WYOMING CATHOLIC Volume 59 | REGISTERIssue 1 | March 2020 Wyoming Catholics take a pilgrimage to Italy. See highlights on Page 4. Pictured above is Florence’s Piazza della Repubblica, featuring the Picci-Family antique wooden carousel, with its 20 horses and two gilded “King’s” carriages. (Lorraine Saulino-Klein Photo) Speak with the dignity of disciples Bishop Steven Biegler o you avoid conversations about I would like to re ect with you on how issues so as to promote the common good. political topics because people to engage in the debates surrounding It is a concrete way of loving our neighbor. might react with anger or harsh political topics, while promoting a digni- As Catholics, we seek to uphold our dual D ed discourse. First of all, we should not heritage as both faithful Catholics and words? Such conversations can quickly become highly emotional and rancor- avoid engaging these issues. e Catholic American citizens with rights and duties as ous. We see this more and more with the Church promotes faithful citizenship, participants in the civil order. and, as disciples of Jesus, we are called reckless comments posted on Twitter, Witness as a Disciple Facebook, or Instagram. None of us is to bring Christian values into the public immune, and it is easy to speak carelessly square. Being faithful citizens, however, means to or strike back with retaliation when at- We encourage all people of good will to interact as “disciples” who witness to the tacked. But this only deepens the divi- contribute to civil and respectful public di- values of Jesus Christ, rather than align- sions in our society. alogue. We urge them to weigh in on civic ing with the ideology of a political party. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2. “One lled with joy preaches without preaching.” - Saint Teresa of Calcutta Read about fi nding joy in your Lenten Jour�ey on Page 8. WYOMING CATHOLIC REGISTER | VOLUME 59 | ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2020 2 SPEAK WITH THE DIGNITY OF DISICIPLES, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 . injustice in a world where some revel, spend with abandon, and live only for the latest consumer goods, even as others look on from afar, living their entire lives in abject poverty” (Gaudete, 101). Faithful citizens identify themselves as disciples, practice discernment under the guidance of the Spirit, and defend the human dignity of every person. Speaking Face-to-Face Finally, it is not only what we say but how we say it. For example, with social media, people tend to de-personalize the other. Or they attack an opposing political ideology, rather than respond to a per- son. It is so easy to write hurtful or callous words, which would not be said if we were speaking to that person face-to-face. As an antidote, keep the face of the person before you and speak to them as a fellow human being. I urge you to model honest and dig- ni ed discourse. is is an important contribution that we can make to our society. We can be a leaven of goodness while expressing our values with charity and candor. Unfortunately, some political leaders fail to set a good example of digni ed discourse. Rather, they poison the atmosphere with rancor and incite others to join their immature ranting, as the crowd cheers in response to rude or childish comments, much like a bunch of mid- What is the greater in uence in your life, your political party or dle-school kids on the playground. All of this results in deepening your Christian faith? You might ask yourself, “When expressing divisions, instead of fostering an atmosphere of respect and mutual my values in society, do I identify as a Christian, or as a Repub- collaboration between political parties. lican or Democrat?” Brothers and Sisters Our deepest identity is our baptismal identity. As sons and daughters of God, we should speak and act like Christ who was In contrast, speak to the other as a brother or sister. I utilize this guided by the Holy Spirit. We should constantly discern with image for myself. While growing up in a family with six brothers and the grace of the Spirit. Recently, a group of bishops on their ad six sisters, I was challenged to relate to di ering personalities. When limina visit were discussing with Pope Francis the heated po- preparing to speak about a sensitive topic or writing to an angry litical debates in the U.S.A. He told them, “Teach your people person, I evaluate my message with the lens of being a brother to discernment by you stepping back from the sheer politics of it.” the individual(s) whom I am addressing. Sometimes I nd that my attitude is not that of a brother, and I need to revise my words and Discern with the Spirit modify my attitude. When considering an ethical issue, do you blindly embrace the Being a brother had