50¢ June 15, 2008 Volume 82, No. 24 www.diocesefwsb.org/TODAY Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC Geneva parish Breaking ground for education at 125 years Rural parish is a beacon Work begins at St. Thomas, Elkhart, Pages 10-11 to add $3.1 million addition BY DENISE FEDOROW Priest assignments ELKHART — St. Thomas the Apostle in Elkhart is Bishop D’Arcy growing again as parishioners gathered early Sunday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new makes appointments addition to the school. Page 3 Stephen Kromkowski, architecture division man- ager for DLZ, South Bend, the architectural firm for the project, explained there will be three separate addi- tions that will include approximately 18,000 square feet in new construction and 25,000 square feet for Brothers’ jubilees renovations. The $3.1 million project will encompass not only Holy Cross celebrate general construction but asbestos removal as well. “We’ll be creating additional classroom space and anniversaries newly enlarged administrative areas,” Kromkowski Page 8 said. “We’ll consolidate the rooms’ organization to enhance educational curriculum and instruction.” According to Kromkowski, there will be new art, music and computer rooms as well as making the facility handicap-accessible compliant, something Celebration of Father Bill Sullivan, pastor, is pleased about. “To me it’s a fulfillment of a dream,” he said. “To fatherhood know we’re going to be up-to-date and to address the From biological, foster, to handicap-accessible issue is so critical in schools today. This is an educational facility — we have a reli- adopted and spiritual fathers gious (education) program, an adult (education) pro- gram as well as our day school,” Father Sullivan said. Pages 12-13, 14 Jim Hiss, senior project manager for The Robert DENISE FEDOROW Henry Corporation, South Bend, explained work will Members of the capital campaign committee and steering committee joined Father Bill begin on the new additions this week. Sullivan, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Elkhart, in breaking ground for the new “We’ll work around the kids when they’re at the educational addition. From left are Judy and Mike Pianowski, Tonja Lucchese, Megan and school — we want to be respectful of that and keep Troy Baughman, Angie and Sean Kearns, Chuck Fortino with wife Betty behind him and them in operation so they can continue their mission of Father Bill Sullivan. Present but not shown in the photo were Rachelle and Thad Naquin and Carol and Tom Pawlak. The Pawlaks along with Kim and Gary Price are chairpersons of ELKHART, PAGE 3 the hospitality committee. Food-price solutions draw BASILICA OF ST. JOHN Think Green world attention, scrutiny Recycle this paper BY MARK PATTISON impact of biofuels on soaring food prices is much greater. “This is a unique time,” said Bruce White, WASHINGTON (CNS) — As food prices a policy adviser on food security and hunger continue to climb around the globe — 150 for Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bish- percent for rice alone from January to March ops’ overseas relief and development agency. — leaders of several countries pledged in “It’s pretty impressive that the FAO has got- Rome in early June to take steps to ward off ten these countries together, these heads of what many are calling a crisis. state, to address these issues. The recommen- The steps recommended by the U.N. Food dations some of these U.N. entities are mak- and Agriculture Organization included ing are quite significant.” increased food production, fewer trade One FAO recommendation White noted restrictions and increased research in agricul- was for each nation to use vouchers and ture. It also called for more research on bio- assistance programs — an initiative similar CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ, LONG ISLAND CATHOLIC fuels. to the role federal food stamps play in nutri- The Basilica of St. John Lateran is one of Some have pinned the blame for soaring tion assistance for poor Americans. “We real- food prices on biofuels. The United States — ly welcome this,” White told Catholic News nine sites in Rome designated for pilgrim- which has boosted the production of biofuels, Service June 5. age during the Pauline year. The basilica made largely from corn, to reduce depend- “There’s a lot of talk about how long that ence on foreign oil — says only 2 percent to (form of assistance) would go on,” he added. features larger-than-life-sized statues of 3 percent of the recent rise in worldwide food White said it was necessary for nations to tar- the Twelve Apostles, including St. Paul. prices can be attributed to biofuels, which get “the ultrapoor in urban areas and design- removes crops from human and animal con- Pope Benedict XVI will inaugurate the sumption. Other countries contend that the FOOD, PAGE 4 jubilee dedicated to St. Paul June 28. 