Around the diocese … and beyond
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Updates
Called by Name
Our first annual Called by Name weekend has wrapped up. Every parish priest was asked to share his vocation story during Mass on the weekend of Nov. 9-10, and then every parishioner was asked if they knew of a man in their parish that they wanted to encourage in his discernment. We will not have final numbers in for a few weeks, as all the cards are being sent to our partners at Vianney Vocations so they can enter the data, but I know that 26 names were submitted via our new jacksonvocations.com website alone. That is 26 names we would not have gotten in prior years, and that is 26 opportunities to reach out and encourage a young man to take his vocation seriously, whether he ends up going to the seminary or not.
All of this is designed to get many more young men thinking about priesthood, and to therefore get many more young men to attend the seminary. As I’ve stated, we want to have 33 seminarians by the year 2030. I believe that many more men are called to the seminary than are currently in the seminary, and we want to change that. The seminary is not the place for fully formed priests, rather, it is the primary place of formation. You don’t have to know you are going to be ordained in order to be a good candidate for the seminary. In fact, most guys don’t know they are going to be ordained. Ordination comes after 7-9 years of prayer, life in community and study. We want more men to enter the seminary so that they can discover whether or not they are called to be priests.
I want to be clear, however, that this does not mean that there is a ‘low bar’ to be accepted to seminary. We have spent the last several years bolstering our application process so that we help a young man discern whether or not seminary is the right fit for him. It is delicate work trying to discern with a man whether the Lord is calling him to the seminary, and I can’t be the only one who discerns with a man. We have a team of experts in Louisville, Kentucky who work with us and our applicants and proctor psychological testing in order to help the applicant, and us, understand whether a man would be a good fit for seminary life.
As I’ve stated before, I loved my time in the seminary, but if a man is not prepared for the academic and social rigor that is present there, then it will not be as positive an experience for him, or for the community. We also have a vocations board in the diocese that meets with an applicant and provides a recommendation to myself and the bishop. The team meets with the applicant after all the other work is done – references are checked, tests are administered, many conversations are had, and I present that work to the board for their review.
I have grown much more comfortable in recent years taking men through this process and also being honest when necessary, when I think the process may have reached its end. I believe that more men are called to seminary than are currently in seminary, but I also take my responsibility to help these men discern seriously. We have these protocols in place so we only accept a man who will be able to enter into seminary life freely and joyfully, so that he can be formed into the Catholic man God has called him to be, whether or not he becomes a priest. And as the net widens and more men (please God) apply for seminary, this process will continue to be vital.
Please pray for me, our vocations board, and all those who work with seminary applicants. We want to invite as many qualified men into the seminary as we can, but we also need to be good stewards of the resources given to us by the people of God, and good leaders for these men who are trusting us with their future.
Father Nick Adam, vocation director
Final synod document is magisterial, must be accepted, pope says
By Justin McLellan
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Doubling down on the centrality of synodality in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said that it is now up to local churches to accept and implement proposals from the final document approved the Synod of Bishops on synodality.
Approved by the pope, the synod’s final document “participates in the ordinary magisterium of the successor of Peter, and as such, I ask that it be accepted,” the pope wrote in a note published by the Vatican Nov. 25.
“Local churches and groupings of churches are now called upon to implement, in different contexts, the authoritative indications contained in the document, through the processes of discernment and decision-making provided by law and by the document itself,” he wrote nearly a month after the synod’s close.
The final document outlined key priorities for the church, including increased participation of laity through new ministries and adjusted governing structures, greater transparency and accountability among church leadership and creating space for previously marginalized groups.
After synod members voted to approve the final document, Pope Francis announced that he would not write the customary apostolic exhortation after the synod but would instead offer the document to the entire church for implementation.
With the exceptions of the first synods convoked by St. Paul VI in 1967 and 1971, all ordinary assemblies of the Synod of Bishops have been followed by an exhortation on the synod’s themes and discussions by the pope.
In his note, Pope Francis clarified that while the document is “not strictly normative” and must be adapted to contexts where it is applied, it still obligates “local churches to make choices consistent with what was indicated” in the document.
