016 – 7:00 p.m. 3304 4th Ave ̴ Council Bluffs, Iowa Bishop Richard E. Pates – Primary Celebrant Reception following Mass with outreach and education resources available “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you.” Jeremiah 1:5 Whether you have lost a child or would just like to gather and support members of your community please join us on May 25th! For more information contact the Office of Marriage and Family Life at 515-237-5056. been transferred to a community affiliated with the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Father Seraiah was ordained by Bishop Richard Pates at St. Ambrose Father Seraiah Cathedral in Des Moines in 2012. He served as temporary chaplain at the following hospitals: Methodist, Methodist West, Lutheran and Broadlawns in Des Moines. Most recently, he has been serving Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Atlantic and St. Mary Parish in Anita. Father Adam Westphal Father Adam Westphal will become a full-time Canon law student at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. A Dowling Catholic High School graduate, Father Westphal was ordained by Bishop Richard Pates at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines in 2013. Since his ordination, he has served St. Anthony Parish Father Westphal in Des Moines and St. Francis Parish in West Des Moines. Father Andrew Windschitl Father Andrew Windschitl has been named parochial vicar of St. Francis Parish in West Des Moines. Ordained by Bishop Richard Pates at St. Ambrose CaFather Windschitl thedral in Des Moines in 2015, he currently serves at St. Anthony Parish in Des Moines. Knights moving forward on life initiative The Iowa Knights of Columbus are making progress on their Culture of Life initiative, to reduce the number of abortions in Iowa. The initiative had been turned over to a committee of 18, which contacted each of the 85-90 pro-life crisis pregnancy centers in the state to identify their needs, whether they have ultrasound machines or would consider adding ultrasound machines. As part of creating an inventory list of crisis pregnancy centers, the Knights asked if there was any interest in having a statewide meeting, and there was, he said. The Knights are now looking at facilitating such a meeting in the central area of the state. Initial discussions are for the one-day meeting in the fall to feature a speaker and breakout sessions. 8 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org 2016 THE YEAR OF Volunteer s Make the Mission Come Alive In 2015, volunteers put in more ers that show compassion to those in than 17,500 hours of service. That does need, serve with humility, and display not include the hours spent collecting love for all people. and or producing donations such as personal care items in religious education classes, or hand made quilts by a group at a Lutheran church. This silent workforce makes the mission of Catholic Charities come alive in our diocese. The 17,565 hours recorded come in various forms. Groups and individuals help in many ways. Some help a single time while others help once a week throughout the year. Some teams help set up apartments for newly arrived refugee families, do yard work at the shelters, and come in on weekends to deep clean the food pantry. Individuals share their time and skills by soliciting auction items for events, sitting on committees, teaching cultural orientation, and helping domestic violence victims just to name a few. Tom and Mary Daughenbaugh in 1987. Matthias and Robyn offer to Phoenix They were the first professional, inde- House every Tuesday. pendent furniture installation and office moving company in Iowa. T & M Services have donated labor, expertise, and cubicle hardware for four different office configurations for Catholic Charities. They also generously hauled away lots of unwanted furniture at no charge. ---------- The 2016 Catholic Charities Phoenix House Staff and Volunteer ApFred Polle preciation Dinner was held on TuesFred Polle, is a member of a group day, April 26th at Tish’s Restaurant in of volunteers from St. Pius X Parish in Council Bluffs. Twenty-four volunDes Moines. Fred has volunteered at teers were recognized for their 2,700 Catholic Charities in the St. Mary Food volunteer hours during 2015. Pantry program for over 13 years. He works every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the year. He greets and checks in clients at the door, and adds fresh fruits and vegetables to the food There are so many wonderful vol- boxes as they go out. He also helps pick unteers in the Catholic Charities fam- up food from the Food Bank of Iowa. ily, so it is only right that we take time Fred is proudly 92 years old. out to honor them and recognize a special few. Matthias Drabik and Robyn Briggs On Tuesday, May 10, Catholic Charities Des Moines office held an event at the Des Moines Botanical Gardens to celebrate their current volunteers and present the Caritas Award. Caritas is Latin for charity, and each year the Caritas Award is given to an individual and an organization. The T&M Services award honors volunteers and supportT&M Services was founded by Staff Profile: Harmony Linden Past intern returns to CLC Our newest member of our counseling team at Catholic Charities Center for Life Counseling is Harmony Linden. Harmony is not entirely new to Catholic Charities. She interned with Center for Life Counseling in 2011-2012. Harmony graduated with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Iowa in 2012, and earned her L.I.S.W. in 2014. She has experience working with children and adults, and she specializes in couples & family counseling. “I’m excited to be part of a team of therapists with such a strong reputation in the community, in an agency that is dedicated to helping all people in need.” If you would like to set up an appointment with Harmony or one of our professional therapists, call 515-237-5045. More information can be found at www.CenterforLifeCounseling.org. Matthias Drabik is an adult with a developmental disability who not only volunteers at the Phoenix House but also volunteers at his church and his local library. Robyn is Matthias’ job coach. Together they are a formidable team. They are experts at assembling information packets and recycling. We are grateful for the time and talents Center for Life Counseling Professional mental health counseling for families, couples, and individuals. at Catholic Charities Pregnancy Support • Set goals for your future I’m pregnant and I’m worried about my future • Build healthy relationships Phoenix House Agency of the Year is Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office, notably the Criminal Division, for partnering with our advocates to provide justice to victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. Daniel Salvo-McGinn, Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney, also volunteered to train Catholic Charities Phoenix House staff on adult and juvenile sexual assault legal process as well as child and elder abuse. We thank all of these, and all of our volunteers for making our mission possible and helping those most in need in our community! Job Opening Development Director Call 515-237-5045 or go to www.CenterforLifeCounseling.org • Help you find childcare Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office Who can help me? • Connect you with parenting classes • Connect you with a supportive therapist • Developing healthy habits for you and your child • Assist if you are thinking about making an adoption plan Contact: Kelsey Tyrrell • 515-237-5027 • [email protected] Catholic Charities is seeking a dedicated, energetic and passionate Development Director to support the work and mission of Catholic Charities. Bachelor’s degree with three or more years of progressive experience in the field of development required, preferably in the realm of major gifts. Experience with Raiser’s Edge strongly desired. For a complete job description, go to www.catholiccharitiesdm.org and click Employment. For confidential consideration, please submit your resume, including a letter of interest to HR@CatholicCharitiesDM. org, or by mail to Catholic Charities, Human Resources, 601 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309-2501. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Des Moines • 601 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50309 • 515-237-5045 • www.catholiccharitiesdm.org www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 First Annual St. Patrick’s Gala 3 5 2 Spronsored by 1 Honorary Chairs, Gerry and Mary Lou Neugent helped kick off the 4 first annual Catholic Charities St. Patrick’s Gala on March 5 at Noah’s Event Center. The event, sponsored by Mercy, was a sell-out, as we honored three of our most ardent supporters: Dan Buscher, Tom Moreland, and Paul Rupprecht. Guests were treated to great food, Irish dance, and the band H.G. Hobbs. Next year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017. 1. Beautiful decor designed by Geri Boesen with donated flowers from Boesen the Florist. 2. Honoree Dan Buscher gave an emotion-filled acceptance. 3. Bishop Pates led guests in prayer before dinner, joined by Mary Lou and Gerry Neugent. 4. Executive Director, Nancy Galeazzi, presents Tom Moreland with plaque. 5. Honoree Paul Rupprecht with wife, Teanna. 6. Volunteer and supporter Sue Kenny with husband, Ed. 6 Sign up today for charitable summer fun! Monday, August 31, Norwalk, 2015 IA Monday, August 29, 2016 • Echo Valley Country Club, 3150 Echo Valley Drive, 11:00 a.m. Registration ▪ Noon – Lunch ▪ 1:00 p.m. Best Ball Shotgun Start, 18 holes ▪ 5:30 Country p.m. Reception/Awards Echo Valley Club Individual Golfer - $150: Lunch, golf, cart, refreshments, & reception. Foursome - $600 (4 Individuals) Please include player names if possible. Call 515-237-5078 for golf or sponsorship opportunities! FY2017CCGOLFCLASSIC Check enclosed for $__________________ Church Challenge – Is your foursome from a parish? Let us know! Charge my credit card for $_________________ Visa MasterCard American Priest Team Sponsor - Pay for a great day for the priests! Card Number: ______________________________________________________ Tournament Sponsorships Express Discover Expiration Date: __________________________ Security Code: ______________ Anchor Sponsor - $5,000: Includes special signage and acknowledgment during the post-golf reception. Two foursomes. Name on Card: _____________________________________________________ Refreshment Sponsor - $2,500: Includes one foursome & acknowledgment. Company/Group Name: ______________________________________________ (as it should appear on promotional materials) Lunch Sponsor - $2,500: Includes one foursome & acknowledgment. Contact Phone: (_____) ______ - ________ Email: _________________________ Pin Sponsor - $1,000: Includes one foursome & acknowledgment. Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________ Hole Sponsor - $250: Not a golfer but want to support Catholic Charities? Receive acknowledgment and attend the post-golf reception/dinner. City, State, Zip: ______________________________________________________ Contact Name: _____________________________________________________ Or register by contacting Beth at 515-237-5078 or [email protected]. Confirm your commitment & reserve your foursome today by filling out and mailing this form with payment to: Catholic Charities Bishop’s Golf Classic, Attn: Beth Gibbins, 601 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309 www.CatholicCharitiesDM.org 9 10 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 Soon-to-be-ordained say they were encouraged by priests, friends and family WASHINGTON — The 2016 class of men to be ordained to the priesthood report that they were, on average, about 17 when they first considered a vocation to the priesthood and encouraged to consider a vocation by an average of four people. The average age for the Class of 2016 is 35, with the median (midpoint of the distribution) at 32. This distribution is slightly older than in 2015, but follows the pattern in recent years of average age at ordination in the mid-thirties. Seven in 10 (70 percent) say they were encouraged by a parish priest, as well as friends (48 percent), parishioners (46 percent), and mothers (42 percent). Seminarians to be ordained for religious communities knew the members of their religious institute an average of five years before entering. The total number of seminarians who will be ordained for the class of 2016 in the United States, 548, is slightly down from 595 in 2015 and up from 477 in 2014. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, North Carolina, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, found that the data gave reason for hope but also provide areas for further growth. “Each path to the priesthood begins with a call from Christ. In fact, 93 percent of priests ordained this year were encouraged to consider whether God was calling them to priesthood by someone close to them,” Bishop Burbidge said. “This is a powerful reminder of how we are all able to be instruments in helping others to discern God’s will.” The Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate gathered the date for “The Class of 2016: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood.” CARA collects the data annually for the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. Approximately 80 percent of the 548 soonto-be-ordained seminarians reported to CARA. These 440 respondents include 352 who will be ordained to the diocesan priesthood, from 140 different dioceses and archdioceses, and 88 who will be ordained to the religious priesthood. The full report can be found online: usccb. org/beliefs-and-teachings/ vocations/ordinationclass/ index.cfm Vocations www.dmdiocese.org Listen for the call Carlos Gomez Pineda Deacon Dan Gehler Continued from page 1 Deacon Dan Gehler assisted with liturgy at the Iowa Knights of Columbus convention. Continued from page 1 Again I assumed he didn’t think I would make a good priest so I got my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Technology and came to Des Moines and started working as a technical trainer. During these years, I felt something was missing. When I came to Des Moines I joined St. Joseph’s parish and met Fr. Sam Palmer. He got me involved in the parish, we would talk about different things, and every once and a while he would ask if I thought about becoming a priest. My response to Fr. Palmer’s asking about the priesthood was to get more involved more