During Trip to Indianapolis, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Speaks Of
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Inside Respect Life Sunday Archdiocese honors pro-life supporters for their service, page 3. See related column, page 4. Serving the ChurchCriterion in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com October 5, 2012 Vol. LIII, No. 1 75¢ New world Photo by Sean Gallagher evangelization: Synod’s agenda includes America VATICAN CITY (CNS)—When Blessed John Paul II launched the project he called the new evangelization, he made it clear that it was aimed above all at reviving the ancient faith of an increasingly faithless West—“countries and nations where religion and the Christian life were formerly flourishing,” now menaced by a “constant spreading of religious indifference, secularism and atheism.” Those words are commonly taken to refer to Christianity’s traditional heartland, Europe. Yet, Pope Benedict XVI, who has enthusiastically embraced his predecessor’s initiative, has made it clear that the new evangelization extends to other secular Western societies, Patriarch Fouad Twal greets Lumen Christi Catholic School students on Sept. 28 on the steps of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Church in Indianapolis including the United after celebrating Mass with them. Patriarch Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited Indianapolis for a meeting of the Equestrian Order of the States. Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, an international Catholic organization that supports the Church in Cyprus, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. Pope Benedict XVI In a series of speeches to visiting U.S. bishops last fall and earlier this year, During trip to Indianapolis, Latin Patriarch of Pope Benedict reflected on the “spiritual and cultural challenges of the new evangelization,” Jerusalem speaks of hope for the Holy Land giving special emphasis to a “radical secularism” that he said has worn away By Sean Gallagher 1,000 years, is today made up of clergy and was an appeal to the politicians to do their America’s traditional moral consensus and lay Catholic men and women from around best to stop this war.” threatened its religious freedom. Three weeks ago, Patriarch Fouad Twal the world who show special care for the Q. Was it encouraging that the pope The world Synod of Bishops dedicated to of Jerusalem was in Lebanon during the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. decided to come to Lebanon in spite of the new evangelization, which meets at the historic visit by Pope Benedict XVI and In an interview with The Criterion, the violence that was so close? Vatican on Oct. 7-28, will include seven thousands of Catholics who gathered there Patriarch Twal reflected on both of these A. “They [people in the pope’s U.S. bishops as full members, and 10 other from across the Middle East. trips and his hopes for the future of the entourage] called me from Rome Americans as official experts or observers. The visit took place in a region Church in the Holy Land despite the many three weeks ago, asking me what I Experts advise the bishops during the synod, embroiled in violence—from a civil war challenges that it faces in the 21st century. thought about whether or not the pope and observers are allowed to address the entire raging in nearby Syria to violent protests in The following is an edited version of should come. assembly. front of American embassies in several that interview. “I said that it was a must. He must Looking ahead to that gathering, Middle Eastern countries. come. If the papal delegation was afraid several of the U.S. participants spoke with This past weekend, though, Patriarch Q. What was it like to see so many to spend two or three days with us in the Catholic News Service about the obstacles that Twal, who oversees the Latin Rite Church Catholics from so many countries Middle East, how can I encourage my the new evangelization faces in their country in Cyprus, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian gathered together to worship with the faithful not to leave? So his presence was and some of the particular strengths that the territories, had a very different kind of Holy Father? an example of courage and faith. Church brings to the task. meeting in a setting that greatly contrasted A. “We were in Lebanon. But really, our “But the pope himself personally never “We seem to be approaching a tipping from Lebanon. thoughts and our prayers were for Syria. put in question his coming or not point in how we encounter an increasingly He was in Indianapolis from Sept. 27-30 “We already have hundreds of thousands coming.” militant atheism and secularism in our to meet with hundreds of members of the of refugees in Lebanon and in Jordan. We Q. Please speak about your society,” said Carl Anderson, supreme knight Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. said to the pope, ‘You cannot not mention experience of seeing the difficult living of the Knights of Columbus, who will be The order, which dates back nearly the atmosphere in Syria.’ That’s why there See RESURRECTION, page 9 attending the synod as an observer. “We have See SYNOD, page 2 Cardinal Wuerl says the Year of Faith is a time for Catholics to deepen and share faith with others WASHINGTON (CNS)—As the 200 bishops from around the world—will Catholic Church prepares to celebrate the consider “how do we re-propose for a hearing Year of Faith and bishops from around the all over again our faith.” world gather in Rome for a synod dedicated to Lamenting that some Catholics “did the new evangelization, Washington Cardinal not get that type of [religious] education Donald W. Wuerl called on Catholics to we got when we were growing up,” CNS photo/Christopher Newkumet deepen their faith and to share it with others. Cardinal Wuerl said the new evangelization “All around us are people who should truly and the Year of Faith are opportunities to be with us at Mass, who should be with us at reach those “who really don’t know a lot church, who should be with us in the parish,” about the faith and those who drifted away Cardinal Wuerl said on Sept. 30 in an address because they think they know the faith and it at the John Carroll Society’s annual brunch offers nothing for them.” following the Red Mass. He called on the faithful to “renew our The cardinal addressed the group of See WUERL, page 2 Catholic professionals and business men and women on the eve of his departure for Rome, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington and where he will attend and serve as “relator,” or Chief Justice John Roberts leave the Cathedral of general secretary, for the Oct. 7-28 Synod for St. Matthew the Apostle following the annual the New Evangelization for the Transmission Red Mass in Washington on Sept. 30. The Mass of the Christian Faith. traditionally marks the start of the court year, He said the synod—which will draw about including the opening of the Supreme Court term. Page 2 The Criterion Friday, October 5, 2012 evangelization at Sacred Heart opportunities for sharing their faith. SYNOD Seminary in Detroit. Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of continued from page 1 “Orthodoxy isn’t enough. We Tucson, Ariz., said the Church’s really need an infusion of God and charitable activities are some of its CNS Haringphoto/Paul been able to avoid the downside of the Holy Spirit,” said Martin, who most effective vehicles for the new what has happened in Europe, but has been a leader in the charismatic evangelization. for how much longer is a continual renewal movement since the 1970s. “Works of charity and justice are question. This synod may be the “You can’t have a new one of the most powerful ways to best opportunity to answer that.” evangelization without a new inspire people to see what the Sister Sara Butler, a professor of Pentecost,” he said. Church is, and think about why they theology at the University of Edward N. Peters, a canon might want to re-engage with it or St. Mary of the Lake in lawyer who teaches at Sacred Heart … meet the Lord for the first time,” Mundelein, Ill., who will serve as a Seminary and will serve as an said Bishop Kicanas, chairman of synod expert, said a common expert during the synod, draws the board of Catholic Relief American understanding of encouragement from what he calls Services, who will attend the synod “tolerance” views “any attempt to the relatively “up-front” manner of instead of Cardinal Francis share the faith ... as a kind of American Catholics by comparison E. George of Chicago, who is Pope Benedict XVI is seated next to Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, ‘imperialism,’ ” and the U.S. media to their European counterparts. undergoing chemotherapy. left, and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, during celebrate an idea of freedom “Conversations about the faith For Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl opening prayer as the world’s cardinals meet in the synod hall at the Vatican in defined as “freedom from restraints by rank-and-file Catholics, of Washington, the synod’s general this on Feb. 17, 2012, file photo. The Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization of any kind.” participation in the Church’s public secretary, the primary mission field will begin Oct. 7 at the Vatican. This leaves many Catholics “shy rites and devotions, reading for the new evangelization in the about revealing their faith, much Catholic literature, and so on, all of U.S. will be its vast network of which he first proposed in 2008 New York, has said is inherent in less sharing it with others,” said these seem to me much more Catholic schools, colleges and and which the Vatican approved for the new evangelization, which seeks Sister Sara, a member of the common on this side of the universities because the key to use in the U.S.