Dec. 6, 2004 Dec. 13, 2004 Dec. 20, 2004
Second Week of Advent
Full of awe, they gave praise to God, saying, "We have seen incredible things today!"
Luke 5, 26
In my column for this month's Catholic Vision, I suggest that we seek Christ this Advent in the people around us -- our families, our co-workers, our neighbors, even strangers on the street. When we look for Christ in others, we too will see and be inspired by such "incredible things" as generosity, sacrifice and perseverance.
1. Our Blessed Mother's Week -- With two great Marian observances, this second week of Advent truly is Our Blessed Mother's Week!
The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will be observed on Wednesday, Dec. 8. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, while not observed formally on Dec. 12 because it falls on a Sunday, nevertheless will be celebrated at parishes and in the communities within the Diocese this coming weekend.
This year is the 150th anniversary of the decree by Pope Pius IX that established the Immaculate Conception as dogma of the Church, and, as you will read in the December issue of Catholic Vision, this Dec. 8 also is the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the statue to the Virgin Mary in front of St. Augustine Cathedral. The statue was dedicated on Dec. 8, 1904, on the occasion of the Jubilee 50th anniversary of the dogmatic decree.
The stories from the Tucson Citizen of Dec. 7 and Dec. 9 of 1904 that are quoted from in the Vision article give a real sense of the excitement that was present in our then very young Diocese during the celebration of the Jubilee.
The Citizen stories remind us of the treasure of our spiritual heritage. We see the generosity of parishioners 100 years ago to their parish as we learn that in the pedestal of the statue of the Virgin Mary there is a tin box that contains the names of the 300 people who donated money for the purchase of the statue.
I am very happy that St. Augustine Cathedral Parish will be observing the 100th anniversary of the statue's dedication with a candlelight prayer and hymn service around the statue this Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. All are invited!
This year is the 473rd anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego, whose feast day is on Thursday.
Through the research of local Church historian Fred McAninch, we recently have learned that the beautiful painting in St. Augustine Cathedral that depicts the image of Our Lady on the Tilma of Juan Diego was created more than 100 years ago by famed Mexican artist Margarito Vela. Fred tells us that the painting is "quite likely the oldest image of Our Lady continuously enshrined in a Tucson Church." Thank you, Fred, for the research!
Bishop Moreno will be celebrating the annual Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe this Friday with the students, faculty and staff of Salpointe Catholic High School.
There are some very interesting and inspiring Internet resources about the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
There are a number of features at www.udayton.edu/mary, and, there is a beautifully produced virtual presentation at www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx, which is the Website of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Just click on "Apariciones."
2. Yuma and Somerton Visit -- I enjoyed a very productive and encouraging three-day pastoral visit to the Yuma and Somerton area last week. One of the highlights of the visit was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Somerton.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish originally was a mission of Immaculate Conception Parish in Yuma. The first church was built in Somerton in 1921 by Father Luis Maria Galarza, a Claretian. The second church was built in 1950 by Father Gaspar Parenete. The present church, built during the pastorate of Father Bill Shuppert in 1982, was recently renovated by Father Xavier Perez, the current pastor.
In the parish's 50 years there have been 700 baptisms, 270 marriages performed, 2,000 confirmations and 1,800 First Communions.
When Bishop Moreno and I arrived in Somerton last Friday for the anniversary Mass and the blessing of Casa Moreno Center, we were met by Arco Iris ("rainbow" in Spanish), a group of young people whose singing and music made us feel very welcome.
During the dedication of the Center, which was jammed with people, several migrants gave witness to the help they received at the Center and their gratitude for its existence.
I am happy to share with you this story in last Saturday's edition of Yuma Sun by Jeffrey Gautreaux about the dedication. The story reflects the love and esteem the people of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish have for Bishop Moreno.
Jeffrey reported:
Casa Moreno, a community service center operated by the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, was dedicated Friday evening with the building's namesake on hand to bless it.
Bishop Emeritus Manuel Moreno of the Catholic Diocese of Tucson spoke briefly to the crowd, thanking them for their work and blessing the care that would go on in the future.
Moreno blessed a large plaque dedicating the center in his name. Moreno received numerous ovations from the crowd, which was squeezed tightly inside the building with many spilling outside.
You can read the story at http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_13494.php.
Following the dedication, there was a procession from the Center to the nearby city park, where more than 1,000 people gathered in the cold for the celebration of the anniversary Mass. Banners were hung from the backstop of the baseball field and festive signs were visible everywhere. I was moved by the obvious faith of the people and their love of the church.
3. In Your Prayers -- Please remember in your prayers:
Cecile Havey, mother of Sister Jean Olmstead, SBS, our Vicar for Religious, is recovering from surgery to repair an aneurysm and is in need of further surgery.
