A Special Place in History
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Inside Building a culture of life See our annual Respect Life Supplement, Criterion pages 13-16. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com October 3, 2008 Vol. XLIX, No. 1 75¢ ‘Spiritual A special place in history nourishment’ of Freshmen at Bible to be a Saint Mary-of-the- synod focus, Woods College Hughes Lynn by Submitted photo says cardinal have ties to SAN FRANCISCO (CNS)—A renewed appreciation for the “spiritual nourishment” available in sacred St. Theodora Scripture, a shot in the arm for ecumenical Guérin dialogue and enhanced preaching on “the word By John Shaughnessy of God in Scripture” are among hopeful SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS—For outcomes of the world cousins Jena Thralls and Ashley Vermillion, Synod of Bishops on the it’s just a short walk from their college dorm Bible, a U.S. cardinal room to the site of their family’s special place Cardinal said. in American Catholic history. William J. Levada Cardinal William J. At night on the campus of Saint Mary-of- Levada, prefect of the the-Woods College west of Terre Haute, Jena Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of and Ashley sometimes walk to the rock that the Faith, made the comments in an memorializes a historic October moment from interview in San Francisco with the 168 years ago—the moment in 1840 when newspaper of the archdiocese, St. Theodora Guérin ended a three-month Catholic San Francisco. journey from France and arrived in the Indiana The cardinal, who is the former wilderness with a dream. archbishop of San Francisco, was in town to Standing by that rock, the two freshmen dedicate a replica of St. Francis of Assisi’s have sometimes imagined what it must have tiny Porziuncola church that now graces a been like in that moment for St. Theodora and building adjoining the National Shrine of the five other sisters who traveled with her St. Francis of Assisi. from France. Even more, the 18-year-old “For all the rekindling of the love for cousins have tried to imagine what it was like Scripture that the [Second] Vatican Council for their great-great-great-great-grandparents proposed, I would say that perhaps we have as they welcomed into their home the woman not integrated” the study and appreciation who in 2006 would be just the eighth person of the Bible into the daily lives of average from America to become a saint. Catholics as much as the Church would “If I could time travel, I’d go back to that hope, he said. time,” says Jena as Ashley nods in agreement. Cousins Ashley Vermillion, left, and Jena Thralls stand by a historical marker on the campus Cardinal Levada is one of three delegate They’re both thrilled to have earned of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The rock memorializes the moment in 1840 when St. presidents who will take turns presiding scholarships that let them continue their Theodora Guérin ended a three-month journey from France and arrived in the Indiana over the synod’s daily sessions on Oct. 5-26 education at Saint Mary’s—another chapter in wilderness where she was welcomed and given shelter by the ancestors of Ashley and Jena, at the Vatican. the story that connects the saint and the who are both freshmen at the college. “I am speaking in generalities,” he said, Thralls family. “but there are sources that indicate that a lot Ever since they were small children, Jena and through the trees we could see a family is still celebrated by the sisters. of people perhaps do not have their own and Ashley have heard their grandfather’s farmhouse.” “We will owe the Thralls family Bibles, that they have not learned how to stories about that connection. They know that Jena and Ashley also know that forever for what they did,” says use it every day and make it part of their the future saint’s traveling group arrived in the the farmhouse belonged to their Providence Sister Barbara Doherty, the spiritual nourishment.” deep forest of western Indiana on a rainy ancestors, Joseph and Sarah Thralls, director of the Shrine of St. Mother “The pastoral implications of the night—the end of a journey that included the parents of 13 children. The Theodore Guérin on the grounds of the Second Vatican Council, particularly 40 days in a boat crossing the Atlantic Ocean, Thralls family welcomed the sisters college. “The attachment between the ‘Dei Verbum’ [the Dogmatic Constitution and an even longer trip by train, ferry and into their small, primitive home, Thralls family and the Sisters of on Divine Revelation], still need encour- stagecoach across the American wilderness. letting them use half of