- Most Rcvc~nd Michncl F. Burbidge, Dlshop or Rnldglt

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2 D uring his pastoral visit to the United States in April 2008, Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI met with Catholic educators, including Dr. Michael Fedewa, Superintendent for Catholic Education and Fonnation, who represented the Diocese of Raleigh. Our Holy Father spoke these words: "Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in jesus Christ reveals His transforming love and truth." At the celebration of Baptism for ch1ldren, parents are reminded that they are the first and pnmary teachers of their children in the ways of faith. This is a privileged vocation. Rightfully. parents seek suppon in carrying out this awesome responsibility and, thus, they tum to their parishes and faith communities. Here, parents are supponed as Catholic education and faith formation are made available on many levels and in vanous ways. We owe deep gratitude to our parents for the example and witness of their lives and to all who support them through a deep commitment to Catholic education and faith formation. This particular moment in the life of our Diocese, as Cathedral School and Cardinal Gibbons High School celebrate 100 years of providing Catholic Education, allows us the opportunity to focus specifically on the gift and role of our Catholic schools. What is unique about them? Catholic schools are not merely institutions which ofter a program of academic excellence. On a daily basis, they provide the opportunity for students to pray together, to speak the name of jesus. to see in their midst the crucifix and other religious signs reminding them of Gods presence, to hear the Good News proclaimed, to learn the teachings of the holy Catholic Church, to acquire a deep love and reverence for the Sacred Liturgy, and to participate in Christian service. Catholic schools strive to help students see all of their studies through the eyes of faith and grow in their conviction that jesus Christ IS the source or all Truth. On the occasion of th1s looth anniversary of providing Catholic education in the Diocese of Raleigh, we extend sincere congratulations to all those associated with Cathedral School and Cardinal Gibbons High School both today and throughout the years; we express profound thanks to all the priests, religious, Catholic administrators and educators, and all the lay faithful who have devoted themselves to this great ministry. Our gratitude is also offered to the parents who allow our Catholic schools to assist them in the education and formation of their children. We thank you for your many sacrifices. Furthermore, we are indebted to our pastors and all those in our parishes who give of their resources to demonstrate a strong support for Catholic education. Young people often ask me, "What is the best thing about being a bishop?" l usually respond by speaking of my great joy in visiting our Catholic schools. l am deeply inspired by the strong Catholic identity which permeates the building. l am edified by the great commitment of our Catholic educators. I am energized by seeing the great ease with whtch our young people speak of their love for jesus Christ and their desire to learn more about Him. 1 am in awe of the countless ways in which love for God IS reflected in Christian service. Our children and young people truly love their Catholic schools and recognize what a precious gift they are to them and to the entire Diocese. 1 certainly agree! Thus, I renew my ongoing commitment to our Catholic schools and my pledge to make them available to as many students as possible. As Our Holy Father stated, "Education is integral to the mission of the Church. May all those involved in this great ministry be renewed in their work. Please also join me in praying that our Catholic schools will continue to flourish and be places where our students "encounter the living God who in jesus Christ reveals His transforming love and truth." - Most Rcvc~nd Michncl F. Burbidge, Dlshop or Rnldglt

3 Integral to the Mission of the Church - Bishop Michad F. Burbldg~ since you asked... 8 How do we make truthful choices of Conscience? - Falhcr Tadcus: Pacholc:yk from the editor 9 learning to Know, Worship and Serve the lord - Rich Rc~ce theology Mary, our mother and role model -Sr. Maria Faus1lna Showahcr, O.P., Sr. john Mary Corhcn. O. P~ Sr. Marla Gemma Manck, O.P., and Sr. Ell:nbc1h Ann O'Reilly, 0 P. saint of the month 12 Saint Arcadius of Mauretania voices In our church 13 Time for a History lesson - Msgr. Thomas lladdcn 13 Cristo, nuestra Esperanza - l':ldrc Fernando Torres parish profile 28 Way Out West - Blessed Sacrament, Burlington