He also underscored the need for time to address broader churchwide issues, such as those assigned to the 10 study groups he set up in the spring to explore issues raised during the synod, including women’s ministry, seminary education, relationships between bishops and religious communities, and the role of nuncios. More groups may be created, the pope said.
The conclusion of the general assembly of the Synod of Bishops “does not end the synodal process,” he wrote.
He added that the final synod document contains recommendations which “can already now be implemented in the local churches and groupings of churches, taking into account different contexts, what has already been done and what remains to be done in order to learn and develop ever better the style proper to the missionary synodal church.”
“In many cases it is a matter of effectively implementing what is already provided for in existing law, Latin and Eastern,” while in other contexts local churches can proceed with the creation of “new forms of ministry and missionary action” through a process of synodal discernment and experimentation.
Pope Francis also specified that during bishops’ “ad limina” visits to Rome, each bishop will be asked to discuss what choices have been made in his local church regarding what has been indicated in the final synod document, reflecting on the challenges and the fruits.
Tower of Babel
IN EXILE
By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
The opening pages of the Bible offer us a series of stories set at the beginning of history which are meant to explain why the world today is as it is. The Adam and Eve story about original sin is one of those stories. There are others. These stories, because they use imagery that might make them sound like fairy tales, can seem total fantasy to us, but they are stories that are truer than true. They happened. They happened to the first man and woman on this planet, and they continue to happen today in a way that affects every man and woman throughout history. They are stories of the heart, not meant to be taken literally, but carrying lessons for the heart.
One of these “in the beginning,” foundational, archetypal, stories is the story of the Tower of Babel. In street language, it goes like this: In the beginning (before time was like it is now) there was a town called Babel which decided it would make a name for itself by building a tower so impressive that all the other towns would have to admire it. They began building the tower, but something strange happened. As they were building it, they suddenly all began to speak different languages, were no longer able to understand each other, and scattered around the world, each now speaking in a language incomprehensible to everyone else.
What’s the lesson? Is this meant to explain the origin of the different languages of the world? No, rather it is meant to explain the deep, seemingly irreconcilable misunderstandings among us. Why do we forever misunderstand each other? What’s at the origin of this?
There are multiple ways this story can be used to shed light on the divisions in our world today. Here’s one: Writing in The Atlantic last year, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt suggested that there is perhaps no better metaphor to explain the divisions among us today than the tower of Babel. His argument runs this way: Social media, the very thing that was meant to connect us not only to our friends and families but to people from around the globe, has in fact led to a radical fragmentation of our society and to the shattering of all that had seemed solid, the scattering of people who had been a community. Take America, for example; while we might still be speaking the same language, social media and cable news echo chambers have supplied us with different sets of facts, values and visions that make actual conversation increasingly impossible.
As the recent tensions around the U.S. presidential elections made evident, as a society we no longer speak the same language in that we can no longer understand each other on virtually every key issue – global warming, immigration, poverty, gender, health, abortion, the place of religion in the public sphere, whose side truth is on, and, most important of all, what truth is. We no longer share any common truths. Rather, we all have our own truth, our own individual language. As the popular saying goes, I have done my own research! I don’t trust science. I don’t trust any mainstream truths. I have my own sources.
And those sources are many, too many to count! Hundreds of television channels, countless podcasts and millions of persons feeding us their idiosyncratic version of things on social media so that now there is skepticism about any fact or truth. This is dividing us at every level: family, neighborhood, church, country and world. We are all now speaking different languages and, like the original inhabitants of Babel, are being scattered around the world.
In the light of this, it is noteworthy how the original Pentecost is described in scripture. The Acts of the Apostles describes Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, as an event which reverses what happened at the tower of Babel. At the tower of Babel, the languages (the “tongues”) of the earth divided and scattered. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends on each person as a “tongue of fire” so that, to everyone’s great surprise, everyone now understands everyone one else in his or her own language.
Again, what is being described here is not about literal human languages – where at Pentecost everyone suddenly understood Greek or Latin. Rather everyone now understood everyone else in his or her own language. All languages became one language.
