ANNUAL MEETING Knights of Columbus meet in San Antonio. Page 8

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1 S E P T E M B E R V O L U M E 3 1, N U M B E R 8 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE DIOCESE OF AUSTIN Catholic schools adjust to meet students needs BY MICHELE CHAN SANTOS CORRESPONDENT As students began classes this fall in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin (CSDA), they may have noticed new approaches to teaching, as well as schools that are more responsive to children with learning differences. Compelling change is happening throughout CSDA. I m excited about being able TED LAKOSKI, the Head of the Lower School at St. Gabriel s Catholic School in Austin, welcomes students on the rst day of school. (Photo courtesy St. Gabriel s Catholic School) to investigate the needs of the schools and really meeting the needs of students in our community, said Misty Poe, assistant superintendent of CSDA. This academic year follows the successful Celebrating Catholic Schools 2013 event, which featured priest and celebrity chef Father Leo Patalinghug and raised more than $110,000 for school tuition assistance. Blended learning The Cathedral School of St. Mary in downtown Austin is experiencing one of the most dramatic changes. St. Mary has switched to a Blended Learning Model, where students in different grades are in the same class and each student has their own electronic device, provided by the school. Technology integration is occurring more and more in our schools with students participating in 1 to 1 ipad and laptop programs and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), said Dr. Ned Vanders, superintendent of CSDA. Robert LeGros, the new principal of the Cathedral school (and most recently a teacher there for the last five years), explained that grades three and four will be together, as will grades ve and six, and seven and eight. The students will be using Chrome books, laptops and netbooks. The Blended Learning Model blends face-to-face learning with computer-mediated activities, LeGros said. This model keeps the children s interest and is fast-paced. The faculty and administration of the school spent most of last year researching this way of teaching. We realized this would be the perfect model for our students, LeGros said. In the classroom, teachers will present a concept, and using their computers, the students will solve problems related to that concept. This approach frees the child to grow and move at their own pace, LeGros said. It empowers the child to excel. Once they master a concept they can move on. The blended approach also teaches the students time management, interpersonal skills, creative problem-solving skills and decision making, he said. One of the biggest advantages to this approach is allowing children at different levels to progress at their own pace. If a student has easily mastered the concept, he or she can move on to another area. A student struggling with the concept can receive one-on-one instruction to help them through it. The parents are excited, LeGros said. Our teachers are very well trained in this model. LeGros is one of seven new school leaders at CSDA. The other new principals are Morgan Daniels at St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School in Austin, Kelly Laster at Holy Family Catholic School in Austin and Mary Lou Anderle at Sacred Heart Catholic School in La Grange. At St. Gabriel s Catholic School in Austin, Dan McKenna is the new Head of School and Ted Lakoski is the Head of the Lower School. Dr. Judith Knotts is interim Head of School at St. Michael s Catholic Academy in Austin. More inclusive One of the long-term goals for CSDA is to make Catholic schools more accepting of students with learning differences, Poe and Vanders said. To that end, an increasing number of CSDA schools have academic language therapists on campus. An example of a Catholic See SCHOOLS on Page 3 Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, Texas OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE Hundreds gather to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe in August. Page 4 ANNUAL MEETING Knights of Columbus meet in San Antonio. Page 8 Austin Diocese 6225 Hwy. 290 East Austin, Texas BISHOP S INTERVIEW Bishop recounts his experience at World Youth Day Page 19 ESPAÑOL Su Santidad, a cionado al fútbol, pide a jugadores ser verdaderos modelos a seguir. Página 30

2 2 THE MISSION OF THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT As the of cial newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin, the CATHOLIC SPIRIT is dedicated to providing information, education and formation for the Catholic community of Central Texas. This mission calls for the newspaper: to provide readers with an understanding of our Catholic faith and traditions; to be a primary source of information on Catholic issues relevant to the community; to be a unifying element for faith communities, both rural and urban, throughout Central Texas; to show respect for and appreciation of all cultural groups and traditions; to emphasize topics af rming the Catholic community and life, while acknowledging the humanity of the community and examining, with courage, topics that challenge and encourage growth in the faith; to carry a commitment to social justice that will support the renewal of the church in Central Texas. HOW TO SUBMIT INFORMATION Deadline for submission of articles or information for the CATHOLIC SPIRIT is the 10th of the month for publication in the following month s edition. Deadline for the October issue is Sept. 10. You can submit material in any of the following ways: to catholic-spirit@austindiocese.org. Mail to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX For additional information, call (512) or us at catholic-spirit@austindiocese.org. CATHOLIC SPIRIT has unrestricted editing rights. HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Readers are encouraged to express their opinions on articles published in CATHOLIC SPIRIT. Letters to the editor provide a forum of discussion for the local Catholic community. The views expressed in the letters do not necessarily represent those of the editor or the publisher of CATHOLIC SPIRIT. Letters to the editor should be limited to 250 words. Name and full address of the writer must be provided, though name will be withheld from publication on request. We reserve the right to edit or withhold all letters. Please to catholic-spirit@austindiocese.org or mail to Editor, Catholic Spirit, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Subscription rates are $12 for one year. To subscribe, send check payable to Catholic Spirit to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX Members of a parish in the Austin Diocese may receive the newspaper for a reduced rate. Contact your parish staff for more information. ADDRESS CHANGES OR DUPLICATE MAILINGS Send all address changes to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX Please include your parish s name and city. If receiving duplicate copies of the CATHOLIC SPIRIT, call (512) or catholic-spirit@austindiocese.org. STAFF Publisher: Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin Editor: Shelley Metcalf; (512) , shelley-metcalf@austindiocese.org Assistant Editor: Christian R. González; (512) , christian-gonzalez@austindiocese.org Advertising: Shelley Metcalf; (512) , shelley-metcalf@austindiocese.org Spanish translation: Gina Dominguez Columnists: Barbara Budde, Mary Lou Gibson and Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. Correspondents: Burnie Cook, Amy Moraczewski, Enedelia Obregón, Michele Chan Santos and Mary P. Walker Catholic Spirit subscribes to Catholic News Service (CNS) and is a member of the Catholic Press Association. Copyright 2013 by the Austin Diocese. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any editorial content, photograph, art or design is prohibited without written permission of the publisher CATHOLIC SPIRIT (ISSN ) is published 11 times annually (monthly except one issue in July/August) by the Austin Diocese. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, publisher, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX Periodicals Postage Paid at Austin, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Catholic Spirit, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, Texas VOICES CATHOLIC SPIRIT Working together for good in his name BY BISHOP CURTIS J. GUILLORY GUEST COLUMNIST As we follow world events abroad and at home, it is alarming how much and how deep divisions exist between races, ethnic groups, and nations. The Sunnis and the Shiites cannot come together. The Palestinians and the Jews are at odds. In our church, for lack of better words, there are the conservatives and the liberals. In our nation there is the divisive debate on immigration. The verdict in the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman trial brought out a latent racial divide. Many of the issues are not discussed sincerely and honestly. Some issues like race are so sensitive that no one wants to express their honest opinion because of fear of being misunderstood. Until we can discuss honestly, the divisiveness will not only remain but will get worse. The fact is, the government, the courts, etc., can assist in solving those problems but cannot solve them completely, because these issues are matters of the heart, and conversion is needed. Reflecting on the divisive issues that we face, I prayerfully read St. Paul s First Letter to the Corinthians (12:12-30). Paul speaks about unity and variety in the body of Christ the church. There was division in the Church of Corinth about who had the most gifts and the most important gifts. Paul uses the image of the body with its many parts to show that the body of Christ the church is one. Christ is the head of the body the church. Certainly that image of Paul can assist us in healing our own divisions. The Catholic Church is not a society or a club, nor is it made up of one group or another. Rather, the church is the body of Christ to which all the baptized belong. We live and move and have our being in Christ. We follow the teaching of Christ and his church so that we might live more deeply in him. Furthermore, through our baptism and strengthened in con rmation we can pray the Our Father and promise to strive to make present on earth the kingdom of heaven, which is a kingdom of peace, inclusiveness, and compassion. In addition, we are interconnected, because we are one in Christ, though many. We cannot wash our hands of the problems other members are facing or even may have created. If we are going to have a strong and lasting nation, then that is the spirit with which we must approach the dif cult issues that face us. St. Paul also calls us to the honest assessment of situations, not just going on what we have heard about issues. This means we must become involved. Our diocese is very diverse economically, racially and ethnically. Not a single liturgy on Sunday is attended by just one economic bracket or one ethnic group. All come to the table of the Lord to partake of his Body and Blood so as to be transformed into his likeness. We no longer see each other as us vs. them, but rather as sisters and brothers. In July, 3 million young people gathered in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate World Youth Day with Pope Francis. Some of the young people were asked what impressed them most about the gathering. Their response was that young people from different parts of the world gathered together and were united in faith. One said, For the rst time I realized that the human race is one. To some this may be too idealistic or far-fetched, but, really, do we have any choice? We must either learn to respect and love each other or we will perish. I believe that so much of what divides people is that they are not able to see beyond appearances or differences. For them, different cultures pose a barrier. There is the story told of an Asian and an American next to each other in the cemetery burying their loved ones. The Asians have a custom of placing food on the grave, rather than placing owers, to express their love for the deceased. The American asked the Asian, When will your loved one come to eat the food? The Asian responded, When your loved one comes to smell the owers. Both had the same objective to pay respect and express love for the deceased but they each had different cultural ways of doing it. As members of the body of Christ, we are able to see each other with the eyes and heart of Christ. BISHOP CURTIS J. GUILLORY has led the Diocese of Beaumont for more than 13 years. He is the rst African-American to be named bishop of a diocese in Texas. Of cial notice The Diocese of Austin has issued the following notice: Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Duc Thanh Dao is hereby requested to contact Deacon Don Gessler at (512) EIM workshops in the fall The Ethics and Integrity in Ministry policies of the Austin Diocese were established in 2002 to educate Catholics on how to help prevent sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. According to the policies, clergy, all employees and those volunteers who minister to youth or vulnerable adults in the diocese are required to complete an Application for Ministry, which permits the diocese to run a criminal background check. Additionally, all new applicants are required to attend a three-hour EIM workshop for adults within 60 days of their EIM application submission. Every three years thereafter applicants must attend either an EIM refresher course or another three-hour EIM workshop to ful ll the refresher requirement. As of Sept. 1, anyone needing an EIM workshop will register online through their EIM account. From the diocesan homepage ( click Of ces & Ministries and scroll down to Ethics & Integrity in Ministry Of ce. Click on EIM Workshops for information on how to access your EIM account and sign up for a workshop. If you have forgotten your password/login information, there is information provided to help you navigate to your EIM account. If you do not have access to a computer/internet or if your EIM account is archived, please contact your parish or Catholic school EIM site administrator to assist you in registering for an EIM workshop. For more information regarding the diocesan EIM policies, visit or call (512)

3 September 2013 school working with students who have learning challenges is St. Louis Catholic School in Austin. Heidi Pickerill is the reading and dyslexia specialist at St. Louis Catholic School. She is an integral part of the campus and has been working with students with learning differences at St. Louis for more than 14 years. Pickerill works four days per week. This year, she will be teaching students using the renowned Take Flight program. The two-year program is designed to be taught four days per week, by a certi ed academic language therapist, for children with dyslexia age 7 and up. Our program is not labeldriven, so I can work with any student who is struggling to gain literacy, Pickerill said. Many children who do not have a dyslexia diagnosis can still benefit from the Take Flight program. She loves her job. I tell people all the time that I have the best job. I get to witness all these big and little successes every single day. I can t think of a better way to spend my day than to be on this literacy journey with these amazing children, she said. Billie Bagley, the counselor at St. Louis, said the great advantage of having Pickerill on campus is that it allows students who want a Catholic education but who have a learning difference to still get a Catholic education. In the past, many Catholic schools didn t offer these types of services. It s a huge benefit of having her here on campus. All our teachers are willing to work with students who have different learning needs. Pat Romanies, principal of St. Louis, said the students and the parents seem to appreciate Pickerill s role at the school. When Heidi gets to the classroom to pick up the children she works with, all the kids want to go with her. She is so kind and wonderful with the children. The parents love her and they are familiar with her and her program, Romanies said. At St. Austin Catholic School, the academic language therapist is Tara Cevallos. Cevallos evaluates and treats students with dyslexia and other learning differences; she works at the school 15 hours per week. Barbara Kennedy, principal of St. Austin, said this hire came about because some time ago, a number of the St. Austin students were going to academic CENTRAL TEXAS Catholic schools look at increasing enrollment, special needs SCHOOLS Contined from Page 1 language therapy either very early in the morning or in the evening. It s an hour at a time, four days a week, it s pretty intense. A group of parents approached Kennedy to see if a language therapist could work at the St. Austin campus. I m excited to say we have hired her for the coming year, Kennedy said. She has so much knowledge and wisdom to help the kids. She is helping diagnose students early on and Tara has a wonderful toolbox of resources for the teachers. Enrollment Another goal of CSDA is to increase the number of students attending Catholic schools in the Austin Diocese. At the various Catholic school campuses, schools are creating enrollment management teams, Vanders said. Enrollment is not just the job of the admissions director, but a team effort of teachers, parents and alumni. The teams are looking at their marketing and communications efforts to see where improvements can be made. One new technique is to get on the radar of young families by sending welcome letters to the parents of newly baptized babies at local parishes, saying We ve got a desk waiting for you in ve years, Vanders said. Online, there are numerous ways to learn more about BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ celebrated Mass with Holy Family Catholic School in Austin on Aug. 22 at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. (Photo by Jean Bondy) Catholic schools. The CSDA site, is popular with families. The CSDA Facebook page (type Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Austin in the Facebook search eld) also has photos and updates from schools all around the diocese. Although by now most of the schools have already started classes, Poe emphasized that nearly all of the schools in CSDA have open enrollment, and it s not too late to register for this academic year. If you realize the school you are in is not a good t, you can always apply to a Catholic school, Poe said. Scholarships presented for Catholic school tuition 3 PARKER SCHOOL UNIFORMS and Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Austin (CSDA) collaborated to provide students with $1,000 scholarships for Catholic school tuition. Elaine Allen won one scholarship, which she gave to Terrie and David Lipscomb who will use it for their children s tuition at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bryan (photo above). Rosa Maria Telles won and donated it to her granddaughter who attends St. Ignatius Martyr School in Austin (photo in center). Elvia Andarza also won $1,000, which she used for her sons tuition at the Cathedral School of St. Mary in Austin (photo at right). (Photos courtesy Jean Bondy)

