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Autism Awareness Parishes must move beyond labels, offer a sense of belonging, page 12. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com April 16, 2021 Vol. LXI, No. 27 75¢ Pope calls all Catholics to be missionaries of God’s mercy ROME (CNS)—Like the disciples, who experienced Jesus’ divine mercy after the resurrection, all Christians are called to become missionaries, sharing the Gospel of God’s love and mercy with others, Pope Francis said. “Today Jesus tells us, too, ‘Peace be with you! You are precious in my eyes. Peace be with you! You are important for me. Peace be with you! Pope Francis You have a mission. No one can take your place. You are irreplaceable. And I believe in you,’ ” the pope said on April 11. Pope Francis celebrated the Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday at the Rome Church of the Holy Spirit, just a block away from St. Peter’s Square. The church is the Rome Shrine of Divine Mercy, a devotion begun by St. Faustina Kowalska and promoted by St. John Paul II. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, fewer than 100 people were present for the Mass, wearing masks and seated only two people to a pew, except if they were Jeff Crittendon, Braelynn Crittendon and Tiffany Underwood pose for a family photo at Holy Angels School in Indianapolis, where Braelynn is members of the same family. attending school with the help of Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program, more commonly known as the voucher program. (Photo by John Shaughnessy) At the end of the Mass, Pope Francis thanked those invited: nurses and doctors from the hospital next door, refugees, people with disabilities, priests serving as “missionaries of mercy,” inmates In its 10th year, Indiana’s voucher program from several correctional institutes and representatives of Italy’s civil protection aids the dreams of Catholic school families service. The pope told them they represent “realities where mercy becomes concrete, By John Shaughnessy when he compares it to the experience she had in a public draws close and serves those in difficulty.” school in the Indianapolis area. After reciting the “Regina Coeli” prayer There’s a certain blend of joy and emotion that fills parents “We wanted to find the right fit for her. We wanted a with those present, the pope greeted each when they know their child is in a place where he or she is smaller feel, some place where we didn’t feel she was a individual personally, shaking hands, blessing happy and thriving. number. Now there’s an excitement to go to school. It’s them and even posing for a few selfies. Jeff Crittendon exudes that feeling when he describes the drastically improved her ability to learn in the classroom as In his homily at the Mass, Pope Francis education that his 12-year-old daughter Braelynn is getting. well as outside it. From where we came from, this is leaps focused on how, prior to the resurrection, “I feel our child is receiving the love and attention that she and bounds. On a scale of 1 to 10, this is a 10.” the disciples misunderstood so much of needs to grow,” he says. “I feel the education she’s receiving Braelynn confirms her dad’s assessment with a bright smile. what Jesus said and how they abandoned now empowers her for what’s to come in her future.” “It’s fantastic,” she says. “The teachers are nice, and or even denied him at the hour of his Crittendon’s description of Braelynn’s experience at Holy they help me more with my work. They go slow to help passion and death. Angels School in Indianapolis becomes even more powerful See VOUCHERS, page 8 But when the disciples are hovering See MERCY, page 2 As Indiana marks a decade of school choice, legislation would expand innovative program to more families By Victoria Arthur review would expand eligibility to allow different, and as with everything else even more parents to select the school in life, choices are important. We have Exactly 10 years after the passage of they believe is best for their children—a excellent schools across the state, but it groundbreaking legislation that made move that advocates say is is nearly impossible for them Indiana a national leader in school critical to extend educational to meet every unique need of choice, the opportunities to as many every child. Statehouse is Hoosier families as possible. “While many Hoosier in the spotlight As he was a decade ago, the families already enjoy the again as lawmaker behind the current flexibilities of Indiana’s school lawmakers weigh effort is Rep. Bob Behning choice program, there is still a the first major expansion to the program (R-Indianapolis), chairman large group shut out of these since 2013. of the House Education opportunities,” Behning added. More than 270,000 students have Committee. “When we started looking benefited from Indiana’s Choice “The whole focus on Rep. Bob Behning at the current eligibility Scholarship Program, more commonly what we did in 2011 