THE CATHOLIC MIRROR Vol. 53, No. 12 December 20, 2019 Bishops to meet with pope, fellow Stepping out in faith bishops during Young Des Moines couple trust in God’s timing “ad limina” By Kelly Mescher Collins Staff Writer Visit includes meetings with departments of the Holy See Just months after getting mar- ried, Mary and Seth Sojka of the Ba- silica of St. John Parish in Des Moines were faced with a major life decision – By Kelly Mescher Collins adoption. Staff Writer Mary’s nephew Roland was in the foster care system in California be- Bishop William Joensen will be in cause his mother (Mary’s sister) was in Rome Jan. 12-18 for an “ad limina” visit at prison because of drug addiction. the Vatican. If the couple chose not to take Designed to occur every five Roland, he would be adopted by some- years, the “ad limina” includes a meeting one in California, losing all ties to blood with Pope Francis and offices of the Holy relatives. See to review the state of the diocese and Since his birth he and his two receive feedback. older brothers were often homeless with Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates her. will attend; he wrote and directed the Adoption was a big decision preparation of the report before retiring. for a young couple that had been mar- Bishop Emeritus Joseph Charron is unable ried only six months, Mary conceded, to attend. but she and Seth wanted to give God “Ad limina” is a Latin term their “yes.” “which translated conveys the notion of a They pursued Roland for over pilgrimage to the threshold of the tombs a year, finally bringing him home in Jan- of the apostles St. Peter and Paul,” said uary 2018. Bishop Pates. “The bishops are invited to “Roland was unfortunately renew their commitment to the mission of most affected by [the situation], but you the Apostles, particularly in our unity and would never know it,” Mary said. “He’s collaboration with the current successor of all smiles. I went to school with him Peter – Pope Francis.” and everyone knows Roland’s name – The visit follows the Vatican’s the little kids, the teachers. He is truly a receipt of the diocesan quinquennial, a 90- joy to this world.” page report containing information and sta- Roland’s two older brothers, tistics on the diocese, organized according Wayne and Cyrus, are foster children to a template established by the Church. and being raised by their grandparents (Quinquennial means every five years.) Kim and Rand Lehman of All Saints Sections of the quinquennial Parish in Des Moines. would have been divided and sent to the All three boys attend St. Pius corresponding dicastery (or department of X Catholic School in Urbandale. They Seth and Mary Sojka with daughter Zelda and son Roland the day of the Roman Curia) for review, said Mon- know they are brothers and Kim, Mary their baptism at the Basilica of St. John Parish in Des Moines with signor Steve Orr, a retired diocesan priest and Seth ensure all three spend quality Father Aquinas Nichols. who helped prepare the quinquennial re- time together. is a ministry many are not willing to family and take on the father figure role ports for Bishop Maurice Dingman and Seth and Mary admit early on take on because it’s a huge cross and a so early in their marriage. Bishop Charron. it was difficult caring for Roland, but it huge sacrifice. We had it easier, because “He truly took on a cross and “The quinquennial report is orga- was definitely the right decision. he was family, though we had a lot of he has grown immensely,” Mary said. nized according to the mission of a partic- “I won’t say it was easy, be- trauma and difficulties.” “He has taken on the dad role like none ular dicastery, and individual sections are cause they’ve had a lot of trauma and Mary was thankful for Seth’s other. And he just loves Roland and he is reviewed by each of them,” Bishop Pates have not been through the best circum- willingness to bring Roland into the said. stances in life,” Mary said. “Foster care Continued on page 11 Bishop Joensen received a copy of the report before his ordination and in- stallation as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines. Vietnamese priest dies at age 62 “The report was tremendously helpful in giving a comprehensive over- view of the diocese, its people and minis- Long vocation journey led refugee to Iowa ters with all the human and other resources at its disposal,” Bishop Joensen said. “It Bien Hoa Province of South Vietnam, the highlights how the Church of Des Moines By Anne Marie Cox eldest of seven children. is engaged with, and influenced by, the cul- Staff Writer He was a seminarian of the Dio- tural demographics in southwest Iowa in cese of Dong nai from 1969-1987. recent years.” Father Tan Van Tran, who served In 1975, Saigon fell to commu- The two-hour meeting with Pope parishes and in hospital chaplaincy, died nists. All seminaries were forced to close. Francis and the other Region IX bishops peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 10. He was Father Tan made the courageous decision 62. Continued on page 12 Continued on page 11 Father Tan was born and raised in Father Tan Tran died Dec. 10. 