God’s beloved children Church united by Spirit, not personal beliefs, pope says on Pentecost, page 2. Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 CriterionOnline.com June 5, 2020 Vol. LX, No. 34 75¢ ‘Heal the brokenness that has deeply wounded our society’ Above, spray-painted graffiti referring to the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is seen on May 31 on the wall of a courtyard at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis. Bottom right, a burned car sits on May 30 in the parish parking lot, set on fire by an arsonist the night before in violence amid protests related to the death of George Floyd. (Submitted photos) Right, leaders and members of many faiths gather on the steps of the Indiana Statehouse on May 31 for a peaceful protest organized by Faith in Indiana in response to the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer) A ray of hope shines through amid the violence and unrest in Indianapolis and the country (Editor’s note: In light of the recent peaceful protests Indianapolis poses a question that she and violent unrest in Indianapolis and across the believes everyone must consider: United States in reaction to the death of George Floyd, “We’re at a place where all of us as The Criterion asked certain parish faith leaders to share human beings have to ask ourselves the their insights, concerns and hopes as the archdiocese and question, ‘Do we really believe what society in general face this latest tragedy.) we have been taught?’ That God’s presence is in every human being.” By John Shaughnessy and Natalie Hoefer If people believe that teaching, then they have to see that what happened to St. Joseph Sister Gail Trippett sees a ray of hope Floyd—a 46-year-old black man—on amid all the darkness that once again descended upon May 25 in Minneapolis also happened Indianapolis and many cities across the country following to God, Sister Gail says. Floyd died the death of George Floyd. after a white police officer kept his Yet before she shares that hope, the parish life knee on Floyd’s neck for more than coordinator of Holy Angels and St. Rita parishes in See UNREST, page 10 A statement from Archbishop Charles C. Thompson (In the wake of the death of George Floyd and the civil unrest No one is ‘better’ than anyone else. All deserve respect. that followed, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson released the All share basic human rights. No one is exempt from the following statement on May 30.) responsibility to support and assist fellow human beings— whether they are from the same family/community, or they “The Catholic community in the Archdiocese of are strangers who are foreign to us in some way. Every Indianapolis grieves over the death of an African- human person, as created in the image of God, is a American man in Minneapolis on May 25 as well member of God’s family. For Christians, this also as several other recent incidents of racial hatred means that we are sisters and brothers of Christ across our country, including the violence directed and each other.’ at a mosque in Indianapolis last Sunday on Eid “The United States Conference of Catholic al-Fir, one of the holiest days in the Muslim Bishops has called on everyone to seek greater calendar. understanding, and to listen to the stories of those “The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis who have been the victims of racial injustice so has set off a wave of protests. As Christians, we that we can find substantive ways to enact systemic cannot turn a blind eye to acts of racial violence change. and hatred. We are called to do what we can to end Archbishop Charles “As we celebrate Pentecost this weekend, I call this injustice. C. Thompson upon all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis “As I wrote in my 2018 pastoral letter, ‘We to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to heal are One in Christ: A Pastoral Letter on Fundamentals of the brokenness that has so deeply wounded our society. Let us Christian Anthropology,’ ‘Social justice can be obtained also pray for peaceful protests that truly seek healing against only in respecting the transcendent dignity of man. … the evil of racism.” † Page 2 The Criterion Friday, June 5, 2020 Pope Francis celebrates Public Schedule of Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Archbishop Charles C. Thompson Basilica at the __________ Vatican on No public events scheduled at this time. May 31. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) Supreme Court rejects appeals to lift restrictions on congregation size WASHINGTON (CNS)—A divided The state’s order restricting crowd Supreme Court on May 29 chose not to sizes, he said, was a means to “address intervene in an emergency appeal by a this extraordinary health emergency.” church in Southern A three-page dissent written by California to Justice Brett Kavanaugh, joined by lift COVID-19 Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil restrictions that Gorsuch, argued that restrictions on limit congregation the number of participants at church Church united by Spirit, not personal sizes. services did violate the Constitution. The justices Kavanaugh argued that businesses beliefs, pope says on Pentecost responded just that are not subject to size restrictions, before midnight such as supermarkets, restaurants, hair VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Just as the ourselves up in sterile habits.” with a 5-4 vote salons and cannabis dispensaries, are Apostles were united once they received The pope also recalled the seven- Richard Garnett in the case filed comparable to gatherings at houses of the Holy Spirit, the Church is united month anniversary of the conclusion of on May 26 by worship. by that same Spirit and not by keeping the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon, South Bay United Pentecostal Church “The church and its congregants company just with those who agree and offered prayers for the people of the in Chula Vista, Calif., near San Diego. simply want to be treated equally,” he on a certain interpretation of Christian Amazon region where the pandemic, The church had argued that California wrote, adding that California “trusts its teaching, Pope Francis said on Pentecost. along with deforestation and pollution, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reopening orders residents and any number of businesses Celebrating Mass on May 31 in have added to the suffering of indigenous violated the Constitution because they to adhere to proper social distancing and St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope said that people. placed fewer restrictions on some hygiene practices.” those who give in to the temptation to “I make an appeal so that no one may secular businesses than they did on Richard Garnett, law school fiercely “defend our ideas, believing them lack health care assistance. Take care of houses of worship. professor at the University of Notre to be good for everybody and agreeing people; don’t save up for the economy. The church wanted to hold its Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., and only with those who think as we do,” Care for people who are more important regular services on Sunday, May 31, director of the university’s Program adhere to a faith created in their own than the economy. We, the people, are on Pentecost. Currently, the state’s on Church, State and Society, said the image and “not what the Spirit wants.” temples of the Holy Spirit, the economy restrictions limit church attendance court’s decision shows how “it can be “We might think that what unite us are isn’t,” the pope said. to 100 attendees or 25 percent of the challenging to identify discrimination our beliefs and our morality. But there Earlier, in his homily at Mass, the pope church capacity, whichever is lower. or unequal treatment.” is much more: Our principle of unity is reflected on the second reading from “The precise question of when “It is well established that the Holy Spirit. He reminds us that, first St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, restrictions on particular social governments and officials may not of all, we are God’s beloved children. in which the Apostle says that the Church, activities should be lifted during the discriminate against religious activities, The Spirit comes to us, in our differences while composed of many different parts, pandemic is a dynamic and fact- even when it is regulating in the and difficulties, to tell us that we have is one body. intensive matter subject to reasonable interest of the public good. Religious one Lord—Jesus—and one Father, and Despite the many differences and disagreement,” wrote Chief Justice freedom is not absolute, and it is that for this reason we are brothers and difficulties, the pope said, the Holy Spirit John Roberts in an opinion concurring subject to limits, but regulations may sisters,” he said. is what unites the Church’s members as with the unsigned ruling. not single out religious exercise for In February, the Vatican had announced brothers and sisters. He also called on In his five-paragraph opinion, disapproval or disadvantage,” he said. that the pope would celebrate Pentecost in Catholics to “look at the Church with the Roberts stressed these guidelines In a statement, Garnett said Malta. However, the trip was canceled due eyes of the Spirit and not as the world does. appear “consistent with the arguments about equality and to the coronavirus, and instead he celebrated “The world sees us only as on the free exercise clause of the First discrimination involve the question: the Mass with a limited congregation right or left; the Spirit sees us as sons and Amendment.” “compared to what?” And in this case, present at the basilica’s Altar of the Chair.