Inside Taking a stand for faith Hundreds gather in rain for religious freedom rally, Criterion page 15. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com March 30, 2012 Vol. LII, No. 24 75¢ Baltimore Archbishop- designate Lori reflects on ties to Happel Cornwell Patricia Photos by Cardinal Ritter, New Albany, family By Sean Gallagher Archbishop-designate William E. Lori of Baltimore has walked the halls of political power in the U.S. Capitol in Washington many Above, Bishop Christopher J. Coyne offers times during the last the opening prayer at a March 25 Mass at several months, St. Francis Xavier Church in Henryville advocating for a three weeks after two tornadoes devastated the renewed defense of community. Father Steve Schaftlein, pastor, religious freedom. looks on as altar server Conner Martin, 11, As chairman of assists the bishop. At right is cantor the U.S. bishops’ Barbara Gilley. Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Left, volunteers pause to greet Father Steven Archbishop-designate Freedom, the Schaftlein, right, pastor of St. Francis Xavier William E. Lori New Albany native Parish in Henryville, on March 23 while repairing has been one of the Church’s chief voices the church’s roof. It was severely damaged on calling on President Barack Obama to rescind March 2 when a tornado knocked the church’s his administration’s mandate that nearly all chimney onto the roof, shattering three large oak employers provide free abortifacient, beams. Pictured are Michael Frick of Nineveh, sterilization and contraception coverage to left, Nick Clifton, Jeremy Helms, Randy Jewell in their employees even if they are opposed in the yellow hard hat, Gary Israel on the scaffold, conscience to these medicines and all of Indianapolis, and Father Schaftlein. procedures. In being such a prominent public advocate for religious freedom, Bishop Coyne commends St. Francis Xavier Archbishop-designate Lori is following in the footsteps of another son of New Albany, parishioners, assures archdiocese’s long-term Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter. Nearly 50 years ago, Cardinal Ritter stood on the floor of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome commitment to tornado-ravaged area during the final session of the Second Vatican Council to persuade his brother bishops from By Patricia Happel Cornwell parishioners for actively demonstrating their The bishop pledged the archdiocese’s around the world that religious liberty is part Special to The Criterion Christian faith during the aftermath of the resources to help restore the parish and of the teaching of the Church. recent tornadoes. community “for as long as you need us,” In the end, the vast majority of bishops HENRYVILLE—Beneath the “In this community in the past few and said, “thank you for showing [others] voted in favor of “Dignitatis Humanae,” the tarp-covered roof of St. Francis Xavier weeks,” he said, “we’ve seen people step up what it means to be Catholic.” Council’s “Declaration on Religious Church, Bishop Christopher J. Coyne and show others what it’s like to be a good To date, the archdiocese has received Freedom.” concelebrated Mass on March 25 with Christian and a good Catholic. Jesus tells us nearly $300,000 in its tornado relief efforts. At the time, Cardinal Ritter was serving Father Steven Schaftlein, the parish’s pastor. over and over that we have to die to Father Schaftlein, pastor of both as the archbishop of St. Louis. He had Plywood covered some windows, and a ourselves and live for others. It’s not about St. Francis Xavier Parish in Henryville and previously led the Archdiocese of box-like supporting structure blocked the me. It’s about the needs of others. St. Michael Parish in Charlestown, said that Indianapolis. area beneath the church’s damaged roof. “We can see the devastation when a during the first 10 days after the disaster, Archbishop-designate Lori was ordained Orange work lamps provided lighting for tragedy like this occurs, but we can also see St. Francis parishioners fed 5,000 people a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington the organist and cantor. how God works. God works through the per day. Henryville’s population is in 1977. In his homily, Bishop Coyne, people around us, answering our prayers only 1,900. For the past 10 years, he has served as the apostolic administrator, commended through the people in our community.” See ST. FRANCIS, page 2 See LORI, page 9 Spirit of Service winners are committed to helping those in need By John Shaughnessy St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis when a parish committee was William Spangler believes in the simple trying to decide the needs of the parish approaches that can change a person’s life during an archdiocesan capital campaign. and the lives of others. “All of the committee members had an Take the first step, knowing it can lead to idea for what the parish needed the most,” an amazing journey. recalls Tom Hirschauer, a St. Luke Speak up, parishioner. “Expand the school. Repair the knowing your voice roof. Add a community center. Then came can help others the voice of Bill. He said that while all pursue a worthy these things were needed, shouldn’t we purpose. think about the real work of the Church So it seems fitting and how we could use this campaign to Shelter. And he has been a member of to share a simple, provide for those less fortunate. St. Luke’s Christian Social Action Mission revealing story about “Bill’s suggestion was to raise at least for 20 years. Spangler—one of the $250,000 to start a St. Luke Endowment to “I really feel blessed because service six people who will be used to help the poor. Bill was heard, has strengthened my faith immeasurably,” be honored by the and the parish responded. We now have an he says. “We tend to think we need to be William Spangler archdiocese with the endowment that is providing funds to help some tremendously gifted person to help 2012 Spirit of Service the poor.” others. But we all have the tools to do Award, a group that also includes Spangler’s actions also back his words. something for someone. Take that Tom Egold, Pat and Elaine Jerrell, and He has served as the chairman of the board first step, and let God do the rest.” Fred and Mary Pitzer. of Catholic Charities Indianapolis. He has It also helps to remember that “Jesus Spangler’s telling story took place at volunteered on the board of Holy Family See AWARDS, page 8 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, March 30, 2012 representatives arrived in the town on ST. FRANCIS March 3, and most had completed their continued from page 1 assessments and left by March 17. The deadline for applying to FEMA is May 8. The parish provided food to victims People seeking aid at St. Francis Xavier and volunteers with help from the Parish are now being referred to Happel Cornwell Patricia Photos by Clark County Sheriff’s Department, Catholic Charities. Little Caesar’s, Papa John’s Pizza, Taco Bell At the St. Francis parking lot, trucks are and individual donors. filled with essentials—from soap and socks Representatives of the Red Cross, to shovels and food. Shelves were delivered Indiana Homeland Security, National Guard on March 23 so supplies could be organized and Federal Emergency Management Agency in the church basement. Donated goods are (FEMA) converged on Henryville immediately being stored at St. Francis and a nearby after the disaster, and the archdiocesan lumber warehouse because people whose Catholic Charities staff organized training homes were demolished have nowhere to sessions for volunteer case managers. The keep large quantities of goods at one time. case managers from parishes throughout the “Traffic [of victims requesting aid] has archdiocese will stay in contact with assigned dropped to about 10 percent of what it was families to help them through the process of right after the tornadoes. But the need accessing available resources, and rebuilding continues. We want to be able to completely their homes and lives. restock a family’s needs a house at a time,” Trudy Stephens of Marengo Father Schaftlein said. volunteered to conduct intake interviews The parish will now begin sending Bishop Christopher J. Coyne and Father Steven Schaftlein greet parishioners as they leave Mass at for Catholic Charities in a trailer at the out volunteer crews to help rebuild homes, St. Francis Xavier Church in Henryville on March 25. The bishop pledged the archdiocese’s long-term St. Francis Church parking lot. a prospect that the pastor expects to go assistance to the parish and community as they rebuild from the destructive March 2 tornadoes. “I just came because I could help,” on for a year. He expects the number of she said. out-of-town groups offering to help with students will finish the school year at Her words could be the anthem of reconstruction will also “ramp up” in April borrowed facilities. Elementary students thousands of volunteers who converged on the as weather becomes milder. resumed classes on March 19 at the vacant area following the March 2 tornadoes when Nearly 100 Purdue University students Graceland School in New Albany, and 175-mile-per-hour winds flattened much of were among the first volunteers to arrive high school students will return to classes on the small towns of Henryville, Marysville and to help with cleanup in Henryville and April 2 at Mid-America Science Park Osgood. nearby Marysville. The students were from in Scottsburg. Tractor-trailer loads of “The first 10 days, thousands of people 20 countries, including China, India, school supplies have been donated by took off work and just stayed with us to help Colombia and Brazil.