2 www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror December 20, 2019 Unmuted mystery Misterio inmutado When the priest Zechari- gaged, is to miss Cuando el sacerdote Zacarías, Dios inscrita en verdaderas vidas humanas ah, husband of Elizabeth and even- the inherent pow- esposo de Isabel y eventual padre de Juan – tanto como para aquellos que predican By tual father of John the Baptist, first er of the word of el Bautista, tuvo su primer encuentro con como para aquellos que en veces pueden Bishop encounters the angel in the sanctu- God. The Word el ángel en el santuario y escuchó que si en ocasiones distanciarse pero que deci- William ary and hears that his aging wife is made flesh is the esposa de edad avanzada se iba a embaraz- den vivir en la fe – nos presiona a cumplir Joensen to become pregnant, he is at first essence of the ar, de primera instancia se muestra dudoso como Dios lo considera adecuado. El tra- reluctant to believe this good news. Gospel; the Incar- a creer las buenas noticias. Y por lo tanto bajo de Dios puede retrasarse por faltas o And so the archangel Gabriel tells nation of God’s el arcángel Gabriel le dice que se quedará inconsistencias humanas, pero al final no him he will remain speechless for Son means that sin hablar hasta el nacimiento de su hijo, será sofocado, ya que carga con la energía his lack of good faith until his son is born our humanity, weak and wounded, is both debido a su falta de fe (ver Lucas 1:18-20). y potencial que comunica el Dios vivo, (see Luke 1:18-20). In effect, the priest has the medium and message by which God De hecho, el sacerdote ha enmudecido por quien nos conoce mejor de lo que nos con- himself muted the mysterious workings of speaks to us all the time. We don’t need to sí mismo las maravillosas obras de Dios, ocemos a nosotros mismos. God, squelching the proclamation of good get the latest phone or device at Christmas sofocando la proclamación de la buena En cierto sentido, ¡la Iglesia no news. to be able to grasp and interpret what our nueva. puede ayudarse a sí misma! El Verbo que There are at least a couple reasons ears and hearts are already “programmed to Existen por lo menos un par de nace es la causa misma de la existencia why a contemporary “muting of the mys- receive.” The Word of God inscribed in real razones de por qué se ha llevado un “en- misma de la Iglesia; como resultado, he- tery” has taken place. One, in the wake of human lives—both those who preach and in mudecimiento del misterio” contemporá- mos sido bautizados y nombrados admin- neo. Uno, cuando comenzaron a relucir los istradores de un misterio que, a pesar de the disclosures of clergy abuse of minors those who may wonder at times but choose casos de abuso del clero contra menores, ser sumergido en el mar de palabras que and other acts of failed oversight by the to live by faith—presses on to fulfillment así como otros casos en que faltó la vig- nos rodea, y que repica un llamado que re- Church’s pastors, some persons in society as God sees fit. The Lord’s work may be ilancia de los pastores de la Iglesia, algu- suena profundamente en el alma de quien- and even in the Church think that priests and delayed by human failing or inconsistency, nas personas en la sociedad e incluso en quiera que desee acogerlo en su corazón, bishops have compromised their authority but will not ultimately be frustrated, for it la Iglesia piensan que los sacerdotes y los sin importar la temporada del año. to preach and teach in matters of faith and bears an energy and potential communicated obispos has comprometido su autoridad Los sacerdotes y obispos, cada morals—or even forfeited their authority by the living God, who knows us better than para predicar y enseñar sobre asuntos de la vez que se presentan ante su pueblo, están outright. How can a priest speak credibly to we know ourselves.