March 7, 2008 - Issue #5
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Working with Nature
20 years into marriage, couple embraces NFP
The homilist at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage broached a sensitive topic last fall — one which is rarely heard from the pulpit.
Speaking that day, Deacon Ken Donahue felt obliged to encourage parishioners to embrace natural family planning (or NFP) as opposed to artificial contraception.
As the only form of family planning in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church, NFP allows couples to conceive or avoid pregnancy by working with, rather than against, the designs of nature.
As might be expected, the deacon’s homily sparked considerable discussion throughout the parish.
"I was honestly shocked," said parishioner Lisa Leisle. "I thought there was more leeway (to use artificial contraception)."
After Mass that morning, Leisle went home and had a frank discussion with her husband David. His response was to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the final word.
"We looked at (the Catechism) and decided that there isn’t a lot of leeway — especially when it uses words like ‘intrinsically evil,’" Lisa said, referring to the Catechism’s teaching on the use of contraceptives.
After their discussion, the Leisles made a life-changing decision.
"It was the last day I took the pill," said Lisa. "I went on-line in the next couple of days to find out about NFP — and we’ve been practicing it ever since."
Learn about NFP options For information about the Billings method of NFP, call the Archdiocese Natural Family Planning Office at 297-2240 or visit www.archdioceseofanchorage.org/NFP.htm For information about the sympto-thermal method of NFP, contact Couple to Couple League of Anchorage at 243-8168 or visit www.cclanchorage.com. |
Inspiration for the NFP homily occurred to Deacon Donahue after a number of conversations he had with couples in marriage preparation classes.
"When I mention NFP, people look at me like I am an artifact from another age," he explained. "It’s one of the principles of Catholic teaching that people don’t think applies to them."
But for many couples, including many Catholics, information about NFP is largely unknown or misunderstood.
The teaching, however, is quite clear, Deacon Donahue said, adding, "there is no wiggle room."
The reasoning behind the principles of NFP is simple, he explained. It is the only type of birth control that allows God to have a hand in the purposes of human sexuality, purposes which God created.
Openness to life is a key component of Catholic moral teaching.
When the Leisles told their 15-year-old daughter they were practicing NFP, she worried that she might have a new brother or sister in the near future.
The church, however, does not instruct couples to have as many children as biologically possible.
"We explained that our intent is not to give up (contraception) so we can pop ‘em out till we are fifty," David said. "But we are doing this in a natural way."
Deacon Donahue said it is important that couples prayerfully discern whether to have children.
The Catechism affirms that there are just reasons for spacing pregnancies. It adds, however, that couples should be generous when determining their family size and not limit it for selfish reasons.
In preventing pregnancy, NFP methods are more effective than contraceptive methods, said Pam Albrecht. Albrecht helps coordinate the Natural Family Planning office for the Anchorage Archdiocese and is a certified instructor in one form of NFP called the Billings Method.
"The statistics are about 99.5 percent effective for the Billings method," she said.
Australian doctor John Billings, at the request of his parish priest, developed the method in the 1950s.
In using the Billings approach, women monitor their fertility cycles each month. Couples can use NFP methods to either help achieve or avoid pregnancy.
Another effective NFP option, called the sympto-thermal method, tracks a woman’s fertility cycles based on changes in body temperature.
As Deacon Donahue explained, God designed human sexuality with NFP as a built in system.
"In the wonder of his plan, he decided that there would be a time when the female was not fertile," he said.
It’s a proven method that works, he added, because it remains open to God’s will.
At first, the natural method might seem daunting, but Albrecht and others in her office are committed to helping couples every step of the way.
"We do two classes and then a follow up for as long as needed," Albrecht said.
Lisa Leisle said she was a bit overwhelmed, but quickly gained comfort with the method.
"I know I could call Rachael (one of the instructors) right now for a cup of coffee if I had questions," she said.
"I feel very comfortable with it," she said, adding that being on the pill required almost equal maintenance.
The Leisles said they feel a sense of peace with their decision to practice NFP.
"The best thing about it is that it keeps God in the marriage," Lisa said.
Deacon Donahue said NFP helps foster healthy marriages.
"The divorce rate of people that practice NFP is about two percent," he said. "That alone speaks volumes to the works of the practice."
Albrecht credits NFP for fostering greater communication between couples because they have to pay more attention to each other and the cycles of fertility, she said.
"I call it the courtship and honeymooning stages," Albrecht said in explaining the rhythm between a woman’s fertile and infertile times.
If a couple is trying to avoid pregnancy, they must avoid sex during certain times of the month. But this "courtship" stage provides unique opportunities, Albrecht explained.
"The couple can do nice things for one another like when they were dating," she said.
Then, during the honeymoon phase, it helps to refresh the marriage, she added. Albrecht said many couples tell her they notice an increase in the amount of respect they have for one another, especially during the honeymoon phases.
Recently, Albrecht has noticed an increase in the number of couples signing up for NFP classes.
"Mostly younger people are signing up. Some are doing it because they are required to take the class as part of the marriage prep," she said.
Several churches around the archdiocese require NFP classes as part of marriage preparation and that might soon expand to other parishes.
In a Feb. 7 interview with the Catholic Anchor, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz said work is underway to explore a possible program to offer NFP courses throughout the whole archdiocese as part of marriage preparation.
For now, however, the numbers of those practicing NFP are still low, both locally and across the country.
Nation-wide less than one percent of the population uses natural methods, according to the 2005 Family Planning study by the Guttmacher Institute.
Albrecht hopes those numbers gradually increase and said teaching the method earlier in life might help.
