A page devoted to local Catholic interests April 26, 2002 Vol. 28, No. 8 Lake Charles, La. Internet Address:http://lcdiocese.org Conversion and Faith in the Christian Life (Editor’s Note: First of Catholic, or Christian initia- whole church. When poten- three installments) tion, is the rather simple tial new Christians sign the Happy Easter! matter of accepting “the Book of the Elect, they are In our Catholic tradition faith.” not signing a contract for Easter is not simply one There is a sense in which membership in a “church.” Sunday. It is an entire this is particularly true. Rather, it is a commitment Liturgical Season. This is Clearly the careful elabora- to struggling to take up the why we celebrate seven tion of beliefs about these Way of Life given to us by Sundays of Easter between perennial Christian con- Christ at Easter. now and Pentecost Sunday, cerns is closely related to the Faith, then, is our re- the Feast of the Holy Spirit faith. Through them faith is sponse to God’s call to con- on May 19th. Thus, it is com- expressed, specified and version. Conversion is one pletely appropriate for us to even embodied. However, of those words that has an keep saying “Happy East- the example and teaching odd sound to some Catholics. er”. Our long Easter Season of Christ, the evidence of We usually do not use the provides us with the oppor- scripture and tradition, the word when speaking about tunity to explore our Easter witness of holy women and ourselves. We may associ- faith at a deeper level as we holy men, and the best of ate the term with coming support the newly baptized Catholic spirituality and forward for Christ at an members of the Church dur- theology strongly attest to evangelical rally. Christians ing their Mystogogia the fact that faith, in its of other traditions experi- (growth in faith). Easter most basic form is not sim- ence conversion when they Faith is much more than be- ply from the eyebrows up, it become Catholics! But I am lieving that Jesus Christ is not exclusively intellectu- using conversion in a sense was raised to glorified life al. It is a far more vital and that should apply to us as by God the Father. It is real- personal reality than what much as or more than any- ly the whole vital reality of is conveyed by somewhat one else. static theoretical ideas about our daily lives as members Conversion is the trans- church doctrines or Catholic of the body of Christ, the formation of the way we ex- beliefs. Church. Easter Faith is a perience ourselves, others, matter of ongoing Conver- the world and the universe. “There are many rooms in my Father’s house” John 14:2 sion. Bishop Those who undergo conver- The Dynamic Nature sion shall never be the same of Faith Edward again. They are turned in- What really do we mean side out and upside down New Norms set for the distribution, by faith? We often hear by God’s Holy Spirit. They such expressions as “Keep K. are like Abram - asked to the faith.” “Practice the sacrifice his only son Isaac - faith,” “Don’t lose your Braxton become Abraham; like Moses reception of Holy Communion faith.” “They have fallen before the bush that burns away from the faith.” What The fundamental reality but is not consumed; like precisely are we talking of faith is the radical per- Saul - knocked from the about when we say this? sonal and communal re- under both bread and wine Is faith essentially the in- sponse to the gift of love horse - become Paul; like tellectual acceptance of a that the Creator has for the young Jewish peasant WASHINGTON — Newly U.S. bishops’ 1984 directory law” for the dioceses of the each of us that we can never girl become Mary, the moth- revised norms for the distri- on the matters titled, This body of teachings about the United States at the same merit. It is this gracious er of Jesus, because of her bution and reception of Holy Holy and Living Sacrifice. existence of God; Father, times as the norms and it be- movement of God’s life in us startled “Let it be” to the Communion under the out- The first section of the Son and Spirit; the content came effective on April 7, that is expressed by the angel’s call. They are like ward signs of both bread and new norms provides a theo- of revelation; the truth of 2002. The Congregation de- words and symbols of faith. Simon prancing in the wine by Catholics in the logical summary of the clined, however, to approve the scripture; the purpose of the Catholic church; the But this spiritual reality is waves of a stormy sea - be- United States have been au- Church’s teaching on Holy an indult authorizing extra- thorized by the Vatican and Communion under both essence of the priesthood; prior to and deeper than come Peter; and perhaps ordinary ministers to assist decreed by the President of kinds, while the following the importance of the sacra- our religious words and even like Jesus of Nazareth with the distribution of the the U.S. Conference of section describes the autho- ments; the limits of ecu- symbols. Thus, “the faith” triumphing over desert temp- Catholic Bishops. rized procedures by which Precious Blood to other chal- menism; the extent of the can never be adequately tations - as the Father’s The new norms, pub- such distribution can be ac- ices during the singing of the role of women in the