Father John Fahey is soon to be discharged from La Canada Nursing Home and will move to another skilled nursing facility.
Father Jose Manuel "Manolo" Padilla is recovering from back surgery that was preformed last Friday.
The father of Father Joe Fitzgerald, O. Carm., who died last week California.
4. Second Annual Compliance Audit -- Diocesan staff and I will meet this morning at the Bishop Moreno Pastoral Center with the two representatives of the Gavin Group who are conducting the second annual audit of the Diocese of Tucson for compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
There is information about the Charter and the audit process at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Web site at www.nccbuscc.org/ocyp.
We are looking forward to an objective review of what our parishes and schools have accomplished last year to develop and implement safe environment programs for children and vulnerable adults. I am very encouraged by the commitment and diligence that pastors, principals and compliance representatives have demonstrated.
The auditors will be reviewing the safe environment programs, the education programs for child abuse awareness and prevention, the background screening and fingerprinting programs and the response of the Diocese to allegations of sexual misconduct with minors.
We welcome the review of our efforts to remain as open, honest and transparent about allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors. These efforts include informing parishes and the larger community when an allegation has been determined as credible. The Diocese made such a notice to parishes just this last weekend.
The naming by the Diocese of Church personnel, especially priests, against whom there are credible allegations always attracts news media attention. Sometimes, unfortunately, the reasons why the Diocese makes such disclosures is not included in the reports.
The reasons, which always are stated in the letters to parishes and in the public release of information, are to inform parishioners that there is a credible allegation against someone who ministered at their parish and to encourage any person who may have experienced abuse to come forward so that a report can be made to law enforcement and counseling support can be offered.
During this week of the audit, the diocesan Sexual Misconduct Review Board will be meeting, and the auditors have been invited to attend.
As I did after the first audit in August of 2003, I will share the executive summary that the auditors present at the conclusion of their visit later this week.
Last week, I addressed a situation at St. Monica Parish that underscores the need to carry out the policies in the diocesan Guidelines for the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Misconduct and the need to be fully knowledgeable of and compliant with Arizona's mandatory law on the reporting of suspected child abuse. (My letter to the parish about the situation is available on our diocesan Web site under "Restoring Trust.")
As much as we might feel responsible to protect the identity of someone who has been hurt or to be responsive to their desire that something not be reported, there are no mitigating circumstances in our responsibility to report child abuse as required by the law.
Last night at St. Monica Parish, Father Jim Hobert, pastor, Dr. Paul Duckro and I met with some 200 people, including members of the youth group from the parish, to listen to their feelings, answer their questions and hear their suggestions in the light of the allegation of child abuse against a volunteer helper in the youth group and the arrests of the youth minister and a priest of the parish for failing to report the allegation.
It was a very emotional, honest and helpful gathering. All felt badly for the young person who is involved, and a wide range of feelings and issues surfaced. Some expressed their anger at what they felt was unjust reporting by some of the news media. They indicated their interest in letting the news media know about their anger and how unfairly they felt the issue was treated. Some wondered why the youth minister and priest had been arrested, feeling that is not the ordinary response to such situations.
Others expressed a desire to help strengthen the youth group even more. They indicated that the parish had a responsibility to reach out to the young. They emphasized the role parents must play in overseeing their children, emphasizing that these young people are only in the youth group two or three hours a week and that the home is the place where oversight must happen. They encouraged parents to get more involved with their young people.
Some expressed concern that the Diocese did not reach out to the youth minister and priest involved to offer support and assistance to them in their time of need.
Some suggested that while screening and background checks are important, even more important is every person's commitment to live the values we profess in the Catholic Church.
It was stated that St. Monica Parish now will work to become a model parish in providing safe environments for children and youth by increased emphasis on background checks, fingerprinting, education on signs of abuse and how to respond to signs of abuse or allegations of abuse.
While they understand the responsibility of the court to determine what happened and who is to be held accountable, the parish and especially the youth group felt they can learn from this experience and become even stronger. They emphasized that both the youth minister and priest have done much good in the parish and that needs to be recognized and acknowledged.
It was an important opportunity to listen to parishioners express their opinions and feelings.
5. Illuminating Research -- Many persons ask how has the sexual abuse scandal within the Church has affected Catholics. Recently, James Davidson, a professor of sociology at Purdue, and Dean Hoge, a professor of sociology at Catholic University of America, conducted a national study commissioned by Notre Dame University that was reported on in a recent issue of Commonweal Magazine. That study partly answers the question.
The conclusions of the study included the following:
Laypeople saw three major priorities for the Church at this time: Solving the sexual abuse scandal and restoring bishops' credibility; increasing vocations; reaching out to young adults.
