April 15, 2016 Vol

‘A lasting impact’ Bishop Chatard teacher Kyle Guyton remembered for his passion for theater, young people, page 7. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com April 15, 2016 Vol. LVI, No. 27 75¢ Share truth of family with ‘The father I always wanted’ mercy, help Youth, Terre Haute those struggling, Catholic Charities pope says employee’s bond a VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The same story of mercy, faith mercy and patience that are essential for building a strong By Natalie Hoefer family must be shown to those whose TERRE HAUTE—John Etling, director of families are in trouble Terre Haute Catholic Charities, describes the or have broken up, organization’s Ryves Youth Center this way: Pope Francis said in “The role that Ryves plays in the neighborhood his highly anticipated and the city is one of unconditional love, a postsynodal apostolic chance for children to come in and experience a exhortation. warm meal, a chance to find that there are people The document, in the community who care about them and want “ ‘Amoris Laetitia’ to see them reach their potential.” (The Joy of Love), on Former Ryves Youth Center staff member and Pope Francis Love in the Family,” now Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank released on April 8, employee Dan Snider has taken that description See related story, contains no new rules and put every aspect of it into action. page 3. See related or norms. However, It all started nine years ago, says Snider, when editorial, page 4. it encourages careful “I saw this little black-haired boy dribbling down review of everything the court playing basketball.” That boy was related to family Anthony LePorte. ministry and, particularly, much greater In the nearly decade of time that followed, attention to the language and attitude used Snider has provided Anthony with a home, food, when explaining Church teaching and clothing, an education, and yes, even discipline ministering to those who do not fully live that as the boy’s mother battled drug addiction. He teaching. has come to love Anthony as a son, and Anthony “No family drops down from heaven has come to love Snider in return, occasionally perfectly formed; families need constantly calling him “Dad.” to grow and mature in the ability to love,” This is a story of ongoing mercy and faith, in Pope Francis wrote. People grow in holiness, which both mentor and youth feel the richness and the Church must be there to give them of blessing. a helping hand rather than turn them away because they have not attained some degree ‘They didn’t have anywhere to go’ of perfection. Snider, then 56, hadn’t seen “the little The exhortation was Pope Francis’ black-haired boy” before and asked where he reflection on the discussion, debate and came from. suggestions raised during the 2014 and “I was told he [Anthony LePorte] and 2015 meetings of the Synod of Bishops on his mom [Janice Wright] were staying at the family. Like synod members did, the pope Bethany House,” the homeless shelter operated insisted that God’s plan for the family is that by Terre Haute Catholic Charities, he recalls. it be built on the lifelong union of one man “I found out their car had broken down on and one woman open to having children. the highway in Terre Haute, and they were Synod members, including priests, [at Bethany House] because they didn’t have religious and laypeople serving as experts anywhere to go. and observers, talked about everything from “It wasn’t long after that that I found out varied cultural forms of courtship to marriage Janice was wanting someone to take care of him preparation, and from the impact of migration while she entered a drug treatment program. She In this April 4 photo at Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank, employee Dan Snider holds on families to care for elderly parents. didn’t want her son in the [foster care] system. the letter that Anthony LePorte wrote to him at the age of 14, stating that Snider was “the Pope Francis’ document touches on all the See FATHER, page 8 father I always wanted.” (Photo by Natalie Hoefer) issues raised at the synods and gives practical See FAMILY, page 2 Archdiocese announces new partnership with Notre Dame ACE Academies for 2016-17 school year Criterion staff report Neri—will join the growing network of The five Indianapolis schools currently Catholic schools that operate through the form the Mother Theodore Catholic The growing relationship between University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Academies (MTCA), a consortium the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Catholic Education (ACE). of schools that serve students from University of Notre Dame deepened Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin praised low-income backgrounds. on March 29 when it was announced this latest partnership connecting the By designating these five schools that five center-city Catholic schools in archdiocese and Notre Dame. as Notre Dame ACE Academies, the Indianapolis will “The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has archdiocese and Notre Dame will continue become part of long been a leader in finding innovative the efforts of MTCA to provide a broader the Notre Dame ways to serve the educational and spiritual pool of resources and support to serve ACE Academies needs of children from some of the lowest these children, according to Gina Fleming, network starting in income areas in Indianapolis,” said superintendent of Catholic schools in the the 2016-17 school Archbishop Tobin. archdiocese. year. “Partnering with the Notre Dame ACE “More than 10 years ago, Archbishop The five Academies will strengthen these five Emeritus Daniel Buechlein had the wisdom schools— schools by providing students even more and progressive thought to approach urban Central Catholic, resources and opportunities. I’m committed Catholic education differently in an effort to Holy Angels, to seeing that these children have the same better meet the holistic needs of the children Holy Cross Central, chance I had to grow up in a community of and families served,” Fleming noted. Archbishop St. Anthony faith and to receive an excellent Catholic “Now, under Archbishop Tobin, the Joseph W. Tobin and St. Philip education.” See ACE, page 15 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, April 15, 2016 or that some people can obtain sacramental FAMILY privileges in exchange for favors.” continued from page 1 At the same time, he insisted, “the way of the Church is not to condemn anyone advice on raising children, urges a revision forever; it is to pour out the balm of God’s of sex-education programs and decries the mercy on all those who ask for it with a many ways the “disposable culture” has sincere heart.” infiltrated family life and sexuality to the Divorced and civilly remarried couples, point that many people feel free to use and especially those with children, must then walk away from others. be welcomed in Catholic parishes and “Everyone uses and throws away, takes supported in efforts to raise their children and breaks, exploits and squeezes to the in the faith. last drop. Then, goodbye,” he wrote. Generally, without an annulment of Much of the document is tied to their sacramental marriage, such a couple the theme of God’s mercy, including would not be able to receive Communion Pope Francis’ discussion of welcoming or absolution of their sins unless they the vulnerable. promised to live as “brother and sister.” But “Dedication and concern shown to every situation is different, the pope said, migrants and to persons with special needs which is why the Church does not need alike is a sign of the Spirit,” he wrote. new rules, but a new commitment on the Both are “a test of our commitment to part of pastors to provide spiritual guidance show mercy in welcoming others, and to and assistance with discernment. help the vulnerable to be fully a part of our The diversity of situations—for Pope Francis greets newly married couples during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the communities.” example, that of a spouse who was Vatican in this Sept. 30, 2015, file photo. Pope Francis’ postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the family, The synod issues that garnered the most abandoned versus being the one who “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy of Love”), was released on April 8. The exhortation is the concluding headlines revolved around the question of left—makes it unwise to issue “a new set document of the 2014 and 2015 synods of bishops on the family. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano) Communion for the divorced and civilly of general rules, canonical in nature and remarried, as well as Catholic attitudes applicable to all cases,” the pope wrote. does what good she can, even if in the The role of an individual’s conscience toward homosexuality. Quoting St. John Paul II, he said, “ ‘Since process, her shoes get soiled by the mud of made frequent appearances in the “In no way must the Church desist from the degree of responsibility is not equal the street.” document, not only regarding the situation proposing the full ideal of marriage, God’s in all cases,’ the consequences or effects Turning to those who believe allowing of those who may determine their new plan in all its grandeur,” Pope Francis said. of a rule need not necessarily always be divorced and remarried Catholics to receive union is best for their family, but also He repeated his and the synod’s the same.” Communion waters down Church teaching regarding decisions over how many insistence that the Church cannot consider Pope Francis used the document’s on the indissolubility of marriage, the pope children to have.

Load more