church; verbalized in everyday lan- Christ. lished by Bishop Wilton D. complished at Mass. Specific Lamb of God. the reality of sin and grace; guage. This is why the In every human person Gregory of Belleville last directives are given regard- In the letter confirming the nature of hell, purgatory church has not only creeds, the reality of conversion is month, were approved by the ing liturgical roles, sacred the norms for distribution of and heaven? doctrines and, hopefully, a complex of on-going, over- members of the USCCB on vessels and the rites to be Holy Communion under both Does one automatically challenging homilies, but lapping elements that may June 15, 2001, and confirmed followed in distributing Holy kinds, the Congregation for have faith by intellectually also stained glass windows, be thought of as several dif- by the Holy See on March 22, Communion under both Divine Worship and the Dis- affirming propositions about deeply moving ceremonies, ferent but related forms of 2002. kinds. cipline of the Sacraments these matters? Some would a rich musical heritage, conversion. Conversion may The General Instruction Included among the also made clear that Extra- answer “yes” without hesi- powerful religious art, the be religious, Christian, ec- of the recently revised Ro- norms is an indult from the ordinary Ministers of Holy tation. Not only do they con- rhapsodic expressions of clesial, moral, or intellectu- man Missal permits confer- Vatican’s Congregation for mystics, and a radical social Communion, or indeed any sider these propositions to al. These distinctions be- ences of Bishops to provide Divine Worship and the Dis- commitment. This makes faith communicant, might assist in be the contents of faith, but tween the different forms of norms for the distribution of cipline of the Sacraments a response of the whole person conversion are logical dis- Holy Communion under both providing for the cleansing the consumption of what re- also they would go so far as - mind and heart. Faith is the tinctions that make the kinds, meaning under the of sacred vessels by Extraor- mains of the Precious Blood to take certain historical ex- on-going and lifelong re- whole process easier to outward signs of both bread dinary Ministers of Holy after distribution of Holy pressions of these proposi- tions and even the rather sponse to the call to conver- grasp. However, each “form” and wine. The newly ap- Communion. The indult was Communion has been com- sion that is now whispered simple question and answer of conversion is not a sepa- proved norms replace the promulgated as “particular pleted. and now shouted in the format of The Baltimore rate reality in a person’s life depths of a person’s very Catechism to be the ageless and not related to the next being, and in the unraveling and exclusive expression of “form” of conversion. history of a family, a com- “the faith.” Thus, from this (Next: Three “forms” of munity, a nation and the Committee on the Home Missions perspective becoming a conversion) gives $10.5 million in grants Byzantine Liturgy for Peace WASHINGTON — This ops’ Committee experienced and its dependencies in a year the Bishops’ Committee a personal as well as profes- spirit of communio,” said the on the Home Missions will sional loss. Not only did they Chairman of the Catholic award $10.5 million in grants know the priest, but one staff Home Missions, Bishop Paul in the Middle East set May 3 to more than 100 dioceses, member had once flown with A. Zipfel of Bismarck, North including the Diocese of Father Kelley in the same Dakota. “It’s a great example LAKE CHARLES - The Pontiff. The Melkite Church, pectoral cross and employ Lake Charles, along with or- Piper Cherokee that crashed of the Church taking care of Diocesan Chapter of the like its sister Churches of the the hand-crossing during ganizations and religious or- into a mountain in blizzard its own.” The grants for 2002- Knights and Ladies of the East, has its own Code of Liturgical services. conditions March 24. ders. This is more than dou- 2003 were finalized at a re- Holy Sepulchre, a Pontifical Law, Liturgical practice and All who are interested in Father Kelley, 73, was one ble the $4.5 million cent meeting of the Commit- Order of Knighthood with law as well as customs, a peaceful resolution to the disbursed four years ago, a tee on the Home Missions in ties to the Holy Land, will which differ markedly from troubles of the Middle East year after the U.S. Bishops Laredo, Texas. sponsor a special Byzantine the Western or Latin tradi- are invited to join the established the first Catholic The Committee on the Liturgy celebrated according tion and Church. Knights and Ladies of the Home Missions Appeal. Home Missions awarded to the Melkite tradition at These differences of prac- Holy Sepulchre in praying Many of the recipients do not have the monetary grants totaling $4.5 million the Cathedral of the Immac- tice are a strong witness to this Liturgy from the Holy means to provide basic pas- in 1998-1999, $6.0 million in ulate Conception on May 3, the ‘unity of faith’ of the Land and imploring God to toral ministry without assis- 1999-2000, $7.7 million in beginning at 7 p.m. Catholic Churches despite assist all those concerned tance from the grants, which 