a special signi cance within the Jewish people position of your political party, or do you discern what is right because of their common heritage from Abraham and Sarah. ey through prayerful consideration of Christ’s teaching? were one family. Yet, discord between brothers is a major theme Pope Francis encouraged the bishops to share with their people throughout biblical history. Cain murdered Abel; Jacob tricked his the di erence between politics as ideology and Catholic social father to receive Esau’s heritage, which left them alienated; Joseph’s teaching, which stresses the dignity of the human person. In his brothers sold him into slavery. is broken brotherhood continues to apostolic exhortation “Rejoice and Be Glad” (Gaudete et Ex- plague the world today. ultate), he named a variety of ethical issues to keep in mind in Nevertheless, Jesus redeemed broken humanity, so Saint Paul de- light of human dignity, and he warned against the tendency to scribed redemption as the reconciliation of all the nations (cf. Eph. say that only one particular issue counts and should be defend- 2:14-16). He addressed fellow Christians as “brothers” (translated ed. as “brothers and sisters”), which was an appeal to the familial bonds He said, “Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, owing from Baptism when we are made sons and daughters of God. needs to be clear, rm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of For Christians, the term “brother” (or sister) evokes humility. We a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each are gifted with being adopted children of God, gifted with the Holy person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally Spirit through whom we cry out “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15), and sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the gifted with Jesus as our eldest brother who died to reconcile the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable world. Transformed by God’s largesse, disciples live as brothers and in rm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of sisters who are humble, gentle, and patient with others. ey speak human tra cking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejec- with the dignity of disciples and seek to be a leaven of goodness in a tion. We cannot uphold an ideal of holiness that would ignore broken world. WYOMING CATHOLIC REGISTER | VOLUME 59 | ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2020 3 Habla con la dignidad de los discípulos vitas conversaciones sobre temas políti- El Papa Francisco urgió a los obispos a ente con rencor e incitan a otros a unirse ¿Ecos por si la gente pueda reaccionar compartir con sus feligreses la diferen- a sus disparates inmaduros, mientras la con enojo o palabras duras? Tales conversa- cia entre la política como ideología y la multitud aplaude en respuesta a comentar- ciones pueden volverse rápidamente emocio- enseñanza social católica, que se en foca ios groseros o infantiles, como un grupo de nales y rencorosas. Esto lo vemos cada vez más en la dignidad del ser humano. En su niños de secundaria en el patio de recreo. con los comentarios insensibles publicados en exhortación apostólica “Alégrate y Rego- Todo esto resulta en una profundización Twitter, Facebook, o Instagram. Ninguno de cija” (Gaudete et Exultate), mencionó una de las divisiones, en lugar de fomentar un nosotros es inmune, y es fácil hablar descuida- variedad de cuestiones éticas que dan luz ambiente de respeto y colaboración mutua a la dignidad humana, y advirtió contra la damente o contraatacar cuando se nos ataca. entre los partidos políticos. tendencia a decir que solo una cuestión es Pero esto solo profundiza las divisiones en más importante y debería ser defendida. nuestra sociedad. Hermanos y Hermanas Él dijo: « La defensa del inocente que no Por el contrario, habla con el otro como Me gustaría re exionar con ustedes sobre ha nacido, por ejemplo, debe ser clara, hermano o hermana. Yo mismo utilizo cómo participar en los debates sobre temas rme y apasionada, porque allí está en esta imagen. El crecer en una familia con políticos, que al mismo tiempo promueven un juego la dignidad de la vida humana, seis hermanos y seis hermanas, me dio discurso honrado. En primer lugar, no debe- siempre sagrada, y lo exige el amor a cada el desafío de relacionarme con diferentes mos evitar abordar estos problemas. La Iglesia persona más allá de su desarrollo. Pero personalidades. Cuando me preparo para Católica promueve la ciudadanía el y, como igualmente sagrada es la vida de los pobres hablar sobre un tema delicado o escribirle discípulos de Jesús, estamos llamados a llevar que ya han nacido, que se debaten en la a una persona enojada, evalúo mi mensa- los valores cristianos a la plaza pública.