4 NCCatholics local news Aost Reverend Michael F. Burb1dge PUBUIHEII Frank Morotk DIREI;I'OII Of toiiiiunii:aiioni JanJfeb Vol. 5 : Issue 1 Richard Reece EDITOR IN CHIEf Holly Stringer ADVUIIIING MANAGE!~ Biihop Michael F. Burbidge Msgr. Thomas Hadden Faiher Tad Pacholczyk Nan~~ Stewan Father Fernando Torres CONTRIBUIING WAITI!AS N;~th;~lic Fuerst TIIANSU.TQR Jenmark Photo and V1deo (cover) CONTRIBUIINQ PHOTOGRAPHERS AI T H P u bli s hing Sen-ice Rev. Dw1gh1 Ezop CHAIIiiu.N Patrick M O'Brien 'RUIDf.NT AND CHIEf I!Xf.CliTlVf. Ofl'lCEII Elizabeth Manin Solsburg f.di"riiiial PIIIEI;TOII Vicki Bedard PIIIEI;TOII Of SALES AND IIAIIKmNG Jillanejob EPI"RIIIIAL ASIIITAHT Patricia Oliver KCIIETAIIY Patrick Dally AIITPIRf.C"RIA Lynne Ridenour GRAPHIC DUIGNERIWEB IUS11!R Janna Stellwag Abby Wieber GRAPHIC DUIQNf.RS Derek Mclot PROOfREADING Fmher Bill Ashbaugh joanne and Tom Fogle Fa1 her Joe Krupp Dr Guhlecn McGreal CDNTRIBUIING WAITI!RS lnncr\vorkings PAINT IIANAQIIIINT c.nob"'i\jsps ila ~..-. allhoc.otdc: Doc..aiRalao!#l.71&-!l. Ra ~ NC ~ ~- b """-Y rd.. ~- -$18J*~--- oo.-.o;,g._...,_rd_ --bo-oo 715-.St. R.Io9>,NC~71108; ~.82l.ll700;, B ~ !or.-~ ~"":t.t~~o.cwnc~~..oh!l. Rllo9\ NC ~7608. C :IOO!I FNTH ~ _... c.tdo ~ cl ~ C:loo.S c.tdo Dioo cl Rlio9l ~ -No... al NC c.otdco tbo~ --or -ropuolad ~~S::.f!"-...::UO.::.::..--:: ~,..rv -al_,.,;c oriol- NC c.otdco c.otdc:o...airi!o9\ Give the gift of NCCatholics: Order a subscription today II+ Rve Sisters of the Diocese of Raleigh will celebrate anniversaries of religious profession on Saturday, February 7. A Mass of Thanksgiv ing will be celebrated by the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge at Sacred Heart Cathe dral at 11 a.m., followed by a reception in the Clarion Hotel on Hillsborough Street. Sister Marion McGillicuddy, S.U.- 65 Years Sister Marion McGillicuddy graduated from high school in New York City at age 1 7 and entered the Sisters of St. Ursula. Founded in in Dole, France, the Ursuline Order was the first non-cloistered women's teaching order in the Church, and Sister Marion's field of ministry always has involved teaching. She has taught elementary school, high school, college and ESL For several years she was Director of Education at Covenant House in New York City. Her final assignment was as a reading specialist at a public high school in Wappinger Falls School District, N.Y. In 1997 she was missioned to Rome, Italy, where she spent a year assisting religious women from the Third World with their university studies. Sister came to St. Mary's parish, Wilmington, N.C., in 1998 where she began an ESL program for Latino newcomers. In 2001, she moved to Transfiguration Parish in Wallace, N.C., where she continued teaching and doing advocacy ministry for Latinos in a local high school, at a chicken processing plant and at the convent in the evenings. In 2006, Sister returned to St. Mary to resume her ESL program. Sister Marion attributes her vocation to her faith-filled Irish parents, who kept God at the center of their lives. Gaelic studies have been a life-long avocation. She believes that vowed religious women represent a presence of God in society, where they serve in a wide variety of profes sional careers and live a celibate lifestyle, becoming a leaven for society, especially in the struggle for justice. Sister Gerry Megel, O.P Years Sister Gerry Magel, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Mich., taught for many years - the original apostolate of her Congregation - and then began a series of ministries which reflect the universal call to address social justice. Sister founded and directed a shelter for families in crisis in Columbia, S.C. She then worked as a chaplain at Harper Hospital in Detroit, M I, before returning to the south to minister at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro, N.C. She later moved to Toronto, Canada, to help establish Romero House, a refugee center there. In 1994 Sister Gerry became the Director of The Caring Place in Lebanon, Ky., a home for abused women and children. In 2002 she began service in the missions. In South Africa, she worked with other religious Sisters at a job skills program where young persons were given opportunities to learn a trade. Sister said that she liked getting programs started and happily moved on once they settled into a good routine. The start was often discouraging and risky; she said, but at each juncture, she believed