Lisa Leisle agrees.
"I knew very little about NFP," she said. "It’s kinda like everyone assumes you know, but where are you getting the information?"
Lisa applauded Deacon Donahue for his willingness to deliver a frank and honest homily."We talk about abortion, we talk about the death penalty, but if we don’t talk about (NFP) then how are people going to know," she asked. "I admire Deacon Ken for putting it out there."
Convert tests religious call
Alaska trip part of novitiate experience
A recent Pew Research study found that fewer Americans attend any kind of church at all. This is especially true of young people.
That profile doesn’t quite work for 22-year-old Ashley Gonzales. Then again, the young Adrian Dominican sister is used to bucking trends.
"Being counter-cultural is something I’ve always done — especially in high school and growing up," Sister Gonzalez said sheepishly during an interview with the Anchor last month.
Now in her second year of formation as a novice with the Adrian Dominicans. Sister Gonzales is exploring different houses across North America to get a feel for the mission and lifestyle of the Adrian Dominicans. She is currently visiting the local Adrian Dominican community in Anchorage.
Sister Gonzales grew up in a family that didn’t attend church at all, which is an increasingly common trend across the nation, according to the Pew survey.
Despite her non-religious upbringing, Sister Gonzales said she felt drawn to something higher very early on in life.
"As a girl, I wrote letters to God," she explained, adding that her parents would then pretend to mail them off to heaven.
As soon as she was old enough to get a license, Sister Gonzales started driving herself to a non-denominational church on Sundays. That habit continued into college, where she studied at Siena Heights University, a Catholic institution sponsored by the Adrian Dominicans and located next to the order’s motherhouse in Adrian, Michigan.
That’s where Sister Gonzalez first encountered Catholicism and Dominican spirituality.
"I felt drawn to Catholicism, I knew that’s where God wanted me," she told the Anchor. "I started to do research and found — oh wow, I believe a lot of this, the spirituality, the rituals."
During college, Sister Gonzales formally entered the Catholic Church and felt called to serve God as a nun. She was particularly enamored with the Dominicans.
"Dominican spirituality attracted me," she explained. "In particular St. Dominic — he pursed the truth in so many fields."
This spirituality, combined with the variety of apostolic ministries in which the Adrian Dominicans work, hooked Sister Gonzalez. She even graduated college early to join the order.
Her decision, however, sparked some skepticism among family and friends.
"My parents were mad — furious actually," Sr. Gonzalez said. "To them, becoming a nun was a foreign concept."
But once they understood the Adrian Dominican lifestyle, they became very supportive, she added.
Sister Gonzales said her ongoing discernment process is very fulfilling but not without challenges.
"You take things slow, it’s a process," she said. "There are so many things out there that I want to get involved with."
The discernment process, she said, offers her a lot of fulfillment and a way of life worth considering. It is something she suggests other young women consider as well."There are a lot of misconceptions about what religious life is," she said. "But there are a lot of opportunities to do anything. I would invite anyone that wasn’t interested in marriage to check out their options."
Defending human dignity
Anchorage youth called to take a stand
In a world where basic human dignity is increasingly under attack, Will Goodman and Jen Messing travel the country with a radically different message.
"The reason life is so precious is that every person is absolutely unique and absolutely unrepeatable," Messing told a gathering in Anchorage last month. "You are good, just by existing — every person is worth so much!"
The duo spoke to St. Patrick Church’s faith formation classes, and theology classes at Lumen Christi High School and Holy Rosary Academy.
Goodman, 38, is the sole member of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, based out of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The group’s purpose is to pray and work towards ending abortion.
Messing, 35, is a student of Pope John Paul II’s work, "Theology of the Body." She’s studied these writings under Christopher West and wants to pursue graduate work at the John Paul II Institute.
In traveling with Goodman, she sees, first hand, the need for a life affirming message.
"For many of you, our talk today and what you hear in church are the only times that you will hear the other side to abortion and human dignity," Messing told St. Patrick youth Feb. 24.
Earlier at Mass that night, Father Scott Medlock spoke about living an authentic life. He used the example of sweetener versus real sugar.
"When you taste the real sugar, you know it’s the real thing," he said. "It’s the same with Christ. He is the only real thing — accept no substitutes.""
Later in evening, Messing and Gooding picked up on this theme to expose many common misconceptions and distortions about abortion.
"We’re told all these justifications for abortion, why it is okay," while the rest of the picture is often forgotten, he said.
"Take the organization, Silent No More," Goodman explained. "That organization is a group of women who have had abortions and know the true aftereffects of it."
He spoke about the pain regret and depression many women suffer after having an abortion.
The message impacted several girls at St. Patrick’s.
"I used to (consider myself) pro-choice," eighth-grader Rebecca Thomas said. "But they told us how real and how painful it really is for the women."
Classmate Maggie Thomston agreed.
"I can see what they mean about those women being deceived."
The girls said the presentation gave them "the rest of the story."
Church teaching that respects life at all stages is the foundation of pro-life ethic, Messing relayed.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, people often substitute genuine intimacy for using others for pleasure, she said.
The message of the Catholic Church, however, is the exact opposite, Messing added.
"The crowning moment of creation was God sharing his love by creating man," Messing said. "God wants us to participate in that love together."
"You are made to pour out love," she said. "If you smile at someone on the street — they might smile back or perk up. That’s life-giving!"
The church has a long history of defending human dignity, Goodman said.
"In all the problems in the world — hunger, slavery, Darfur, human rights violations — the church hears the cry of the poor and the dignity of each human person," he said.