What is that common language? It’s neither Greek nor Latin nor English nor French nor Spanish nor Yiddish nor Chinese nor Arabic, nor any other of the world’s spoken languages. Neither is it the less-than-fully-compassionate language of the conservatives or the liberals. It is, as Jesus and our scriptures make clear, the language of charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, long-suffering, fidelity, gentleness, faith and chastity.
This is the only language which can bridge the misunderstandings and differences among us – and when we are speaking it, we will not be trying to build a tower to impress anyone.
(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award-winning author. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.)
Launch pad required
KNEADING FAITH
By Fran Lavelle
“On the evening of that first day of the week … Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:19-20)
We are actively being called to the “upper room” to discern the presence of God in our midst. So too we are called to embody the peace of Christ in our own lives and in the world. We are called to be witnesses and workers.
Under Pope Francis’ leadership, the Synod on Synodality completed the formal meetings on Oct. 27 in Rome. While the formal process of the Synod has concluded, the work of the Synod has just begun. The Synod in its entirety represented a new way of being church. It embraced the whole church. The mere fact that lay leaders, young and old, were active participants in the Synod speaks volumes about how the hierarchy, specifically Pope Francis, sees the value of everyone.
I was on a webinar recently hosted by a Jesuit magazine and Gerald O’Connell, a noted journalist, was included on the panel. As a correspondent he has covered the Vatican for years. His experience as an observer and a lay person was one of deep gratitude. He said seeing people from across the globe from every nation, every background, lay and ordained, men and women, young and old, and witnessing them speaking about matters of faith and being listened to – truly heard, was incredible. Father James Martin, SJ further went on to say that the way of synodality can really help us begin to heal as a church and a people.
In my humble opinion, we need synodality now more than ever. If you do not understand why, check your email exchanges and text messages from friends and family whose politics are different than yours. In general, it is unhealthy to carry hatred. For followers of Christ, it is deadly. I have been posing the same question for a decade now and I seem to have gotten little traction. How do we as a politically divided nation end the divisive rhetoric? How do we see one another through the lens of Christ as one? If we cannot find a way back to one another as the Body of Christ, how will the rest of the nation heal? Politics is part of governance. We need to be engaged in issues of the day that promote the ideas of liberty and justice for all. I get that. What has become unhealthy is the full-on attack of anyone who holds a different opinion, or experience.
The process of synodality can move us beyond our divisiveness and so much more. When we adopt a synodal way, we become more aware of the importance of the whole body. In seeking solutions to issues that impact our parishes and schools, synodality offers a way to hear from and consider the voices of those who might not otherwise be heard. It offers a prayerful environment that allows the Holy Spirit to breathe insight and wisdom. Synodality provides an open space to listen in order to hear, to hear to understand, and understand to discern a path forward.
The words of Cardinal Blasé Cupich of Chicago give us a great visual image of what the Synod on Synodality means. He said it is not so much a landing strip, but a launch pad. In other words, it is a place for departure not necessarily landing. I love that image. We need a place of departure if we are going somewhere. And we do need to go somewhere. We have heard it in our own listening around the diocese. We have heard it in our Pastoral Reimagining process, we have heard it from clergy and laity alike. The Spirit of God is always moving forward. Our ability to prepare for both challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us deserve a launching pad.
The Nov. 12, 2024 edition of America Magazine included a “Q and A” article with Cardinal Cupich, in which Gerald O’Connell asked what the Cardinal’s take away from the Synod was. He responded:
“We have taken another step forward with regard to building a culture of synodality in the life of the church and calling everyone not only to be co-responsible for the church but for all of us to say that everybody counts, that everybody matters. There are people who, maybe for too long, have been given the impression that they don’t matter, they don’t count. And the Pope, in his closing words yesterday, emphasized involving “tutti, tutti” (“all, all”). I believe that is the way forward for us, to make sure that we now take actions to not only establish a broad base of co-responsibility in the life of the church, but we reach out to those people who feel that they don’t count.”
We are being called to the launch pad. We are being asked to do our part to take up the difficult work of our faith that we may be one. Let’s go!
(Fran Lavelle is the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Jackson.)