The laity sees the sexual abuse scandal as a failure on the part of both priests and bishops. The laity is embarrassed and ashamed by what happened.
The respondents feel the news media have distorted the situation somewhat: 69% said the news media have prolonged the scandal by reporting the same stories over and over again, and 56% said that the news media have been anti-Catholic.
Marginal and inactive Catholics are the most upset, but for the most part the laity has not let the scandal undermine its faith.
The majority of Catholics believe bishops are men of faith who are doing a good job under difficult circumstances, yet also believe confidence in bishops needs to be restored.
Laypeople believe they should be even more actively involved in Church decisions. This generation of laity is the most talented and resourceful in the history of the Church.
Catholics still believe their church is special: They are still participating (78% of American Catholics said the scandal had no effect on their church attendance, 7% said their attendance had increased and 11% that their attendance had decreased). They are still giving their time, talent and treasure to the Church (81% said the scandal had no effect on their financial contributions, 6% had increased their giving and 12% had decreased their giving.)
6. This Week in Chapter 11 -- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge James Marlar approved an agreement last Tuesday that had been reached between attorneys for the Diocese of Tucson and attorneys for plaintiffs in a Yuma lawsuit. The approval establishes a template for the potential settlement of other claims as the Diocese's Chapter 11 reorganization case proceeds.
I was encouraged by the agreement that was reached and by the Judge's approval, and I have communicated my appreciation to the attorneys for their cooperation in reaching the agreement.
Between now and January, attorneys for the Diocese and the tort claimants committee, along with the unknown claims representative and the guardian ad litem, will continue to work on the terms of a consensual plan in the hopes that the consensus that has been evident in the beginning of the case can continue and that the parties can agree on the terms of a plan. The next hearing in the case could take place next month if needed. Otherwise, the next scheduled hearing isn't until February. So, for the next few weeks, I will only report on the Diocese's Chapter 11 matters as events may require.
April 15, 2005, is the deadline for persons who contend abuse by or injury due to abuse by priests or other workers for the Church to file a claim. The proof of claim form and instructions on how to file the form are on the diocesan Web site at www.diocesetucson.org.
7. Christmas Liturgy Advisory -- Chancellor June Kellen tells me she is receiving inquiries about the Christmas weekend liturgies. Here is the advisory from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Committee on the Liturgy:
On Friday, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2004, the Vigil Mass will be celebrated for Christmas Day after Vespers II. Also, on Saturday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day, the Vigil Mass will be celebrated after Vespers II for Sunday, Dec. 26, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
8. Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Website -- Congratulations to Father Jay Luczak and webmaster Bob Ashford for the parish's beautiful new Website at www.olbsc.org. We are very pleased to add the site to the list of parish sites on our diocesan Website. I really enjoyed the page of photographs that display the beautiful church of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
9. Day of Prayer for Priests -- Priests will gather at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks on Thursday for their monthly Day of Prayer, which this month will serve as the annual Advent Day of Prayer for Priests.
10. In the Spirit of the Season -- Many of our Catholic organizations will be holding special celebrations in the spirit of the season in the coming weeks.
I will enjoy being with the Catholic Daughters of the Americas at their annual Christmas luncheon tomorrow.
On Wednesday, I will be with the staff of Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona and the CCS member agencies for the annual Advent Mass and Celebration. Also on Wednesday, I will be with the staff of the Diocese of Tucson Catholic Cemeteries for their annual celebration.
And, I really look forward to the annual Christmas Concerts by the Tucson Boys Chorus that begin this week at Mission San Xavier. The Mission is such a marvelous place for the performance of sacred music, and the experience of the concert always reminds me of the wonderful work of the Patronato San Xavier to restore and preserve the White Dove of the Desert.
11. Friends of St. Augustine's Historic Restoration Project -- There is a front page story in this month's Catholic Vision about the special committee that has been formed under the name of Friends of St. Augustine's Historic Restoration Project to address critical restoration and preservation needs for St. Augustine Cathedral and the surrounding historic buildings.
I am grateful to Friends chairperson Rosie Garcia and the committee's members to raise both public awareness of the needs and to raise funds to support restoration and preservation.
I also am grateful to Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup for joining me as an honorary co-chair for the Friends' first public awareness and fund raising event, which will take place Thursday evening, Dec. 16, at La Fuente Restaurant in Tucson.
It would be wonderful to fill the restaurant with people who care deeply about our spiritual heritage as a Diocese, and I extend this special invitation to all readers of Monday Memo to join me at the event.
You can enjoy this evening of fun, information, music and great Mexican food by calling 520-245-9564. The cost of the evening is $30 per person. Please join me, Mayor Walkup and the Friends!
