Young Catholics Have Plenty Are Her Now
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THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK • WINTER 2019/2020 Archways YOUNG & CATHOLIC Carrying the Message of Christ into Tomorrow Give/Receive Seek − and Find − a Well-Rounded Life of Service, Prayer and Celebration One Christ, Many Welcomes Plus: We Greet Jesus in Many Languages and Many Traditions Pierre Toussaint Scholars Science and Religion New York Catholic Youth Day Are They Incompatible? Essential Events Around the Archdiocese Cardinal Dolan at New York Catholic Youth Day 2019. FROM THE CARDINAL GENERATION OF FAITH on’t let anyone look down of young people who are carrying the sometimes drives students away from on you because you are message of Christ into the world with the Church. If you think that science “D young, but set an example joy and mercy and humility. and religion are incompatible, the for the believers in speech, in conduct, In our cover story, “Young and Cath- professor has a surprise for you. in love, in faith and in purity.” olic,” you’ll meet schoolgirls devot- Of course, for our young people to – 1 Timothy 4:12 ing themselves to the Blessed Mother, grow into committed Catholics, we setting a profound example for their need to nurture and protect them in Who doesn’t love seeing our chil- parish, and middle schoolers finding their early, vulnerable years. That’s dren on the altar at Christmas, per- creative ways to involve their fellow stu- why our Newsfeed section for Winter forming the Nativity? In my years as dents in feeding the hungry. You’ll also 2019–2020 provides an update on the your archbishop, I have been blessed meet teenagers and young adults flour- measures we take every day to prevent to witness youngsters of all races and ishing in the mission of Jesus to bring abuse of children in the Archdiocese cultural groups joyously raising their comfort and compassion to others: of New York. voices in song and standing proud- studying scripture, spreading the Gos- Elsewhere in the issue, you’ll find ly in their costumes to represent the pel, helping the needy, and creating joy insights on the veneration of relics, a Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Jo- through their energy and loving care. roundup of Christmas songs from a seph, the shepherds, the magi, even In a related vein, “Scholars in Ser- few of the diverse Catholic cultures of the sheep and cows who were in the vice” offers a report on the remarkably New York, some holiday gift and mov- stable where our Savior was born. successful Pierre Toussaint Scholar- ie suggestions, and a listing of events These young people know – as I do ship Fund, currently supporting more you’ll want to know about from Staten – what a privilege it is to help to reveal than 70 scholars at various levels of Island to Sullivan County and every- the Nativity of Christ. They also know college and postgraduate education. where in between. that God sees them there. He knows Many of this program’s alumnae and I hope you’ll find this issue to be a each of them as individuals, welcomes alumni, still young adults, are putting source of hope and joy. Remember, Je- them, and loves them. their knowledge and talent to use in sus came into the world as a baby and As Pope Francis observed in his the causes of social justice, education, He experienced childhood and youth. apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit and evangelization. As a boy, He went to the temple and (Christ Is Alive), the young are not And in “The Science of Faith,” Pro- taught the grown-ups a thing or two. just the future of the Church: They fessor Stephen Barr, the president Today’s young Catholics have plenty are Her now. In this issue of Archways, of the Society of Catholic Scientists, to teach their elders, too. I, for one, we celebrate this now with portraits addresses a widespread myth that am listening. Wishing you all a joyful Christmas and a blessed year ahead, I am Yours in Christ, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York † WINTER 2019-20 1 Archways † WINTER 2019-20 26 ONE CHRIST, MANY WELCOMES In the glorious diversity of our archdiocese, 12 YOUNG we greet Jesus in many languages and traditions 1 FROM THE CARDINAL 30 EVENTS The next generation of Catholics What’s going on in the archdiocese AND CATHOLIC spreads its wings These young people will carry the message 4 FORUM CONTACT US of Christ into tomorrow Why we venerate relics, what movies to EMAIL: [email protected] watch this Christmas – and your letters WEBSITE: archny.org to Archways! OFFICE: 