The saints offer the best example of defending human dignity, Goodman added, while pointing out the life of St. Paul.
"St. Paul’s letter to Philemon was his playbook on human dignity," Goodman explained. "He told his followers to treat a slave as they would themselves."
He also shared the story of St. Telemachus, a monk that went to Rome and stopped a gladiator match by telling the crowd it was wrong to see human beings kill one another for entertainment. The crowd grew indignant, and stoned the monk. According to church tradition, after the melee, Emperor Honorius banned the games.
"The witness of the saints got a pagan emperor to stand up for human life," Goodman said. "Saints are the ones that make things happen."
That charge continues into modern times with people like Mother Teresa, he said.
Goodman concluded by urging the teens to take up three tasks."Pray, study, really, truly understand what abortion entails," he said. "And be a saint. They are known for doing extraordinary things with extraordinary love."
Catholic comebacks
Return trip: Alienated Catholics take a personal journey home
According to a new national study, an alarming number of people are leaving the Catholic Church in the United States.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life’s most recent study found that one out of every 10 Americans considers themself a "former Catholic."
While nearly one in three U.S. adults say they were raised Catholic, less than 24 percent identify with the Catholic Church today.
Some U.S. dioceses are taking out television and radio advertisements to woo so-called "fallen-away Catholics" back into the fold. One parish in Alaska has taken a far simpler approach.
"People will only come back if they’re personally invited," said Marguerite Culhane, who works with returning Catholics in a program at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River.
As the coordinator of the "Reconciling Community" outreach, Culhane works, one-on-one if necessary, to help people return to the faith.
Culhane posted brochures all around Eagle River and even placed an ad in a local paper. A couple people responded to brochures they found in a pew – but anyone sitting in a church pew may be inching their way back home anyway.
Father Leo Walsh, pastor at St. Andrew, said people are most likely to return when a friend in the congregation invites them.
"You can’t beat a personal invitation, because it’s a personal journey," he said.
When someone responds to an invitation, the program tries to thier particular concerns. For example, they may be asked to prioritize what they want to explore first.
In typical Tuesday night sessions, Culhane and her partner, Virginia Marquez, pour over church teachings and issues of spirituality with returning Catholics.
The program began five years ago and has seen as many as eight to 12 people in a single class, said Father Walsh. This year’s group of two is smaller than usual.
"And if no one comes, we sit and pray the Rosary for whomever God would like to send us," said Culhane.
The Reconciling Community has found that people leave the church for multiple reasons, from doctrinal disputes to marriage problems to simple misunderstandings. There’s no "typical" alienated Catholic.
Take Sue Stafford, for instance. Stafford never felt any antagonism or real disagreement with the church, and she’d actually been a practicing Catholic with her husband Tom through more than 40 years of marriage.
But a move to Alaska forced her into a new worship environment where she felt uncomfortable. She didn’t like the level of music and loudness she experienced in Sunday liturgies.
"I ultimately quit going," said the nurse and mother of two grown children. "I missed it a great deal."
Occasionally, Stafford attended a quiet weekday Mass and one day she found a brochure about the Reconciling Community. At that time, Father Scott Garrett, now pastor of Holy Rosary in Dillingham, was working with the program as the associate pastor at St. Andrew’s.
"I found Father Scott very appealing and patient. He listened to other people’s stories. He was not at all pushy or overbearing and didn’t try to force anything on anybody," said Stafford.
"I went back and received the sacraments of reconciliation and communion and have enjoyed it ever since."
Stafford now finds the community of St. Andrew’s nourishing, and the quiet, private prayer she longed for available in the parish’s Eucharistic adoration.
Father Walsh said the nine-week program has no set curriculum. When the group first meets, they talk about the questions people bring. After three weeks of meetings, there is typically a rite of commitment in church, where people pledge to spend the next six weeks discerning their involvement.
For those who choose to return to the church, the parish holds a rite of welcome on Holy Thursday. Anyone uncomfortable with all the public rites is free to make their recommitment more privately.
"But almost to a person they choose to go through the rites," Father Walsh added.
People in the program are given a "companion" or "prayer buddy" who helps walk them through their journey and their questions. Often, this person is the same one who first invited them back.
Culhane said the one thing that "amazes" her is "the energy and talent we’ve gotten from people who’ve gone through the Reconciling Community."Father Walsh agrees, adding that the program is "one of the best things I’ve ever done."
Priest shortages affect spiritual lives of Alaska military
Catholic priests are already difficult to come by in the Last Frontier. For Alaska’s military bases, it’s even harder. In fact, only five military priests minister to roughly 5,000 Catholic military personnel.
Throw in occasional deployments and that leaves some bases with no priest at all.
The Coast Guard Air Station in Kodiak, for example, is now priestless after their last one left in December. His replacement won’t arrive until April.
In these situations, Catholic military personnel are encouraged to attend Mass at local parishes.
In an effort to help, many of Alaska’s non-military priests will often visit bases to help celebrate Masses as needed.
Statewide, there is one military priest serving at Elmendorf Air Force Base, two others at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, and one each at Eielson AFB and Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks.
Most of these places have contingency plans in the event of a priestly absence. The lack of consistency, however, takes a toll.
"What really suffers on the garrison side is the community life," said Father Andrew Lawrence, a captain and the battalion chaplain for the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division, at Fort Richardson.
"You have a priest who just says Mass on the weekend but you lose the stability of having a priest normally there," he said.
At Fort Wainwright, the Catholic community coordinates with nearby Eielson AFB or contacts the local diocese for priestly support when they need help.