Third Week of Advent
The rose-colored candle in the wreath is lit, symbolizing joy.
At this halfway point of Advent, we step back a bit from the somber themes of the first two weeks of Advent to be immersed in the joy of the approaching Incarnation.
As we draw closer to Christmas in this third week of Advent, the press and stress on our lives becomes even more intense; but, the Lord invites us to find some quiet time for reflection so that we can prepare ourselves to experience the wonder of Incarnation and the joy that it brings into our lives.
For all of us working at our computers, you might even take a few minutes for an on-line Advent retreat. You may enjoy visiting the Vatican's updated Internet site for Advent. It includes the statements of the Holy Father for the Angelus on the Sundays of Advent as well as his statements during the General Audiences of the Advent Season. You also can tap into performances of the Pontifical Musical Chorus of the Sistine Chapel and the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. Just visit www.vatican.va/liturgical_year/liturgico_en/advent.html.
Many of our parishes will be conducting Advent Penance Services this week. I am grateful to our priests who work together to make sure that there are enough confessors at the parishes conducting these services. This extra effort is much appreciated.
The theme for Advent in our Diocese is "Meet Christ Anew." We meet Christ in the Sacrament of Penance when we seek His Divine Mercy.
1. Compliance Audit -- The second annual on-site audit of the Diocese of Tucson for compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People concluded last Thursday afternoon. The two auditors representing the Gavin Group conducted a comprehensive four-day review of all our efforts to develop and implement programs in response to the requirements of the Charter. This review focused on recordkeeping related to the requirements for implementing programs and protocols for the effective outreach to victims, the reporting of allegations and the creation of safe environments for children at parishes and schools. This intensive scrutiny was a helpful experience for us, as it provided us with an "outsiders" objective view of our efforts.
While the auditors communicated informally to me their opinion that our Diocese is in full compliance, they told me that I would be receiving an executive summary within the next two weeks from the Gavin Group that will present the formal determination of the audit. I will share that executive summary in Monday Memo and in the January Catholic Vision.
Preparing for this audit involved a great deal of focused preparation by many at the Pastoral Center. I am very grateful to Dr. Paul Duckro, Father Al Schifano, June Kellen, Judy Richins, Fred Allison, Richard Serrano, Alicia Corti, Barbara Tenpenny, Adria Woudstra, Irene Felix, Mike Berger, Sister Rosa Maria Ruiz, CFFM, Jean McKenzie and Mary Ann Hendrickson for the incredible work they did preparing these past months for the audit. With all the additional work our Pastoral Center staff has been doing as part of our Chapter 11 reorganization, I marvel at how they completed this mammoth task on top of what they were already doing. Great job!
2. Congratulations to Kathy Magana -- I am very pleased to share with you a letter that I received recently from Father Bob Vitillo, executive director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development:
On behalf of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, I am pleased to inform you that a young Catholic in your diocese, Ms. Kathy Magana, has been designated as one of the finalists for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development's 2004 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award. This award is conferred annually on a young Catholic between the ages of 18-30 who has demonstrated leadership against poverty and injustice in the United States.
Accompanying the letter was a news release from the Campaign stating that Kathy, a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Somerton, was one of seven finalists for the award. The 2004 recipient of the award was Don De Leon of San Jose, California, who organizes low-income workers in Silicon Valley on labor issues, including living wages, healthcare and workplace safety.
Kathy was nominated for the award in recognition of her years of service in youth ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and the focus of her ministry on encouraging and helping the young people of the parish and the Somerton community to become involved in social justice activities.
Kathy, who is the daughter of Hector and Sabina Magana, is a 2003 graduate of Cibola High School in Yuma. She plans to begin college next spring. Kathy, we all are very proud of you!
3. Presbyteral Council Meeting -- The agenda for today's Presbyteral Council meeting, the last of the year, is a full one.
In addition to an update on the progress of the Chapter 11 case and a report on the compliance audit, the Council will discuss a draft of the "Personal Preference Profile" that is planned for distribution to all currently assigned diocesan priests. Each vicar forane also will make a report on his vicariate.
The role of the vicars forane remains very important in the administration of the Diocese. Vicars assist me in supporting our priests in the field, as well as helping our parishes to fulfill their pastoral responsibilities. One of the blessings of Chapter 11 has been the challenge to us to be more responsible in working together for the common good of the whole Church in southern Arizona. While parishes carry out their unique pastoral missions individually, they are united in the common mission of the Church in the Diocese, over which the bishop has spiritual and governing authority.