involved with work, the parish, the diocese, and teaching for local colleges so I didn’t have to think about it, but he would still mention it to me on occasion. At one point I was working 60 hours a week between the different activities. While I was busy I still felt there was something more I was being called to, but I had convinced myself the priesthood wasn’t it. In order to find what was missing, in 2006 I applied to and was accepted to formation for the permanent deaconate and in 2010 was ordained. While the ordination was special; again I still felt there was something missing. Also in 2010 I also had a major life event, I was laid off. I was told by a cousin that it was my 2x4 moment, that God had been trying to get my attention over the years and being laid off was God’s way of whacking me upside the head to get my attention. I spent time in adoration, going to daily Mass, talking to my spiritual advisor, talking to other people about the possibly of studying to become a priest, and just spending quiet time in prayer. In doing all that, I was finally able to put it all together and Bishop Pates accepted me into the formation program for priesthood. My advice to someone who feels they are being called, in addition to prayer, is to not be afraid to talk to someone about it. As I look back, I think I was afraid that if I expressed an active interest – if I went back to those pastors and asked more questions – I would have been pressured into becoming a priest. My experience has been that is not the case. If early on, had I actively sought help to discern God’s call, my journey might have been different. I’m looking forward to beginning the new chapter in my life when I’m ordained June 3, 2016 and can begin serving the people of the diocese as a priest. synagogue. Jesus states: “I have shown you many good works from the Father, for which of these are you going to stone me?” as to present the fact of the signs of the good shepherd, versus those signs of a bad shepherd. Promptly in the passage, Jesus identifies himself, simultaneously, with “the gate,” and “the one entering by it” as if to say that the only authentic pastors are those admitted by him and through him. The use of the term “leading out” was used to describe the expelling of the sheep of the money changers from the temple, but also to describe the expelling of the blind man from the synagogue by the Pharisees. Jesus conveys the message that there was no need to wait for the Jewish authorities to expel those who believe in him; It is he who has come to take them out to lead them to good pastures, the grass of the place where he gave thanks and multiplied the loaves and the fish to feed all of his followers, signifying the Eucharistic celebration within the Church to partake of his body and his blood, the source of eternal life. Then, Jesus makes clear in his speech that his own sheep hear his voice, a suitable sign of a good shepherd who goes ahead of them. The man born blind has just recognized and followed him, while he has not heard the voice of the Pharisees, the strangers who have expelled him from the synagogue. Jesus’ discourse not only presents the contrast between the pastor and the thief, but also between the pastor and the hired man. Jesus describes himself as the model shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. To lay down the life for others becomes the greatest manifestation of love, and the echo of God’s imminent work for his people. Jesus demonstrates mutual knowledge between the pastor and the sheep. The pastor knows His sheep by name, He calls them by name, and they know his voice. Therefore, to know Jesus is, first and foremost, to be known by him, and feeling called by him. Jesus relates the mutual knowledge between him and the sheep, with the knowledge between the Father and the Son: “I am the good shepherd, I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” It is a process that leads to mutual immanence, a profound unity of being: communion. The unity of the fold leads us to the question: What do the sheep that do not yet belong to the fold represent? They are people who do not yet know Jesus, but who may become believers of Jesus by means of the work of the good shepherd whom may bring them to his fold, nowadays, to the Church. More than a task, the unity of the fold is to receive a gift from God which is brought about, mainly, through the unicity of the pastor. This image of the unity may be interpreted in light of John’s Gospel Chapter 21, in which Jesus grants Peter the shepherding of the sheep. It is through this ministry that Jesus vigorously continues to give unity to his sheep to date. Images of unity that we encounter in the scripture are: the seamless tunic that was not torn and the net with fish that did not rip even though they were so many. Now, the task of shepherding people to God’s kingdom has been handed on to the successors of the apostles, the bishops and his collaborators, the priests, whom may continue the work, as Peter did, to feed the sheep, the community of believers. Women discerning religious life By Father Joseph Pins Contributing Writer What services can the office of vocations offer a female discerning a religious life? Discerning religious life can seem like a lonely adventure. You do not know who to turn to? Your friends may not understand or you have fear to tell anyone that you are even remotely thinking about being a bride for Christ. The best person to turn to is a religious sister from a community that you are interested in joining. When you do not know which community or know where to find a religious sister then who can you turn to for help? The Office of Vocations is here to help women who are discerning religious life. When we run into a woman discerning we want to help her find God’s call for her life. The best ways to discern a vocation is to talk with a spiritual director. Fr. Joe Pins, Director of the Office of Vocations is a spiritual director and has a list of others around the diocese. A spiritual director can help the woman to hear God’s voice through all the noise of the world. A spiritual director also can help the person in discernment with prayer and deepening her prayer life. The prayer life should include regular use of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist. Regular reception of these sacraments can bring one closer to God and bring grace into the heart of the faithful. This will be helpful to hear and respond to God’s call. The Office of Vocations has plenty of information for women discerning religious life. We have lists of religious orders, their charisms and locations. Some women want to know if the order wears a habit or not. We have that information as well. Since the list of orders and congregations is limitless we may not have them all but we know where to look. The Office of Vocations also recommends a great relationship with the Blessed Mother. The final words of Mary in Scripture are “Do whatever he tells you.” These words to the servants at the wedding of Cana are meant for us. We need to hear Jesus and Mary can help us to get closer to her son and understand what he wants. Women of all ages are joining religious life. The Office of Vocations is here to help any women with discernment toward religious life. Please contact us at [email protected]. The Office of Vocations is aware of two women from the diocese currently in formation. Please keep them in your prayers. If you are aware of other women in formation, please notify our office. We want to pray for them and support them in any way we can. Please pray for Sister Kate Clare Fitzgerald, Sisters of Divine Providence, St. John Parish in Adel Please pray for Sister Mary Esther Downey, Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist, St. Theresa in Des Moines. Father Pins is Vocations Director for the Diocese of Des Moines. www.dmdiocese.org Vocations The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 11 Seminarian Max Carson graduates college with peers He is preparing for major seminary in Rome as friends look for jobs By Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer As hundreds of twenty-somethings are preparing to graduate from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota this weekend, seminarian Max Carson of Des Moines’ St. Anthony Parish will be right there with them attending the commencement ceremony. But Carson’s trajectory is very different from his peers. After earning his bachelor’s degree in philosophy, he’s preparing to depart from the United States in early July to attend major seminary in Rome and study theology at the Pontifical North American College for at least four years. Meanwhile, his classmates are frantically sending off resume after resume (up to 30 at a time) in search of their first big job out of college. “That’s not a cross I have to bear, which I’m very grateful,” Carson said. “But also I’m moving thousands of miles away to pursue what I believe my calling is, and that’s a cross that they don’t have to bear – being away from family and friends to do what they think that they are called to do.” It’s amazing how quickly life can change, Carson remarked. “Five years ago I didn’t even know that a philosophy major is a thing, and now I’m majoring in philosophy,” he continued. “And five years ago I had absolutely no desire to go to graduate school – in Rome – which I did not think would ever happen. That’s pretty crazy.” Carson admits he has apprehension about the unknown. “Being an alien – not being a native from the country that I’ll be living in is a little intimidating,” he said. “I guess I’ve just really realized that there’s just a ton that I do not know and a ton that I’m not ready for and that just constantly makes me rely on Christ really to be my rock,” Carson continued. “I’m going to a place and studying things that I just don’t know about. I’m very much more of a musician type. I don’t study philosophy and I don’t study theology, but this is something the Lord has asked me to do. I wouldn’t have known all of these great gifts were out there if he hadn’t called me to seminary.” Surrounded by all things unfamiliar can only strengthen his relationship with Christ, he added. “Where I’m at right now in St. Paul, I’m very comfortable with my surroundings, which leads me to complacency and not relying on God as much as I should,” Carson said. “So going across the pond, that will put me in a position where I’ll have a better sense of reality that God is behind this and it is God I need to rely on.” Carson offers words of encouragement for men who think God might be calling them to the priesthood. “Take it one step at a time, and know that God is with you in the present moment…,” he said. “If God wants you to be a priest, he’ll bring you there. And don’t be afraid. God has conquered all my fears.” If you think God may be calling you to the priesthood or religious life, the Diocese of Des Moines encourages you to contact Vocations Director Father Joe Pins at 515-237-5050 or email vocations@dmdiocese. org. Max Carson of St. Anthony Parish in Des Moines will be attending the commencement ceremony this weekend at the University of St. Thomas with hundreds of his peers. Carson will be attending major seminary in the fall in Rome while his friends look for jobs. Seminarians preparing to walk 500 miles of Camino de Santiago in Spain Young men accepting prayer requests to take with them on their journey By Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer Walking 500 miles may not sound like the easiest way to deepen one’s relationship with Christ. But that’s just fine with seminarian Alex Kramer of Holy Trinity Parish in Des Moines, who will be walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain this summer with three fellow diocesan seminarians. “It’s going to be hard and there’s going to be some suffering with that,” Kramer said. “I expect blisters and such and being able to unite whatever small suffering with that to the suffering of Jesus on the cross.” The walk, otherwise known as the Way of St. James, is a path that holds much historical and spiritual significance and has been walked by thousands of pilgrims over the years. Pilgrims typically start at St Jean Pied du Port in France and end in the city of Santiago de Compostela. St. James’ remains are in the city’s Cathedral of Santiago. According to legend, St. James was beheaded by King Herod in Jerusalem for his faith and his remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried. Kramer admits walking wasn’t something he wanted to do at first. “But after praying about it, I felt it was something I was called to,” he said, noting that God’s providence allowed the plans to all come together, even though it seemed doubtful at first. “For me, one of the things is being able to draw closer to the Lord in a different way,” Kramer continued. “I’ve never been out of the country, so definitely this will stretch me. When we get stretched, that’s when we grow the most – grow towards the Lord – and become greater men and closer to Christ.” Seminarian Nick Smith of St. Augustin Parish in Des Moines will also be making the trek. He looks forward to the prayer, reflection, adventure and brotherly friendship they’ll share together. “I’m really looking forward to doing it, to reflect, especially on the last two years of seminary and all the graces God has blessed me with and all of the things he’s done for me in these last two years of seminary formation,” Smith said. Des Moines seminarians Ben Baker of St. Theresa Parish and Reed Flood of Holy Trinity Parish also will be walking the Camino. They expect their trip to take about 33 days – the same number as the years in the life of Christ, Smith pointed out. They’ll be walking anywhere from 12 to 18 miles per day. Smith realizes the best laid plans don’t always go as scheduled though. “All of the events don’t usually happen like you plan and spiritually for me, I’m trying to take this opportunity to surrender to the will of God and pray he gives me the grace to do this and be docile to the Holy Spirit and go wherever providence leads us and accept his will, no matter what happens,” he said. They’ll start their trip in Seminarians walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain this summer are from the following Des Moines parishes: Reed Flood, Holy Trinity; Ben Baker, St. Theresa; Nick Smith, St. Augustin; and Alex Kramer, Holy Trinity. France by first visiting the Marian apparition site, Lourdes, before they start their hike in the