Category Archives: Columnists

Initiative 42 offers positive step forward for education

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Complete the circle
By George Evans
Most of my ministry at St. Richard Parish is adult formation, particularly in the area of Catholic Social Teachings and related subjects, and outreach programs, such as St. Vincent de Paul, visits to the home bound, Operation Shoestring summer program and tutoring middle school students. In each of these efforts I am struck by three main problems: poverty, family breakdowns and woeful education.
Most of what I do along with the others who work with me creates interface with all three problems daily. Poverty and family breakdown, particularly the needs of single parent families, are huge problems in need of consistent effort, dedication and prayer from individuals, churches and government at every level if we are to succeed.
These challenges are complex, difficult and demanding and beyond my ability to offer short range solutions other than to work hard in all of the help programs available through church and community. We all need to bring Gospel values with us on a daily basis into the streets where we live with Christ’s compassion to those poor and marginalized. This is what Pope Francis calls us to do and what he challenged our Congress and the United Nations to do.
Woeful public education is something we in Mississippi have generally been plagued with as long as I can remember. Approximately 90 percent of the students in Mississippi prior to college age are in public schools.  Burdened with the aftermath of segregation, agrarian poverty, lack of interest and political conflict, we have never funded education properly and the results show it. We have hovered at or near the bottom of per student expenditure and academic accomplishment in our public schools.
The concomitant economic impact is not surprising. We have hovered at or near the bottom of every economic indicator for years to the detriment of every citizen in the state. There cannot be any serious question that education and economic success, growth and development are related. We either all rise together or we sink together.
Unlike the problem areas of poverty and family breakdowns, there is a very simple concrete action concerning education available to all of us of voting age on Nov. 3. Approximately 200,000 Mississippians signed petitions to address the funding inadequacies by the Legislature of public education.
In 1997 the Legislature passed the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) requiring them to fund public education according to a formula approved by the Legislature. Since that time the Legislature has followed the law it passed only two out of 18 years. This failure to fully fund MAEP was the motivating cause for the petitions requiring a constitutional amendment mandating proper funding of public education.
Significant opposition has arisen to the initiative (Proposition 42) from the Governor, Lt. Governor and many legislators. Argument is made that if passed, Prop 42 will take spending authority away from local school districts and place authority in the hands of a Hinds County judge. Supporters of  Prop 42, including former Supreme Court Justice George Carlson who has studied Prop 42 emphatically deny that position.
The procedure for legal enforcement of Prop 42, if passed, would begin by suit in Hinds Chancery Court but almost certainly be ultimately decided by the Mississippi Supreme Court because of the importance of such decision. Opponents of Prop 42 have proposed Prop 42A instead. As I understand that proposition, if passed, would basically leave everything as is. Had MAEP been funded annually, as expected, there would have been no need for Prop 42. Prop 42A is not a solution.
Many prominent supporters of education in the state, including Jim Barksdale, have helped fund the effort to pass Prop 42 on Nov. 3. Barksdale, former CEO of Netscape and COO of Federal Express and a leading philanthropist in our state, has spent millions supporting reading programs in public schools and establishing the Barksdale Honor College at the University of Mississippi.
He recently conveyed his strong support of Prop 42 because “all else has failed” and the Legislature has shown it will not follow what it previously enacted in MAEP in all but two of the 18 years since its passage.
I urge each of you to prayerfully consider your vote on November 3. We have a concrete real opportunity to embrace our Catholic Social Teachings on supporting the common good. We have a concrete simple way to help our young people prepare better for a high tech world and thereby get a better job, provide for a better family life and take a step away from or further away from poverty if that is where they now find themselves.
Its the right thing to do and I believe its what the Lord and His gospel call us to do.
(George Evans is a pastoral minister at Jackson St. Richard Parish.)

Sus gestos y palabras arderán en nuestros corazónes

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Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
La visita pastoral del Papa Francisco a los Estados Unidos fue un torbellino de visitas a los más poderosos en sus respectivos ámbitos y a los débiles en su realidad diaria. El Cardenal Jorge Mario Bergoglio de Buenos Aires, Argentina, estaba acostumbrado a encontrarse casi a diario con los pobres y las personas de influencia en su arquidiócesis y se encontraba como en su casa en las villas o en  los barrios de Argentina, donde por lo regular caminaba, oraba y alentaba a las personas que vivían en los márgenes de la París de América Latina.
Por lo tanto, cuando escogió servir una cena en un comedor cercano en la ciudad de Washington, D.C., en vez de almorzar con los miembros del Congreso de los Estados Unidos – no era una oportunidad para que le tomaran fotografías – como sería el caso de muchos funcionarios públicos, sino más bien una gracia de espontaneidad que es parte de su carácter y de su Evangelio ADN. Es una extensión del abrazo de San Francisco de Asís al leproso cuando no había nadie por allí con una cámara.
Los gestos y las palabras del Papa Francisco arderán en nuestros corazones, mentes e imaginación en los próximos años. Quiero ofrecer una selección de su sabiduría que trasciende la política y la ideología.

Inmigración
“Como hijo de una familia de inmigrantes, estoy feliz de ser un huésped en este país, el cual fue construido en gran parte por estas familias. Espero con interés en estos días de encuentro y de diálogo escuchar y compartir muchas de las esperanzas y los sueños del pueblo americano”. La inmigración fue un tema que se repitió a lo largo de todos sus discursos y homilías durante sus cinco días  en nuestro país. Al final de su discurso a los obispos de Estados Unidos en la Catedral San Mateo, el Papa Francisco concluyó su homilía con un pedido a un encuentro y acompañamiento al inmigrante con dignidad y respeto.

