Fatima message focus of annual rosary march By Jason Koshinskie sary of a miracle attributed to FaithLife editor Our Lady. On Oct. 13, 1917, more than 70,000 people wit- With rosaries in hand, nessed the Miracle of the Sun in marchers paraded through the Fatima, Portugal. Bi-weekly news bulletin of the Catholic Diocese of Erie October 23, 2005 www.ErieRCD.org streets of downtown Erie Oct. Beginning at the cathedral, 9, bringing attention to Our marchers processed through Lady of Fatima and her mes- downtown with banners, a large sage. wooden rosary and a statue of A line of about 150 people Our Lady of Fatima. snaked through downtown as “She is very well-traveled,” marchers prayed the rosary Bob Scherer, a Blue Army mem- Youth process while another 50 people prayed ber, says of the statue. “She even through the streets of downtown Erie the rosary inside St. Peter goes to Clearfield for their with a large, wooden Cathedral for the 11th annual rosary march.” rosary during the rosary march sponsored by the After praying the joyful, sor- 11th annual Blue Erie Diocese’s Blue Army, a rowful and glorious mysteries, Army rosary march chapter of the World Apostolate marchers processed into the Oct. 9. of Fatima. cathedral for exposition of the “The purpose is all for Our Blessed Sacrament, consecration Lady of Fatima and drawing to the Immaculate Heart of attention to her message of Mary, investiture of the brown praying the rosary,” says John scapular and benediction. Walsh, vice president of the The featured speaker was Fr. Blue Army. “It’s no coincidence Jack Custer, dean of Ss. Cyril we have it in October.” and Methodius Seminary in The month of October is Pittsburgh. dedicated to the rosary, with “At the Annunciation, Mary Oct. 7 the feast day of Our Lady could not have possibly known of the Rosary. the depth of the mystery she was Eucharist that we celebrate? It’s “We also try to have the saying ‘yes’ to,” Fr. Custer says. about the humility of the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA Erie Diocesan Blue Army Division march as near to the 13th as we “It was because of her faith and Incarnation, about a God who Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima P.O. Box 311 can,” Walsh says. trust in God that she said ‘yes.’ became vulnerable, all because www.bluearmy.com Fairview, PA 16415-0311 The 13th marks the anniver- What is the mystery of the of Mary’s ‘yes.’” Phone/fax: 814.474.2753 World Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist covers many topics Catholic News Service there were not enough priests to offer confession or because The first week of the Oct. 2- priests were juggling too many 23 world Synod of Bishops on duties and did not have time to the Eucharist at the Vatican fol- offer the sacrament often lowed a long-standing tradition: enough. Bishops from all over the world When people sin, they break gave speeches all over the map. the bonds of friendship with God The press tended to view the and with their brothers and sis- assembly as a showdown debate ters, which is why penance and on married priests, eucharistic reconciliation are needed for an sharing, Catholic politicians and honest participation in the Communion for divorced Eucharist, said U.S. Cardinal J. Catholics. The actual content of Francis Stafford, head of the the first 30 hours of synod dis- Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican cussion included those topics, but court dealing with the sacrament was less dramatic than the head- of penance and matters of con- lines. The bishops, in fact, ranged science. far and wide in choosing subjects Catholics need to give the for their six-minute speeches on same importance to the sacra- “The Eucharist: Source and ment of penance as they do to the Summit of the Life and Mission sacrament of the Eucharist if of the Church.” CNS photo from Reuters they are to deepen their relation- ship with Christ and the church, The topics included the qual- The synod was to take up a number of issues Pope Benedict XVI delivers a speech during the said Lithuanian Bishop Rimantas ity of televised Masses, the short- first general session of the Synod of Bishops in pertaining to the Eucharist. Norvila of Vilkaviskis. age of priests, Communion in the the Paul VI audience hall at the Vatican Oct. 3. hand versus Communion on the In a 14-page summary of the tongue, ministry to the sick, the the church must do to ensure that Catholics who live in remote and their families. synod discussions Oct. 3-12, Eucharist’s connection to social there are enough priests to cele- villages did not have “the oppor- Bishops from around the Cardinal Angelo Scola of Venice, justice and environmental issues, brate Mass was a recurring topic tunity for frequent celebration world will