southwestern part of the country. After ending their walk in Spain, they’ll visit another Marian site – Fatima, Portugal. “Having Mary bookend [the walk] is a great way to grow in greater relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary and a mother to all seminarians and priests,” Kramer said. “And so I really look forward to fostering that re- lationship during this upcoming pilgrimage.” They’ll end their European trip by attending World Youth Day in Poland with 11 other diocesan seminarians and thousands of Catholics from around the world. The group is also accepting prayer requests to take on their journey. Submit prayer requests by June 4 by emailing camino2016prayerintentions@ gmail.com. Seminarians gearing up to experience universal church at World Youth Day By Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer Fifteen diocesan seminarians are preparing for a whirlwind trip to Poland to attend World Youth Day, held July 25-31 in Krakow. They’ll be joining millions of young Catholics from around the world. The experience will likely have a strong impact on the seminarians. “[I’m ready] just to recognize and get my mind blow away just from the universality of the church and how diverse our Catholic faith is,” said seminarian Jason Lee of St. Boniface Parish in Waukee. Vocations Director Father Joe Pins said that’s one of the things he’s looking forward to most. “Seeing the universal church, talking to and interacting with youth from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America [is significant],” he said. This year’s trip also offers a unique opportunity to learn more about some of Poland’s saints. They’ll visit St. John Paul II’s hometown; the convent of St. Faustina Kowalska and Shrine of Divine Mercy; and the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz where St. Maximilian Kolbe was held as prisoner and died. Seminarian Nick Stark, of St. Pius X Parish in Urbandale, said he looks forward praying to the Polish saints while in their home country. “That atmosphere of prayer will be positive,” Stark said. “I think it’s going to change me for the better and be a positive force in my discernment.” Lee has never even been outside of the country, much less on a trip of this magnitude. “It will be a very significant event in my faith life,” he said. He looks forward to the graces he might receive on this faith journey and is reading the diary of St. Faustina to prepare for his trip. “[I hope for] further discernment and further clarity in my vocation,” he continued. “That’s one grace I’m looking for when I go to Poland.” He’s also looking forward to reflecting on those Polish saints and their strong devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus and Blessed Virgin Mary. The group will arrive in Warsaw, Poland a week before WYD starts, when they’ll be spending time with native Polish people and learning more about their culture, said Father Pins. The second week will be spent in Krakow for the main event, where they’ll hear bishops and cardinals talking about the faith and attending Masses – including two with Pope Francis. “We’ll walk to the place where they’ll have the big, huge final Mass – a vigil with the pope – and spend the night under the stars,” said Father Pins, noting how they’ll be sleeping outside overnight. “And then we’ll have Mass with the pope [again in the morning.] That finishes WYD.” To see photos local Catholics share during WYD, follow us: facebook.com/dmdiocese. 12 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org Sisters celebrate jubilee anniversaries The Congregation of the Humility of Mary will celebrate the jubilees of seven vowed sisters and one CHM associate at a special Mass of Celebration at Christ the King Chapel, St. Ambrose University Campus in Davenport on June 26. A celebration will also be held at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center, Our Lady of Peace Chapel in Johnston on Sept. 24 at 9:30 a.m. Sister Ann Therese Collins – 75 years Sister Ann Therese Collins was born in 1920 in Des Moines. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1942 making her first vows in 1944. Sister earned a master’s degree in education from Creighton University in Omaha and went on to serve St. Joseph High School in Dunlap (19441946, 1951-1958), St. Joseph High School in Neola (19621964) and St. Albert High School in Council Bluffs (19641968). She also served schools in Davenport, Ottumwa, Fort Madison and Montana. She was a leader, having been the first woman in Davenport to be the diocesan Superintendent of Schools. She served as vice president for her religious community from 19701976 and president from 19761984. In addition, she was interim president of Marycrest College. Today, she lives at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston, IA, and is active in a ministry of prayer and witness. Sister Miriam Anstey (Miriam Elizabeth) – 70 Years A native of Cumberland, Iowa, Sister Miriam Anstey entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1946 and made her first profession in 1949. She holds a master’s degree in music from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in counseling from the University of St. Louis plus a doctorate from Southern Illinois University in administration and higher education. She served St. Theresa School in Des Moines (19581959), and schools in Davenport, Lamars, Fort Madison in Iowa and a school in Minnesota. She also served a Davenport parish in music ministry. She was the vice president of student afairs at the former Marycrest College, director of Idyllwild at the University of Southern California and the dean of continuing education and later the vice president of student services at Emerson College in Boston. Sister Miriam served as director at the Humility of Mary Center. She lives in Davenport, where she volunteers in the Central City Ministry and is active in a ministry of prayer and witness. Sister Marilyn Jean Hagedorn – 60 years Born in Des Moines, Sister Marilyn Jean Hagedorn entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1956. Her first vows were professed in 1959. Known as Sister Jeanie, she holds a master’s degree from Seattle University. She’s served several parishes and schools in Iowa including Ottumwa, Bettendorf, Marshalltown and Rock Island, Illinois. In the Des Moines diocese, she served St. Anthony (1965-1971), the diocesan Religious Education Office (1971-1975), St. Pius X in Urbandale (1976-1992), St. Peter (1975-1976) and Our Lady of the Americas (formerly Visitation Parish) (1994-2002). She has taught English as a Second Language for Des Moines Area Community College since 2004 and served her religious community as the Peace and Justice coordinator. Sister Jeanie is a member of the CHM leadership team, is active in Peace and Justice Ministry and in the Des Moines Sisters Council. She currently resides in Des Moines. Sister Ramona Kaalberg – 60 years Born in Iowa City, Sister R a m o n a Kaalberg entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1956, making her first vows in 1959. Sister Ramona earned a master’s and a doctorate in education, with concentration in psychology from George Peabody College in Nashville. Her ministry in education saw her teaching at the Iowa schools of St. Joseph in Neola (1959-60), St. Alphonsus and the former Marycrest College in Davenport, St. Anthony in Des Moines (1961-67) and Sacred Heart School in Ottumwa. Sister Ramona worked on staff at Project Renewal in Davenport, was president of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary for four years, served the Des Moines diocese through the St. Joseph Educational Center in adult religious education and spiritual formation (1989-94), and as a pastoral minister for St. Anthony Parish (1994-2002). As a member of the New Hope Community, she served the people in the Riverbend neighborhood of Des Moines. Currently, she lives at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston and is active in a ministry of prayer and witness. Sister Irene Muñoz (Mary Dona Rose) – 60 years Sister Irene Muñoz was born in Des Moines. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1957 and made her first vows in 1959. Sister Irene is a nurse who also holds a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver and earned a CPE in Clinical Pastoral Education from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. In the Des Moines diocese, she served Catholic Charities’ Christ Child Home (1962001963). She worked with the Hispanic community in Muscatine, Iowa and in the Denver area. She was an appointed member by the gvernor of Iowa to the Spanish-Speaking Commission of Iowa. Currently, Sister Irene is a lay-preacher for the Davenport diocese and a multicultural minister at St. Mary of the Visitation in Ottumwa where she resides. Sister María Luisa Muñoz (Mary Timothy) – 60 years A native of West Des Moines, Sister María Luisa (Molly) M u ñ o z entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1956. Her first vows were pronounced in 1959. Sister Molly is a nurse, having served in Ottumwa and Muscatine plus a clinic in Mexico and a hospice in Denver. She also worked as a teacher and served in pastoral care in Mexico. Today, she lives in Colorado and works in Hispanic pastoral ministry with migrant workers. Known as the “Mother Teresa of the Mexicanos,” she serves a migrant population of more than 3,000 people. Sister Molly has received several awards recognizing her contribution to the Denver area community. To contact a sister, call the Humility of Mary Center at 563-323-9466 or e-mail sisters@ chmiowa.org. Humility Sister Barbara Costello dies Humility Sister Barbara Costello, 86, died May 6 at Bishop D r u m m Retirement Center, in Johnston. The funeral Mass was May 13 at the Humility of Mary Center followed by interment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport. Sister was born in 1929 in Evanston, Illinois. She the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1951, professing vows in 1954. For 15 years she served in elementary schools: in Iowa at St. Mary, Ottumwa, St. Anthony, Des Moines and St. Vincent’s in Davenport, also at St. Austin, St. Paul, Minnesota. She was an administrator and offered pastoral ministry. She cared deeply for divorced Catholics and assisted them as a notaryauditor for the Diocese of Peoria Marriage Tribunal. She retired to Bishop Drumm in 2010 where she lived until her death. Memorials to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary. Online condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www. hmdfuneralhome.com. Consejero sobre Asistencia de Víctimas El Consejero sobre Asistencia de Víctimas es un empleado de Polk County Victim Services. Ella ayuda a víctimas de abuso sexual por parte del clero durante el proceso de la queja y buscando servicios de apoyo y consejería. Pueden comunicarse al 515-286-2028 o en [email protected]. www.dmdiocese.org Jubilee of Mercy The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 13 Passport, please: Families can collect Find comfort at Healing Mass As part of the Jubilee St. Ambrose Cathedral of Mercy, the Divine Mercy will have wheelchair accessible stamps during Holy Door visits Committee is sponsoring a parking, entrance, restroom By John Gaffney Contributing Writer The Diocese of Des Moines continues to create opportunities for families to experience God’s mercy as during this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. One specific initiative launched this spring is the diocesan pilgrimage Passport. This is a fun and creative way for families to take on the role of “pilgrim” and visit the eight Holy Door sites in the diocese until the close of the Jubilee of Mercy year, Nov. 20. The location for each Holy Door pilgrimage site is listed on the passport. Just plug the address into a GPS navigation system and begin the trip. Once a Holy Door pilgrimage at each location is completed, present the passport to a parish representative to get it stamped or use a stamp onsite to mark the passport. Collect all eight stamps. Then, mail the completed passport with a name and address to the Catholic Pastoral Center, 601 Grand Ave., in Des Moines, 50309, attention Sherri. Bishop Richard Pates will send your family a special memento of your pilgrimage along with a certificate and letter of accomplishment. Of course, Bishop Pates would enjoy seeing any pictures you took during your visits. If you post your pictures online, tag them #HolyDoorsDM. “My hope is that this passport initiative awakens opportunities for future pilgrimages wherever your travels may take you. There are so many special religious sites in the United States and across the world to visit. Each one helps your family grow closer with Jesus and our worldwide Catholic family,” said Bishop Pates at the launch of this project. Parishes distributed the Holy The Passport to the Holy Doors of the Door Passports to Diocese of Des Moines is a fun and families in April. If you did not receive creative way for families to explore one or would like the Holy Doors. more, contact For more information on Sherri Simmer at the Catholic Pastoral Center at where the Holy Doors are located and for a pilgrimage guide to be [email protected]. “The local Holy Doors used at the church including with in each diocese were encouraged prayer, Scripture reflections and by Pope Francis to enable us to an examination of conscience, go experience the mercy of God, to DMDiocese.org/pilgrimages. readily accessible for everyone,” cfm. said Bishop Pates. “May your John Gaffney is prayerful pilgrimage help you to realize this ongoing presence the diocesan director for and experience the Lord in our Evangelization & Catechesis. midst.” Healing Mass for those who are ill and those with disabilities, or their caregivers June 12 at 5 p.m. at St. Ambrose Cathedral. Bishop Richard Pates will be the main celebrant; Msgr. Larry Beeson, Fathers Anthony Adibe, John Bertogli, Ray McHenry, and Reynaldo Minero will concelebrate. The sacrament of the anointing of the sick gives strength, peace, and courage to overcome difficulties that accompany serious illness, old age; and the challenges facing those with special needs and their caregivers. This will also be an opportunity for the faithful to enter through the Holy Doors of St. Ambrose Cathedral and receive a plenary indulgence. facilities, and seating within the church. The liturgy will be abbreviated to assist those with a shortened attention span and music and lighting will be softened to decrease