4 4 BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Hundreds of faithful pilgrims braved the heat on Aug. 3 to show their devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe by marching in a procession around a South Austin neighborhood that culminated with a Mass at San José Parish. Bishop Joe Vásquez celebrated the Mass. During the procession, a truck carried the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as musicians who led the participants in hymns. Members of the Rosary Crusade led the rosary. While the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is observed on Dec. 12, this diocesan-wide event was held Aug. 3 to avoid con icting with parish events in December, said Edgar Ramírez, diocesan director of the Of ce of Hispanic Ministry. By doing this, we continue celebrating The Year of Faith, by giving witness to our neighbors of our Catholic faith and its power to bring people together even when it s neither her feast day nor feast month, he said. That by itself is a celebration. The celebration was headed by the Of ce of Hispanic Ministry and included the Guadalupana Society, the Legion of Mary, the Cursillo Movement, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for Spanish-speakers, the Christian Family Movement - USA, the Rosary Crusade, San José Parish and the diocesan Of ce of Worship. In his bilingual homily, the bishop paraphrased remarks by Pope Francis during his visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil during World Youth Day in July. When the church looks for Jesus, it always goes to the house of Mary and knocks on the door and asks her to show us Jesus, the bishop said. We look for Mary because she always takes us to Jesus. Bishop Vásquez said that as Catholic Christians, we need to maintain hope and be a people of hope. In the difficulties of life, God never leaves us, he said. We have to be a people of hope. Why did we process today? It s a journey. Life has a destiny that will end one day. But we are never alone. We walk following Christ. He said we need to allow ourselves to be surprised by God and open our eyes to the many ways God works through us. We need an openness to allow ourselves to be surprised by God, Bishop Vásquez said. God is always working in us. We also need to live in joy. Christians are joyful, never gloomy, the bishop said. For those who participated, the opportunity to venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe was also an opportunity to share an important part of their culture. Rosaura Acosta, vice president of the San José Guadalupana chapter and member of the diocesan Guadalupana council, said about 20 churches participated in the celebration. Different parishes took on different responsibilities. The host San José chapter, for example, made 500 rosaries so everyone in the CENTRAL TEXAS procession could pray the rosary. Acosta, 66 and the mother of seven, grandmother of 18 and great-grandmother of 10, put some of her granddaughters to work making rosaries. The work that goes in to celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe is both a spiritual and cultural endeavor, Acosta said. Nothing would have happened if our Blessed Mother had not said yes to God, she said. She plays a very important part in salvation. The Guadalupanas are also working to ensure the next generation of faithful remember why Our Lady of Guadalupe is so important to the Hispanic culture. We are working with our spiritual director, Father John Boiko, to develop workshops for Religious Education staff so they can know who (Our Lady of Guadalupe) is, why she was dressed the way she was and about the apparitions. We need to teach our young people be- CATHOLIC SPIRIT Hundreds gather to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe BY BURNIE COOK CORRESPONDENT On the warm morning of July 20, a congregation of more than 300 met at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin where Bishop Joe Vásquez celebrated the fth annual Men s Mass. Singing was led by the Compline Choir of St. Louis King of France Parish in Austin, directed by Father Larry Covington with Chris Oelkers accompanying on the organ. The Mass was sponsored by the Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men (CTFCM). The readings came from the Book of Exodus (12:37-42) and the Gospel of Matthew (12:14-21). In Exodus we heard about how the children of Israel left Egypt; in the Gospel the Pharisees are beginning to plot against Jesus and He withdrew from that place to ful ll Isaiah the prophet. In his homily the bishop recognized the new ponti cate of Pope Francis and shared some personal re ection. Pope Francis papacy began on the feast of St. Joseph, who has very special af liation with fathers for he is the father gure of the Holy Family. He s also a Joe, Bishop Vásquez joked. Ken Ciani, vice president of Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men, as well as a parishioner of St. John Neumann Parish in Austin, said he appreciated that Bishop Vásquez brought positive attention to fathers who brought their sons to the Mass. There was also applause for the 1988 deacon class who was in attendance with wives. Ciani especially liked the bishop s point that we need to be living our faith in church but also in our daily lives. He said it is important to remember that we are called to imitate Jesus. We must let our actions speak, without shouting, and we must not be afraid to let the Spirit guide us, he said. Jonathan Herrera, a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Austin, felt challenged to be more of a leader in his parish and in his home. He hopes he and his wife, working together as a partnership, can continue to have a positive impact on their son and daughter. Vince Cortez, a parishioner of Emmaus Parish in Lakeway, says that he and his wife are both active in the church. They have children who are 11, 5, 2 and 6 months. To follow God [is] to nd his purpose in life, he said. We cause they are not going to do it just because their parents did. Eva Barrón, secretary for the diocesan Guadalupana Council, said for her and her family, the devotion is central to the Mexican culture. She noted that the Virgin s apparition to San Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City in 1531 is the only one in which she left an image. She had never done this anywhere else, Barrón said of the image she left on San Juan Diego s cloak. Part of our role should also not lose sight that we can be in communion with God through prayer [and the] Mass. There was also a reception after the Mass, which allowed men to visit with one another. Dennis Daniel, who with his wife attends St. John Vianney Parish in Round Rock, was a special guest at the reception. Daniel wrote a book entitled Man Up!: A Practical Guide to Being a Dad, which was published last March. He has been married for 34 years, and had three grown children and one grandson. Daniel is a proponent of quiet leadership and let your actions speak louder than words. As a member of Knights of Columbus, he also supports the bishop s remark for men needing to be leaders. The mission of Central PILGRIMS PRO- CESSED through the neighborhood surrounding San José Parish in Austin prior to Mass celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe on Aug. 3. (Photos by Enedelia J. Obregón) as Catholics is to bring people closer to our faith to Jesus. And that s exactly why she came, to draw people to her son. She is a great evangelizer. Barrón said she is pleased the anti-abortion movement carries images of Our Lady of Guadalupe since she is Protectress of the Unborn and also Patroness of the Americas. In her image she is shown wearing a belt, Barrón said. In the Aztec culture, that indicates she is pregnant. It shows that life is precious and a gift from God. Bishop calls men to leadership during annual Mass Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men (CTFCM) is to encourage and empower men to deepen their relationship with Christ, their family, their community, other Catholic men and to live their faith in everyday life. They also feel an important Bible verse for men to know is Proverbs 27:17; that reads as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. CTFCM spreads their mission through three steps: conversion (results in committed followers), transformation (activates laborers for evangelization) and mobilization (develops growing, serving Christians). The second annual Austin Catholic Men s Conference will be Feb. 22. The theme will be Man to Man. For more information, visit

5 September 2013 CENTRAL TEXAS Teen s faith af rmed in the midst of suffering BY MARY P. WALKER SENIOR CORRESPONDENT When Victoria Hoelscher describes her summer as the best of her life, she is not talking about a resort vacation. The six weeks she spent in Ghana as a medical intern challenged her faith, clari- ed her career goals, and taught her that those who are materially poor can be rich in joy and love. A graduate of Holy Trinity Catholic High School and member of St. Mary Parish in Temple, Hoelscher received a full four-year scholarship to Barry University, where she is majoring in biology and chemistry. This scholarship also included an enrichment fund that she could use to study abroad. Having volunteered in hospitals in her community, Hoelscher wanted an educational experience in a medical environment where she could help those in need. She searched online and found Projects Abroad, an organization that matches volunteers with worthy projects. She accepted a medical internship in Ghana, a small country in West Africa, and was there from May 11 to June 21. Hoelscher spent three days a week in the Koforidua Regional Hospital and two days a week visiting orphanages and schools. I was able to work in the pediatric ward, surgical ward, operation theater, laboratory and emergency ward, and my faith was tested in almost each of these areas, Hoelscher said. The government hospital serves the poor, and its resources are strained. Patients have to wait for hours or even days for tests. With only three operating rooms, there are also long delays for necessary surgery. In the meantime, they suffered in pain waiting their turn. When they needed medicine, their families had to go out of the hospital to a pharmacy and buy it if they could afford the cost. Often members of an extended family pooled their money to purchase the medicine. If you were poor and couldn t afford the pain medication, you just didn t get it, Hoelscher said. She also witnessed children suffering and dying of preventable diseases because their parents did not know the signs of a serious illness and did not bring them to the hospital in time for treatment. It was impossible for Hoelscher not to compare the health care typically available in the U.S. with what she saw in Ghana. She questioned how a loving God could allow such suffering, especially when it involved children. It pained me that all I could do for the suffering kids was to hold their hands and talk to them in a language that they did not yet understand, she said. Through prayer, she realized that God was giving her and others the opportunity to give aid and comfort, and be part of a solution to these problems. This experience greatly tested and strengthened my faith while opening my eyes to a part of the world that could still use much help, Hoelscher said. Life in Ghana is hard. Although there are modern cities, many Ghanaians live in mud and stick houses, have only two sets of clothes, and eat rice and soup at every meal. Yet, Hoelscher noticed that for them, faith and family are much more important than material comforts, and they seemed to be happier than many families she knows in the U.S. I found myself wishing that every family in developed nations Cedarbrake offers weekend retreats Writing Your Story, a weekend retreat with Maria Scaperlanda, will be held Sept at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. The weekend will explore writing as a tool for fostering intimate prayer. No writing skills are required, only a willingness to ponder and listen with pen in hand. This retreat is open to both men and women. The cost is $155 for a shared room and $185 for a private room. The Shack, a weekend retreat, will be held Oct. 4-6 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. Sister Lois Dideon will discuss how we meet Christ in our world today, especially in the midst of struggle. Cost is $155 per person for a shared room and $185 for a private room. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) or cedarbrake@austindiocese.org. Black Catholic Men s Conference is Oct The National Black Catholic Men s Conference will be held Oct at the Wyndham South Hotel in Austin. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for African- American men to speak to the critical issues and challenges facing the African-American male community, in particular the Catholic community. Workshops will be held at the hotel. An evening worship and praise service will be held Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. at Holy Cross Parish in Austin. There will be singing performances by the award winning and highly acclaimed men s group Men On Fire. The registration fee is $150 or $75 for active duty military and students. To register, contact Johnnie Dorsey at the diocesan Of ce of Black Catholics at (512) or johnnie-dorsey@austindiocese.org. could watch these families and see what true happiness is. In the Bible, it speaks about how the poor are extremely blessed, and I experienced this firsthand! Hoelscher said. While there, Hoelscher was quickly welcomed into the family life of the community. She stayed in the home of a woman who treated her like a member of her family teaching her to cook and giving her chores to do. Every night she played with the neighborhood children and felt as if she were part of their families, too. Hoelscher also shared in the challenges of the community. Although the house had elec- tricity and running water, these services would go out for long periods. As a result, they could not rely on the modern appliances we take for granted. A rooster woke them up at about 5:30 a.m. She washed her laundry by hand every morning so that it could dry outside during the day. Getting to the hospital required about a half mile walk to a place where she could hail a taxi, and about a mile walk to the hospital after the ride. The household went to bed when it got dark. Hoelscher hopes that by sharing her experiences, others will feel empowered to use their talents and nancial resources to make life better for those who are suffering from poverty and illness. She reminds us that although we may not be able to solve these complex problems, Christian compassion and even small charitable donations can help. Before the trip, Hoelscher thought she might want to become a missionary surgeon. Now she describes herself as 100 percent sure, and cannot imagine not going back to Ghana. I was given the opportunity to serve many people in small ways and in the process realized what God is calling me to do with my life, she said. 5 VICTORIA HOEL- SCHER, a graduate of Holy Trinity Catholic High School and member of St. Mary Parish in Temple, treats the head wound of a young patient in Ghana. She spent six weeks in the West African country working in a hospital and helping children in orphanages and schools. (Photo courtesy Victoria Hoelscher) Dominican Sisters host house warming The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist will host a Housewarming Celebration and Blessing Sept. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is invited to celebrate the completion of the rst Texas facility on the priory site, a temporary mission convent. Join the sisters as well as Bishop Joe Vásquez and Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey for a tour of the convent, barbecue and an update on the progress of the larger planned priory. For more information and for directions to the site, visit Red Mass is Oct. 3 at the Cathedral Bishop Joe Vásquez will celebrate the 22nd annual Red Mass Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. Kim Daniels, spokeswoman for Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will be the featured speaker. The Mass marks the beginning of the judicial year and invites all legal professionals. For information, call (512) or margaret-kappel@austindiocese.org. Weekend retreat for struggling couples Do you feel alone in your marriage? Are you frustrated or angry with each other? Do you argue or have you just stopped talking to each other? Does talking about it only make it worse? Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi) helps couples through dif- cult times in their marriages. For con dential information about Retrouvaille or how to register for the program beginning with a weekend on Oct. 4-6, call or visit