4. Christmas Concert at Mission San Xavier del Bac -- With many others, I had the opportunity last week to attend the San Xavier Mission Christmas Concert by the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, under the direction of Julian Ackerley, and the Sons of Orpheus, the Male Choir of Tucson, under the direction of Grayson Hirst. It truly is amazing to experience the sound of sacred music and the music of the season at the Mission.
The concerts are for the benefit of the restoration of San Xavier through the Patronato, which has been so dedicated to preserving the White Dove of the Desert.
5. Friends of St. Augustine's Historic Preservation Project -- A project that I think is very worthy of the support of the community, much in the same way the Patronato has been worthy of support in its projects, is the effort of the newly established Friends of St. Augustine's Historic Preservation Project.
Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup has joined me as an honorary co-chair for the Friends' first public awareness and fund raising event that will feature great Mexican food, Mariachi music and a high-tech presentation on how the Friend's envision the one-square block area of St. Augustine Cathedral could look in the future. I truly hope to see a whole dining room full of people who love the history of our Diocese this Thursday evening at La Fuente Restaurant in Tucson.
I encourage you to join us by calling 520-245-9564. The cost of the evening is $30 per person.
I am grateful to Friends chairperson Rosie Garcia and the committee's members for their efforts to raise both public awareness and funds to support restoration and preservation.
6. Special Workshop at Picture Rocks -- Father Doug Martis of the Diocese of Joliet has been a guest at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks where he has been meeting with the priests participating in the Diocese's the on-going formation program.
This evening at the Center, Father Doug will present "The Origin and Meaning of Active Liturgical Participation and How It Moves To Conscious Liturgical Participation." This workshop will explore "an essential component of the Liturgical Celebration, the full, active and conscious participation of each person."
Father Doug is a professor of Sacramental Theology on the faculty of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary and also is Director of the Liturgical Institute where Father Miguel Mariano, our Vocations Director, is studying liturgy during the summers. (As I know Father Doug very well, I am sure the workshop will be well worth attending. I am so old I taught him when he was a seminarian at Mundelein!)
For information on workshop registration and cost, please call the Center at 744-3400.
7. Lay Ecclesial Ministry -- I will be attending a meeting in Chicago later this week of the Subcommittee on Lay Ecclesial Ministry during which we will review the wealth of feedback that we have received from lay organizations across the nation. This is in preparation for a revision of the draft of the foundational document on lay ecclesial ministry.
The primary concerns that our subcommittee continues to see are: the appropriateness of the use of the word "ministry" in relationship to the laity; the concern of establishing a sub group within the laity; the relationship between the ordained and the lay faithful and how we can mutually affirm and support one another; and the role of the bishop in authorizing people who assist him in the pastoring of people.
The next draft of the document will be presented early next year to the bishops for their input.
8. Arizona Ecumenical Council Retreat -- I will be attending an ecumenical retreat in Carefree on Thursday that is sponsored by the Arizona Ecumenical Council. This retreat will be an opportunity for denominational leaders in Arizona to pray together during Advent. While our faith traditions differ in many ways, as disciples of Christ we share many common concerns, as we have demonstrated in the efforts of Arizona Religious Leaders Coalition to address the moral dimensions of migration.
Members of the Council include myself and Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix and Bishop Donald Pelotte of the Diocese of Gallup and the leaders of 15 other Christian denominations. I thank Rev. Jan Flaaten, the Council's executive director, for his leadership in coordinating the efforts of the Council to explore ways by which the denominations can demonstrate Christian unity.
9. Catholic Cemeteries Board Meeting -- The Cemeteries Board meets this Friday. The Board will welcome James DeCastro as the new interim director of the Cemeteries. Frank Naughton is leaving that position after several months of dedicated and productive leadership. I am grateful for his efforts to help strengthen the mission of the Cemeteries and to build a sense of teamwork among the staff.
10. Arizona Illustrated -- Host Bill Buckmaster will be interviewing me for this Friday evening's edition of KUAT-TV's Arizona Illustrated at 6:30 p.m. Bill always has some insightful questions, and I appreciate the time the program is able to give for more in-depth discussion of issues and events.
11. Diocesan Pastoral Council -- I will be celebrating Mass this Friday evening with our Diocesan Pastoral Council, and after Mass we will celebrate in the spirit of the season with a dinner. This is an opportunity for me to thank the members for their work for our Diocese and for the valuable advice and consultation they give me.
The Council meets on Saturday at the Pastoral Center. The agenda includes updates on the work of the diocesan Office of Formation and the work of the newly established Pro-Life Council.
12. "Posada on the Border" -- I will be participating in the annual "Posada on the Border" this Saturday in Nogales. The Posada is the Mexican cultural tradition that recalls Mary and Joseph's search to find a room in Bethlehem.