sensory stimulation. Mass will be interpreted in American Sign Language and assistive listening devices will be available. Adaptive worship aids will assist non-readers and visual learners, and low-gluten hosts will be available. For questions contact Mary Purtle at MarkP3006@aol. com. For more information on Special Needs Ministry, contact Jess Streit, coordinator of Special Needs Ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in West Des Moines. [email protected]. Jubilee of Mercy Pilgrimage Walk St. Pius X Parish is sponsoring a pilgrimage walk from Our Lady of the Americas Parish to St. Ambrose Cathedral. Walk Options include: (1) Start at Birdland Marina (by Union Park) at noon and take the bike path to the Principal River Walk to Grand Avenue and finish at St. Ambrose Cathedral. (2.5 mi.); (2) Start at Our Lady of the Americas (parking at Lutheran Hospital) at 12:15 p.m. (1.8 mi.); (3) Start at Chinese Pagoda (park on Robert D. Ray Drive) at 12:40 (.8 mi.) Fathers Dave Fleming and Dan Krettek will be at the cathedral for a Mercy Prayer Liturgy with reconciliation available. For more information contact Bonnie Reed, 515-276-6988, or Bill Cox, 515-771-2206. Theology Teacher Kuemper Catholic High School in Carroll, Iowa is seeking a practicing Catholic to teach high school Theology. A degree in Theology/Related Studies is preferred. Iowa Teaching Certification is preferred, but not required. The Teacher will work as part of a team to also help plan retreats, Masses, and various service opportunities. Kuemper is a PK-12 system of 1,120 students. Application forms available at www.kuemper.org Mail application to: John Steffes, President 116 S East Street Carroll, IA 51401 Phone 712-792-3313 DIRECTOR OF SPIRITUAL CARE St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home located in Carroll, Iowa has an opening for our Director of Spiritual Care. St. Anthony Regional Hospital is a Catholic, not-for-profit, 99 bed facility with a connected 79 bed Nursing Home. St. Anthony is one of the largest employers in the area with more than 690 skilled and dedicated staff. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in Theology, Pastoral Care or Spiritual Counseling, including four units of Clinical Pastoral Education. A Master’s degree is preferred. Board Certification is also required. A minimum of one to three years related Chaplaincy or Pastoral Care experience is required. The position oversees the spiritual and emotional care given to patients, residents and staff of St. Anthony, and knowledge of Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare is required. St. Anthony has a strong and respected reputation for excellent patient care as well as high quality outcome measures. Caring and compassion are a hallmark of the institution. Come join our exceptional team of compassionate professionals. Apply online: www.stanthonyhospital.org 1-712-794-5263 311 South Clark Street, Carroll, Iowa 51401 EOE Pre-employment drug screen required. 14 The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org En las Tierras del Corazón Con el Obispo Pates Preparándonos para las próximas elecciones Todos aquellos que siguen los ciclos de las elecciones presidenciales admiten rápidamente que nuestra experiencia en el 2016 es muy diferente a las anteriores. Estoy recibiendo un gran número de preguntas y las personas se están tomando el tiempo para participar en conversaciones a pesar de que la elección es en noviembre. La Conferencia Episcopal Católica de los Estados Unidos ofrece un excelente recurso electoral titulado “Formando Consciencias para una Ciudadanía Fiel.” (usccb. org, Publicaciones USCCB) El panfleto ofrece reflexiones y guía en los asuntos más importantes que enfrentan los católicos en la próxima elección y las enseñanzas de la Iglesia que aplican bajo estas circunstancias. También cabe mencionar que se hace hincapié en las contribuciones que ha hecho el Papa Francisco en los años recientes. Un aspecto importante del folleto es el cómo trata la consciencia – lo que es valioso en cualquier circunstancia para nosotros los católicos. Nos ayuda a volver a descubrirnos dentro de esta capacidad. Nos preguntamos: ¿qué es consciencia? El Concilio Vaticano Segundo elaboró sobre la naturaleza de la consciencia. Se definió como “el núcleo más secreto y el sagrario del hombre, en el que éste se siente a solas con Dios, cuya voz resuena en el recinto más íntimo By Bishop Richard E. Pates de aquélla.” Ahí, una persona “descubre el hombre la existencia de una ley que él no se dicta a sí mismo, pero a la cual debe obedecer, y cuya voz resuena, cuando es necesario, en los oídos de su corazón, advirtiéndole que debe amar y practicar el bien y que debe evitar el mal: haz esto, evita aquello.” Esto quiere decir, la consciencia es donde una persona descubre que “tiene una ley escrita por Dios en su corazón… cuyo cumplimiento consiste en el amor de Dios y del prójimo.” (Gaudium et Spes, #16, Concilio Vaticano Segundo) Guiados por su consciencia, las personas utilizan el razonamiento para hacer un “juicio de la razón por el que la persona humana reconoce la cualidad moral de un acto concreto que piensa hacer, está haciendo o ha hecho. En todo lo que dice y hace, el hombre está obligado a seguir fielmente lo que sabe que es justo y recto.” (Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica#1778) En el recurso que mencionamos anteriormente, la Conferencia Episcopal Católica de los Estados Unidos indican el cómo una persona ejerce su responsabilidad de juzgar de manera correcta al formar su propia conciencia para hacer selecciones políticas. Esto se resume en cuatro pasos: Cada persona debe “comenzar a estar abierta a la verdad y a lo que es correcto.” ¿Significa esto que tenemos que hacer a un lado las coloridas perspectivas de fuentes como CNN, Fox News o Rush Limbaugh? En cualquier caso, debemos renunciar a tendencias ideológicas y ver los problemas y situaciones con una apertura de mente y corazón auténtica. Cada uno de nosotros debemos estudiar cuidadosa y regularmente la Sagrada Escritura y fuentes clásicas de sabiduría humana. Debemos reflexionar cada día en una inspiración auténtica para servir el bien común. El tercer elemento de la formación de consciencia consiste en analizar los hechos objetivos, datos y opciones que tienen que ver con una decisión en particular. Se espera que evitemos narrativas de comentaristas tendenciosos y buscar reflexiones objetivas y profundas de analistas confiables que no tengan influencia de intereses especiales o agendas. Sucede frecuentemente durante nuestro día lo que describe “Laudato Si” del Papa Francisco: “Hay demasiados intereses particulares y muy fácilmente el interés económico llega a prevalecer sobre el bien común y a manipular la información para no ver afectados sus proyectos.” (#54) a05625 e99d23 reverse white Ora et labora. “Prayer and Work” A s Trappist monks, our lives are wholly ordered by contemplation and manual labor. At New Melleray, we view the making of caskets an extension of our compassion and hope to bring solace to those experiencing loss. It is a work of prayer and not profit. Call us now for an immediate need or visit our website for future planning. Receive a keepsake cross with your request for our printed