For longer absences, bases try to secure either another active duty priest or mobilize a reserve priest.
The Eielson base often coordinates with the parish in North Pole and works with Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler to get a priest on base. In these cases, daily Mass might be cut back to weekends only.
Fort Richardson is fortunate to have two priests, but Elmendorf must use reserve priests and a local retired priest to fill in as required.
The need for Catholic priests is not limited to Alaska. On a national level, the Army is actively recruiting priests. This effort includes offering short-term commitments and waiving age restrictions.
Although there is a general shortage of chaplains in the U.S. Army Reserves and the Army National Guard, the only faith group that the Army considers to be critically short is Catholic, said Maj. Nathan Banks. Banks is the Army spokesperson at the Pentagon.
"The Army goal is that a soldier would be able to have access to a Catholic priest at least once every three weeks," he said.
The nation’s Air Force is doing better with 82 priests serving about 79,000 Catholics. Currently, however, 18 Air Force bases are without a priest.
Men interested in serving as a Catholic priest for the military, can contact the Anchorage Archdiocese at (907) 297-7755 or visit www.milarch.org/recruitment/index.html.
Being human
New film to screen in Anchorage, Kenai, Wasilla
It’s not everyday that a motion picture company from New York City screens a movie in Anchorage, Mat-Su, and the Kenai Peninsula.
In March, however, Grassroots Films will hold four Alaska showings of its newest documentary, "The Human Experience."
Grassroots Films was founded in 2001 and has already produced several award-winning movies to date, including a short film, "God in the Streets of New York," (2005) and a documentary about the priesthood called, "Fishers of Men" (2006), which is widely used by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to encourage vocations to the priesthood.
Grassroots founder, Joseph Campo, launched the company after working at St. Francis House, a shelter for homeless people in New York City. It was there that he began documenting how God touched the lives of people on the street.
"The Human Experience" is the latest of more than 10 Grassroots films.
According to the company’s Web site, the new movie is a "fast-paced journey around the globe that follows two brothers in search of the meaning of life." The brothers’ quest brings them face to face with the homeless in New York City, orphaned children of Peru, and abandoned lepers in the green jungles of Ghana, Africa.
The Human Experience |
In a phone conversation with the Catholic Anchor, Campo said being with people in "real life situations" inspired the idea for the film.
In a 2007 interview with the National Catholic Register, Campo said his goal is to "captivate and change the way people feel about certain subjects."
The new movie, he explained, takes a "positive approach" regarding the beauty of human life "in order to change the way people feel and think about life, about babies, about each other."
Campo is a Catholic and while his films reflect his faith, he doesn’t see all Grassroots films as specifically tailored to Catholics.
"The point is to preach to the unchurched, and to get our message out to the world," he told the Register. "Catholics of course are going to watch our films and they should. But the messages in our films are for everyone, to make them see and think."
"The Human Experience," like previous Grassroots films, relies heavily on the interplay between music and cinematography to tell the story.The movie runs 90 minutes with each Alaska show followed by a 30-minute question and answer session with cast and production crewmembers. A movie trailer can be viewed at www.grassrootsfilms.com.
Sacrament of reconciliation
As the season of Lent progresses, the church draws ever closer to its holiest time of year.
The main purpose of this penitential season is to inspire reflection and interior conversion in the hearts of the faithful. To this end, the sacrament of reconciliation is a critical tool of transformation.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church reconciliation is the sacrament in which, through God’s mercy and forgiveness, sinners are reconciled to God and the church. The faithful are thus obliged to confess their mortal sins once a year.
Down through the church’s history, many of her saints spoke at length regarding the powers of confession. St. Thomas Aquinas likened the sacrament to a medicine that restores spiritual health.The church also teaches that Catholics should receive Holy Communion at least once during the Easter season. In order to receive, however, one must prepare by confessing mortal sin. To this end, many churches in the Anchorage Archdiocese are offering special reconciliation services and extended confessional hours over the next few weeks. To find out more about this healing sacrament, contact your local parish by visiting www.archdioceseofanchorage.org/about/parishes.
Blessing of the oils
2008 Chrism Mass set for March 17
Above, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz blesses oils during last year’s chrism Mass. During the annual Mass, which is concelebrated with priests of the archdiocese, the archbishop blesses oils for sacramental use throughout the archdiocese for the coming year. The Mass is to be celebrated on Holy Thursday or on an earlier day near Easter. This year, the Mass will be celebrated on March 17, 7 p.m. at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage with a reception following.
The chrism is perfumed oil, which signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit. Chrism is used for consecration in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and holy orders.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the pre-baptismal anointing with the oil of the catechumens signifies cleansing and strengthening; the anointing of the sick expresses healing and comfort; the post-baptismal anointing with sacred chrism in Confirmation and ordination is the sign of consecration.The Catechism adds, that in confirmation Christians share more completely in the mission of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he is filled, so that their lives may give off "the aroma of Christ."
Heavenly flight
Brother Craig Bonham, OMI, and Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz (front) exit a C-17 aircraft along with Chaplain (Capt.) Kyle Roehrig (far right) at Elmendorf Air Force Base. The group flew a 90-minute orientation flight over Alaska. Archbishop Schwietz is an honorary commander. In addition to the flight, Archbishop Schwietz also toured the C-17 simulator and visited with base chaplains.
Sisters of the Holy Family; founded in San Francisco, California, in 1872.
The mission of the Sisters of Holy Family is to seek out and advocate for the poor and needy, especially families, for the Kingdom of God. The community is committed to the Earth Charter, caring for all peoples and all levels of creation.