Faith in our young people
FAITH IN EDUCATION
By Karla Luke
For 31 years, my mother dedicated herself to shaping young minds as a second-grade teacher. Growing up, I never imagined I would follow a similar path – until I taught my first middle school class at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic School in New Orleans. From that moment, I discovered an unexpected and profound joy in working with students and seeing their growth and success. Their energy, curiosity and potential filled me with a sense of purpose and helped me to see God’s plan for my life. Since then, I’ve dedicated my career to Catholic education, cherishing the privilege of building meaningful relationships with young people.
It’s not enough to declare that young people are the future of the church; they are its present. As Catholic educators, we are tasked with nurturing in them a love for God, others and their faith. This week, I was reminded of this sacred duty with the announcement of an upcoming canonization that holds profound significance for our times – Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be declared a saint, will be canonized on April 27, 2025 by Pope Francis.
The remarkable life of Blessed Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis, born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, Italy, exemplifies the intersection of modernity and faith. From a young age, Carlo displayed a deep love for God, actively participating in his Catholic school, church and community as a catechist. Despite his ordinary academic performance and unassuming demeanor, Carlo left an extraordinary legacy of faith.
A technology enthusiast, gamer and music lover, Carlo used his passion for computers to create websites that cataloged Eucharistic miracles, bringing the beauty of faith to the digital age. At just 15 years old, he was diagnosed with leukemia, facing his illness with profound faith, declaring, “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the church.” Carlo died in 2006, and his cause for canonization began in 2012.
Today, Carlo is enshrined in his tomb wearing Nikes and jeans – a modern saint for a modern world. His life is a powerful reminder of what is possible when young people are formed in their faith.
A model for today’s Catholic educators
In Carlo, we see a reflection of the “Carlos and Carlas” present in our schools today – children with limitless potential for spiritual and moral development. Pope Francis calls Carlo “a model of holiness in the digital age.” His life challenges parents, teachers, administrators, religious and clergy to ask: How are we fostering the growth of faith in our young people?
The Archbishop of Assisi highlighted Carlo’s unique ability to evangelize in modern times, saying, “The computer … has become a way of going through the streets of the world, like the first disciples of Jesus, to bring to hearts and homes the announcement of true peace.”
The responsibility of Catholic adults
As adults in the Catholic faith, we bear both the responsibility and accountability to accompany our young people – the “young church” – on their path to holiness. Catholic schools play a vital role in this mission, partnering with parents to cultivate the spiritual, moral and intellectual development of students. Blessed Carlo Acutis offers us a roadmap for this journey.
Carlo once said, “To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan.” Let us help our children adopt this vision, supporting them in their faith through our schools, churches and homes. Together, we can prepare the next generation to live with faith, purpose and holiness in a world that desperately needs their light.
As we await Carlo’s canonization, let us reflect on the lives of the young people around us and recommit to nurturing their spiritual growth. In their potential lies not just the future of the church but its vibrant, faithful present.
For additional information on the extraordinary life of Blessed Carlo Acutis visit: https://bit.ly/3V8np4Q.
(Karla Luke is the executive director of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Jackson)
Holy Family School marks 75 years of faith, education and service
By Laura Grisham
HOLLY SPRINGS – Holy Family School recently celebrated its 75th anniversary with a three-day event filled with faith, fellowship and festivities. The school, a cornerstone of Catholic education in the region, has evolved from its beginnings as St. Mary’s School in 1948 to Cadet in 1969, and finally Holy Family in 1994.
The celebration began with a special Mass led by Bishop Joseph Kopacz. He was joined by SCJ Fathers Jack Kurps, Vien Nguyen, David Szatkowski and Guy Blair as co-celebrants. The Mass, enhanced by the angelic voices of St. Mary’s choir, set a reverent tone for the festive weekend.
Bishop Kopacz’s homily highlighted the school’s journey and the enduring contributions of its educators. “For 75 years, teachers, administrators and community leaders at Holy Family School have embodied the mind and heart of Christ, serving as beacons of hope and faith for students and families,” he said.
Drawing on the words of St. Paul, the Bishop celebrated the gifts of teaching, prophecy and service in the community of faith. He also tied the celebration to the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope, declared by Pope Francis for 2025. “Rejoice in hope, persevere in affliction, and be faithful in prayer,” he urged attendees, calling the milestone a testament to faith and resilience.
