‘Sister Strike’ Catholic Youth La fe sostiene a Nominated for Group Involved in esposa Best Viral Sports Fatal Colorado Bus Moment Page 10 Crash Page 12 Página 19 NORTH COAST CATHOLIC The Newspaper of the Diocese of Santa Rosa • www.srdiocese.org • JULY 2019 Noticias en español, pgs. 18-20 A Community’s Soul-Thirst Fulfilled —Building Church and Holy Family Congratulations to Rev. Mr. John Plass and Rev. Mr. Thomas Stuart who were both ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 21st at St. Eugene’s Cathedral by the Most Reverend Robert Vasa. Catholic Parish What’s going to bring the By Arlene Q.M. Collins, Parishioner “Keep asking God for the grace to help us keep going”, Fr. Fred Kutubebi, the current pastor of Holy Family Parish, exhorts his parishioners at every single Eucha- ‘nones’ back to the Church? ristic celebration. By Matt Hadro Several years later, the grace prayed for is fulfilled. The Holy Family Catholic Parish (HFCP), indeed, Baltimore, Md., June 14 (CNA). As the U.S. bishops Angeles and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee “keeps going” for good. It continues to be known gathered in Baltimore this week, primarily to vote on Evangelization and Catechesis, delivered a pre- far and wide as the “Friendliest Little Parish in Napa on proposals to respond to the clergy abuse crisis, sentation on Tuesday morning at the annual spring Valley”. It continues to draw more people to Christ another crisis loomed large with no easy solutions— meeting of the U.S. bishops on “this massive attrition while it serves its community. It has received its how to evangelize the “nones,” or people with no of our own people, particularly the young” from the canonical designation as a “parish” The Holy Family religious affiliation. Church. He exhorted fellow bishops “to look at this Catholic Parish. Further, the community’s soul-thirst Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los (see Back to Church, page 4) journey of 25 years is now quenched. Benedict XVI: The Church’s Unity is Stronger Than Internal Conflicts By Courtney Grogan Vatican City, Jun 28 (CNA) - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in an article published Friday that the unity of the Church has always prevailed over internal struggles The Filipino children’s dance interpretation of and affirmed that there is currently only one pope. Bulaklakan, Fr Fred the servant leader and Pastor of “The Pope is one, it is Francis,” Pope Emeritus Bene- the Parish, the Hispanic CCD students’ rendition of dict XVI said in an interview with an Italian magazine Mexican dance-Danza, the 25th Anniversary celebration published by Corriere Della Sera June 28. committee of which Arlene Collins was president. “The unity of the Church has always been in danger, “The Pope is one, it is Fran- cis,” Pope Emeritus Benedict for centuries,” Benedict said. “It has been for all its his- As if this was not enough, in God’s generosity which XVI said in an interview tory. Wars, internal conflicts, centrifugal forces, threats is never outdone, Holy Family Catholic Parish finds with an Italian magazine of schisms.” itself now in one location, one place of worship, where published by Corriere Della “In the end the awareness that the Church is and everyone is welcome at any time or daily at the week- Sera June 28. (see Church Unity, page 8) (see Community, page 8) Where is Your ‘Island of Spiritual Concentration’? In 1986 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, then Cardinal they were. They went there, not because they were the case for you. This island is not intended as isola- Ratzinger, recommended the establishment of ‘islands afraid but because they were prudent. They under- tion from the world but a prudent protection from an of spiritual concentration’. In recent years, with the stood that the world was hostile to the Spirit especially excessive worldliness. The communal aspect of our seemingly relentless increase of secularity, there is the spirit of truth and so they gathered aware of their parishes is often quite strong. At the same time it is an ever increasing need to these islands of spiritual own weakness and the Spirit’s strength. They gath- possible, and probably necessary, for greater efforts to concentration. ered for the breaking of the bread, be expended so that our Parishes can also be spaces, In the Book of the Acts of the the Eucharist, for in that action they relatively undisturbed by a very confused world, Apostles we find the description remembered what the Lord had done where silence in the Presence of the living God can of the coming of the Holy Spirit. in their midst and they remembered be experienced more deeply and appreciated more There we are told that the apostles that He had conquered sin and death. profoundly. It is necessary for each of us to strive to and disciples gathered in one place. They gathered to hear the truth pro- foster within ourselves a deeply rooted conviction of They gathered to await the promised claimed by the Apostles recognizing our ongoing need to be a part of or even to establish Holy Spirit. They gathered in prayer that they could not long be exposed other ‘islands of spiritual concentration’ where, like and anticipation of the great things to the errors of the world without the disciples of Jesus, we can meet constantly “to hear that God would do in their midst. being infected and contaminated, at the apostles teach, to share the common life, to break They gathered in a kind of ‘island of least to some degree, by that exposure. the bread of Eucharist, and to pray”. spiritual concentration’ to await the From the Bishop They came frequently to their ‘island Such islands begin with the domestic Church, the coming of the Spirit and when the of spiritual concentration’ to discuss family home. In fact, each Catholic family is to be the Spirit came, He came in wind and Bishop Robert F. Vasa is their experiences and interpret them first island of spiritual refuge. Summer is a great time fire. They then took the Gospel mes- the sixth bishop of the in the light of the Spirit and Scripture to spend more time with family and it also affords sage to the streets. That part of the Diocese of Santa Rosa. and faith. And they came together to an opportunity to recommit to those things which narrative is well known. However, pray, not only occasionally but con- help assure that the family maintains its own tran- even after their initial Spirit filled foray into the world stantly. quility. Old radio programs, sponsored by Christian the disciples did not abandon the safety of their com- It is essential that each of us finds our own island of groups, would often repeat the phrase, which was munity, their island of spiritual concentration. As we spiritual concentration where we not only hear and very common, that “the family that prays together read later in Acts: “They met constantly to hear the practice the gifts and virtues needed in our chaotically stays together”. The value of family prayer, led by the apostles teach, and to share the common life, to break relativistic world but where we also come to under- father, needs to be recognized again. Establishing a the bread, and to pray” (Acts 2:42). stand and appreciate the need to meet “constantly to pattern of family prayer is not necessarily easy but in This was their island of spiritual concentration, hear the apostles teach, and to share the common life, our present circumstances it is no longer optional. their faith community. Here was a place and a com- to break the bread, and to pray”. Imitate the Apostles who: “met constantly to hear the munity to which they went to remember who their For many, the parish community is just such an apostles teach, and to share the common life, to break Lord is, who their brothers and sisters were and who ‘island of spiritual concentration’. I pray that this is the bread, and to pray” (Acts 2:42). ❖ CONTENTS WHAT’S GOING TO BRING THE ‘NONES’ BACK TO FAMILIES ARE A RADICAL WITNESS TO HOPE IN NEWS BRIEFS ........................................................15 THE CHURCH? ..................................................................1 MODERN SOCIETY, ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ SAYS .......7 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LAWS ‘MORE NECESSARY A COMMUNITY’S SOUL-THIRST FULFILLED — THAN EVER,’ CONGRESS HEARS .............................17 BUILDING CHURCH AND HOLY FAMILY MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE OFFICE: CATHOLIC PARISH ....................................................1 MORE MARRIAGE PREPARATION!. ...........................9 ¿DÓNDE ESTÁ TU ‘ ISLA DE CONCENTRACIÓN ESPIRITUAL ‘? ........................................................18 BENEDICT XVI: THE CHURCH’S UNITY IS STRONGER ‘SISTER STRIKE’ NOMINATED FOR BEST VIRAL THAN INTERNAL CONFLICTS ....................................1 SPORTS MOMENT ..................................................10 DECLARACIÓN PASTORAL DE LA CONFERENCIA DE OBISPOS CATÓLICOS DE CALIFORNIA ....................18 WHERE IS YOUR ‘ISLAND OF SPIRITUAL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS PROMISE CONCENTRATION’? ...................................................2 ACTION FOR GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LIBERTY .............11 NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL ..........................................19 CALIFORNIA BISHOPS CALL CATHOLICS TO CATHOLIC YOUTH GROUP INVOLVED IN FATAL CHINESE PRIESTS DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER WITH ‘ECOLOGICAL SPIRITUALITY’ ....................................3 COLORADO BUS CRASH .........................................12 GOVERNMENT, VATICAN SAYS ...............................21 IN RESPONDING TO GENDER THEORY, ‘FORMING PEOPLE NOT POLITICS: PRO-LIFE GROUPS UNITE TO EVENTS CALENDAR ................................................22