that what she was doing was the will of God for her. Now retired, Sister lives with another Dominican Sister in Raleigh and serves with Catholic Parish Outreach. She is part of a team that prepares meals at Shepherd's Table, the soup kitchen in downtown Raleigh. Sister Gerry came from a devout Catholic family in Detroit where she was encouraged in her vocation. She believes that women continue to answer the call to serve the poor and disadvantaged and to speak against injustice. She views a consecrated religious vocation as being a visible sign of the compassionate love of Jesus, Her life is sustained by prayer and the love of her Sisters, friends and family. ' :.: ~. w.vv.dio<c!gcofr.tlclrhorr '.W/\'lNCC.ltholl<~orr J ~ fr... -;. 1',,f.., ', :.f~,.. L i ::> ; : -, 1,, 1!... h~" 1 :J,.,,.f

5 Sister Carol Loughney, I.H.M - 50 Years Sister Carol, a member of the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, Pa., identifies herself as a woman who loves the Church and has given her life in ministry. She has loved every min istry of her 50 years as a teacher, school administrator, literacy teacher and now Pastoral Administrator at St. Bernadette Church in Butner. Starting with 15 people at Mass nine years ago, St. Bernadette now welcomes more than 200 parishioners each week. The spirit Sister brings to her ministries is open, hospitable, loving, generous and, especially, reconciling. Her greatest joy is working with people to be reconciled to God, themselves and the Church. She most wants I people to have peace in their hearts and to be happy again. In all her ministries, Sister has been involved in parish life, preparing parishioners for the sacraments and visiting the sick. At St. Bernadette, she is delighted these ministries now draw members of the parish who prepare the parish plan, catechize children for First Sacraments, visit sick parishioners and assist with developing a new church building. Sister is now turning to the many hospi tals and prisons in Butner to develop a Catholic presence there, in ecumenical collaboration with area churches. Sister recognizes that religious life has changed since she became a Sister. Sisters serve where there are great needs in the Church, finding community with parishioners as well as with strong bonds to the IHM Sisters. Her life is sustained by prayer and the love of friends, family and community. Sister Anne Heath, R.S.M Years Sister Anne Heath is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a relatively new congregation formed to incorporate smaller communities of Mercy Sisters throughout North and South America. Sister was raised in a family that emphasized a life of ser vice. She met the Mercy Sisters early in her life, and the Mercy Sisters were her teachers in high school. She recognized them as women of integrity, compassion, joy and hospitality who made a fourth religious vow to serve the poor, the sick and those most in need. Sister served as a primary school teacher for 14 years. She earned a master's degree in Pastoral Studies at Fairfield College and served as director of faith formation for the next 1 7 years, 14 as the founding director of faith formation at St Andrew Parish. Sister found that when parishioners approached her with a problem, other parts of their lives figured into the situation. She wanted her skills to be of greater service. Sister received her master's in social work from the Catholic University of America and is now a licensed clinical social worker in the Diocesan Office of Catholic Charities. She values the trust that adults, children and families put in her to hold their vulnerability while they work through critical areas in their lives. She is grateful to the Bishop's Annual Appeal that allows her to assist clients regardless of their ability to pay. Prayer, the love of people, the mission of mercy in the Church and the support of her family and the Mercy Sisters sustain Sister Anne. She is convinced that consecrated life will continue in the Church, serving through a more extended community of Sisters in parishes and in the missions. Sister Jeanne Morgan, S.SJ Years Sister Jeanne Morgan is a Sister of St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pa.. Her congregation was founded in 1650 in Le Puy, France to be an apostolic presence in the world. Unlike the cloistered Sisters of that day, the Sisters of St. Joseph were called to go out into the city and meet the needs of the times: educa tion, caring for prostitutes, and serving the "dear neighbor" through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. In 