The Catholic - Diocese of Altoona

Transcription

The Catholic
Register
Official Publication Of
The Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown
Volume 91, No. 2 Published Bi - Weekly
(USPS 094 - 280)
www.dioceseaj.org May 30, 2016
Newly - Ordained Deacons
Urged To Serve With Joy
Photos And Text
By Bruce A. Tomaselli
“John, Don, and Peter have
been to the meeting tent, and to
the mountains, a meeting place
between God and humans,
which is often symbolized in the
scriptures,” said Bishop Mark
L. Bartchak, at the ordination of
deacons held Saturday, May 14
at the Cathedral of the Blessed
Sacrament, Altoona.
The Bishop was referring
to the reading in The Book of
Numbers when Jesus requested the Levites be presented to
Aaron to go out and spread His
Word. “For the good of God’s
chosen people,” said the Bishop,
“people are needed to make the
tabernacle and meeting tent a
place of permanence.
“In the Acts of the Apostles
The Twelve called together the
community of Disciples, and
asked them to find reputable
men to continue the ministry of
The Word.”
The Apostles are to be especially devoted to the Word
of God; a ministry that is vital
to fostering the growth of the
Church. He said there are other
ministries not to be forgotten
such as the care and feeding of
widows and orphans. This im-
portant and necessary ministry
is called service.
“Service”, the Bishop said,
“is at the heart of the ministerial
functions and responsibilities as
a deacon. Don, Jonathan, and
Peter have answered that call.”
Donald Gibboney of Most
Holy Trinity Parish in Huntingdon, was ordained a permanent
deacon. He is the husband of
Cindy, and they reside with their
daughters Samanatha and Danielle Ochs in Alexandria.
Ordained transitional deacons were:
- - Peter Crowe, a third year theology student at Saint
Vincent Seminary in Latrobe.
Deacon Crowe completed the
pre - theology program at Gannon University/Saint Mark Seminary in Erie. He is a graduate
of Hampden Sydney College in
Virginia, and State College High
School;
- - Jonathan Dickson is a
third - year theology student at
Saint Mary Seminary in Baltimore. He completed the pre
- theology program at Gannon
University/Saint Mark Seminary in Erie, before beginning
his studies in Baltimore.
Bishop Mark continued that
Donald has already made a commitment in the form of marriage
to his wife. Their marriage is a
gift, a place where God and family can meet.
He told the men before the
large crowd assembled in the
Cathedral, that “Jesus is not an
overbearing boss. He is not an
impersonal boss who is never
satisfied with what you are doing or not doing. He is a friend
who shares His love for you in a
greater way. He will never outrun you and He will never run
away from you.”
Bishop Mark told the three
men we heard in the reading of
the Gospel According to John,
“‘It was not you who chose me,
but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit
that will remain, so whatever
you ask the Father in my name
he may give you. This I command you: love one another.’”
(Continued On Page 10.)
CALLED: Donald Gibboney
of Most Holy Trinity Parish,
Huntingdon, stands to answer
the call to ordination Saturday,
May 14 at the Cathedral of the
Blessed Sacrament, Altoona.
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak ordained Gibboney a permanent
deacon during the rite, and two
men were ordained transitional
deacons.
Page 2
The Catholic Register, May 30, 2016
ALTOONA CATHEDRAL: Celebrating First Holy Communion
at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona, on Sunday,
April 10 were (left to right) First row: Lucie Jones, Quintin Hanley,
Grace Stadmiller, Phillip Sarbo. Second row: Pablo Rojas, Haylee
Bisignano, Rachel Gormont, Mylin Betz, Jennifer Crawford (catechist). Third row: Betsy Eger (catechist), Andrew Eckels, Hayden
Hosgood, Aiden Novack, Addison Barr, Christina Laraia (director
of religious education). Fourth row: Monsignor Robert Mazur (rector), Caleb Crawford, Mark Conrad and Hanna Crawford (servers)
and Deacon Michael Anna.
SAINT BENEDICT, CARROLLTOWN: Saint Benedict Parish, Carrolltown, celebrated Confirmaiton Thursday, April 7 and First Holy Commuion Sunday, April 17. Pictured in the top photo are (left to
right) First row: Carson Offman, Ashley Koegler, Morgan Thomas, Kayla Farrell, Lauren Gill, Hannah
Zeanchock. Second row: Madison Thomas, Maria Schall, Allison Farabaugh, Cassandra Gabrielson,
Abigail Sclesky. Third row: Annie Sharbaugh, Alexis Niebauer, Bradley Caretti, Jared Shank, John McGowan, Vincent Bearer, Robert McGowan (catechist). Fourth row: Ryan Witham, Brandon Davis, Brad
Farabaugh, Tyler Scott, Justin Snedden, Patrick Link and Gregory Shoemaker. Pictured in the bottom
photograph are (left to right) First row: Gabriel Farabaugh, Michael Haycisak, Austin Gwizdak, Makenzie Henry, Alaina Bearer, Miley Hoover, Aubriana Deckard, Gabrielle Cochran, Angelina Lingenfelter,
Eli Hite, Garrett Farabaugh. Second row: Heath Koegler, Macy Johnston, Morgan Brown, Paige Lamb,
Samantha Bodek, Kaylie Bradley, Regan Conrad, Katelyn Venesky, Markie Bender, Aaron Swope. Third
row: Owen Sherry, Dawson Warner, Christopher Lydick, Alyssa Miller, Greg Davis, Michael Yeckley,
Sean Fisanick, Carson Lobick, Eli Cunningham. Fourth row: Jeffrey Maucieri (principal). Benedictine
Brother Michael J.Miller (teacher), Benedictine Father Jude W. Brady (pastor), Benedictine Brother
Thomas Sanders (deacon), Mary Frances Adams (catechist), Suzanne Bills (director of religious education) and Nancy Lamont (catechist).
SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS: Celebrating Confirmation
at Saints Cyril and Methodius Parish in Windber on Sunday, May
1 were (left to right) Gretchen Marx, Joseph Cominsky and Krista
Walker. Third Order Regular Franciscan Father Roderick Soha is
pastor.
Since 1950
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SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON: Celebrating Confirmation at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in
Windber on Sunday, May 1 were (left to right) Erik Blasic, Samantha Pcola, Samantha Harlin, Elizabeth
Bukovich, Jenna Tokarsky, Nicole Podrasky and Kendall Page. Third Order Regular Franciscan Father
Roderick Soha is pastor.
In The Alleghenies
Page 3
SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA: Celebrating Confirmation at Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in Windber, on Sunday, May 1, were (left to right) Bret Tantorno, Drake Dowdell, Cassidy DiPaola, Anna Enos
(from St. Peter Church, Somerset), William Fisher and Ryan Statler. Third Order Regular Franciscan
Father Roderick Soha is pastor.
year track certification, Basic
Lay Ecclesial Certification must
be completed.
For more information or to
register, contact The Office of
Lay Ecclesial Ministry, 625 Park
Avenue, Johnstown PA 15902;
or call (814) 361 - 2000; or by
e - mail at mheinze@dioceseaj.
org.
High Schools
SEVEN DOLORS MAY CROWNING: Frances Ketterman
crowned the statue of the Blessed Mother during May Crowning
held Sunday, May 8 at Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Parish, Beans Cove. Molly Cessna was crown bearer. Father Derek
Fairman is pastor.
Adult Enrichment
Hospital Ministry
Gallitzin: “Hospital Ministry: Being With Others As A
Caring Presence,” a course in
the third year track of the OfParish in
fice of Lay Ecclesial Ministry,
Elizabeth
will be offered by Sister Marilyn
an Father
Welch of the Carmelite Commu-
nity of the Word, Wednesdays
from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. at the Carmelite Community of the Word
Incarnation Center, 394 Bem
Road, beginning September 7
and continuing through November 9.
The total cost of the course
is $75.00 which includes registration and materials. 20 total
credit hours will be earned. In
order to take this course for third
Boalsburg: On May 13,
Saint Joseph Catholic Academy’s first ever Math Competition Team competed in the
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s 53rd Annual Mathematics Competition. The team
included Saint Joseph students
Peter Forstmeier, Joonho Cho,
Taehan Choi, and Michael Peters.
This year’s IUP competition included 172 high school
students. Participants were challenged to solve 50 problems
in 110 minutes. The problems
tested participants’ command of
algebra, geometry, trigonometry,
and other secondary mathematics curriculum topics. The items
tested both problem-solving and
computational skills.
Overall, the Saint Joseph’s
team came in 9th place out of
24 high school teams. Among
the 48 11th grade students who
competed, Joonho, Michael, and
SAINT KATERI: Celebrating First Holy Communion at Saint
Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Spring Mills was Ellie Romig, pictured
with Father George Jakopac, pastor.
Taehan placed 8th, 9th, and 12th,
respectively. Peter placed 12th
among the 10th graders. This
was an outstanding showing;
given that this was the team’s
first competition and members
only had a few practice sessions.
Saint Joseph’s faculty members Joseph Miller, Paula Rodkey, and Devren Yener serve as
the coaches for the team. The
team plans to continue training
and to participate in the IUP
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as other area competitions. All
Saint Joseph’s students are welcome to join the team.
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Page 4
THE CATHOLIC
REGISTER
SERVING THE DIOCESE OF
ALTOONA - JOHNSTOWN
Published Bi - weekly at
925 South Logan Boulevard
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Subscriptions: $8.00 Parish Based
$18.00 Individual
Periodical Class Postage Paid At
Altoona PA and other mailing offices.
