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Western Kentucky Catholic 600 Locust Street Nonprofit Org. Owensboro, Kentucky 42301 U.S. Postage Western Kentucky Paid Owensboro, KY Change Service Requested Permit No. 111 CATHOLIC 42301 Volume 31, Number 9 The Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky November, 2004 Vocations Monstrance Makes First Entrance in Kentucky, Second in Nation By Joy Bach OWENSBORO,Ky. - In the summer of 2004, His Holiness Pope John Paul II blessed our monstrance specifically for“Adoration for Vocations.” This monstrance has been given to the Diocese of Owensboro by the Serra Club to be used in adoration at the Carmel Home in Owensboro where there has been perpetual adoration for the past 9 1/2 years. The monstrance will be available to all parishes within the Diocese for perpetual adoration, and also for 40 Hour celebrations, parish missions, Youth 2000, and other specifically requested events. Bishop John McRaith and Fr. Andy Garner, Diocesan Vocations Director, anticipate that this Vocations Monstrance will be used to conjointly celebrate The Year of the Eucharist as proclaimed by Pope John Paul II, and to pray for an outpouring of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, not only this year but in the years to come. In November, 1996, during the Vatican’s celebration of Pope John Paul II’s 5oth anniversary to the priesthood, attendees gave him 120 monstrances to be used for adoration for vocations in 20 countries. “This is the greatest gift I’ve been given for my 50th anniversary to the priesthood,” the Pope said as he blessed the monstrances. “May Jesus bless you and your prayers Pope John Paul II blessed these 120 mon- with many vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.” strances in Rome during a celebration of his One of those first monstrances went to members of the Norwich, Con- Golden Anniversary of Ordination as a Priest. necticut, Diocesan Vocation Committee. Over the next several months, Submitted photo perpetual adoration grew from one chapel to another. Now each chapel in their Connecticut Diocese, are looking into getting has committed to a full week of perpetual adoration before the monstrance another monstrance. is moved to another chapel. A fifth chapel is now on the horizon and the The Serra Club has been called the “Vocation Arm of Diocesan Vocations Director Fr. couple, David and Bridie Craig who initiated the first Adoration for Vocations Continued on page Andy Garner and Serran Bill Bach presented a monstrance from Rome Pope asks Catholics to spend time adoring Christ in Blessed Sacrament for Perpetual Adoration to Sr. Fran- ces Teresa Scully, D.C.J., at Carmel By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service Home. Joy Bach photo VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II asked Catholics to spend time during the coming year in adoration before Christ pression of the faith and, perhaps, of the present in the Blessed Sacrament and offer praise to God for liturgy of the church in apostolic times.” the gift of salvation. The verses offer a “grand icon of Christ, At the end of his Oct. 13 general audience, held in a St. Peter’s the heart of Christian spirituality and wor- Square dampened by rain, the pope reminded visitors that he ship,” but also the one who creates unity officially will begin the Year of the Eucharist Oct. 17. among all the creatures of the universe and He encouraged people to commit themselves, like the Blessed Continued on page 2 Virgin Mary, “to following Jesus, the way, the truth and the life.” Editor’s Note:From Bishop John McRaith’s “Be frequent adorers of the most holy Eucharist,” he said. Letter on page 2... “Our Holy Father has In his main audience talk, the pope focused on the canticle written a special letter, “Mane Nobiscum of blessing found in St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians and used Domine,” (Stay With Us, Lord) for the each week in the church’s evening prayer. opening of The Year of the Eucharist which Although he had less difficulty speaking than he did the week is reprinted here on pages 3-7. I wish to Pope John Paul II prays as he leads his weekly Wednesday before, the pope read only a few sentences of his prepared text share Pope John Paul II’s letter with you in audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 13. The in Italian. the hope that it will be a year when we all pope reminded pilgrims of the Oct. 17 start of the Year of The canticle from Ephesians begins, “Blessed be the God strengthen our faith in the celebration of the the Eucharist and called for renewed commitment “to fol- and father of Our Lord Jesus, who has blessed us in Christ Mass and through Eucharistic Adoration lowing Jesus, the way, the truth and the life.” (CNS photo with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” outside of Mass.” from Reuters) (Oct. 13, 2004) The pope’s text described the canticle as a “marvelous ex- 2 The Western Kentucky Catholic, November, May We Give Thanks For The Gift of Our Faith And For The Eucharist Dear Friends, have been close to us in a special way, we also pray for all those who have gone before As I write this message to all of you, I am us from the beginning of time. mindful that we are soon to find ourselves This leads us to Thanksgiving Day. There are so many things for which we have to be in the month of November. We celebrate thankful, but so often it is the material things that we think about on Thanksgiving Day. many important days in November, but I On this Thanksgiving Day, I would hope that we give thanks — not just for material want to call special attention to the Feast of things, or even for our families and friends, as blessed as we are to have them — but All Saints, November 1, the feast of all the that we give thanks for our faith and all that entails. faithful departed (All Souls) on November I would suggest that we give special thanks this year for the Eucharist. Our Holy 2, and the celebration of Thanksgiving, Father has declared October 2004 – October 2005 as The Year of the Eucharist. The November 25th. Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The Eucharist is an action of The Feast of All Saints reminds us that Thanksgiving to God. Our faith – the great gift from God – enables us to truly believe there are unknown saints in heaven, and the in the Eucharist as the center of Christian life. We celebrate the Eucharist when we Church reminds us that sanctity is within celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass – in a special act of faith, we believe that the everyone’s reach. Through the Communion Holy Sacrifice of the Mass makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior. of Saints, we help one another achieve Our Holy Father has written a special letter for the opening of The Year of the Eucharist sanctity. Our hopes are summed up in the which is reprinted here on pages 3-7. I wish to share Pope John Paul II’s letter with you opening prayer for the Feast of All Saints: in the hopes that it will be a year when we all strengthen our faith in the celebration of “Father, all powerful and ever-living God, the Mass and through Eucharistic Adoration outside of Mass. today we rejoice in the holy men and women Let us join with our Holy Father on this Thanksgiving Day in giving thanks to an of every time and place. May their prayers ever-loving Jesus who shares Himself with us through the Eucharist. bring us your forgiveness and love.” Sincerely in Christ, We have this feast to remind us that at the end of our pilgrimage from this life to eternal life – we are called to be saints. Our Most Reverend John J. McRaith, prayers are joined with those who are now D.D. + Most Reverend John J. McRaith, Bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro in heaven, that we will live our lives on this earth so that we might one day join them for all eternity in heaven. Do not let this the Church fulfills the great commandment (Continued from page 1) of charity toward the dead. They too are part Vocations Monstrance day go by without praying to these saints. the Church.” Hence receiving the vocations monstrance for the Diocese of Owensboro Many of them are from our own families; of us, and through our prayers, suffering, and penances, we can continue to reach out is a logical extension of the Club’s mission. Recognizing that there is a very serious they are people that we shared the practice shortage of priests and religious within our Diocese, a tangible plan to bring the faithful of our faith with while on our journey. They to those who have gone before us. Again, some of those for whom we pray may to prayer for vocations became a necessity. Eucharistic adoration has been especially are one with us now, as they were then. effective in increasing vocations. The Archbishop of Atlanta acknowledges that his ten On November 2, we celebrate the Feast be family members, or friends, or all those who have traveled the journey with us and perpetual adoration chapels have been his “secret vocation weapon.” After Eucharistic of All Souls, the day that the Church (which adoration, he has ordained 80 priests. It is our understanding that the Archbishop of includes all of us) prays for all who are are now waiting for that moment to join all the saints.