184 7, the Sisters traveled from St. Louis to Philadelphia to care for young people and widows, and to establish hospitals and schools in a time of anti-catholic sentiment. Sister taught in parochial schools for 1 5 years before branching into pastoral ministry as a Director of Religious Education, working with RCIA, adult faith formation, and spiritual guidance. Currently, Sister Jeanne is Pastoral Administrator at St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Raeford. St. Elizabeth of Hungary dedicated its new church in August 2008, and within weeks, the congregation grew by a third. She loves the involvement with the parishioners, helping them to see themselves differently in relationship to God and reconciling them with themselves and with the Church. Sister entered her Congregation when she was 18, inspired by the Sisters who had taught her in elementary and high schools. At each juncture in her life, she recalls that this is where God wants her and it is the best place for her to be. Her community welcomes new members and she foresees the day when religious communities band together for ministry. The root of all Sisters' vocation is the love of God, she says, supported through prayer and the strong support of her religious congregation and the good people she works with at St. Elizabeth of Hungary. 1T11~U',,:.: j S:.u y!: :: i : I.:J :--. :;dc; : : : cr : J f ~ ;l ~: a. ~ ~ _.; :... ' :,:1 ~; : t";:: ::: ~:.:c,--: 1 : ; l'.l '~ F ~~ ~.r;(: :.~ ~:r:: l ~.. :i A tj t " t :~ V.' :_;".~ : ~,.. 1'.jr l

6 local news Father Paul Check to Speak on Courage and Encourage Apostolates ach month, NC Catholics will report on various initiatives and activities throughout the Diocese.a- to incorporate the jubilee Year of St. Paul into the spiritual formation of the faithful. Watch this space! If you know of Pauline events occurring, send information and or pictures to NC Catholics by ing IPaul: Lessons From the Apostle Here are some excerpts from podcasts on St. Paul, available on our Diocesan Web site: "Paul calls the church at Galatia to a new freedom, not a freedom from, but a freedom to come to the heart and mind of Christ., to be able to live freely, without boundaries, without laws, in and through the presence and power of the risen Christ." -Father James Labosky "Paul tells the Corinthians - and us - that each of us is called to a particular service as a follower of Jesus, and that we are to work together for the common good." - Si:Jter Joan Jurski, OSF "Like all great cities and one of mixed cultures, Corinth had its problems, and these problems affected the infant Christian community... Paul addresses the problem of divisions in the local church... Can they not realize, he says, that the important thing is that all are one in Christ?" - Msgr. Roberto Keenan "In the Letter to the Romans, you can find just about everything. You can, if you treat it thoroughly and with care and sensitivity, extract the whole of Pauline thought from it." - Dr. Paul Griffiths To subscribe to podcasts on St. Paul, go to hup:// St. Mark Catholic Church, Wilmington On Feb. 8, 11 and 13, Dr. Paul Covington will speak during the partshs Generations of Faith Gatherings on St. Paul and the Sacraments. St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Raeford A Retreat on the Theology of St. Paul w1ll be provided by Sr. jeanne Morgan, SSJ, Saturday, March 21, from 10 am to 2 pm at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church, 6199 Fayeueville Rd, Raeford, NC Open to all adults. For more information contact Sr. Jeanne at or stelizabethofhungary@yahoo.com.... "I thought I had the homosexuality under control. I'd been a Catholic for five years, went to daily Mass, prayed the Rosary daily, went on one or two retreats a year and volunteered at my parish. Yet, after a series of crises occurred, I once again became involved in addictive, homosexual behavior. So what happened?" These words begin the story of "Mark," a member of Courage, a 28-year-old program designed to assist individuals with same-sex attraction (SSA) in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church. Courage embraces Church teaching that SSA is not in itself sinful, but that homosexual acts are. The program aims to provide spiritual, moral and fraternal support to men and women who are attracted to members of the same sex, so that they can live chaste lives. The five primary objec tives of the apostolate are chastity, prayer and devotion, fellowship, support, and serving as good examples to others. Courage has the endorsement of