50¢ February 12, 2012 Volume 86, No. 6 GO DIGITAL todayscatholicnews.org todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend CLICK ON CIRCULATION TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC The Sacrament Catholics celebrate African American of Marriage A guide to help Catholic couples prepare heritage at SANKOFA See special insert BY MAY LEE JOHNSON SOUTH BEND — “I’m so glad, Jesus lifted me, Catholic Schools Week singing glory hallelujah, Jesus lifted me.” The lyr- Bishop Rhoades’ pastoral visits ics of that hymn led by the University of Notre Dame Voices of Faith Gospel Choir were deeply St. Joseph’s Grade School felt by over 80 Catholics from around the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend as they gathered at the Pages 1, 8-9 SANKOFA — Celebrating Black Catholic Faith and Culture: Reviewing the Past, Examining the Present, Bishop Dwenger High School Planning the Future. The conference was held on Feb. Page 16 4 at St. Augustine Church in South Bend. A video welcome delivered by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades opened the day. “I am with you in spirit,” he said. “African Americans are an important part of our history, as was Father Light of Learning Augustus Tolton, who was the first black priest ordained in the United States. He was a holy man who not only awards brought hope to the priesthood, but to the Catholic Recipients honored in Church. I’m praying with you that the love of the Lord shines brightly on this day.” Fort Wayne, South Bend The bishop, who worked closely with the organizers of the day of reflection, was unable to attend. Page 10 Dominican Sister Jamie Phelps was the keynote speaker for the day of reflection and spoke on evangeliza- tion and culture. “The Holy Spirit is working through every person, religious and lay. We must then ask God what He wants MAY LEE JOHNSON us to do and then do it,” she said. The Gospel choir sings at St. Augustine Church in South Bend on Feb. 4 as Catholics across Feb. 19, 2012 Sister Phelps took the attendees through an African the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend gathered for SANKOFA — Celebrating Black Catholic Faith and Culture: Reviewing the Past, Examining the Present, Planning the Future. Today’s Catholic offering SANKOFA, PAGE 3 envelope to be inserted ENJOY SNOW AT ST. PETER’S Catholic Schools Week brings SQUARE AT VATICAN pastoral visit to St. Joseph School BY MICHELLE DONAGHEY Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education and designated a Four-Star School by the Indiana Department SOUTH BEND — Presenting him with a of Education, welcomed Bishop Rhoades framed picture of the Dream of St. Joseph by and their parents and guests for Mass that the 17th century artist Georges De la Tour, celebrated the feast of the Presentation of the eighth-grade student Caroline Hall, on behalf Lord on Feb. 2. of the children of the St. Joseph Grade School Bishop Rhoades visited St. Joseph Grade in South Bend, thanked Bishop Kevin C. School during Catholic Schools Week. He Rhoades “for all you do to help make our also made a pastoral visit to Bishop Dwenger dreams come true.” High School in Fort Wayne. “It was the dream of the people of St. The Mass included a candle procession Joseph Parish to have a school where children with students carrying candles for Candlemas are educated and formed in the faith of the Day, which the bishop explained during his apostles. It is our dream still today to be an homily, recalling the words of Simeon, who outstanding school pleasing to the Lord and CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING said that the child, Jesus, who was presented His Church,” said Hall who told the bishop, in the temple would be a “Light to all nations. People enjoy snow in St. Peter’s Square after presenting him with a spiritual bouquet, Candles are to remind us who is the Light. at the Vatican Feb. 4. A rare snowfall that the school children will be praying for We are to spread the light to others and to him throughout the year. share our faith. Do good deeds. We help to blanketed the Eternal City with more than 3 Children at St. Joseph Grade School, inches of snow overnight. which recently was named a 2011 National ST. JOSEPH, PAGE 8 2 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC February 12, 2012 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the ‘Ad limina’ visit Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 IN TRUTH PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades AND EDITOR: Tim Johnson NEWS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad CHARITY Editorial Department BY BISHOP KEVIN C. RHOADES PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan FREELANCE WRITERS: Lauren