Inside Accountability Report . 13 Archbishop Buechlein . 4, 5 Editorial. 4 Criterion Question Corner . 11 TheCriterion Sunday & Daily Readings. 11 Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 www.archindy.org February 16, 2001 Vol. XXXX, No. 18 50¢ New Latvian cardinal is an inspiration for Father John Beitans By Mary Ann Wyand ship provided by the National Catholic nity in the Archdiocese of Father John Welfare Council. The ship took them to Indianapolis in addition to his Beitans, pastor Love for Latvia, his parents’ homeland, northern Germany, where there was a dis- parish assignment. of St. Lawrence has prompted Father John Beitans of placed persons camp. These were neces- “I was elated when I heard the Parish in Indianapolis to make plans to fly to Rome sary as World War II was ending because news of Archbishop Pujats’ nomi- Wyand MaryPhoto by Ann Indianapolis, next week for the elevation of Archbishop there were huge populations of people nation,” Father Beitans said. “I was holds a copy of Janis Pujats of Riga, Latvia, to the rank of who didn’t have time to get visas and so thrilled when Archbishop the directory for cardinal on Feb. 21. passports as they fled before advancing Julijans Vaivods was made a cardi- the Catholic Father Beitans, pastor of St. Lawrence armies. I was born in a displaced persons nal in 1983 that I went to Rome Church in Latvia. Parish in Indianapolis, said his parents camp in 1947. When I was almost 5 years for his elevation. There is some- The cover photo- were born in Latvia and were married old, we immigrated to the United States thing in me that is drawing me graph shows the there just before World War II. and settled in the country near Terre there again [for this ceremony]. site where “During the final days of the war, they Haute, Ind.” Something in me longs to be there. Christianity was were forced to flee from their home to Father Beitans, who speaks Latvian I almost feel that I belong there.” introduced in escape the advancing Russian army,” he fluently, has visited his parents’ homeland When Pope John Paul II Latvia. said. “They were able to get on a relief and now ministers to the Latvian commu- See LATVIA, page 8 The Church in Cuba John DiIulio Archdiocese shares faith with Cuba is ready to Editor’s note: “Stewards Abroad” is an create new occasional series that will look at the missionary efforts of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis throughout the world. faith-based Photo by Michele Wessler Michele Photo by By Mary Ann Wyand initiative Second of two parts WASHINGTON (CNS)—Two people A call to Christian stewardship that who know John DiIulio describe him this inspired a global solidarity partnership way: “dresses like a building inspector” between the Archdiocese of Indian- and “Joe Pesci with a Ph.D.” apolis and the Archdiocese of They mean it as high praise, because Camagüey in Cuba offers multiple such descriptions support their observa- opportunities for evangelization as well tion that DiIulio, the director of the new as friendship and White House Office of Faith-Based and humanitarian assis- Community Initiatives, is doing what he tance. does because he believes in it passion- Facilitated by ately, not because it gets him anywhere in Catholic Relief the political world. Stewards Services as a pilot pro- Probably precisely for that reason, Abroad gram, C.U.B.A. 2000 Washington’s political commentators (“Community don’t seem to know quite what to make of Understanding by DiIulio as he creates an office that is Action”) is expected to charged with “leveling the playing field” lead to additional partnerships between of barriers that prevent community and U.S. dioceses and dioceses in other religious organizations from being able to underdeveloped countries. compete for government funding for This sharing of faith, culture and social service programs. resources reflects the true nature of the DiIulio is a Catholic, a Democrat and an word “catholic,” which means “univer- Sister Demetria Smith, a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa and the mission educator for the academic working for a Republican admin- sal,” and is a response to Pope John Archdiocese of Indianapolis, talks with Cuban children in the northern Camagüey neighborhood istration in an effort that has been encour- Paul II’s frequent requests to reach out of Albaisa. aged by leaders of both the Christian to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Coalition and the Call to Renewal. He has The need to support Church mission ill, children, women and families. were to meet their future partners in the held positions at think tanks with philoso- work also is emphasized by the U.S. The role of the Catholic Church in Archdiocese of Camagüey, Arthen said, phies at opposite ends of the political spec- bishops in