Postmaster send change of address to:
(USPS 094 - 280)
Member Publication Of
The Catholic Press Association
Publisher:
Most Reverend Bishop
Mark L. Bartchak
Editor:
Rev. Msgr. Timothy P. Stein
Manager:
Bruce A. Tomaselli
Secretary:
Frances M. Logrando
Phone (814) 695 - 7563
FAX (814) 695 - 7517
Point Of View
As I sat in the pew Sunday morning next to my sister
waiting for Mass to start, my
prayerful and peaceful state of
mind suddenly collapsed when
I heard an anguish uttering of
words coming from her mouth
“I am going to kill him!” As
my sister’s voice penetrated my
prayerful state I instantly stared
at her. Her eyes darted toward
me as she gasped, “Just look
at him, he knows better than to
wear sneakers to serve. He’s
dead when we get home.....”
(Expression of words are not to
be taken literally.)
As I set my eyes towards
the group of Altar boys, I felt a
surge of laughter welling up inside. There he was, my teenage
nephew, wearing bright neon
orange and black athletic shoes,
untied, with the tongue inserts
flapping onto the floor. Definitely not appropriate church attire
I agree but there was something
about my sister and her embarrassed cry of distress which sent
me into a quiet, whole pew shaking, laughing fit.
As a mother of six children,
I can only imagine what life is
like in her house on Sunday
morning. I am sure just getting this brood up, fed, dressed
and out of the house all in one
piece for morning Mass is definitely more than her share fair
of penance. I know she is not
disorganized nor her children
irresponsible. Rather, the truth
is sometimes life does get crazy
and occasionally wearing bright
neon orange and black shoes to
church, is an appropriate choice,
Family Matters
By Amy Kanich
It’s Worth Repeating
rather than choosing the other
alternative of being late or not
going to church at all.
“So what is the point to
this story Amy?” you may ask.
“Why were you laughing so
hard?” “Don’t you know that
wearing inappropriate shoes
to serve is no laughing matter?” Yes, I know but let me explain….… First, I was laughing
so hard because truthfully I was
thinking, “I am so glad it is your
son wearing the funky shoes and
not mine” (a sister thing) and the
second reason was because I had
a joy filled growth spurt of my
faith, right there in the pew, never expecting it to be revealed in
the disguise of a pair of size 17,
obnoxiously colored sneakers.
All laughing aside, there
was a time in my life when
those sneakers on an Altar boy
would absolutely drive me crazy! Inappropriate church attire
was my pet peeve. If someone
came into church not properly
dressed, I would willingly spend
my worship time climbing up
on my judgment seat, rendering a critical verdict. If my kids
slipped out of the house, without
“church approved” clothing then
my worship time would be spent
on obsessing what others may
think. There was a time in my
life, when playing the part of a
good Christian meant allotting
a portion of my worship time
to monitoring the dress code at
Mass and for me this was no
laughing matter. But, now with
God’s grace and timely sense of
humor, I can honestly say what
people wear to Mass no longer
bothers me, in fact, I barely even
notice.
It’s not that I don’t believe
we should wear appropriate
clothing when attending Mass, I
do! But, I also get the fact that
being fully present, aware of the
awesome mystery unfolding before me, is so overwhelmingly
beautiful and captivating that
nothing, and I mean nothing, can
take my heart and mind off of
worshipping God.
During Mass God’s glory
overwhelms me, His forgiveness envelopes me and the honor
and privilege to sit in His temple
humbles me. Instead of being a
member of the fashion police,
I am finally learning how to be
fully present at Mass. Yes, it
took some time but I am slowly
growing in my journey of faith,
one funny and not so funny
growth spurt at a time.
Blessings!
Another
Perspective
By Monsignor Timothy P. Stein
Prayer Can
Make A Difference
The Catholic Church is built upon seven Sacraments. A Sacrament is, according to the Baltimore Catechism, “a visible sign,
instituted by Christ, to give grace.”
Our Church is a sacramental Church; we believe that certain
signs, symbols, prayers and ritual gestures share in the power of the
seven Sacraments. These “sacramental” are also channels by which
God’s grace is poured out on us.
The three services held earlier this month for Victims and Survivors of Sexual Abuse were sacramental moments. They were not
the “smokescreen” that some have said they were, but a sincere expression on the part of Bishop Mark, the clergy and the local Church
to apologize for a tragedy that has deeply wounded people in our
Diocese and beyond. The signs and symbols, the prayers and ritual
gestures employed in the services were all powerful indicators of repentance and conversion. The services were, indeed, a healing moment, for all those who were open to being healed.
I felt the power of those signs, symbols, prayers and gestures at
the service I attended and reported on; the one held Tuesday, May 17
at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona. I had watched
the 6:00 o’clock news before leaving for the service, and had seen
the line of protestors drawn up on 13th Avenue. My stomach was
in knots as I went into the Cathedral, and it remained in knots as I
waited for the service to begin. I wondered what difference a prayer
service could or would make. My ears strained to hear any noise that
might indicate that the protestors would come inside to disrupt the
service. I kept counting the number of worshippers gathered in the
pews, trying to gauge if enough people were present for the service
to make any impact. I forgot that numbers never tell the story of what
we do when we come to pray. I forgot that Jesus said “Where two or
three gather in my name, I am there in the midst of them.”
But as the prayers began, as the gestures of repentance and
healing were enacted, I did remember, and I remembered that the
Church is most herself when she is at prayer. We may have made
mistakes. We may have gotten much terribly, terribly wrong, but
when we gather in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,
when we humble ourselves in prayer, when we reach out to one another with signs of peace and forgiveness, then we are the Church
that we are supposed to be.
Perhaps the most poignant moment of all was when Bishop
Mark lay prostrate on the Cathedral floor. I thought of how he had
assumed the same posture five years previously on the day of his
ordination as Bishop. I remembered how I had laid in the same spot
at my ordination to the priesthood 32 years ago. But I thought most
of all of the three men who had prostrated themselves on the very
same Cathedral floor just three days prior, as they were ordained to
the diaconate. Those men made more of a leap of faith than any of
us who had been there before them, had done. Those three men
have gone forward in their formation for Holy Orders having heard all
of the allegations made against our Diocese, and still chose to literally lay their lives on the line for their faith. With that thought, the knot
in my stomach began to come loose.
Signs and symbols, prayers and gestures are empty if they are
not followed up by substantive action. We have heard Bishop Mark’s
assurance that such action will take place. But healing for all will only
come about when all of us have committed ourselves to following up
our prayer with lives that give witness to the things we believe in, the
things we hold dear. We must all allow our prayer to transform us
and be for us a means of conversion and a path to going forward.
We must make good use of the graces given us to make the words
“never again” a reality.
When the knots in our stomachs are loosed, grace can take
hold, and real change can come about.
Holy Doors For The
Jubilee Year Of Mercy
Bishop Mark L. Bartchk has designated the
three parishes celebrating their 200th anniversaries in 2016 as the site of Holy Doors
where pilgrims may gain the plenary indulgence
offered by the Church during the Jubilee
Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis.
Those three parishes are Saint Thomas the
Apostle in Bedford, Holy Name in Ebensburg, and Saint Patrick in Newry.
Official pilgrimage dates have been established for visiting the three churches: Sunday
June 12 and June 26, Sunday July 10 and
July 24, and Sunday August 15 and August
28.
All three churches will be opened on each of
the six designated Sundays, from 1:00 untl
4:00 p.m. Indulgenced prayers - - the Apostle’s Creed, the our Father, the Hail Mary
and the Glory Be, will be prayed publically on
the half hour: 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m.,
3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
To gain the plenary indulgence, the faithful
should:
- - Celebrate the Sacrament of Penance leading to a genuine conversion of heart. They
should go to Confession within a suitable period of time of completing the other conditions;
Saint Thomas the Apostle
Bedford
Holy Name
Ebensburg
Page 5
Saint Patrick
Newry
The Jubilee Year Of Mercy
Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, which will
conclude on Sunday, November 20, the Solemnity of Christ the King, to highlight the Catholic
Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.”
Said the Holy Father “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might
well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith. At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our
lives. For this reason I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time
for the Church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective.
We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity and
peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most
Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy:
the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes
of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man,
opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.”
What Is A Plenary Indulgence?
Indulgences have been part of the Catholic life for seven centuries. The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the Sacrament of Penance.
The Church presents this definition: “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal
punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who
is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church
which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and supplies with authority the treasury of the
satisfactions of Christ and the saints.
“An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.” (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, Number 1471.
Prayer For
The Jubilee Year Of Mercy
- - Receive Holy Communion while participating at Mass;
Lord Jesus Christ you have taught us to be merciful like the
heavenly Father. You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness
and mercy. Let the Church be your visible face in the world of
our risen and glorified Lord.
- - Make a pilgrimage to one of the designated
sites established by the authority of Bishop
Mark;
Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its
anointing, so the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from
the Lord. And may your Church, with renewed enthusiasm,
bring good new to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and
the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind.
- - Pray the indulgenced prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy,
you who live and reign with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.
- - Amen
Page 6
P
SAINT MARK: Saint Mark Parish, Altoona, celebrated Confirmation Thursday, April 21 and First
Holy Communion Sunday, May 1. Pictured above are (left to right) First row: Austin Palmerine, Lizzy
Pearlman, Alyssa Cumming, Makayla Blattenberger. Second row: Valerie Kahley (director of religious
education), Timothy Leberfinger Jr., Father Ronald V. Osinski (pastor), Nick Carothers, and Jim Kulik
(catechist). Absent from photo Hailey Sanders. Pictured at left are Father Osinski and Logan Andrew
Shannon.
