50¢ May 14, 2006 Volume 80, No. 20 www.diocesefwsb.org/TODAY Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC New Group Media produces Mother celebrated documentary ‘Jesus Decoded’ Our Lady of the Library and many other images of Mary BY ANN CAREY displayed in library SOUTH BEND — When the documentary “Jesus Pages 12-15 Decoded” is shown on television stations across the nation in the coming weeks, local Catholics should be very proud, for the film was made by a production company headquartered in this diocese. “Jesus Decoded” is an hour-long documentary film Faith and Fertility sponsored by the U.S. Bishops’ Catholic Contraception and sterilization Communication Campaign, and written and produced by New Group Media (NGM), a production company Page 5 in South Bend. The film was made to explain the truth about Jesus and the first three centuries of the church, in response to the fiction about Jesus and the church found in the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, “The Da Vinci Code.” Decoding DaVinci “Jesus Decoded” will be made available to televi- sion stations to air on May 21 or during the three Feature explores fact months thereafter, in anticipation of issues raised for from fiction moviegoers by the May 19 release of “The Da Vinci Code” movie, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Pages 8-11 Ron Howard. Advance information about the movie indicates it will parallel the book closely and repeat the fictional claims that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, with whom he had a child, and that the concept of the divinity of Jesus was created by the The Young Voice Emperor Constantine in the 4th century for political reasons. St. Anthony School highlighted The novel claims that over the centuries, the Page 12 Catholic Church has engaged in an elaborate conspir- PROVIDED BY NEW GROUP MEDIA New Group Media films shots for “Jesus Decoded” at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Douglas MEDIA, PAGE 24 Thomas is at the camera with Christopher Salvador, right. CYO track MATTHEW 25 BREAKS St. Aloysius students team Season finale draws nearer NEW GROUND Page 20 with Louisiana school Nancy Staid, curriculum and development Hurricane Katrina displaced director at St. Aloysius in Baton Rouge. students to be welcomed by “Some of our original Katrina students have relocated to other parts of the country. Most Baton Rouge school others have returned to New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Some have returned to their homes and some are living in alternative BY TIM JOHNSON housing, trailers, apartments, etc.” Staid added, “Even though some may be YODER — To many, St. Aloysius School in in their homes, they are living on the second Yoder and St. Aloysius School in Baton floors because the ground floors are uninhab- Rouge, La., may seem like worlds apart. The itable until they are totally redone. While Yoder school, with a student body of about repairs are ongoing in New Orleans, there is 100, sits in the the rich farming community of such an incredible amount of work to be southern Allen County. Hints of urban sprawl done, it will take a very long time.” and growth beckon at the doorstep. On the But the children and staff at St. Aloysius in other hand, St. Aloysius in Baton Rouge is a Yoder could not let the needs of the displaced large urban school basking in the shadow of students in Baton Rouge go unheard. When DON CLEMMER Louisiana State University. The school has Principal Jane Sandor of St. Aloysius School Members of the Matthew 25 board of over 1,000 students. in Yoder learned of the situation in Baton What both schools have in common is a Rouge, she, the staff and students wanted to directors scoop the first shovels of dirt at big heart. help. the groundbreaking ceremony for the After Hurricane Katrina displaced many First they gave proceeds from a fish fry New Orleans students, St. Aloysius in Baton held last fall to the students. expansion of the Fort Wayne clinic. The Rouge opened its doors to 169 students. Next they held a dress down day. The 86 “We currently have 38 displaced students students at St. Aloysius, Yoder, quickly new complex, totaling 20,260 square feet, still enrolled, and most of these have perma- will nearly triple the existing facility. nently relocated to Baton Rouge,” said KATRINA, PAGE 24 2 TODAY’ S CATHOLIC MAY 14, 2006 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the Mother Guerin and Father Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 Moreau had profound influence PUBLISHER: Bishop John M. D’Arcy Father Basil Moreau, CSC told me that they worked in some of the most difficult and challenging missions in EDITOR: Tim Johnson How can we possibly understand the the world. The Holy Cross priests continue ASSISTANT