catalog. trappistcaskets.com • 888.433.6934 Blessed and prepared by the monks of New Melleray Abbey Finalmente, como creyentes, estamos llamados a reflexionar en oración de modo que podamos discernir el plan divino de una situación en particular. Se nos invita a que reflexionemos en silencio con nuestra apertura, reflexión y análisis para que estemos abiertos a que el espíritu de Dios ilumine nuestra mente y nuestros corazones sobre el cómo actuar. Lo anterior nos señala ciertamente en dirección de tomar sólidas decisiones morales. Desafortunadamente, los objetos de nuestras decisiones no son siempre claros como el cristal. Muy frecuentemente tenemos que considerar varios tonos de gris. Sin embargo, tenemos la fortuna de tener esta guía ahora que comenzamos a formular nuestras futuras decisiones sobre el voto. El Buen Pastor Aproximándose la fecha de mi ordenación como Diácono transitorio el día 3 de Junio de 2016, he estado meditando pasajes del evangelio que se refieren a la misión de aquellos llamados a la vida consagrada; uno de esos pasajes es el del buen pastor. E s importante relacionar el discurso del buen pastor Seminarian con el pasaje Carlos Gomez acerca de la curación Pineda del ciego de nacimiento. Este milagro generó tensión entre las autoridades judías que ya antes habían expulsado al hombre ciego de la sinagoga. Jesús dice: He realizado muchas buenas obras, por cuál de ellas desean apedrearme? Con los cual quería enfatizar los signos de un buen pastor versus los signos de un mal pastor. Inmediatamente después, Jesús se presenta simultáneamente como “la puerta” y “aquel que entra por ella” queriendo significar que los auténticos pastores son solamente aquellos admitidos por él y que entran a través de él. Ya que los fariseos no entran por él y a través de él, no son considerados buenos pastores, sino bandidos y ladrones. El uso del término “sacar la ovejas” es usado para describir la expulsión de las ovejas de los mercaderes del templo, significando, a su vez, la expulsión del hombre ciego de la sinagoga por los fariseos. Jesús, con ello, quiere significar que no es necesario esperar a que las autoridades judías expulsen a aquellos que creen en él; es él quien los saca para llevarlos a verdes y buenos pastos en el cual él da gracias, multiplica los panes y los peces y alimenta a sus seguidores, significando, la celebración eucarística en la Iglesia, para participar de cuerpo y sangre de Jesús, la fuente de vida eterna. Jesús deja claro con su discurso que sus ovejas escuchan su voz, que es un signo de un buen pastor que las lidera. El hombre ciego ha reconocido a Jesús y lo ha seguido, mientras que no ha escuchado la voz de los fariseos, los extraños que lo expulsaron de la sinagoga. El discurso de Jesús presenta, no solamente el contraste entre el buen pastor y el ladrón, sino también entre el buen pastor y el empleado. Jesús se describe así mismo como el pastor modelo que da la vida por sus ovejas, lo cual represente la mas mas grande representación de amor para su rebaño. Jesús muestra conocimiento mutuo entre el pastor y las ovejas. El pastor conoce a sus ovejas, las llama por su nombre y ellas conocen su voz. Por tanto, para conocer a Jesús es importante, primero, ser conocido por él y sentirse llamado por él. Jesús relaciona el mutuo conocimiento entre él y sus ovejas con el conocimiento mutuo entre el Padre y el Hijo: “Yo soy el buen Pastor, conozco a mis ovejas y ellas me conocen a mi, como el padre me conoce a mi y yo conozco al padre.” Es un proceso que conduce a la mutua inmanencia, una unidad profunda del ser: la comunión. La unidad del rebaño nos lleva a la siguiente pregunta: ¿Qué representan las ovejas que no son del rebaño? Ellas son las personas que aún no conocen a Jesús, pero que pueden llegar a conocerlo y creer en él gracias al trabajo del buen pastor quien las dirige y trae al rebaño, actualmente, la Iglesia. La tarea del Pastor es traer unidad del rebaño. La unidad debe ser interpretada a la luz del capítulo 21 del Evangelio de Juan, en el cual Jesús da a Pedro la potestad de pastorear a sus ovejas. Es a través de este ministerio que Jesús continua vigorosamente dando unidad a sus ovejas hasta el día de hoy. Ejemplos de dicha unidad que encontramos en las escrituras es: La túnica que no se parte, la red llena de peces que no se rompe a pesar de ser muchos. Ahora, la tarea de pastorear el pueblo de Dios ha sido trasmitida a los sucesores de los apóstoles, los obispos y sus colaboradores, los sacerdotes, quienes deben continuar la obra, como lo hizo Pedro, de alimentar las ovejas, la comunidad creyente. www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 15 Bishop’s schedule Continued from page 2 installation of Father Thomas Thakadipuram at Corpus Christi Parish, Queen of Apostles Worship Site, 11 a.m. Perry – Confirmation, St. Patrick Parish, 2 p.m. Des Moines – Healing Mass, St. Ambrose Cathedral, 5 p.m. Monday, June 13 Des Moines – Diocesan Vocations Department meeting, Pastoral Center, 7:30 a.m. Monday, June 13 Friday, June 17 Huntington Beach, CA – U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Spring Assembly Friday, June 17 Des Moines – “In the Heartland with Bishop Pates,” Iowa Catholic Radio, Des Moines; KVSS, Omaha, 9 a.m. Director of Youth Ministry St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, a parish of 3,200 families, is seeking a Director of Youth Ministry. This fulltime position is responsible for developing organizing, and administering youth ministry programs as well as coordinating a two year preparation process for 10th grade Confirmation. The qualified individual will be a practicing Catholic in good standing. Desired qualifications include a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Youth Ministry, Theology or Religious Studies or certification in Youth Ministry. Candidate should have a minimum of three (3) years relevant experience. Must be well organized and have strong self-management and collaborative skills. This position will require working outside of normal business hours. Salary and benefits commensurate with education and experience. Please email cover letter and resume by May 27, 2016 to Father Ray McHenry [email protected]. View complete job description at: www.saintfrancischurch.org. Classified BUSINESS MANAGER: Saint Augustin Catholic Church is seeking a full-time Business Manager. Responsible for parish accounting and finances and buildings and ground functions. This position provides financial analysis and statements to the Pastor, Finance Committee, Trustees, and the Diocese as required for oversight of parish operations. Send cover letter and resume to: St. Augustin Parish, Reverend Christopher Pisut, Pastor, 545 42nd Street, Des Moines, IA 50312 or email your cover letter and resume to frpisut@ staugustin.org. Position open until filled. Victim Assistance Advocate The diocese’s Victim Assistance Advocate is a staff member at Polk County Victim Services. She helps victims of sexual abuse of minors by clergy through a complaint process and in seeking support and counseling services. She can be reached at 515-286-2024 or [email protected]. The Catholic Mirror May 20, 2016 www.dmdiocese.org Make sure your family is protected. 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