POPE FRANCIS Parishes asked to offer prayer for Vol.The XLX, No. 8 DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPEMirror GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI August 8, 2014 peace in Iraq Springfield ‘Christians are facing a human catastrophe and risk a real genocide.’ Teens Encounter Christ —Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad, in Aug. 7, 2014. ope Francis is renewing his Lebanon urgent appeal to the inter- national community, to every be- Pliever and to the conscience of Day of all people, for a Prayer peaceful resolu- tion to the prob- and lems in northern Fasting Iraq, especially that of the Chris- Aug. 17 tian communities living there. “Let us pray in silence, ask- ing for peace; everyone, in silence. … Mary Queen of peace, pray for us!” said Pope Francis at a recent Angelus. “I ask you to invite the people of your diocese to pray this special prayer written by Patriarch See Prayer for Peace / 9 Lebanon, MO As of July 31, River of Life TEC’s 2014, 84 parishes eens Encounter Christ mission have reported (TEC) 156 was held in St. Through evangelization Francis de Sales P arish in and catechesis, this intergen- 8,181 pledges Lebanon Aug . 2-4, 2014. erational movement facilitates to the Diocesan TTwenty-three candidates and three the spiritual growth of young Development Fund adult observers joined 27 adult adults with a community of totaling $2,300,731, and teen team members as they adult mentors. Much like Jesus had the opportunity to encounter did Himself, TEC calls forth or 92 percent of the and integrate the Paschal Mystery one’s natural goodness for ser- ENCOUNTER DISCIPLESHIP—Dyanna New- $2,500,000 goal. in their lives, while making new vice in the Church and dis- ton, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lebanon; Br. friends and having some fun. cipleship at a time of passage Baylon Ukhurebor, SMP; Allie Kate Aikens, St. Thank you! Teens Encounter Christ is a into young adulthood. Francis de Sales Parish, Lebanon; and Deacon spiritual program for high school The next TEC weekend James Soptick, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Leba- juniors and seniors. In the context in the Diocese of Springfield- non, posed for a photo during Teens Encounter and experience of the Catholic Cape Girardeau will be Jan. 17- Christ (TEC) 156 held Aug. 2-4, 2014. TEC en- Christian tradition, TEC focuses 19, 2015, in the De Paul Center ables young adults to encounter and integrate on the life, death, and resurrection at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, the Paschal Mystery into their lives, calling them of Jesus Christ , the Pascal Mystery. Cape Girardeau. ©TM to discipleship and service. (Photo by Annette Peterson) The Catechism in brief 984 The Creed links “the forgiveness of sins” with its pro- fession of faith in the Holy Spirit, for the risen Christ entrusted to the apostles the power to forgive sins when he gave them the Holy Spirit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church compiles the living tradition of the Catholic Church and divides it into four sections: What Catholics believe (the Creed), how the faith is transmitted (worship and sacraments), how Catholics are The next issue of The Mirror will be Aug. 22, 2014. called to live (moral life), and prayer. If you would like to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email in digital format, please contact Angie Toben at (417) 866-0841, or Email her: [email protected]. 2 The Mirror COLUMNS August 8, 2014 A simple and public act of faith ur behavior will be may be fear of persecution or lack of It is certainly food for thought and the proving ground confidence in defending the teach- worthy of careful reflection. What of our deepest convic- GUEST ings of the Church. She suggested would happen if everyone who reads tions. This firmness in that it all came down to simple cour- this makes a simple commitment “Othe Faith is often an excellent testi- age. I asked her to explain and her to make the Sign of the Cross and mony to the beliefs of the Christian. COLUMN response was, “When you say a blessing over every made the Sign of the Cross In some cases it can cause people to Randy Hain meal from now on, regard- begin their return to the House of the in a crowded restaurant and less of our companions? Father” (Francis Fernandez; In Conver- said the blessing for all to How many incredible faith sation with God). hear, I realized that I never Can we discussions would occur as Several weeks ago I had lunch responding with the name, then do that. My fear of saying a result of this simple and with one of my new clients, a senior added “that’s a long story.” I told her a simple blessing is a clear live as public act of faith? I could human resources executive of an I would love to hear about it and for reminder to me that I don’t easily argue the other side Atlanta-based company. Our working the next half hour we talked about have the courage to share faithful and share the possible nega- partnership had been very business her faith journey, how much she my faith outside of my com- tive outcomes, but can we focused since the beginning and I loved her parish, her devotion to the fort zone. I am grateful that Catholics live as faithful Catholics if wanted to forge a stronger personal Blessed Mother, and her prayer life. you don’t have that issue we are paralyzed by fear? connection which I enjoy with most The awkward business focused ex- and also for this wonderful if we are The answer, I believe, is in of my other clients. We made small change at the beginning of the meal conversation.” the words of Jesus, “Every- talk about a number of subjects until had been replaced by a warm con- Driving back to my paralyzed one who acknowledges me our food arrived. I said I was going to versation about our shared Catholic office I reflected on count- before others I will acknowl- say a blessing over our meal and she faith. I certainly achieved my goal of less other business meals by fear? edge before my heavenly was welcome to join me. As I made a stronger personal connection! over the last few years Father. But whoever denies the Sign of the Cross and started to As we were preparing to leave, which had turned into me before others, I will deny pray, I noticed that she also made the she shared that she never spoke of faith discussions, perhaps before my heavenly Father” Sign of the Cross. I smiled to myself her faith in business settings and because of the simple act (Matthew 10:32-33). and said a quiet prayer of thanks for really enjoyed our discussion. As of making the Sign of the the opportunity I had been given. we were leaving the restaurant, we Cross and blessing the meal. I don’t Adapted with permission of the Between bites of salad, I asked speculated on why Catholics don’t know if I see this as courageous as publisher and Randy Hain from The her which parish she attended. discuss faith as openly as perhaps our much as following the call of Christ Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrat- She gave me a funny look before Protestant brethren do. I suggested it and the teachings of our Church. ing Faith and Work (Liguori). Shipwreck and mission: Intertwined strands in Church’s DNA he post-Vatican II Lection- at his own expense, and welcomed however, when the ambient public ary for Mass has many fine all who came to him, preaching the culture becomes toxic, anti-biblical, features, one of which is the THE CATHOLIC kingdom of God and teaching about Christophobic (to use the sharp term continuous reading of the the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly most recently made prominent by TActs of the Apostles during weekday DIFFERENCE and unhindered” (Acts 28:30). an Orthodox Jewish legal scholar, Masses in the Easter season. As the Shipwreck and mission, it Joseph Weiler)? Perhaps the demise Church celebrates the Resurrection George Weigel seems, are intertwined strands in the of cultural Catholicism—Catholi- for 50 days, the Church also ponders Church’s historical DNA. cism offered to the next generation the first evangelization: the primi- This is not to suggest that the without great effort, Catholicism- tive Christian community, in the Now here is something to pon- Church should willfully seek ship- by-osmosis—is a kind of shipwreck. power of the Spirit, brings the sur- der: There have been innumerable wreck. Much of the damage that has But why not take a lesson from the rounding Mediterranean world the books of Church history written over been done to Catholicism in recent last chapters of Acts and see in that history-shattering news that Jesus of two millennia. But the only inspired decades—by the abuse scandals, by hard fact the providential invitation Nazareth, having been raised from book of Church history, the Acts of the ongoing horror stories of mid- to become, once again, a Church in the dead, has been constituted Lord the Apostles, ends with the story 20th century Catholic life in Ireland, permanent mission? A Church in and Savior for the forgiveness of sins. of a shipwreck—a seeming disaster by forms of intellectual dissent that which every Catholic knows that he These serial readings from Acts end that becomes, in divine providence, empty Catholicism of the patrimony or she has been baptized into a mis- with Paul established in Rome (prob- the occasion to extend the Church’s of truth bequeathed to it by the Lord, sionary vocation? A Church in which ably in today’s Trastevere district), mission.