6 6 BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT The April 17 explosion at the fertilizer plant in West was the catalyst for a summer forum on workplace safety and workers rights by the newly-formed Catholic Charities of Central Texas Junior Board. The evening event was a fundraiser for the Catholic Charities Disaster Relief Fund to help the people of West. Guest speakers were Alex Winslow, executive director of Texas Watch; Cristina Tzintzún, executive director of the Workers Defense Project; and Jeff Patterson, executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference. The CCCTX Junior Board was created earlier this year as a medium for young adults ages 21 to 39 who are committed to promoting the works of Catholic Charities and becoming leaders in the church through effective community action, said Christina Vehar, marketing associate for CCCTX. After the West explosion the Junior Board started to dialogue about why this happened, Vehar said. What s happening in other places? What s in place to protect workers? While the CCCTX is used to responding to disasters, they are usually natural disasters, she said. Andrea Martin, 26, said young adults want to be involved in social justice issues but don t always know how to express it. It s important to keep your faith strong, she said. Volunteering expresses our faith and social justice. The habits we build now will carry us through to when we have families and to another generation. Kristina Pekkala, 23, said workplace safety is a pro-life issue. A workplace that puts people in danger goes against Catholic social teaching, she said. It violates human dignity. Martin agreed, People are being exploited and their rights and dignity are being violated. The three speakers discussed workplace safety in Texas. Tzintzún noted that Texas is the only state that does not require private employers to carry Workers Compensation Insurance, which is a state-regulated insurance system that pays the medical bills and some lost wages of employees injured on the job. This is a serious problem among construction workers, she noted, since Texas in which 50 percent of the workforce is undocumented leads the nation in the number of workplace injuries and deaths. There were 83 deaths in 2011, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Many workers injured on CENTRAL TEXAS Panel discusses work place safety in Texas the job are dropped off at hospitals and emergency rooms, she said. Because they have no insurance and can t afford to pay the hospital bills, the bills are not paid and we the taxpayers pay for it. It s short-sighted. That also leaves families without a wage earner due to injury or death. As for having OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspect worksites for safety violations, Tzintzún pointed out that it would take 137 years for OSHA to inspect every worksite in Texas because OSHA has so few inspectors. Winslow said West is an example of how workplace safety or lack of it affects an entire community. If you don t have a safe workplace, you don t have a safe community, he said, noting that schools and homes were damaged and the whole community was affected. Patterson said many undocumented immigrants work in unsafe conditions because they often have no other recourse if they are injured. That s why we need to understand the importance of immigration reform, he said. Everyone deserves a chance to live a productive life and earn fair wages. Tzintzún and Patterson agreed that working together makes a difference. They noted that the collective efforts of labor unions gave rise to the middle class. As union membership has declined, income inequality has grown. With the decline of the For more information on the panelists CATHOLIC SPIRIT labor movement, we ve also seen a decline in work safety, Winslow said. Tzintzún noted the correlation as well, We re seeing working conditions get worse and worse, student debt is rising and inequality is the worst it s been in 100 years. It s estimated that 40 percent of the jobs will be low-wage jobs by We re at a critical juncture. Patterson said the bottom line is that people are being exploited and their human dignity is not being respected. There are many out there who don t have a voice, he said. We need you to be their voice. For information on the Junior Board and a list of panel speakers, go to juniorboard. Texas Catholic Conference ( is the statewide association of the Roman Catholic dioceses of Texas. The major function of the TCC is to be the public policy arm of the bishops of Texas before the Texas Legislature, the Texas delegation in Congress and state agencies. The public policy issues addressed by the TCC include institutional concerns of the church as well as issues related to Catholic moral and social teachings. Texas Watch ( has helped provide a platform for Texas consumers on insurance, nursing home resident and patient protection, workplace safety, and consumer law issues in legislative and regulatory activities. Members have provided testimony to legislative committees, participated in consumer legislative lobby days and testi ed in regulatory rulemaking activities. Workers Defense Project ( is a membership-based organization that empowers low-income workers to achieve fair employment through education, direct services, organizing and strategic partnerships. WDP works to address workplace abuse faced by low-wage workers. Austin City Council upholds workers rights to just wages MORE THAN 200 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, clergy and lay leaders from Austin Interfaith and Workers Defense Project rallied outside Austin s City Hall to call on the city to uphold its agreement with Marriott developer White Lodging to pay fair wages to construction workers in exchange for $3.8 million in tax incentives. The city of Austin threatened to revoke the incentives when it was discovered that not all workers were being paid just wages. Bishop Joe Vásquez joined the group and gave this statement to the Austin City Council, I come today standing in the long tradition of Catholic support for workers and worker rights. Pope Leo XIII in his ground breaking encyclical letter, Rerum Novarum, addressed the plight of workers in the late 19th century. He recognized the importance of just wages, worker safety and the right to organize and to enter into bargaining agreements with employers. In 2011, the city, the developer, and the workers agreed on the payment of prevailing wages for workers and it is important that all parties now live up to those agreements. A fair wage for workers is not only good and right for workers; it is good and right for everyone! That is what Pope Leo saw in 1891 and it is still true today in Austin, Texas. I ask our city of cials to stand by the agreement that was made to pay workers prevailing wages because it is good for all. Later that evening, the city council did agree to uphold the agreement and issue the incentives only if White Lodging continues to pay fair wages throughout the construction process. (Photos by Enedelia J. Obregón)

7 September 2013 CENTRAL TEXAS Fullness of Truth focuses on evangelization BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT It was standing room only at Santa Cruz Parish in Buda as the Fullness of Truth Catholic Evangelization Ministries brought speakers, books, CDs and DVDs to promote The New Evangelization: The Bible, the Eucharist and the Family of God to Central Texas. The conference featured Scott Hahn, one of the best known converts to Catholicism, who is president and board chairman of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and an author and teacher. Other speakers were Michael Barber, author and senior fellow for the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and a professor of theology, Scripture and Catholic thought at John Paul the Great University; and John Bergsma, author and associate professor of theology at the Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, also a convert to Catholicism. The event also offered the rosary, the sacrament of reconciliation, the chaplet of Divine Mercy and a vigil Mass. Christian Peña, a parishioner at St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Austin, said she attended to strengthen her faith after returning to the church three years ago. Peña, 27, became inactive following her con rmation as a teenager. I felt something was missing, she said about returning to Catholicism. So I m buying a lot of books because I want to learn more about my faith. Windra Sugiaman of St. Lawrence Parish in Sugarland, drove from the Houston suburb with her three daughters because she had always wanted to see Hahn. Sugiaman, who grew up Buddhist, attended Catholic school in her native Indonesia and converted in middle school. While her parents were unhappy at rst, they eventually converted to Catholicism. My mother-in-law told me about Scott Hahn and she gave me CDs and books, she said. I like him. Bergsma was the rst speaker of the two-day conference in July with the topic Mass Conversion: How I Discovered the Eucharist in the Church. He recounted his journey from becoming a Protestant minister to his conversion in 2001 after attending Notre Dame University to pursue his doctorate in theology. Bergsma said he questioned the Protestant beliefs of sola de faith alone is all that s needed for salvation and sola scriptura that the Bible is all that is necessary for faith and practice and since it is it is a direct revelation from God has divine and nal authority. As an example, he used his experience as a preacher in a small community where a woman moved in with her boyfriend. He told her it was wrong. She replied, I am saved by faith alone. It doesn t matter what I do. Jesus will look at my faith alone. We know when we knowingly do something wrong it s a mortal sin, Bergsma said. In an inner-city neighborhood, he noticed many small, cash-starved denominations proselytizing and doing the same work. Wouldn t it be something, he wondered, if we could all be on the same page and we had one church and then we d have enough money to do what was needed? He realized that couldn t happen because Protestant denominations each had their own interpretation of the Bible. The Bible alone could never be the source of Christian unity because each one of us had our own interpretation of the Bible. There was no core, no authority or arbiter or judge who could make correct interpretations, he said. Sola scriptura, he said, makes everybody into their own pope, every believer decides what scripture means. This is religious relativism. It was at Notre Dame that he met the type of Catholic he never thought existed: a highlyintelligent person lled with the Holy Spirit who knew Scripture. I thought I m going to convert him or he s going to convert me, said Bergsma, who was con rmed and entered the Catholic faith on Feb. 24, 2001, at St. Matthew Co-Cathedral in South Bend, Ind. Barber talked about The Bible and the Rosary: How to Hear the Word of God in Prayer. Too many Catholics, he said, don t know how to pray other than prayers learned by rote. We forget that prayer is a conversation that involves talking and listening. That leads to building a strong relationship. Too often, people pray to ask for something but forget the second Diocesan Census Help us update our database part, which is listening. It also requires time. In order to have a good relationship with someone you have to talk to them, he said. It s the same with the Lord. You also need to be in constant communication. When you love someone, Barber said, you talk to them more than an hour a week. He likened prayer to a couple falling in love, spending time together, talking and getting to know one another. If we don t communicate often, that relationship falls apart. The same happens with prayer. The de nition of a disciple is student, or someone who studies. Catholics cannot be full disciples of Jesus if they have not studied Scripture, he said. Knowledge of Scripture also is necessary for evangelization, he said. All the learning is for nothing if we don t pray, he said. The new evangelization begins with us. It s easiest to hate the sins of other people rather than our own. But ours are the ones we can do something about. For information on upcoming conferences, go to or call TRUTH. Have you recently moved? Has your address changed? Have you recently been married? Have you moved to a different parish? Or, have there been any new additions to your family? If so, please update your contact information at or by contacting the Stewardship and Development Office at the Diocese of Austin at (512) You can also ll out the form below and mail it to: Diocese of Austin, Stewardship Office, 6225 Hwy 290 E, Austin, TX Full Name: Spouse s Full Name: Primary Parish (name & city): Mailing Address: City: State: ZIP: Home Phone #: Cell Phone #: address: Spouse s address: Do you receive more than one copy of the Catholic Spirit each month? If yes, under what name does each copy come? Previous Address (within last 3 years) Street Address: City: State: ZIP: **The Diocese of Austin does not sell or share information from our mailing lists. Thank you for helping us update our database. If your information changes in the future, please call (512) to let us know. 7

