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Diocesan Men Called to Lead 50¢ March 4, 2012 Volume 86, No. 9 GO DIGITAL todayscatholicnews.org todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend CLICK ON CIRCULATION TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC Stewardship A multigenerational endeavor Pages 8-10 Diocesan men called to lead BY TIM JOHNSON In Truth and Charity Lent: A journey of conversion FORT WAYNE — A trio of dynamic speakers, Confessions, and Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin Page 2 C. Rhoades encouraged men to accept their role as spiritual leaders at the Feb. 25 diocesan men’s conference. Concentrating on the theme, “a call to lead,” Father Andrew Budzinski, parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Fort Wayne, offered a Treating infertility challenge to the 1,400 men gathered: “Consider how you will concretely lead in imitation of Christ in your Vatican hosts workshop parish, family and marriage.” Page 3 Held at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Center in Fort Wayne, the Feb. 26 event brought representatives from 70 parishes across the diocese and some participants traveling from as far away as Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Priestly celibacy Michigan and Ohio. Rekindle the Fire and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend presented the Notre Dame holds symposium second annual conference. Page 4 Franciscan Father David Mary Engo began the day’s talks centering on the sacrament of Reconciliation. He described God’s mercy as the ocean and when we confess our sins, it is as if we are throwing drops Contraception of water in the ocean of mercy. Priests from across the diocese heard confessions What’s a Catholic to think? throughout the day. Series begins Page 11 Deepen our understanding of faith JOE ROMIE In the afternoon session, Father Engo told the men, “We need to deepen our understanding of the Men from across the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend conclude the second annual faith,” and meet the challenges of the culture. Diocesan Men’s Conference with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. The confer- Diocesan playoffs ence was sponsored by Rekindle the Fire and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. CYO, ICCL teams square off MEN, PAGE 16 Page 13 THE RITE OF ELECTION AND CALL OF CANDIDATES TO CONTINUING CONVERSION PHOTOS BY JOE ROMIE Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades celebrated the Rite of Election and Call of Candidates to Continuing Conversion at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, Feb. 26. These rites will be celebrated at St. Matthew Cathedral on Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. In the photo, left, Bishop Rhoades signs the Books of the Elect as Deacon Jim Tighe assists. At right, the elect, those awaiting baptism, are shown with their sponsors. 2 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC March 4, 2012 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the Lent: A journey of conversion Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades IN TRUTH AND EDITOR: Tim Johnson NEWS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad CHARITY Editorial Department BY BISHOP KEVIN C. RHOADES PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan FREELANCE WRITERS: Lauren Caggiano, Michelle Castleman, Karen Clifford, Bonnie Elberson, Denise Fedorow, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” With Diane Freeby, May Lee Johnson, Sister these words, Jesus began his public ministry. He calls us to conversion. We hear this call Margie Lavonis, CSC, Joe Kozinski, anew every year during the season of Lent. Vince LaBarbera and Deb Wagner The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that our Lord’s call to conversion Business Department “does not aim first at outward works, ‘sack- BUSINESS MANAGER: Sean McBride cloth and ashes,’ fasting and mortification, AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber but at the conversion of the heart, interior BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol conversion. Without this, such penances [email protected] remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible Advertising Sales signs, gestures and works of penance” (CCC 1430). Tess Steffen (Fort Wayne area) Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are good (260) 456-2824 and important practices during Lent and Jeanette Simon (South Bend area) are a great help to our spiritual growth. (574) 234-0687 They help us on our journey of conver- Web site: www.todayscatholicnews.org sion. However, these practices must not be performed only as an external fulfillment, Published weekly except the fourth but as the expression of our interior disposi- Sunday in June, second and fourth tion: the conversion of our hearts, what the weeks in July and August, the first Fathers of the Church called cumpunctio week of September and last week cordis, “repentance of