2000-2001, and nearly $9 mil- The Knights and Ladies of the diversity of practice. The with finding a just and are made possible by the an- lion in 2001-2002. The new the Holy Sepulchre were world “Melkite” is taken peaceful solution for all peo- nual Catholic Home Mis- grants consist of $10.5 mil- founded in 1099 with the from malak, which means ples, Jewish, Muslim and sions Appeal, which here in lion to 85 dioceses and 21 or- specific charge to safeguard ‘king’ as the Church accept- Christian, who live there. the Diocese of Lake Charles, ganizations and religious or- the shrines of Christianity, ed the law enacted by the will be this weekend April ders. particularly, the tomb of our emperor rather than follow- Archbishop Flynn to head 27-28. The theme is The Catholic Home Mis- Savior, thus, the name. To- ing the heretical practices “Strengthening the Church sions Appeal supports the day, the Order of the Holy and teachings of some of the expanded Bishops panel at Home.” work of the Church wherev- Sepulchre has as its mission other churches. The new grants will be er Catholics are few and the to “preserve and spread the Rev. Herbert J. May, JCL, WASHINGTON — The ex- distributed July 1. Church is fragile: in the (Christian) faith in Palestine, pastor of Our Lady of Seven pansion of the The U.S. Con- About 37 percent of the of two priests who pilot Deep South, in the Rocky support and further the mis- Dolors Parish in Welsh will ference of Catholic Bishops’ grants go to Hispanic min- themselves to parishes and Mountain states, in the dusty sion of the Latin Patriarch of be the celebrant of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexu- istries of various sorts. missions in the 160,000 Southwest, in the Rust Belt Jerusalem and give assis- Byzantine Liturgy. Father al abuse and a new chair- About 15 percent go to East- square mile Archdiocese of of eastern Ohio, in Puerto tance to its charitable, cul- May is a priest of the man have been announced ern-rite churches, while 6 Anchorage. At the time of his Rico and the Virgin Islands, tural and social under-tak- Latin/Roman Church and by the conference leader- percent each are awarded to death he had been pastor of and in Pacific territories ings.” There are over 16,000 the Diocese of Lake Charles, ship. African-American and Amer- Holy Rosary Church in like American Samoa and Knights and Ladies in some who had been given a spe- Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, ican Indian ministries, and Dillingham. The parish the Marshall Islands. 23 countries and the South- cial privilege of being able to Bishop of Belleville, Ill., another 4 percent to Asian serves 600 people in 23 com- A recent report gives ern Lieutenancy in the Unit- celebrate the Byzantine president of the conference initiatives. munities spread out over some indication of places ed States, which includes six Liturgy according to the us- made the announcement. The majority of the grant more than 33,000 square where funds are most need- southern states including age of the Melkite Church by Archbishop Harry J. Fly- provided to the Church in miles on Alaska’s mainland ed to help the work of the Louisiana, is made up of over the Congregation for the Ori- nn of St. Paul-Minneapolis Southwest Louisiana goes to and stretching out to the 1,300 Knights and Ladies. ental Churches at Vatican will serve as the new chair- aid those most in need of fi- Church, the Diocese of Jack- Aleutian Islands. son, Mississippi, the Diocese The Greek-Melkite Ca- City, Italy. man. Bishop Flynn is well nancial assistance in the Helping Father Kelley’s of Salt Lake City, the Dio- tholic Church has its origin In 1988, Fr. May was hon- regarded among the bishops diocese. Other funds pro- apostolate and others like it cese of San Bernardino, Cal- in the ancient city of Anti- ored by the late head of the for the work he did in Dio- vide aid to the offices of Re- serve the spiritual needs of och. Its current Patriarch, Melkite Church, Patriarch cese of Lafayette in the ligious Education and Youth Catholics in the most remote ifornia, the Diocese of Beau- mont, Texas, the Diocese of Gregory III, has official resi- Maximos V Hakim with the 1980s in helping the diocese Ministry, Evangelization and areas of the country is typi- dences both in Beirut and in honorary title of “Grand recover from the devasta- Vocations. Baker, Oregon, the Diocese cal of the Catholic Home Cairo as he is also Patriarch Archimandrite of Antioch,” a tion left by two child-molest- When Father Jim Kel- of Gallup, New Mexico, the Missions. of Alexandria (Egypt) and title similar to that of abbot ing priests. He was one of ley’s plane went down last “The great success of the Prefecture Apostolic of the Jerusalem. The Melkite in the Roman Church and the original members of the month on his way to cele- Catholic Home Missions Ap- Marshall Islands, the Dio- brate Palm Sunday Mass in a peal is a reflection of the cese of Boise, and the Arch- Church is one of the 20 which allows him to wear a Committee. remote outpost of southwest strong links among the dio- diocese for the Military Ser- Churches of Eastern origin Alaska, the staff at the Bish- ceses of the United States vices, USA. in union with the Roman (This page paid for by the Diocese of Lake Charles.)