8 8 BY JORDAN MCMORROUGH CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Boston Cardinal Sean P. O Malley highlighted the new evangelization in the ponti cate of Pope Francis in an Aug. 6 keynote address to the Knights of Columbus supreme convention in San Antonio. Following Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict, Pope Francis is challenging us to embrace the new evangelization with new ardor, with new boldness and with great love for all those who God places in our path. He is calling on all of us to be missionaries in our own communities, he said. In this new millennium, business as usual is not enough. We must be a team of missionaries, moving from a maintenance mode to a missionary one, he added. He told his listeners they must ask themselves, What does it mean to live in a culture of unbelief; a culture which does not even know it does not believe because it still lives on the residue of Christian civilization? Cardinal O Malley replied, Pope Francis is ever warning against a self-referential church turned in on itself. He tells us to open the doors, to invite other in and so that we can go out and invite. The cardinal emphasized that being a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church is much more than a head trip. It is a way of life together; and the whole person is engaged in the process. Education for the journey must therefore be experiential, personal, engaging and lifegiving, he added. We learn discipleship the way we learn a language, by being part of a community that speaks that language. The Boston archbishop stressed that young Catholics must be mentored in the faith by others, either peers or older Catholics who are walking the walk. In today s world, we must promote the Catholic way of life, which is increasingly alien in the secular world, where our concern about unborn children or the sacredness of marriage makes us appear quaint and even nettlesome, he explained. We need mentor s: parents, grandparents, godparents, teachers, youth ministers, neighbors, who are ready to pass on the faith. According to the cardinal, Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to embrace the vision of reality that is the church s faith and that values each and every human being, and stresses responsibility to love and serve each other, especially the most vulnerable. The word that Pope Francis repeats over and over, he said, is tenerezza, or tenderness. In his inaugural Mass on the feast of St. Joseph, Cardinal O Malley recalled, the pontiff spoke about protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need. The pope said, We must not be afraid of goodness or tenderness. He points to the heart of Joseph, his tenderness which is not the virtue of the weak but a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern and compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love, said the cardinal. Noting that some people think that the Holy Father should talk more about IN OUR WORLD Knights of Columbus meet in San Antonio abortion, Cardinal O Malley said he thinks Pope Francis speaks of love and mercy to give people the context for the church s teaching on abortion. We oppose abortion, not because we are mean or old-fashioned, but because we love people. And that is what we must show the world. He continued, We must be better people; we must love all people, even those who advocate abortion. It is only if we love them that we will be able to help them discover the sacredness of the life of an unborn child. Only love and mercy will open hearts that have been hardened by the individualism of our age. In reference to the United States as being an immigrant church, Cardinal O Malley spoke of the significance of the Holy Father s rst trip as pope to the Italian island of CATHOLIC SPIRIT NORTH AMERICAN CHURCH LEADERS are pictured during the opening Mass of the 131st annual Knights of Columbus convention Aug. 6 in San Antonio. Pictured in front, from left, are Cardinals Theodore E. McCarrick, Justin Rigali (partly obscured), Sean P. O Malley, Donald W. Wuerl, Thomas Collins, Timothy M. Dolan, James M. Harvey and Raymond L. Burke (far right). (CNS photo courtesy of Knights of Columbus) Lampedusa to underscore his concern for the plight of immigrants. When the Holy Father went to the island of Lampedusa, he threw a wreath of flowers into the sea where thousands of refugees have perished in the modern day coffin ships that bring refugees from North Africa, said the cardinal, noting that Pope Francis talked about the globalization of indifference indifference to the suffering of others, to the fate of the unborn, the elderly, the handicapped, the mentally ill and the immigrants. We must overcome this indifference and help people to see that the church s teaching is about loving and caring for everyone, he explained, quoting the pope who told the Brazilian bishops at World Youth Day: We need a church capable of rediscovering the maternal womb of mercy. Without mercy we have little chance nowadays of entering the world of wounded persons in need of understanding, forgiveness and love. Added Cardinal O Malley, The truth isn t a wet rag that you throw in someone s face, but a warm cape that you wrap around a person, to protect and strengthen them. The prelate cited the post-abortion ministry Project Rachel as being the kind of combination of mercy and truth that the church s pro-life efforts need to be about. Our efforts to heal the wounds of society will depend on our capacity to love and to be faithful to our mission, the cardinal insisted. Pope: Recognizing sin, accepting mercy is key to salvation BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Jesus told his disciples that the entrance to heaven is like a narrow gate, not because God has made salvation so dif cult, but because people find it difficult to recognize their sinfulness and accept God s mercy, Pope Francis said. Jesus is the gateway to salvation, the pope said Aug. 26 before reciting the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter s Square. The gate that is Jesus is never closed; this gate is never closed, it is always open and open to everyone, without distinction, without exclusions, without privileges. The pope said he knew some people would be skeptical and say, But Father, surely I am excluded, because I am a great sinner. I have done so many things in my life. But the pope insisted, No, you are not excluded. Jesus prefers the sinner, always, in order to pardon him, to love him, Pope Francis said. Jesus is waiting for you, to embrace you, to pardon you. Don t be afraid: He s waiting for you. Commenting on the day s Gospel reading, Luke 13:22-30, the pope said the narrow gate that is Jesus is not the entrance to a torture chamber. But Jesus asks us to open our hearts to him, to recognize ourselves as sinners, in need of his salvation, his forgiveness, his love, needing the humility to accept his mercy and to be renewed by him. Being a Christian does take some effort, he said. It is not having a label, but living and witnessing to the faith in prayer, in works of charity, in promoting justice, in doing good. For the narrow gate which is Christ must pass into our whole life. Pope Francis urged the tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter s Square not to be afraid to pass through the gate of faith in Jesus, to let him enter more and more into our lives, to go out of our sel shness, our being closed in, our indifference toward others. Jesus, he said, can light up a person s life with a light that never goes out. The light of faith is not ashy or momentary like reworks, he said. No, it is a soft light that always endures and that gives us peace. That is the light that we meet if we enter through the gate of Jesus.

9 September 2013 IN OUR WORLD Pope Francis denounces atrocities in Syria BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Pope Francis called again for an end to the ghting in Syria, denouncing the multiplication of massacres and atrocious acts, including the suspected chemical weapons attack that left hundreds dead. As U.N. weapons inspectors received permission from the Syrian government Aug. 25 to visit the site of the alleged attack, Pope Francis said the terrible images of the dead, including children, push me once again to raise a voice so that the roar of the weapons would stop. It is not clashes, but an ability to meet and to dialogue that offers prospects for a hope of resolving the problems, the pope said after reciting the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter s Square. Once again the pope asked the crowd to join him in praying that Mary, Queen of Peace, would intercede to stop the ghting that has raged in Syria since March 2011 as rebels try to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. From the depths of my heart, I want to express my closeness in prayer and solidarity with all the victims of this con ict (and) all those who are suffering, especially the children, and ask them to keep their hopes for peace alive, the pope said. He asked the international community to pay more attention to the con ict in Syria and help the nation s people nd a solution to this war that is sowing destruction and death. Archbishop Mario Zenari, the Vatican nuncio to Syria, told Vatican Radio Aug. 25 that looking at the images of the alleged chemical attack, I hear the cry of these children, these innocent victims. At the same time, he said he prayed that the leaders of both sides in the con ict as well as leaders in the international Once again the pope asked the crowd to join him in praying that Mary, Queen of Peace, would intercede to stop the ghting that has raged in Syria since March 2011 as rebels try to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. community would be gifted with much wisdom and much prudence as they decide how to move forward. We must do so in a way that these crimes, these massacres never happen again, the archbishop said. We must nd the most appropriate and opportune means to react, ways that will not complicate the situation. Chaldean Catholic Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo told Vatican Radio Aug. 26 that Pope Francis was calling for a real commitment by the international community to encourage dialogue and negotiations in Syria. If there were a military intervention, I think this would lead to a world war, the bishop said. There is this risk. Let s hope that the pope s appeal will promote a real dialogue between the parties in con ict, he said. The objective must not be more ghting, but acting so that the people will be free to move around, travel, communicate (and) work. This is what we hope for: An international effort that will help dialogue and not make war, he said. 9 MEDICAL SERVICES FAMILY PRACTICE William Stavinoha, M.D. Family Practice Board Certi ed Jollyville Road #102 Austin, TX (512) DIRECTORY To advertise in the Catholic Spirit Medical Services Directory, call (512) , or catholic-spirit@austindiocese.org. OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY The Vitae Clinic Jeremy Kalamarides, D.O. The Jefferson Building 1600 W. 38th St, Ste 115 Austin, TX The Vitae Clinic, Inc., provides wellness, prenatal, delivery and postnatal care for women, expectant mothers and babies in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church in conformity with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare services. Oak Hill Eye Care Examination & Treatment of Eye Disease Lasik Surgery Contact Lenses & Optical Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. OPTOMETRY David W. Tybor, O.D. (512) W. William Cannon Bldg A, Suite 100, Austin EAR, NOSE AND THROAT Joseph M. C. Leary, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Otolaryngology Pediatric and Adult Including Ear Diseases Sinus Surgery Thyroid and Neck Surgery 6811 Austin Center Blvd., Ste. 300 Austin, Texas (512) WEIGHT LOSS Ideal Weight Loss Medical Clinics This will be your LAST Diet No drugs 100% natural Medically monitored Lose ONLY fat Preserve lean muscle Anthony Hicks, MD, MPH 4100 Duval Rd., Bldg IV, Ste 202, Austin (512) Hill Country Blvd, Bldg F, Ste 238, Austin (512) ORTHODONTICS Braces for Children and Adults Michael Dillingham, D.D.S. 2 convenient locations in Austin Call (512) or (512) to schedule a complimentary consultation FAMILY & INTERNAL MEDICINE Dominion Family Healthcare Board certi ed in Family Medicine & Internal Medicine (512) Parmer Ln. W. Suite 102 Austin, TX THYROID & ENDOCRINOLOGY

10 10 BY JAY NIES CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE An unlikely chain of events made him not only a national celebrity but a stand-in for every priest who has ever ministered to the faithful in an emergency. But Father Patrick Dowling who was dubbed a mystery priest and a guardian angel after praying with a woman trapped in a wrecked car in northeastern Missouri hopes all the hype surrounding his simple deed won t overshadow the real message. God loves us, he is here close to us, and when we re in trouble, he s there, said Father Dowling. That, he believes, is why God gave him, a priest of the Jefferson City Diocese, a chance Aug. 4 to minister to 19-year-old Katie Lentz while rst-responders worked to free her from her mangled car on Highway 19 near Center. I try to be a priest, not a hero, he stated. And I did what a priest does. And every priest that I know, if they would pass by an accident, they would BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE stop and do what I did. Father Dowling encountered a line of stopped cars and flashing lights while traveling between Sunday Mass assignments. He asked a local sheriff s deputy for permission to approach the car and pray with its occupant. The deputy at rst said no, thinking the sight of a priest would scare Lentz. But after asking her, he told Father Dowling to go ahead. The rescue workers are people of faith and prayer, Father Dowling told The Catholic Missourian, the diocesan newspaper. They were all praying. I have no doubt that the Most High heard their prayers, and I was part of his answer... but only one part. The priest approached the young woman, who was looking out from the mangled vehicle that had been struck headon with such force that it was tipped up on its side. Father Dowling anointed her, gave her absolution and prayed with her while she and the rescue personnel waited for stronger equipment to arrive so they could free her from the IN OUR WORLD sturdily built automobile. He then stood out of the way, praying the rosary silently for about an hour while she was being extricated from the car and moved to a medical helicopter. I did the priest part, but gosh, how that rescue proceeded from that time on was amazing, he said. They re all people of faith and love. I m convinced that the Most High Himself took care of them you know, blessed their work. Once he was con dent that the woman would be OK, he shook the deputy s hand, walked to his car and drove away. A few days later, KHQA- TV in Quincy, Ill., aired a segment about the incident, noting the priest seemed to come from nowhere and that his image had not been captured in any of the photos taken at the scene. The story spread from there to numerous media outlets and branched out all over social media, fueling rampant speculation about the mystery priest s possible identity. Several people interviewed noted that Lentz s prospects for survival seemed to turn while the priest was ministering to her. Some wondered aloud if he could have been a guardian angel or even if his arrival had been miraculous. Father Dowling, who does not watch TV, mentioned anointing the woman to a fellow priest, who told him, The media is looking for you! By then, the story had been reported all over the world. Father Dowling contacted the family and later went to Quincy to visit Lentz in Blessing Hospital s intensive care unit. When Lentz saw him, she reached out, shook his hand and cried. Media learned Father Dowling s identity when, in clarifying some points in an article about the incident on the National Catholic Register website, he included his name in the readers comments section. Dozens of TV, radio, print and Internet outlets all over the country inundated Deacon Dan Joyce, diocesan communication director, with requests to interview the priest. The requests keep coming and Father Dowling s telephone has been ringing about 200 times a day. CATHOLIC SPIRIT Mystery priest focuses on message of God s love With admiration and big smiles all around, the lifelong soccer fan Pope Francis met the star players and coaches of the Argentine and Italian national soccer teams hoping to compete for the World Cup in The teams were led to the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace Aug. 13 by Argentine captain Lionel Messi, a forward currently playing for FC Barcelona, and Italian captain Gianluigi Buffon, a goalie currently playing for Juventus FC. The two teams were in Rome to play a friendly match in the pope s honor Aug. 14; the game had no bearing on the process of qualifying for the World Cup tournament. Argentina defeated Italy 2 to 1. Pope Francis said he was relieved it was a friendly, but it would still be dif cult to know for whom to cheer. Claudio Cesare Prandelli, the Italian coach, said he was about to ask the pope if he would attend the match, but Pope Francis anticipated the question and told him that the Vatican security already considers him undisciplined, leaving the impression that it would be asking too much to have them arrange a trip to Rome s Olympic Stadium. In a brief speech to the players, coaches and referees, Pope Francis encouraged everyone involved with professional soccer to maintain the spirit and passion of it being a game, a team sport. Even if the team wins the game, he said, without beauty, graciousness and team work, both the team and the fans lose. Before being champions, you are men, human beings with your talents and your defects, heart and ideas, aspirations and problems, Pope Francis said. Even if you are stars, remain men both in your sport and in your life. He asked the players to take responsibility for the fact that for millions of people, young and old, they are heroes and role models. Be aware of this and set an example of loyalty, respect and altruism, he said. I have con dence in all the good you can do among the young. The pope, who follows soccer, knows that in Europe the game has been plagued by incidents of players and fans making racist comments about players from Africa. He told the players they must be models of inclusion, working to permanently eliminate the danger of discrimination. When teams are committed to good sportsmanship, he said, everyone in the stadium grows, violence disappears and you ll start seeing families in the stands again. Pope Francis also asked the players to pray for him, so that I too, on the eld where God has put me, can play an honest and courageous game for the good of all. Speaking to reporters after their audience with the pope, Messi who did not play in the Italy-Argentina match because of an injury said the best way for the players to respond to what the pope said was to give fans a clean and exciting game, and to live upright lives. Without a doubt, today was one of the most special days of my life, he said. We have to excel on and off the eld. Buffon, who gave the pope a ball signed by all the Italian players, was asked if he thought meeting the pope might spur the miracle needed to ensure that Italy and Argentina make it to the World Cup nals. A native of Kilkenny, Ireland, he was ordained a priest of the Jefferson City Diocese in He currently serves in prison ministry and in parish ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics. Highlights of the media attention include interviews on ABC s Good Morning America, EWTN s The World Over with Raymond Arroyo, and Telemundo, a Spanish-language cable network; and in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, USA Today, a national newspaper in Ireland, and the priest s hometown paper in Kilkenny. He has been quick to point out that God s grace is at the heart of every priest s ministry, and that moments such are these are part of why God called each of them to the priesthood. Having received the sacrament of anointing of the sick himself, Father Dowling is abundantly aware of its power to give hope and healing. The sacramental anointing... it means hope, he said. You can very easily fall into despair when you re in trouble. And it restores hope. Pope, a soccer fan, asks players to be role models Our job is to work hard to make sure we re in the nals, he said. If Pope Francis does miracles, I think they d be for more important things. Buffon said the pope asking for the players prayers was another sign of his humility and humanity. Julio Humberto Grondona, president of the Argentine soccer association, asked the pope to bless Argentine soccer so that the stadiums would be like they were when you rst experienced the emotion of being a fan. POPE FRANCIS receives a soccer ball as gift from Italy s goalkeeper and captain, Gianluigi Buffon, during a private audience at the Vatican Aug. 13. Argentina played Italy in a friendly soccer match Aug. 14 in the pope s honor. (CNS photo by L Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

