Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only
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March 2, 2014 Think Green 50¢ Recycle Volume 88, No. 8 Go Green todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Go Digital TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC Time to grow Lent offers opportunity to fine tune spiritual journey Be doers of the Word, not hearers only Page 10 Bishop Rhoades celebrates all schools Mass in South Bend Desiring to be saints BY CHRISTOPHER LUSHIS In Truth and Charity Page 2 NOTRE DAME — “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades repeatedly emphasized these words of action from the Letter of St. James to more than 4,000 Catholic school students from the South Consistory Bend area of the diocese in the annual all schools Mass celebrated at the Joyce Center at the University of Notre Eighteen new cardinals Dame on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Page 3 Bishop Rhoades told students from the 20 schools represented at Mass, including 18 from the South Bend area and two from the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Mich., that he “looks forward to this liturgy every year” and remarked on “how beautiful it is to gather with our broth- Indiana Catholic ers and sisters in Christ.” The bishop stressed the importance of contemplating Conference Sacred Scripture to understand how we are being called Marriage amendment passes to live as faithful Christians. “We are all one body in Christ,” Bishop Rhoades said. Senate, no vote in 2014 “We are all being nourished by the same Word of God. But it is important that when we listen to God’s Word do Page 5 not let it go in one ear and out the other.” The Gospel reading proclaimed at the all schools Mass was of Jesus healing the blind man at Bethsaida, in which Jesus lays His hands upon the man’s eyes twice in order to fully restore his sight. St. John the Baptist This unique occurrence in the Gospels where the School individual who seeks assistance from Christ is not imme- diately healed calls attention to a profound element of the Bishop Rhoades makes narrative. pastoral visit Bishop Rhoades explained, “Jesus laying His hands on KEVIN HAGGENJOS the man’s eyes a second time indicates something spiri- to New Haven school Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades encourages Catholic students at the all schools Mass at the Joyce tual — not just a physical blindness. It has to do with the Center at the University of Notre Dame on Feb. 19 to “be doers of the Word and not hearers Pages 8-9 only.” SCHOOLS, PAGE 16 FIRES OF HOLINESS REKINDLED RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE SET MARCH 12 JERRY KESSENS Rekindle The Fire Diocesan Men’s Conference was Saturday, Feb. 22, at the “The Light Is On for You” is an initiative of the Diocese of Fort Wayne- Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from South Bend to allow all Catholics to avail themselves of the sacrament of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Over 1,200 men attended Reconciliation. Confessions will be held on Wednesday, March 12, from the conference. Story on page 6. 6-8 p.m. in every Catholic church in the diocese. 2 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC March 2, 2014 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the Desiring to be saints Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were our spiritual lives. Fort Wayne, IN 46856 shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train #2 Make the “secular” sacred. By this, IN TRUTH it (1 Corinthians 9: 24-27). Maybe you’ve been I mean, that we not separate our prayer life PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades watching the Winter Olympics. These athletes from the rest of our life. We must sanctify our AND are striving for greatness, for perfection. They ordinary life, including our family life, our EDITOR: Tim Johnson are not laid back or lazy or lukewarm in their work, and even our recreation. Saint Josemaria NEWS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad CHARITY efforts. I love St. Paul’s athletic images. We Escriva taught a lot about this: the sanctifica- should be spiritual Olympians, with this burn- tion of ordinary life and work, becoming holy BY BISHOP KEVIN C. RHOADES ing fire within us to strive for holiness. In an in the midst of the world. This involves the Editorial Department Olympic game, even a small mistake can cost disciplined prayer life that I mentioned, but PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan one to lose an Olympic medal. So the athletes it also involves bringing that into our secular FREELANCE WRITERS: Ann Carey, Michelle The following homily was given by Bishop don’t ignore any imperfections. So also in activities, living one’s responsibilities in the Castleman, Karen Clifford, Bonnie Rhoades at the Rekindle the Fire Men’s our Christian life. We must not minimize, for family and at work faithfully and offering all Elberson, Denise Fedorow, Diane Conference on February 22nd: example, the evil of venial sins. They can pull we do to God. We shouldn’t live a double life: Freeby, Sister Margie Lavonis, CSC, od said to Moses to tell the whole Israelite us away from God. They are obstacles to our our prayer life, on the one hand, and our secu- Jodi Magallanes, Joe Kozinski, Vince community: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your growth in perfection. We need to have holy lar life on the other. Every part of our life is an G ambition and fight against lukewarmness in our invitation to grow in holiness. Every earthly LaBarbera and Deb Wagner God, am holy. Similarly, Jesus said to the dis- ciples in the Sermon on the Mount: Be perfect, spiritual lives. The Lord calls us to love Him or secular activity can lead us closer to God, if just as your heavenly Father is perfect. God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, it is done with love and offered to Christ. For Business Department calls us to walk the path of holiness, the way of and all our minds. the saint, work and a life of prayer are insepa- BUSINESS MANAGER: Sean McBride perfection. The Olympic athletes have a practical plan rable. It can help to have little reminders at AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber The purpose of the Christian life is to live to achieve the goal of a gold medal. So we one’s place of work and at home of God and BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol in Christ, to be holy. After his conversion to need to have a practical plan to achieve the his centrality in our life. For example, a little [email protected] Catholicism as a young man, Thomas Merton goal of sanctity. I need to make one thing clear crucifix on your desk, a picture of a saint above was asked by a friend: “Tom, what do you before I offer some practical suggestions. It is the kitchen sink, putting on the scapular in the Advertising Sales want to be?” A bit puzzled by the question, not humanly possible to achieve perfection, to morning, etc. It’s also very helpful to say aspi- Tess Steffen Thomas Merton replied: “Well, I guess I want attain holiness, by our own human powers. It is rations throughout the day, at different times, (260) 456-2824 to be a good Catholic.” His friend fired back: God’s grace that makes us holy. Without Him, like the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus, Son of the liv- “No, that’s not it. You should want to be a we can do nothing! Becoming holy is a matter ing God, have mercy on me, a sinner) or a Hail saint.” That strange answer changed Thomas of opening ourselves to God’s grace, to His Mary. These practices help us to have intimacy Merton’s life. From that day on, he set out to power, to His love. Holiness does involve our with God throughout the day. Web site: www.todayscatholicnews.org walk the beautiful way of the Gospel, the path freedom — our cooperation with God’s grace. #3 Be evangelists. It’s not enough to just to perfection. Brothers in Christ, I’d like to suggest three lament and complain about our culture, about Published weekly except second Perhaps you came to this conference with things to you in pursuing holiness: be men of secularism, relativism, materialism, and hedo- Sunday of January; and every other the hope of leaving here a better person, a bet- prayer; make the “secular” sacred; and be evan- nism. We live in this culture, with its good week from the fourth Sunday in gelists. and bad currents. We are to live in the world, June through the middle Sunday ter Catholic. That’s good. But I hope you leave of September; and last Sunday in here with the desire to be a saint, to be perfect #1 Be men of prayer. Maybe some of you are but not of the world. After all, we’re passing December by the Diocese of Fort as your heavenly Father is perfect. called to be monks, but probably very few. But through. Our true home is in heaven. But we Wayne-South Bend, 1103 S. Calhoun I think the path to holiness begins with put- you are all called to be contemplatives, contem- all have the duty to share the Gospel of Christ St., P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. ting God at the center of our life. How do we platives in the midst of the world. I don’t think in the world, to spread the faith, to witness to Periodicals postage paid at Fort Wayne, do this? The first thing is to realize deep in we can be holy without a strong interior life, a Jesus Christ right where we are: in our fam- IN, and additional mailing office.