LIBERTAD RELIGIOSA
“Señor  Presidente, junto con sus compatriotas, los católicos estadounidenses están comprometidos a  construir una sociedad que sea verdaderamente tolerante e inclusiva de salvaguardar los derechos de los individuos y las comunidades y de rechazar toda forma de discriminación injusta. Con muchas otras personas de buena voluntad, también están preocupados de que los esfuerzos por construir una sociedad justa, ordenada y prudente  respeten sus profundas preocupaciones y sus derechos a la libertad religiosa. Esa libertad sigue siendo una de las más preciadas posesiones en América. Y como mis hermanos obispos de Estados Unidos, nos han recordado, que todos estamos llamados a estar vigilantes, precisamente como buenos ciudadanos, a fin de preservar y defender esa libertad de todo lo que la amenace o la comprometa”.
El Papa Francisco empezó su discurso en el Jardín de las Rosas con este tema fundamental de la libertad religiosa y está claro que él ha estado al tanto de la lucha de la iglesia en los últimos tiempos. El podría haber añadido también que la libertad religiosa está resguardada en la Primera Enmienda de nuestra querida constitución, la piedra angular de nuestra sociedad.

El camino al encuentro, al diálogo
Homilía en la Catedral San Mateo a los obispos.
“El camino que tenemos por delante es el diálogo entre ustedes, el diálogo en su presbiterio, el diálogo con los laicos, el diálogo con las familias, el diálogo con la sociedad… De lo contrario fallamos en comprender la forma de pensar de los demás o de realizar profundamente que el hermano o hermana que deseamos alcanzar y rescatar con el poder y la cercanía del amor, cuentan más de sus posiciones, distantes como pueden ser de lo que entendemos como verdadero y cierto.
“Un lenguaje cruel y divisivo no es propio de la lengua de un pastor, no tiene lugar en su corazón. A pesar de que momentáneamente pareciera ganar el día, sólo el perdurable encanto de la bondad y el amor sigue siendo verdaderamente convincente”. El Papa Francisco en estas palabras ofrece una excelente catequesis de 1Pedro 3:15, para hablar con humildad y respeto, y en Efesios 4:15 para hablar la verdad en el amor.

La responsabilidad de los Congresistas
“Cada hijo o hija de un país tiene una misión, una responsabilidad personal y social. Su responsabilidad, como miembros del Congreso, es permitir que este país, por su actividad legislativa, crezca como una nación. Ustedes son la cara de su gente, sus representantes. Ustedes están llamados a defender y a preservar la dignidad de los conciudadanos en la incansable y exigente búsqueda del bien común ya que es el objetivo principal de todos los políticos. Una sociedad política perdura cuando busca, como una vocación, satisfacer necesidades comunes, estimulando el crecimiento de todos sus miembros, especialmente los que están en situación de mayor vulnerabilidad o riesgo. La actividad legislativa se basa siempre en el cuidado de las personas. A esto ustedes han sido invitados y convocados por aquellos que los eligieron”.
El Papa Francisco habló como el Jefe de Estado del Vaticano, pero aun más como una voz moral y espiritual en la plaza pública a nuestros funcionarios electos. Imagínense si todos los responsables del bien común en virtud de su cargo caminan el noble camino de la vocación y el servicio.

En la familia
La fe abre una “ventana” a la presencia y acción del espíritu. Nos muestra que, como la felicidad, la santidad está siempre ligada a pequeños gestos. “Quien da un vaso de agua en mi nombre – un pequeño gesto – no dejará de recibir recompensa”, dice Jesús (cf.  Marcos 9:41). Estos pequeños gestos son los que aprendemos en el hogar, en la familia; se pierden en medio de todas las otras cosas que hacemos y hacen cada día diferente.
Son las cosas tranquilas que hacen las madres y las abuelas, los padres y los abuelos, los niños, los hermanos. Son pequeños signos de ternura, afecto y compasión. Como la cena caliente que esperamos por la noche, el almuerzo temprano que espera alguien que se levanta temprano para ir a trabajar. Gestos hogareños. Como una bendición antes de ir a la cama, o un abrazo después de regreso a casa tras un duro día de trabajo.
Las cosas pequeñas muestran su amor, la atención a los pequeños signos diarios que nos hacen sentir como en casa. La fe crece cuando es vivida y formada por el amor. Es por ello que nuestras familias, nuestros hogares, son verdaderas iglesias domésticas. Son el lugar adecuado para que la fe se convierta en vida y la vida crece en la fe.
En conclusión, el Papa Francisco exhorta a que la sabiduría de la vida de familia bien vivida es vital para nuestro mundo de hoy. “El Evangelio de la familia es verdaderamente ‘buenas noticias’ en un mundo donde el interés por sí mismo parece reinar”.
(NOTA DEL EDITOR: Lea la columna de esta semana en la pag. 3 de la edición en inglés)

El papa habló con acciones y con palabras

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Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
La visita pastoral del Papa Francisco a los Estados Unidos fue un torbellino de visitas a los más poderosos en sus respectivos ámbitos y a los débiles en su realidad diaria. El Cardenal Jorge Mario Bergoglio de Buenos Aires, Argentina, estaba acostumbrado a encontrarse casi a diario con los pobres y los de influencia en su arquidiócesis, y se encontraba como en su casa en las villas o en  los barrios de Argentina, donde por lo regular caminaba, oraba y alentaba a las personas que vivían en los márgenes de la París de América Latina.
Por lo tanto, cuando escogió servir una cena en un comedor cercano en la ciudad de Washington, D.C., en vez de almorzar con los miembros del Congreso de los Estados Unidos – no era una oportunidad para que le tomaran fotografías–  como sería el caso de muchos funcionarios públicos, sino más bien una gracia de espontaneidad que es parte de su carácter y de su Evangelio ADN. Es una extensión del de abrazo de San Francisco de Asís al leproso cuando no había nadie por allí con una cámara.
Los gestos y las palabras del Papa Francisco arderán en nuestros corazones, mentes e imaginación en los próximos años. Para el resto de esta columna quiero ofrecer una selección de su sabiduría que trasciende la política y la ideología.