the Pontifical Council for the Family and currently has more than 11 0 chapters and coordinators worldwide. It has become a mainstream Cathofic Apostolate, helping thousands of men and women find peace through fellowship, prayer and the sacramental life of the Church. In 2008, the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge announced the establishment of the Courage Apostolate in the Diocese of Raleigh and appointed the Reverend James Fukes, O.F.M. Conv., as its spiritual director. (Father Fukes primarily serves as pastor of St. Julia Parish in Siler City, N.C.) In addition to Courage, another apostolate, Encourage, is available for the pastoral and spiritual needs of parents, siblings, children and other relatives and friends of individuals who have SSA. On March 31, Father Paul Check, a priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport and national director of Courage, will lead a day of reflection for priests and lay leaders in the Raleigh Diocese to educate them on SSA so they can support the apostolate. An evening session will be open to those seeking more infonnation on the Courage and Encourage Apostolates. In a recent interview, Father Check talked about his experience in counseling those with SSA. "The problem of same-sex attraction does not reduce well to a few words," he said. "It is certainly no place for slogans or hastily formed conclusions. Most importantly, it calls for abundant and genuine charity, something that in my opinion tends to be conspicuous in its absence from much of the discussion of the topic~ He works with both men and women, but said that the incidence of SSA is much higher among men. "One I 0, 0',~, o 1,, I 1 ~ I ' 0

7 thing we see over and over in the background of men with same sex attraction is that they've suffered first because of a deficit or void in their relationship with their father, and that has caused an estrangement. The main problem is not the acting out of genital sex; that's a symptom. The main problem was a loss of something these men were very eager for - the 'shared delight' of a father-son relation ship. They often suffer from what's called 'defensive detachment: The boy knows something's wrong with the relationship with his dad, so to defend himself, he puts up an emotional wall. That desire for masculine love, acceptance and affirmation doesn't go away; it manifests itself in a distorted way when men seek homosexual relationships~ NCO spoke with a Raleigh woman active in Encourage, who would agree with Father Check. Her son, whose father had been distant from him as a child, was 23 when he announced defiantly - by e mail - that he was gay. "I was devastated," she says. "My son was sinning, alienating himself from me and from God, and I didn't know how to parent him. Alii could say to him was 'I love you with all my heart. Stay close to God:" In her search for compas sion and support, she learned about Courage/Encourage in 2004, and became an advocate for the establishment of a chapter in the Diocese of Raleigh. The perception that people with SSA are happy is a myth, she says: "When my son is 'acting out' the gay lifestyle, his whole personality changes. He becomes distant, cruel and defensive. When he's not living it, he's just the opposite: compassionate and energetic~ "The problem of same-sex attraction is often vexing to those who struggle with it, Father Check concurs. "Shame, loneliness and a sense of hopelessness are the enemies. Often people with SSA also struggle with sexual addiction, drug or alcohol abuse, depression, anltiety or other mental illness. This remains true even in the places where sexual promiscuity is widely tolerated. Men and women with SSA - perhaps up to 40 percent - may very likely have been the victims of sexual abuse as a child ~ For reasons like these, the Raleigh mother stresses, people with SSA need to feel safe. "Many of them are very sensitive, she says. "They are hurting spiritually, emotionally and mentally~ That safe environment is one of the goals of Courage. "Courage is not about changing people," she says. "It's about helping them to a conversion of heart, to chastity and trust in the Lord ~ Through her attendance at Encourage, she sees hope. "Encour age works on me, she explains, "not my son. We believe that as we grow, our children will grow as well. And I think my son will. I believe the Lord hears a mother's cry. In Encourage, we've seen a lot of rejoicing out of the tragedy that brought us together~ "Regrettably," Father Check says, "many people think that all the Catholic Church offers