Currently Sister Marie Ann Brent serves as Parish Director at St. Francis Xavier Church in Valdez, Alaska. Sister Brent has a long history of service to the Anchorage Archdiocese, especially in her work with Catholics in rural Alaska. She served in Dutch Harbor and Dillingham, not only as a pastoral leader, but also as an emergency medical technician.
Sister Mary Victor Negrete and Sister Marie Ann Brent came to Alaska in 1970 to serve the Diocese of Juneau. Sister Negrete (no longer in Alaska) worked with the Alaska Native community, the Hispanic community and in parish ministry with the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Sister Angelina Dutra served in the Juneau Diocese, and also the Anchorage Archdiocese as a chaplain at Providence Extended Care, and later, Providence Home Health. Sister Brent worked in pastoral care and visitation to Bush communities in Southeast Alaska: Sitka, Angoon, Pelican, Yakutat, Hoonah, Kake, False Island and Rowan Bay.
Both Sister Negrete and Sister Dutra are now in California.
News & Notes
Lecture to explore Islamic law
Dr. Ingrid Mattson will present a talk entitled "Islamic Law and Life, Past and Present" on March 30. Dr. Mattson is the president of the Islamic Society of North America, the director of the Islamic Chaplaincy Center and professor of Islamic studies at the MacDonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary. Dr. Mattson’s Public lecture on Islamic Law and Life will begin at 2 p.m. in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at UAA. For more information contact Mary-Margaret at (907) 564-8264 or visit religion@alaskapacific.edu.
Lumen Christi to hold 2008 Gala
Lumen Christi High School is accepting donations and reservations for its 2008 Spring Gala. The event is set for 6 p.m., April 4, at the Egan Center, and includes dinner plus live and silent auctions. Items up for bid so far include a Utah ski trip, tickets to a Notre Dame football game, fine jewelry, a Caribbean cruise, tools, toys, sporting goods and much more. Tickets are $70 per person, or $600 for a family table of 8. For more information, call 333-3684.
Community baby shower
On March 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Soroptimist International of Anchorage and the Soroptimist of Cook Inlet will hold their annual Baby Shower at the Northway Mall near Gottschalks. The Baby shower benefits a number of non-profit organizations in South-central Alaska, including the Clare House, the Salvation Army, Booth Home and AWAIC.
Holy Saturday Vigil times
In an email correspondence to members of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Archbishop Roger Schwietz stated that Easter Vigil Masses should not begin prior to 8 p.m. on Holy Saturday Night, March 22. Any exceptions to this rule need approval by Archbishop Schwietz. The actual setting of the sun on March 22 is 8:21 p.m.
49th Eucharistic Congress
Catholics from around the world will gather in Quebec City, Canada in June for the 49th Eucharistic Congress. The Congress is a 10-day diocesan pilgrimage that offers an opportunity for prayer, reflection and action with the universal church, centered around the Blessed Sacrament. Catholics from the Anchorage Archdiocese are invited to attend the conference. Currently, a group is forming with the Diocese of Juneau. The cost is estimated to be about $1,200 for airfare and lodging in Quebec City.
For more information and materials about the conference, contact Father Jim Oberle at the Chancery at 297-7778.
Novena of Grace offered
The Novena of Grace will be prayed March 4-12, at noon Mass and 7 p.m. Mass in Holy Spirit Chapel at Holy Spirit Center. For more information, call 346-2343.
Face to Face
The public is invited to an evening with members of Anchorage’s Islamic community on Monday, March 11, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Holy Spirit Center. There will be a brief presentation on the basics of Islam, followed by a time for discussion, questions, and dialogue. The event is free. For more information, call 346-2343.
Archbishop takes new USCCB role
Cardinal Francis George, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently asked Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz to serve as one of the bishops on the Advisory Council to the USCCB. The Advisory Council is a group of lay people representing all regions across the U.S. Their purpose is to give advice on issues they feel important to the USCCB.
Cardinal George appointed Archbishop Schwietz as an advisor to coincide with his term as head of the "super" committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. Archbishop Schwietz is to serve as liaison between the laity advisory council and the U.S. Bishops.
Tax breaks for war widows, widowers
The State House unanimously passed HB 285, legislation granting municipalities or cities the option to create real property tax exemptions for homes owned and occupied by a widow or widower of a U.S. armed forces member killed in the line of duty.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole, now gives the municipalities and cities the option of including requirements for determining procedures and eligibility for applying for the exemption.
"This bill will help relieve some of the financial hardships on the spouses of members of the armed forces that do not survive their injuries or die in the line of duty," Rep. Coghill said. "Our state law already provides a similar authority for municipalities to offer exemption for disabled veterans, and extending that to widows and widowers of our armed forces is an act of similar kindness and compassion for the duty their loved one has given to our country."
Lenten retreat set for lawyers
Local lawyers are invited to a special Lenten Day of Recollection on Sunday, March 9. The day will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. at the Holy Spirit Center in Anchorage. The event is free but donations are accepted. There will be a modest charge for those who desire to have lunch at the retreat center. For more information, call 346-2343.
Birthright Open House
On March 25, Birthright and Catholic Social Services will hold an open house 4-6 p.m. at 3721 E. 20th Ave.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will be on hand to bless the new partnership. CSS’ Pregnancy Services recently took over running the Birthright program.
"Catholic Social Service is happy to have the opportunity to provide material support to our Pregnancy Support clients," said CSS Executive Director Susan Bomalaski. "This service complements the pregnancy counseling we have provided to the community since 1990."
