Inside Life-changing event Marian College students and teacher participate in United Nations forum, page 19. Serving the ChurchCriterion in Central and Souther n Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com April 4, 2008 Vol. XLVIII, No. 25 75¢ Symposium Experiencing the risen Lord explores common morality in a global age Photo by Sean Gallagher Photo by WASHINGTON (CNS)—A quest for a common morality in the world’s diverse cultures can begin with a mother’s smile and her child’s play, Cardinal Angelo Scola of Venice, Italy, said on March 27 as The Catholic University of America opened a four-day interna- tional symposium, “A Common Morality for the Cardinal Angelo Scola Global Age.” The Venice patriarch, a theology professor before he was made a bishop, delivered the keynote address for the symposium in Washington, which drew more than 200 participants. The subtitle for the event, “In Gratitude for What We Are Given,” set a theme that resonated with scholars of Judaism, Islam and Eastern religions, who were among Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City, S.D., gives a keynote address on March 26 at the 2008 National Catholic Educational Association’s annual the speakers. convention in Indianapolis. Bishop Cupich spoke to approximately 1,000 convention participants about ways to address a decreasing participation in The gathering was the result of a the life of the Church by many youths and young adults in a presentation titled “Taking Proven Pathways to Face New Challenges.” request to Catholic University from Pope Benedict XVI in October 2004 Bishop urges Catholic educators to help youths embrace their faith before he became pope. It drew thinkers from several religious traditions and By Sean Gallagher participants on March 26 at the Indiana they’ve not believed, but because they experts in philosophy, theology, ethics, Convention Center in Indianapolis. don’t care,’ ” Bishop Cupich said. politics and religion from several nations. Passing on the faith is a primary task Bishop Cupich began his remarks by The question raised by the Pew study In requesting the symposium, the future for the more than 7,000 educators who citing the recent release of a study by the for Catholic educators, Bishop Cupich pope—then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, were in Indianapolis from March 25-27 Pew Forum on said, is clear. head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the for the National Catholic Educational Religion and “How can we pass on the faith in a Doctrine of the Faith—wrote: “The Association’s annual convention. Public Life, which way that gives the children and Catholic Church has become increasingly The current challenges in passing on stated that 33 percent grandchildren of today and tomorrow concerned by the contemporary difficulty the faith are arguably some of the most of all Catholic the same experience of God and of in finding a common denominator among difficult faced by the Church in the Americans have left Christ and of the Church that shapes our the moral principles held by all people, United States in the more than 100- the Church, hearts, that enriches us and the lives of which are based on the constitution of the year history of the NCEA. 10 percent of all our parents and grandparents?” he asked. human person and which function as the But there are effective ways Americans identify “We need to capture, once again, fundamental criteria for law, affecting the available to Catholic educators in the themselves as former [the fact] that at the heart of what we rights and duties of all.” Church’s tradition that can help the Catholics and do is a sense of mission, a mission that Cardinal Scola said a starting point for young people 25 percent of all Americans between is driven by our own experience of the such a common moral ground might be See related editorial, they serve 18 and 29 have no religious affiliation. risen Lord.” found in the observation of the late Swiss page 4. More NCEA embrace the He said the study also showed that those theologian Father Hans Urs von Balthasar convention coverage, faith with who left the Church did so mainly from an Understanding the challenge that the play of a child “offers us a pages 9-11. passion. apathy “that stems from a lack of knowledge Quoting such current Catholic paradigm of the experience of ‘being This was about the faith.” American scholars as R. Scott Appleby freely welcomed’ into life.” the message that Bishop Blase J. Cupich “As a recent editorial in America and John Cavadini, Bishop Cupich “In his play, the child expands the of Rapid City, S.D., gave in a keynote magazine concluded, ‘a number of said that many of the teenage and smile received from the mother