Inmigración
“Como hijo de una familia de inmigrantes, estoy feliz de ser un huésped en este país, el cual fue construido en gran parte por estas familias. Espero con interés que estos días de encuentro y de diálogo, en los cuales espero escuchar y compartir muchas de las esperanzas y los sueños del pueblo americano”. La inmigración fue un tema que se repitió a lo largo de todos sus discursos y homilías durante sus cinco días completos en nuestro país. Al final de su discurso a los obispos de Estados Unidos en la Catedral San Mateo, el Papa Francisco concluyó su homilía con un pedido a un encuentro y acompañamiento al inmigrante con dignidad y respeto.

LIBERTAD RELIGIOSA
“Señor  Presidente, junto con sus compatriotas, los católicos estadounidenses están comprometidos a  construir una sociedad que sea verdaderamente tolerante e inclusiva de salvaguardar los derechos de los individuos y las comunidades y de rechazar toda forma de discriminación injusta. Con muchas otras personas de buena voluntad, están igualmente preocupados de que los esfuerzos para construir una sociedad justa, ordenada y prudente que respeten sus preocupaciones profundas y sus derechos a la libertad religiosa. Esa libertad sigue siendo una de las más preciadas posesiones en América. Y como mis hermanos, los obispos de Estados Unidos, nos han recordado, todos están llamados a ser vigilantes, precisamente como buenos ciudadanos, a fin de preservar y defender esa libertad de todo lo que la amenace o la comprometa”.
El Papa Francisco empezó su discurso en el Jardín de las Rosas con este tema fundamental de la libertad religiosa, y está claro que él ha esta al tanto de la lucha de la Iglesia en los últimos tiempos. El podría haber añadido también que la libertad religiosa está consagrada en la Primera Enmienda de nuestra querida constitución, la piedra angular de nuestra sociedad.

El camino al encuentro y al diálogo
Homilía en la Catedral San Mateo a los obispos.
“El camino que tenemos por delante es el diálogo entre ustedes, el diálogo en su presbiterio, el diálogo con los laicos, el diálogo con las familias, el diálogo con la sociedad…De lo contrario, fallamos en comprender la forma de pensar de los demás, o de realizar profundamente que el hermano o hermana que deseamos alcanzar y rescatar, con el poder y la cercanía del amor, cuentan más de sus posiciones, distantes como pueden ser de lo que entendemos como verdadero y cierto.
“Un lenguaje cruel y divisivo no es propio de la lengua de un pastor, no tiene lugar en su corazón. A pesar de que momentáneamente pareciera ganar el día, sólo el perdurable encanto de la bondad y el amor sigue siendo verdaderamente convincente”. El Papa Francisco ens estas palabras ofrece una excelente catequesis de 1Pedro 3:15, para hablar con humildad y respeto, y en Efesios 4:15 para hablar la verdad en el amor.

La responsabilidad de los miembros del Congreso
“Cada hijo o hija de un país tiene una misión, una responsabilidad personal y social. Su responsabilidad, como miembros del Congreso, es permitir que este país, por su actividad legislativa, crezca como una nación. Ustedes son la cara de su gente, sus representantes. Ustedes están llamados a defender y preservar la dignidad de los conciudadanos en la incansable y exigente búsqueda del bien común ya que es el objetivo principal de todos los políticos. Una sociedad política perdura cuando busca, como una vocación, satisfacer necesidades comunes, estimulando el crecimiento de todos sus miembros, especialmente los que están en situación de mayor vulnerabilidad o riesgo. La actividad legislativa se basa siempre en el cuidado de las personas. A esto ustedes han sido invitados, llamados y convocados por aquellos que los eligieron.”
El Papa Francisco habló como el Jefe de Estado del Vaticano, pero aun más como una voz moral y espiritual en la plaza pública a nuestros funcionarios electos. Imagínense si todos los responsables del bien común en virtud de su cargo caminan el noble camino de la vocación y el servicio.

En la familia
La fe abre una “ventana” a la presencia y acción del espíritu. Nos muestra que, como la felicidad, la santidad está siempre ligada a pequeños gestos. “Quien da un vaso de agua en mi nombre – un pequeño gesto – no dejará de recibir recompensa”, dice Jesús (cf.  Marcos 9:41). Estos pequeños gestos son los que aprendemos en el hogar, en la familia; se pierden en medio de todas las otras cosas que hacemos y hacen cada día diferente.
Son las cosas tranquilas que hacen las madres y las abuelas, los padres y los abuelos, los niños, los hermanos. Son pequeños signos de ternura, afecto y compasión. Como la cena caliente que esperamos por la noche, el almuerzo temprano que espera alguien que se levanta temprano para ir a trabajar. Gestos hogareños. Como una bendición antes de ir a la cama, o un abrazo después de regreso tras un duro día de trabajo.
Cosas pequeñas muestran su amor, la atención a los pequeños signos diarios que nos hacen sentir como en casa. La fe crece cuando es vivida y formada por el amor. Es por ello que nuestras familias, nuestros hogares, son verdaderas iglesias domésticas. Son el lugar adecuado para que la fe se convierta en vida, y la vida crece en la fe.
En conclusión, el Papa Francisco exhorta a que la sabiduría de la vida de familia bien vivida es vital para nuestro mundo de hoy. “El Evangelio de la familia es verdaderamente ‘buenas noticias’ en un mundo donde el interés por sí mismo parece reinar”.