their statement “Called to Cuban society is rather unique because to better understand their reality and trum and has collaborated on books about Global Solidarity: International the Church is the only entity on the island discuss plans for their future relation- See FAITH, page 8 Challenges for U.S. Parishes.” that has a national network and a relation- ship. Catholic Relief Services initiated a ship with the Vatican, which is considered “The host during our four-day visit humanitarian relief program in Cuba in a foreign government, explained Chris- to the Archdiocese of Camagüey, 1958 to assist the people who suffered topher Arthen, coordinator of this global Archbishop Adolfo Rodríguez Herrera, from food shortages and political solidarity partnership for Catholic Relief embodied the depth of faith, gentleness unrest. CRS now supports the efforts of Services. and grace of the people our group was Caritas Cuba, the social arm of the The goals of the Indianapolis delega- to meet in Cuba,” he said. “This Church, to help the elderly, chronically tion during their eight-day trip to Cuba See CUBA, page 2 Marian College library is helping Catholics in the archdiocese learn about the faith By Jennifer Del Vechio topics and more than 5,000 videos. enrich their teaching or their own personal It was formed in 1991, but its usage did- faith by explaining what the library has to Tucked inside the Marian College library n’t increase until about three years ago as the offer. in Indianapolis is a resource center that is college worked to increase the collection and It is open to anyone in the archdiocese, helping people across the archdiocese learn inform people about the resources available. and people who live in the southern part of more about their faith. Since 1997, usage has increased 35 per- the archdiocese—such as New Albany— The Mother Theresa Hackelmeier cent, said Barb Mathauer, the library’s can have books or tapes shipped to their Memorial Library, also known as the resource coordinator for the collection. local library on loan. Catholic Identity Collection, includes access Mathauer helps individuals, directors of Marianne Underhill, a student in pas- to 150,000 volumes of books on Catholic religious education, catechists and students See LIBRARY, page 12 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, February 16, 2001 CUBA continued from page 1 mission was accomplished quite success- Wessler Michele Photos by fully as bonds of trust and friendship were formed in a very short period of time.” Arthen said the delegation “witnessed the physical and spiritual presence of the Church as they visited numerous parishes in differing stages of refurbishment, met with laypeople and clergy engaged in keeping alive their Catholic faith, and walked together with Caritas staff to learn about their efforts to help materially sus- tain the Cuban people.” When the delegation visited St. Joseph Church in Camagüey, Arthen said, a woman attending an adult religious educa- tion class told them that she came to church to learn more about her faith because “He is the only salvation we have.” During another parish visit, he said, C.U.B.A. 2000 members gained “a realis- tic perspective of the Church as it strug- gles to pass the faith from one generation to the next, assisted by the courageous efforts of lay volunteers and clergy.” Catholics living in a village about 10 kilometers outside of Camagüey received government permission to offer Mass once a month after the pope’s 1998 visit to Cuba, Arthen said, but they must wor- ship in the open air under a corrugated iron roof with wooden benches and no walls while awaiting government approval Members of the Mercedes family stand outside their home in northern Camagüey. They open their to build a chapel. home every Saturday for catechism classes for children ages 4 through 10. After attending Sunday Mass at Camagüey’s main cathedral, Arthen said, members of the delegation again met with While in Camagüey, the group also he told delegation members that, “the Archbishop Rodríguez, who explained toured a farm operated on land that had clergy in Cuba have successfully main- that, “In our landscape, the customs may been granted to the Church in 1997. tained a high degree of unity over the be different, but the sun that shines on us Produce from this farm supplies food for years.” is the same that shines on you. In Mass, a Church program for the elderly. Archbishop Rodríguez explained that you say, ‘The Lord is with you.’ We say The delegation learned that cattle are many Catholics are not practicing their the same. … The most important thing is registered by the government, and each ani- faith, and the priests hope that more peo- faith in Jesus Christ—the same love, the mal must be accounted for properly during ple will return to the sacraments.