Thirteen Men Ordained to the Order of Deacon for Ministry in the Parishes

bit.ly/Bananas2018 The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Savannah Vol. 98, No. 11 — Thursday, May 24, 2018 Put Faith in Your Opinions southerncross.diosav.org $.75 Thirteen men, diaconate candidates, lay prostrate on the floor before the altar in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, during the Ordination liturgy and Mass offered by BIshop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv. May 19. Photograph by Paul H. Camp. See video at bit.ly/Diaconate18. Thirteen men ordained to the Order of Deacon Bishopfor Hartmayer’s ministry homily for the ingoes on the to say, “the parishes Word of God con- ofand the the Church an dioceseopportunity to benefit ofresolve Savannah on our own terms. Diaconate Ordination 2018 tinued to spread, while at the same time from the Grace of the Sacrament. My brothers, the Servant of Jesus y dear brothers and sisters, the number of disciples in Jerusalem The Church needs your diaconal is not primarily a psychologist, social M today, the Diocese of Savannah enormously increased.” ministry just as it required that of St. worker or counselor. The Servant of is blessed to have 13 candidates pre- And as you know, Stephen, one of the Stephen and the other deacons in the Jesus is one who, like his master, goes senting themselves to be ordained to the seven deacons, was stoned to death out- early days of the Church. out to the poor, the lowly, the rejected, Order of Deacon. side the walls of Jerusalem because he The diaconal ministry of Stephen those in the shadow of death. I welcome Bishop Boland, the priests, was a disciple of Jesus Christ. helped to prevent the exclusion of the And he does so, not at a distance, but deacons, consecrated religious, semi- The Apostles assured the first deacons poor widows and children, an exclusion through identification: He becomes poor narians, family and friends of these can- that when they act out of love, the Spirit that was taking place on the basis of a with the poor; he suffers with those who didates and all who have come here to of God will be with them in their strug- difference in culture and language in suffer; he enters into the hopelessness of witness this joyful celebration. gles to find the words and the courage society, and it was affecting the life of the desperate in order to convince them I would like to especially welcome to confront evil and hurt, to challenge the Church through unawareness and that ‘nothings can ever come between Father Gabriel, Rector of St. John the those who threaten to harm them and insensitivity of its human membership. them and the love of Jesus Christ. Baptist Cathedral in Gboko Diocese in those they loved. My dear Sons, we are faced with the As Pope Francis reminds us in Nigeria and Father Augustine, Secretary All of us have seen this kind of per- same challenge and the same need for Evangelii Gaudium: of Catholic Education for the same severance: in parents who continue to diaconal ministry where the busyness “Any Church community, if diocese in Nigeria who have come love their sons and daughters despite the of our society often propels us towards it thinks it can comfortably go its own here as the representatives of Bishop messes they make of their lives; in cou- basic insensitivity and unawareness. way without creative concern and effec- William Avenya, the bishop of Gboko, ples who will not quit on each other but This, too, often leads to our own adop- tive cooperation in helping the poor to Nigeria. Also, I welcome Father Alfredo work together to mend their marriages; tion of a passive attitude whereby peo- live with dignity and reaching out to Hernandez, the Academic Dean of St. in those quiet, committed souls who do ple become simply problems that are everyone, will also risk breaking down, Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in their jobs conscientiously not because insoluble on their own terms. however much it may talk about social Boynton Beach, Florida. of the money or demanding supervi- Jesus uses diaconal ministry to save issues or criticize governments. It will My dear candidates, at first there were sors but because they know their work us from abandoning people because easily drift into a spiritual worldliness seven who were first prayed over and matters. they are misunderstood by us as prob- See Ordination on page 3 then had hands imposed on them. Luke The Order of Deacon provides you lems that are too difficult for us to Southern Cross, Page 2 Thursday, May 24, 2018 HEADLINE HOPSCOTCH young adults. The summit, coor- ithout its feminine dimension, the dinated by the U.S. Conference of WCatholic Church risks becoming Catholic Bishops’ National Advisory an old boys club and incapable of love, Team on Young Adult Ministry, was Pope Francis said. The church must described by one