Inside Answer to a prayer Volunteers share occupational therapy outreach that could be model for other Criterion schools, page 8. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com May 29, 2009 Vol. XLIX, No. 33 75¢ Obama nominates New York Latina to Supreme Court WASHINGTON (CNS)—President Barack Obama has nominated federal appeals court College couple faces Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the difficult choices Supreme Court. If she is confirmed, the about their faith New York native of Puerto Rican descent and their future would become the first Hispanic to serve By John Shaughnessy on the high court. Obama announced During the summer before their senior year his choice of in college, Lindsey Loffer and Scott Knust Judge Sonia Sotomayor Sotomayor, 54, at a faced the questions that challenge many brief event at the couples who have dated for a few years: White House on May 26. If confirmed by the What will our lives be like a year from Senate, she would join the court when the next now? term opens in October, replacing retiring Where is our relationship headed? Justice David Souter. Do I want it to lead to marriage? At the White House announcement, At the same time, they each wrestled with a Sotomayor described herself as “an ordinary personal choice about where God was leading person who has been blessed with extra - them in their lives. ordinary opportunities and experiences.” At 21, Lindsey struggled with a decision Sotomayor has been a judge on the about whether she should continue to live her 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since 1998, life of faith as a Baptist, or whether she should nominated to that post by President Bill follow a growing pull within her to become a Clinton. member of the Catholic Church. Before that, she spent six years as a For Scott, also 21 in the summer of 2008, U.S. District Court judge in New York, the choice was even more dramatic: Should he nominated to that position by continue to date Lindsey or should he follow President George H.W. Bush in 1991. his interest in the priesthood—a path that She also served as an assistant New York Scott had been considering before he met her? County district attorney and worked in private There were no easy answers for either practice. Scott or Lindsey. Only one point seemed clear She was joined at the White House by her to both of them: The choices they would make mother, Celina Sotomayor; her mother’s would change their lives forever. husband, Omar Lopez; her brother, Juan Sotomayor, a New York physician, ‘We might be more than friends’ and his wife and children. Long before they end up in love or In announcing his choice, Obama called heartbreak, all couples experience that moment Submitted photo Sotomayor “an inspiring woman,” who “has of first connection that attracts them to the never forgotten where she began,” describing other person. For Lindsey and Scott, that her childhood in a housing project in moment came during their freshman year at New York’s South Bronx section, where she the University of Indianapolis. Through mutual was born in 1954. Her parents moved to friends, they became part of a group one night New York from Puerto Rico during the that watched the horror movie classic Second World War. Halloween. Obama noted that Sotomayor’s mother had “I remember that she laughed a lot that been in the Army during World War II, night, and she smiled a lot, and that attracted beginning a family tradition of public service me,” Scott recalls. “And she screamed a lot and high aspirations. Sotomayor’s father, a during the movie, too. Before their senior year in college at the University of Indianapolis, Scott Knust and Lindsey Loffer factory worker who had only a third-grade “From there, we hung out as friends, and were confronted by several life-altering questions, including whether their relationship would education and spoke little English, died when See FAITH, page 12 someday lead to marriage or whether Scott would follow his interest in the priesthood. she was 9. See JUSTICE, page 12 Cardinal George, congressmen urge action by President Obama on conscience protection WASHINGTON (CNS)—The president of president, Reps. James Sensenbrenner, reducing abortions. the U.S. bishops’ conference and two members R-Wis., and Chris Smith, R-N.J., urged Obama “A government that wants to reduce the of Congress have to forgo rescinding the Bush administration’s tragic number of abortions in our society called on President conscience-protection regulation. They also will also work to ensure that no one is forced Barack Obama to asked Obama to “commit to defending to support or participate in abortion,” make good on conscience protections in future rule-making.” Cardinal George’s statement said, “whether something he said in In his statement, Cardinal George said through directly providing or referring for his May 17 speech to health care professionals and institutions abortions or being forced to subsidize them University of “should know that their deeply held religious or with