was requirements, we found a lot known as the voucher program, to put kids first,” Behning said. of hardworking families still could not since it was signed into law by “That is not a condemnation of our send their child to the school of their then-Gov. Mitch Daniels in the spring traditional educational model. It’s just choice.” of 2011. The current legislation under an acknowledgement that people are See ICC, page 8 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, April 16, 2021 Public Schedule of Archbishop Charles C. Thompson __________ April 16–27, 2021 April 16 – 6 p.m. April 21 – 7 p.m. Legacy Gala Dinner in support of Confirmation Mass for youths of Christ Catholic Charities, archdiocesan the King Parish at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Cathedral Bruté College Seminary at JW Marriott Hotel, Indianapolis April 22 – 7 p.m. Confirmation for youths of Nativity April 18 – 2 p.m. of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish in Confirmation for youths of St. Paul Indianapolis at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Center and St. Charles Cathedral Borromeo Parish, both in Bloomington, at St. Paul Catholic Center, April 24 – 11 a.m. Bloomington Confirmation for youths of Immaculate Conception Parish, Millhousen; April 18– 5 p.m. St. John the Baptist Parish, Osgood; Confirmation Mass for youths of St. Mary Parish, Greensburg; St. Martin of Tours Parish, St. Maurice Parish, Napoleon; and Transitional Deacon Michael Clawson, left, and transitional Deacon Matthew Perronie pose on April 10 Martinsville; St. John the Apostle St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Decatur with Archbishop Charles C. Thompson after a Mass at the Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Parish, Bloomington; St. Vincent County, at St. Mary Church, Greensburg Einsiedeln in St. Meinrad during which the deacons and three other men were ordained transitional de Paul Parish, Bedford; St. Mary deacons. Deacon Clawson is a member of Annunciation Parish in Brazil. Deacon Perronie is a Parish, Mitchell; Our Lady of the April 24 – 3 p.m. member of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg. (Photos courtesy of Saint Meinrad Archabbey) Springs Parish, French Lick; and Confirmation Mass for youths of St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Spencer, Holy Family Parish in Oldenburg at at St. John the Apostle Church, Holy Family Church Bloomington Two men are ordained transitional April 27 – 10 a.m. April 20 – 7 p.m. Spring Business Meeting for priests deacons for the archdiocese Confirmation Mass for youths of and parish life coordinators at St. John St. Roch Parish in Indianapolis, at the Apostle Parish, Bloomington During an April 10 Mass at the SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Indianapolis April 27 – 1 p.m. Einsiedeln in St. Meinrad, Archbishop Priest Council meeting at St. John the Charles C. Thompson ordained five men April 21 – 10 a.m. Apostle Parish, Bloomington transitional deacons. Department Heads meeting at Two are seminarians for the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Archdiocese of Indianapolis: Catholic Center, Indianapolis Deacon Michael Clawson of Annunciation Parish in Brazil, and Deacon Matthew Perronie of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg. mercy ... the sweetness of Jesus, who forgives Both deacons are receiving priestly MERCY everything. God forgives everything.” formation at Saint Meinrad Seminary and continued from page 1 When Jesus showed the disciples the School of Theology in St. Meinrad. They wounds of his crucifixion, the pope said, he are expected to be ordained priests for the in fear in the closed room, he noted, the was not simply proving he had risen, but Church in central and southern Indiana in Archbishop Charles C. Thompson ritually lays risen Lord appears to them and “raises also made it possible for them to see and June 2022. hands on seminarian Michael Clawson during them up with his mercy. touch “the fact that God has loved us to the Archbishop Thompson, those ordained an April 10 Mass at the Archabbey Church of “Having received that mercy, they end. He has made our wounds his own and in the liturgy, and those who assisted at Our Lady of Einsiedeln in St. Meinrad in which become merciful in turn,” the pope said. borne our weaknesses in his own body.” it had all previously received full doses Clawson and four other men were ordained “It’s very difficult to be merciful if you The day’s first reading, from the Acts of a coronavirus vaccine. That is why transitional deacons. have not been shown mercy.” of the Apostles, recounted how the early they did not wear facemasks during the Saying, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19), Christian community shared everything they liturgy, although they did before and For more information on a vocation to the Jesus sets their troubled hearts at ease had in common.

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