Five Who Were Forgotten Are Finally Laid to Rest from Page 1 God Is Merciful,” He Said
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ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE BSERVER OOfficial Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 82 | No. 42 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2017 Inside McHenry Catholics Host Annual Prayer Breakfast Father “Rocky” Hoffman greets Mass-goers before the breakfast. (Observer photos/Amanda Hudson) page 3 Montini eighth-grade students attended and served as pallbearers at the funeral Mass for five infants on Oct. 3 at St. Patrick Parish in Annual Collection McHenry. Helps Universal Church The Mission Appeal collection will be conducted Five Who Were Forgotten Oct. 21-22 in Rockford Diocese parishes. page 4 Are Finally Laid to Rest BY AMANDA HUDSON News Editor Catholics, Lutherans Vow to Fight Human MCHENRY—Baby John Patrick. Trafficking in Rockford Baby Angel Marie. Baby twins Thomas Peter and Matthew James. Baby Maria Annual Ecumenical Brunch Elizabeth. panel raises critical topic. The names of the five children were page 7 solemnly read at a late-morning Mass at St. Patrick Parish, here, on Oct. 3, their tiny caskets resting on a table before the altar, a rose on each. Angel Marie was stillborn at six months in 2007. The twins miscarried in 1997 when their mother was assault- ed. Maria Elizabeth miscarried at eight A Pro-Life Decade weeks, also od loves because of vi- Gianna’s House in Rock olence against Falls marks first 10 years of ‘Gall of her mother. Trinity Haack, 2, who was a Safe Haven baby, sits by the grave as she watches one of the helping babies, mothers. And the body adults at the funeral cover the five caskets with dirt. (Learn about the Safe Haven law for Forever Family, pages 14-15 us, whether of full-term newborns on page 6.) (we are) in baby John Patrick was The Mass was coordinated with a Patrick, celebrated the Mass. This Issue the womb or found in 1992 non-profit group called Rest In His “This is a good witness and a testimo- in a Crystal Arms, which provides funeral services ny to the respect that we owe to human Bishop Malloy ............................. 2 are old, God Lake restau- and burials for abandoned children. life,” he said. Headliners ..................................... 3 rant dump- Susan Walker, founder of Rest In His After reading the names out loud, he Diocesan .................................... 4-8 doesn’t love ster. Arms, credits McHenry County coro- said, the names of the twins “just hit Around the Diocese ............ 9-11 anyone less.’ The five ner, Dr. Anne Majewski, for working to me. I am a twin. That could be me. Nation/World ..................... 12-13 tiny bodies get the bodies released for burial — a “Maybe one of these could (have Forever Family ................... 14-15 — Father Godwin had been held process that took three years from the been) you ... John Patrick, full-term Our Catholic View ..............16-17 Asuquo, pastor, St. Patrick, in the county time the ministry volunteered to make baby, born at nine months,” he added. For the Record ......................... 18 McHenry morgue for the arrangements. “That could be any of us.” Media/Arts .......................... 19-20 many years. Father Godwin Asuquo, pastor, of St. Continued on page 6 2 | FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 2017 | The Observer Remember Fatima, Remember Our Mother central element to the poor and lowly Juan Diego, loss of faith in God. The Observer (ISSN 0029- in God’s plan of “Am I not your mother?” Her love “Penance, penance, penance,” 7739), is published weekly, salvation, and led to massive conversions to the Lucia recalled hearing from an except fi ve times a year by therefore in our Catholic faith. angel that appeared with Mary. the Diocese of Rockford, 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. ACatholic faith is the role of Mary. At Lourdes in 1858, Mary said We need to do penance for our Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 Of course physically, she is the very little to St. Bernadette. She sins and those of others. And we Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax mother of Jesus. But more widely, did, however, ask for prayers for need to pray for the conversion of 815/399-6225. sinners. BY BISHOP she is the only one among us who sinners. Periodical postage paid at A mother’s message is always DAVID J. has ever been fully faithful to And she directed Bernadette to Rockford, Ill., and additional one of love, even when she must mail offi ces. MALLOY God’s plan. the spring that has continuously The fi delity of Mary means that cured the bodies and souls of correct wandering children. At POSTMASTER: send address the chain of our sinfulness going Mary’s children for well over a Fatima, Mary told the children changes to The Observer, 555 nd, like back to Adam and Eve has been century. Once again, a mother’s also of God’s love. She