their tax dollars.” Notre Dame moral convictions will be respected as they Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of graduates, namely that exercise their right to serve patients in need.” Health and Human Services proposed he wished to “honor He noted that since 1973 federal laws have rescinding the conscience clause that gives the conscience of protected the conscience rights of health care federal protection to the conscience rights of those who disagree providers. health care providers. Cardinal with abortion.” Protecting conscience rights “will strengthen The rule, which took effect two days Francis E. George In a May 22 our health care system and enhance many before Obama took office, codifies statement, Cardinal Francis E. George of patients’ access to necessary life-affirming three longtime federal statutes prohibiting Chicago said he was grateful for Obama’s care,” the cardinal said. discrimination against health professionals promise to support conscience clauses. He said he welcomed working with the who decline to participate in abortions or At a May 19 press conference in administration and other policymakers to other medical procedures because of their Washington and in a letter sent that day to the advance goals that Obama has set out for See CONSCIENCE, page 3 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, May 29, 2009 Archbishop announces clergy, parish assignments Official Appointments West Deanery while continuing as pastor of Holy Angels Rev. Msgr. Mark A. Svarczkopf, pastor of Our Lady of Parish in Indianapolis and director of the archdiocesan the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood, reappointed pastor of Effective June 30, 2009 Office of Multicultural Ministry. Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood for a term of six years. Rev. Julian Peters, O.S.B., administrator pro-tem of Rev. Daniel J. Staublin, currently pastor of St. Malachy SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish in Indianapolis and Parish in Brownsburg, to dean of the Batesville Deanery, Rev. Clement T. Davis, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish interim director of liturgy for the archdiocesan Office of concurrent with his appointment to pastor of St. Lawrence in Columbus, reappointed pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish Worship, returning to Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Parish in Lawrenceburg. in Columbus. Effective July 1, 2009 Rev. Jonathan Fassero, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Meinrad Rev. John Geis, pastor of St. Mary-of-the-Knobs Parish in Archabbey, to associate director of Spiritual Formation for Floyds Knobs, reappointed pastor of St. Mary-of-the-Knobs Rev. John A. Meyer, pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis. Parish in Floyds Knobs. Madison and Most Sorrowful Mother of God Parish in Vevay, chaplain of Father Michael Shawe Memorial Rev. John Fink, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Bradford Rev. Stanley J. Herber, pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in Jr./Sr. High School in Madison, attending to the spiritual and St. Bernard Parish in Frenchtown, and administrator of Connersville and dean of the Connersville Deanery, needs of students at Hanover College in Hanover and dean St. Joseph Parish in Crawford County, reappointed pastor, reappointed pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in Connersville and of the Seymour Deanery, reappointed dean of the for a term of six years, of St. Michael Parish in Bradford, continuing as dean of the Connersville Deanery. Seymour Deanery while continuing as pastor of Prince of and continuing as pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Peace Parish in Madison and Most Sorrowful Mother of Frenchtown and administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Rev. Paul F. Richart, pastor of St. Paul Parish in God Parish in Vevay, chaplain of Father Michael Shawe Crawford County. Sellersburg, reappointed pastor of St. Paul Parish in Memorial Jr./Sr. High School in Madison and attending to Sellersburg. the spiritual needs of the students at Hanover College in Rev. Robert Gilday, pastor of St. Therese of the Infant Hanover. Jesus (Little Flower) Parish in Indianapolis and Rev. James R. Wilmoth, pastor of St. Roch Parish in vice vicar judicial of the archdiocesan Metropolitan Indianapolis, chaplain of Roncalli High School in Rev. Paul D. Etienne, currently pastor of St. John the Tribunal, reappointed pastor, for a term of six years, of Indianapolis and dean of the Indianapolis Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis and vice rector of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Parish in South Deanery, reappointed pastor of St. Roch Parish in Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, to Indianapolis and continuing as vice vicar judicial of the Indianapolis while continuing as chaplain of dean of the Tell City Deanery, concurrent with his archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal.