June 13, 2014 by Carol Glatz Vatican City
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FROM POPE FRANCIS Don’t hog the ball, pope says Vol.The XLX, No. 4 DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPEMirror GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI June 13, 2014 By Carol Glatz Vatican City ope Francis urged athletes to live life the same way they play sports: Don’t hog the ball, don’t fall Pback on defense, and make sure A tribute to fathers to keep it fun. He also called on policy- makers and communities to guarantee all kids have access to and to the sports, education, and jobs early Triune God on in life, “and I guarantee that By Sr. Joan L. Roccasalvo, CSJ father. When Paul’s son or there will be no addictions to daughter is born, Paul’s life is drugs, alcohol, and many other his year, Father’s Day changed. In addition to his vices.” and the feast of the Most marital relationship, he has The pope made his com- Holy Trinity fall on the entered into the new relation of ments during a gathering in St. same day. First, some fatherhood. He is Dad, Daddy, Peter’s Square June 7 with tens Tthoughts on Father’s Day. Pop, Papa. Fatherhood is added of thousands of children, young ‘The father-child relation is on to his personhood. adults, coaches, and athletes to irreplaceable.’ Every day of his celebrate the 70th anniversary life, Pres. Obama lives with this Father roles of the Italian Sports Center, the reality, for he grew up without Fathers come in all differ- Catholic Action’s sports associa- his father’s presence and with- ent shapes, sizes, and person- tion in Italy. out his father’s love. Recently in alities, a fact best seen in some The square had been turned Chicago, he lamented that “in father-roles on the screen. In into a “sports village” with entire neighborhoods like Hyde “Father of the Bride,” Stan- makeshift basketball and vol- Park, young boys and teenage ley Banks (“Pops”) comically leyball courts, mini-soccer fields, boys don’t see an example of evokes neurotic tendencies and gymnastic equipment. fathers or grandfathers who are on the eve of his daughter’s The pope told participants in a position to support fami- wedding. In “The Bill Cosby lies.” On several occasions, he Show,” Cliff Huxtable, father See Don’t Hog the Ball / 2 has blurted out: ‘Any male can and obstetrician, is thoroughly make a baby; being a father engaged in the lives of his five takes a real man.’ children. He protects, disci- plines, and loves them. As a As of June 12, The basic understanding of moral guide, he teaches them 2014, 74 parishes fatherhood values and life-principles by have reported The most basic and uni- example. A devoted husband, versal understanding of father he stands firmly with his wife 5,660 pledges is that of begetting children. Clare, especially in front of the to the Diocesan But a father is much more than children. The Huxtable fam- Development Fund a begetter. He is the creative FATHERHOOD—“Best wishes to you on your day! I ily loves their Dad—flexible, $ source, and protector of life, ask for you the grace to be ever closer to your chil- funny, and fun. totaling 1,623,013, the representative of power and dren, allow them to grow, but be close, close! They Yes, we have super-Dads or 68 percent of the authority, as well as gift, solici- need you, your presence, your closeness, your love. like Atticus Finch (Gregory $2,500,000 goal. tude and aid. Yet not every man ...As Joseph was for Jesus, [be] the example and the Peck) who, in the film, “To Kill assumes the responsibility of teacher of the wisdom that is nourished by the Word a Mockingbird,” exceeds our Thank you! fatherhood. of God,” said Pope Francis in his Father’s Day Mes- expectations of fatherhood. Father is a relation and sage. (Saint Joseph, Pietro Annigoni [1910-1988], Florence, A widower with two young a presence, not the name of a San Lorenzo, Italy; copyright © 1990, Photo Scala, Florence.) children and a defense lawyer, man. When a man becomes Atticus is devoted to his chil- a new father, the externals of his person from within because of the dren not only as father but as teacher person remain unchanged. But he new relationship he assumes with his as well. has become a completely different child and family. To explain. Before becoming a father, Paul is the son of his own See Tribute / 10 The Catechism in brief 2692 In prayer, the pilgrim Church is associated with that of the saints, whose intercession she asks. The Catechism of the Catholic Church compiles the living tradition of the Catholic Church and divides it into four sections: What Catholics believe (the Creed), how the faith is transmitted (worship and sacraments), how Catholics are The next issue of The Mirror will be June 27, 2014. called to live (moral life), and prayer. If you would like to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email in digital format, please contact Angie Toben at (417) 866-0841, or via Email to [email protected]. 