"The Posada on the Border" helps to call attention to the plight of migrants. It will begin at 3:30 p.m. with prayer and song voiced across the border's screened-wall area left of the DeConcini Border Entrance. Most of the participants in the event are young people from the U.S. and Mexico.
On each side of the border teens will portray Mary and Joseph. Teens from Lourdes High School in Nogales, Arizona, will portray Mary and Joseph on the U.S. side. Stopping at three "inns," the teens will remember the journey of Jesus and Mary, who found no room in the Inns of Bethlehem.
The teens and their leaders will greet each other on both sides of the border when the Posada concludes with Mary and Joseph being welcomed to the stable. After the Posada, the teens will gather at Casa Hogar, an orphanage in Nogales, Sonora, for an Advent celebration.
Dioceses Without Borders, CRS partnership of the Archdiocese of Hermosillo and Dioceses of Tucson and Phoenix, Catholic Relief Services - Mexico and the Department of Migrant Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hermosillo support this bi-national effort of Youth Ministry.
Teens and adults from parishes throughout the Diocese of Tucson are invited to participate.
Contact Tere Scully, Youth Minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, at 520-297-7357, for more information.
13. Mass for Catholic Physicians -- I will be celebrating Mass on Sunday at St. Augustine Catholic High School with Catholic physicians and their families from throughout the Diocese. It is my hope that this can be an annual event.
14. St. Rita in the Desert Website -- Congratulations to Father Bob Wicht, S.D.S., pastor of St. Rita in the Desert Parish and Webmaster Tony Cardenas on the debut of the parish's new Website at www.stritainthedesert.org. The Website invites visitors to "Please register and help us build this virtual community within our community of parishioners. By registering you can receive updates of events and items of interest via e-mail." Well done!
15. "Therese" Returns -- The movie "Therese," based on the story of St. Therese of Lisieux, the "Little Flower," is coming back to Tucson. The movie is scheduled to open at the Century Park 16, 1055 W. Grant Road, on Friday. You can call 520-620-0750 for show times. There is more information about the movie at the official film website at www.theresemovie.com.
16. USCCB Fall Meeting Replay -- The Department of Communications of the USCCB has announced that streaming video of portions of the proceedings from the USCCB's Fall General Meeting will continue to be available on the Conference website through Jan. 3.
The special streaming video page for the meeting has been accessible via the Conference Website since the opening day of the meeting, Nov. 15. It includes excerpts from the USCCB elections, during which a new president and vice president of the Conference were elected; the daily press conferences held at the end of the morning and afternoon sessions on Monday and Wednesday of the meeting; an interview with Bishop William S. Skylstad, the new president of the USCCB; and a short video biography of Bishop Skylstad.
To view the streaming video of the USCCB Fall General Meeting, visit www.usccb.org and click on the "Streaming Video" link.
Vol 2, No. 35
Dec. 20, 2004
Fourth Week of Advent
"Let it be done to me as you say."
In today's Gospel, Mary responds with assurance and faith to become part of something that rationally she knew was impossible.
She could do that because it was God who was offering her the opportunity and because she had the assurance of knowing who she was: "I am the servant of the Lord."
With Mary's example, can we be attuned in this Fourth Week of Advent to respond to the impossible things that God is asking of us?
For instance, is there anything more impossible than seeking the forgiveness of someone you have hurt deeply? Is there anything more impossible than forgiving someone who has caused you great pain or harm?
"For nothing is impossible with God."
I recently read about the extraordinary encounters in South Africa between the perpetrators of terrible crimes committed during the years of apartheid and their victims. These encounters grew out of the efforts of Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, through South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation.
As reported in the October 2004 issue of Monitor on Psychology, Dr. Gobodo-Madikizela noted that when apologies are offered and forgiveness is accepted, groups of people can move on with their lives without the stress of carrying anger. Despite the terrible atrocities they had experienced, she said she saw that most victims were moved by the apologies of their perpetrators and were able to forgive.
Reading the article, I remembered the encounters that I have had with victims of sexual abuse by priests in which the profound power of forgiveness brought great relief and peace to people who had been terribly hurt. I reflected on our efforts to create encounters with those who have been harmed and wondered about what more we as a Diocese could do to facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation between and among the institutional Church, the perpetrators of abuse and those who are victims.
I would welcome your thoughts about this. You can read the article on-line at the American Psychological Association Website, www.apa.org/monitor/oct04/forgiveness.html.
1. Border Posada -- We stood on each side of a daunting fence at the Nogales Point of Entry on Saturday afternoon. We could see each other through the grate, and we could hear the singing in English on our side and in Spanish on theirs. Our music vaulted the barrier as together we prayed for migrants who have died in the desert. Two young people, one on each side, approached the wall and through a small hole exchanged white ribbons symbolizing our prayer for an end to deaths in the desert.