The new program is seeking donations for mothers, including: toiletries, powered infant formula, larger size disposable diapers and clear plastic bins (11-gallon size with lids to organize baby clothes). For more information, contact Debbie Sell at 222-7315 or drop off items at 3710 East 20th Avenue between the hours of 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Columns
Baptizing the Secular: music and art can lead us to God
If you ever want to learn humility, work with youth.
It’s actually a lesson I learned many years back. Recently, I had an opportunity for another lesson at Lumen Christi High School, when I filled in last minute for a fellow teacher.
Two kids finished their work and asked if they could look at the songs on my iPod. I said yes, opting for a quiet classroom.
That’s when I learned humility and gained a teaching moment.
After all the scoffs, guffaws and ribbing about my music ("Mr. DeCrane, I never pegged you as a country music fan"), we had a discussion about music. One of my all time favorite things about iPods are the playlists. As the kids noticed, I have tons of them, for every occasion: painting, working out, meditating, etc.
Two playlists grabbed one student’s attention.
"You have a religious playlist, with Christian artists and another that’s labeled spiritual, and umm…none of those groups are Christian."
The students asked why I included artists like Garth Brooks in my spiritual list.
Truth is, I find a lot of secular songs to be incredibly spiritual in orienting me towards God.
Garth Brooks’ song, "The Change," is a clear example.
Brooks wrote the song after the Oklahoma City Bombing. At one point the song questions what good one person could do.
"It’s like trying to stop a fire with the moisture from a kiss," the lyrics state.
To me, it’s a powerful song with great meaning, especially when I’m having a rough day.
I’m not alone in this.
In fact, a good Catholic organization called Cornerstone Media researches popular music (especially among young people) and publishes resources for parents, teens and education groups that explore contemporary music. The group looks at lyrics and examines what songs might actually contain a good message.
According to Cornerstone, only 12 percent of secular music has a bad, or contrary Christian message to it. More than double that (25 percent) of the music has positive messages to it. The remaining 60-some percent is neutral.
Here’s another amazing stat: young people listen to an average of three to five hours of music a day.
"Why not use a resource to make something positive come out of that," Theresa Austin told me. Theresa uses the resource both as a youth minister and as the parent of a teen here in Anchorage.
"Many times they are listening alone," she said. "Why not have a discussion about it, and have them use some of their music as a way to pray."
At a recent course on youth ministry, the prof challenged people to take the "secular and baptize it."
Admittedly, some music can’t be "baptized" no matter how much you try. But this, too, is a point for discussion in examining the songs we listen to. I think art should always aim towards the heavens.
Music, even country, can aid us on our way to pray unceasingly — even if my students say country music causes him to bang their head against the wall unceasingly.
For more info on Cornerstone media log on at www.cornerstonemedia.org
The writer is the assistant editor of the Anchor and teaches at Lumen Christi.
We need more prophetic passion
The story is told of the young priest, fresh out of seminary, who inquired of his pastor, an Irish monsignor, why churches always seemed to be packed on two particular days: Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday.
"Why, it’s obvious", the monsignor replied, "those are the only two days in the church year when the folks actually expect to take something home with them."
Well, most of us believe that we actually take more than ashes or palms home with us on those important days: Symbols carry grace. Otherwise, why has the church used them so consistently throughout Christian history? So, something tangible actually does go home with the folks.
That anecdote, however, seemed particularly appropriate to the Sunday we call the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.
It has always seemed to me, however, that this day might be somewhat misnamed: The celebration is not really (or only) about palms; it’s about passion. True, we do read the story of the palm branches that were scattered on Jesus’ way as he entered Jerusalem, but the bigger question is this: What actually brought Jesus to Jerusalem that day? Surely, not the hope to be crowned prince or king. No, the answer for that can better be found in all the stories about his life on the road, the incidents that tell us what he was truly passionate about, what he believed in so passionately.
It would be true to say, I believe, that Jesus’ passion hangs on his determination to be a prophet, a person who calls the world’s ways into question. Anyone, for instance, who confronts those who profit from injustice will suffer for it. Anyone who raises his voice to defend the immigrant poor will suffer from the entrenched interests of those who make money off the backs of the poor. Anyone who speaks out against war will suffer at the hands of those who profit from the spoils of war. Prophets in every age have suffered because they stood so passionately on issues that affect the common good.
Socrates, the great Greek philosopher once wrote: "If humanity ever came upon a perfect man, they would tear him to pieces!" Perhaps it is true, we have a hard time dealing with passionate people.
Nonetheless, prophet-persons are good for us: They keep us asking the right questions whether or not we like it.
Is that perhaps why we remember individuals in our own day who have shown great determination over critical issues:Archbishop Romero of El Salvador who took a shot to the heart because he openly voiced support for the poor of his homeland.
Is that why we remember Dorothy Day who spent most of her life housing the homeless poor?
Is that why we remember Mother Teresa who left the less demanding life of a teacher so that she could dedicate her life to rescuing the dying poor on the streets of Calcutta? Passion is, obviously, the way things get done.
Georg Wilhelm Hegel, the German philosopher, once put it this way: "I affirm absolutely that nothing great in this world has ever been accomplished without passion."
That brings us finally the question of what we are passionate about? Does the feel of the palms in our hand bother us enough to think about some of the issues of our own day that may ultimately not be so different than the ones Jesus dealt with.Perhaps the Irish monsignor was more right than he imagined. If we have the good fortune to take something home with us, there is the chance that it may lay around the house for the rest of the year, bothering us.
The newcomer will change us
A long, long time ago, I was a high school candidate for homecoming queen.