to men and women with SSA is 'no: Like all good mothers, the Church does say 'no' to the self-destructive and counterfeit pleasure of sin, out of a sense of love for God's children. Yet that 'no' is embedded in a larger 'yes,' a yes to Him who is Love, and who gave Himself to the Father and to us from the Cross. The Lord asked St. Paul to find strength in his weakness through the power of the Cross. The Courage apostolate expresses that same redemptive paradox to men and women with SSA and urges them to trust in what they see in the life of the Master and His apostle~ For further information accut CCJ 1.Jr<IY'!. E ''U J :Jr d~.;~: drl\j Fa:ht!f c~ ec k ~~ '/ l ~_; l l or~ ~-.t: r c~: ] 1 CO... ~Jr.t ~-n~t.. r.r f~uk;'s at St.Ju l1n Par ~ 1. 2: (j H!"U'<..i H J" ~ Rc:.:o S iler C 1 t~v. N C. 2/: H<!. : d Qrtt f ' 1 : _.:. 1 S::; 1 tti~j!' \ j ::r:; T :11~ tn~il{jf;"; I....,. S: New African-Ancestry Ministry Director Appointed...,. The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge announced the appointment of Mrs. Lauren Green to the position of Diocesan director of African-Ancestry Ministry and Evangeliza lion, effective Jan. 5. The appointment was made upon the recommendation of Rev. Msgr: Thomas P. Hadden, vicar for African-Ancestry, and the search commit tee created to fill the position. A native of Baltimore, Green has a 8A in chemistry from Randolph Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Va. She has a MA in history from the University of Colorado and has done post-graduate work at the Univelllity of Arkansas. She and her husband, Kevin, have been involved in RCIA training since their time in Colorado. They moved to North Carolina in 1997, when she began teaching history at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh. She then accepted a position assisting the adminis trative effort in creating Catholic schools at Sl Michael's Church in Cary and St. Mary Magdalene Church in Apex. Green, a parishioner at St. Michael, has been involved in youth ministry at the parish since Active in the African-Ancestry Ministry and Evangelization Chapter at Sl Michael's, she became a member of the Diocesan African Ancestry Ministry Board in 2002, taking over as chair of the board in May "I sought this position because it was a natural step in my personal level of commitment to the ministry,* Green said "I am interested in tak ing the office to the next level. We do ministry very well. The challenge is to become as good at evangelization as we are at ministry~ Msgr. Hadden Celebrates Golden Jubilee....,. Rev. Msgr. Thomas P. Hadden celebrated his 50th Anniversary of priesthood with a Jubilee Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Dec. 20, Msgr. Hadden was ordained in Rome in 1958 as a priest of the Diocese of Raleigh upon his graduation from the North American College in Rome. Approximately 30 priests concelebrated the Uturgy in the presence of Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge. Rev. Msgr. Gerald L Lewis was the homilisl In his homily, Msgr: Lewis spoke of how Mary accepted the announcement that she was chosen to be the Mother of the Savior. He said, "As we look forward to the greatest gift God can give us, we look back to another call more than 50 years ago~ Msgr. Lewis spoke of the influence the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters and Dominican priests at Saint Monica's Parish in Raleigh had on young Thomas Paul and the call he accepted to serve God. Msgr. Lewis spoke of the challenges Msgr: Hadden faced as a seminarian, having to enroll at a preparatory seminary in Mississippi to study for the priesthood and how he was invited to become a seminar ian of his home Diocese by Bishop Vincent S. Waters, the third Bishop of Raleigh. Msgr. Hadden faced another challenge, Msgr. Lewis said, when he "became the first African-American pastor of an historic and predominately white parish in the South, St. Paul Church in New Bem. He spoke of the "slights" Msgr. Hadden endured from the people in the community, as well as in the parish. "Father Hadden continued his daily pastoring and because of his goodness he became accepted and loved," Msgr. Lewis said. "Many who had vocally rejected him at his appointment became his ardent supporters and wept when eventually his transfer came~ In his remarks, Bishop Burbidge expressed gratitude to Bishop Waters for inviting Thomas Paul Hadden to serve as a priest in the Diocese, noting, "What a great gift the Bishop gave to us~ lhol'':l:> Aqu1r1:1s pr1es! ::rd cor:!:l"- of Hw dw:c'1 S:,l{lilll Hu~' r> fhic~! _.