The festivities reflected the vibrancy of Holy Family’s legacy. Alumni traveled from as far as Alaska, Michigan and Illinois to reconnect and reminisce. St. Mary’s School alumni gathered to sing their school song, “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” rekindling fond memories.
Despite the dreary weather, celebration was attended by Holy Family students and parents, school alumni and people from across the Marshall County community. Throughout the weekend, participants enjoyed a mix of family-friendly activities, including performances by the students, basketball scrimmages, a bazaar, carnival games, a cake walk, grab bags, bingo and a silent auction. The celebration also featured a catered alumni dinner and dance, bringing together past and present members of the school community.
A Legacy of Service
Holy Family School’s story is one of adaptation and commitment to its mission. When it opened in 1948 as St. Mary’s School, it served 55 students across eight grades with just one teacher. The following year, enrollment grew, aided by the arrival of four School Sisters of St. Francis. By 1950, a high school was added, accommodating the rhythms of the cotton harvest by pausing classes in autumn.
In 1969, the school merged with St. Joseph School to become CADET (Christian Aided Development Through Extraordinary Training). In 1994, it adopted the name Holy Family to honor its Catholic roots and its dedication to serving children and families in Holly Springs.
Honoring Staff
Several staff members were recognized for their tenure and enduring commitment to the school, including Holy Family’s new principal, Cynthia Dixon, school secretary Cathy Walker (45 years) and teachers Artheria Relliford (35 years), Shirley Daugherty (50 years) and Srs. Julene Stromberg and Ramona Schmidknecht, OSFs, (retired).
As part of the anniversary, the Marshall County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution honoring Sister Ramona Schmidknecht, OSF, for her 56 years of service as an educator at St. Mary’s, CADET, and Holy Family School and 61 years of service to the Marshall County community.
Looking Ahead
Bishop Kopacz concluded his remarks by reflecting on the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a model for the community.
“May we strive to beat with the heart of Christ and serve with His mind,” he said, adding his hope that Holy Family’s legacy will endure for another 75 years.
With its rich history and unwavering mission, Holy Family School remains a beacon of hope, faith and service in Holly Springs and beyond.
(Laura Grisham is the PR and Communications manager for Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls, Mississippi.)
Faith, school and parish support are source of strength for Olympic champion swimmer
By Mark Zimmermann
BETHESDA, Md. (OSV News) – For Olympic champion swimmer Katie Ledecky, one of the best things about winning Olympic medals is sharing them.
Now the most decorated U.S. female Olympian in history, Ledecky paid a visit Oct. 22 to her high school alma mater, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, to show students her medals and to talk about her Olympic experiences. She also stopped by her home parish, the Church of the Little Flower in Bethesda.
Addressing Stone Ridge students in the school’s theater, Ledecky described what it was like after winning her first gold medal in swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, when she was 15 and a rising sophomore at the school.
She returned home and showed her medal to wounded warriors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, and she also visited the National Children’s Hospital in Washington, and she remembered putting a medal around a child’s neck there and seeing that child’s face light up.
“That’s probably my favorite part about winning the medals, and that’s probably what really inspires me the most, to try to win those medals and to be able to share them,” the Olympian said.
Ledecky, who wore her four latest Olympic medals around her neck as she addressed the Stone Ridge students, added, “To me, these medals are not just mine. They’re everyone’s, everyone that has supported me, everyone that has driven me to practice, pushed me in practice, taught me in school, supported me in all my goals, and even just everyone at home watching on TV and yelling at their TV.”
In Paris while swimming in her fourth consecutive Summer Olympics, Ledecky won her 14th Olympic medal, adding two more gold medals to her record-setting total of nine gold medals, and she became the most decorated U.S. female Olympian in history.
At the Paris Olympics, Ledecky won gold medals in her signature races – the women’s 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle events – and she won a silver medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay and a bronze in the 400-meter women’s freestyle race.
