U.N. Agency Head Tells Synod That Fighting Hunger Is a Matter of Faith
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Archdiocesan stewardship appeal awareness weekends to begin on Criterion Oct. 17-18, page 3. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com October 16, 2009 Vol. L, No. 3 75¢ U.N. agency head tells synod that fighting hunger is a matter of faith VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The teachings of the Catholic Church and of Islam urge believers to manage resources wisely, providing for the poorest and avoiding all waste and excess, the head of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization told the Synod of Bishops for Africa. Jacques Diouf, director general of the organization, was the only Muslim invited to participate in the Oct. 4-25 synod. And while his focus was on ending hunger and improving food security on the continent, he also spoke of the importance of faith in building a better world. The growing number of people in the world who go to bed hungry is “the result of choices made on the basis of materialistic reasons to the detriment of ethical references,” Diouf told the synod on Oct. 12. “This results in conditions of unjust life and an unequal world where a small number of persons becomes richer and richer, while the vast majority of the After a play during a football game against Park Tuder School on Sept. 25, Father John Hollowell shares a coaching population becomes poorer and poorer,” the moment with Eddie Cmehil, a sophomore wide receiver and defensive back for Cardinal Ritter’s varsity football team. U.N. official said. Today’s world has the financial power, the technology, and the natural and human Father John Hollowell knows joy and resources needed “to eliminate hunger in passion as a priest, teacher and coach the world once for all,” he said, but first it Photos by John Shaughness Photos by must overcome the power of greed, By John Shaughnessy he said later. corruption and selfishness. As Father Hollowell took the handoff, the In the classroom, Father John Hollowell The United Nations is holding a world Michael Timko couldn’t believe it at 30-year-old teacher, chaplain and assistant teaches “Modern Catholic Social Ethics” summit on food security in Rome on first. football coach at Cardinal Ritter High School to seniors at Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High Nov. 16-18, and the Vatican announced on Then a huge smile spread across the sprinted downfield as the varsity defensive School in Indianapolis. Oct. 13 that Pope Benedict XVI would face of the varsity football player for players swarmed toward him, working on attend the opening session. Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School in their angles of pursuit. split the Red Sea.” Diouf presented several statistics to the Indianapolis. Fifty yards later, the former varsity football synod: Looking into the offensive backfield, player at Roncalli High School in Indian- Living the joy and the passion • “For the first time in the history of Michael focused on the unlikely uniform apolis and Hanover College near Madison Father Hollowell enjoyed the humanity, the number of hungry persons of the person who was lined up at the finally came to a stop. With the defensive moment, too—even if it left him nearly has reached 1 billion, which is 15 percent running back position for the practice players in their red jerseys still watching him breathless. of the global population.” drill. and shaking their heads in amused wonder, “Early in the season, as a coaching • More than 270 million Africans, about The running back wore black running Father Hollowell spiked the ball. staff, we try to show them the discipline 24 percent of the continent’s population, are shoes, black pants, a black shirt and the “I couldn’t believe how fast he was,” of the game and the need for developing undernourished. The figure is an increase of white collar of a priest. Father John laughs Michael, a 16-year-old junior. “No one good habits,” says Father Hollowell, who 12 percent over a year ago. Hollowell also had his black baseball cap was sure if you could put a good hit on a also serves as a sacramental minister at • Agriculture represents 11 percent of turned backwards—“for aerodynamics,” priest. Everyone cleared out of his way. He See PRIEST, page 8 African exports, 17 percent of the See SYNOD, page 16 Pope canonizes Father Damien, Sister Jeanne Jugan and three others as models of Christian love VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Calling Little Sisters of the Poor continue to A tapestry showing them “shining examples” of Christian assist the elderly in the United States St. Jeanne Jugan hangs love, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed and more than 30 other countries. from the facade of five new After brief biographies of the five St. Peter’s Basilica at the CNS photo/Paul Haring CNS