2 The Mirror COLUMNS June 13, 2014 The price of belief: The cost of supporting Catholic teaching over public opinion t has been one year since the to support Proposition 8’s defini- and Catholics are no different. US Supreme Court officially tion of marriage as between one The Church has a huge pastoral blessed the redefinition of mar- GUEST man and one woman. California and catechetical problem that to riage and opened the federal law makes donors list their place of date it has not been able to ad- Ifloodgates to a wave of (largely work, which brought criticism on dress effectively on a broad scale. successful) lawsuits by same-sex COLUMN Mozilla then. After his My concern, however, is couples. Greg Erlandson appointment as CEO that those who accept that In the past 12 months, there in March, a campaign the Church’s teachings has been a tectonic shift not only was begun to boycott in this area are true may in the courts, but in popular opin- illustrate, the Church now tries to Mozilla. Eich resigned soon pay a price for such ion. Those who support a tradi- shield itself from such suits with in less than two weeks. Eich’s only beliefs. Catholic institu- tional definition of marriage—just preemptive contracts explicitly stat- It is important to tions may not be always as President Barack Obama did ing what is expected of its employ- note that there were sin, was immune from the wrath only a few years ago—are now on ees, but those in turn are creating no charges that he had that he had of the courts, and Catholic the defensive. Even the Church is another backlash. The lawyers may been discriminatory in individuals—whether law- struggling to find the language to be reducing risk but raising ire. the workplace. There dared to yers or doctors or bakers explain what has been its teaching Where this all will lead is were no charges that support the or photographers—who for 2,000 years without sounding anyone’s guess, but the future does he had made deroga- accept this teaching may prejudiced or spiteful. look ominous. No matter how the tory comments or had traditional expect a backlash as well. What makes the task even Church tries to articulate its posi- acted in ways overtly concept of So make that two more difficult is that many self- tion, there is, at least at this mo- hostile to people with challenges the US Church identified Catholics tell pollsters ment, a reaction in the popular same-sex attraction or marriage faces. The first is how to they don’t agree with their Church media against divergent viewpoints that he had imposed by quietly teach effectively what it either. I wrote recently about two that is quite clearly intended to a hostile environment believes. The second is incidents in which Catholic stu- intimidate and silence. at Mozilla or any place making a something it has not had dents and parents vociferously Take the case of Brendan Eich. else. political to worry about in a long objected to speakers defending the He was the hapless digital genius Eich’s only sin, time: preparing people Church’s teaching on marriage. who created the JavaScript found in and it was apparently donation. for the price that may be While such protests suggest a millions of computers. He also co- mortal, was that he exacted for believing what wide divergence in the pews, the founded Mozilla, a company with had dared to support they have been taught. Church also is being dragged into a popular open-source Internet the traditional concept ©TM the courts by lawsuits filed when search engine called Firefox. Earlier of marriage by qui- diocesan, parish, or school employ- this year he was appointed CEO. etly making a political Erlandson is Our ees marry their same-sex partners Unfortunately, he had been donation. Sunday Visitor (OSV) president and and then lose their jobs. As recent outed two years ago on Twitter as Many people of goodwill are publisher. Reprinted with permission moves in Ohio and elsewhere someone who had donated $1,000 struggling with this issue now, of OSV; www.osv.com. Don’t hog the ball, pope says From Page 1 The pope underlined warned. “the beauty of teamwork,” He said inclusion to make sure sports always which “is very important in and a welcoming attitude stayed fun. life.” had to be priorities so that “Only if it stays a game He warned against “in- “everyone may play, not does it do the body and dividualism” and just play- just the talented ones, but spirit good,” he said.