11 September 2013 BY PETER FINNEY JR. CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE IN OUR WORLD Efforts to weaken conscience protections continue Fine print contained in the Affordable Care Act has weakened conscience protections for physicians who oppose abortion, sterilization or other medical practices on religious or moral grounds, a doctor and ethicist told the American Academy of Fertility Care Professionals. Dr. John Brehany, executive director and ethicist of the Catholic Medical Association, said with the passage of the new health care law, commonly called Obamacare, the federal government is posing real threats to faithful health care professionals. While Obamacare itself does have a couple of conscience-protection provisions built in, the fact is, if you look at the big picture, which are the old federal laws and what was achieved from 1973 to 2004, we are now missing some important protections, and we are now vague on how these old laws will carry forward into the future, Brehany said Aug. 10 during told the academy s annual gathering in New Orleans. One such old law is the Church amendment of 1973, for example, to shield individual and institutional health care providers from forced BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Teams of relief workers visited evacuation centers and Catholic parishes-turnedshelters across a wide area of the Philippine capital as they began assessing the needs of thousands of people who ed homes inundated by oodwaters. Since Aug. 19, about 300,000 people have been displaced since around Manila, according to government reports. The death toll Aug. 21 remained at eight, the government reported. The ood is quite expansive. It s very similar to last year s oods. It s very severe, said Joe Curry, country representative for the U.S. bishops Catholic Relief Services, who visited ve evacuation centers Aug. 21. We expect a long period of the people staying in the evacuation centers, he said. involvement in abortion or sterilization. While there are those old federal protections that go way back, Obamacare actually muddies the picture, he said. Brehany said in December 2008, just before President George W. Bush left office, the Department of Health and Human Services wrote new regulations to implement existing federal laws to give teeth and some guidance and enforcement provisions that had never been done before. The regulations required compliance by professional medical societies, Brehany said. One of the rst things the Obama administration said was we re rescinding that, Brehany said. It took them two years to do it, and they just said they were modifying it. In between, they passed Obamacare in March 2010, and they didn t clarify what they were doing until February On Feb. 18, 2011, the Obama administration announced a partial rescission of the Bush administration s regulation protecting the conscience rights of health care workers. HHS said parts of the 2008 regulation had caused confusion and could be taken as overly broad. The 41-page nal rule issued that day summarized and responded to the major themes of the more than 300,000 comments received by HHS during a lengthy public-comment period on its proposed rescission. More than 97,000 individuals and organizations supported the move to rescind, with most saying the 2008 rule unacceptably impacted patient rights and restricted access to health care and con- icted with federal law, state law and other guidelines addressing informed consent, HHS said. Nearly 187,000 comments opposed the proposal, expressing the conviction that health care workers should not be required to perform procedures that violate their religious or moral convictions or that rescission would violate the First Amendment religious freedom rights of providers or the tenets or the Hippocratic Oath, and would impact the ethical integrity of the medical profession. While the department carefully considered these comments, we do not speci cally address them because this partial rescission does not alter or affect the existing federal health care provider conscience protections, the HHS nal rule said. Under the previous rules, physicians had been protected from discrimination if they had moral or religious objections to participating in The ooding was caused by days of seasonal monsoon rains and an offshore typhoon. While waters began receding late Aug. 20 in some sections of the densely populated city, Curry said some people could be in the evacuation centers for weeks. Conditions in evacuation centers are very poor. It s congested everywhere. In two of the schools, I think the average number of people is 80 per classroom. People are sleeping in chairs just to make space, Curry said. Next to one parish hall, it s just open air; 600 people are sleeping on a basketball court, he added. Another CRS team visited eight evacuation centers, nding similar conditions, Curry said. Despite their predicament, Curry found the people to be taking their situation in stride. There s a lot of perseverance, I think, a quiet perseverance, he said. People are just very resilient. They just take these kinds of shock and they move on and keep going. There are very few complaints. They try and do the best with what they have. Curry said CRS planned to coordinate the delivery of aid with Caritas Philippines and begin distributing sleeping mats, blankets and hygiene products no later than Aug. 26. Earlier, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila appealed for unity to meet the challenges of the disaster, which affected more than 500,000 people, reported the Catholic news portal ucanews. com. In this time of crisis, I m appealing to everyone, let us help one another in little or big ways to lessen the pain of those who have suffered from this bad weather, Cardinal Tagle said in a radio broadcast. I hope this scourge of Mother Nature will result in deep cooperation among our people to ease the pain of those who may have lost their loved ones, their properties, homes, the cardinal said. On Aug. 20, the government reported that more than half of Manila was under water, and people made their way through chest-high water to evacuation centers. Southern Manila was most affected, Curry said. The poorest people live in the flood-prone areas. (In) one area along the river, 12,000 were evacuated. Last year it was the same thing. Those families were displaced for several weeks, he said. The flooding follows the Aug. 17 collision of a ferry boat and a cargo ship in the waters off the Philippine central island of Cebu in which at least 50 people died. Both ships were carrying a combined 800 passengers and 11 several kinds of health care, such as training in abortion procedures, performing abortions or surgical sterilizations or prescribing arti cial contraceptives. According to Brehany, the new HHS rules indicate there is full conscience protection only for medical professionals who object to performing abortion period. That s it. It doesn t say, facilitating, helping, paying for. It says performing abortions, period. This is a strategic attack on religious freedom. The point is, if you look at trends in federal law and this administration, they are weakening or certainly muddying the waters of having clear and certain protections for rights of conscience, Brehany said. Other threats to conscience protection for physicians have come from doctors themselves, he said. Dr. Julie Cantor, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009, said conscience is a burden that belongs to the individual professional; patients should not have to shoulder it. Cantor wrote that because patients rely on doctors for their health care, they should expect them to be neutral arbiters. Federal laws may make room for the rights of conscience, but health care providers... should cast off the cloak of conscience when patients needs demand it, Cantor wrote. Dr. R. Alta Charo of the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggested in 2007 that medical societies could deal with refusing physicians by enforcing their own ethical standards and, in this way, lay the groundwork both for individual health care providers to see their way clear to serving patients even in ways that violate their own preferences and beliefs as well as to assist courts in determining the customary and standard practice in medical malpractice cases based on refusal of service or medical abandonment. Brehany said the recent delays in enforcing some provisions of Obamacare have created a cloud over the nation s health care system. Some have suggested that the plan all along was that Obamacare would fail and there would be such a mess who s paying the hospital, who s paying the doctor, what s a patient entitled to? that only the federal government could quickly step in and say, Here s the rules, Brehany said. This has created incredible confusion, incredible expense and a lot of anxiety, and that s a very bad thing, and it s wrong, he said. Teams nd ooded-out Filipinos at parishes, centers crew, authorities said. The ferry sank quickly in about 150 feet of water and the cargo ship was damaged, according to of cial reports. About 750 people were rescued while an additional 68 remained missing Aug. 19, according to authorities. Rescuers suspended the search for survivors because of high seas caused by the same storm that swamped Manila. In a telegram to Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu City, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, said Pope Francis was saddened by the tragic loss of life in the accident. He assures all affected of his closeness in prayer and commends the victims to the loving mercy of almighty God, the cardinal s message said. The Holy Father invokes divine strength and comfort upon the grieving families, the injured and those involved in the rescue efforts.

12 12 BY CHAZ MUTH CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE On a recent hot summer evening, a group of lacrosse players gathered around a fellow athlete on the Gonzaga College High School eld before the start of their game. The 35-year-old man with perspiration beading on his forehead was more than just another player leading them in a prayer. He was a priest. When Father Mark Ivany nished the blessing and lifted his right hand in the air in the sign of the cross, he shouted out to the other players to give it their all. They ran to their assigned positions on the eld to await the coach s whistle, signaling the game s beginning. Father Ivany isn t of cially the team s chaplain. In fact, this is not an official team, but a group of students, alumni and friends who gather throughout the summer for recreational sports. I m not really a gym kind of guy, but it s important to me to stay in shape, so this is one of the ways I get exercise, said the pastor of Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Washington. The other players didn t cut Father Ivany any slack during the game, but the dark-haired priest with the toned physique and megawatt smile was swift as any of the young athletes, and just as aggressive as he threw the ball to score one for his team. This kind of activity is more than just recreation for the priest, who was an All-American lacrosse player at Massachusetts Merrimack College in Physical fitness and the priesthood have a lot in common, Father Ivany told Catholic News Service. The healthier I am, the longer I can be a priest in service here on this earth. I love being a priest, so I d like to do it as actively and as engaged as possible. So, staying healthy and eating well and staying in good shape I think is going to add to my service as a priest. The rising rate of obesity among all Americans is not lost on church leaders or the priests themselves. Msgr. Rick Hilgartner, executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, noted that modern technology and transportation advances have helped create a more sedentary life for humans in the past century, and that includes priests. A testament to a different lifestyle of a bygone era can be found in stories about Cardinal James Gibbons Baltimore s archbishop from 1877 until his death in When he was a young priest, he would use a rowboat to cross the Baltimore Harbor to say Mass for the prisoners at Fort McHenry, Msgr. Hilgartner said. IN OUR WORLD That would have been pretty exhausting simply to get in the boat all by himself and row all of the way across the harbor to get to celebrate Mass, he said. Certainly in a time before cars, priests even making visits to homes or going to visit the sick, would have been on foot, or perhaps on horseback. Other duties for a parish priest 150 years ago would have been chopping wood, light farming, carpentry and other activities that would have required physical excursion. It s one of the reasons why this 45-year-old priest makes time in his schedule to work out in the gym and to run. In fact, running has become a passion for him, and he has participated in marathons in recent years. If I take seriously being a good steward of the gift God has given me the gift of myself, my body, who I am as an instrument for the Lord then I need to take care of that, Msgr. Hilgartner said. Just like a musician would take care of his instrument, or any person who works with tools would take care of their tools. For us as priests, one of our tools is who we are, as a minister of the Gospel, as we give ourselves over so that Christ can use us. We have to take care of that gift that we give over to the church, that we give for the Lord. While Richard Nichols, a Jesuit scholastic studying to be a priest, attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J., he began the popular CrossFit training. It s an intense fitness regimen that includes weight training and varied functional movements performed at a high-intensity rate. Nichols is in prime physical condition, with the physique of a bodybuilder, and he s helped form a CrossFit club at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, where he teaches math. He views his body as a gift from God and says his physical potential should be developed as intensely as his intellect or spirituality, to show reverence for that gift. It s a philosophy that Father Eugene Hemrick has been touting to his fellow priests for decades, through his popular column and books, and in his role as director of the National Institute for the Renewal of the Priesthood. The 75-year-old priest is an avid golfer and has been a competitive runner throughout the years, and believes more priests should pay closer attention to their physical health. Too often priests get so caught up in their ministries, they neglect their physical wellbeing, Father Hemrick told CNS as he was playing a few rounds of golf. In ministry, when you are dealing with a lot of people day in and day out, and you are trying to respond to them and stay alert, there is nothing like being in good shape to be alert, be able to concentrate and focus, CATHOLIC SPIRIT Priests nd physical health is important spiritually BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Archbishop Georg Ganswein, retired Pope Benedict XVI s longtime personal secretary, said a story about the pope resigning after a mystical experience was completely invented. It was invented from alpha to omega, the archbishop said Aug. 24 in an interview on Italy s Canale 5 television news. There is nothing true in the article. In a report Aug. 19, the Italian service of Zenit, a Catholic news agency, said someone who had visited Pope Benedict a few weeks ago had asked him why he resigned. God told me to, the retired pope was quoted as responding before immediately clarifying that it was not any kind of apparition of phenomenon of that kind, but rather a mystical experience in which the Lord gave rise in his heart to an absolute desire to remain alone with him in prayer. When Pope Benedict announced his resignation in February, he said he had done so after intense prayer and that he intended to live the rest of his life praying and studying. Some Vatican officials and Vatican watchers were surprised by Zenit s report of Pope Benedict telling an anonymous visitor that his decision was the result of some form of extraordinary mystical experience rather than a decision made after long and careful thought and deep prayer. Catholics traditionally would consider that kind of intense prayer a mystical experience, although not something extraordinary. Explaining his decision to resign to a group of cardinals Feb. 11, Pope Benedict had said: After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. He also told the cardinals that he wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to serving the church through his prayers. Since stepping down Feb. 28, retired Pope Benedict has led a very quiet life, far from the public eye, although he did accept Pope Francis invitation to be present July 5 for the dedication of a statue in the Vatican Gardens. Living in a remodeled monastery in the Vatican Gardens, along with Archbishop Ganswein and four consecrated laywomen, he occasionally welcomes visitors, especially friends, former students and small groups accompanying former students. The meetings are private and rarely reported in the news. he said. As Father Rob Walsh prepared for Mass at the Catholic Student Center at the University of Maryland in College Park, he said in an interview that his exercise regimen helps him keep balance in his life, and in turn, that makes him a better priest in his role as chaplain at the school. Maintaining a balance of ministry, continuing study, socializing and physical exercise is a concept that was stressed to him in seminary, and he s steadfast that his ministry will suffer if he doesn t continue that equilibrium. It also will help him stay in better shape as he ages, and will allow him to continue his work for the church for many more years than if he didn t exercise regularly, Father Walsh said. We need to not be thinking, I can retire whenever I feel like it if my health isn t good enough, he said. That s not an attitude I want. I want an attitude of I want to serve God as best as I can, for as long as I can. He s given me certain gifts to do that, and I need to take care of those gifts. For Father Ivany, maintaining a healthy lifestyle provides him with the right attitude to serve God properly. When I work out. When I eat right, I feel better, he said. When I feel better, I m happier, and I think the world needs more happy priests. Story on Benedict s mystical experience story is untrue RETIRED POPE BENEDICT XVI has returned to the Vatican to live in a monastery in the Vatican Gardens. (CNS photo by L Ossevatore Romano via Reuters)

