February 11, 2000 Vol
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Inside Archdiocesan 1999 Accountability Report . 9 Archbishop Buechlein . 4, 5 Editorial. 4 From the Archives . 7 TheCriterion Question Corner . 15 Criterion Sunday & Daily Readings. 15 Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 www.archindy.org February 11, 2000 Vol. XXXIX, No. 18 50¢ World Catholic Youth map out their future population up, By Mary Ann Wyand the number of If you’re going on a journey and can only take three things, what will you take? priests rises More than 450 Archdiocesan Youth Conference participants from central and VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The num- southern Indiana discussed that question on ber of Catholics in the world reached Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, then chose three 1.045 billion, about 17.4 percent of the intangible and priceless “things” for their global population, the Vatican reported. mission statement and road map for the The statistics, from 1998, were future. included in an updated pontifical year- The teen-agers decided that, “We, the book presented to Pope John Paul II on young Church of the Archdiocese of Feb. 5. Indianapolis, in order to live the road less The number of Catholics represented traveled, will take with us faith in God, a new high, up about 40 million from love and friends.” 1997, and the percentage of the global Keynote presenter and nationally population marked a slight increase, too. known Christian musician David The Americas, considered as a single Kauffman of San Antonio, Texas, facili- continent by the Vatican, had the tated their discussion about the confer- strongest concentration of Catholics in ence theme, “Choose to Live the Road the general population, with 63.1 per- Less Traveled,” which was based on “The cent. It was followed by Europe with Road Not Taken,” a poem by Robert 41.4 percent, Oceania with 26.9 percent, Frost, and a book by Dr. M. Scott Peck. Africa with 15.6 percent and Asia with “Life is difficult” is the first sentence of 3.1 percent. Peck’s book, Kauffman told the youth. “So Of the total Catholic population, 49.5 if we use that premise, we’ve got to know percent lived in the Americas, 27.8 per- that we should not do this thing called life cent in Europe, 11.4 percent in Africa, alone. What we’re called to do is stay close Above, Archdiocesan Youth 10.5 percent in Asia and 0.8 percent in to the Spirit of God on this journey of life.” Council members (from left) Oceania, the Vatican said. Mixing reflections on life, faith and Petula Fernandes from The statistics showed a slight increase family with songs from his latest release, St. Patrick Parish in Terre in the number of priests worldwide, “Simple Truth,” Kauffman asked the teens Haute, Abby Conner from which went from 404,208 in 1997 to to open their hearts to Christ. St. Paul Parish in Tell City 404,626 in 1998. God calls each person to “choose to and Sara Balensiefer from The number of seminarians also rose, live the road less traveled,” he said. “I St. Michael Parish in from 109,171 in 1997 to 109,828 in 1998. invite you to catch the Spirit and throw Indianapolis listen to the “The increase in the number of candi- the Spirit to [others] by inviting them to keynote address. dates for the priesthood appears espe- join you on this [Christian] journey.” cially satisfactory in the Churches in Obstacles in life may be God’s way of Africa and America, particularly in saying, “I need you to make a right turn Latin America. In Europe the situation here, to go on yet another road less trav- At right, St. Bartholomew has remained unchanged in the western eled,” Kauffman said. “Sometimes God youth group members area and has shown a strong resurgence asks us to let go of things or leave things Jessica Kelly, Kim Vu in the East,” a Vatican statement said. behind. There are always choices. But to (seated) and Ben Hill of Worldwide, the statistics showed a live this road less traveled, we’ve got to Columbus entertain during continuing increase in the numbers of make the right turns. God is asking us to the opening ceremonies of permanent deacons, lay missionaries and be obedient and to follow that road.” the Archdiocesan Youth catechists. See YOUTH, page 3 Conference 2000. Ann Wyand Photos by Mary The number of people officially involved in the Church’s pastoral activ- ity in 1998 was 3,692,582. That includes 4,439 bishops, 264,202 diocesan priests, Archdiocese thanks religious for ministries 140,424 religious priests, 25,345 perma- By Margaret Nelson nent deacons, 57,813 non-priest reli- gious men, 814,779 religious women, Some 300 religious sisters, brothers 30,772 members of secular institutes, and priests gathered Feb. 6 at SS. Peter 56,421 lay missionaries and 2,298,387 and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis to catechists. † celebrate their service to the Church on the World Day of Consecrated Life. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, a Benedictine himself, presided at the afternoon Mass. Four priests, who repre- sented the orders serving the archdio- cese, concelebrated. Benedictine Father Guerric DeBona offered the homily after the reading of Mark’s Gospel—the parable about the difficulty of the rich man entering the Kingdom of God (Mk 10: 17-31). “Jesus’ well-known description details a sober fact: that the corridor to the kingdom is shockingly thin,” said Father Guerric. Of choices available since human life began, he saw Eden and the Red Sea as some of those with narrow paths. “Surely Christian baptism, which echoes not the culture of choice but the graced commitment to marginalized options within the community of love,” Photo by Margaret Nelson he said, “recommends a stunning The Beech Grove Benedictines joining the celebration for the World Day of Consecrated Life include See RELIGIOUS, page 8 (from left) Benedictine Sisters Ambrosia Lee, Melitta Schenk and Joann Hunt. Page 2 The Criterion Friday, February 11, 2000 Two join archdiocesan staff David Bethuram, executive director of educational and pastoral ministries in the Meat may be eaten on Catholic Social Services of Central archdiocese. Indiana and direc- He comes with nearly 30 years of St. Patrick’s Day tor of the Office of parish and pastoral experience. Most Youth and Family recently, he served as director of reli- In a Feb. 3 memorandum to arch- the archbishop said in his memo. Ministries, gious education at St. Bridget Parish in diocesan pastoral leaders, Archbishop “The Church also recognizes that one announced two Hobart, Ind. Daniel M. Buechlein, O.S.B., said he cannot celebrate and do penance at staff additions last Fall’s responsibilities with CSS will has commuted the obligation for the same time. Therefore, I commute week. include maintain- Catholics of the archdiocese to abstain the Lenten Friday abstinence for Franciscan ing, developing from meat on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.” Brother of Christ and implementing March 17, which falls on a Lenten Commutation means that those per- the King Ken Pinc overall agency Friday this year. sons in the archdiocese who wish to will work for the quality standards, “I recognize that St. Patrick’s Day eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day are free Office of Youth and and monitoring would be nearly impossible to cele- to do so provided that they abstain Br. Ken Pinc Family Ministries, strategic and oper- brate without corned beef and cab- from meat on some other day during and Craig Fall will be associate director of ational plans for bage or a bowl of good Irish stew,” the week of March 12. † Catholic Social Services (CSS). the agency, as well Brother Ken is the interim coordinator as developing the of family ministry. He will implement agency’s volunteer ongoing family ministry programs spon- coordination plan. Evangelization of culture Church sored by the office. Craig Fall Fall worked for He will also be working with the St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers priority, pope’s biographer says Office of Pro-Life Activities. for 10 years in various capacities. Most Brother Ken’s community recently recently, he was director of Behavioral VALPARAISO, Ind. (CNS)—Papal “is the Church’s priority.” moved to the Indianapolis area to work in Health Services. † biographer George Weigel may have more He said Pope John Paul II has deployed insight into the life and mission of Pope the convictions he formed during that winter John Paul II than any other layperson. of 1940 “with a profound effect on our Clarification Having spent more than 20 hours with times.” Supplement the pontiff in writing Witness to Hope: A The most notable effect, he said, was the The cover of The Criterion’s Marriage Biography of Pope John Paul II, Weigel 1989 revolution in Eastern Europe and the Feb. 4 Marriage Supplement drew upon that access and years of research subsequent fall of communism. omitted the photo identification while speaking to more than 300 people at “It was a revolution of conscience that Valparaiso University Jan. 23. made 1989 possible,” Weigel said. The roots for Ray and Mary Jane Olley of Weigel, a senior fellow at the Ethics and of that revolution, according to the scholar, St. John the Apostle Parish in Public Policy Center in Washington, said are found in the pope’s June 1979 visit to Bloomington. The photo was the roots of the pope’s impact upon the Poland. Rather than confront the government taken on their wedding day on world date to the winter of 1940, when during that visit, Weigel said, the pope told June 22, 1946.