Inside Archbishop Buechlein . 4, 5 Editorial. 4 From the Archives. 25 Question Corner . 11 TheCriterion Sunday & Daily Readings. 11 Criterion Vacation/Travel Supplement . 13 Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 www.archindy.org May 26, 2000 Vol. XXXIX, No. 33 50¢ Two men to be ordained to the priesthood By Margaret Nelson His first serious study of religion was of 1979—four months into the Iran civil his sister and her husband when he was 6 Islam, when he began to teach in Saudi war. years old. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein will Arabia. A history professor there, “a wise “I approached the nearest Catholic At his confir- ordain two men to the priesthood for the man from Iraq” who spoke fluent English, Church—St. Joan of Arc in Indianapolis.” mation in 1979, Archdiocese of Indianapolis at 11 a.m. on talked with him He asked Father Donald Schmidlin for Borders didn’t June 3 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in about his own instructions. Since that was before the think of the Indianapolis. faith. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults priesthood. He They are Larry Borders of St. Mag- “He knew process was so widespread, he met with had been negoti- dalen Parish in New Marion—who spent more about the priest and two other men every week ating a teaching two decades overseas teaching lan- Christianity than or so. job in Japan to guages—and Russell Zint of St. Monica I knew about The week before Christmas in 1979, begin a 15-year Parish in Indianapolis—who studied engi- my own tradi- Borders was confirmed into the Catholic contract. neering at Purdue University. tion,” said Church. Around 1989, Because he recently celebrated his 50th Borders. “I was raised close to the Church,” he he first began to birthday, Borders called his life a “long He came said. Both of his sisters married “devout” seriously think story.” He was a teacher for 20 years. back to the U.S. Catholic men. Though he was baptized in he would like to Starting in 1975, he taught Spanish and from the Middle a Protestant Church, he began going to Rev. Mr. Russell Zint teach about his English at the university level. Rev. Mr. Larry Borders East in March Mass at St. John Church in Osgood with See ORDINATION, page 7 Speakers call for Pope reflects on priesthood as he turns 80 a new balanced VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope John Paul II blended cele- Christian feminism brations of his 80th birthday with the Vatican’s Jubilee for Priests, emphasizing the primacy of his priestly vocation in ROME (CNS)—A new Christian femi- his life. nism is needed for the new millennium, a Though showered with greetings from political leaders feminism that promotes cooperation and cultural icons from around the world, treated to a special between women and men and acknowl- London Philharmonic musical performance and feted with a edges the importance of the family, said sumptuous lunch, the pope seemed most pleased concele- speakers at a conference in Rome. brating a birthday Mass May 18 with some 8,000 priests. The chief failure of feminism in the Father William F. Stineman represented the Archdiocese past was that it focused only on politics of Indianapolis at the jubilee. and society, “as if the feminine condition During the liturgy in St. Peter’s Square, which Vatican had nothing to do with the family,” said officials called the largest concelebrated Mass in history, the Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, presi- pope said that God “desired to link my existence to the grace dent of the Pontifiical Council for the of the priestly ministry, as bishop and successor of Peter, to Family. be a witness of God’s love for all humanity in these, our The cardinal was among the speakers times, which are so fascinating.” at a May 19-20 conference on “A new He returned to his reflections on the priesthood at a birth- Feminism for a New Millennium,” spon- day lunch with cardinals after the Mass, saying, “I am par- sored by the Legionaries of Christ. ticularly happy to remember my birthday in this priestly Cardinal Lopez Trujillo said the 21st dimension, which is the fundamental one of my life.” century brings hope that a balanced femi- In his Mass homily, the pope praised God for the gift of nism will continue to reduce violence and priesthood, which he called a gift of love for all mankind. discrimination against women while rec- But he also acknowledged the struggles and weaknesses of ognizing the important role of women in ordinary priests and the growing threat of a priest shortage. the family. He asked for prayers for priests who have left the ministry “To ignore that the vocation of the and encouraged fallen-away priests to seek