13 September 2013 IN OUR WORLD Muslims help defend Christian churches in Egypt BY JAMES MARTONE CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE The violence in Egypt began at dawn Aug. 14 when the Egyptian military and police used bulldozers and tear gas to clear out camps of people protesting the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in early July. Morsi was supported by the Muslim Brotherhood, which wants Egypt to have an Islamic inspired government. In addition to the ghting at the camps, mobs began attacking Christian churches, schools and convents, claiming the Christians supported Morsi s ouster. When Catholics in Berba were tipped off that their southern village could be next, they acted fast. WORSHIPPERS PRAY in the Chaldean Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima in Cairo Aug. 18. Christians, making up 10 percent of Egypt s 85 million people, have coexisted with the majority Sunni Muslims for centuries. Violence erupted periodically, especially in the impoverished south, but the attacks on churches and Christian properties in the last week were the worst in years. (CNS photo/amr Abdallah Dalsh, Reuters) They and other Christian leaders got on their phones and called their Muslim friends, neighbors and colleagues who all had the same message: "They were told, 'Don't be afraid, we will guard your churches,' and that is what happened," said Sister Darlene DeMong, a Canadian member of the Congregation of Notre Dame de Sion who has worked and lived in Egypt since She was in Berba at the time the warning came Aug. 16. When she and two other sisters left the parish convent to stay with village families, "groups of (Muslim) village men showed up to guard it" Sister Darlene told Catholic News Service Aug. 22. The men positioned themselves in front of the Catholic church and its development center, as well as in front of Berba's other Christian facilities, Sister Darlene said from the order's Cairo residence. "The day went by peacefully and we returned home about 6 p.m., but the men stayed outside our house and in front of the church and the development center all night, and we had no problems, Alhamdulilah," said Sister DeMong, using the Arabic 13 for "praise be to God." Egyptian human rights groups report that a growing number of Christian institutions are under attack in the general state of violence that has engulfed the country since early July, when Egypt's military overthrew the elected Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, following mass popular protests against him. The rights groups say such attacks have intensi ed since Aug. 14, when the country's security forces used bulldozers and tear gas to vacate two Cairo camps where thousands of pro-morsi demonstrators and been living. Hundreds were killed in the siege. Sister DeMong said that on Aug. 18 in Berba, about 150 miles south of Cairo, the parish priest made special note of what the village's Muslims had done to protect their Christian neighbors. "He thanked them, and they could hear it through the sound system," she said. About percent of Egypt's 82 million people are Christian, most of them Coptic Orthodox. Egypt has 200, ,000 Catholics, most of them of the Eastern Coptic rite. The vast majority of Egyptians are Sunni Muslims. JOE WOLF joe.wolf@kofc.org Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Granger EDDIE MAZUREK edwin.mazurek@ kofc.org Austin, Smithville, Blanco, Bastrop, Wimberley TED PATAKI theodore.pataki@ kofc.org Cedar Park, Taylor, West Austin LOUIS BARRON louis.barron@ kofc.org Pflugerville, Hutto, Elgin JODY SUPAK jody.supak@kofc.org LaGrange, Giddings, Somerville, Texas A&M DOUG SUPAK douglas.supak@ kofc.org Bryan-College Station, Brenham, Caldwell DWAIN DUNGEN dwain.dungen@ kofc.org Fayetteville, Columbus CLINT HAJOVSKY clinton.hajovsky@ kofc.org Temple, Rockdale, Hearne, Mexia Join Our Winning Team. Do you have what it takes to be a success helping Catholic families plan for their future? Professional level income potential. Create your own schedule. Learn more about our team, which is rated A++ by AM Best. Call PETE PEREZ pete.perez@kofc.org Central Austin PHILIP REYNA philip.reyna@ kofc.org Round Rock, North Austin DOUG DEGROOT douglas.degroot@ kofc.org Georgetown, Marble Falls, Burnet RICKY ADAMS ricky.adams@ kofc.org Waco, West CHARLES GUENAT charles.guenat@ kofc.org Temple, Belton WILLIAM JENSEN william.jensen@ kofc.org Dripping Springs, South Austin Life Insurance Disability Retirement Products Long-Term Care There is no more highly rated life insurer in North America TOM SUPAK AGENCY SERVING THE AUSTIN DIOCESE Tom Supak, General Agent thomas.supak@kofc.org Call Tom to learn about career opportunities.

14 14 IN OUR WORLD CATHOLIC SPIRIT March on Washington anniversary draws crowds BY MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE By the thousands they came to the National Mall in Washington, people of all ages, races and religions, to stand in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial Aug. 24, just as hundreds of thousands had done 50 years earlier. In 1963, those at the March on Washington were galvanized by the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whose I Have a Dream speech electri ed a nation and pushed it, sometimes against its will, to guarantee civil rights to all Americans. In 2013, participants in the commemoration took note of how far America has come in the past half-century, but also acknowledged how far America has to go. While the original march had as its tagline For Jobs and Freedom, the Aug. 24 anniversary event s informal tagline was jobs, justice and freedom. The program in 1963 had 15 speakers, including three prayers one of them an invocation by then-archbishop Patrick O Boyle of Washington. In contrast, the Aug. 24 event had more than four hours of speakers, most of them limited to two minutes before the music swelled and the microphone was cut. That allowed for a broader palette of issues to be raised, including immigration reform, women s rights, gay rights and Trayvon s Law, an effort to reverse stand your ground laws in states. The effort is named for Trayvon Martin, the teen whose killer was acquitted in July by a jury instructed on Florida s stand-your-ground law. Both Martins King and Trayvon were unjustly pro- led, said Michael Eric Dyson, a sociology professor at Georgetown University and one of the march s rst speakers. Clayola Brown, the first woman president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, said the 2013 march was about jobs, justice and freedom, the same topics as they were then. The institute is named for the man who rst conceived of a march on Washington in 1941 to pressure President Franklin Roosevelt to end hiring discrimination by the federal government and headed the 1963 march. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a Catholic who is House minority leader, said of King, He would want us to honor him by realizing his dream. She added that Congress needed to amend the 1964 Voting Rights Act, considered by many to be the capstone of the civil rights movement. A key portion of the act was struck down in June by the Supreme Court. Pelosi reminded the crowd of King s warning against the drug of gradualism and how it needed to be replaced by the erce urgency of now. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a United Methodist minister who worked in the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s and who followed King as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, spoke near the program s end, seated in a wheelchair. Noting that there are African Americans serving as president and as attorney general, Rev. Lowery, 91, said, Everything has changed, and nothing has changed. That s how it is in America. We go back home to complete the unfinished task.... We ve come a long way, but we ve got a long, long way to go. He then led the crowd in a chant: We come up here to commemorate, but we go back home to agitate. CAROLYN HOPKINS of Stockton, Calif., holds a sign honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as people marked the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, a seminal action in the civil rights movement. (CNS photo by Nancy Phelan Wiechec) Upcoming Event Sept : Writing as Prayer SEPT , WRITING AS PRAYER Join us for a weekend exploring writing as a tool for fostering intimate prayer. We will use guided writing exercises, visual and musical props to invite participants into spiritual conversations with the sacred. Music minister Anne Klock will provide the sacred music for this retreat. NO writing skills are required. Led by author Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda. Open to men and women. Cost: $185 (private room), $155 (shared room) OCT. 4-6, THE SHACK WITH SR. LOIS DIDEON Meet Me at the Shack ~ Love, Papa So you ve read The Shack. Have you wondered why God put this book in your hands? Would you like to spend the weekend with others who have been touched and challenged by it reflecting, unpacking, sharing and experiencing God? The weekend will include presentations, time for discussion, guided imagery and relaxing beauty. Cost: $185 (private room), $155 (shared room) OCT. 14, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN The fourth gospel is written in great poetic language by John often telling two levels of stories at the same time. This day will be an opportunity to enter more deeply into the Woman at the Well story and the Eucharist Discourse in Chapter Six. Brian Egan, Cedarbrake Director, will present. Cost: $35 (incl. lunch) Seek first his kingship over you. Matthew 6: N. HWY. 317, BELTON, TX P.O. BOX 58, BELTON, TX (mailing address) NOV. 1-3, THE ART & HEART OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE WITH FR. ALBERT HAASE, OFM Based upon his best selling book and DVD, Catching Fire, Becoming Flame: A Guide for Spiritual Transformation, this weekend retreat focuses upon some of the important elements and attitudes of a vibrant spiritual life: prayer, surrender and trust, confronting temptations, and experiencing God s presence in our everyday, ordinary life and routine. The retreat draws from our rich spiritual tradition and expresses its wisdom in Fr. Albert s inimitable preaching and teaching style. Cost: $185 (private room), $155 (shared room); all meals incl. TO REGISTER FOR AN EVENT: (254) , cedarbrake@austindiocese.org or click on upcoming retreats Visit us online! WEBSITE: austindiocese.org/cedarbrake FACEBOOK: facebook.com/cedarbrake