photo/Paul saints, were read aloud, the pope pronounced Vatican. The French nun including a solemn decree of canonization and was one of five new Father proclaimed them models of holiness saints proclaimed by Damien for the whole Church. Relics of the Pope Benedict XVI de Veuster, the new saints were placed on the altar as during an Oct. 11 Mass 19th-century St. Peter’s Basilica was filled with a inside the basilica. Belgian sung “Alleluia.” St. Jeanne founded the missionary In his homily, the pope said the Little Sisters of the Poor, who newly canonized had typified the who assist the elderly in ministered to Christian vocation of radical the United States, people with conversion and self-sacrifice made including at the Pope Benedict XVI leprosy in “with no thought of human calculation St. Augustine Home Hawaii before dying of the disease. and advantage.” for the Aged in At a Mass on Oct. 11 overflowing “Their perfection, in the logic of Indianapolis, and in more with pilgrims from around the world, the faith that is sometimes humanly than 30 other countries. the pope also canonized Sister Jeanne incomprehensible, consists in no Jugan, a French nun whose See SAINTS, page 9 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, October 16, 2009 CRS assessing needs as new flooding washes away Philippine homes WASHINGTON (CNS)—A new wave too worried about until that last 24 hours.” president of of flooding, brought on by the second Debbie DeVoe, regional information Catholic Charities tropical storm to hit the Philippines within officer for CRS in Manila, told CNS that USA, said members of 10 days, has left thousands of people flooding reached the second story of the U.S. disaster team homeless and at least 18 villages buildings in the Urdaneta Diocese. In the headed to Pago Pago underwater, Catholic Relief Services nearby Alaminos Diocese, she was aware of would “help in any Reuters CNS photo/Erikde Castro, officials reported. at least 100 families who were forced to way we can.” The Flooding in the provinces of Pangasinan leave the coastal area. team included and Benguet, about 120 miles from the In the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese, members from capital Manila, began on Oct. 8 after DeVoe reported, at least 18 towns had water Catholic Charities one dam collapsed and officials released that reached the rooftops of homes. headquarters and water to save another dam from being “At least 20 houses, riverside houses, agencies in Louisiana, breached as Parma, downgraded to a were washed away by water [released] from and Father Snyder tropical depression, continued its onslaught the San Roque Dam,” she said. said Catholic Charities of the island nation. Since Ketsana hit the country on Sept. 26, of Hawaii was ready Pat Johns, director of emergency CRS and Caritas in the Philippines have to send additional Residents cross a flooded highway in Rosales, Philippines, on Oct. 9. A operations for CRS in the Philippines, told distributed 5,000 kits of nonfood items, workers if needed. new wave of flooding, brought on by the second tropical storm to hit the Catholic News Service by phone on Oct. 9 including pots, pans, blankets, mosquito “These team Philippines within 10 days, left thousands of people homeless and at least that the region underwater was already nets, buckets and water jugs. Overall, members have 18 villages underwater, Catholic Relief Services officials reported. saturated after Typhoon Ketsana swept CRS has aided more than 30,000 people extensive disaster through the country on Sept. 26, dumping around Manila, she said. response experience from their work with that we have seen to date indicate a huge more than a month’s worth of rain in “I think we’re already inundated by [hurricanes] Katrina, Gustav, Ike, and the need for help with basic human services and 12 hours. need,” she said. Iowa floods,” Father Snyder said in an provisions,” he said, adding that the agency Johns was planning to visit the region on Meanwhile, international and local Oct. 7 statement. had sent an initial grant of $10,000 to the Oct. 10 with representatives of Caritas in Catholic agencies continue to channel aid to “The preliminary reports and assessments Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago. † the Philippines to assess the extent of the hundreds of thousands of victims of natural flooding, and determine exactly how many disasters in other parts of Asia and the people were forced to flee when waters rose South Pacific as the scope of the damage Catholic aid agencies accept donations for rapidly after the dam along the Agno River grew. failed. CRS, the U.S. bishops’ international On Oct. 7, a week after the first of disaster relief in Asia and the South Pacific relief and development agency, is part of two earthquakes hit Indonesia, aid the Caritas Internationalis charitable workers were just reaching some of the WASHINGTON (CNS)—The P.O.