This nomination was by popular vote, and I was so excited when I got home from school the day the results were announced, that my mom and I immediately jumped in the car and drove over to the farm field where my dad was working to bring him the news.
He was proud. This was the Midwest in the 1960s. Football was king, homecoming was a big deal in my little hometown, and cheerleaders and homecoming queens were still, alas, the apogee of female high school success.
Well, I was neither a cheerleader, nor in the end, a homecoming queen, but the vivid memories of that time flooded back the other day when I spoke by phone with an 82-year-old friend of mine in the little Midwestern town of my youth.
Mag has been a friend forever, and occasionally I give her a call to renew our friendship and catch up on local gossip.
When I was young, our town was an Irish-Bohemian amalgamation. The Irish came first, and joked that the worst thing they ever did was let the Bohemians cross the Platte River. It was a friendly joke, because by that time intermarriage and a common delight in kolaches, that Czech pastry, had united us all.
Mag herself is Bohemian and Irish. When we chat, the talk inevitably turns to how Latino our town has grown. It started about 35 years ago, when a beef packing plant opened, and Mexican workers begin to trickle in to take the jobs.
Eventually, the trickle became a rising tide, and the single young men — Central Americans, mostly — began to bring girlfriends and wives, with babies and roots inevitably following. Today, Mag told me, the elementary school is two-thirds Latino.
Masses and catechesis are offered in Spanish.
One by one, restaurants that catered to the old Anglo crowd closed, and Latinos opened their own restaurants. Years ago, I visited one of the first of them which, according to Mag, is doing a booming business, offering hamburgers along with tacos and tamales.
"Pretty soon it will be just like the Irish and the Bohemians — everyone will start intermarrying and pretty soon we’ll all be the same," said Mag.
Mag is a very wise woman, and a generous one. Some people in our town initially resented the Latino influx, but Mag is right about it being the old American story of immigration, and to some extent, assimilation.
The term "melting pot" is unpopular right now — and for some good reasons. Who wants to be "melted" into some grey, drab, homogenous concoction? We should honor and preserve people’s customs and traditions and respect differences.
But we do change as we live side by side.
So maybe when Mag says we’ll all be the same, she means we’ll all change. Those Latinos in that farm town will change, but so will everybody else. We’ll all be different and hopefully, if we rise to the challenge, we’ll all be better for it.
As for those people with the successful Mexican restaurant, Mag told me that this year, their son was the homecoming king. Apparently, football and homecoming are still big deals in our little town.
I have memories of the great-grandchildren of Irish immigrants and the grandchildren of Bohemians standing on the gridiron on a Friday night long ago.
Now add to that a young man, whose Mexican parents risked everything to become American entrepreneurs, standing in those same bright lights and being, at least for a night, king of it all.
The writer is a stewardship and hospitality coordinator at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage.
Editorials
Judge not
In this issue, the Anchor takes up the often-sensitive issue of Natural Family Planning and contraception.
First off, it must be stated very clearly, however, that some Catholic couples either cannot conceive children or feel called by God to have small families so as to accomplish other challenging works for the church.
Spouses who are not granted the gift of children can still have a married life that is filled with love and meaning. As Pope John Paul II said to these couples in a 1982 homily, "You are no less loved by God; your love for each other is complete and fruitful when it is open to others, to the needs of the apostolate, to the needs of the poor, to the needs of orphans, to the needs of the world."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church urges couples to prayerfully consider the size of their family and remain open and generous to the prospects of raising children, either through natural conception or adoption. It goes on to say that couples should not limit their family size based on selfish motives.At the end of the day, however, the choice to conceive or adopt children is a decision made between a couple and God, with the teachings of the church being a definitive guide. If couples prayerfully decide to limit the size of their family, due to health, finances or vocational reasons, they must not be judged. Large families can be a great blessing but we mustn’t denigrate the small Catholic family or the childless couple who may be called by God to specials works for his Kingdom.
Why does method matter?
Why, it is often asked, does the Catholic Church take such an unpopular and seemingly out-of-step view by condemning contraception as an "intrinsic evil?"
Why, for instance, is it a "mortal sin" to use artificial contraceptives or The Pill to avoid pregnancies but it is perfectly okay to avoid pregnancy by meticulously abstaining from sex during those fertile days of month? Both practices avoid pregnancy. Why is the church such a stickler regarding the method?
It might help to consider an analogy.
Imagine a person who is physically healthy in all respects. He has only one problem: his love of food is more than his body can handle.
Over time, he begins to gain weight and eventually sees a doctor for help.
Rather than change his eating habits, however, this man resorts to calorie-free foods that allow him to continue satiating his appetite without ingesting calories. At times, he even resorts to bulimic behavior. Eventually, he opts for liposuction and finally medication to increase his normal metabolism.
This man never learns to bring his appetite into line with the natural needs of his body. Instead, his solutions manipulate perfectly functioning organs so he can continue an unhealthy relationship to food without suffering the consequences.
Keep in mind that this fictional character doesn’t suffer from thyroid disorders or gland problems. He just eats more food than his body can use.
But human beings aren’t made out of silly-putty and we can’t simply manipulate our bodily functions in order to gratify physical desires. Eventually, something gives. The man with an eating disorder might avoid weight gain but will likely suffer from nutritional and other health problems down the road.
Reproductive organs also function according to natural designs. When sexual appetite exceeds the designs of nature, we must either manipulate nature to facilitate desire or moderate desire to fit natural design.
Nature indicates that couples should periodically abstain from sex, unless they are at least open to the possibility that their union might create new life. This means exercising periodic self-control over the sexual desire.