15 September 2013 IN OUR WORLD Pro-life advocates encouraged by legislation BY ZOEY DI MAURO CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE With the recent success of abortion-related legislation at the state and federal levels, is the end in sight for pro-life supporters? The country watched as Democratic State Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth libustered against a bill to toughen abortion regulations, only to have it passed later in a second special session and signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry. In North Carolina, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law that tightens regulations on the state s 16 abortion clinics, bans abortions based on the child s gender, and expands conscience protections for health care providers. It takes effect Oct. 1. In Virginia, the busiest abortion clinic in the state was forced to close because of safety regulations recently passed by the General Assembly. With the single exception of Oregon, every state has enacted some restriction on abortion, said Chris Thompson, a lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal organization based in Arizona focused on religious freedom, same-sex marriage and pro-life issues. This summer on Capitol Hill, the House passed the Pain Capable Unborn Protection Act to prohibit abortion nationwide after 20 weeks of gestation, approximately the stage at which scientists say unborn babies are capable of feeling pain. Supporters called it the most important pro-life bill to be considered in the last 10 years. It is unlikely to be passed by the Senate, but supporters still claimed the House vote as a victory. Despite pro-life successes in state legislatures, judges have blocked enforcement of some of the laws pending the outcome of court challenges to their constitutionality. On July 22, a federal judge in North Dakota judge enjoined a new law to ban abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which could be as early as six weeks. In Wisconsin, a law requiring that abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and that women see an ultrasound before having an abortion was blocked by a judge while a legal challenge by Planned Parenthood makes its way through the courts. A similar law was blocked in Alabama July 23. Though the Supreme Court s decision in Casey v. Planned Parenthood permitted reasonable limitations on abortions, supporters of legal abortion say the recent legislation oversteps Casey s boundaries. But according to recent polling, a majority of Americans support some restrictions on abortion, especially late-term abortion. Fifty-nine percent of Americans said they would support a federal law banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to results of a HuffPost/YouGov poll released in July. But the poll also shows many Americans remain con icted in their views. A study released Aug. 15 by the Pew Research Center s Religion & Public Life Project showed 49 percent of Americans consider it morally wrong to have an abortion. Dr. Marcella Colbert, a physician and director of the Respect Life Of ce for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said laws in Texas and other states to strengthen abortion regulations are pro-woman. This is putting in basic standards of medical practice, she said. Colbert said injury or death from botched abortions are not unheard of and might be avoided by more stringent safety regulations and oversight. If we re going to have (abortion), at least we should have it in a way that does not directly affect the physical health of the mother. Why someone would oppose legislation that actually gives women more information to make a very dif cult decision and improves safety standards is confusing, said Jackie Bonk, director of the pro-life of ce for the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C. I just don t see how anybody can object to that. While they are disappointed by legal challenges, supporters of the bills say they hope they end up at the Supreme Court, where perhaps the justices will reconsider Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion on demand in the U.S. Challenges could come from different types of litigation including challenges to the federal requirement that employers, regardless of their moral views, provide contraceptive coverage for their employees. Thompson said there s an important clash 15 between religious liberty and the Affordable Care Act. Movements by some states to defund Planned Parenthood or to prohibit late-term abortions could also come before the Supreme Court. If the 5th Circuit (Court of Appeals) upholds Texas version of the (20-week) law after the 9th Circuit struck down Arizona s version, the entry of the Supreme Court to settle the debate may be likely, said Thompson, and could lead the court to revisit Roe. Justice Antonin Scalia in a wide-ranging interview about the court in 2012 said abortion should be left to lawmakers, not judges. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a supporter of keeping abortion legal, commented in two interviews that she remains hesitant about the scope of Roe, saying it went too far, too fast. Bonk, in Raleigh, is engaged in both activism and outreach to those affected by abortion. This battle is not going to be overcome with assault and hammers but with love and compassion. We really have to suffer and walk with our brothers and sisters, she said. A Memorial as Remarkable as Your Life. Now Available Garden of Serenity Create Your Legacy With Us Plan for your future... 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16 16 IN OUR WORLD CATHOLIC SPIRIT Monks outreach is part of new evangelization BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Even before retired Pope Benedict XVI set up a ponti cal council for new evangelization and convoked a world Synod of Bishops on the theme, a new group of Benedictine monks was using Latin and liturgy to reach out to those whose faith was weak or nonexistent. Now they ve added beer to the blend, and people are ocking to the monastery in Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict, about 70 miles northeast of Rome in the Umbrian countryside. But for the 18 members of St. Benedict s monastery, life is still about prayer. If the prayer doesn t come rst, the beer is going to suffer, said Father Benedict Nivakoff, director of the Birra Nursia brewery and subprior of the monastery. The monks in Norcia initially were known for their liturgical ministry, particularly sharing their chanted prayers in Latin online blog with people around the world. But following the Rule of St. Benedict means both prayer and manual labor, with a strong emphasis on the monks earning their own keep. After just a year of brewing and selling their beer in the monastery gift shop and through restaurants in Norcia, nancial self-suf ciency seems within reach, and the monks are talking expansion. We didn t expect it to be so enormously successful, said Father Cassian Folsom, the U.S. Benedictine who founded the community in 1998 and serves as its prior. There s been a huge response, and our production can t keep up with the demand and the demand continues to grow. But even with the talk of expanding the brewery, and perhaps exporting some of the brew to the U.S., the Mass and the liturgical hours are still the centerpiece of the monks lives. Our life is very much uni- ed by the liturgy, which forms a kind of skeleton around which everything else takes shape, Father Folsom said. Many visitors tread a path between the church and the gift shop and, increasingly, from the crates of beer to the church. Father Nivakoff said the monks began brewing Aug. 15, 2012, with three goals: contributing to the monastery s selfsufficiency; solidifying bonds with the town; and reaching out to people who are turned off by religion. For those who wouldn t think of going to Mass, he said, the monastery gift shop gives them a contact with the monks in a setting and over a product they feel comfortable with. There s a spiritual gain for them, even though they aren t looking for it. In many circumstances, Father Nivakoff said, we have to preach the Gospel without preaching the Gospel just through the example of Christian charity and being kind to people. The monks Mass, often celebrated using the extraordinary or pre-vatican II rite, and their beer may appeal to different people, but Father Nivakoff said the beauty in both can open people to God. After years of study and research, including Father Folsom s visits to Trappist breweries in Belgium to see how the monks ensure their business does not disrupt their prayer and community life, the monks in Norcia decided to make two Belgian-style beers a blond and a dark, which has an alcohol content of 10 percent. The dark s alcohol content is much higher than U.S. beers, but is similar to the tripel Belgian Trappist beers. It also goes well with the food of Norcia famous for pork sausage and wild boar and traditional Italian drinking habits in which wine or beer accompanies a meal, Father Nivakoff said. Celebrating their one-year anniversary Aug. 14 with an open house and beer tasting, the monks imbibed along with their visitors something that does not happen every day, or even every feast day. It s too valuable to drink ourselves, Father Nivakoff said. However, when mistakes are made in the brewing or bottling, some of the foamy liquid makes it to the refectory table and no one s upset. Making sure the mistakes are kept to a minimum is the responsibility of Brother Francis Davoren, a native of Dallas who is the brewmaster or head brewmonk. He had some experience helping a home-brewing friend before joining the monastery, but is still learning even after studying at breweries in Belgium and having a Belgian brewer travel to Norcia to teach. The biggest challenge for me has been going from learning theory to actually putting that into practice, he said. Because beer is a natural product it has live yeast in it it can tend to have a mind of its own. Beer is something that often can break down barriers, he said. The beer is a catalyst for bringing people together and giving them something to talk about, but the conversations at the monastery often do not end with the beer. Father Basil Nixen, the novice master, said the beer enterprise has raised the morale of the monks and reinforces their sense of community because all the monks are called on to help with some aspect of producing, bottling, distributing and selling the beer. People come to the monastery for the beer, he said, but they leave realizing God brought them to Norcia to meet him. Create Your Legacy With Us Tax-Deferred Annuities IRAs Rollovers Do Your Long-Term & Retirement Savings Plans Stack Up? Monica Mikeska 3.15 % * APY *Includes Current Yield + For more information about how to include the Catholic church in your will or estate plan, contact Scott Whitaker at (512) or scott-whitaker@austindiocese.org Securing Families Lives Since 1901 *Interest rates are subject to change. Minimum guaranteed rate is 1.50%. Are you looking for a JOB? Are you interested in working for the Diocese of Austin, Catholic Charities of Central Texas or a local parish or Catholic school? 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17 September 2013 Looking for a Sales Management Opportunity? IN OUR WORLD Charismatic movement is a gift to the whole church BY FRANCIS X. ROCCA CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE During World Youth Day celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, July 23-28, many worshippers in the crowds could be seen swaying from side to side, arms raised in the air, wearing rapt or joyous expressions on their faces. Such scenes, along with onstage appearances by celebrities such as Father Marcelo Rossi, a mega-church pastor whose records and movies regularly top the charts in his native Brazil, testi ed to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal s strong in uence on the church in Latin America today. As the church continues to lose members in the region with the world s largest Catholic population, the charismatic movement stands out as a source of hope, not only for fending off the formidable competition of Pentecostal Protestantism but for raising morale among the faithful as a whole. Though not even half a century old, the movement claims that at least 120 million Catholics in 238 countries have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, according to a 2012 document published by International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services. The movement, which started in the U.S., reports fast growth in Asia and Africa. But the world s largest concentration of charismatics today is in Latin America, where 16 percent of Catholics identify themselves as participants. One of the movement s pioneers was Jesuit Father Edward Dougherty, founder of Brazil s Seculo 21 Catholic satellite television channel. When the Louisiana native moved to Brazil in 1966, he discovered a country where, as in most of Latin America, vocations and Mass attendance rates had languished. He also learned that a recent Catholic movement to promote social justice in the region had led, in some cases, to neglect of otherworldly values. I felt very much a strong emphasis on liberation theology, which I say is very horizontal, Father Dougherty told Catholic News Service in Rio. There was a need for spirituality. Meanwhile, Pentecostal Protestants were enthusiastically spreading their message to great success among the traditionally Catholic population. Pentecostals talk about the spiritual needs of the people, Father Dougherty said. Often their churches, their temples, are more open than the Catholic churches, and their pastors more willing to visit people in their homes than Catholic clergy are. Some Pentecostal churches, especially non-denominational institutions such as Brazil s Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, also preach the prosperity gospel of material well-being through faith in Jesus Christ. It was a message with obvious appeal in a country such as Brazil, where, despite recent economic growth, the per-capita gross national product is only $12,100. The Pentecostal movement has continued to rise, from 6 percent of Brazil s population in 1991 to 13 percent in 2010, according to a recent Pew Research Center study based on Brazilian census data. In the same period, the Catholic share of the country s population fell from 83 percent to 65 percent. A 2006 Pew survey of Pentecostals in Brazil found that 45 percent were converts from Catholicism. Although the Catholic charismatic renewal has strong ecumenical roots, and its members have often worshipped together with Pentecostals, it also functions as a vehicle for retaining or winning back Catholics tempted by the Protestant alternative. Like Pentecostalism, charismatic Catholicism emphasizes the Holy Spirit, features faith healing and speaking in tongues and is spread by door-to-door evangelists. But the important roles it gives to Mary and the Eucharist ensure that charismatic devotion has a clear Catholic identity. The movement also encourages social service, Father Dougherty said, noting that it draws its inspiration from the church s foundational event, the rst Pentecost, when Jesus disciples went out to the streets to preach and help the needy as soon as they were lled with the Holy Spirit. Strong Catholic identity has been crucial to the movement s acceptance by the church s hierarchy in Latin America, many of whom had initial reservations about its unfamiliar forms of worship and largely lay leadership. One early skeptic was Argentine Jesuit Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. Back at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, I had no time for charismatics, the pope told reporters on the plane returning from Rio July 28. Once, speaking about them, I said: These people confuse a 17 liturgical celebration with samba lessons! Now I regret it, he said. Now I think that this movement does much good for the church, overall. I don t think that the charismatic renewal movement merely prevents people from passing over to Pentecostal denominations, Pope Francis said. No! It is also a service to the church herself! It renews us. The movements are necessary, the movements are a grace of the Spirit, the pope added, speaking of ecclesial movements in general. Everyone seeks his own movement, according to his own charism, where the Holy Spirit draws him or her. A PILGRIM raises his hands in song during the World Youth Day closing Mass on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro July 28. (CNS photo/tyler Orsburn) If you are a life insurance professional with 5+ years sales experience & a proven track record of recruiting & training new agents, we want you! Call Dawn Fanfelle at ext 168 or dfanfelle@cliu.com