SAINT MARY, ALTOONA: Saint Mary (Immaculate Conception) Parish, Altoona celebrated the Confirmation of four newly - initiated Catholics during the Easter Vigil,
Saturday, March 26, and the Confirmation of eight young people on Wednesday, March 30. Pictured at left are (left to right) Joseph Varner, Scott Thompson, Monsignor Timothoy P. Stein (pastor) and Laurie and Jim Woomer. Pictured at right are (left to right) First row: Demia Shaneyfelt, Jordan DeLeo, Alexandrea Gochnaur. Second row: Mark
Fanelli, Claire Steinbugl, Madison Ruston, Trevory Palfey and Tyler Skelley. James Mock is director of Christian Initiation and Religious Education.
SAINT ROSE MAY CROWNING: Celebrating May Crowning
at Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Altoona, were (left to right) First row:
Xander Rogers, Ryan Breton. Second row: Josephine Gates, Samantha Harpster, Payton Ronan, Olivia Price, Hailey DeGol, Xavier
Rogers, Third row: Father Brian Saylor (pastor), Susana Aguirre,
Neill Aguirre, Jacob Kissell and Samantha Gbureck.
SAINT BERNARD: Celebrating Confirmation at Saint Bernard Parish, Hastings, were (left to right)
First row: Emily Semelsberger, Makenzie Woodly, Jacob Griak. Second row: Derek Onderko, Ronnie
Verdavoir, Jason Serafin and Stephen Parzatka. Benedictine Father Thaddeus Rettger is pastor.
A Prince In The Service
Of The Great King
Page 7
The Servant Of God
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
1770 - 1840
Pope Approves Two Causes
For Canonization
By Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -Pope Francis has signed decrees
that clear the way for the canonizations of a Christian Brother
martyred during the French
Revolution and an Italian priest
who founded a religious order of
men dedicated to the vocational
and spiritual education of the
poor and hearing impaired.
Meeting May 9 with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the
Congregation for Saints’ Causes,
the pope signed decrees recognizing miracles attributed to the
intercession of Blessed Guillaume-Nicolas-Louis Leclerq,
who was martyred during the
infamous September Massacres
BLESSED LUDOVICO
PAVONI
FATHER RAFAEL
ALMANSA RIANO
Prayer For
Father Gallitzin’s Intercession
O God, light of the faithful and shepherd of souls, who sent
Servant of God Demetrius Gallitzin to serve God’s people in
the Allegheny Mountains, feeding your sheep by his words
and forming them by his example, pour out your Spirit to sow
seeds of truth in people’s hearts and to awaken in them obedience to the faith.
May the Gospel continue to be preached and the Sacraments
bring power and grace to the faithful. By the example of this
man of faith, Demetrius Gallitzin, may your people advance in
the path of salvation and love.
Confident of your faithfulness to us, we humbly ask you, our
God, to grant us the favor of (name your intention).
May Christ’s saving work continue to the end of the ages, and
may we feel a more urgent call to work for the salvation of
every creature. We pray this, as did your priest Demetrius
Gallitzin, through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever. Amen.
+ + +
Kindly send information about favors granted to:
The Cause for the Servant of God
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Diocese Of Altoona - Johnstown
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
BLESSED GUILLAUME
LECLERQ
in Paris in 1792, and Blessed
Ludovico Pavoni, the Italian
priest who founded the Sons of
Mary Immaculate, now commonly known as the Pavonians.
With the recognition of the
miracles, the canonization ceremonies for the two men can be
scheduled.
Pope Francis also signed a
decree recognizing that Father
Rafael Almansa Riano of Bogota, Colombia, heroically lived
the Christian virtues.
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Page 8
Word of Life
The
Pope Teaches
By Pope Francis
Service, Not Power
Is The True Christian Path
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Those who seek only power
and greatness, especially within the church, follow a different
path than Jesus, who told his disciples to serve and not to be
served, Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
Preaching May 17 during Mass in his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the pope said Jesus speaks a language of humiliation, death and redemption, while others
“speak the language of climbers” who only thinking of rising to
the top of the heap.
“The greatest is the one who serves the most, the one
who is always at the service of others, not the ones who boast,
who seek power, money, vanity and pride,” he said, according
to Vatican Radio.
The pope focused his homily on the day’s Gospel reading
(Mk. 9:30-37), in which the disciples argued about who was
the greatest among them.
“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and
the servant of all,” Jesus tells them.
The pope said that although the disciples were tempted
to think in a worldly way, Jesus teaches them a different path
where “service is the rule.”
The search for power, he said, “is a story that happens every day in the church, in every community: ‘Who is the greatest among us?’ ‘Who is in charge?’ Ambitions; in every community -- in the parish or in institutions -- there is always this
desire to climb, to have power,” the pope said.
Those who have the “worldly desire” to seek vanity and
power “spare no expense to get there (through) gossip” and
destroying other people’s reputations, he said.
“Envy and jealousy make these paths, and they destroy;
we all know this. This happens today in every institution of the
church: parishes, colleges and other institutions, even among
bishops ... everyone. It is the desire of the spirit of the world
which is a spirit of wealth, vanity and pride,” the pope said.
This worldly spirit, he continued, is a temptation “to destroy the other in order to rise up,” which only “divides and
destroys the church.”
“It would do us well to think of the many times we have
seen this in the church and the many times that we have done
this, and ask the Lord to enlighten us, to understand that love
for the world -- that is, for this worldly spirit -- is the enemy of
God,” Pope Francis said.
“The greatest is the one who serves
the most, the one who is always at the
service of others, not the ones who
boast, who seek power, money, vanity
and pride,” the Pope said.
ONE MORE TIME: The 1987 officers of the Mother Seton Guild at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin
Mary Parish, Johnstown, were (left to right) Ann Kulic, Rose Sigg, Barbara Kinley, Kay Scott and Betty
Petro.
Soon after my grandson
turned 11, I said to him, “Well,
in three years you can move
away from home.” He looked at
me. “That’s what I did,” I said.
He turned to his mom. “Really?” he asked since he knew
his grandfather can be one who
stretches the truth. “Really,”
she said. “A boarding school,”
I said.
I suppose that period of my
life was on my mind because recently I’d had lunch with three
high school classmates, a bit of a
mini-reunion, with one-third of
our 12-member graduating class
attending.
In the fall of 1966, we were
the first group in my region to
enter the seminary after the Second Vatican Council and, like
the church in general, we had
little idea of what lay ahead.
It wasn’t surprising that it hit
our student body a bit more
strongly than most other Catholic schools. Ours was a minor
seminary, from freshmen in high
school through sophomores in
college.
It was a boarding school
system that traced its roots back
to the Middle Ages and the
Council of Trent and a system
that ran smack into Vatican II
and the 1960s. Or perhaps better
put, Vatican II and the 1960s ran
smack into it and change was inevitable.
These days it’s hard to
imagine a group of 14-year-old
boys eager to live a secluded and
rigid life as we did. It’s hard to
imagine parents thinking it’s a
Your Family
By Bill Dodds
A Tip Of The Hat
To Former Seminarians
good idea. It’s hard to imagine
a diocese that could afford the
cost.
The truth is it wasn’t very
practical when it came to the
final numbers. Early in our first
year one of our teachers (all of
whom were priests, all referred
to as “profs”) told us that statistically one in 10 of the 35 original class members would go on
for 12 years and get ordained.
He was right. Three were
ordained. Years later, one died
Photo By Monsignor Timothy P. Stein
of a heart attack, one left and
got married, and one became
the U.S. provincial of a missionary order. And of the other class
of 1970 graduates (by then our
numbers had dwindled from 35
to a dozen), three became lawyers, two social workers, one
a nurse, one a phone company
employee, one a teacher and one
a writer.
It was the same prof who
told those 14-year-olds that
some of us didn’t have a vocation to the priesthood but we
did have a vocation to be in the
seminary for a while. Much to
my surprise, that would include
me. Marriage was my vocation
and what a blessing it was.
Around this time of year,
many dioceses and religiousAn illiter
orders will be celebrating ordi-into the H
nations to the priesthood. Theseurging he
days the path to holy orders re-meeting t
mains one less traveled, but nowshe led t
later by
it’s also one less medieval.
Among those who walkedand sold
that seminary trail for a time,craft and
some truly are dedicated laymenin 1456.
who serve the church and society in many, many ways over
many, many years. God bless
those new priests and God bless
all of their former classmates.
THE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC FOUNDATION
For The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
VOL. 16 NO. 1
Summer 2016
How will you be remembered?
The Legendary Story of Alfred
In 1867, he invented dynamite while his brothers
became very wealthy through oil exploration.
Legend has it that in 1888 his brother died
while visiting France. The French newspaper
erroneously published Alfred’s obituary and said
the man who “became rich by finding ways to
kill more people faster than ever before, died
yesterday.” He was astonished by what he
would be known for and concerned about how
he would be remembered. He died in 1896.
However, on November 27, 1895, he signed his
last Will and Testament and allocated 94% of his
assets to establish five prizes to be named after
him. Alfred’s last name was Nobel and today his
legacy is the Nobel Peace Prizes not dynamite.
Why the Independent Catholic Foundation?
The Independent Catholic Foundation offers Catholics this support will continue forever. All funds are invested
a way to leave their legacy specifically aligned with their in alignment with our Catholic faith. The Foundation
Catholic values and faith. Donors enjoy the satisfaction is an independent entity – legally separate from the
of knowing their gifts to a permanent endowment Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown – committed to the
directly benefit any Catholic ministry they choose and long-term strength and viability of Catholic ministries.