Pope spoke in actions as well as words

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By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to the United States was a whirlwind of visits to the most powerful in their respective domains, and to the powerless in their everyday circumstances. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina was accustomed on a daily basis to encountering the poor and the influential in his Archdiocese, and he was most at home in Las Villas, or slums, of Argentina where he regularly walked with, prayed with and encouraged those who lived on the margins of the Paris of Latin America.
So when he chose to serve a meal at a nearby soup kitchen in Washington, D.C. rather than have lunch with members of the United States Congress, it was not a photo-op as would be the case with many public officials, but rather a graced spontaneity that is part of his character and his Gospel DNA.  It is an extension of Saint Francis of Assisi’s embrace of the leper when there was no one around with a camera.
The gestures and words of Pope Francis will burn in our hearts, minds, and imaginations for years to come and for the remainder of this column I want to offer a selection of his wisdom that transcends politics and ideology.

Immigration
“As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families.  I look forward to these days of encounter and dialogue, in which I hope to listen to, and share, many of the hopes and dreams of the American people.”  Immigration was a theme that resonated throughout his speeches and homilies during his five full days in our country.
At the end of his address to the United States Bishops at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral Pope Francis concluded his homily with a plea to encounter and accompany the immigrant with dignity and respect.
Religious Liberty
“Mr. President, together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination. With countless other people of goodwill, they are likewise concerned that efforts to build a just and wisely ordered society respect their deepest concerns and their rights to religious liberty.
That freedom remains one of America’s most precious possessions. And as my brothers the United States Bishops have reminded us, all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it.”
Pope Francis began his address in the Rose Garden at the outset of his public appearances with this fundamental theme of Religious Liberty, and it is clear that he has been tuned into the struggle of the Church in recent times. He could have also added that Religious Liberty is enshrined in the First Amendment of our cherished Constitution, the bedrock of our society.

The Path of Encounter and Dialogue
Homily at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral to the bishops
“The path ahead, then, is dialogue among yourselves, dialogue in your presbyterate, dialogue with lay persons, dialogue with families, dialogue with society…Otherwise, we fail to understand the thinking of others, or to realize deep down that the brother or sister we wish to reach and redeem, with the power and the closeness of love, counts more than their positions, distant as they may be from what we hold as true and certain.  Harsh and divisive language does not befit the tongue of a pastor; it has no place in his heart.  Although it may momentarily seem to win the day, only the enduring allure of goodness and love remains truly convincing.” Pope Francis in these words offers an excellent catechesis of 1Peter 3, 15, to speak with meekness and respect, and Ephesians 4, 15 to speak the truth in love.

The Responsibility of Members of Congress
“Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility.  Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics.
A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people.  To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.”
Pope Francis spoke as a Vatican Head of State, but far more as a moral and spiritual voice in the public square to our elected officials.  Imagine if all responsible for the common good by virtue of their elected office walked the noble path of vocation and service.

On the Family
Faith opens a “window” to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures. “Whoever gives you a cup of water in my name — a small gesture — will not go unrewarded”, says Jesus (cf. Mk 9:41). These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children, by brothers. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion.
Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures. Like a blessing before we go to bed, or a hug after we return from a hard day’s work. Little things show love, by attention to small daily signs, which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life grows in faith.
In conclusion, Pope Francis exhorts that the wisdom of family life well lived is vital for our world today.  “The Gospel of the family is truly ‘good news’ in a world where self-concern seems to reign supreme.”