its rooms. Providence is gigantic. It’s a wonderful agement for fuller implementation,” They know that St. Theodora was stunned The sisters and the family shared thing that [Ashley and Jena] are here.” Cardinal Levada said. when she finally reached her isolated the home until the Diocese of The feeling is mutual for the He also said it “would be one of our destination, a reaction she captured in her Vincennes eventually purchased the two freshmen. great hopes” that the synod might provide journal: “To our utter amazement, there was Thralls property for the Sisters of “I love it—the atmosphere, the “a great point of connection” with other nothing in sight, not even a house. We went Providence. whole campus,” Ashley says. “I Christian communities and stimulate down a deep ravine and up on the other side, The connection with the Thralls See FAMILY, page 2 See SYNOD, page 2 Archdiocese honors pro-life supporters for their work By Mary Ann Wyand parishioner Sherry Bube of Nashville will 3:30 p.m. along North Meridian Street accept the 2008 Our Lady of Guadalupe between Ohio and 40th streets. The founder and director of Birthright of Pro-Life Youth Award at the conclusion of Life Chains also are scheduled in the Terre Haute, a crisis pregnancy assistance the Respect Life Sunday Mass. archdiocese on Respect Life Sunday in ministry started in Archbishop Daniel Bloomington, Columbus, Connersville, Vigo County 34 years M. Buechlein is Greencastle, Greenfield and Terre Haute. ago, and a home- scheduled to be the “Hope and Trust in Life!” is the theme schooled Nashville celebrant for the for the U.S. Conference of Catholic teenager, who volunteers archdiocesan pro-life Bishops’ national observance of for a variety of pro-life liturgy at 1 p.m. on Respect Life Sunday. The theme was causes, will be honored Oct. 5 at SS. Peter inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’s homily on by the Archdiocese of and Paul Cathedral, Dec. 31, 2007, when he said a lack of hope Indianapolis on 1347 N. Meridian St., in and trust in life is “the ‘obscure’ evil of Respect Life Sunday. Indianapolis. modern Western society.” Cecelia Lundstrom St. Patrick parishioner Sherry Bube The annual Central Servants of the Gospel of Life Cecelia Lundstrom of Terre Haute will receive Indiana Life Chain, a one-hour prayer vigil Sister Diane Carollo, director of the the 2008 Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara dedicated to ending abortion, will follow the archdiocesan Office for Pro-Life Ministry, Respect for Life Award, and St. Agnes Respect Life Mass from 2:30 p.m. until See PRO-LIFE, page 2 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, October 3, 2008 need and children in hospitals during the FAMILY Christmas season. continued from page 1 It’s just one of the bonds that the cousins share. They both have jobs to wouldn’t want to go to any other school.” help pay for their college education. They The cousins weren’t sure they would also are roommates. Hughes Lynn by Submitted photo be able to attend their “dream” college Actually, the cousins didn’t ask to be when they were seniors at West Vigo roommates. Instead, they each filled out High School in Terre Haute last year. the survey that the college uses to try to They knew they would need scholarships determine compatibility for incoming to help make their dream a reality. They freshmen. From the survey results, the sweated through the application process college matched them as roommates. into the spring. Then came the news. “We’re inseparable,” Jena says. “Ever Ashley had earned a Top Ten scholarship, since we were born, we’ve been best and Jena had received a scholarship friends.” named in honor of St. Theodora. Ashley smiles and adds, “We do “I was so anxious all year long,” Jena everything together. If she’s in trouble, recalls. “When I got the phone call that I I’m in trouble.” got the scholarship, I was almost in tears. Their relationship with God binds I was so excited.” them, too. While Ashley describes her Jena’s scholarship cements her bond faith as strong and committed, Jena says, with St. Theodora, a bond that began for “When I became confirmed last year, I her and Ashley when they were 6 and realized how different the Catholic they performed in a Bible school play at Church is from other faiths. I like that. It their parish, St. Mary-of-the-Woods. The makes me feel strong in my faith.” play was about the saint and their There’s one other connection that ties ancestors. the cousins to the saint. In coming to “It’s inspiring for me that she’s a saint Indiana, St. Theodora made educating and a leader,” Jena says. “She was very others her life’s mission.