The Diocese of Ogdensburg Volume 72, Number 37 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Rites held for Sister Victorine Brenon, SSJ Feb.? I PAG E3 NORTH COUNTRY Governor's 'gift' is no good for women or children I PAGE 12 CATHOLIC FEB. 14, 2018 MAKING Papal homily hints PEACE VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Catholic need to do their part, too, the homilist, especially if the ser­ those gathered in the Paul VI priests must deliver good pope said at his weekly gen­ mon is boring, meandering audience hall. homilies so the "good news" eral audience Feb . 7. or hard to understand, he A homily must be prepared Through lives of the Gospel can take root in Catholics need to read the said. "How many times do we well with prayer and study, people's hearts and help Bible more regularly so they see some people asleep, and be delivered clearly and of justice them live holier lives, Pope can better understand the chatting or going out to briefly -- "it must not go Francis said. Mass readings, and they smoke a cigarette during the longer than 10 minutes, Lord, . But the faithful in the pews need to be patient with the homily," the pope asked please," the pope said. mtl~ me tin. imtrument ofyour peace; where there is hatred, . '. Jet me SOlI> love,'.'i. where there is injury, p'ardon; Three REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE DUST. •• where there is doubt, faith; schools, one where the~e .' is despair, hope; where there is dar~ess,'" lii't; .~ special day and where there is sadness; jqy, r~~ - St. Francis of Assisi During the Season of Lent, the North Country Catholicwill pres­ ent a series "Lord Make Me An In­ strument of Your Peace," with reflections on Catholic social teaching from members of the diocesan Public Policy Committee and other writers. The U.S.bish­ ops offer an overview of the seven themes of Catholic social teaching at www.usccb.org, with high­ lights printed on page 4. Father Douglas Lucia will begin the series in the Feb.21 issue of the NCC with an essay on the "Life and PHOTOS, PAGE 5 Dignity of the Human Person." This will be followed by a reflec­ tion on "Call to Family, Commu­ Preparing nity and Partidpation"by for Lent CNSPHOTO /PAUL HARING Stephen Tartaglia, diocesan fam­ Pope Francis gives ashes to a woman as he celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican ily life director. 'Whatever we do for Lent, in this 2017 photo. Lenten messages from the pope as well as from Bishop LaValley are published on page 11 and 3, respectively. FULL STORY, PAGE 4 we must remember that our end goal is our focus on the Lord' FULL STORY, PAGE 7 OPERATION RICE BOWL: A way to 'encounter' the season of Lent .... pages 8-9 II NORTH COUNTRY CATHOLIC DIOCES LIFE FEB. 14, 2018 NORTH COUNTRY EDITOR'S NOTE CATHOLIC Box 326 Ogdensburg, N.Y. 13669 USPS 0039-3 400 Rich treasure of wisdom for Lent BISHOP TERRY R. LAVALLEY For the past couple of years, help form our people into Douglas j. Lucia, judicial Vicar, social teaching and its key President I've been proud to be part of a knowledgeable and compas- director of vocations and direc­ principles. REV. JOSEPH A. MORGAN committee that's done ....-:-.-r--"""""""1<r.II sionate advocates for tor of seminarians; Colleen and "Using the Prayer of St. Fran­ Vice President some important work justice ,?nd the common john Miner, directors of the Re­ cis as our model," he writes, "I JAMES D. CROWLEY in the diocese without good ... spect Life Office, Msgr. Dennis invite our local Church to con­ Secretary-Treasurer a lot of fanfare . Daughter of Charity Duprey, pastor of St. Peter's in sider what it means when we MARY LOU KILIAN In june, 201S, Sister Donna Franklin Plattsburgh, St. joseph Sister pray: "Lord, make me an in­ Editor/ Bishop LaValley estab- served as the first chair Ellen Rose Coughlin, director strument of your peace ... " General Manager Iished a Public Policy of the committee until of Catholic education and su­ The public policy committee Team to promote and she retired from her po- perintendent of Catholic is doing its part by putting to­ Publish 45 is- publicize the Church's sition as director of Schools; Kelly Donnelly, direc­ gether a series of articles ex­ ® sues per year: public policy advocacy Catholic Charities ear- tor of youth ministry; and ploring each of the seven "" Weekly except priorities in the Dio- Iier this year. Deacon yours truly. themes of Catholic social skipping cese of Ogdensburg. Mary Lou Patrick Donahue re- While we can claim a few teaching, what the American every other The bishop ex- placed her on the com- brag-worthy accomplishments bishops have described as a week begin­ pressed his "hope that Kilian mittee while Marika since the group was formed, "rich treasure of wisdom about ning July we will educate our Donders, director of the today I'd like to let you know building a just society and liv­ throughX Aug. and skipping one week in Dec. by the Dio- people on the Church's Department of New what's next on our agenda. ing lives of holiness amidst the cese of Ogdensburg. social teachings, current issues Evangelization; became the As Bishop LaValley said in his challenges of modern society." 