50¢ February 7, 2010 Think Green Volume 84, No. 6 Recycle this paper Go Green todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Go Digital ’’ It’s the TTODAYODAY SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC digital age New springtime of the church meets the new media No sleep, little aid: Salesian nun Page 13 pleads for more help for Haitians Stronger ties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) — Sister Maria Catholic college presidents, Sylvita Elie hasn’t eaten all day, and the tiredness shows on her face as she pleads with a Brazilian non- local bishops urged to forge governmental organization for some tents for the homeless families who have camped out on the con- relationships vent patio of her religious order, the Salesian Sisters of Page 4 St. John Bosco. Tents are in short supply in the Haitian capital these days, and she has to argue forcefully. Her persistence finally pays off, and she fills her pickup with two loads of tents. School choice snag “I’m going to hide them until dark, otherwise peo- ple will swarm all over us to get them. After it’s dark ICC opposes delay to school I’ll give them quietly to families that have small chil- choice credit dren,” said Sister Sylvie, as she’s known. A Salesian nun who lives in one of the roughest Page 8 areas of Port-au-Prince, Sister Sylvie has been sleeping under the stars since the Jan. 12 quake collapsed most of the church sanctuary and other buildings they used for educating neighborhood children. “We’re a center of reference for the community, and Exemplary teachers people come to us for help in solving their problems. Our job is to find the resources and people to solve recognized those problems,” she told Catholic News Service. Light of Learning winners That has not been an easy task. With the exception of frequent shipments of medical supplies and food Pages 8-9 from her congregation’s sisters in the neighboring Dominican Republic, few relief supplies have arrived here. “While the people are dying, the international organizations are passing their time in meetings, in “Cheers” studies and planning. People fly around in helicopters looking at us, making the houses shake once again. But CNS PHOTO/PAUL JEFFREY Bishop Rhoades speaks at while they’re planning, the people are dying. We’ve Salesian Sister Maria Sylvita Elie walks through the patio of her convent, where neighbor- Theology on Tap now gone more than two weeks without any help, and hood children are living in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 23, following the country’s earth- quake. The nun pleaded for assistance, saying that while international aid organizations Page 20 HAITI, PAGE 5 spend time in planning meetings, Haitians are dying. Life speaker offers inside view of YEAR our PRIESTS of pro-life efforts BY MARK WEBER BY BONNIE ELBERSON late-term abortions — as late as 24-weeks FATHER gestation. When she challenged that plan and suggested that prevention services should ANTHONY FORT WAYNE — Rally for Life speaker reduce the number of abortions and that per- Abby Johnson gave her listeners an “inside haps those babies should be carried to term, STEINACKER view” of the effectiveness of pro-life efforts she was horrified to hear, “Abby, you need to What a week for one around the nation during her remarks get your priorities straight — abortion is our Saturday, Jan. 30, at the annual Rally for Life priority.” At that point Johnson began to Catholic family; a son is at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in downtown question her career with Planned Parenthood. ordained and a daughter is Fort Wayne. She said she soon realized that “Planned Johnson, a former director of a Planned Parenthood is based on lies.” As a counselor, married. That really happened to the Parenthood facility in Bryan, Texas, she was advised to rely on carefully scripted Schmitt family, parishioners of St. Peter exclaimed, “What a difference a year answers to “tough questions” from young makes,” in her conversion to a pro-life atti- women seeking abortions. Those women Parish in Fort Wayne. On May 25, 1957, tude. She noted that “God began to open my often asked for spiritual reassurance to sup- Adam Schmitt was ordained to the holy heart and open my eyes” when the facility where she worked began gearing up to do LIFE, PAGE 3 YEAR OF, PAGE 4 2 TODAY’ S CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 7, 2010 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the Bishop Rhoades’ talk at You Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades Can Lend a Hand luncheons EDITOR: Tim Johnson four years at Lebanon Catholic High people with a sound education, rooted in the NEWS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad School. I am very grateful for that educa- Gospel message, the Person of Jesus