ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE OBSERVER Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 79 | No. 33 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2014 O cial Appointments The Rev. Juan Arciniegas Diocese Calls Men to Vocations — to be Parochial Vicar for SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Cary, Illinois, effective Friday, Bishop David Malloy Aug. 1, 2014. welcomes two men The Rev. Jhakson A. Gar- into formal candidacy cia — to be Parochial Vicar for the priesthood for for Sacred Heart Parish, Au- the Rockford Diocese rora, Illinois, effective Friday, at a ceremony, July 26, Aug. 1, 2014. at Bishop Lane Retreat The Rev. Hugo Jimenez Center near Rockford. to be Parochial Vicar for — Austin Quick (left) and St. Nicholas Parish, Aurora, Illinois, effective Saturday, Jhonatan Sarmiento Aug. 23, 2014. (right) will continue Given at the Chancery, their seminary July 28, 2014 studies in the fall. (Observer photos by Amanda Hudson) Inside New Candidates Welcomed, Mercy Studied BY AMANDA HUDSON News Editor ROCKFORD—Father Keith Romke listed the many com- mitments of seminarians as one reason for the annual diocesan Follow the seminarian retreat, held July Mazzuchelli Trail 24-27 at Bishop Lane Retreat pgs. 6-7 Center. The school year is fi lled with study, he said, and in the sum- mer the men have parish as- signments and run the summer vocation camps. The summer retreat, he ex- plained, is held after the voca- tions camps and is “an oppor- Running to the Future tunity to rest with the Lord and Bishop David Malloy chats with Rockford Diocesan seminarians at mealtime during the annual retreat for Seasoned Observer, pgs. 8-9 allow Him to fi ll their hearts.” seminarians, held July 24-27 at Bishop Lane Retreat Center near Rockford. This year, Jhonatan Sarmien- ‘Dedicated to and Austin Quick were called to be.” under authority” as heirs to God’ welcomed into candidacy as He said that reminder in- “... work on your joy.” of 2,000 years of grace that seminarians of the Diocese of volves “not a what, but a puts boundaries on the in- Launches — Bishop David Malloy One Rockford during the retreat on who ... Who (is it) that Christ dividuals within the Church is calling you to be?” structure. Diocese, July 26, at a Mass celebrated by Bishop David Malloy. Priesthood is not merely a a particular part of your forma- Jesus “has told us he will One Book In his homily, the bishop set of functions, Bishop Malloy tion, spending at least an hour be with us to the end of the Program spoke of all the things that said. It is “an identity.” each day before the Blessed age,” Bishop Malloy reminded pg. 12 fi lled the summer, even as the He encouraged the men to Sacrament — because (Jesus) them, adding simply, “We love men were anticipating a new use some of their prayer times is real.” and trust the Church.” year of study. to place themselves with the He also told them to “work The retreat master was Fa- Looking back a bit, Bishop Apostles in the Gospel stories. on your joy,” both insisting ther Michael Gaitley this year. Malloy recalled the “good He mentioned the call of An- that “hard moments (can be) He hoped, he said, to commu- sense and feeling of encour- drew to humility, the need for approached with joy or with nicate to the seminarians how agement” experienced at the James and John to begin to see sorrow and bitterness.” People Pope Francis and other recent early summer ordinations of the world from Christ’s per- have more control over how popes insist that “now is the two men to the priesthood and spective, and how some of the they deal with such moments time of mercy” and that it is two as transitional deacons. things Jesus did helped teach than they perhaps realize. “important to give that mes- He called “these ordinations the Apostles to trust him. He called each of them also sage of hope” to the men. and the passing of summer ... The bishop asked the semi- “not to be an angry man,” and He reminded them of the reminders of ... who we are narians to focus on “prayer as to realize that “all of us are Continued on page 15 Three men from Marmion Abbey in Aurora joined Church Addition First Call campers for a morning Mass and discussion, Awaited As Parish July 22, at Bishop Lane Retreat Center. Benedictine Celebrates 150 Years Father Marcos Rivas (center), Brother Theodore Haggerty (right) and Brother Antony Minardi (not pg. 16 pictured) showed a video about life at Marmion, talked about their experiences, then met with small This Issue groups to answer questions. “We are entrusted Bishop Malloy ............................. 2 by the Church to pray for the Church,” said Father Headliners ..................................... 