Holy Fire Gathering helps thousands of middle schoolers dive deeper into their faith, page 9. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com November 10, 2017 Vol. LVIII, No. 6 75¢ USCCB president ‘It’s all through God’ decries mass shooting at Texas Baptist church WASHINGTON (CNS)—The Catholic Church in the U.S. stands “in unity” with the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and the larger community after a shooting during Sunday services took the lives of at least 26 people and injured at least 20 others. Those who died ranged in age from 18 months to 77 years old, and included 14-year-old Annabelle Pomeroy. Her father, Frank Pomeroy, is pastor of the church, but he was not at the service. Cardinal Daniel N. “We stand in unity DiNardo with you in this time of terrible tragedy—as you stand on holy ground, ground marred Dave, left, Mason, Holly, Haylee, Riley and Kirk Siegel, all members of St. Nicholas Parish in Ripley County, pose for the camera in their Milan home. today by horrific violence,” said Cardinal Dave, 48, and Holly, 43, adopted half-siblings Mason, 5, and Riley, 8. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer) Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Milan couple with grown children With San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, “I extend my prayers and the prayers of my find blessing in adopting young siblings See related brother bishops editorial, page 4. for the victims, the (Editor’s note: This is the third in a series “Some days I look at [Dave] and say, justice by not raising our family in a families, the first on adoption as a pro-life option. November ‘What were we thinking? We could be church.” responders, our Baptist brothers and is National Adoption Awareness Month.) lying here, sleeping in, we were almost This decision came in part through sisters, indeed the whole community of empty nesters, we could be traveling,’ ” something Dave noticed as a youth Sutherland Springs.” By Natalie Hoefer Holly, now 43, says with a laugh. baseball coach. Calling the mass shooting an “act of “But at the end of the day, that stuff “We saw a lot of broken homes in the senseless violence,” Pope Francis asked MILAN—At 45 and 40, Dave and doesn’t matter. I think the most important community,” Dave, 48, recalls. “We had Archbishop Garcia-Siller to convey his Holly Siegel were almost there. With the thing is we met [Mason], we fell in love, 13 boys on the baseball team, and nine condolences to the families of the victims youngest of their two children being a and it’s all through God. We know his of them were from divorced families. and to the injured. senior in high school, they were almost hand was through all of this.” We saw that it was getting worse, so we Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican empty nesters. It’s a story of love shared through knew we had to do something different to secretary of state, also sent assurances Then the couple of St. Nicholas adoption, and faith shared through swim against the current. of the pope’s prayers in a message to the Parish in Ripley County met 2-year-old love—a faith that didn’t exist for the “We weren’t looking for the Catholic San Antonio archbishop. Mason in November 2014, and their lives Siegels until 2000. Church,” he adds. Pope Francis also prayed that the changed forever. But they had friends going through Lord would “console all who mourn,” It started simply enough when the ‘I’d been praying about more kids’ the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and “grant them the spiritual strength Siegels gave Dave’s brother Bill, then 50, It all started with the couple’s desire (RCIA) at St. Nicholas Parish who invited that triumphs over violence and hatred a weekend break from fostering the little to seek a faith community when their them to come to some sessions in 1999. by the power of forgiveness, hope and boy. first two children, Kirk and Haylee, were In 2000, the four family members were reconciling love.” By June of 2016, they were the proud around ages 7 and 3. received into the full communion of the Law enforcement officials told CNN adoptive parents of not just Mason, but “We needed them to be in a church,” Church. that a lone gunman entered the church also his 6-year-old half-sister Riley. says Holly. “We weren’t doing them any See SIEGEL, page 8 at about 11:30 a.m. CST while 50 people See TEXAS, page 2 ‘Young Church’ to come alive as 20,000 youths head to National Catholic Youth Conference By John Shaughnessy people celebrating Mass together— my favorite part of NCYC is when the The scene always leaves Scott gates open to Lucas Oil Stadium for Williams with a feeling of awe and