On each side of the wall a young man holding a staff represented Joseph and a young girl, with blue veil, Mary. We reenacted the Posada, the journey of a migrant family, Mary and Joseph, seeking a place to stay. After several rejections, turning away the family because there was no room, we passed through a gate to the other side and encountered our brothers and sisters in Mexico. We greeted one another and exchanged sweets.
It was a moving moment to see young people from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Cyril Parishes in Tucson encounter young people from Nogales, Sonora. We experienced the oneness of our faith that reminds us that we are one family in Christ where there is no boundary or border. We recognized that no matter on what side of the border we stood, we shared common hopes, common fears, common dreams.
Father Francisco of the Archdiocese of Hermosillo and I led a procession of pilgrims through the crowded, noisy streets of Nogales, Sonora, to a small orphanage for girls run by a group of religious women. There we sang together and the young people from our Diocese gave gifts to the little ones who seemed so excited.
What a powerful learning experience for these young people! I am sure they left with the same feelings I had, thankful for the many gifts God has given us, more aware of the need to reach out to those who have so little and more humble for having received more than we gave.
I am grateful to Tere Scully, youth minister of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Michelle Benzenhoefer, youth minister of St. Cyril, and Joanne Welter, director of our diocesan Catholic Social Mission Office, for their leadership in helping to coordinate and organize this now annual event.
2. Visit to Detention Center -- I will be part of an ecumenical and inter-faith visit of the Multi-Faith Planners to the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Detention Center tomorrow. The Multi-Faith Planners is a group of religious leaders and laity from the Arizona Jewish community and several Christian denominations. The group plans activities and strategies that assist religious congregations in addressing the moral dimensions of the migration from Mexico into the U.S.
Michael Nicely, chief of the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, graciously has invited the Multi-Faith Planners to tour the center so that we can see how the process of detention works and how it affects the migrants who are detained. Most of those who are detained are at the center for only a short time before their voluntary return to Mexico.
The pastoral care of migrants is a concern for religious communities, and I welcome Chief Nicely's openness to our visit and his interest in dialoguing with us.
3. Immigration Reform -- Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Bishop Donald Pelotte and I are hoping to receive a response soon from President Bush to a letter that we sent to him late last month in which we, as the Catholic Bishops in Arizona, asked that he begin to work immediately for reform of the nation's immigration laws.
Specifically, we urged the president to introduce a comprehensive immigration reform package which includes a legalization program for long-term residents, reform of the family-based immigration system to reduce waiting times for family reunification and the creation of a worker program which protects the basic rights of migrant workers.
We communicated our strong interest in working with the President to address immigration reform. You can read the letter at www.diocesetucson.org/bishopsletter113004.html.
4. Compliance Audit -- I am very pleased to report that the early December audit of our Diocese's efforts to develop and implement programs in response to the requirements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People found that we are compliance with the Charter.
We received that encouraging news late last week in the executive summary that reported to us the results of the four-day on-site audit. The audit focused on recordkeeping related to the requirements for implementing programs and protocols for the effective outreach to victims, the reporting of allegations and the creation of safe environments for children at parishes and schools.
The audit was conducted by two representatives of the Gavin Group as part of the second annual audit of all dioceses in the U.S. for compliance with the requirements of the Charter. The Office of Child and Youth Protection of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will release the executive summaries of the audits for all U.S. dioceses in mid-February.
5. Dismissal of Charges -- The Pima County Attorney's Office has decided to dismiss charges and drop prosecution in Superior Court against a volunteer youth ministry leader at St. Monica Parish in Tucson and Father Raul Valencia for alleged failure to report an allegation of child abuse.
The Diocese has been informed that further review of the charges is possible in Tucson City Court.
6. Conferral of Ministries and Ordination to the Diaconate -- The ordination this week of seminarians Manuel Fragoso-Carranza and Alonzo Maurice Garcia to the diaconate adds to the joy of this Christmas Season. I will preside at the Eucharistic Liturgy and Rite of Ordination at St. Augustine Cathedral this Wednesday at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited!
While ordination to the diaconate for a seminarian precedes ordination to the priesthood, the character of the Sacrament of Holy Orders conferred by ordination to the diaconate is no mere step or "transitory" experience. Ordained as deacons, Manuel and Alonzo will be bound sacramentally to serve the Church in the Word, at the altar and through charity.
Alonzo and Manuel will be assigned as deacons to the parishes where they will serve after their ordination to the priesthood next spring. Their assignments will be announced at the conclusion of the liturgy.