EDITOR: Don Clemmer extraordinary contribution to this diocese of to serve in this diocese, where they care for STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad this priest. From this man of exceptional many parishes. NEWS piety and vision there came forth sisters, As bishop, I join with them, and urge all Editorial Department brothers and priests. Their educational our diocese as well to join, with gratitude reach has gone across the world — Africa, and appreciation for this blessed news PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan &NOTES Latin America and Asia, as well as to the FREELANCE WRITERS: Ann Carey, about their founder, Father Basil Moreau, United States, Canada and Western Europe. CSC. It must be remembered that Father Michelle Castleman, Elmer J. Danch, BISHOP JOHN M. D’ARCY They are a missionary congregation. I think Moreau, like Mother Theodore, walked in Michelle Donaghey, Bonnie Elberson, especially of their spiritual tradition. Mary, this diocese. He visited Notre Dame a num- Denise Fedorow, Sr. Margie Lavonis, under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows, is ber of times, and one can read accounts of CSC, Jennifer Ochstein,Theresa their patroness. Devotion to Our Lady, this in the extraordinary biography of Two gifts for our diocese which surrounds the University of Notre Thomas, Kristi Ward How significant that word concerning Father Sorin, written by Marvin O’Connell, Dame and Holy Cross parishes, is always professor of history at Notre Dame. both decisions came on the same day. I evident. Central also is the feast of the Business Department refer to the announcement that the way has Sacred Heart and the feast of St. Joseph. BUSINESS MANAGER: Kathy Denice now been cleared for the canonization of Father Basil Moreau, with his emphasis At the center AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber Mother Theodore Guerin, SP. She is to be on the education of the heart as well as the Remember, people are canonized for BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol declared a saint. The same announcement mind has been, through his spiritual sons indicated that Father Basil Moreau, CSC, and daughters, a profound influence on this holiness of life. Saints are raised up so we founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, diocese. all may learn from them and pray to them. has been approved for beatification, the first We must read and study about these two Advertising Sales official, decisive step toward canonization. consecrated religious and from them learn Carol Eifert (Fort Wayne area) Sisters to give ourselves more to prayer and the (260) 456-2824 service of Christ and his people. A blessed The early presence of the sisters in South moment for us all. Judy Kearns (South Bend area) Mother Theodore Guerin, SP Bend is well-recorded in several histories. (574) 234-0687 She can truly be said to be the foundress, Almost immediately, they turned from the Web site: www.diocesefwsb.org/TODAY along with Msgr. Julian Benoit, of the work of domestics to the task of education Catholic schools in this diocese. Fort on all levels. Saint Mary’s College remains Uncle John’s friend Published weekly except the last Wayne was not just a stop on her journey. an extraordinary legacy to them, as also is That is what he calls me. “Whose friend Sunday in June, second and fourth This extraordinary woman inspired so many Saint Joseph Medical Center, South Bend. are you?” I ask him. He tells me, “Uncle weeks in July, second week in August young girls, in an area that was then close They taught in both our elementary and John’s friend.” I refer to my nephew, Hugh and last week in December by the to the frontier, to give their lives to Christ high schools across the diocese. They were D’Arcy Sheridan. We call him D’Arcy. He Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, in the work of education. She was only in commissioned by President Lincoln to care has been called D’Arcy since he was a 1103 S. Calhoun St., P.O. Box 390, Fort Indiana for 18 years and spent much time in for the wounded during the Civil War, and child. D’Arcy turned 40 this week, and he Wayne, IN 46801. Second-class the eastern part, which now is the Diocese were present at Gettysburg and on the hos- also received a significant award from a postage paid at Fort Wayne, IN, and of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and in Terre group that assists the handicapped in the additional mailing office. pital ships that moved up and down the Haute in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Mississippi River. They have missions greater Boston area. I do not think I had ever heard the word autism until his moth- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: where she is buried.