18 18 BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Among the 3 million or so faithful who attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, were 10 teenagers from Holy Family Parish in Copperas Cove on their rst trip to this international event. They spent 18 months selling tacos, cleaning cars at car washes and holding garage sales to help pay their way to Brazil in July. The trip strengthened their faith and forged a bond that these youngsters will never forget. High on the list of favorites was seeing Pope Francis in his rst international outing. Aside from seeing the pope, they heard familiar prayers recited in different languages, exchanged ags, buttons and rosaries with people from around the world and took lots and lots of photos. It wasn t always fun: they were 8 miles from the main event sites, it was cold, it rained, they got up early and went to bed late. But those who are eligible plan to attend the next WYD in Krakow, Poland, in For parent and chaperone Kristina Williams-Myers, the expression on the youngsters faces upon seeing Pope Francis was priceless. This is the rst pope they will really remember, she said. They are the rst group of kids to see him at a World Youth Day event. They were excited beyond the rock star thing. Teenagers attending were Amanda Arrisola, 16; Sara Myers, 17; Katherine Myers, 17; Emily Myers, 16; Emanuel Martinez, 17; Adan Rivas, 16; Valeria Fernandez, 16; Matthew Spears, 16; Timothy Fajardo, 18; and Tamarah Milne-Myazoe, 16. All are students at Copperas Cove High School except Fajardo, who graduated in the spring, and Rivas, who just moved with his family to El Paso. Students from St. Elizabeth Parish in P ugerville and St. William Parish in Round Rock also traveled to Brazil. Arrisola said it was new youth director Meghan James who suggested attending WYD, which got everybody excited. James told them it would be lot of hard work to raise money for the trip; thankfully, the payoff was beyond their expectations. It was overwhelming, Arrisola said. There were millions of people and everybody was there for the same reason. You IN OUR WORLD wouldn t think that so many youth would be involved with church. It was different languages but the same Word. Seeing the pope the first time was very emotional. Everybody was screaming and crying, she said. The life-changing moment for her occurred when the pope stopped to hold and kiss a baby. The fact that he reached out was incredible, she said. Sara Myers said the experience has helped her enjoy attending church more and it has strengthened her faith. Some people say, why bother? she said. God doesn t control your life. But if you follow God, he will guide you in the right path. She liked attending Mass, with people praying in their own languages, as well as attending a vocations fair that included a presentation by people building schools in Africa. It made me think I can do that, she said. It gave us a lot to think about. Katherine Myers, who is an altar server, said seeing the pope was phenomenal. He was about 10 feet away, she said. He looks so much younger in person. He looks very peaceful and holy. Going to confession in the tent-like confessionals was also a highlight. I felt like a whole different person, she said. It was powerful. Martinez, who graduates next year, said he was looking for a faith booster, and he got it. You could say I m a bornagain Catholic, he said. Seeing the gigantic Jesus statue was a powerful experience. I could feel Jesus radiating, he said. The same thing happened when I saw the pope. I really felt his presence. Everyone really listened intently to his words. Rivas said his rst reaction upon hearing the group might go to Brazil was, Ooh! Travel! Once he was there, he was impressed at everyone celebrating their faith. I wish we could have gotten more people to go or gone to fewer events, he said. There was so much. We were very tired. Fernandez said the experience brought her group closer and made them realize just how universal the church is. They met youth from Iraq, South Korea and Kuwait and exchanged gifts with kids from Ireland and Argentina. She wishes she had learned CATHOLIC SPIRIT Local youth travel to Brazil for World Youth Day WHILE IN RIO DE JANEIRO, many of the pilgrims visited the Christ the Redeemer statue, which stands atop Corcovado Mountain and overlooks the city. (Photo courtesy Janie Vasquez) A GROUP OF TEENS from Holy Family Parish in Copperas Cove was one of three groups from the Austin Diocese that attended World Youth Day in Brazil in late July. Bishop Joe Vásquez also attended the celebration. (Photo courtesy Janie Vasquez) I could feel Jesus radiating... The same thing happened when I saw the pope. I really felt his presence. Everyone really listened intently to his words. Emanuel Martinez, youth from Holy Family Parish in Copperas Cove some Portuguese as did some of the others. I know some Spanish so that helped, she said. She also wishes they had brought Texas and U.S. ags to exchange. She plans to bring both to Poland. Spears said attending Mass was amazing and saying the rosary was really cool each decade was in a different language, he said. Praying daily at WYD also strengthened his prayer life and helped him deal with the frustrations of dealing with the crowds. It made me realize prayer can get me out of any situation, he said. Williams-Myers said the trip was also an opportunity for her own renewal. Sometimes you get stagnant, she said. It helped me remember why I m Catholic. At the event, she said, you truly feel that you are the church, one body. That was awesome! Adults need to recognize that today s young people will not follow the faith just because they are told to do so. This generation needs concrete answers to their questions, she said. We have to be cognizant of that. We need to communicate that with love and really listen and be respectful of their questions and answer those questions even when it s hard. The next WYD will be in July 2016 in Krakow, Poland. It is open to youth ages 16 to 35, although anyone over the age of 18 signs up independently. For more information, visit www. krakow2016.com/en/.

19 September 2013 GOOD NEWS 19 World Youth Day was an experience of faith B ISHOP JOE S. VÁSQUEZ is the fth bishop of the Austin Diocese. He shepherds more than 530,000 Catholics in 25 Central Texas counties. Editor: Bishop, at the end of July you attended World Youth Day in Brazil. Tell us about your experience. Bishop Vásquez: World Youth Day 2013 was a very uplifting and af- rming experience for me as a bishop. This is my third opportunity to participate in World Youth Day I visited Toronto in 2002 and Madrid in 2011; and once again I was amazed by this impressive gathering of young people from every corner of the globe. Approximately 3 million people were at the closing Mass with Pope Francis, which was held on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janiero. As I looked down the beach, I could see people from all parts of the world waving their country ags. It was a marvelous sight to behold. The question arises, Who has the ability to gather so many people from all over the world for a spiritual event our Holy Father! Blessed John Paul II initiated World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI continued the tradition and this year Pope Francis welcomed millions of pilgrims to Brazil. I just couldn t help but be proud to be Catholic! Throughout my experience at World Youth Day, I was very impressed and hopeful with the youth and young adults of our church. They walked great distances in the cold, rainy weather and they stood for hours waiting for Mass. And yet there were times of quiet in the midst of such an immense assembly of people. Several times at these moments of prayer, Pope Francis called for silence, and there was an immediate re ective silence, which was beautiful. So often we hear our youth are disenchanted with the church and its teachings, but after witnessing World Youth Day, I can see that our young people are very engaged. They are asking deep, serious questions about life, about purpose and service, and about wanting to be involved with the church. It is a great sign of hope to see this gathering of millions of youth from all over the world who want to put Christ at the center of their lives and want to serve the church. Editor: What were some of the speci c highlights? Bishop Vásquez: During World Youth Day, there were different sites located throughout the city of Rio de Janeiro where the youth would come and receive catechesis on the Catholic faith. I had the privilege of listening to two excellent presentations one given by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and the other given by Cardinal Sean O Malley of Boston. Both were amazing because they both connected with the BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ took this photo the morning of the closing Mass for World Youth Day. The youth from all over the world were gathering in preparation for the arrival of Pope Francis. As I took this photo, I could sense the excitement of the people as they waited for the Holy Father to arrive and celebrate the Eucharist, the bishop commented. (Photo by Bishop Joe Vásquez) youth. As I listened to the presentations, it was obvious that their message resonated with the young people. Our youth want to encounter Jesus Christ. The cardinals spoke about some very dif cult and challenging topics, with both of them admitting that there have been errors made and there have been faults within the church. Yet, the Catholic Church remains a great sign of hope because Christ promised that he would be with us until the end of time. The church remains faithful to Christ and the mission entrusted to her, which is to proclaim Christ to the world. The other highlight was witnessing Pope Francis as he visited the people of Rio. Every time he went through the streets, he spent time with the people. He wanted to communicate with the people. He sought to get to know them just like any good pastor would. And the people were obviously drawn to him. He began his visit at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, patron of Brazil. There the pope said, Today, looking forward to the World Youth Day which has brought me to Brazil, I too come to knock on the door of the house of Mary who loved and raised Jesus that she may help all of us, pastors of God s people, parents and educators, to pass on to our young people the values that can help them build a nation and a world which are more just, united and fraternal. Pope Francis quickly won the hearts of the Brazilians and everyone who was gathered for World Youth Day. And at the end of the gathering, Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer told the Holy Father that the country s door would be permanently open to him and called on him to just enter without knocking, because there will always be a place for Your Holiness in Brazilians hearts. I thought this was a marvelous expression of the door as a sign of welcome and reception and knowing that the Holy Father would always be received there. He visited people who were ordinary folk and he met with government of cials and bishops. Watching him move in and among the people, and watching him pray with the people was impressive. Not only was he visiting a country, he was building the faith of young people and all who came into contact with him. And at the end of his visit, the pope admitted that being in Brazil and being with so many young people was an opportunity to have his own faith strengthened as well. Editor: Pope Francis seems to really have ignited the faith in Catholics throughout the world. What do you think of this? Bishop Vásquez: Yes, I agree. I think this is because he has taken a different approach from our previous popes. That is not to say that our previous popes were any less men of faith or men of God and that is not to say that they didn t make a signi cant contribution to the church. However, I think Pope Francis has added a dimension of simplicity and humility, which I think people nd appealing he has a very pastoral, down-to-earth approach. He himself is living a simple life. He has chosen not to live in the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, but to live in a suite in the Vatican guesthouse, which is a simple house for of cial visitors. He is a man who comes from serving people in poverty. In Argentina, he lived among people who were poor and he visited them just like a pastor. Even though he was archbishop, he traveled through the country, through the city the way that ordinary people traveled. While he was in Rio, Pope Francis traveled in the open-air popemobile and he stopped and walked among the people. As he traveled through the crowds, people showered him with owers, soccer jerseys, ags and other gifts. The people s response to him and their love for him was beautiful to witness and his response to the people was equally moving. He takes babies and kisses them. He blesses the sick. He embraces those who are incapacitated. He spends time with people. He is not afraid. He is con dent of the role that has been entrusted to him. I loved what he told the youth at one point about the faith being revolutionary. Peace, consolation, gentleness, courage, serenity and joy, which are all fruits of the Holy Spirit, nd a home in our heart, so our very being is transformed; our way of thinking and acting is made new, it becomes Jesus own, God s own, way of thinking and acting. Dear friends, faith is revolutionary and today I ask you: are you willing to enter into this revolutionary wave of faith? Only by entering into this wave will your young lives acquire meaning and thus become fruitful! Editor: What is your prayer for Pope Francis and for the church as we go forward? Bishop Vásquez: Of course, our prayer for our Holy Father is always that God will continue to protect him, watch over him, guide him and inspire him so that he may continue to be the Vicar of Christ that we need at this particular moment in time. Every Holy Father, of course, deals with many issues because it is a universal church. My prayer is that our Holy Father will speak the words of Christ and will continue to renew and motivate us. Especially during this Year of Faith, I pray all of us will be con dent of our Catholic faith and not be afraid of expressing it and communicating it with others. I pray we are all as he has said revolutionary.

20 20 GOOD NEWS CATHOLIC SPIRIT St. Giles known as one of Holy Helpers BY MARY LOU GIBSON COLUMNIST Giles was a hermit who lived in the woods near the River Rhone in France in either the seventh or eighth century. Much of what is known about him comes from legend. One popular legend says that he lived on herbs and the milk of a young deer. He became one of the most widely known and most popular saints of the SAINT GILES AND THE HIND painted by the Master of Saint Giles. (National Gallery, London) Middle Ages based on a story written about him in the 10th century. According to this account, Giles was born in Athens and became famous for giving alms to the poor and working miracles. Paul Burns writes in Butler s Lives of the Saints that to escape the notoriety of being known as a miracle worker, he set sail from Athens and reached Marseilles. From there, he went into the woods and met the deer who supposedly nourished him with her milk and a legend was begun. Burns gives this account of Giles and the deer: a local king (maybe the Gothic King Flavius) led his hunting parties into the wood following the tracks of the deer, but she escaped by hiding in Giles cave. One of the huntsmen shot an arrow at it and when the king and a bishop went to see where it had gone, they found Giles wounded by the arrow. Rodney Castleden writes in The Book of Saints that Giles later prayed that his wound would not heal saying my strength is made perfect in weakness. The king offered Giles money in compensation, which Giles at rst refused. He eventually accepted on the condition that it should be used to build a monastery. This was done and Giles became its rst abbot. The monastery was where the town of Saint-Gilles near Nimes, France now stands. A large community developed around the monastery. Sadly, it is gone now after being damaged by the Albigensians in the 13th century. Another legend that boosted Giles popularity concerns a king who sought his spiritual advice. Some say it was Charlemagne. This king asked for Giles forgiveness for a sin he did not dare confess. According to David Hugh Farmer writing in the Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Giles was celebrating Mass when the sin was revealed to him by an angel. He told this to the amazed king who admitted the sin and repented. The known facts of Giles life are that he was probably born in the seventh or eighth century and that he built a monastery near Arles in Provence. This site was on the pilgrimage routes between Rome and Santiago de Compostela, the pilgrim way of St. James. Burns writes that the legends about St. Giles gave the monastery importance and attracted pilgrims. Giles died about 710 and his cult spread all over Europe. Every county in England except Westmorland and Cumberland had churches dedicated to him, more than 160 in all. The most famous of these is St. Giles at Edinburgh, a major shrine, and St. Giles Cripplegate, London. At least 15 locations in France are named after him. His feast on Sept. 1 is celebrated by all English-Benedictine monasteries. It is not on the General Roman calendar. His churches are often found at road junctions where travelers could visit while they had their horses shod in nearby smithies. St. Giles is included in the list of Fourteen Holy Helpers, a popular group of saints that people pray to especially for recovery from disease. Devotion to the Holy Helpers is especially strong in parts of Germany, Hungary and Sweden. He is the patron saint of beggars, black smiths, cripples, lepers and the woods. Giles is depicted in art wearing a Benedictine habit with a deer and arrow. MARY LOU GIBSON is a member of St. Austin Parish in Austin. She is a retired state employee. The John Paul II Life Center s Benefit Dinner Embrace a Better Choice! Patrick Madrid, EWTN radio host, author of more than 20 Catholic books Collin Raye, Catholic convert and Country Music recording artist Sheila Liaugminas, i News Director of Relevant Radio Thursday, Dec :00pm at the AT&T Conference Center - Austin Tickets, sponsorships or to donate go to Our three fold mission: The Vitae Clinic sonograms education