hope. any general session,” says Williams, For three days, more than 20,000 the director of youth ministry for the youths from across the United States Archdiocese of Indianapolis. come together to share their faith at the “Young people are flooding into a National Catholic single place to experience community in Youth Conference their Catholic faith. It reminds me that the (NCYC)—taking over young Church is alive, and young people Lucas Oil Stadium are excited to participate in the faith and the Indiana community and to share in that faith with Convention Center others.” in Indianapolis with That energy and excitement will be on a joy and a spirit display again as the archdiocese hosts its that offers so much See NCYC, page 8 promise for the future Julia Olejko, left, and Violet Piskor, members of Scott Williams and the present of the St. Mary Parish in Vermillion, Ohio, hold up a Church. cross filled with prayers of parishioners during “Besides the closing liturgy—which the general intercessions of the NCYC closing nothing can compare to having 20,000 Mass on Nov. 21, 2015. (File photo by Sean Gallagher) Page 2 The Criterion Friday, November 10, 2017 Public Schedule of Archbishop Charles C. Thompson __________ Nov. 11-12 is United Catholic Appeal November 10-19, 2017 intention weekend in local Church November 10 – 16 November 16 – 8 p.m. Criterion staff report 24 archdiocesan seminarians and future USCCB General Meeting, Baltimore Opening Prayer and Welcome at NCYC, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis deacon candidates. It also aids more than November 16 – 4:30 p.m. The weekend of Nov. 11-12 is the 40 retired priests, and helps priests and National Catholic Youth Conference November 18 – 8 p.m. archdiocesan annual United Catholic Appeal deacons currently ministering in parishes (NCYC) Opening Mass for Archdiocese Closing Mass for NCYC, Lucas Oil (UCA) intention weekend in parishes across across central and southern Indiana to of Indianapolis delegation, St. John the Stadium, Indianapolis central and southern Indiana. continue to grow in their faith through Evangelist Church, 126 W. Georgia St., The goal for this year’s appeal retreats and sabbaticals. Indianapolis is $6.5 million. The money will be Contributions to the UCA help make distributed to various ministries and possible programs across central and organizations throughout central and southern Indiana for 3,250 young some distance away. Police said Kelley southern Indiana that provide help adult Catholics; 3,000 college students TEXAS died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. that no single parish or deanery could who want to stay connected to their continued from page 1 Kelly had been in the Air Force, independently offer. faith; 30,000 people served in parish but was discharged for bad conduct, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson catechetical programs; and more than were attending Sunday services. Almost allegedly for domestic abuse, and served a notes that diocesan appeals are “about 8,300 youths in youth ministry. everyone in the congregation was shot. 12-month sentence. how we continue to reach out to the A wide array of charitable and outreach Sutherland Springs is 30 to 40 miles “We ask the Lord for healing of those dignity of persons through our ministries ministries across central and southern southeast of San Antonio. injured, his loving care of those who have and services. Indiana also benefit from the UCA, Two law enforcement officials told the died and the consolation of their families,” “ ‘All it takes is one good person to including more than 210,000 people in Associated Press the suspect was Devin Cardinal DiNardo said in his statement. restore hope’ to all those people who need of food, clothing, shelter and support, Kelley, described as a white male in his 20s. “This incomprehensibly tragic event joins society so often pushes aside,” he says, as well as tuition assistance for students He parked at a gas station across the street an ever-growing list of mass shootings, quoting this year’s appeal theme—a line in need who attend the archdiocesan from the church, crossed the street and some of which were also at churches from Pope Francis’ encyclical letter, Notre Dame ACE Academies. allegedly began firing as he walked toward while people were worshipping and at “Laudauto Si’, on Care for Our Common “On behalf of all of those who do not the church and then continued firing once prayer,” he continued. Home.” have a voice, I thank you for being their inside. He was wearing black tactical-type “We must come to the firm determination Those people in central and southern voice,” says Archbishop Thompson.