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The promise of love See the couples who make that vow in our spring Marriage Supplement, pages 9-12. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com February 26, 2021 Vol. LXI, No. 20 75¢ Pope, Holocaust ‘I just try to remember that survivor talk about God has a plan for all of us’ the importance of remembering ROME (CNS)—A month after reading an interview in the Vatican newspaper with Edith Bruck, an author and Holocaust survivor, Pope Francis decided to pay her a visit at her home in the center of Rome. “I could never have imagined such a thing. When I opened the door, I burst out in tears and we embraced. We were both overcome with emotion,” Bruck told Vatican News after Pope Francis the pope left on Feb. 20. Bruck, 88, was born in Hungary to a poor Jewish family. In April 1944, they and their Jewish neighbors were rounded up and taken to the Nazi ghetto in Budapest and later that year sent to Auschwitz, where her mother died. Then they were sent to Dachau, where her father died, and on to Bergen-Belsen, which was liberated by the Allies in 1945. She moved to Rome in 1954 and has lived there since. Her latest book, Il Pane Perduto (The Lost Bread) was published on Jan. 20. In connection with the book’s publication and the annual commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jan. 27, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, published a long interview with her, recounting the horrors of the Shoah, but also the tiny points of light—small gestures of humanity—she experienced during her ordeal. Bruck said that during the pope’s visit, which lasted almost two hours, she shared her story with him, including the “five Young woman follows her dream to fulfill lights” she experienced in the camps. But the pope knew all about them. “He knew my book almost line by line.” wishes of children, youths facing cancer According to the Vatican press office, “The conversation with the pope covered those By John Shaughnessy Other wishes are beautiful and heartbreaking at the same moments of light sprinkled in the experience time, including one that a teenager had for his family. of the hell of the concentration camp,” and the Like a young fairy godmother, 27-year-old Liz Niemiec See LITTLE WISH, page 8 two spoke of “their fears and hopes for the has helped grant more than 2,500 wishes to children and time we are living in, underlining the value teenagers battling cancer in the past 11 years. In this 2019 photo, a girl reacts with surprise as she hears about the of remembrance and the role of elders in Many of the wishes evoke touches of joy, including gift she is receiving from the Little Wish Foundation, a non-profit cultivating and passing it on.” the ones where a child’s wish of getting a dog leads to a foundation that Liz Niemiec, right, started when she was 16 to grant “I have come to thank you for your beaming smile for the boy or girl. wishes to children and teenagers battling cancer. (Submitted photo) witness and to pay homage to the people martyred by the insanity of Nazism,” the See POPE, page 7 Parishes should plan now how best to welcome back parishioners to church WASHINGTON (CNS)—Even with the recent hopeful signs of vaccinations and the reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases, there is no certain date on which the coronavirus pandemic will be declared over. That should not stop parishes from planning now to welcome back parishioners to Mass in the future. “You can’t be thinking, ‘What will we do after the pandemic?’ You have to be doing it now,” said Dominican Sister Teresa Rickard, president and executive director of Renew International, which has been offering parish renewal programs since 1976. “I would be doing things leading up to the fall and going into next Christmas,” Sister Dominican Sister Teresa Teresa added. “People have to be creative, Rickard, president and innovating. It can’t be about maintenance. It’s executive director of Renew got to be about mission.” International, is seen in this “Don’t dwell on what you can’t do, 2018 file photo. (CNS photo/ See PANDEMIC, page 7 courtesy RENEW International) Page 2 The Criterion Friday, February 26, 2021 Fight temptation with faith, prayer, Public Schedule of Archbishop Charles C. Thompson penance, pope says at Angelus __________ VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Christians Although Jesus ultimately overcame February 27 – March 9, 2021 must never engage in dialogue with the the devil’s temptations, Pope Francis said devil, but instead must fight against his true victory came after his crucifixion February 27 – 11 a.m. March 4 – 5 p.m. temptations with and death. Confirmation Mass for youths of United States