This summer before the Olympics, her best-selling memoir, “Just Add Water,” was published by Simon & Schuster. In May at the White House, President Joe Biden presented Ledecky with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Five days before speaking to Stone Ridge students, Ledecky was honored at a ceremony on campus, where members of the Montgomery County Council issued a proclamation naming Oct. 17 as “Katie Ledecky Day,” and an honorary road marker, “Katie Ledecky Lane” was unveiled for a roadway along the school.
Speaking to students during Ledecky’s visit, Catherine Ronan Karrels – head of school at Stone Ridge – said of the new road sign, “Now every day when we drive to school, we will be able to see that and be inspired by her as we come and go about our day.”
Ledecky, class of 2015, gave credit to the Stone Ridge community for its support, and for helping her find balance in her life from when she first returned to school in 2012 as an Olympian.
“What was so great was I was able to just get right back to work, get back to school. All my teachers treated me just like any other student, all my classmates treated me like I was just another student,” she said.
Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart is sponsored by the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Before the Paris Olympics, Stone Ridge held a pep rally for Ledecky and two other alumnae who were swimming in those games – Phoebe Bacon of the class of 2020 and Erin Gemmell of the class of 2023.
Gemmell joined Ledecky in winning a silver medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay, and Bacon finished in fourth place in the 200-meter backstroke race, narrowly missing a bronze medal by .04 seconds.
Ledecky said she appreciated how during her years at Stone Ridge, the community supported her in her swimming journey and her academic journey.
“Education has always been a top priority in my life, it’s been a value in my family,” she said. “I never wanted to push my education aside for the sake of swimming. I always wanted to balance both of them. Stone Ridge and everyone in this community allowed me to do that, supported me in that, pushed me in school and in my sport.”
After graduating from Stone Ridge, Ledecky earned a degree in psychology from Stanford University.
The Olympian said another aspect of her Stone Ridge education that she appreciated was the Upper School’s Social Action Program. On one Wednesday each month, Stone Ridge Upper School students participate in a day of community service. When she was at Stone Ridge, Ledecky volunteered with Bikes for the World, which provides donated bicycles to people in developing countries.
“I loved to be able to get out and help other people. … It’s so great to learn how to give back to your community,” she said.
The athlete, who is now 27, said she started swimming when she was 6 years old, and she loved swimming from the start.
The athlete said she has always set goals for herself. “I set my mind on something I want to achieve, whether that was in the classroom or whether that was in the pool, and I’d just go do it, do whatever it took to get those goals,” she said.
Describing the work involved in her training, Ledecky said she swims 10 times a week, and she added that she swims about two hours each time, and sometimes adds another swimming session on Sundays. One little girl emphatically asked Ledecky if she ever gets tired of swimming, and the Olympian responded, “I really love it!”
Ledecky is now training to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Olympian offered words of encouragement to all the students. “If there’s something that you do find that you love as much as I have found that with swimming, you’ve got to try to pursue it to the fullest and try to be the very best that you can be at it.” That might be a school subject, a sport or an extracurricular activity, she said.
Standing beside the pool at the Stone Ridge Aquatics Center, Ledecky was interviewed by journalists after he remarks.
She said that when she’s competing in the Olympics, she carries in her heart all those people from Stone Ridge and from Little Flower school and parish who have supported her. “They’ve all been so great and have all helped me learn how to have balance in my life,” she said.
Asked if she still prays the Hail Mary before her swimming races, Ledecky said, “I still do that. I joke that it’s probably more like a decade of the rosary now. Yes, I’ve always done that.”
Ledecky said her Catholic faith remains a source of strength for her.
That faith and the support of her Catholic schools and parish help “quiet my head and quiet my heart and help me feel balance and ready and prepared and supported. … I lean on everything I learned at Little Flower and Stone Ridge,” she said.
(Mark Zimmermann is editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington.)
Annual US collection assists more than 20,000 elderly women and men religious
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The faithful will have an opportunity the weekend of Dec. 7-8 to support the more than 20,000 elderly religious sisters, brothers and religious order priests who have devoted their lives to service in the Catholic Church through an annual collection benefiting retired religious across the United States.
Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, or NRRO, and taking place at weekend Masses in participating dioceses, this collection provides “crucial financial aid to qualified religious institutes, enabling them to address the growing needs of their retired members,” according to a news release.
