Hartland Parish Celebrates 100
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ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE OBSERVER Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 79 | No. 17 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY APRIL 4, 2014 Be Reconciled Hartland Parish Celebrates 100 ... and a Come to Little More Confession BY AMANDA HUDSON April 9 News editor HARTLAND—“The an- O cial Appointments niversary was, technically, last year,” says Father Thomas The Rev. David R. Engbarth Doyle, parochial administrator — Pastor of Our Lady of Good at St. Patrick Parish, here. Counsel Parish, Aurora, to retire “We were originally hoping with the permission of Bishop to celebrate the anniversary David Malloy, effective Monday, April 7, 2014. last year … but we were wait- Given at the Chancery, ing to fi nish the renovation of March 27, 2014. our basement before we did so. That became delayed.” Inside The basement is now com- plete, so Father Doyle and pa- rishioners joined Bishop David Malloy in marking the 100th (Observer photo by Amanda Hudson) anniversary of their church A sign at St. Patrick Parish in Hartland stands beside the church in a yard that will be landscaped this spring. building during the 10:15 a.m. A new sidewalk runs next to the church, leading to a side door near a new elevator for accessibility. Continued on page 3 Recognize Your Limits, Open Yourself to Light of Christ pg. 5 Leading the Ladies Seasoned Observer, pg. 8 Ronald Bookland and George Lamoureux prepare Quick News to unveil a station at St. Rita Parish in Rockford, March 28. Old Stations Made New Rockford’s St. Rita Parish Refurbishes Stations (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters) Pope Francis hears confession from a man during a peniten- From Freeport’s St. Mary tial liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica BY AMANDA HUDSON at the Vatican March 28. Pope News editor Francis later went to confession. ROCKFORD—St. Rita Parish, here, unveiled, This Issue blessed and celebrated its old-made-new Sta- tions of the Cross on March 28. Bishop Malloy ............................. 2 Father John Evans, parochial administrator, Headliners ..................................... 3 and Father Timothy Barr, pastor of St. Mary Diocesan .................................... 4, 9 Church in Freeport, led a comfortably-fi lled Nation/World ........................... 5-7 church in prayer as the purple cloths that covered Seasoned Observer ....................8 the stations were removed, one by one, and the paintings incensed. Around the Diocese ......... 10-11 Almost two years ago, Kathleen Behrens, of- Faith Forum ............................... 12 fi ce manager at St. Rita, was sent to Freeport by Viewpoints ................................ 13 Father David Peck, then the pastor at St. Rita (Observer photos by Amanda Hudson) Media/Arts ................................ 14 Parish, to retrieve the painted stations. Father John Evans, parochial administrator of St. Rita Parish in Rockford, incenses a station For the Record ......................... 14 Continued on page 4 that has just been unveiled during Stations of the Cross prayers, March 28. 2 FRIDAY APRIL 4, 2014 | The Observer Take This Week to Prepare to Be Reconciled, The Observer (ISSN 0029- Reflect on the Blindness of the Prodigal Son 7739), is published weekly, except five times a year by the Diocese of Rockford, BY BISHOP DAVID J. MALLOY 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 ere in the Diocese of Rockford, We feel in his words and in his attitude to think of that father offended by the Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax a special emphasis has been the underlying offense that is present younger son. He not only has put up 815/399-6225. placed on reconciliation this in every sin. That is, his break with his with the son’s terrible offense without Periodical postage paid at Lent. While the sacrament of father’s love. And it is followed by the responding in anger, but he remains open- Rockford, Ill., and additional Hconfession is regularly available in our son’s turning his back on his father as he hearted, scanning the horizon in hope and mail offices. parishes, a particular opportunity will walks down the road to leave home. anticipation of his return. POSTMASTER: send address present itself next Wednesday, April 9. But the effects of his sin are not confined When finally he sees the son, he does changes to The Observer, 555 On that day, which we are calling to the moment of his conversation with his not wait, he runs to him. He cuts off the Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box “Be Reconciled,” there will be father or his huffy departure. We sense son’s prepared and sorrowful speech, but 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 