Encuentro con el Papa Francisco fue vigorizador

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Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
La visita pastoral del Papa Francisco a los Estados Unidos, después de unos días en Cuba, dominaron las noticias por mucho más de los seis días que estuvo en territorio americano. La preparación de la visita absorbió más de un año completo. El efecto durará por muchos años. Sin duda su presencia en nuestra nación fue cautivadora.
El Papa Pablo VI fue el primero en llegar a nuestras costas en octubre de 1965 para hablar en las Naciones Unidas en el momento en que la guerra de Vietnam se estaba intensificando. Sus palabras están consagradas para la posteridad. “No más guerra, nunca más guerra. Paz, es la paz la que debe guiar el destino de las personas y de toda la humanidad”. San Juan Pablo II hizo varias visitas pastorales a los Estados Unidos, una de las cuales incluyó un circuito similar a la que el Papa Francisco acaba de terminar.
También recorrió el Sureste y el Sur con su preciada visita a Nueva Orleans en 1987. Muchos en nuestra región recuerdan con cariño la experiencia. San Juan Pablo II presidió el Día Mundial de la Juventud en Denver, Co., en 1993 inspirando a generaciones de jóvenes y a otros no tan jóvenes. Juan Pablo había lanzado el  tradicional bianual Día Mundial de la Juventud en Roma en 1984 debido a su profundo amor por los jóvenes durante todo su sacerdocio.
Ahora hemos celebrado el momento del Papa Francisco, un momento en la historia cuando los corazones de muchos dentro de la Iglesia y en el mundo tienen hambre y sed por una mayor justicia y paz y por solidaridad y esperanza para la familia humana. Experimenté personalmente este anhelo en la ciudad de Washington, D.C. la semana pasada durante el servicio de oración en la Catedral San Mateo y durante la Misa de Canonización de Junípero Serra en el Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción. Estos fueron reuniones pequeñas en comparación con las de Nueva York y Filadelfia, pero el Espíritu del Señor no estuvo menos presente.
En esta columna intento reflejar sobre mi propia experiencia y la esencia de las homilías del Papa Francisco en la Catedral de San Mateo y en la Misa de canonización. Cada vez que un jefe de estado extranjero visita tierras extranjeras la seguridad es arrolladora. Para todos de los casi 300 ó 400 obispos presentes, el movimiento de un lugar a otro fue como glaciar, incluso con la escolta de policía para nuestros siete autobuses. A veces volamos por las calles de Washington y luego tuvimos que esperar. Pero la espera valió la pena. Mientras estábamos sentados en la Catedral San Mateo, orando en silencio por lo anticipado, el primer sonido que nos alertaba de la llegada del papa era el helicoptero de  seguridad que dirigía su caravana como jefe de estado. Después de un ratito, la puerta de la catedral se abría y el Papa Francisco entraba con una sonrisa tan grande como la Argentina.
Mientras caminaba por el pasillo central en medio de los entusiastas aplausos, me di cuenta de que toda su conducta encarnaba la alegría del Evangelio, el título de su Carta Apostólica, Evangelii Guadium. Su amor por el Señor supura de su ser y su deseo de celebrar este amor con todos los que él se reúne es lo que lo hace apreciar al espíritu humano.
Al final del servicio de oración en la Catedral de San Mateo el Papa Francisco le habló específicamente a los obispos presentes rodeado de muchos católicos de la Arquidiócesis de Washington que llenaron la Catedral. Su mensaje fue uno de aliento y ardientemente habló del ministerio del obispo como uno de unidad, caridad y celo en el servicio del Buen Pastor que da su vida por las ovejas. Tenemos que caminar con nuestro pueblo, fortalecer a nuestros sacerdotes y dar la bienvenida al extraño en nuestro medio. Su amor por nosotros fue palpable durante todo su apasionado discurso.
A la salida de la Catedral de San Mateo hicimos una pausa en el Centro San Juan Pablo II para almorzar antes de dirigirnos al Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción para la Misa de Canonización de Junípero Serra. Esta fue una festiva celebración en la cual participaron    fieles de todo el país. Muchos vinieron de la Costa Oeste, entre ellos representantes de los nativos Americanos  de las misiones en California. Mientras entrabamos antes de la llegada del Papa Francisco la congregación de unos 25,000 estaban parados bajo un sol ardiente y nos saludaron con palabras y gestos cordiales. Fue agradable ver su amor por el Señor y por la Iglesia.
Más de 220 años atrás, los indios de California evangelizados por el Padre Junípero Serra lo declararon un santo. En esta histórica canonización en la capital de la nación, el Papa Francisco ratificó esa declaración, declarándolo un santo para la veneración de la Iglesia universal. Añadiendo a la naturaleza histórica del evento fue que el Papa Francisco, el primer papa de las Américas, estaba declarando al primer hispano santo para los Estados Unidos en su primera Misa aquí. Estrella Roja, un representante de los Chumash de la Misión Ventura, le dijo al Registro que él y otros siete jefes indios de California estuvieron presentes en la Misa y que también tuvo la oportunidad de reunirse personalmente con el Papa Francisco. Ellos agradecieron el reconocimiento de su gente y su cultura durante toda la Misa.
El ritual de la canonización tuvo lugar inmediatamente después del saludo de apertura del Papa Francisco. Después de la celebración de las Letanías de los Santos, el Papa Francisco declaró: “declaramos y definimos al Bendito Junípero Serra a ser santo, y lo incluimos entre los santos, decretando que se le venere como tal por toda la Iglesia. En el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo”.
A pesar de la sencillez en su composición, la jubilosa congregación quedó atrapada en el esplendor del momento. Oportunamente el Papa Francisco comenzó su homilía con las palabras de San Pablo en su carta a los Filipenses (4:4 ) “Estad siempre alegres en el Señor, otra vez digo, regocijaos”. La alegría y agradecimiento resonó en toda la congregación. Al final de su homilía el Papa Francisco refirió las palabras que fueron el lema en la vida de San Junípero Serra. Siempre, adelante, siempre adelante. “Él era la encarnación de la ‘una Iglesia que va hacia adelante’, una Iglesia que lleva a todas partes la reconciliadora ternura de Dios”, dijo el Papa. Este es el tema que el Papa Francisco ha abordado en repetidas ocasiones y es el llamado para todos nosotros de ser discípulos misioneros.
El Santo Padre continuó dando grandes discursos al Congreso, a los delegados de las Naciones Unidas y a la multitud de los fieles en la misa de clausura del Encuentro Mundial de las Familias en Filadelfia. Hubo otras importantes homilías y discursos que revelan el corazón de este siervo de los Siervos de Dios, y es mi objetivo el sintetizar esta fuente de sabiduría en mi próxima columna. Mientras tanto, que el Señor Jesús, el Buen Pastor, y Sumo y Eterno Sacerdote continúe concediéndonos una temporada de refrescamiento a través del testimonio, las palabras y alegre sonrisa de Francisco de Roma, Sucesor de Pedro, y el Vicario de Cristo.