Christ, tion — my life as a child and as a teenage and rich in the cherished traditions and Editorial Department youth was enriched by the schooling I liturgical practices of our faith, we ensure PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan received. It was truly an education not only that they have the foundation to live moral- FREELANCE WRITERS: Lauren Caggiano, of my mind and body, but also my soul. ly and uprightly in our complex modern That is why Catholic education is such a world.” Michelle Castleman, Karen Clifford, noble enterprise. It is the education of the I am really looking forward to visiting Elmer J. Danch, Bonnie Elberson, BY BISHOP KEVIN C. RHOADES whole person, an education imparted not the schools of our diocese. School visits Denise Fedorow, Diane Freeby, May only through excellence in teaching, but were one of my most enjoyable activities as Lee Johnson, Sister Margie Lavonis, also through the experience of school as a bishop of Harrisburg. I know already that CSC, Joe Kozinski and Deb Wagner t is a joy to be with you today to cele- genuine Christian community of faith, hope the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend has brate our Catholic schools during this and charity. a strong Catholic school system. I thank all ICatholic Schools Week. I am very grate- A Catholic school is not just a physical of you who so generously support our Business Department ful to the Fitzpatrick Family and Quality place. It is a spiritual reality where chil- Catholic schools. I ask you to continue to Dining for providing this opportunity to cel- dren’s lives are enriched by hearing and be generous in your support of our schools. BUSINESS MANAGER: Kathy Denice ebrate our Catholic schools and to honor experiencing the fullness of Christ’s mes- It is only because of the generosity of our AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber our teachers with the Light of Learning sage, where they learn to trust all persons as people that our Catholic schools are able to BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol Award. I appreciate your extraordinary brothers and sisters created by God and exist and to flourish. Your investment in our [email protected] commitment to Catholic education. Thank redeemed by Christ. schools is an investment in the lives of our you for your generosity to our schools! Another reason why I am such a strong children and young people and an invest- Advertising Sales I also offer my personal congratulations proponent of Catholic schools is because ment in the Church’s holy mission. Your Tess Steffen (Fort Wayne area) to our teachers being recognized at this they play a vital role in the Church’s mis- spiritual and financial support makes you (260) 456-2824 luncheon. Our Catholic school teachers are sion of evangelization. In 2005, the bishops real partners in the Catholic educational Jeanette Simon (South Bend area) true partners in the Church’s mission of of the United States reaffirmed our commit- enterprise, an enterprise that embraces the (574) 234-0687 educating the whole person and of transmit- ment to Catholic elementary and secondary formation of the whole person and that schools. Though we continue to face many imparts a vision, founded in faith and rea- Web site: www.todayscatholicnews.org ting the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ to our children and young people. challenges in making Catholic schools son, of the world and society, of human life Published weekly except the fourth Our teachers are not merely employees of available, accessible and affordable, we and dignity, a vision for life regarding what Sunday in June, second and fourth the Church. They share in the mission of seek ways to meet these challenges because is true, beautiful and good. It has as its ulti- weeks in July and August, the first week the Church, called by the grace of God to of the critical role Catholic schools fill in mate goal the same goal as the Church’s of September and last week in the apostolate of Catholic education. I thank the life of the Church. The bishops’ docu- whole evangelizing mission: eternal salva- December by the Diocese of Fort all of our teachers and our principals for ment states that “we must move forward tion. I can’t think of anything more impor- Wayne-South Bend, 1103 S. Calhoun St., their extraordinary commitment to the with faith, courage and enthusiasm because tant in our lives than that goal. P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. Church and her mission. It is their generosi- Catholic schools are so important to our I pray that the Church’s evangelizing Periodicals postage paid at Fort Wayne, ty, intelligent creativity and pursuit of future.” I certainly believe this is true for mission will flourish in our diocese, espe- IN, and additional mailing office.