young adult leader “remain female” and “have this attitude as “a unique moment in the history of of a wife and mother” who nurtures her the church” leading up to the October children, the pope said in his homily Synod on Young People, the Faith May 21 during a morning Mass com- and Vocational Discernment. Jonathan memorating the feast of Mary, Mother Lewis, the event’s chair and the of the Church. “When we forget this, executive director of evangelization, it becomes a masculine church; with- young adult ministry and chaplaincies out this dimension, it sadly becomes a in the Archdiocese of Washington, church of old bachelors, who live in this said there has historically been a isolation, incapable of love, incapable of strong culture of youth ministry in fruitfulness,” the pope said. The feast, the life of the church, but there hasn’t which was decreed by Pope Francis in been the same investment in profes- March, is celebrated on the Monday Pope Francis prays as he arrives for a 2017 consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica sional ministry to young adults. after Pentecost. According to the decree, at the Vatican. The pontiff announced May 20 that he will create 14 new the pope approved the Marian feast day cardinals at a June 29 consistory. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) after “having attentively considered how Church is a mother, not greatly the promotion of this devotion a bachelor, pope says at might encourage the growth of the Cardinal says separating “We want to announce that all bishops maternal sense of the church in the pas- present in Rome, in writing, have placed morning Mass abortion from Title X VATICAN CITY (CNS) tors, religious and faithful, as well as a our positions in the Holy Father’s hands growth of genuine Marian piety.” funds ‘greatly needed’ so that he may freely decide regarding WASHINGTON (CNS) each one of us,” Bishop Juan Ignacio he U.S. bishops’ pro-life chairman Gonzalez Errazuriz of San Bernardo Tpraised the Trump administration’s said May 18 in a statement on behalf of move to reinstate Reagan-era regula- the country’s bishops. The unprecedent- Need tions banning any family planning clinic ed decision was made on the final day that receives Title X federal funds from of their meeting May 15-17 with Pope someone making abortion referrals or sharing Francis. Auxiliary Bishop Fernando space with abortion providers. “The Ramos Perez of Santiago, secretary-gen- news that the Trump administration will eral of the Chilean bishops’ conference, that speaks be issuing new regulations to separate said the pope had read to the 34 bishops abortion from the federal Title X fam- a document in which he “expressed fluent ily planning program is greatly needed his conclusions and reflections” on and deeply appreciated,” New York the 2,300-page report compiled by insurance? Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said in a Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta May 18 statement. “Abortion always and his aide, Father Jordi Bertomeu, takes the life of a child and often harms during a visit to Chile to investigate the the mother, her surviving children, and scandal. “The pope’s text clearly showed a series of absolutely reprehensible acts Pat W Parker, Agent I’m your agent for that. other family and friends as well,” said 930A Morgan's Corner Road the chairman of the U.S. Conference of that have occurred in the Chilean church Pooler, GA 31322 No one wants to pay for Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro- in relation to those unacceptable abus- Bus: 912-330-9191 unnecessary extras and with my es of power, of conscience and sexual [email protected] Life Activities. Other U.S. pro-life lead- help, you won’t have to. I’ll help ers around the country and several mem- abuse that have resulted in the lessening bers of Congress echoed his remarks, of the prophetic vigor that characterized make sure you understand your prompted by the administration’s release her,” Bishop Ramos said. Parishioner- Church of the options, and that you have the of the “Protect Life Rule” through the Most Blessed Sacrament best coverage at the best price. U.S. Department of Health and Human Catholic young adult Like a good neighbor, Services. ® ministry leaders discuss State Farm is there. ‘unique moment’ in church CALL ME TODAY. All of Chile’s bishops WASHINGTON (CNS) offer resignations after bout 130 leaders of young adult meeting pope on abuse Aministries from more than 60 VATICAN CITY (CNS) dioceses across the country gathered at very bishop in Chile offered his the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Eresignation to Pope Francis after a Washington May 15-17 for the National three-day meeting at the Vatican to dis- Young Adult Ministry Summit to talk cuss the clerical sexual abuse scandal.

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