Encounter with Pope Francis invigorating

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By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
The pastoral visit of Pope Francis to the United States, after a few days in Cuba, dominated the news outlets for far more than the six days that he was on American soil.  Preparation for the visit absorbed most of a full year.  The impact will endure for years to come. Without a doubt his presence in our nation was captivating.
Pope Paul V1 was the first to come to our shores in October 1965 to speak to the United Nations at the time when the Vietnam War was escalating. His words are enshrined for posterity. “No more war, never again war. Peace, it is peace that must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind.” St. John Paul II made several pastoral visits to the United States one of which included a similar circuit that Pope Francis just completed.
He also toured the Southeast and the Deep South with his cherished visit to New Orleans in 1987. Many in our region fondly recall the experience. St. John Paul presided over The World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado in 1993 inspiring generations of the young and not so young. John Paul had launched the biannual tradition of World Youth Day in Rome in 1984 because of the his profound love for young people throughout his entire priesthood.
Now we have celebrated the Pope Francis moment, a time in history when the hearts of many within the Church and throughout the world are hungering and thirsting for greater justice and peace, solidarity and hope for the human family. I directly experienced this longing in Washington, D.C. last week at the prayer service at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, and during the Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  These were smaller gatherings in comparison to New York and Philadelphia, but the Spirit of the Lord was no less present.
In this column I intend to reflect upon my personal experiences, and the gist of Pope Francis’ homilies in the Cathedral of Saint Matthews, and at the Canonization Mass. Whenever a Head of State lands upon foreign shores the security is sweeping. For all of the nearly 300-400 bishops in attendance, the movement from place to place was glacier-like, even with a police escort for our seven buses. At times we flew along the streets of Washington, and then we waited. But it was all worth the wait. As we sat in Saint Matthew’s Cathedral, quietly praying in anticipation, the first sound that alerted us to the Pope’s arrival was the security Chopper leading his convoy as a Head of State. In short order, the Cathedral doors opened and Pope Francis entered with a smile as big as Argentina.  As he walked down the center aisle to enthusiastic applause, it hit me that his entire demeanor embodied the joy of the Gospel, the title of his Apostolic Letter, Evangelii Guadium. His love for the Lord oozes from his being, and his desire to celebrate this love with all whom he meets, is what endears him to the human spirit.
At the end of the prayer service at St. Matthew’s Pope Francis spoke specifically to the bishops in attendance surrounded by many Catholics of the Archdiocese of Washington who packed the Cathedral. His message was one of encouragement, and he ardently spoke of the bishop’s ministry as one of unity, charity, and zeal in service of the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the flock. We are to walk with our people, strengthen our priests, and welcome the stranger in our midst. His love for us was palpable throughout his passionate address.
Upon leaving St. Matthew’s Cathedral we paused at the St. John Paul II Center for lunch before heading to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra. This was a festive celebration with the faithful participating from all over the country. Many journeyed from the West Coast including representatives of the Native American lineage from the California Missions. As we processed in before the arrival of Pope Francis the congregation of 25,000 was basking in the sun and greeting us with heartfelt words and gestures.  It was humbling to see their love for the Lord and for the Church.
More than 220 years ago, the California Indians evangelized by Father Junípero Serra declared him a saint. In this historic canonization in the nation’s capital, Pope Francis ratified that declaration, declaring him a saint for the veneration of the universal church. Adding to the historic nature of the event was that Pope Francis, the first pope from the Americas, was declaring the first Hispanic saint for the United States in his first Mass in the U.S. Red Star, a representative of the Chumash of the Ventura Mission, told the Register that he and seven other California Indian chiefs were in attendance at the Mass and also had the opportunity to meet personally with Pope Francis. They appreciated the acknowledgement of their people and culture throughout the Mass.
The ritual of canonization occurred immediately after the opening greeting from Pope Francis. After the celebration of the Litany of the Saints Pope Francis declared “We declare and define Blessed Junípero Serra to be a saint, and we enroll him among the saints, decreeing that he is to be venerated as such by the whole Church. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Although simple in its makeup the joyful congregation was caught up in the splendor of the moment. Pope Francis fittingly began his homily with the words of Saint Paul from his letter to the Philippians (4,4) “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” Joy and thanksgiving resounded through the congregation. At the close of his homily Pope Francis referred to the words that were the motto for Saint Junipero Serra’s life. Siempre, adelante, siempre adelante. “He was the embodiment of ‘a church which goes forth,’ a church which sets out to bring everywhere the reconciling tenderness of God,” the pope said. This is the theme that Pope Francis has repeatedly addressed and it is the call to all of us to be missionary disciples.
The Pope went on to give major addresses to Congress, to delegates at the United Nations, and to a throng of the faithful at the closing mass to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. There were other important homilies and speeches that reveal the heart of this Servant of the Servants of God, and it is my goal to synthesize this font of wisdom for my next column. Meanwhile, may the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd and Eternal High Priest continue to grant us a season of refreshment through the witness, words, and joyful smile of Francis of Rome, the Successor of Peter, and the Vicar of Christ.

God’s love beyond imagination

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IN EXILE
By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
Recently, at an academic dinner, I was sitting across the table from a nuclear scientist. At one point, I asked him this question: Do you believe that there’s human life on other planets? His answer surprised me: “As a scientist, no, I don’t believe there’s human life on another planet. Scientifically, the odds are strongly against it. But, as a Christian, I believe there’s human life on other planets. Why? My logic is this: Why would God chose to have only one child?”
Why would God choose to have only one child? Good logic. Why indeed would an infinite God, capable of creating and loving beyond all imagination, want to do this only once? Why would an infinite God, at a certain point, say: “That’s enough. That’s my limit. These are all the people I can handle and love! Anything beyond this is too much for me! Now is the time to stop creating and enjoy what I’ve done.”
Put this way, my scientist friend’s hunch makes a lot of sense. Given that God is infinite, why would God ever stop doing what God is doing? Why would God favor just us, who have been already been given life, and not give that same gift endlessly to others?  By what logic, other than the limits of our own mind, might we posit an end to creation?
We struggle with this because what God has already created, both in terms of the immensity of the universe and the number of people who have been born in history, is already too much for our imagination to grasp. There are billions and billions of planets, with trillions of processes happening on each of these every second. Just on our planet, earth, there are now more than seven billion people living, millions more have lived before us, and many more are being born every second. And inside of each of these persons there is a unique heart and mind caught-up in an infinite and complex array of joys, heartaches, and moral choices.
Moreover, all of these trillions of human and cosmic processes have been going on for millions and billions of years. How can we imagine a heart and a mind somewhere that knows and loves and cares intimately about every individual person, every individual joy, every individual heartache, every individual moral choice, and every individual planet, star, and grain of sand, as if it were an only child?
The answer is clear: It cannot be imagined! To try to imagine this is to end up either in atheism or nursing a false concept of God. Any God worth believing in has to be able to know and love beyond human imagination, otherwise the immensity of our universe and the uniqueness of our lives are not being held inside the loving care of anyone’s hand and heart.
But how can God know, love, and care for all of this immensity and complexity? Moreover, how will all these billions and billions of people go to heaven, so that all of us end up in one body of love within which we will be in intimate community with each other?
That’s beyond all imagination, at least in terms of human capacity, but my hunch is that heaven cannot be imagined not because it is too complex but because it is too simple, namely, simple in the way Scholastic philosophy affirms that God is simple: God so embodies and encompasses all complexity so as to constitute a reality too simple to be imagined.
It seems too that the origins of our universe are also too simple to be imagined: Our universe, in so far as we know it, had a beginning and scientists believe (The Big Bang Theory) that everything originated from a single cell of energy too tiny to measure or imagine. This single cell exploded with a force and an energy that is still going on today, still expanding outward and creating billions and billions of planets in its wake. And scientists believe that all of this will come back together again, involute, sometime in a future which will take billions of more years to unfold.
So here’s my hunch: Maybe the billions and billions of people, living and dead and still to be born, in both their origins and in their eventual destiny, parallel what has happened and is happening in the origin, expansion, and eventual involution of our universe, that is, just as God is creating billions and billions of planets, God is creating billions and billions of people. And, just as our physical universe will one day come back together again into a single unity, so too will all people come together again in a single community within which God’s intimate love for each of us will bring us together and hold us together in a unity too simple to be imagined, except that now that union with God and each other will not be unconscious but will be known and felt in a very heightened, self-conscious gratitude and ecstasy.
(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher and award-winning author, is President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.)