Preceding the ordination, priests of the Diocese will have supper together at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Augustine Cathedral Hall. Father Dom Pinti, pastor of St. George Parish in Apache Junction, will be the chef. Alonzo and Manuel will be joining us.
Tomorrow evening at St. Francis de Sales Parish, I will preside at Mass and confer the Ministries of Reader and Acolyte for six of our seminarians. Robert Rodriguez will be conferred with the Ministry of Reader and Emilio Chapa, Mark Long, Edward Lucero, Mario "Ricky" Ordonez and Jeffrey Zimmerman will be conferred with the Ministry of Acolyte.
After the Mass, I will host the annual Christmas Dinner at the Bishop's Residence for seminarians and their families. The dinner is an opportunity for me to share with their parents in the joy of their sons' accomplishments in their seminary studies.
We are blessed with 16 wonderful young men who have a desire to serve the Church as priests. As the participants in the October Vocations Mini-Congress reminded us, we should persistently pray for vocations. I ask that you pray in this last week of Advent for vocations to the priesthood, religious life and the permanent diaconate.
7. Remember in Your Prayers -- Please remember in your prayers: Andrew Kalil Zlaket, father of Judge Tom Zlaket, who died last week (Judge Zlaket serves as special counsel to the Bishop of Tucson); the mother of Father Bill Stoeger, S.J., who died recently; Doug Dollar, the brother-in-law of Irene Holguin in the Annual Catholic Appeal Office, who died recently; Cecile Havey, mother of Sister Jean Olmstead, SBS, our Vicar for Religious, who continues her recovery from surgery to repair an aneurysm; and Len Martell, husband of Liz Martell, secretary at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Benson.
8. In the Christmas Spirit -- Our Lady of La Vang, the Vietnamese Parish in Tucson served by the Redemptorists, held its first Christmas festival on Saturday to raise money to provide support for poor children in Vietnam.
Father Francis Dang Phuoc Hoa, C.S.s.R., the pastor, and Deacon Dominic Pham, who will be ordained a priest in two weeks, led the community in a delightful evening of music, dance and song. The festival, held just down the street on Tucson Boulevard at St. Ambrose Parish, surely will become a new tradition.
The faith of the Vietnamese community is awesome, and many young people are serving the Church as priests or religious. We hope we will see some candidates from the community to serve here in Tucson.
9. Christmas Liturgies -- The liturgies of Christmas are a source of special joy, as so many come to participate. I hope all our parishes will make a special effort to reach out to those at the liturgies who are not frequent participants to welcome them and to invite and to encourage their further involvement in their faith.
Holiday times are special times for evangelization and invitation, and I hope that we extend a special greeting and warm invitation to stay involved.
I will be celebrating Christmas Vigil Mass early in the evening at St. Augustine Cathedral with children. Later in the evening, I will preside at the traditional Christmas Eve Mass at the Cathedral.
10. Christmas Eve Television Specials -- There are two specials on Christmas Eve that truly are "television worth watching."
Washington's newly-renovated Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle is the setting for "Christmas from the Cathedral of St. Matthew," scheduled to be broadcast on KVOA-TV, Channel 4, on Christmas Eve at 10:30 p.m.
The hour-long special, produced by the Catholic Communication Campaign, features two programs that explore the meaning of the Christmas season and celebrate the rich diversity of the Catholic Church in the U.S.
"The First Christmas" tells the traditional story of the birth of Jesus, beginning with Mary and Joseph's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Produced by Billy Budd Films, with support from the CCC and the Christophers, "The First Christmas" is a past winner of the American Library Association's Andrew Carnegie Medal as the Best Children's Video of the Year.
The second program, "La Gran Posada," brings this biblical story into the present day by exploring the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas, which recreates Mary and Joseph's search for shelter on the eve of the birth of Jesus. Produced by the Hispanic Telecommunications Network of San Antonio, "La Gran Posada" focuses on the oldest of San Antonio's nine posadas and offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the community keeps this tradition alive. It also a compelling story of personal transformation and compassion -- the moving story of Mexican immigrants who, like Mary and Joseph, have left their homes seeking a better life.
At 11:30 p.m., KVOA will carry the tape-delayed broadcast of the Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, with the Holy Father presiding.
11. My Christmas Card to You -- In solidarity with our efforts at the Diocese to conserve resources, I am relying upon Monday Memo and the Internet to deliver my Christmas Card this year. I am deeply grateful for the cards that I am receiving and the sentiments and prayers their messages express.
I was so appreciative of the beautiful illustration for my card last year that I decided to use it again this year.
The illustration is by Sister Esther Sawal, O.C.S.O., of Santa Rita Abbey in Sonoita.
Christmas 2004
(Monday Memo will return on Jan. 10.)