Contraceptives, sterilization, and tube-tying surgeries are not medical advances that repair or heal broken organs. Instead, they thwart the proper function of our organs so as to free our desires from their natural consequences.
We don’t encourage people to eat more food than they can handle, so long as they expunged the excess from their stomach. Why then would we ever encourage people to surgically or chemically manipulate their bodies or artificially wrap their sexual organs in order to thwart the natural design of their bodies?
The Catholic Church teaches that God made sex to both unite couples and to create new human life. These two purposes constitute a unified whole. When our appetite requires us to artificially thwart one of these purposes, we twist God’s design to gratify misdirected desires.
Justice for all — are we ready?
Imagine a Saturday morning sometime in the near future. You grab a cup of coffee, nestle into the couch and unfurl the newspaper.
The headlines seem a bit unusual:
"Global warming trend reverses naturally"
"AIDs, poverty and racism eradicated"
"Pro-life issues triumph internationally"
"Global terrorism yields to world peace"
It’s hard to believe but the articles appear well documented and thoroughly researched. Experts and world leaders seem to agree – life on earth is finally peaceful and humane. In fact, the planet is actually growing greener with each passing day.
Within a few days of these astonishing developments, all the major political and social activist groups announce that they are closing their old offices and disbanding their boards of directors.
As the months pass, new reports indicate that families across the world are gathering around dinner tables each night to pray and break bread. Children are reading great literature again and playing outside more. One report announces that Christian missionaries have finally spread the Gospel to the very ends of the earth.
And yet, something isn’t quite right.
It seems that many former activists and Nobel-winning humanitarians are restless – even anxious in this new era of global harmony. The energy and fervor, which many of these people once tirelessly poured into making the world a better place, has lost its outlet. Peace on earth dissolved their causes. Some people even secretly long for the "good old days," when there were clear enemies to fight, injustices to eradicate and heresies to denounce.
These imaginary scenes crossed my mind the other day, after reading a passage from C.S. Lewis’ little book, "The Screwtape Letters."
The short book is a series of fictional letters, written from an older demon (Screwtape) to his young apprentice (Wormwood). Wormwood is assigned to destroy the newfound faith of a Christian convert living in England.
Screwtape advises Wormwood to help the young Christian gradually view political and social activism as part and parcel of his newfound religion.
"Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard (his activism) as the most important part (of his religion)," Screwtape advises. "Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely part of the ‘cause,’ in which Christianity is valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce in favor of (the cause)."
Once the fledgling Christian views his social and political activism as the main goal of his life, and his faith as merely a means to accomplishing that goal, then he is nearly won back to the dark side, Screwtape adds.
"(When) meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours," Screwtape tells his understudy.
There is no doubt that all Christians are called to defend the weak and support the vulnerable. If we neglect them, we neglect Christ. If, however, we ever reach the point where we need these causes in order to feel that our life has a high calling and purpose, then we have exchanged the truth for a subtle lie.
Good works must flow from an active living relationship with Christ. Unfortunately, it is often easier to fight the good fight than it is to pray and receive the sacraments.
If we fail to cultivate time with our Maker, however, we may wind up knowing more about our causes than we do God. At that point, it doesn’t take long for great causes to morph into hollow clanging gongs, which sound oddly out of place when peace finally reigns.
Letters to the Editor
Move beyond communion in the hand
I congratulate the secretary of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Sacraments Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Dom for recently expressing his desire to "abandon" the practice of communion in the hand. Numerous priests I know have complained about finding sacred hosts under pews and in prayer books due to abuses of this practice.
Dietrich von Hildebrand has said that communion in the hand reflects "an immanent spirit of paltry familiarity with Our Lord, as if we were dealing with nothing but another piece of bread, something we naturally do every day with mere bread."
Communion in the hand is a concession to modernity. It does not reflect authentic individuality or diversity but rather was introduced " abusively and hurriedly."
So-called " liturgical experts" were so caught up in championing the cause of "equality" that they either forgot or were willingly blinded to the fact that — not withstanding God’s divine mercy — we are all as radically and individually different as both our sins and merits define us. This is the real diversity that needs our attention and proclamation.
When Pope John Paul II told us to "put out into the deep," he recalled a central theme of his papacy: "Don’t settle for mediocrity." "Be not afraid," he told us. In light of all the many serious abuses that have occurred with the sacred host let us strive to break the bonds of conformity that lead to dead ends and to make this practice of communion in the hand a thing of the past — a footnote, if you will, in the annals of church history.
Ontario, Canada
Editor’s note: Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue. The Vatican permitted the U.S. Bishops’ Conference to authorize reception of communion in the hand in 1977, provided the local bishop implements the practice in his diocese.For more information, visit www.usccb.org/liturgy/concelebration.shtml
Magadan Mission is heroic
Thank you for letting Anchor readers know how to get copies of Father Mike Shield’s book, "Martyrs of Magadan."
When I visited him in Magadan in 1996 and 2000, I met several of those "living martyrs" of the faith, and tears came to my eyes as I heard their stories through an interpreter. Many of their faith experiences, despite horrific cruelty in Siberian winters, showed a deep love for God and the Blessed Mother. It was like meeting the survivors of the Roman persecutions of the early church.
I strongly encourage people to get copies of Father Mike’s book to better understand why the Anchorage Archdiocese’s Mission to Magadan is so important. Thank you Father Mike Shields and Father David Means for your heroic service to these witnesses of faith.
Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Seward
Editor’s note: To order a copy of "Martyrs of Magadan," call (800) 628-6333 or write to: Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222 or email a request to info@acnusa.org.