THE CATHOLIC MIRROR Vol. 55, No. 1 January, 15 2021 Pope proclaims year dedicated Ordinations have powerful impact to St. Joseph By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church, Pope Francis pro- claimed a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus. In a Dec. 8 apostolic letter, “Pa- tris Corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), the pope said Christians can discover in St. Joseph, who often goes unnoticed, “an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.” “St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation. A word of recognition and of gratitude is due to them all,” he said. As Mary’s husband and guardian of the son of God, St. Joseph turned “his human voca- tion to domestic love into a superhuman oblation of himself, his heart and all his abilities, a love placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to maturity in his home.” Despite being troubled at first by Mary’s pregnancy, he added, St. Joseph was obedient to God’s will “regardless of the hardship involved.” “In every situation, Joseph declared his own ‘fiat,’ like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,” the pope Continued on page 14 Capitol attack Read what Pope Francis and other faith leaders said about the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol, page 15. Above: Deacon Max COVID 19 Carson of St. Anthony Parish in Des Moines lays prostrate on the Bishop encourages floor during the Litany of the Saints at his ordina- Holy Hours for God’s tion for the transitional diaconate on Dec. 26 at grace amid pandemic the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in By Kelly Mescher Collins Rome. See story on page Staff Writer 11. The COVID-19 global pandemic has been tough on everyone, including parishes and Left: Deacon Nick Stark the faith community. While hope is on the hori- was ordained a transi- zon, the Church will face both challenges and op- tional deacon on Dec. portunities post-pandemic. 30 by Bishop William In prayerful response, Bishop William Joensen at his home Joensen will soon be inviting parishes to host a parish of St. Pius X weekly Holy Hour with Eucharistic adoration to Parish in Urbandale. See pray for grace and trust in God and his divine story on page 11. providence, and to stir our evangelistic efforts post-pandemic, said Adam Storey, vice-chancel- lor for the Diocese of Des Moines. Bishop Joensen is inviting parishes to Continued on page 10 2 www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror January 15, 2021 Decoder Ring Not long after the pan- it. various circles of life to which we In my clerical hab- demic hit our shores last year Yet as we approach the belong. We are bold enough to ex- it of reading what some priests about this time, drug companies By Week of Christian Unity and amine the phenomena of our own call, “the Irish sports pages,” i.e., ramped up to “warp speed” in Bishop Catholic Schools Week, my point hearts and their infinite longings, the obituaries, I noted one dis- their coronavirus research in order William is not to disparage science, but to and to enter the spiritual labora- tinguished fellow who died of to produce a vaccine. Decoding Joensen commend it in proper measure. tory of dialogue among atheists, COVID-19 in his 80s who was de- the protein and DNA structures of Science has the vital capacity to agnostics, “nones” (no religious scribed as a doctorally-trained an- the virus is a relatively straight- contribute to the human-divine affiliation), and persons who con- alytical chemist, a man of firm Lu- forward affair these days. Long zation of our human identity, our project of redemption and King- fess various forms of Christian theran faith highly regarded both before effective vaccines were calling and destiny that extends far dom consciousness that Jesus in- faith. In such dialogue, it is a by his fellow scientists and by his developed (and it is NOT my task beyond this universe. It means to augurates. The newest edition of mark of respect and recognition of church and larger civic communi- here to offer an ethical analysis of abide within God’s own commu- the Directory for Catechesis (DC) common dignity not to write any- ty for his many acts of kindness the different cell lines and means nion of persons, to be loved and to cautions us that one of the biggest one off from the outset, or to be and generosity toward others. I of production enlisted—several love freely, forever, and to expe- stumbling blocks on the path to so skeptical that we cannot really wish I’d met him in life—I’ll bet relevant analyses are available on rience the unqualified peace and mature faith for teenagers and oth- listen and reflect upon someone the conversation would never our diocesan website and other joy this love generates. It means ers is a misperception of the rela- else’s perspective. No one should have been boring, for while no one sources), a television ad circulated to have all our questions answered tionship between faith and reason, be expected to blink or back away might mistake him for one of the declaring, “Science will save us.” (or at least, the questions that re- theology and science. Many hold from hard questions, for there “magi,” he must have been a truly Hmmm. I guess whether one be- ally matter to us beyond idle cu- the mistaken notion that there is is great precedence in salvation wise man. lieves science “saves” all depends riosity), to have all the paradoxes, a fundamental antagonism that history: “God posed questions to He must have imitated on what one’s definition of “save” problems, and sufferings we pres- cannot be reconciled, and are then humanity, and required a response the wisest of all humans, our Sav- is. ently endure finally make sense. swayed by our culture to side with from them” (DC n. 157). ior Jesus Christ: “Jesus seeks, en- If being saved means to Of course, in this more science as the ultimate arbiter of Catholics and other counters, and welcomes people in be preserved or restored to natu- complete sense of “saved,” sci- all truth, holding authority to de- Christian believers should be ex- their concrete life situations. He ral health, to resume human life ence’s reach is not as far as ad- termine the “really real.” No won- pected to be humble, courageous, begins from observation of events on this earth as we know it, and vertised. Only Jesus, whose very der that “science will save us” can and undaunted in their belief that in life and history, which he rein- to prescribe the values and con- name discloses his identity and be a siren song seducing some to the God who creates the world terprets from a [wisdom] perspec- ditions of this life on our terms, mission, saves. Only by faith in forsake faith. and the God who saves cannot ul- tive. Jesus made human ex- then maybe science can go a long Jesus and the power of the water, In a positive way, The timately contradict himself. We perience more livable through the way toward saving us. However, blood, and Spirit by which he dies Directory praises many qualities should neither over-explain nor recognition in it of the presence I think that is a pretty shortsighted and is raised up, are we saved. of scientists: “The man or woman apologize for a God whose mys- and call of God” (DC 198). As horizon of understanding that can Only by demonstrating our faith of science is an impassioned wit- terious being and saving activity one sage observes, “Jesus inter- lead us to sell ourselves--let alone through acts of love for our neigh- ness to mystery; seeks the truth transcends our preconceptions and prets God in the language of a hu- God--short. St. John Paul II de- bor and tenacious hope that in God with sincerity; is naturally inclined our biases. Persons of faith are man life.” And for a complete life, fines being “saved” as being deliv- all things are possible do we par- toward collaboration, communi- to be open to ongoing conversion both science and practical wisdom ered from the ultimate evil of sin ticipate even now in eternal life cation, and dialogue; cultivates of mind and heart such that what are indispensable, though not suf- and death. To be saved means be- with the Father that Jesus accesses depth, rigor, and correctness of we profess and how we live can ficient. For where faith and hope ing healed from the rupture of re- for us through baptism, Eucharist, reasoning; loves intellectual hon- mesh —a beautiful harmony that lead us, in the end, only God’s sav- lationship with God and from the and the life of grace. There is no esty” (DC 358). All of these qual- appeals, bears witness, and does ing love remains. forfeiture of divine life and love app, no experiment, no laboratory ities are marvelous dispositions to not berate or bruise those who are that God wants to share with us. that can lay claim to this formula, engage the word of God, to decode searching for something, someone Being saved means the full reali- let alone patent and mass produce our experience in the “ring” of the in whom to believe.