622 Washington Street, Og­ and proposed legislations, and new chair. Lenten message this year (see Sounds like a perfect way to densburg, N. Y. 13669. the needs of our people, espe- Other current team members page 3), the diocesan priority become an instrument of cially the poor and the margin- are Stephen Tartaglia, director this Lent is to help Catholics peace ... in our world, our coun­ Editorial Office: alized. Ultimately, we want to of the Family Life Office; Father better understand the Church's try, our church, our homes! 622 Washington Street, Ogdensburg, N.Y. 13669. FATHER MUENCH SAYS Telephone: (315) 608-7556 E-mail: Healing for the broken-hearted among us news@northcountry catholic.org There are many times when I help us carryon, doing all that ing of someone I know who is look over the Scripture read­ life asks of us despite the bro­ suffering as he tries to support Entered at the ings for a Sunday liturgy as I ken heart. a son who is battling cancer, Post Office: prepare my homily and a word I want to add one more thing trying to help him and his fam­ Ogdensburg, NY seems to jump right out at me. today - about Lent. Lent is the ily, while he himself is suffer­ 13669 and This happened recently on that perfect time - through the ing with a broken heart. additional mailing offices as Sunday, the responsorial psalm prayer and mortification of­ Intercession is an important Periodical Postage. response was: "Praise the Lord, for me to find jesus, to allow part of our Catholic faith. Our who heals the broken hearted." jesus to heal my broken hearts prayers matter. They make a Subscription: So, I focused on a "broken couple at the death bed of their of life, of my life. difference. God stands with us For one year: heart" as a part of my homily. young child. There is no other I am thinking of so many. as we stand with a friend in In-Diocese Rate: $27 I guess that the first thing word to describe what they There are the many broken need. Outside of Diocese Rate: $30 most people think of in this re­ were going through - it was hearts because of my sins, Having such an important gard is a broken love. It re­ heart breaking. there are the many broken purpose for Lent - something Maners for publication minds me of a big, strong I am certain you can tell me hearts because of the times I beyond our own selves - should be hockey player I met way back similar stories. I know that have failed, times when I changes the whole Lenten Pro­ addressed to when I was on the college cam­ you all know what we mean by wanted to do so many things gram for us, gives us a solid PO Box 326 pus. There in my office he was that expression, heart break­ and failed to carry through on purpose for Lent. Ogdensburg, NY 13669 in tears. His girlfriend had ing. You have certainly experi­ them. They were heart break­ I want to finish with a prayer and should be recei ved by dumped him and he was bro­ enced a broken heart yourself. ing moments in my life. There of Pope Francis: "Lent is a good Thursday prior to ken hearted. You also know that every were so many more things I time to recover the joy and publication. However, there are many time you remember that per­ could have accomplished but hope that make us feel like Paper is printed each other experiences that bring on son or that particular situation, simply failed. beloved sons and daughters of Monday; a broken heart. Personally, I you again experience a heart I want to add here a sugges­ the Father. The Father who dateline is Wednesday. can think of times when some­ break. They just don't go tion as you begin the time of waits for us in order to cast off Member, Catholic Press one in my family, someone Lent. I would like to suggest our garments of exhaustion, of Association. away. close to me was suffering or in So, how does jesus "heal the that you offer your prayers and apathy, of mistrust, and so a crisis or died.