8 Dear NCC: How do we make truthful choices of conscience? ne recurrent theme in bioethical discussions is the idea that each of us possesses a basic awareness of the moral law. This distinctly human faculty, which Western culture has referred to as "conscience," helps us to choose correctly when confronted with basic moral decisions. Even children, when taught about right and wrong, instinctively seem to recognize a law higher than themselves. Deep within his conscience man discovers that law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Conscience has been aptly described as mans most secret core and his sanctuary. - Rrv. T~dcus: l':lchulc:yk. rh.o. umcd his d<ic!or;~tc In ncurusd cncc from Yale and did roshioctor;ji work 111 Hal"l':lrd. Hc 15 ll(lricsi of tl"' dloccsc of Fall Rl\'cr, Mass., and scrvcs as 1hc dil'l'cior of cdue111ion at the NatloMl Catholic Blocthlcs Center in rhlbdcl(lhia. (wwwncbccntcr.org) As creatures of conscience, then, we arc moved to pursue good and to avoid evil. Yet, in our fallen nature, we arc also drawn, mysteriously, toward wrong and harmful choices. The dictates of conscience may become muted or drowned out by other voices around us. As we grow older, we may even acquire a certain finesse in justifying personal choices that are not good, choices strongly contrary to the law of our own being. The inner sanctuary of conscience is delicate and easily transgressed, requiring great attentiveness on our part if we arc to remain faithful to it. I recall a powerful story about conscience involving a young couple who cohabitated for many years. Neither of them were thinking much about marriage and one day the fellow learned his girlfriend was pregnant. Being Catholic, he approached his priest. All three of them met one afternoon, had rather lengthy discussions and finally reached a decision together. They decided abortion was not an option. They talked about the possibility of marriage at some time in the near future. Later the same day, the parents of the young woman came by the couple's house. They had been fairly open and accepting of this 'live-in' situation. Over dinner it came out that she was pregnant. Things changed as a result of this revelation. After the meal, the mother pulled her daughter aside saying, "Look, you've got a life to live. You don't want to spend the rest of your life with this guy. C'mon, dear, you've got to get an abortion.~ The next day, the young man and the young woman ran into the priest. The fellow brought up the discussion with the mother and said they were reconsidering the abortion option. The priest replied, "We reached a decision on that already." The young man quickly answered, "What do you mean? If I make a decision today, I can change it tomorrow." The priest responded simply, "For certain kinds of decisions, you can't change your mind. If you go back on your decision now, I won't lmow who you arc anymore... " The young man was shaken by this answer, but when he reoected on it later, he understood the priest was right. Certain kinds of personal choices touch us at the very core of our being. Accepting or rejecting a temptation to serious wrongdoing like abortion involves our hearts in a far deeper way than many of the lesser decisions we have to make each day.