have to grapple with recording secretary of the synod, liturgical translations, Mass of discussion. Italian Cardinal and reception of the Eucharist.” “a couple of contradictions” in offered members 17 questions to prayers with a missionary theme, Angelo Scola of Venice, the In his speech Oct. 6, he asked order to allow the faithful to discuss in their small groups as the dehumanization of secular synod’s recording secretary, had how these communities would have more access to the they prepare proposals to be culture, priestly celibacy, the real opened the synod saying the then be able to make the Eucharist, said Archbishop given to Pope Benedict XVI presence of Christ in the Eucharist was a gift, not a right, Eucharist the source and summit Roland Minnerath of Dijon, before the Oct. 23 close of the Eucharist and the proper place of implying that a lack of priests of their lives as the church asks. France, the special secretary of gathering. The questions arose eucharistic adoration. And all was a motive for prayer, not for Cardinal George Pell of the synod. He said talks during from the content of 230 formal that came in the synod’s first two changing the church’s discipline Sydney, Australia, said it would the first 10 days of the synod had speeches, many of which showed days. on priestly celibacy to ensure be a mistake for the Latin-rite shown that “on the one hand we the bishops disagreed on some While no one has a right to greater access to the Eucharist. Catholic Church to relax “the are a church of the Eucharist, but very “delicate” points, as well as claim God’s gifts, Catholics do A lack of priests coupled with ancient tradition and life-giving on the other hand we seem to from the contributions of have a right to receive the people’s great need for spiritual discipline of mandatory celiba- have fewer and fewer priests to Catholic observers and represen- Eucharist from the Catholic nourishment must prompt the cy” for its priests. Retired celebrate it.” The archbishop tatives of Orthodox, Anglican Church, said Cardinal Julian church to be open to considering Ukrainian Bishop Sofron Mudry said another contradiction the and Protestant churches. Synod Herranz, president of the a role for married priests in the of Ivano-Frankovsk said that faithful may be experiencing members “from every continent” Pontifical Council for the life of the church, said some although married priests “kept concerns the sacrament of recon- spoke about “the worrying lack Interpretation of Legislative members of the Synod of the church alive” during 45 years ciliation. He said the church says of priests,” Cardinal Scola said. Texts and the Vatican’s top expert Bishops on the Eucharist. of communist persecution in participation in Sunday Mass “is on church law. Whether the faith- Coadjutor Bishop Arnold Ukraine, his church has found obligatory and confession is Look for continued coverage ful have a right to receive the Orowae of Wabag, Papua New “endless” practical problems important, but we can’t offer that of the world Synod of Bishops in Eucharist and, if they do, what Guinea, told synod participants with supporting married priests to all of our faithful,” because the next issue of FaithLife. News Briefs Briefly Nov./Dec. Faith Joseph Campbell ordained U.S. for release in the United States and Canada by the By the Way... Gannon to host end of October. The 129-page volume “deals with transitional deacon The response to the diocese’s collection the questions of Christian faith and the destiny of open house Nov. 6 Joseph Campbell, a seminarian Hamlett; for Hurricane Katrina relief has been U.S. has resources to help at home humanity, of the state of Israel, Islam, the legacy and from the Erie Diocese and a stu- Msgr. overwhelming, to say the least. As of Oct. Gannon University will host its features Farrell the future of the church and society,” said the press dent at the North American Richard and abroad, religious leaders say 17, more than $629,000 in donations has annual Open House Sunday, Nov. release. But instead of any new pronouncements, the “We have the ability College in Rome, was ordained Sullivan; been forwarded to Catholic Charities USA. 6. WASHINGTON (CNS) — The United States not book is a collection of talks the pope gave during the to help people make into the order of the diaconate on Fr. Rick The funds will go toward Catholic Charities Scholarship contests for only has the resources but the responsibility to deal Aug. 18-21 events in Cologne, including World changes in their lives,” Oct. 6 at the Altar of the Chair in Tomasone; agencies’ emergency and long-term recov- prospective students will be with both domestic disasters like hurricanes and Youth Day and meetings with representatives of says Natalie Higbee, St.