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022 20 GIVE / RECEIVE 6 NEWS AND NOTES archnewyork archnewyork Seek — and find — a well-rounded life of service, The road to healing in the wake of the clergy abuse crisis; the extraordinary ny_arch archny prayer and celebration scholars of the Pierre Toussaint Scholarship Fund; a Catholic scientist on the intersection of science and religion New York Catholic Youth Day 2019 at Westchester County Center. FORUM TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY Of Elves and Angels Let’s be clear here. We’re not saying you shouldn’t watch your favorite hol- iday classics. If the DVDs of Rudolph ASK A PRIEST and The Santa Clause and Elf occupy a place of honor alongside your orna- ments and advent calendars, please go ahead and enjoy them. But consider this: We live in a culture BUY THIS where the fantasy of a white-bearded magician with flying reindeer and a What is a relic, and why do we workforce of cheerful toymakers over- NOT THAT venerate them? shadows the unfathomable miracle of God coming to Earth as a baby and For six years, I was fortunate to live our homes. These physical living among us for 33 years. If we’re in the heart of Rome, at the Casa Santa “relics” remind us of the not careful, the consumerist take on Maria of the Pontifical North Ameri- love we still share with the Santa story can overwhelm the can College. My neighbors there in- that person. I remember original spirit of the holiday, equat- her devoted husband leading her atop the Savior has arrived in a world deep- cluded apostles and saints: Behind the how my heart was torn ing love and joy with material posses- a donkey on the arduous journey ly in need of salvation. Casa Santa Maria, at the Basilica of the when, after my parents’ sions. Especially where children are from Nazareth to Bethlehem. There It sounds serious, and it is: the deep Twelve Apostles, is the tomb where the deaths, I had to consid- watching, we need a reminder of what are poor shepherds, villagers suffer- source of joy that enables the light- apostles Philip and James are locat- er disposing of personal Linus is trying to tell us at the end of ing under Roman occupation, the un- hearted fun of all those secular holi- ed, and in other tombs and churches things that evoked mem- A Charlie Brown Christmas. adorned reality of delivering a child day movies. So go ahead and enjoy the around the city, the relics of many oth- ories but also reminded Mother Cabrini Shrine, Manhattan In The Nativity Story, there are no in a cave-like stable amid livestock. Santa films and the morally instruc- er saints are housed. me that my parents were big-name actors, high-tech flying There are also angels, magi, a glorious tive transformations of George Bailey In the Catholic Church, the term rel- still a part of my life. In a sleighs or choreographed crowds of star and the birth of Jesus followed by and Ebenezer Scrooge. Just don’t for- ic refers to bodily remains of a saint or similar manner, Catholics treasure the healing or the miraculous event. Just elves. There is a humble Jewish wom- the flight into Egypt and the slaughter get to give Jesus his due. objects associated with a saint or with relics of saints, who are the holy instru- as His work was done through the an answering a mysterious call, and of the innocents. Largely unnoticed, God rest ye merry. Jesus himself. The most important rel- ments of God. lives of these saints, so it continued ics are known as “first class,” and the There is a Scriptural foundation for after their deaths when their relics most important of these are objects the use of relics both in the Old and were used by believers. The fact that related to Christ – pieces of the True New Testament. In the Second Book God chooses to use relics of holy peo- READERS RESPOND dren do not read Archways, but they Corinthians that seem at odds with his Cross, for example, or the Shroud of of Kings (2:9–14), we read how the ple to work his wonders tells us that he go to church. other writings. We agree that the wom- Turin. prophet Elisha picked up the mantle wants to draw attention to the saints Our Fall 2019 cover story, “Women – Cecilia Collopy, via Flocknote en in the article did not see themselves The physical remains of a saint are also of Elijah after Elijah had been taken as “models and intercessors” (Cate- of the Church,” generated a lot of re- as disobeying Paul. Neither did they classified as first-class relics, and can be up to heaven in a whirlwind. With chism of the Catholic Church, 828). sponse. Here is a sampling. Your article “Women of the Church” remain silent.