3 Marcos. “That rule (of St. Benedict) that was written Nation/World .......................... 4-5 1,500 years ago is lived now in Aurora … When I put Diocesan ............................. 6-7, 16 on (these) robes, I am connected with my brothers of all ages.” The trio encouraged the young men Seasoned Observer ................8-9 to visit Marmion for a day-trip or for a week to eat, Around the Diocese .......... 10-11 pray and work with the 26 men in the community. Media/Arts ................................. 12 The Rockford Diocese’s First Call Retreat is held Faith Forum ............................... 13 annually to o er fun and vocational information For the Record ................... 14-15 to young men in 10th grade through college. 2 FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2014 | The Observer Pray for Our Fellow Christians The Observer (ISSN 0029- Currently in Distress and Danger 7739), is published weekly, except five times a year by the Diocese of Rockford, BY BISHOP DAVID J. MALLOY 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 s we have all learned from our family of faith.” (Gal. 6:10). Our links to them as part of our Catholic Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax catechism classes, the term I raise this issue because of the very faith are a part of our own historical roots, 815/399-6225. “catholic” means universal. disturbing recent press reports about the and many of them share our communion Periodical postage paid at Our Catholic faith is universal conditions of our fellow Christians in Iraq. with the Bishop of Rome. Rockford, Ill., and additional Ain geography (the Catholic faith is According to those reports, the Islamists We owe them our urgent and fervent mail offices. the same all over the world). It is also who have declared a caliphate under prayers. And we owe it to them as well to POSTMASTER: send address universal in time. That is, our faith must ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) raise our voices so that our leaders feel changes to The Observer, 555 be one not only with those who believe and who control portions of Iraq have the heat of our concern and respond with Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 and live today throughout the world. inflicted extreme conditions on our fellow action. Rather, our faith must also be one with Christians precisely because of their faith. It is troubling and sad that apart from For ADVERTISING information: those who have gone before us, back even Some have reportedly been killed Contact The Observer at the occasional reports, there is largely silence address above or call 815/399- to the earliest days of the Church. And the because of their belief. Other reports in our media and our government over the 4300; fax 815/399-6225, universality of our faith means that we suggest that the ISIS is cutting off water to overt persecution of Christians. Had this E-mail: kmccarthy@ must keep our faith pure and integral so Christian villages. been happening to another group more rockforddiocese.org. that it can be passed on to those who will Christians reportedly are finding favored up by the press or by our political Send NEWS information to The come after us. marks on their doors identifying them as elites, we can imagine that much more Observer at the address or fax That our faith is universal is part of the number above; send email to Christians, so that they can be targeted. reporting would occur, outrage would logic of God’s saving plan. God sent His And most recently, various articles Observer@rockforddiocese. follow, and action would be demanded. org; or fill out a form at Son as the savior of the world. He was not state that the ISIS has given our fellow But at its core, the issue of the http://observer.rockforddiocese. just the savior of Palestine or of the people Christians three choices: leave, pay a tax persecution of Christians in Iraq is one of org/contact-us. of 2,000 years ago. for being non-believers of Islam, or be religious freedom. Our brothers and sisters Subscription rate $28.00 per The truth of Jesus Christ, of who killed. in the faith have a right to believe and year (48 issues); Canadian he is, and about his saving death and So, the vast majority has fled their and Pan American $29; other resurrection was given to the world for all homes, although a few may remain practice, even in Iraq, without needing the foreign: surface mail $37, air time. in hiding, sometimes sheltered by permission of government, of those who mail $97; single copies $1. Even as history unfolds, the truth of sympathetic Muslim neighbors. believe otherwise or of those who disagree The Observer Online digital God’s plan for us remains the same.