Conference of Catholic the same spiritual “In reality, death was the last ‘desert’ St. Michael Parish in Brookville and Bishops (USCCB) virtual National weapons Jesus used to cross in order to finally defeat Satan St. Nicholas Parish in Ripley County at Advisory Council meeting in the desert, Pope and free us all from his power. And in this St. Louis Church, Batesville Francis said. way Jesus won in the desert of death, so March 5 – 11 a.m. The Gospel account as to win in the resurrection,” the pope February 27 – 2 p.m. USCCB virtual National Advisory of Jesus’ temptation in said. Confirmation Mass for youths of Council meeting the desert, read each Nevertheless, while faith, prayer St. Louis Parish in Batesville and year at the beginning and penance are needed to overcome St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Morris March 5 – 1 p.m. of Lent, is a reminder temptation, the pope said it was also at St. Louis Church, Batesville USCCB Committee on Clergy, Pope Francis that following in the important for Christians to imitate Jesus Consecrated Life and Vocations virtual Lord’s footsteps “is who never entered “into dialogue with the February 28 – 9 a.m. meeting a battle against the spirit of evil,” in the devil; never!” Mass at St. Mary-of-the-Woods pope said on Feb. 21 during his Sunday While it may seem that there is a Church, St. Mary-of-the-Woods March 6 – 11 a.m. Angelus address. dialogue in the Gospel, he added, Jesus USCCB virtual National Advisory “We must be aware of the presence “does not respond with his words,” but March 2 – 10 a.m. Council meeting of this astute enemy, who seeks our rather with the word of God. Clergy Lenten Day of Prayer at eternal condemnation, our failure, and “If we enter into dialogue with the Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish, March 7 – noon prepare to defend ourselves against devil, we will be defeated,” the pope said. Greenwood USCCB virtual National Advisory him and to combat him,” he said. “The “Keep this in your head and in your heart: Council meeting grace of God assures us—with faith, you can never enter into dialogue with the March 3 – 10:30 a.m. prayer and penance—of our victory devil, no dialogue is possible. Only the Visit to Our Lady of Providence High March 9 – 10:30 a.m. over the enemy.” word of God.” School, Clarksville Priest Personnel Board meeting at The Gospel says Jesus spent 40 days Pope Francis encouraged Christians to Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara and 40 nights in the desert, which is “not be afraid of the desert” but instead, March 4 – 10 a.m. Catholic Center an important “natural and symbolic to seek moments of more prayer and Leadership Team meeting at environment” where God “speaks to the silence. Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara heart of the human person,” the pope said “Do not be afraid. We are called to Catholic Center, Indianapolis However, he said, it is also a “place of walk in God’s footsteps, renewing our trial and temptation” where the devil takes baptismal promises: renouncing Satan, advantage of one’s “human frailty and and all his works and all his empty needs,” and offers an alternative to God’s promises,” the pope said. “The enemy voice “that makes you see another road, a is crouching there; beware. But never Pope marks 90th anniversary of road of deception.” dialogue with him.” † Divine Mercy apparition How has the COVID-19 pandemic VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Marking emanated two rays of light. She said the 90th anniversary of the apparition Christ demanded to have this image of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, painted—along with the words “Jesus, had an impact on your faith? Pope Francis wrote a letter to Catholics I trust in you”—and venerated. A year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic to share your thoughts, experiences and in Poland expressing his hope that Her sainthood cause was opened began to have a dramatic and often stories of how the COVID-19 crisis has Christ’s message in 1965 by then- devastating impact on every aspect of affected your faith—the way you live of divine mercy Archbishop Karol life in the United States and around the your faith, the way you celebrate your would remain “alive Wojtyla of Krakow, world. A significant part of that impact faith, and whether it has deepened or in the hearts of the who—after his extended to the faith lives of people— weakened your faith. faithful.” election to the and their faith communities. It’s an Send your thoughts, experiences and According to a papacy—would impact that continues today and will stories to John Shaughnessy by e-mail at statement released go on to beatify undoubtedly continue into the future.