promised Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box Aany broken by Mary’s holiness. Sin love. that the purity, love and faith of 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 never touched or compromised This context is important as we her Immaculate Heart will prevail For ADVERTISING information: mother, her. Mary is, therefore, God’s celebrate the 100th anniversary of over sin. Contact The Observer at the Mary gift to the world and, in a way, the conclusion of the apparitions And on Oct. 13, 1917, 100 years address above or call 815/399- the world’s gift of fi delity back to of Mary at Fatima in Portugal. ago today, during the miracle of 4300; fax 815/399-6225, personally Email: kmccarthy@ watches God. Over the course of six months the sun witnessed by thousands, rockforddiocese.org. Living our faith fully adds one Mary appeared to three young the vision of Jesus blessing the over each Send NEWS information to The further dimension to Mary’s role children, Lucia dos Santos, and world reaffi rmed that salvifi c love of us, her Observer at the address or fax in the life of the Church and in her younger cousins Francisco of Jesus for us. number above; send email to children, our lives. It comes from the last and Jacinta Marto. To continue that affi rmation Observer@rockforddiocese. with her moments of Jesus on the cross. Those children gave witness I off ered a Mass this week to org; or fi ll out a form at love beyond Looking at Mary Jesus said to to the world of their own sense honor our Lady of Fatima and http://observer.rockforddiocese. St. John, “Behold your mother.” of the motherly love of Mary. renew the consecration of the org/contact-us. telling. To each one of us Mary is our They also served as witnesses diocese and faithful of Rockford Subscription rate $28.00 per mother. We each have a personal to Mary’s urgent message to the to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, year (48 issues); Canadian relationship to Mary. And, like modern world. fi rst done by Bishop Thomas G. and Pan American $29; other foreign: surface mail $37, air any mother, Mary personally At Fatima Mary warned of Doran. mail $97; single copies $1. watches over each of us, her the consequences for us, her In addition, I and the priests of digital children, of sin and the failure to this diocese off ered the service of The Observer Online children, with her love beyond subscriptions are also available. telling. love her Divine Son. Through a our priesthood to the protection Publisher: It is this personal and motherly vision given to the children she of Mary. Most Reverend David J. Malloy love of Mary that helps us to reminded the world that hell is If you were able to join us at understand fully the meaning real, not a myth. that Mass or simply joined us in Editor: Penny Wiegert of apparitions of Mary that And she foretold the sorrows prayer ... thank you. News Editor: Amanda Hudson grace the Church and the world to be suff ered by the Church and And always, remember to pray Features and Multimedia periodically. the human race during the 20th to Mary each day. She is truly our Editor: Sharon Boehlefeld In 1541 in Mexico, Mary said century because of the growing loving mother. Circulation/Proofreading: Susan Sabrowski, Keith Ludolph We Must Carry on the Church’s Mission Accounting: Jill Bonk Advertising and Marketing: From World Mission Day Message, June 4 Christ and the Good News He raising missionary awareness and Kevin McCarthy proclaimed continue to attract enthusiasm, young people, adults, Once again this year, World Production and Web many young people. They seek families, priests, bishops and Administrator: Gary Haughton Mission Day gathers us around ways to put themselves with men and women religious work the person of Jesus, “the very Contributing Writers: Father courage and enthusiasm at the to develop a missionary heart in Kenneth Wasilewski, Father fi rst and greatest evangelizer” service of humanity. everyone. Keith Romke, Keith Ludolph, (CNS photo/C. Peri via Reuters) Peri photo/C. (CNS (Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 7), “There are many young people World Mission Day, promoted Lynne Conner, Father Ronald BY POPE who continually sends us forth to who off er their solidarity in the by the Society of the Propagation Rolheiser, Tony Carton, FR ANCIS proclaim the Gospel of the love face of the evils of the world of the Faith, is a good opportunity Pat Szpekowski, Margarita of God the Father in the power of and engage in various forms of for enabling the missionary Mendoza, Louise Brass, Patrick Winn ear the Holy Spirit. militancy and volunteering... How heart of Christian communities brothers This day invites us to refl ect beautiful it is to see that young to join in prayer, testimony of Publication Dates: Weekly D except that in 2017 there will be anew on the mission at the people are ‘street preachers’, life and communion of goods, and sisters, heart of the Christian faith.