“These men and women religious who taught in schools, served in parish ministries and helped provide social services for the Church selflessly devoted their lives to serving others, often for little to no pay,” said the release, issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 4. “As they age, many religious communities face a significant gap between the cost of care and available resources.”
Exacerbating the challenge are the rising cost of health care and the fact that religious over age 70 outnumber those younger than 70 by nearly 3 to 1.
“In 2024, 71% of religious communities providing data to the NRRO reported a median age of 70 or higher,” the news release stated.
The collection was launched in 1988 to address the lack of retirement funding for religious communities. In 2023, it raised $29.3 million, yet the annual cost to support retired religious men and women exceeds $1 billion, according to the NRRO.
The average annual cost of care for each religious is about $59,700, with skilled nursing care lifting that cost to an average of $90,700 per person. Meanwhile, a religious’ average annual Social Security benefit is only $8,551, the NRRO said.
“The selfless dedication of these religious has enriched countless lives,” said NRRO director John Knutsen. “Your generosity ensures they receive the care they deserve in their retirement. Supporting our aging religious is a shared responsibility and an opportunity to express our gratitude for their lifelong service. By contributing to the Retirement Fund for Religious collection we ensure they receive the care and dignity they deserve while also upholding the values of compassion and solidarity within our faith community.”
The website for the Retirement Fund for Religious, retiredreligious.org, features the stories of religious helped by the collection, including Father Maury Smith, 87, a member of the Order of Friars Minor in St. Louis, and Sister M. Stephanie Belgeri, 72, a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George in Alton, Illinois.
“Donations are needed to have the ordinary kinds of things many senior religious need in terms of food, clothing and housing,” Father Smith said. “We owe it to them to take care of them. Maybe even more than we have in the past. … They need it.”
The friar has served as a retreat director, college educator, pastor, provincial staff and a deanery coordinator of ministry in San Antonio, “enriching countless lives by integrating psychology and theology into contemporary spirituality.”
He serves as a spiritual director and writes biweekly for Today’s Catholic, the archdiocesan newspaper of the San Antonio Archdiocese.
“I think I am in my eighth career,” he said. “I love doing it and am happy.”
A fellow Franciscan who joined her community in 1970, Sister M. Stephanie has been a nurse and a teacher and been involved in pastoral care. She spent four-and-a-half years in Brazil, setting up a foundation for her order.
Upon returning to the United States, Sister M. Stephanie was the director of nursing and later administrator at the Mother of Good Counsel Home, a skilled nursing facility in St. Louis, until 2014.
Sister M. Stephanie’s ministry continues in retirement as she manages her religious community’s library and translates English documents into Portuguese for the sisters in the Brazilian mission.
“Thanks to your generosity, we can provide the very best care to the sisters in our community,” said Sister M. Stephanie said about the Retirement Fund for Religious. “Your contributions enabled upgrades, including building an infirmary, ensuring our sisters’ well-being.”
Since 1988, the collection has distributed more than $973 million to support day-to-day care and self-help projects, as well as educational programs for long-term retirement planning.
Joy, gratitude over news of Acutis and Frassati canonization dates
By Gina Christian
PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) – News that canonization dates have been set for Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, who have become popular patrons for teens and young adults, is being met with joy and gratitude by a number of Catholics in the U.S.
Pope Francis announced Nov. 20 that he will elevate Acutis and Frassati, both currently titled “blessed,” to sainthood in 2025, when the universal Catholic Church will mark a jubilee year. Acutis will be canonized April 27, during the April 25-27 Jubilee for Adolescents in Rome. Frassati’s canonization will follow amid the July 28-Aug. 3 Jubilee of Young People in Rome.
“This news ushers in great celebration for the Universal Church and especially for young Catholics,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia in a Nov. 20 statement. “Both of these saintly young men reflect the call for today’s youth and young adults to live out their Catholic faith with courage, compassion, and divine love.”
“What a wonderful gift to the church militant both of these new saints will be,” Christine Wohar, president of FrassatiUSA – a Nashville-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting Frassati’s canonization, in collaboration with the Associazione Pier Giorgio Frassati in Rome – told OSV News in a Nov. 20 email.