Caggiano, am writing this column prior to my depar- Michelle Castleman, Karen Clifford, ture on February 7th for my first ad limina Bonnie Elberson, Denise Fedorow, Ivisit to Rome. Bishop D’Arcy and I will Diane Freeby, May Lee Johnson, Sister be joining our brother bishops from Indiana, Margie Lavonis, CSC, Joe Kozinski, Illinois, and Wisconsin for this ten-day visit to Vince LaBarbera and Deb Wagner the Vatican. The ad limina visit is an obliga- tion of diocesan bishops and has three purpos- Business Department es: to venerate the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul (ad limina apostolorum means “to CNS PHOTO/ROBERT DUNCAN BUSINESS MANAGER: Sean McBride the threshold of the apostles”); to meet with U.S. bishops from southern states concelebrate Mass in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 23 at AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber the Holy Father; and to meet with the officials the Vatican. Bishops from Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky were begin- BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia. ning their “ad limina”’ visits to report on the status of their dioceses to the pope and Vatican [email protected] Though ad limina visits traditionally take officials. Pictured at center is Auxiliary Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of New Orleans. place every five years, the last visit by U.S. Advertising Sales bishops was in 2004. I was ordained a bishop Tess Steffen (Fort Wayne area) in December, 2004, so I just missed the last the successor of Saint Peter. It is a concrete We read in Pastor Bonus: “The natural (260) 456-2824 visit of U.S. bishops to Pope John Paul II. expression of the Pope’s solicitude for the result of this meeting with Peter’s successor, Jeanette Simon (South Bend area) Prior to the ad limina visit, diocesan bish- whole Church. first guardian of the deposit of truth passed on (574) 234-0687 ops are required to make a report to the Holy In the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus, by the Apostles, is to strengthen unity in the Father on the state of their dioceses. This Web site: www.todayscatholicnews.org issued by Blessed John Paul II in 1988, we same faith, hope and charity, and more and report is called the quinquennial report. It is read the following: “On the one hand, these more to recognize and treasure that immense Published weekly except the fourth examined by the various dicasteries of the visits give the bishops an opportunity to heritage of spiritual and moral wealth that Sunday in June, second and fourth Roman Curia and the Holy Father receives sharpen their awareness of their responsibili- the whole Church, joined with the bishop of weeks in July and August, the first a synthesis of each quinquennial report. ties as successors of the Apostles and to feel Rome by the bond of communion, has spread week of September and last week Preparing the report provides the bishop an more intensely their sense of hierarchical throughout the world.” in December by the Diocese of Fort opportunity to reflect on the situation of the communion with the successor of Peter. On I ask for your prayers for Bishop D’Arcy, Wayne-South Bend, 1103 S. Calhoun diocese and pastoral planning for the future. I the other hand, the visits in some way consti- me, and our brother bishops, as well as for St., P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. am very grateful to Bishop D’Arcy and to my tute the highest and most central point in that the Holy Father, during this time. Our ad lim- Periodicals postage paid at Fort Wayne, Cabinet and diocesan office directors for their universal ministry that the Holy Father is car- ina visit begins on February 8th and ends on IN, and additional mailing office. help in preparing this comprehensive report. rying out when he embraces his brother bish- February 17th. I will be praying for the people Special thanks to Fred and Lisa Everett for ops, the pastors of the particular Churches, of our diocese each day as we celebrate Mass POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: their excellent work as editors of the report! and takes up with them the business of sus- in different Roman basilicas. I am the prin- Today’s Catholic, P.O. Box 11169, Fort The quinquennial report has 22 sections taining their mission in the Church.” cipal celebrant of the Mass on the last day of Wayne, IN 46856-1169 or email: and examines all the various aspects of the [email protected]. The ad limina visit reminds us of Saint the visit which will be celebrated at the altar life of the Church in our diocese (e.g. Catholic Paul’s visit to Saint Peter as described in Saint over the tomb of Blessed John XXIII in Saint MAIN OFFICE: 915 S.