Some of the Legacies created:
• A family from Bedford County created a cemetery perpetual care fund in the
family’s name; the next year they created another where the wife’s family is buried
• A family whose passion is Pro-life created an endowment to fund pro-life
activities in perpetuity
• A family created a Donor-advised fund in their name for various catholic
ministries and chooses what is to be funded each year
• Many families have created scholarships in the family name for Bishop Guilfoyle,
Bishop McCort and Bishop Carroll Catholic High Schools
• Several families have created college scholarships for parishioners of their
respective parishes
• A family created an endowment in their name to support their parish
• A family created an endowment in their name to support seminarians
• The Knights of Columbus created an endowment to support seminarian education
• A parish created an endowment to honor their pastor
• There are currently 226 additional reasons—What are you passionate about?
“To give away money is an easy matter and in anyone’s power; but to decide to whom to give it, and how much to give and to give
it for the right motive and in the right way, is neither in everyone’s power nor an easy matter. Hence, it is that such excellence is
rare, praiseworthy and noble.” - Aristotle
Page 1
T h e I n d e p e n d e n t C a t h o l i c Fo u n d a t i o n Fo r T h e D i o c e s e o f A l t o o n a - Jo h n s t ow n
From the President and Executive Director
By the time you read this, another fiscal year will be almost over; it will end
June 30. As we reflect on the many blessings we’ve enjoyed this past 12
months, we want to begin by saying “thanks”. Thanks for the support of our
Catholic faith through your support of the Independent Catholic Foundation.
We anticipate making available over $1 million to our beneficiaries in a few
months, and that is because of our generous benefactors. Earlier this year we
provided $35,000 in competitive grants to all parishes or diocesan schools
that asked for one; a first for us (see related article on page 3). So far this
fiscal year we have received almost $700,000 in contributions to new and
existing endowments. We’ve had a chance to visit many parishes and talk to
their committees and parishioners. We are at the beginning of a Strategic
Planning process that we are confident will guide us to even more robust
growth and increased support for our Catholic ministries. We continue
to be encouraged by many positive comments regarding our investment
portfolio being aligned with our Catholic faith because of Christian Brothers
Investment Services. We are humbled by this success and pray that God
continues to smile on our efforts. We hope you enjoy this edition of the
newsletter and trust it provides insight on how you can remember your
parish or favorite Catholic ministry in your estate planning. Please feel free
to contact our office or any Trustee to discuss how we may be of service.
Dino S. Persio, Esq., President
Bill Hiergeist, Executive Director
Foundation Seeking Scholarship Applicants
The Foundation is seeking applicants for the 2016 Welge Scholarship.
This scholarship provides financial assistance to worthy parishioners
who are entering their junior or senior year of college and are a
member in good standing of Roman Catholic Parish in Blair County
excluding Tyrone. The Welge Endowment Scholarship was established
in 1995 to honor Adelaide G. (Heverly) Welge. Information and
applications are available at www.icfdaj.org. Applications should also
be available at offices of the Blair County parishes; the application
must be signed by the applicant’s pastor. Questions should be directed
to the Foundation office at 201-2080 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Deadline for submission is June 6th.
Catholic Advisors Program (CAP)
“CAP” is in the planning stages at our Foundation. It is designed
specifically for Wealth Advisors and their Catholic clients (or
clients who want to support catholic causes). The idea is to
partner with financial planners, attorneys, funeral directors and
other professional advisors dedicated to carrying out their clients’
charitable goals while helping to build assets in their communities,
and to build a network of professionals who understand that
charitable planning can, and should, include faith based causes.
Other Catholic Foundations have similar initiatives and are
pleased with the increased support for their respective parishes
and the Diocese at large. Once fully operational, CAP may include
programs that include CE credits for professionals,“Lunch & Learn”
programs and social gathering for members, and a listing on our
web-site. There will be stipulations regarding Catholic Investing
and minimum investments. If any professional advisors would like
to discuss this opportunity, please contact the Foundation office.
Number of endowments continues to grow
Number of Endowments
231
Over recent years the number of endowments held by the Foundation has enjoyed
steady growth. So far this fiscal year (since July 1) the Foundation has added 8
211
238
220
191
178
new endowments which brings the total number to 238. The new endowments
benefit parishes, a parish elementary school, parish cemeteries and Bishop McCort
and Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High Schools. This growth represents a 28% increase
in the number of endowments during the past six years. Information on how to
establish a new endowment is available on our web-site or at the Foundation office.
Page 2
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16 to
April 2016
SUMMER 2016 - FOCUS
Independent Catholic
Foundation Announces
Grant Winners
The Board of Trustees is pleased to
announce the winners of the recent
competitive grant process. It was
“competitive” because the parishes
and schools had to complete an
application and “compete” for the
available funds. This offer was made
to all parishes, the Diocesan Chancery
and its departments, and all Diocesan
schools. The Trustees originally agreed
to offer $20,000 in grants; funding
would be offered at $2,500 per grant.
The Grant Committee subsequently
received 40 applications.
Upon the
committee’s review, Committee Chair
Tom Kristofco commented “these are
all compelling requests, and we need
to help!”.
Grant Awarded To:
Our Lady of Lourdes Church: Altoona
St. Rose of Lima Church: Altoona
St. Peter School: Somerset
Altoona Central Catholic School
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Holy Name School: Ebensburg
Holy Spirit Parish: Lock Haven
St. Thomas School: Bedford
Diocesan Communications Dep.
St Benedict School: Carrolltown
Our Mother of Sorrows: Johnstown
SS Cyril & Methodius: Windber
St. Anthony of Padua: Windber
Fulton County Catholic Mission
St. Patrick Church: Newry
St. Therese of Child Jesus: Altoona
All Saints Catholic School: Cresson
St. Joseph Church: Bellwood
Sacred Heart Church: Altoona
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Windber
St. Francis of Assisi: Johhnstown
St. Thomas More: Roaring Spring
St. Matthew Church: Tyrone
Our Lady of Victory: State College
St. Joseph Church: Renovo
Holy Family Church: Portage
St. Rose of Lima School: Altoona
St. John the Evangelist: Bellefonte
Catholic Charities, Inc.: Altoona
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
St. Michael Basilica: Loretto
Most Holy Trinity: Huntingdon
Diocesan Parish Life Office
Diocesan Family Life Office
Purpose of Grant
Amount
Replace steps from sacristy to church hall
Update parish and school phone system
Expansion of classroom libraries
Door entry system at our elementary school
Ongoing formation for permanent deacons
Update & enhance the outdoor learning garden
Catechetical program/training staff/purchasing materials
Upgrade the lighting & bathroom fixtures in the school
New furniture and up-grade TV set of PROCLAIM!
Purchase audience performance response system
To complete website and build a visitors welcome desk
Interior repairs to ceiling of church
to apply to our loan for our new church organ
To buy baby beds for the Mission’s Gabriel project
Purchase of an outdoor church sign
Paving of a small parking lot
Update our school library
Repairs to rectory
Upgrade church heating system
Replacement of main roof & steeples on church
Scholarships to help with tuition assistance at BMCHS
Outreach ministries in the local schools and community
Restoration of church bells
Install new Wifi throughout the school
Replace parish boiler & Burner in church
Create handicap accessibility to the church
Help to develop their STEM program
Purchase items to assist with marketing.
Create “Beds for Vets”
Funding of judgment of cases - additional staff/judges
Funding of Parish mission workshops, speakers, etc.
Vestments and retreats for diaconate candidates
Resource materials for parishes for the “Year of Mercy”
Scholarships for Camps “Z” and Timothy
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$2,500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
A recommendation was
made and then approved by the entire
Board of Trustees to offer two levels of
funding. While this almost doubled the
amount budgeted, Executive Director
Altoona Central Catholic School • $500
Door entry system at our elementary school
St. Peter School• $2,500
Expansion of classroom libraries
Bill Hiergeist agreed to move some
budget dollars around to help those
who applied. See the chart for the grant
recipients. The checks were sent to the
recipients earlier this year.
St. Matthew Church; Tyrone • $500
Restoration of church bells
Holy Spirit Parish; Lock Haven • $2,500
Catechetical program, training staff,
and purchasing materials
Discesan Family Life Office• $500
Scholarships for Camps “Z” and Timothy
Page 3
SUMMER 2016 - FOCUS
Donor advised funds:
These are individual endowments created with
provisions for the person(s) or family who created
the endowment to determine where the annual
distribution goes. The recipient or beneficiary may
change each year,or there may be multiple beneficiaries
with each distribution. A donor advised fund offers
the opportunity to easily create a low cost, flexible
method for charitable giving as an alternative to direct
giving or the costly and cumbersome private family
foundation. Donors receive maximum tax advantages
with the administrative duties and expenses passed
on to the holder of the endowment (ie: Independent
Catholic Foundation), and the donor may remain
anonymous if they choose to do so. Beneficiaries
of the annual distribution must be approved by the
Board of Trustees and must align with the teachings of
the Catholic Church.The Foundation Gift Acceptance
Committee encourages contributions of $25,000 or
more to begin a donor-advised fund, but will consider
minimum gift/pledge levels of $10,000 with limits to
the number of beneficiaries required annually.
A N N UA L AU D I T
The Foundation’s annual audit for fiscal year 20142015 was completed by the accounting firm of Young,
Oaks, Brown & Company. It was presented as a “clean
audit with no comments”. Please visit our web-site
at www.icfdaj.org to view their report. If you have
any questions, please contact the Foundation office at
(814) 201-2080 or via E-mail at [email protected]
Please Note
In all instances it is advisable to speak with legal counsel,
a Financial advisor and/or a tax consultant. No information
contained in this newsletter or on the Foundation website
should be considered legal advice.
Do You Value Catholic Education?
Last fall, the Foundation offered over $950,000 to support beneficiaries named
in 231 scholarships or endowments. Scholarship monies sent to Diocesan
High schools and public universities or colleges (including 6 seminarians)
totaled $267,021. This represents an amazing 106 scholarships that went
to the students of High Schools and students from parishes that offered
college scholarships. The recipients are chosen by the high-school or parish.
An additional $196,315 went to Diocesan elementary schools; the total for
Catholic education equaled $463,336, almost one-half of the Foundation’s
annual distribution went to support educational pursuits. It is almost
impossible to count the number of individual students and their families
who benefited from the generosity of those who created these scholarships.
Contributions to existing scholarships can be added to at any time in any
amount. To establish a scholarship in your family’s name (or someone who
you want to honor) requires a minimum of $10,000 and can be funded over
several years. Once established, it offers annual scholarships in perpetuity to the
school of the donor’s choice. Information is available at the Foundation office.
“Like” us on Facebook The Foundation has a Facebook page! Please “like” us on Facebook
and you will see periodic updates and current news. We have had a page for sometime, but we are
now working on adding content in a timelier manner. Please feel free to offer suggestions on what
you’d like to see. Search for “Independent Catholic Foundation”. “Like” us and follow along.
the Diocesan Church
Separate from, but committed to,
The Foundation is an independent entity – legally separate from the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown – committed to the long-term strength and viability of Catholic institutions within the eight-county diocese. The
Foundation is overseen by a board of trustees comprised of 17 lay men and women. The Diocese (as a legal
entity) and the Diocesan Bishop have no role in the management of the Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization [a public charity]. Endowment funds are owned by the Foundation and can not be
attached for Diocesan operating funds or any needs of the Diocese.
For more information:
Individuals, businesses, organizations or parishes are welcome to inquire about the Independent Catholic Foundation by
contacting any Trustee or our office. The Executive Director can be reached at the Foundation office.
Please visit our web-site at www.icfdaj.org
All inquires are held in the strictest confidence.
Bill Hiergeist, Executive Director (814) 201-2080 (814) 201-2092 (fax) (E-mail address) [email protected]
3618 Fifth Ave., Suite 1 • Altoona, PA 16602
Page 4
Question Corner
By Father Kenneth Doyle
The Internal Forum
Q. I receive, on a daily
basis, mailings from multiple
religious organizations requesting monetary help. Often they
include address labels, holy pictures, prayers cards, etc.
I feel guilty just trashing
them, so I collect them and when
the pile gets big, I mail it to one
of the organizations, hoping that
they will know how to dispose
of them. But this gets costly and,
as a senior citizen, I have a limited income. Please let me know
what I can do. (Cranbury, New
Jersey)
A. I know exactly what you
are talking about because I get
these mailings myself -- dozens
of them. What I do is this: Occasionally, if I like a particular
left andprayer card, I pull it out and keep
becameit for future reference. Once in a
mission-while, I send a small financial
ther classdonation if I think the organizathen ourtion is particularly worthy. But
from 35most of the time, I simply throw
ame law-the whole packet in the wastekers, onebasket.
company
Nearly always, the sponsorr and one
ing organization is doing worthy
work -- often missionary activity
-- and this is one of the few ways
they have of raising funds. But
you are certainly within your
rights, both legally and morally,
in disposing of the material. You
never requested these items, and
they are not blessed.
To expect the recipient,
especially an elderly person of
modest means, to bear the cost
of returning them would be unreasonable and unfair. (One alternative, I suppose, would be
to offer such items to your local
parish for use in their catechetical program, but you are not
bound to make that effort.)
What you might want to do
is to write a quick note to each of
the sending organizations saying
something like this, “I know that
you do good work, and I appreciate it, but I no longer wish to
receive mailings from your organization. Please remove my
name from your address list.”)
Q. Recently I attended a
youth Mass in another diocese,
prof who
olds that
e a vocad but we
be in the
Much to
d include
vocation
was.
of year,
religiousAn illiterate but intelligent French peasant girl, Joan was thrust
ing ordi-into the Hundred Years’ War by her “voices,” inner promptings
od. Theseurging her to save France from England and Burgundy. After
orders re-meeting the French dauphin and being examined by theologians,
, but nowshe led the army to victories at Orleans and Patay. Captured
later by the Burgundians, she was abandoned by the dauphin
val.
o walkedand sold to the English, who burned her at the stake for witchr a time,craft and heresy. Joan was rehabilitated by a papal commission
d laymenin 1456.
and sociays over
© 2016 Catholic News Service
God bless
God bless
mates.
Joan Of Arc
1412 - 1431
Feast - May 30
which was celebrated by an elderly priest, assisted by a deacon. The priest was evidently
infirm, and at Communion time,
the priest retired to a chair while
the Eucharist was distributed by
several of the students as well as
by the deacon.
The deacon, who was the
only ordained minister, held the
cup -- over toward one of the
side aisles. My understanding is
that, if both a priest and a deacon
are distributing Communion, the
priest is to offer the host, and the
deacon the chalice.
So in this case, with the
priest incapacitated, it seemed to
me that the only “ordinary” minister (the deacon) should have
distributed the consecrated host
-- and from the main aisle, the
most prominent position. Am I
being overly critical? (Albany,
New York)
A. Your question is a good
one, and I’m not sure there is a
simple and certain answer. The
guidelines of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for
Masses with a deacon say -- as
you point out -- that the deacon
“assists the priest celebrant in
distributing Communion, especially as minister of the precious
blood” and that “if Communion
is given under both kinds, the
deacon ministers the chalice.”
So it seems a logical extension -- in the situation you present -- that the deacon would distribute the host. But I’m not sure
that there is any firm rule to that
effect.
In our parish -- where, at
large weekend Masses the priest
is assisted by seven extraordinary ministers of holy Communion -- I occasionally choose to
hold one of the chalices as a way
demonstrating that the precious
blood is just as much the Eucharist as the host is.
Your mention of students
distributing Communion raises
this point I find interesting:
There is no universal church law
on a minimum age for extraordinary ministers; bishops are free
to set their own guidelines, and
dioceses in the U.S. vary widely
-- from 15 years of age to 25. All
agree that these should be regularly practicing Catholics who
are living a life consistent with
Catholic moral values.
Page 9
For The Journey
By Effie Caldarola
There Is Always
More To Give
Than We Think
In the great movie, “Schindler’s List,” there’s a scene near
the end that speaks poignantly to the heart of anyone who wants
to do good in the world.
The 1993 film tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German
businessman who, at the beginning of World War II, moves to Poland to make his fortune in the war-time industrial boom. He even
becomes a member of the Nazi party, not for ideological reasons,
but to grease the wheels for his business.
He’s allotted Jewish workers, basically slave labor on their
way to death in the camps, which enables him to make even
greater profits. But in one of history’s great conversion stories,
Schindler begins to see the humanity of his Jewish labor force,
and, at risk to his own life, begins to use his business to harbor
them. He essentially commits his large fortune to bribing officials
and buying his employees’ lives as he secretly defies the Nazis.
To be on Schindler’s employment list is to escape extermination.
“The list,” said one of the workers, “is life.”
At the movie’s end, we see Schindler as the Allied forces
close in, escaping his factory as his workers are liberated. He
fingers a diamond ring and cries bitter tears. With that ring, he
laments, he could have saved another life or two.
Few of us will find ourselves in the moral predicament that
Schindler faced. He literally knew that he could buy the lives of
his Jewish workers. In our troubled world, the suffering refugee or
the homeless man doesn’t come with a precise price tag. And yet,
each of us questions whether we do enough.
Many charities, in what is probably a great marketing device,
will tell you just what you can get for your donation. So many dollars feeds a family for a day, or pays a foreign student’s school
tuition for a month. So much money can buy so many life-saving
immunizations. As we write our check, how many of us feel a
certain pang? Should I, could I, do more?
We have so much, by the world’s standards. How much
should we give?
Christian stewardship calls us to recognize that everything
we have is a gift from God, and we yearn to return this generosity.
Stewardship is also about much beyond money. Like Schindler,
we must find ourselves experiencing a change of heart. Ultimately, stewardship is about conversion to a new way of life.
Still, few of us will shed our clothes in the public square like
Francis of Assisi and become a beggar for God. We all face
choices each day. When people asked a deacon friend of mine
questions about how much they should give, he would always
reply with a simple but very challenging answer: Give more.
Two things are important for Catholic stewardship: First, our
giving of time and talent should be planned and budgeted, and
should come off the top, not from what’s leftover at the end of the
month or year. Second, our giving should be sacrificial -- from our
essence, not just from our surplus.
We may think we’re on a tight budget -- who doesn’t? But if
I look closely at my spending or evaluate my use of time, I see
many places I could trim fat to give more.
If you’ve never seen “Schindler’s List,” the movie still resonates more than 20 years after its release, as does the 1982 book
by Thomas Keneally on which the movie is based. Both make us
wonder, what would I have done? And more important, can I do
more?
