Dorothy Day in the 1940s. FROM THE CARDINAL THE DUTY OF HOPE n December 1932, Dorothy Day to love the unlovable; to continue serv- knelt in the crypt of the newly ing individuals who responded selfish- built Shrine of the Immaculate ly, ungraciously or destructively. “They Conception in Washington, D.C. are our brothers and sisters in Christ,” “I offered up a special prayer,” she she reminded us. Iwrote, “that some way would open up Elsewhere in this issue, you will find for me to use what talents I possessed a testament to the love of God’s chil- for my fellow workers, for the poor.” dren lived out by the women and men The following day, she would return of ArchCare, the health-care service of to New York and find the visionary the Archdiocese of New York. The doc- Peter Maurin waiting for her with a tors, nurses, chaplains and other care- brilliant proposal that would become givers of ArchCare, both professional the blueprint for the Catholic Worker and volunteer, deliver God’s love in the movement. Listening to him, Dorothy very tangible forms of medicine, food had the grace to understand that her and shelter, but they also deliver the prayer had been answered. She went on intangible: warmth, attention, caring, to become perhaps the most influential the sense of being part of a community American Catholic of the 20th century, and a family. I am thankful every day a true servant of God and, maybe one for this extraordinary team that is ded- day, Saint Dorothy Day. icated to serving others. Reading this issue of Archways, I hope As we welcome spring, looking ahead you will feel the joy with which Doro- to milder weather and the deeply mean- thy greeted God’s creation, even when ingful liturgical seasons of Lent and she felt frustration with an earthly sys- Easter, let us join Dorothy Day as she tem that impoverished some and visited prayed back in 1932. We’ve had setbacks injustice on others. I hope you will feel lately regarding the sanctity of life – but God’s hope, which stirred within her let us remember Dorothy’s “duty of and made her capable of picking her- hope” as we pray for a way to redeem self up again and again – “the duty of Most of all, I hope you will feel the a world riven by partisanship and poi- hope,” she called it – to bear witness on love of God as it coursed through soned by cruelty and injustice. And let behalf of Christ in the world and con- Dorothy to the people she served and us be open to receiving and transmit- tinue working for the needy. taught. She was famous for her ability ting the love of Christ. With prayerful best wishes, I am Faithfully in Christ, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York Archways † SPRING 2019 1 Photo courtesyPhoto Department the of Collections Special of University and Archives, Marquette University Libraries 1 FROM THE CARDINAL Archways † SPRING 2019 18 THE HEALING On Dorothy Day, ArchCare MERCIES OF and the duty of hope ARCHCARE 4 FORUM How the Church declares The long-term care prescription for a saint (with great care); 12 THE LEGENDARY the elderly and the underserved: bedtime questions for young communicants love, faith and modern medicine GRACE OF 6 NEWS AND NOTES Bringing parishes into the 24 EIGHT DECADES digital age; how the Black History Month Mass drives DOROTHY DAY OF CYO a year’s worth of ministry; the Archdiocese of New York’s If you think it’s just about basketball, Safe Environment Program, Journalist, activist, single mother, guess again: the faith-based youth protecting children from abuse; books by and about servant to the poor – will the founder organization offers a long list of Dorothy Day; where do the programs, including track and field, dollars go when you donate of the Catholic Worker movement bowling, chess, cheerleading and golf, to the Cardinal’s Annual Stewardship Appeal? be the next New York saint? plus an art and essay contest 28 EVENTS From around the archdiocese: education, entertainment, volunteer opportunities and more CONTACT US EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: archny.org OFFICE: 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022 archnewyork ny_arch Black History Month Mass St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Manhattan archnewyork archny 2 Archways † SPRING 2019 Archways † SPRING 2019 3 FORUM FAITH AND FAMILY SETTING THE STAGE FOR FIRST COMMUNION: ASK A PRIEST A BEDTIME Q&A It’s springtime, and many families around the archdiocese are getting ready for a First Communion: shopping for a kid-sized suit or white dress, summoning relatives, perhaps planning a party. Amid the celebration, how can we ensure that our children appreciate the deeper meaning of the sacrament? Sr. Cora Lombardo, ASCJ, director of How does the Church decide to call someone a saint? religious education at Immaculate Conception / Assumption Parish in Tuckahoe, offers some pointers for parents. Questions can open us up to God The cause for a saint is governed an inquiry on a miracle that occurred and each other, and the right ones will by a very detailed process. It’s part of through the intercession of the servant help prepare our children to receive ecclesiastical law. The process is there, of God. In most cases this is a terminal the transformative blessings of the like any legal process, to guarantee the medical condition, or a permanent Eucharist. Here are three for parents integrity of what it is we’re about, and condition such as blindness, cured as to ask their little communicants each so that the Holy Father can reach the a result of prayer to the servant of God, evening before tucking them in. certitude required to declare someone supported by records and testimony and a saint. the fact that there is no earthly scientific 1. What do you want to thank God for? Typically, the road to canonization explanation for the cure. Reports and Our society is one of entitlement. starts with a gathering of individuals documentation of the miracle must also This question shifts our focus to who are convinced of the saintly merits be sent to Rome. the good things God is giving us – or in canonical parlance, the heroic At this point, we enter the Roman right now; it nurtures an attitude virtue – of a person who has died. In the phase of the cause, during which the of gratitude – a virtue we want to instance of Dorothy Day, for example, Congregation for the Causes of Saints encourage in our children. John Cardinal O’Connor, who was studies all of the materials presented In Greek, the word eucharistia then the archbishop of New York, in great depth and carries out further means “giving thanks.” By asking this began in the 1990s a series of meetings investigation of its own. Once they question, you help prepare your child to consider establishing a case – called have certified the claims of heroic to celebrate Mass. You gently remind a cause – for her sainthood. In 1998, virtue represented in the writings and her or him that we go to Mass to give A statue of St. Francis of Assisi. he sought the formal approval of her the testimonies, the Holy See confers thanks to God, to praise Him for all cause from the Congregation for the the title of venerable upon the servant that He does for us. Causes of Saints in Rome, and in 2000 by the servant of God, published of God. Following that, if the Vatican’s the cause was approved. The Vatican or unpublished, and the tribunal, experts and theologians certify the 2. What do you want to tell God you’re issued a nihil obstat (Latin for “nothing which in this case I am leading along miracle, the Holy Father authorizes sorry for? this morning?” A friend of mine did After your child names someone hinders”) and conferred on Dorothy with the promotor of justice, who is a ceremony of beatification, at which We all miss the mark somewhere in this with her son and helped him to pray for, you might ask, “Is there the ecclesiastical title of servant of God. charged with ensuring the integrity point the candidate receives the title our day. When we ask this question, discover that something he had done anything else we can do? Do you want Once a nihil obstat is obtained, the of the proceedings. The tribunal takes of blessed. we encourage our children to think truly was a sin. to make a card for them? Shall we bishop of the originating diocese formal testimony from witnesses who After beatification, one more miracle about where they may have sinned Why do this? You are the primary bake a cake and visit them?” announces by decree the initiation of knew the servant of God, which is is necessary, supported and certified by and to learn the difference between a educator of your child. These short Questions like these draw our the diocesan inquiry. He also appoints then transcribed and put into a format the same process as the first. After that sin and a simple mistake. faith dialogues are examples of family attention away from ourselves and a Vatican-approved postulator, who designated by the Holy See. We will milestone, a ceremony of canonization Perhaps your child responds: “I spilt catechesis. They help young children toward others; they lead us toward a resides in Rome, to represent the cause probably end up with approximately 50 is performed and a new saint is added milk at supper!” You know this was an understand the holy sacrament of life of service.