Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend January 24, 2021 ’’ Assistance urgently TTODAYODAYSS CCATHOLICATHOLIC needed Volume 95 No. 4 TODAYSCATHOLIC.org Conflict in Ethiopia leaves many homeless, hungry For Ash Wednesday, Vatican asks Pages 2-3 priests to ‘sprinkle’ ashes on heads The Marriage Course Online Enrichment experience begins Feb. 4 Page 7 The gift of science Kits allow St. Adalbert students to do experiments Page 9 National March for Life Event goes virtual for first time in history Page 11 Catholic schools Where children grow and thrive Page 14 CNS photo/Sam Lucero, The Compass In this 2019 file photo, a young man receives ashes on his forehead during Ash Wednesday Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Green Bay, Wis. The Vatican has asked priests to take special anti-COVID-19 precautions this year when distributing ashes on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The present and only once says the and to dust you shall return” — Sprinkling ashes on the top Vatican Congregation for Divine formula as it appears in the to each person as the ashes are of the head recalls the biblical Worship and the Sacraments Roman Missal, applying it to all sprinkled on the top of their head practice of putting on “sackcloth asked priests to take special anti- in general: ‘Repent and believe or rubbed onto their forehead. and ashes” as an act of penance, COVID-19 precautions this year in the Gospel’ or ‘Remember that Sprinkling ashes on the top of reminded Brian MacMichael, when distributing ashes on Ash you are dust and to dust you shall people’s heads, rather than mark- director of the Office of Worship. Wednesday, Feb. 17, including return.’ ing foreheads with ashes, is the “For example, we read in the sprinkling ashes on the top of “The priest then cleanses his customary practice at the Vatican, Book of Nehemiah: ‘On the twen- people’s heads rather than using hands, puts on a face mask and in Italy and across Europe. Given ty-fourth day of this month, the them to make a cross on people’s distributes the ashes to those the spread of the novel coronavi- Israelites gathered together while foreheads. who come to him or, if appropri- rus, the practice has the advan- fasting and wearing sackcloth, The congregation’s note on the ate, he goes to those who are tage of not requiring the priest to their heads covered with dust.’” “distribution of ashes in time of standing in their places,” it said. touch multiple people. (Neh 9:1) pandemic” was published on the “The priest takes the ashes and In the United States, the All receiving ashes in the congregation’s website Jan. 12 sprinkles them on the head of approach normally employed is Diocese of Fort Wayne-South and directs priests to say “the each one without saying any- a bare hand used to mark fore- Bend should keep their masks prayer for blessing the ashes” thing.” heads with the sign of the cross. on while doing so, and social and then sprinkle “the ashes with The usual practice would be However the ashes are distancing should be maintained holy water, without saying any- to repeat the formula — “Repent received, the interior repentance in the lines. thing.” and believe in the Gospel” or expressed by this exterior act is at “Then he addresses all those “Remember that you are dust the heart of the action. 2 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC January 24, 2021 TODAY’S CATHOLIC (ISSN 0891-1533) (USPS 403630) Official newspaper of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades Editorial Department PUBLICATIONS MANAGER: Jodi Marlin STAFF WRITER: Jennifer Barton PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan NEWS SPECIALIST: Mark Weber Business Department BUSINESS MANAGER: Jennifer Simerman BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Geoff Frank [email protected] BUSINESS SALES MANAGER: Erika Barron [email protected] File photo Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades visited the Tigray region of Ethiopia and met some of the children living there during a tour of Catholic Relief Services programs in 2018. Website: www.todayscatholic.org 260-456-2824 Initially cut off by war, Ethiopian bishop appeals for humanitarian aid Published weekly except for the BY FREDERICK NZWILI last Sunday in December; and every other week from third Sunday in May NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) — After intense through fourth Sunday in August, fighting cut off his ability to communicate by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South with people outside his region, Bishop Bend, 915 S. Clinton St., P.O. Box 390, Tefaselassie Medhin of Adigrat, Ethiopia, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. Periodicals post- called for urgent humanitarian assistance age paid at Fort Wayne, IN, and addi- in the country’s semi-autonomous Tigray tional mailing office. region. Bishop Medhin had remained cut off from POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: the rest of the Church, together with his Today’s Catholic, P.O. Box 11169, Fort Wayne, IN 46856-1169 priests and the religious — something that or email: [email protected] triggered concerns — amid the fighting in the region. MAIN OFFICE: 915 S. Clinton St., Fort “The need for urgent humanitarian emer- Wayne, IN 46802. Telephone 260-456- gency response is vital to save millions of 2824. Fax: 260-744-1473. people in dire conditions,” Bishop Medhin BUREAU OFFICE: 1328 Dragoon Trail, said in a statement dated Jan. 5, but made Mishawaka, IN 46544. Telephone 260- public Jan. 14. “I call on the concerned bod- 456-2824. Fax 260-744-1473. ies to coordinate and make all necessary efforts to respond to the pressing humani- News deadline is 10 days prior to tarian needs to save millions of people in publication date. Advertising deadline Tigray.” He added that many had fled to seek is nine days before publication date. refuge in Sudan. Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed Ali Today’s Catholic may be reached at : launched a military offensive against the Today’s Catholic, Tigray People’s Liberation Front Nov. 4. He P.O. Box 11169, Fort Wayne, IN had accused the rebel forces of attacking a 46856-1169; or email: national army base in the regional capital, [email protected] Mekele. On Nov. 28, he declared the war over Provided by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades after the army captured the city. Bishop Rhoades was hosted during his visit by Bishop Tefaselassie Medhin of the Ethiopian Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat. This photo from the Cathedral of the Holy Savior in Adigrat includes Sean Callahan, ETHIOPIA, page 3 CEO of Catholic Relief Services, Bishop Rhoades and Bishop Medhin, right. Bishop Rhoades has sent a donation from the diocese to Catholic Relief Services for emergency relief for the Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/todayscatholicFWSB people of the Tigray region. Individuals Follow us on Twitter can send donations to the agency at @diocesefwsb Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Follow us on Instagram @diocesefwsb Baltimore, MD, 21297-0303. Indicate that the donation is for humanitarian CNS photo/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah, Reuters aid in the Adigrat region of Ethiopia. Ethiopians who fled the ongoing fighting in the Tigray region wait for relief aid at a camp in Kassala, Sudan, Dec. 16. January 24, 2021 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC 3 Public schedule of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades Sunday, January 24: 2 p.m. — Mass for Institution of Lectors for the Permanent Diaconate, St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend Tuesday, January 26: 8:15 a.m. — Mass and pastoral visit, St. John the Baptist School, Fort Wayne Friday, January 29: 10:30 a.m. — Mass, St. Patrick Church, South Bend Friday, January 29: 12 p.m. — Prayer at Right to Life Michiana Gathering, Federal Courthouse, South Bend God to be a true blessing to prenatal care as soon as possi- those who are in this moment of ble, and then to give them access crisis.” to good child care. She also cited CNS photo/Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Aaron Kheriaty, the director incentives such as tax breaks A stadium security guard stands with her hand over her heart as Denver Broncos players sit in silent protest during of the Medical Ethics Program for marriage and childbirth as at the University of California at a way to rebuild a society that the national anthem prior to the Aug 30, 2018, game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Irvine School of Medicine, related promotes the common good and During a virtual conference at the University of Notre Dame Nov. 17, Yuval Levin, author, journalist and political that all of society has suffered cares for the vulnerable. analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said the current social and political crises in this country are due to the during the pandemic, not just In that same session, Sister of growing loss of trust in institutions. The solution is for those in charge to be reformed to realize they are not there for from contracting the virus, but Life Virginia Joy Cotter, director power or self-promotion, but to focus on the duties of their positions and their obligations to their neighbors. from the lockdown that has of the Respect Life Office of the resulted in increased suicide, Archdiocese of New York, spoke depression, and alcohol and drug about the absence of love as the abuse. biggest reason women consider While doctors can help in abortion because they feel alone Without faith, society has no solid many ways, he stressed that and helpless. The Sisters of Life even ordinary people have the help heal the women by accom- foundation says archbishop ability to bring healing to suffer- panying them with “a love that ing people by finding ways to be casts out fear,” she said.