2 TODAY’ S CATHOLIC JUNE 15, 2008 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Annual retreat with priests Official newspaper of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 offers days of recollection PUBLISHER: Bishop John M. D’Arcy The evening holy hour including exposition would not accept an African-American can- EDITOR: Tim Johnson of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction, didate for the priesthood. The Divine Word ASSISTANT EDITOR: Don Clemmer and the joy the priests have of being with fathers were an exception, and many young one another in this beautiful spot was an African-Americans, often from poor fami- STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad inspiration to me. Msgr. Cleves is a priest lies, became priests in that congregation, NEWS of the diocese of Covington, Ky, and I and several are bishops. I happened to be Editorial Department believe he told us he is one of 10 children. sitting with one of them, a bishop recently PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan &NOTES He entered the seminary at the age of 16 waiting to hear Pope Benedict, and he FREELANCE WRITERS: Lauren Caggiano, and has a doctorate in philosophy from the affirmed that this indeed was the case. Ann Carey, Michelle Castleman, Elmer BISHOP JOHN M. D’ARCY famed Gregorian University in Rome. What At any rate I wrote to the provincial, J. Danch, Michelle Donaghey, Bonnie a joy to be with him and our priests for five Father Mark Weber, SVD, an Iowa farm Elberson, Denise Fedorow, Diane days. boy, and to my delight he liked my letter The annual retreat with our priests and said he would send us a priest. Not Freeby, Sister Margie Lavonis, CSC, only a priest, but an experienced mission- Jennifer Murray and Deb Wagner Every priest is required to make a retreat ary. What I sought was a priest fluent in each year. While some priests prefer a pri- New assignments Summer Intern: Monica Eichman You will note on page 3 of this edition English and Spanish, so that the three vate retreat, for example, at the famous groups in this multicultural parish could be Abbey of Gethsemani, the spiritual home of the assignments and changes of our priests. Business Department As stated previously, I extend my gratitude helped. And so Father Thomas Ascheman, the late Thomas Merton, a famous spiritual SVD, who is also the assistant provincial of BUSINESS MANAGER: Kathy Denice writer, most of our priests wish to come to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber for over 100 years of service in this diocese The Divine Word fathers, will join us. He together for the annual retreat. So many of visited me a few weeks ago while on a trip BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol our priests live alone and take care of a — the Most Precious Blood Parish, Fort [email protected] Wayne, and the last 50-plus years at St. to St. Patrick’s where he spent the weekend. parish by themselves. The sociability of He is fluent in English and Spanish. He will being present with those who bear the bur- Gaspar Del Bufalo, Rome City. Alas, they Advertising Sales are leaving us. Six parishes formerly cared be a great help and I hope that many who den of the day is very important. have left St. Patrick’s will be returning. I Tess Steffen (Fort Wayne area) I’ve always tried very hard to secure for by religious congregations have been turned over to the diocese and this has thank the provincial, Father Mark Weber, (260) 456-2824 retreat masters who both instruct and SVD, and the Society of The Divine Word inspire, and over the years our priests have stretched more our priestly resources. It has Jeanette Simon (South Bend area) with all my heart. had excellent preachers on their annual also required us to examine further parish (574) 234-0687 retreat. Msgr. William Cleves, spiritual mergers, and recently a committee of Web site: www.diocesefwsb.org/TODAY director and professor at the Pontifical priests made some recommendations to me, College Josephinum Seminary in which I must most now prayerfully consid- Onward to state Published weekly except the last Columbus, Ohio, where our young men er. Remarkably, two of our high school Sunday in June, second and fourth study, was the retreat master. I baseball teams will play in weeks in July, second week in August Indianapolis for state champi- and last week in December by the confess to always being a bit anxious when I have not heard onships. Bishop Luers in 2-A, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and Marian High School in 3-A 1103 S. Calhoun St., P.O. Box 390, Fort the retreat master speak, and that I extend my gratitude to the Missionaries of Wayne, IN 46801.