May 25, 2007 Vol

Inside Ringing in history Read about all that Philadelphia offers in our Vacation/Travel Supplement, pages 1B-20B. Serving the ChurchCriterion in Central and Souther n Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com May 25, 2007 Vol. XLVII, No. 32 75¢ Immigration A sense of peace and joy proposal stirs Deacon Kovatch believes ordination is testimony to God’s will calls for prayer (Editor’s note: This is the second in a series on the three transitional deacons and justice who will be ordained to the priesthood by Submitted photo Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein at WASHINGTON (CNS)—Bishops in 10 a.m. on June 2 at SS. Peter and Paul various parts of the country joined the cho- Cathedral in Indianapolis.) rus of reactions to the preliminary version of a comprehensive immigration bill set to be By John Shaughnessy considered before the Senate takes a week- long break for Memorial Day. As a basketball player with a shooter’s Debate in the Senate opened on May 21 touch, Deacon Thomas Kovatch has often even before the legislation designed by a known the feeling of being in the zone— bipartisan negotiating team was turned into the feeling that comes when everything in bill form and introduced. As The Criteron the game flows so easily and every shot is went to press, news sources were reporting a true. vote on the bill could be taken as soon as There have even been moments in May 24 or debate could extend into June. Deacon Kovatch’s life when he’s come Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San close to that feeling, like the time he Bernardino, Calif., chairman of the bishops’ enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Committee on Migration, said in a May 17 right after high school, served his country statement that the for four years and was invited to military See related important flight school to pursue his dream of column, page 4A considerations for becoming a fighter pilot. the bill include that it There were also the later years when he “is workable and owned a nice home with an in-ground includes family unity and a fair and realistic pool—a successful businessman who had path to citizenship, a new worker program relationships with a few women at differ- which provides participants a meaningful ent times that he thought might lead to opportunity to obtain permanent residency, marriage. and the preservation of family unity as Yet, in both those flights of glory and an integral part of the U.S. immigration romance, the feeling just wasn’t com- system.” pletely right. Now, Deacon Kovatch Leaders of Catholic Charities USA said finally has that feeling as he nears his they would also push for a bill that “sustains ordination as a priest who will serve the and reunites families, promotes the security Archdiocese of Indianapolis. On June 2, of the nation ... [and] improves the economic he will be ordained with deacons prospects, health, labor protections and Eric Nagel and Randall Summers. stability of all U.S. residents, including “I’m at a sense of peace and joy I’ve newcomers,” among other criteria. never know before,” Deacon Kovatch Catholic Charities joined the USCCB in says. “Once you find God’s will, that’s saying the compromise bill is a good starting where the true happiness resides.” point, albeit not the optimal approach. At 49, Deacon Kovatch believes his “As the compromise is currently written, ordination is a testimony to God’s will we are very concerned about provisions that and his own personal fear of some day could lead to separating families and being asked a certain question by Jesus disrupting family life,” said a statement Christ. from Father Larry Snyder, president of “When I talk to young guys about Catholic Charities USA. vocations, I tell them, ‘You have to answer Deacon Thomas Kovatch gives his nephew Thomas Szarkowicz first Communion on May 5 at In several places, the Church also planned this question: Do I want to be a priest?’ If St. Francis Church in Lake Zurich, Ill. prayer activities for “a just and equitable they say yes, I tell them it’s a high possi- immigration reform bill” as the Justice for bility you do not have a call to the priest- and walk away?’ I didn’t want to be asked graduated in 1976 from Riley High Immigrants campaign described their effort. hood. Then I quickly say the second part: that question.” School in South Bend, Ind., and he The senators who are considering immi- ‘If God wants you to be a priest, you can’t Reaching that answer took a long time for enlisted in the Marines. gration reform “need our prayers,” said a turn around and walk away. You have to Deacon Kovatch, even though he secretly “When I left home and went in the statement from Sister Jane Burke, a School pursue it even if it’s tough.’ practiced celebrating parts of the Mass in his Marine Corps, I just didn’t go to Church Sister of Notre Dame who heads the “Eventually, you have to face Jesus and bedroom when he was in the fifth grade. But anymore,” he says, recalling a period U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants he could ask, ‘Why did you turn around the wonder of his faith faded after he See KOVATCH, page 2A campaign. “Our voices are essential to the See IMMIGRATION, page 7A CYO volunteers honored for service to community, Church By John Shaughnessy before sports. confidence in her ability. And Father Robert Gilday measures success Yet after several practices and Pitzer’s How do some of the best coaches in the in athletics when every child improves during prodding, the coach noticed a dramatic Catholic Youth Organization measure success? a season and every adult models the right way change in the youth. For Carol Pitzer, it’s the joy of seeing a to treat players, coaches and fans of the other “She turned around from being angry child who has struggled make a breakthrough team. and dissatisfied to actually wanting to run in sports. Put those six individuals together and you relays with other kids,” says Pitzer, the track For Brian Treece, it’s the smile of a former have the 2007 recipients of the CYO’s highest coach for St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in player who has returned to tell him about his honor—the St. John Bosco Medal for distin- Indianapolis for the past 14 years. “I like life. guished volunteer service to youth. seeing a kid make a breakthrough. It makes After 45 years of coaching and 40 years Put the approaches of those six together and me feel good to know that they feel they of helping at CYO events, Bob Tully you have a great guideline for how the funda- have accomplished something.” measures success in the way young people mentals of sports and the values of Catholic Pitzer is an advocate of setting goals and show character. faith can shape the lives of children and adults. working for them in sports, knowing that Robert Hasty believes success can be approach is needed later in life. She also found in losing—if he knows his team has The beauty of breakthrough moments encourages parents to keep their expecta- sacrificed and worked hard in pursuing its Carol Pitzer will never forget the girl who tions realistic for children. goals. showed up at track practice upset and angry “It’s not to set the expectations too high, Paul Kervan takes pride when he sees his that her parents had made her go out for the but to set some expectations,” she says. “I players put their faith, family and schoolwork team. It also didn’t help that the girl had little See CYO, page 15A Page 2A The Criterion Friday, May 25, 2007 for me in discerning the call. One Lent, instead of giving KOVATCH things up, I decided to go to Mass every day and I never continued from page 1A stopped.” His mother remembers when he shared the news about his that lasted into his 30s. “I was falling away a little bit. It was decision to become a priest. Sean Gallagher Photos by nothing the Church did or taught. It was laziness on my part.” “It was here at our house,” Mary Lou Kovatch recalls. The former high school basketball player was stationed “He was lying on the couch and he said, ‘I have something in Hawaii as a Marine, working on the navigation and to tell you.’ My husband [Ernie] said, ‘Are you going to get communication systems of fighter planes. married?’ I said, ‘Are you going to be a priest?’ He said, “I loved it,” he says. “I loved being around the planes. I ‘That’s what I’m going to be.’ I was stunned. I think he had was within an eyelash of staying in and learning to fly. They the calling for years. He finally answered it.” would have sent me to college, and I would have been guar- He left the trucking business he started. He put his house anteed flight school. I told them I would sign immediately if up for sale, and it sold at full asking price in one day. He they could guarantee I could get into fighter planes. There enrolled in the seminary at the University of Saint Mary of were also transport planes and helicopters. They said they the Lake in Mundelein, Ill., near Chicago. All that was left to could guarantee me flight school, but not fighter planes.” do was say goodbye to his golden retriever, Ginger, the dog So he left the Marines.

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