Meditation draws us nearer to God

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Reflections On Life
Father Jerome LeDoux, SVD
“Do you take time out to meditate every day?”
The question came from longtime friend Carolyn “Mikki” Ghavam, a Jackson, Mississippi, transplant now living aside a river flowing into Chesapeake Bay.
No, I do not have a time set aside for meditation, because meditation is an integral, natural part of every day, every hour. As far back as the early 1950s, I recall sitting for hours on the seawall of the backwaters of Bay St. Louis, in front of our summer camp that we called “Sunnybank,” watching thunderheads form under the broiling summer sun. There was something far greater than I gathering its might, churning black, then live gray-green rainclouds bursting with lightning and water.
Who could help but meditate at the sight? Or could then seminarians Father Armand Francis Theriault, SVD, and I do more than the terrified apostles in the storm on the lake when a sudden thunderstorm surprised us while fishing in a skiff? Knowing that we were the highest points of the surroundings, we feared that one of those blinding bolts of lightning would turn us into toast. Yes, we meditated.
In a similar way, Mother Nature sometimes drives us into meditation through the likes of a Hurricane Betsy, Camille or Katrina, overwhelming us with killer winds pushing devastating storm surges and spawning deadly tornadoes. Most of the time, we are gently coaxed to meditate by telltale signs all around us. There is a browned water oak standing 130 feet beyond the south side of St. Augustine Residence. It  appears to have no indications of what killed it unless  one looks very closely.
Close scrutiny reveals faint traces of the path of a lightning bolt that hardly disturbed the bark, unlike the bark of pine trees that is severely ripped off by the path of a lightning bolt. That water oak is a deadlier case than that of a live oak standing near the Tomb Of The Unknown Slave at St. Augustine Church in New Orleans. Part of it was electrocuted by touching high-tension wires overhead.
Other signs easing us into meditation are gentler still. Interspersed at infrequent intervals by the booming croaks of bullfrogs, the incredible imitations by a brace of mockingbirds fill the air and human hearts with joy, praise and thanks.
Riding a tram in Rome in September 1957, I was baptized into the local culture as I stood with a firm grasp on an overhead support. Suddenly, the growing crowd moved a young mother flush in front of me. With evident strength and dexterity, she, too, was holding an overhead support while she breast-fed her little baby with delight. Her face indicated that this was what mothers should always do.
Apparition that it was, it was also a supreme moment of meditation. Who could ever possibly think of bringing any harm to such a mother or her baby? And to think that her baby, barring untoward circumstances, is now about 59 years old!
A second apparition from a tram back then was a man – with his back to us to be sure – wetting the old Roman wall in the process of easing nature. It was at that time that I nicknamed the Romans “children of nature.” Surely, a meditation.
“May I?” a Dutch lady asked in 1960, holding her hand over my head.
“Of course!” I answered obligingly. Upon touching my hair, she exclaimed,
“Es ist wie baumwolle!” (It is like cotton). Meditating, now it also looks like cotton.
Powerful meditations are ancient churches, the Catacombs, the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the other ancient ruins of Rome, Herculaneum and Pompeii. And so it is almost universally with the city of man, like the huge Domus Aurea (Golden House) of Nero, vying for attention, dominance and meaning with the City of God.
Flying over the frozen Alps from Zurich to Logano, Switzerland was always a background for meditation. Likewise flying back from Europe became dramatic and heart-stopping as the plane eased away from Scotland toward the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Shortly, one or the other iceberg appeared, then dozens, hundreds and more, starkly outlined from 35,000 feet, reminiscent of the ill-fated Titanic.
Daniel 3 sets us up for praise, thanksgiving and meditation, in particular verses 57, 65, 66 and 70 with regard to winds, peaceful weather, storms, heat, icebergs and such, “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord… All you winds, bless the Lord… Fire and heat, bless the Lord… Hoarfrost and snow, bless the Lord.”
Mother Nature, the people around us and the rapidly changing conditions of our environment and life encourage so much meditation that all we must do is stay focused on life as it comes at us, but especially as it unfolds deep within us.
(Father Jerome LeDoux, SVD, lives in retirement at St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis. He has written “Reflections on Life since 1969.)