laicization, a woman includes family and society— Vatican dispensation officially releasing them from priestly reducing the sphere of women’s self-real- duties. ization to just the work, political or cul- “I think also of those priests who, for different circum- tural aspects—brings a profound disre- stances, no longer exercise the sacred ministry, though they gard for the aspirations of the human continue to hold in themselves a special configuration to heart,” the cardinal said. Christ through the indelible character of holy orders,” the “Not only is it false that virginity and pope said. motherhood are ‘obstacles’ to a woman’s Interrupted by applause, he said, “I also pray a great deal CNS photo from Reuters self-realization: It is precisely the con- for them, and I invite everyone to remember them in prayer, Pope John Paul II is silhouetted against a sunny background in St. Peter's See PRIEST, page 8 Square as he arrives for Mass on his 80th birthday May 18. See FEMINISM, page 8 Pope canonizes 27 Mexican saints, including first Mexican woman VATICAN CITY (CNS)—In a cere- The new saints teach Christians the mony that alternated between solemnity importance of being fully united to and soccer-stadium enthusiasm, Pope Christ and of striving for sanctity, the John Paul II canonized 27 Mexican pope said. saints, including the first Mexican “We are living the Great Jubilee of the woman. Year 2000. Among its purposes is to stir “With pleasure I proclaim today the in each believer the authentic desire for sanctity of various witnesses of the holiness,” he said. Gospel in the 20th century, all belonging “May the example of these new saints, to the beloved and noble nation of gift of the Mexican Church to the univer- Mexico,” the pope said at the beginning sal Church, move all the faithful to of the Mass May 21. search with courage and determination “They are the saints of the Great for sanctity, with all means in their reach Jubilee of the Year 2000,” he said, as and above all with the assistance of more than 50,000 pilgrims cheered and God’s grace,” he said. CNS photo from Reuters waved sombreros and green, white and To be permanently united to Christ A tapestry depicts Sister Maria de Jesus red Mexican flags in an overcast means “to carry out our baptismal Sacramentado Venegas. She is Mexico's first St. Peter’s Square. See MEXICAN, page 8 female saint. Page 2 The Criterion Friday, May 26, 2000 Father Hilary Ottensmeyer Celebrating the served archdiocesan priests Benedictine Father Hilary Ottensmeyer Grove. jubilee in the died May 17 after a long illness. Sister Rachel Best, prioress of the The funeral Mass was celebrated at 10 Beech Grove Benedictines, said, “He a.m. on May 20 came as our chaplain and left as our Archdiocese of in Saint Meinrad friend. Archabbey “In the 18 years that ensued, we grew church. to know and love Father Hilary,” she Indianapolis Visitation was said. “And, as he said so often, he grew Thursday to love us. By his own admission, he Celebration in the Spirit of Hope: Bloomington, 7 p.m. evening through wasn’t accustomed to working with Nov. 4 St. Louis Church, Batesville, 7:30 p.m. Friday and women before he arrived at Our Lady of The Great Jubilee Saturday morn- Grace, but we took to each other. The major event of the archdiocese’s Senior Citizen Masses ing. The Office Perhaps it was because we are Jubilee Year celebration will take place May 31 St. Andrew Church, Richmond, 2 p.m. of the Dead was Benedictines and we sought and revered Sept. 16 in the RCA Dome in Indiana- prayed in the the same things. Aug. 13 St. Ann Church, Terre Haute, 2 p.m. polis with Celebration in the Spirit of church at 7 p.m. “Hilary was a learned, well-traveled Hope: The Great Jubilee. Everyone in Oct. 22 St. Charles Borromeo Church, Friday. Burial man who shared, through his thoughtfully Bloomington, 3 p.m. the archdiocese is invited to attend this was in the arch- prepared homilies, his love of God and special Mass to celebrate 2,000 years of Nov. 19 St. Joseph Church, St. Leon, 2 p.m. Fr. Hilary Ottensmeyer, abbey cemetery. his delight in beautiful things,” said Sister Jesus Christ and the carrying forward of O.S.B. A monk and Rachel. “He spent his monastic life in the faith into the new millennium. Archdiocesan indulgence churches priest of Saint preparation for this final journey. We wish Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein and The faithful can receive an indul- Meinrad Archabbey, Father Hilary would him bon voyage.” at least 20 other bishops and several gence—an amnesty of any temporal pun- have celebrated his golden jubilee as a Priest friends remarked that Father archdiocesan priests will concelebrate ishment accrued because of past sins—by priest on May 30.