heart.” in December by the Diocese of Fort Our external works of penance are to be Wayne-South Bend, 1103 S. Calhoun accompanied by an interior desire to return St., P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. MARK WEBER Periodicals postage paid at Fort Wayne, to the Lord, to turn away from evil. We IN, and additional mailing office. ask the Lord to help us to overcome sinful “Repent and believe in the Gospel” were the words bestowed with ashes at habits, to cleanse us of unholy desires, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne at the noon Mass POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: to purify un-Christian ways of thinking or Today’s Catholic, P.O. Box 11169, Fort acting that may have crept into our lives. on Ash Wednesday, celebrated by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. Wayne, IN 46856-1169 or email: Sometimes, we can experience powerful [email protected]. forces within us, temptations to sin, that we find hard to resist. During Lent, we resolve they did not understand why God did not what is good for them from every point of MAIN OFFICE: 915 S. Clinton St., Fort to do battle with sin in our lives. We say seem to notice this or reward them for their view: physical, moral and spiritual.” He Wayne, IN 46802. Telephone (260) to God: “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have fasting. The problem was that their exterior cites two parables of Jesus as examples for 456-2824. Fax: (260) 744-1473. sinned.” We ask the Lord to take us by the fasting did not express interior penance. us: the parable of the Good Samaritan and BUREAU OFFICE: 1328 Dragoon Trail, hand and lead us along the way He wishes In fact, God reprimanded them through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Telephone (574) us to follow. 234-0687. Fax (574) 830-1042. Isaiah, telling them that their fasting was both found in the Gospel of Luke. “Both The Catechism describes interior repen- not acceptable to him because it was merely parables show examples of the opposite of News deadline is the Monday morning tance as “a radical reorientation of our external. They were unjust in their dealings ‘being concerned,’ of looking upon others before publication date. Advertising whole life, a return, a conversion to God with others and ignored those in need. with love and compassion.” Pope Benedict deadline is nine days before publica- with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning It should not be surprising that God states that “reaching out to others and open- tion date. away from evil, with repugnance toward ignores fasts or other practices if those who ing our hearts to their needs can become an the evil actions we have committed. At the perform them commit sins against justice opportunity for salvation and blessedness.” Today’s Catholic may be reached at : same time it entails the desire and resolu- and charity. God says he will have nothing Acts of charity towards our neighbor are Today’s Catholic, tion to change one’s life, with hope in to do with the hypocrisy of those who per- part of our Lenten journey of conversion. I P.O. Box 11169, Fort Wayne, IN God’s mercy and trust in the help of his form fasts but behave wickedly, whereas he think especially of almsgiving, by which we 46856-1169; or email: grace” (CCC 1431). will certainly listen to prayers and fasting if express concrete concern for the poor. [email protected] The good news of Lent is that God gives they are accompanied by acts of justice and During this Lenten season, let us not ISSN 0891-1533 us the strength to begin anew. He gives us charity. This is a warning to us not to just forget the priority of interior conversion, USPS 403630 his grace. We think especially of the great go through the motions of religious obser- the conversion of the heart. Our hearts are gift he has given us in the Sacrament of vance. The corporal and spiritual works of moved to this conversion when we look Penance and Reconciliation. Jesus instituted mercy are signs of authentic conversion upon him whom our sins have pierced. this sacrament to offer us a new opportu- and growth in holiness. Love of neighbor Saint Clement of Rome wrote: “Let us fix nity to convert and to be restored to God’s and works of mercy manifest true love of our eyes on Christ’s blood and understand grace. It brings about a true “spiritual res- God. When we examine our consciences, how precious it is to his Father, for, poured urrection” in us. In a sense, we pass from it is important to ask ourselves whether the out for our salvation, it has brought to the death to life when we go to confession fruits of love are present in our lives. whole world the grace of repentance.” and receive absolution. I encourage all to Pope Benedict’s Lenten message this On Ash Wednesday, we heard the words receive this sacrament of conversion during year focuses on the following passage from of Saint Paul imploring the Corinthians: the season of Lent.
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