Papal visit full of inspiration, challenge

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Millennial reflections
Father Jeremy Tobin, O.Praem
Someone told me enthusiastically that Pope Francis made the biggest impact on his life since John XXIII. I have been having similar feelings since this “pope of compassion and mercy” came on the scene. His gifts for penetrating barriers and fostering unity are amazing in this world of labels and distinctions.
We have been needing a Pope Francis for a very long time. Today he stood up in a joint meeting of Congress and delivered. He did not disappoint. Afterwards I received several calls from “disaffected Catholics” who expressed a joy and affirmation. They resonated with his message and felt that they too, were part of us. You see that is what Pope Francis does, whether it is serving food at Catholic Charities in Washington or in a barrio in Paraguay. He brings people together. The National Mall was filled as far as the eye could see. He speaks, he lives, he demonstrates the Joy of the Gospel.
As much as he says, he lives and acts it out. Despite the massive security he reaches out to touch people. Babies are handed to him by Secret Service agents.
He stood up in Congress where President Obama stands to give the State of the Union. Pope Francis gave his “State of the Union.” He did this in perfect English with a charming Argentine accent. How many of us English speaking priests read Spanish as clearly as he reads English? (he practiced this a lot, I am sure). He nailed it.
“We the people of this continent are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants.”
He raises up four icons of what America is: Abraham Lincoln on the 150th anniversary of his assassination, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. These are chosen because “Men and women of good will are marking the anniversaries of several great Americans…They shaped fundamental values which will endure forever in the spirit of the American People.”
To hear the Pope say “I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma to Montgomery 50 years ago as part of his ‘dream’ of full civil and political rights for African Americans,” while the camera focused on the face of Rep. John Lewis who remembers shedding blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, makes me proud.
Then he focuses, “in these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God, Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel.”
Hearing the Pope at the most prestigious platform of the nation say words like these  energizes us who work for justice and equality and human rights fueled by the Gospel. They affirm that our cause is right.
He also refers to (to date his masterpiece) Laudato Si affirming that business is a noble vocation. I have heard business called many things, but the Pope raises it to a vocation because it can improve the world and create jobs as essential to the service of the common good.  He further talks about “our common home” and speaks to all people. “We need a conversation which includes everyone since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
He further says in Laudato Si “I call for a courageous and responsible effort to ‘redirect our steps’ (61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity.”
Pope Francis pulls no punches. He knows from the halls of Congress his message will go out to the nation and the world. He planned this for the great conference COP 21 in Paris in December, an international meeting to debate how to fully control climate change.
He spoke of the sacredness of life in all its stages. He urged us to really get a grip on the refugee crisis, the greatest since World War II. When he talks of immigrants he says “See their faces, hear their stories.”
He lives his message every day. He moved on to the Catholic Charities in Washington DC to practice “Compassion in Action” and feed the poor.
Our response? Go and do likewise.
(Father Jeremy Tobin, O.Praem, lives at the Priory of St. Moses the Black, Jackson.)

Catechetical Sunday honors those in ministry

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Kneading our faith
By Fran Lavelle
On Sept. 20, parishes around the country celebrate Catechetical Sunday. In 1935, the Vatican under the leadership of Pope Pius XI, published On the Better Care and Promotion of Catechetical Education, a document that asked every country to acknowledge the importance of the church’s teaching ministry. The church also asked that we recognize those who serve in our communities as catechists.
This ministry of teaching in the name of the church has a profound importance, which is why catechists are formally commissioned. It is, therefore, fitting that we set aside a day to highlight this ministry and invite the entire church community to think about our responsibility to share our faith with others. Be assured of my gratitude and prayers as you begin anew.
Since the early 1970s the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has had a role in preparing materials, including a theme, for Churches in the U.S. to focus our attention on a particular subject.  This year’s theme is “Safeguarding the Dignity of all Human Persons.”
Not so jingoistic, nor does it roll off the tongue like a slick Madison Avenue advertising slogan, but don’t let that stop you from really discovering the richness and significance of this statement. When we move beyond slogans and really open ourselves up to the challenge this theme presents, the gifts and graces for each of us are untold. If people of faith, especially Catholics, took seriously the call to safeguarding the dignity of humanity, coupled with Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy we could transform the face of the Earth. These two directives simultaneously and intentionally practiced have the power to end war, defeat hatred, create lasting peace and transform societies.
Safeguarding the dignity of each human person comes from Genesis and is the primary foundation for all human understanding of self. Genesis 1:26-27 teaches us that all people of all lands, of all languages, of all faiths and all time are made in God’s image and likeness.  We, despite our best efforts to act in the contrary, cannot assume that in God’s eyes our own worth is greater than the worth of any other people, culture, or generation.  Sadly for many of us, we never come to know the reality of our own creation in God’s likeness and image.
The concept is overwhelming. Psalm 149:14 reminds us, “I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know.” Let us take up the challenge to see ourselves as wonderfully made and allow ourselves to see others as wonderfully made as well.
It is a high order and difficult task especially in light of the hatred we witness around the globe and in our own neighborhoods on a daily basis. The challenge is to remain at once centered on your own dignity while recognizing that “the other” was created in God’s likeness too. I was reminded of a 1985 song by Sting entitled, “Russians.” In it he says, “We share the same biology, regardless of ideology. What might save us, me, and you, is that the Russians love their children too.” Isn’t that still true today? Replace Russians with whomever the other is in our lives and the reality is still the same. We do share the same biology, but more than that we were all born imprinted with the perfect love of God. Yes, all of us.
Our Catholic faith tradition is rich with examples of mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs us in Part Three: Life in Christ:
2447. “The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we cosme to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.
What must we do as members of the Body of Christ to inspire, uphold, encourage and engage ourselves and others to take seriously these directives?  If not us, who?
In 1972, Dorothy Law Nolte wrote, “Children Learn What They Live.” My favorite axioms of this piece are:
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
We cannot give what we do not possess. Let us then learn to embrace our own dignity so that we may defend it in others and may we know mercy that we may show mercy. It is an exciting opportunity to transform these words into action.  Amen? Amen!
(Fran Lavelle is Director of the Department of Faith Formation.)