Wohar, whose organization is planning a pilgrimage to the canonization, said that the canonizations are timely.
“Our culture so desperately needs Catholic models of courage, devotion to the Eucharist and Our Lady, true manhood and fidelity to the church,” she said.
Father Francesco Maria D’Amico, pastor of St. William Parish in Philadelphia who served as interpreter and guide for Acutis’ mother, Antonia, during her U.S. speaking tour in 2023, also sees these saints as particularly relevant.
“God is the Lord of history, and I think that nowadays, he sees youth being attacked by different ideologies, by secularization, by the false promises of technology,” he said. “So I think that God, by raising these two youth and young adults as saints, is showing fatherly concern … because they (youth and young adults) are the future of the world.”
Born 90 years apart, Frassati and Acutis both lived brief but faith-filled lives that saw them devoted to Christ, particularly in the Eucharist, and to those around them.
Dubbed the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” by St. John Paul II, Frassati – born in Turin in 1901 to an influential family – began receiving daily Communion at a young age, while serving the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and evangelizing his friends.
A lay Dominican, Frassati also participated in demonstrations to defend his faith against the Communist and Fascist parties in Italy. His passion for outdoor activities such as mountaineering has made him a patron of athletes. Frassati died in 1925 at age 24, having contracted polio, which doctors speculated he may have contracted from serving the sick. Pope St. John Paul II beatified Frassati in 1990.
Almost a century later, Acutis in many ways mirrored his predecessor’s qualities. The sunny-faced teen – who was born in London in 1991 and grew up in Milan, Italy – displayed an early attraction to the spiritual life, reciting the rosary and attending Mass daily, serving as a catechist, volunteering at a church soup kitchen and tutoring children with their homework. At the same time, Acutis was known for his enthusiasm for typical teenage interests, such as video games, pets, soccer and music.
Acutis died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, having lived a brief life of extraordinary holiness that was marked by a profound devotion to Christ and the Eucharist. His desire to foster awareness of the Blessed Sacrament, along with his formidable computer skills, led him to create a database of Eucharistic miracles throughout the world. Pope Francis beatified him in 2020.
Michael Norton, president of the Malvern Retreat Center in Malvern, Pennsylvania – home to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Blessed Carlo Acutis Shrine and Center for Eucharistic Encounter – told OSV News he has seen firsthand how Acutis offers a relatable vision for holiness to kids and young adults.
“Students are absolutely fascinated and drawn to Carlo,” Norton told OSV News Nov. 20. “It’s like, ‘Wow, he looks like me. I’m just like him. … He lived in our lifetime.’ He talks their language – he’s a computer programmer, he played soccer. And so the kids are really drawn to him.”
Similarly, Frassati has had a profound effect on students at a high school in Texas named in his honor.
“For us, this is yet another special grace upon our community, which has really been under the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati,” said Tim Lienhard, director of enrollment, marketing and communications at Frassati Catholic High School in Spring, Texas.
Lienhard told OSV News Nov. 20 that the school has “really felt his spirit on our community, and you see that through our growth. We’ve grown from 46 students in our beginning year, 2013, to 350 today, and we continue to grow.”
The school is planning to send some 20 students to Italy during spring break in March 2025 for a pilgrimage that will trace some key places in Frassati’s life, Lienhard said.
Actor Jeromy Darling, who played Frassati in a 2021 play of the same name at Open Window Theatre in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, told OSV News that encountering the saint-to-be through pre-production research had a profound effect on him.
“It changed my life completely,” said Darling, who as a convert to Catholicism said Frassati’s bold witness to the faith was personally inspiring, as the actor navigated rejection experienced for his decision to become Catholic.
“He’s an enormous, enormous part of my life,” Darling said. “He’s one of my best friends. I talk to him every day.”
Many Catholics have been inspired by an Italian phrase Frassati wrote on a well-known photo of him mountaineering: “Verso L’Alto,” which means “to the heights.”
“As St. Frassati reaches his ultimate summit, we pray he will guide each of us on our journey to the top,” said Wohar. “We also share in the joy of all those with a devotion to Blessed Carlo Acutis who likewise offers great inspiration to today’s youth.”
(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina)