March — April 2019 Vol
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BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS TO THE DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH How ministers are bringing the Church to Catholics with disabilities MARCH — APRIL 2019 VOL. 35 | NO. 2 2 NORTHTEXASCATHOLIC.ORG OUR SHEPHERD SPEAKS Bishop Michael F. Olson, STD, MA BISHOP MICHAEL OLSON is the fourth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. @BpOlsonFW THE DEATH OF INFANTS, THE DEATH OF CONSCIENCE n January 22, 2019, New York Governor Governor Cuomo has failed to articulate whether he was Andrew Cuomo signed into law a statute that publicly celebrating as the chief executive of the State of New legalized abortion for the entire 40 weeks of a York while privately grieving in accord with his own personal woman’s pregnancy, including up to the moment moral and religious beliefs that he conveniently claims to be of a full-term delivery, based upon broad and Catholic. The governor’s actions and statements lack coher- Ovague criteria in determining a woman’s health. ence of reason and not simply inadequacy in Catholic faith. If something is inherently evil, it is evil all of the time and in The passage of the New York law has brought us further every place and circumstance. It is not simply a matter of pub- into the dark inevitabilities of what was prophesied by many lic point of view or privately held subjective values. people at the time of the Roe v. Wade decision: the legalization of abortion would lead ultimately to infanticide. The arrival It is clear that Governor Cuomo is not the only person — at the sad fulfillment of this prophecy is manifested by the Catholic or not — in our society to reduce the judgment of the shedding of the worn out euphemisms of the pro-abortion conscience to being a mediator of the choice to comply with movement including, “the fetus is a blob of tissue,” “it’s not the norms of societal conventions or with the desires of selfish a human being, it’s a potential human being,” “it’s a sad and preference. Yet, he has done so not in a private way, but in a tragic choice that confronts women, requiring that it at least be very public manner that not only affects the common good of made safe and rare.” The recent legislation makes it clear that society but also encourages others to act in a manner destruc- proponents of abortion on demand know full well that it is the tive to human life and happiness. This reduces the truth, ver- life of a baby at stake in balance with the choice of a mother ifiable by such empirical facts as the physiology of a pre-born to take that life with the cooperation of clinicians. baby, to a set of private values imposed in public life by the powerful dictate of the legislator, at the expense of the weaker In particular, the passage of the New York law was accom- but real members of our community. The governor offers to panied by anything but sadness by those responsible for its pas- public discourse a distinction without a real difference, and sage. It was celebrated with inebriated glee by legislators along excuses where reasons are called for. with Governor Cuomo as a triumph of capricious autonomy. The governor has been quick to articulate that “the decisions I As Catholics and as members of the human community, choose to make in my life, or in counseling my daughters, are we do harm to others if we settle for excuses. We each have based upon my personal moral and religious beliefs…but the the responsibility to form our consciences well, with reason oath of office is to the Constitutions of the United States and and faith, to uphold and protect the dignity of human life the State of New York — not to the Catholic Church. My reli- at all stages with consistency in both the public and private gion cannot demand favoritism as I execute my public duties.” spheres. MARCH / APRIL 2019 3 COVER STORY IN THIS ISSUE How local faithful ensure Catholics with disabilities are included March - April 2019 in the life of the Church. 24 18 TRANSPARENT TEXAS Texas dioceses join Fort Worth by releasing names of accused clergy. 23 GOLDEN MILESTONE Celebrating 50 years with one focus — the Holy Eucharist. 31 FRONTIER PRIEST Meet Father Peter Levy: sharpshooter and missionary in Texas’ Wild West years. 34 CASE FOR LIFE When does a human become a person? Why does the answer matter so much? 40 CRADLE CATHOLIC With Camp Fort Worth youth, Gregory Brown has built 300 cribs, and counting. Debbie Luenser talks with Brigid Conders, 22, during a religion class at Our Mother of Perpetual Help educational program. (NTC/Rodger Mallison) 48 CHURCH BEAUTIFUL Our Q&A series examines how church architecture draws us closer to the Lord. FOLLOW US ONLINE Visit NorthTexasCatholic.org for photo galleries, videos, the digital version of the magazine, and web-only articles. HAVE A STORY IDEA? Share it with us! Help us make sure your parish community is seen in the NTC online, in print, or on our quickly growing social media accounts. Submit your ideas and briefs to: [email protected]. 12 SERVANT SHEPHERD 20 MAKING LOVE LAST 4 NORTHTEXASCATHOLIC.ORG FROM THE EDITOR The Crossroads y political science professor would often give us this advice: M“Be open-minded, but not so open-minded that your brains fall out.” While delivered in good humor, his point was serious. Respect others and their ideas, don’t dismiss them summarily. At the same time, don’t forget common sense, maintain integrity, and uphold virtue. Know why before accepting or rejecting something and consider the potential outcome. Recent moves to expand abortion access in New York and elsewhere call us to remember this old adage. It seems that for the PUBLISHER BISHOP MICHAEL OLSON sake of “progress” we’ve replaced moderation with extremes — COmmUNICATIONS DIRECTOR PAT SVACINA and that is seldom good. We’ve let our brains fall out. In Virginia, Democratic delegate Kathy Tran was videotaped EDITOR JUAN GUAJARDO remarking about her recently introduced late-term abortion ASSOCIATE EDITOR SUSAN MOSES bill. Asked if her bill would extend to the point “that a woman is about to give birth,” Tran replied her bill would allow an EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ROSA ROSALES abortion — even if a woman is in labor. WEB DESIGNER CHRIS KASTNER In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the “Reproductive Health Act” which essentially allows abortion CIRCULATION CRISSY GROSSLEY on demand and removes protection for the infant accidentally born alive during an abortion. The legislation was greeted with CONTRIBUTORS MICHELE BAKER | JENARA KOCKS-BURGESS delighted cheers and applause. JERRY CIRCELLI | JAYME DONAHUE In New Mexico and Vermont, meanwhile, bills similar to SANDRA ENGELLAND | JOAN GILLEN New York’s are winding their ways through the state legislatures. ROdgER MALLISON | SUSAN MCFARLAND In all those cases, obfuscation, calculation, rationalization, VIOLETA ROCHA | MARTY SABOTA and euphemism seemed to have been the order of the day for MARY LOU SEEWOESTER | MATTHEW SMITH those pushing for the legislation. Common sense was seemingly BEN TORRES subdued in favor of “enlightenment,” “progress,” “open- mindedness,” and “we know best.” Pride blinded truth. TRANSLATOR YOLANDA NEWCOMB Alas, we’re not the first society to succumb to this negative side of “learnedness.” Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in REGULAR COLUMNISTS MARLON DE LA TORRE | JEff HEdgLEN one of his great discourses, laments for ancient Rome: “Since ALI HOffmAN | DAVID MILLS the learned men began to appear among us, good people RICHARD MATHEWS | CALLIE NOWLIN have slipped away.” In Eden, we committed the same mistake, JOEL DE LOERA | FR. MANUEL HOLGUIN preferring knowledge and the lust for being like God over being with God. To be sure, knowledge in itself isn’t bad! It’s not necessarily Editorial Office: 800 West Loop 820 S., Fort Worth, Texas 76108, 817-945-9424. good either. It’s amoral. It’s neutral. We decide whether it’s NORTH TEXAS CATHOLIC Magazine (USPS 751-370) (ISSN 0899-7020) is good or bad through our motives and actions. And this is the published bi-monthly by the Most Rev. Michael F. Olson, Bishop of the Diocese of crossroads for us. In these times, it does us well to remember that Fort Worth. For those who are not registered parishioners in the Diocese of Fort knowledge, guided by the divine (the Holy Spirit), is what really Worth, subscription rates are $18 for one year, $35 for two years, $50 for three moves us forward in this world and the next. It does us well to years. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Worth, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North Texas Catholic, 800 W. Loop 820 S., Fort Worth, Texas 76108. pray for wisdom — and the integrity, love of God, and courage to use it well. The appearance of advertising in these pages does not imply endorsement of businesses, services, or products. Readers must exercise prudence in responding to advertising in all media. For the Kingdom, For address changes, please contact Crissy Grossley, 817-945-9465. Juan Guajardo, Editor MARCH / APRIL 2019 5 Around the Diocese Austin Jordan places his hands on a display case containing wood of the true cross of Our Lord. (NTC/Ben Torres) Hundreds of faithful experience sacred relics FORT WORTH — To explained, are not magic and many, the practice no doubt contain no power in and of Campus ministry a spiritual seems odd at best and themselves. They can assist, sanctuary for TCU students profane idolatry at worst — however, in bringing one venerating body parts and closer to God.