opportunities throughout the diocese to that the son leaves in blindness. only after his son has said one thing, “I For ADVERTISING information: go to confession from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. He is blinded by the earthly richness have sinned.” Contact The Observer at the address above or call 815/399- With that opportunity comes a special of his full pockets. He is blinded that his Here, of course, is Christ’s point. The 4300; fax 815/399-6225, invitation to those who have been away earthly moment of happiness will not last. Father is waiting for each of us, offering E-mail: rbergman@ from confession or separated from the And he is blinded by the falsity of his new His forgiveness for whatever our sin is if rockforddiocese.org. Church for a long time. They, in particular, found friends, attracted by his wealth but only we turn back to Him. Like the son, Send NEWS information to The are welcome for the sacrament of soon to abandon him when it runs out. we need only to say, “I have sinned” and Observer at the address or fax reconciliation. What a metaphor for sin! In whatever the Father’s embrace is ours. number above; send email to Prior to making any confession, a period Observer@rockforddiocese. form our own sinfulness manifests itself, Because the Church is the Mystical org; or fill out a form at http:// of prayer and reflection is an appropriate we too offend against God’s love. We Body of Christ, the Father’s pardon, given observer.rockforddiocese.org/ preparation. If it has been a while, maybe too are blinded by temptation or anger, to Christ and entrusted to the Church, is contact-us. these next few days before April 9 would or whatever has led us to sin by placing precisely what we receive in the sacrament Subscription rate $28.00 per be a good time to prepare. And to help, we ourselves above our heavenly Father. of confession. In hearing those words year (48 issues); Canadian can turn to one of the greatest of Jesus’ By our sin we are less than we should in the confessional, “I absolve you from and Pan American $29; other parables, that of the Prodigal Son. That be. And each sin adds to the disharmony your sins,” we, too, change from being a foreign: surface mail $37, air is a story that has many helpful thoughts among those around us and in the world. prodigal son or daughter to one forgiven mail $97; single copies $1. about sin, conversion, forgiveness and Later, when that son is at his wit’s end and reconciled. We share the joy of the The Observer Online digital God’s love. and he is reduced to feeding pigs, his son, and the rejoicing of our Father in subscriptions are also available. As we recall, when the younger son thoughts turn again to his father. His heaven. Publisher: decided to leave home, he demanded of his blindness fades as he recalls the love he Come to confession anytime during Most Reverend David J. Malloy father the inheritance that was, to his mind, once knew. He turns to come home, to be Lent. April 9 is a particularly special Associate Publisher: coming to him. In effect, he was saying to reconciled. moment. Either way, let’s use Lent to “Be Msgr. Eric Barr his father, “I can’t wait for you to die.” As we prepare for confession, we need Reconciled.” Editor: Penny Wiegert News Editor: Amanda Hudson The Reading the Gospel Daily Features and Multimedia Pope Editor: Sharon Boehlefeld From the Angelus, St. Peter’s Square, March 16 Circulation/Proofreading: on ... Susan Sabrowski, Keith BY POPE FRANCIS Ludolph, Ronald Bergman (CNS photo/Claudio Peri, pool via Reuters) Accounting: Jill Bonk The Gospel presents the voice of the Father resounds Gospel who chase him through In any given moment of the Client Services: Ronald Transfiguration. It is the second proclaiming Jesus to be His the streets of Palestine. day I take the Gospel from my Bergman stage of the Lenten journey. most beloved son, saying “lis- Jesus did not have a teach- pocket and I read something, a The first was the temptation ten to him” (v. 5). short passage. Production and Web ing post or a fixed pulpit. He Administrator: Gary Haughton in the desert, last Sunday; the This word is important! was an itinerant teacher, who Jesus is there and he speaks second, the Transfiguration. Contributing Writers: Bishop Our Father said this to these proposed his teachings, teach- to us in the Gospel! Ponder Emeritus Thomas G. Doran, Jesus “took with him Peter and Apostles, and says it to us as ings given to him by the Father, this. It’s not difficult, nor is Father John Slampak, Msgr. James and John his brother, well: “Listen to Jesus, because along the streets, covering it necessary to have all four Aaron Brodeski, Father Kenneth and led them up a high moun- he is my beloved son.” distances that were not always books: (we should have) one Wasilewski, Keith Ludolph, tain apart” (Mt 17:1).