Page 10
ORDINATION DAY: Gathered at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona on Ordination Day, Saturday, May 14 were (left to right) Father Matthew Reese (director
of vocations), Deacon Peter Crowe, Deacon Jonathan Dickson, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak, Deacon Donald Gibboney and Deacon Michael Russo (director of diaconal formation). Deacon Gibboney was ordained a permanent deacon, and Deacons Crowe and Dickson were ordained transitional deacons. It is anticipated that they will be ordained to
the priesthood next summer, making them the first priests ordained for the Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown since 2011.
Bishop Reminds Deacons
They Are Called
To Ministry Of Service
(Continued From Page 1.)
Jesus further says in the
reading, “‘there is no greater gift
than to lay down one’s life for
one’s friends.’ Christ laid down
His life for us on the cross, so
that we may be lifted up and we
may help others to experience
that gift and blessing.”
PIANO ACCOMPANIST
NEEDED
Our Mother of Sorrows Church
Johnstown, PA
For Weekend Masses
Send Letter of Interest and
Recording to:
OMOS Music Director
415 Tioga Street
Johnstown, PA 15905,
or Call 814-535-7646, ext. 3 to
arrange an audition.
He reminded Jonathan,
Donald and Peter, that it is a
favorite theme of Pope Francis
that they serve God with joy and
this can be done according to the
example of the first and greatest disciple, the Blessed Virgin
Mary, whose spirit constantly
rejoiced in God, our Savior.
Bishop Mark reminded the
men to serve with joy “in a way
that others will know that like so
many saints who were deacons
in the Church, you are above
every suspicion, you are firmly
rooted in the faith, you are men
of prayer, you are a true minister
of Christ, and you are a person
of hope who leads others to discover the true meaning of hope
that comes from God.”
PROMISING OBEDIENCE: With his hands in those of the Bishop, Jonathan Dickson promises obedience to Bishop Mark L. Bartchak and to his successors.
Page 11
Bishop Mark told Donald,
Peter, and Jonathan they have
Pope Francis spoke of the been blessed with those gifts of
gifts of the Holy Spirit we re- the Holy Spirit. “Today you are
ceive through Baptism and Con- blessed through the sacrament
firmation. “The Pope said that a of Holy Orders as you are raised
charism is more than a talent or to deacon.
“I know that you are honpersonal quality,” Bishop Mark
ored to have been called to reexplained.
“It is a grace, a gift that God ceive this sacrament and to asgives through the Holy Spirit. sume the ministry of deacon,”
As a sign of God’s superabun- Bishop Mark said to the men.
“The truth is that we are all
dant love for His children, they
are rich and varied, yet each is honored today by your saying
meant to serve the building up of yes to God’s call to be a deacon,
the Church as a communion of and by answering that call with
your ears, with your voice, with
faith and love.”
your feet, and with your heart.”
LAYING ON OF HANDS: Laying his hands upon the head of Peter Crowe, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak
invokes the power of the Holy Spirit upon the candidate, and ordains him to the order of deacon.
mises obe-VESTED: Donald Gibboney was vested in the stole and dalmatic of a deacon by his wife, Cindy, during
the Ordination Mass.
SIGN OF PEACE: Newly - ordained Deacon Jonathan Dickson
shares the sign of peace with Bishop Mark L. Bartchak.
Bishop Mark reminded Deacons Crowe,
Dickson and Gibboney to serve with joy
“in a way that others will know that like
so many saints who were deacons in the
Church, you are above every suspicion,
you are firmly rooted in the faith, you are
men of prayer, you are a true minister of
Christ, and you are a person of hope who
leads others to discover the true meaning of hope that comes from God.”
Page 12
In The Alleghenies
Schools
Prayer
Math Competition
Outdoor Masses
Loretto: The tenth annual
24 Challenge math competition was held Friday, April 29 at
Saint Michael School.
Sixty students from schools
in the Altoona - Johnstown Diocese participated in the competition. Awards were given to the
top three students in each of five
different grade level categories.
Denise Nairn, a teacher at Saint
Benedict School in Johnstown,
organized the event. The award
winners are as follows:
Grade 4: 1st Place – Anthony Onguda – Saint Benedict,
Johnstown; 2nd Place – Grace
Wyandt – Saint Benedict, Johnstown; 3rd Place – R.J. Shayesteh – Our Mother Of Sorrows,
Johnstown.
Grade 5: 1st Place – Lauren Mucciola, Saint Benedict,
Johnstown; 2nd Place – Thomas
Urbain – All Saints Catholic,
Cresson; 3rd Place – Dominic
Yanoshak – Saint Thomas, Bedford.
Grade 6:
1st Place –
Alayna Przybys – All Saints
Catholic, Cresson; 2nd Place
– Emily Ream, Saint Benedict,
Johnstown; 3rd Place – Alex
Loretto: Father John D.
Byrnes, rector, and the parish family of Saint Michael the
Archangel Basilica, invite the
faithful to take part in an outdoor Mass to be celebrated each
Sunday through Labor Day
weekend, September 4 at 7:00
p.m. at the Shrine of Our Lady
of the Alleghenies.
Please bring a lawn chair.
In the event of inclement
weather, the Mass will be held
in the Basilica of Saint Michael
the Archangel.
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QUEEN OF ARCHANGELS: Celebrating Confirmation at Queen of Archangels Parish, Clarence/
Snow Shoe on Friday, April 1 were (left to right) Justin Kobularcik, Luke Jozefick, Julia Cingle, Kyle
Vangor and Austin Young. Father Mark Reid is pastor.
RESURRECTION: Celebrating Confirmation at Resurrection Parish, Johnstown, were (left to right)
First row: Collin Dean, Tessa Weeks, Kayla Rager, Matthew Young. Second row: Timothy Rubal,
Lindsay Selan, Emily Facci, Kimberly Rager and Hunter Dryzal. Father George Gulash is pastor.
Williams – Saint Andrew, Johnstown.
Grade 7: 1st Place – Jack
Majercsik – Saint Benedict,
Johnstown; 2nd Place – Victoria Delich – Saint Andrew,
Johnstown; 3rd Place – Mason
Beiswenger – Saint Michael,
Loretto.
Grade 8: 1st Place – Wyatt
Kosicki, Saint Michael, Loretto;
2nd Place – Max Smith, Saint
Benedict, Johnstown; 3rd Place
– Sara Muriceak – All Saints
Catholic, Cresson.
Vocations
Quo Vadis Days
Loretto: The Diocese of
Altoona - Johnstown and the
Third Order Regular Franciscan
Friars of the Sacred Heart Province are teaming up to hold a Vocations event.
“Quo Vadis Days” will be
held at Saint Francis University
Sunday July 17 to Wednesday
July 20.
“Quo Vadis,” or “Where are
you going”, is a retreat that oc-
curs in many Dioceses. It is a retreat for men that covers talks on
prayer, discernment, marriage,
priesthood, and religious life
while offering a lot of time for
recreation and prayer. It will be
staffed by the priests and seminarians of the diocese and the
Franciscan Third Order Regular
Friars from Saint Francis University.
This event is for men ages
18 and older.
For more information contact Father Matthew Reese, diocesan director of vocations at
(814) 695 - 5579.
Page 13
HEALING WORDS: Following Bishop Mark’s homily, the priests in attendance at the Prayer Service for Victims and Survivors of Sexual Abuse dispersed throughout the
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament to offer words of healing and compassion to listeners, and to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance or the Sacrament of the Sick. Bishop Mark
(photo at left) spent time in quiet conversation with one man, while Father Leonard Voytek (photo at right) offered absolution to a penitent. Professional counselors were also
in attendance at all three services for those seeking their aid.
‘A Lot Of People Are Hurting,’ Says Bishop At Service
“We place ourselves before
the great Sacrament where there
is refreshment and love.
“We gather in the name of
Christ, who is light and strength
for all, for ever and ever.
“Amen.”
The service in Altoona was
the second of three held in the
Diocese. The first took place
Monday, May 16 at Saint Andrew Church in Johnstown, and
the third on Thursday, May 19 at
Our Lady of Victory Church in
State College. Bishop Mark had
promised at a Thursday, March
3 press conference following
the release of the Pennsylvania
Attorney General’s release of a
Grand Jury report on the sexual
abuse of children in the Diocese
of Altoona - Johnstown, that
such prayer services would be
held.
The service was held within
the context of adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. The Litany of Penance
was followed by the chanting of
Psalms, and the reading of verses 25 - 30 of the eleventh chapter
of Saint Matthew’s gospel by diocesan vicar general Father Alan
Thomas.
“At that time Jesus said in
reply, ‘I give praise to you, Fa-
ther, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden
these things from the wise and
the learned, you have revealed
them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been
handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the
Father, and no one knows the
Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to
reveal him.
“‘Come to me, all you who
labor and are burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you and learn from me, for
I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden light.”
Bishop Mark then gave a
homily in which he shared a
memory from a time when he
was asked to preach at the funeral of three young persons who
had been killed in an automobile accident. A mourner came
up to him at the wake and asked
“What can you possibly say at a
time like this?”
“The woman who asked
me that question reminded me
at that time that a lot of people
were hurting.
“As we gather this evening
I am aware that a lot of people
are hurting and have been hurt-
ing because children and young
people have been sexually
abused by clergy and religious
as well as by others.
“We must continue our efforts to safeguard children and
young people.
“And we need to assist
those who are hurting; not just
the survivors, but their families
and others in our parishes and
communities who share their
pain.”
Bishop Mark acknowledged
that the Lord’s words in Saint
Mark’s gospel “are hard to accept for people whose faith has
been shattered; people who are
angry; people who are emotionally and spiritually disoriented.