into an address to approximately 1,000 convention Catholics, it seems, have left, not because See NCEA, page 10 See SYMPOSIUM, page 7 Lessons of sharing mark lives of Spirit of Ser vice winners By John Shaughnessy Those lessons of sharing and stretching eliminating poverty, fighting racism and mark the life of Parker. They also represent creating opportunities for people who Doris S. Parker never forgot the lesson the lives of Prisca Arredondo, Connie weren’t always welcome at the main table that has guided her life—a lesson she Merkel, and Bell (Bea) and Theodore (Ted) of American society. learned as a child after her Davis. Those five individuals “I believe in the American dream,” says mother died and her father are this year’s Spirit of Service Parker, a member of St. Lawrence Parish did everything he could to Award winners. in Indianapolis. “In my 77 years, I’ve seen continue the feeling of Shiel Sexton, an Indianapolis so many unjust acts, it’s painful to recall. I family for his six young construction company, is the thought if we were ever going to live the children. winner of the Corporate American dream, we have to extend “We grew up very poor, Leadership Award. ourselves to work for justice, to include but our dad told us at an The winners will be everyone in the fabric of American life. I early age that we had to recognized by the archdiocese look for justice in everything I do.” share with others,” Parker recalls. “If it was on April 30 during a dinner that will benefit She worked for justice in the 1950s dinner time at our house and we had a Catholic Charities Indianapolis. when she was a college student who friend over who didn’t get much to eat at Here are their stories: joined in the sit-in of an Indianapolis home, my dad would always set another restaurant that wouldn’t serve blacks. plate at the table. He felt there was always Doris S. Parker She worked for justice when she served enough food to stretch for one more.” Now 77, Parker has dedicated her life to See SPIRIT, page 12 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, April 4, 2008 Wanted: Your feedback on archdiocesan strategic draft plan Criterion staff report areas of the Church in central and We’re seeking your input once again as the priorities set out in the plan? southern Indiana. we work to refine the plan. Please read the Please submit your answers by April 11. You’ve provided us with input that was Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein plan and take a few minutes to respond to Send responses by e-mail to used to develop an updated strategic launched the first strategic plan for the the following questions: [email protected] or mail to leadership plan for the Archdiocese of archdiocese after he was installed as • Does the plan reflect and actively The Criterion, P.O. Box 1717, Indianapolis, and now we’d like your archbishop in 1992, and the plan has been address the mission and values of the Indianapolis, IN 46206-1717. feedback on a draft of the plan. updated regularly since then. Archdiocese of Indianapolis? An online version of the questions The Archdiocesan Strategic Leadership A working draft of the plan, which • Are there priorities that are not and the plan are available at Planning Team has been gathering will be used to guide the archdiocese addressed by the plan? www.archindy.org/strategic. information for the past six months from a through 2011, is included in this issue of • Do you have any suggestions for how Thank you for taking the time to be wide range of groups representing all The Criterion. the archdiocese can more faithfully meet part of this important process. † Archdiocese of Indianapolis Strategic Leadership Plan 2008–2011 Mission understand their call to serve and care for Objective 2.1 Objective 2.3 We, the Church in central and southern the poor and the vulnerable. To strengthen the focus on liturgical To raise awareness of the ministries of Indiana, called to faith and salvation in spirituality as the foundation for growth in charity and hospitality as opportunities Jesus Christ in the Roman Catholic faith. for evangelization. tradition, strive to live the Gospel by: Objective 1.2 To identify, promote and use our current ■ Action Step 2.1.1 ■ Action Step 2.3.1 • worshiping God in word and ministries to serve the poor and the Prepare strategically with multilevel Train parish secretaries so that their sacrament, vulnerable. “first contact” can be an evangelizing • learning, teaching and sharing our catechesis for the publication of the new moment. faith, ■ Roman missal. Action Step 1.2.1 ■ • serving human needs. ■ Action Step 2.1.2 Action Step 2.3.2 Create an inventory of local parish and Train ministers of hospitality archdiocesan ministries.