“Many have told me that it
is nearly impossible to hear any
words, much less accept them as
real signs of hope.”
The Bishop said that when
the prayer services were announced many asked him what
that mourner had asked so many
years ago: “What can you possibly say at a time like this?”
That question, he said, was
one understood by Mary, the
Mother of Jesus as she stood at
the cross of her Son.
Bishop Mark referenced a
1941 book by John W. Lynch, A
Woman Wrapped In Silence.
In one chapter, Lynch focuses on
Mary at the cross. “One of the
most powerful dimensions of
that reflection is not what Mary
said, but what she did not say,”
Bishop Mark stated. Mary stood
in silence at the cross, and “other spiritual writers besides John
Lynch have explained that the
description of that scene demonstrates that without words, Mary
did two things: she prayed and
she wept.”
Mary models our response
at a time when words fail, the
Bishop explained.
“Prayer can take the form of
listening. It’s the form of prayer
of the Blessed Virgin Mary as
she stood by the cross, listening
to the last spoken words of her
son, Jesus.”
And Jesus, Himself, “is listening to us and He reminds us
that this is an important time for
us to listen.
“You might be thinking,
what are we listening for, and
how long must we listen?,” he
continued.
“We are certainly listening
for the Lord Jesus, but tonight
we are also listening for those
who suffer, those who are in
need of healing.”
Explaining that priests and
professional counselors would
be available in the body of the
church to listen to any who
sought them out, Bishop Mark
spoke of the pain felt by many.
“I would not dare to presume to express how anyone
feels about the descriptions of
child abuse in our Diocese that
have been publicized.
“Many have told me that
they have cried as they read
about or listened to the stories.
“Many have told me that
they have prayed and they have
wept; for themselves, or for a
family member or friend.
“For all of this I am sorry.
On behalf of the Church, I apologize for the pain, the heartache,
the hurt, the suffering that has
occurred.”
And, the Bishop concluded,
“May God show His merciful
love. May God teach us how to
begin a journey toward hope and
healing.
“May our Mother of Mercy
pray for us, as we pray for one
another.”
The service ended with a
prayer for healing for victims of
abuse, which said, in part:
“Be the refuge and guardian
of all who suffer from abuse and
violence. Comfort them from
bitterness and shame and refresh them with Your love. Heal
the brokenness in all victims of
abuse and revive the spirits of
all who lament this sin. Help us
to follow Jesus in drawing good
from evil, life from death . . .
“Amen.”
Page 14
Now Showing
‘Last Days’ Only For
The Catechized
By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -“Who do you say that I am?” As
has often been pointed out, this
question -- originally posed by
Jesus to the 12 Apostles -- is in
fact a decisive inquiry directed
by the Savior at each and every
human being.
In crafting his thoughtful, but ultimately unsatisfying, religious drama “Last Days
in the Desert” (Broad Green),
writer-director Rodrigo Garcia
attempts to sidestep this crucial
issue of identity. His respectful
ambivalence toward his possibly
divine -- but possibly merely human -- protagonist not only undercuts the film’s appeal for believers, it creates some aesthetic
confusion as well.
The script embroiders on
the biblical story of Jesus’ 40
days spent fasting and praying
in the desert. Toward the end of
that period, Garcia imagines an
encounter between the Lord -here called by his Hebrew name,
Yeshua, and played by Ewan
McGregor -- and a family of
wilderness dwellers.
Oppressed by prolonged
solitude and by God’s apparent
absence -- the first line of dialogue is his plaintive cry, “Father, where are you?” -- Yeshua,
though initially wary of human
contact, finds temporary relief
in his interaction with the clan.
Yet, as he becomes emotionally
invested in their problems, the
situation grows more complicated and the tone darker.
The unnamed trio of relatives faces difficulties both spiritual and physical. The Father
(Ciaran Hinds) and his teen son
(Tye Sheridan) are in conflict
over the lad’s future, while the
Mother (Ayelet Zurer) is beset
by an unidentified illness that
seems certain to prove fatal.
Yeshua tries to reconcile
the uncommunicative dad with
his ambitious child. The latter’s
Sunday Mass
Broadcast Live from
the Cathedral of
the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona
10:00 a.m. WFBG Radio, 1290 AM
Sunday Mass Telecast
Live from Saint John Gualbert Cathedral
Downtown Johnstown
11 a.m. - Noon WATM - TV ABC Channel 23
Proclaim!
10:30 a.m.
A half - hour of local Church news and features
CNS Photo/Broad Green Pictures
LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT: Ewan McGregor stars as Jesus in a scene from the movie “Last Days
in the Desert.” The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for
children under 13.
longing to immerse himself in
the wonders of urban life by
leaving the wasteland behind
and moving to Jerusalem clouds
his genuine love for his affectionate but controlling father.
The parallels between this
oedipal face-off and Yeshua’s
unstable relations with his heavenly Father are one of the movie’s more obvious themes. Issues
of mortality and loss, meanwhile, are highlighted as Mom’s
strong personality struggles to
shine through her failing frame
-- and as her husband contemplates his future without her.
Watching all of this with
mocking spite, and doing his
best to sow doubt in Yeshua’s
mind concerning his fitness for
his impending mission, is the
Devil (also McGregor) who
manifests himself as his adversary’s double.
Moviegoers well versed
in the Scriptures will find Garcia’s bobbing and weaving, as
he struggles to avoid taking a
definitive stand on his lead’s
true nature, both confusing and
frustrating. Yeshua stoutly upholds his unique status as Son of
God in the face of Satan’s challenge on that score. Yet, in glaring contrast with the Jesus of the
Gospels, he fails to contradict
the Father’s weary denial of an
afterlife.
Similarly, a moment of
compelling, if unspoken, epiphany during which a character
seems to perceive Yeshua’s divinity is followed by a crucifixion and burial sequence that
remains mute on the pivotal subject of the Resurrection.
While few of the usual redflag elements are present, this
unsettled outlook on one of the
most vital tenets of the Christian
faith makes “Last Days in the
Desert” inappropriate fare for all
but well-catechized grownups.
They’ll find the picture’s
striking cinematography and its
cast’s high level of artistic commitment offset by a sluggishly
paced plot that fails to evoke as
much interest in viewers as it
does in the central figure about
whom its primary creator remains so resolutely irresolute.
The film contains religious
themes requiring mature discernment, brief partial nudity
and momentary scatological humor. The Catholic News Service
classification is A-III -- adults.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13
-- parents strongly cautioned.
Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Coming Up On ‘Proclaim!’
Upcoming guests on “Keeping The Faith,” Bishop
Mark L. Bartchak’s segment of “Proclaim!” will include:
June 5 - - Two Lock Haven Catholic School students
talk about their success at a recent statewide Technology Student Association competition.
June 12 - - Monsignor David Lockard, pastor of Holy
Name Parish in Ebensburg, joins the Bishop to talk
about his parish as it celebrates its 200th anniversary.
May
They Rest
In Peace
Sister Anne Frances
Pulling R.S.M.
Sister Anne Frances Pulling, formerly known as Sister
stic comluggishly
evoke as
wers as it
ure about
eator resolute.
religious
ture disal nudity
ogical hus Service
-- adults.
Associais PG-13
autioned.
inapproer 13.
Mary Lucina, a member of the
Mid - Atlantic community of the
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, died Saturday, May 14 at
Mercy Center, Dallas. She was
85.
She was born July 9, 1930
in Central Islip, NY., a daughter of the late Josiah and Mary
(Mernin) Pulling. Sister Anne
Frances graduated from Saint
Joseph Academy, Brentwood
NY, and received a bachelor of
arts degree in education from
Misericordia University, Dallas, and a master’s degree from
Fordham University, New York
City, in 1968.
Sister Anne Frances entered
the Sisters of Mercy in Dallas
on September 8, 1948 and professed her vows on March 12,
1951. She taught in elementary
schools in Rockville Center,
Brooklyn, Altoona - Johnstown
and Harrisburg. She was a member of the faculty of Mount
Aloysius College, Cresson.
In addition to her ministry
in education, Sister Anne Frances was the author of 12 books
published by Arcadia. These
books contained the local history of the towns where she
taught. She was also the author
of the history of the Sisters of
Mercy of Loretto – Cresson.
Sister Anne Frances was
preceded in death by her sister,
Almira and brother Ezra.
She is survived by her godchild, Rita Meinken; several
cousins from New York and Ireland; and the Sisters of Mercy.
The Funeral Mass for Sister
Anne Frances Pulling R.S.M.
was celebrated Tuesday, May
17 in the Chapel of the Blessed
Sacrament at Mercy Center,
Dallas. Committal was at All
Saints/Saint John of God Cemetery, Central Islip NY.
Memorial
contributions
may be made to: Sisters of Mercy, P.O. Box 370, Dallas, PA
18612.
Jubilee Year of Mercy
Italy Pilgrimage
CANONIZATION OF MOTHER TERESA
August 29 – September 8, 2016
Cardinal Coppa Dies At 90
VATICAN CITY (CNS)
-- Cardinal Giovanni Coppa, an
expert Latinist and former nuncio, died May 16 at the age of
90.
Pope Francis, in a condolence message May 17, said the
cardinal had “lived with fidelity
his long and fruitful priesthood
and episcopacy at the service of
the Gospel and the Holy See. I
recall with gratitude his generous and competent work as
a steadfast collaborator of six
popes, my predecessors, who
entrusted him with delicate and
important offices.”
Born in Alba, Italy, Nov.
9, 1925, he was ordained to the
priesthood in 1949. After studies
at the Catholic University of Milan, he began working at the Vatican in what was known as the
Apostolic Chancery. The office
was responsible for drafting, in
Latin, formal papal documents,
such as those for canonizations
and beatifications or those marking the establishment of new
dioceses or announcing pontifical honors.
He served as a Latinist at
the Second Vatican Council
and later worked in the Vatican
Secretariat of State, which had
taken over the duties of the Apostolic Chancery.
Late in 1979, St. John Paul
II named him an archbishop and
personally ordained him a bishop in early 1980. He served as
nuncio first to Czechoslovakia
and then to the Czech Republic
from 1990 until 2001, when he
retired.
Pope Benedict XVI had
made him a cardinal in 2007.
Cardinal Coppa’s death
leaves the College of Cardinals
with 214 members.
ITINERARY
Monday, August 29 – Day 1 – DEPART USA – Today we begin our journey by
boarding our luxury coach from the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown to Dulles airport where we take an
overnight flight to London aboard a wide-bodied jet connecting to Pisa. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and
breakfast aloft.
Tuesday, August 30 – Day 2 –PISA/MONTECATINI – At midday we arrive in Pisa where we are met by our Unitours
Dear Friends
This Year of Mercy is a time for us to join with one another in prayer and good deeds
that reflect the infinite mercy of God to our world.
This year also gives us the opportunity to gain a Jubilee Year Indulgence, by traveling to
Rome and walking through the Holy Doors at each of the four major
basilicas. This is an opportunity to receive special graces from
our Lord.
The Catholic Register is happy to be sponsoring a special
pilgrimage to Rome and other holy shrines in Italy during
the Jubilee Year of Mercy. I look forward to welcoming
you to this holy journey, and praying with you at the sites
that are so special to our life of faith.
May God’s Mercy be
abundant in your lives!
Monsignor Timothy P. Stein
Editor
THIS PILGRIMAGE INCLUDES:
Round trip airfare on British Airways
Breakfast and dinner per itinerary
Specially selected hotel accommodations
Air-conditioned motor coach
Departure tax and current fuel charge
For Information & Reservations Contact:
Marianna at UNITOURS 1-800-777-7432
Or Monsignor Tim Stein at the Catholic Register
925 South Logan Blvd, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Telephone: 814 695 7563 - Email: [email protected]
Have questions about this pilgrimage? Ask us! Go to www.Unitours.com/questions.
Unitours will provide the travel arrangements for this tour. You will discover joining us is a wise choice,
given Unitours’ extensive worldwide reputation for quality tours since 1957. Under the same American ownership
since its founding, Unitours maintains close partners in Tel Aviv, Athens, Italy and London. Unitours has
arranged for your transfers, hotels, meals, air-conditioned motor coach, English-speaking guides of the highest
quality, sites for your Masses and other services along the way and every detail. You can rest assured that Unitours’
financial security, attention to detail and high standard of service will assure you the most memorable travel
experience.
Page 15
representative and board our motorcoach. We travel to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower and enjoy lunch on our own before we
continue to nearby Montecatini, a beautiful spa town. The balance of the day is at leisure to stroll through the inviting streets of this
charming town. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Wednesday, August 31 – Day 3 – FLORENCE – After breakfast we drive to Florence where we visit the Academia Gallery,
to view Michelangelo’s famous “David” and many other tremendous works of art. We continue to the Duomo, to celebrate Mass in the
heart of the city. We will admire the cupola by Brunelleschi, completed in 1240, and its campanile by Giotto. Once outside we view
the Baptistery’s with its incomparable bronze doors by Ghiberti. Afterwards, we set out to the Piazza della Signoria, dominated by
the Palazzo Vecchio and its embattlement crowned tower. Across from the Palace, we visit the Loggia dei Lanzi with the statues of
the Perseus by Cellini; Giambologna’s the “Rape of the Sabines” and “Hercules.” Following free time for lunch on our own, shopping
on the Ponte Vecchio and personal adventure – we visit the Basilica of Santa Croce. Among the most famous interred here, lie
Galileo, Rossini, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. We conclude our day in Florence with a drive to the “Piazzale Michelangelo” for a panoramic
view of this spectacular city. Return to hotel in Montecatini for dinner and overnight.
Thursday, September 1 – Day 4 – MONTECATINI/ SIENA/ASSISI – This morning, we journey through the Italian
countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets. After we celebrate Mass at the
Dominican Church commemorating St. Catherine, we walk down to the famous Piazza del Campo. This shell shaped square is the
dramatic setting for the annual Palio bareback horserace. The piazza’s focal point is the Palazzo Pubblico, the public palace, which dates
back to 1250. We continue uphill to visit the monumental Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Free time for lunch and browsing. In the
afternoon we continue south through Umbria to the hilltop village of Orvieto to visit its magnificent Cathedral and pay homage to the
Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena. We will have some free time to explore this quaint hilltop town and taste their famous olive oil and wine! Then
we continue to Assisi the home of Saint Francis. Our first stop is in the lower town for a visit to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, and the
Portiuncula, Francis’ Church of the Little Portion. Continue to the upper village for dinner and overnight at our Assisi hotel.
Friday, September 2 – Day 5 – ASSISI – This morning, we begin at the Basilica of St. Francesco with Mass. After our visit of the
Basilica and the tomb of St. Francis, we begin our walking tour of the village. Included, is a visit to the Church of St. Clare to view the crucifix that
spoke to St. Francis. We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, we can enjoy this picturesque, peaceful
hillside village on our own. Dinner and overnight at our Assisi hotel.
Saturday, September 3 – Day 6 – ASSISI/ROME – This morning, we depart Assisi and travel south to Rome where we tour her sites,
including the Basilica of St. Mary Major where we walk through the Holy Door opened for this Jubilee Year of Mercy. We continue to the nearby
Church of St. Peter in Chains to view Michelangelo’s possibly most celebrated sculpture, the “Moses.” Afterwards, we see the nearby Roman Fora
passing the Arch of Constantine, the Coliseum, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Dinner and overnight at Rome hotel.
Sunday, September 4 – Day 7 – ROME /CANONIZATION MASS – Transfer to St. Peter’s for Canonization Mass of Mother Teresa.
Free afternoon. Optional transfer back to hotel on foot or by bus. We will be free to enjoy the culinary delights of Rome tonight as dinner is on our
own. Overnight Rome.
Monday, September 5 – Labor Day – DAY 8 – ROME – This morning we visit Vatican City where we see the treasures of the
Vatican Museum. We marvel at Michelangelo’s restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the wonders of St. Peter’s where we pass through the
Holy Door. This afternoon, we visit the Holy Stairs and pass through the Holy Door at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. We continue to St. Paul
Outside the Walls. This huge, imposing Basilica, second only to St. Peter’s is one of the largest churches in the Christian world, contains an unusual
gallery of papal portraits: 265 tablets portraying the Popes of the past. We pass through our final set of Holy Doors here. We conclude our day at
one of the Catacombs, burial place of early Christians. We celebrate Mass here and view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings. Dinner and
overnight at Rome hotel.
Tuesday, September 6 – Day 9 – ROME FREE DAY – Today is a free day for personal adventure. Optional excursions will be
offered. Dinner on our own tonight. Overnight at our Rome hotel
Wednesday, September 7 – Day 10 – ROME – This morning, we make our way to St. Peter’s for an audience with
Pope Francis if he is in residence. This afternoon we are free to further enjoy this fascinating city. We will have our farewell
dinner tonight in Trastevere area including wine. We will enjoy a stop at the Trevi fountain to throw a coin into the fountain
and promise one day to return to the Eternal City. Overnight at our Rome hotel.
Thursday, September 8 – Day 11 – RETURN TO U.S. – Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.
We return by coach from Dulles to the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
Page 16
SIGN OF PENANCE: As a sign of penance for the sin of the sexual abuse of children, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak lay prostrate before the altar of the Cathedral of the Blessed
Sacrament in Altoona, Tuesday, May 17, during the second of three diocesan services of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Sexual Abuse. Approximately 90 people attended
the Altoona service. As the Bishop lay prostrate, the service opened with the chanting of a Litany of Penance.
‘What Can You Possibly Say At A Time Like This?’
Bishop Expresses Sorrow At Prayer Services For
Victims And Survivors Of Sexual Abuse
Photos And Text
By Msgr. Timothy P. Stein
those abused, I state our sorrow
for the trespasses against your
loved ones.”
“To the victims and survivors of sexual abuse by our clergy, I apologize in the name of the
Church. To the families, fathers,
mothers, brothers and sisters of
With those humble words,
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak descended from the pulpit of the
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona and lay prostrate on the floor before the altar.
PERIODICAL RATE MAIL
As the Bishop, clad in a simple
white alb and a purple, penitential stole lay quietly, a Litany of
Penance was chanted by a cantor
and the approximately 90 members of the congregation gathered on Tuesday, May 17.
The invocations rolled out
over the vast Cathedral in an
unbroken song: “Mercy of God,
font of wholeness for the broken, Lord have mercy . . . Mercy
of God, strength of hurt souls,
Christ have mercy . . . Mercy of
God, center of safeguarding our
children and youth, Lord have
mercy.” And as the solemn cadences died away, the Bishop
rose to lift his voice in prayer:
“God, we pray for victims
and survivors of sexual abuse by
clergy. We pray for healing. We
acknowledge the pain of what
has been stolen and broken.
Sinfulness has caused great suffering.
The Catholic
Register
Official Publication of the
Diocese of Altoona - Johnstown

The Catholic - Diocese of Altoona

Transcription

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