ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy THE OBSERVER Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford Volume 79 | No. 38 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 Inside Special Collection to be Sept. 13-14 Bishop Joins USCCB In Asking for Aid to Catechists to be Honored Sept. 21 Middle East Christians pg. 4 BY SHARON BOEHLEFELD Bishop Malloy reminded di- Features Editor ocesan Catholics of the prayer (CNS photo/Rodi Said, Reuters) requests made for suffering A woman who ed the violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar sits with a ROCKFORD—Bishop Da- Christians in the Middle East, child inside a tent at a camp in Syria’s northern town of Qamishli Aug. 17. Returning from a visit to the Kurdish region of Iraq, Syriac Catho- vid Malloy has asked priests whose plight, “We have all in the Rockford Diocese to lic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan called the Islamic State invasion been following, in prayer and “pure and simple religious cleansing and attempted genocide.” take up a second collection to human concern. help refugees in “the cradle of “Our fellow Christians and He explained that Archbish- Relief Services and other Cath- Christianity,” the Middle East. Catholics ... and other religious op Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, olic agencies that are “working The collections will be taken minorities,” he wrote, are suffer- president of the United States in partnership with the local at Masses the weekend of Sept. ing in Iraq, Gaza and Syria, as Conference of Catholic Bish- Church to meet the most urgent 13-14. well as in the surrounding coun- ops, has asked each diocese to humanitarian needs facing the In a letter read a Masses, tries to which they have fl ed. donate to a fund for Catholic people.” Sheen Cause Suspended Johnsburg Ultrasound Blessed, Ready for Use pg. 5 BY PAT SZPEKOWSKI Observer Correspondent JOHNSBURG—The atmo- sphere was fi lled with joy and appreciation for God’s infi nite goodness by staff and volun- teers as the 1st Way Life Cen- ter celebrated the blessing of Life’s Journey a Focus its new ultrasound machine by For School and Bishop David Malloy on Satur- For Seminarian’s Talk day afternoon, Sept. 6. Vocations, pgs. 8-9 The donation of the ultra- sound machine to the cen- ter was made possible by the Knights of Columbus Councils in McHenry County and the combined fundraising efforts led by Knights of Columbus members Clarence Gburek and Ron Rood of Sacred Heart Church in Marengo. “With everyone’s help through hanging fl ower baskets and pumpkin sales and a suc- (Observer photo by Dan Szpekowski) cessful golf outing organized Surrounded by Knights of Columbus members from McHenry County Councils, sta and volunteers, Continued on page 3 Bishop David Malloy blesses the new ultrasound machine at the 1st Way Life Center. On Saturday, Catholic Hearts are for Haiti Love and Faith Forever Family, pgs. 10-11 This Issue Bishop Malloy ............................. 2 Headliners ..................................... 3 Diocesan ........................... 4, 12, 20 Nation/World ........................... 5-7 Vocations ................................... 8-9 Forever Family ................... 10-11 Around the Diocese .......... 13-14 Media/Arts .................................. 15 (Observer photo by Lynne Conner) (Observer photo by Sharon Boehlefeld) Faith Forum ............................... 16 Viewpoints ................................ 17 Big Get-Together Helps LC School A Night in the Tropics Builds More Lives For the Record ......................... 18 pg. 12 pg. 20 2 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 | The Observer The Observer (ISSN 0029- Lift High the Cross on Exultation Sunday 7739), is published weekly, except five times a year by the Diocese of Rockford, BY BISHOP DAVID J. MALLOY 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 his Sunday, we will celebrate the the cross we should be reminded of our reminded that, like Jesus, we too do not Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax Exultation of the Holy Cross. It own need to be not proud or arrogant, but carry our crosses alone. But unlike 2,000 815/399-6225. is one of those few celebrations to be humble in imitation of Jesus. years ago, it is now Christ who helps each Periodical postage paid at directly related to Jesus that Then there is Jesus’ willing embrace of us with our personal crosses. And we Rockford, Ill., and additional Ttake precedence over the normal Sunday of the will of His Father. Several weeks are always being given opportunities to mail offices. celebration. But given its importance ago, I happened upon Mel Gibson’s movie help others to carry their crosses. POSTMASTER: send address to our faith and our spiritual life, we “The Passion of the Christ” replaying on For all of these reasons, and many more changes to The Observer, 555 can certainly see why that is the case. television one evening. I had not seen it that your own prayer and thoughts might Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box On one level the cross was the historical since it came out in 2004. come across, we celebrate not just the 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 means by which Christ died. However, the Watching it once again, one image memory of the cross, but its exaltation. For ADVERTISING information: death of Jesus by that instrument was not captivated my thoughts. After His terrible We praise and venerate the cross because Contact The Observer at the address above or call 815/399- simply one more in a series of executions scourging and beating, Jesus is presented it cannot be separated from Jesus’ death, 4300; fax 815/399-6225, in that brutal form used by the Romans. with His cross to carry. In the movie, from the Mass, or from our way to the E-mail: kmccarthy@ Rather, it was the Son of God, hidden despite His pain and weakness, Jesus Father. rockforddiocese.org. from our view by His humanity, taking does not shrink from the cross or take it Every Catholic home should have Send NEWS information to The the sins of the world upon Himself and, up reluctantly. Instead, it was subtle but at least one crucifix (if not more) Observer at the address or fax on the cross, offering Himself in our place clear that despite His tired and pain-racked prominently displayed. Placing one in the number above; send email to to His heavenly Father. This fact is vitally body, He embraced His cross. (“Father … bedroom reminds us when we go to bed Observer@rockforddiocese. org; or fill out a form at important to our faith because only by not my will but yours be done.”) at the end of the day and when we begin a http://observer.rockforddiocese. faith can it be perceived. The world sees What a reminder as we struggle through new day of the love and sacrifice of Jesus org/contact-us. only a defeated and dying man. moments of pain, sorrow, and maybe for us. Parents, did you pack one in the Subscription rate $28.00 per Aside from the historical reality of even spiritual darkness. We can take up kid’s belongings for the dorm room as they year (48 issues); Canadian Jesus’ crucifixion, there are lessons to be our struggle with complaints and laments headed off to college? If not, it’s not too and Pan American $29; other learned from the cross that we venerate because we can’t really avoid it, or we can late to send them one! foreign: surface mail $37, air on this feast. For example, the Romans do our best to follow the example of Christ Above all, the exultation of the cross mail $97; single copies $1. used this means of torture and execution by giving ourselves over to what the reminds us that the sacrifice of Jesus is The Observer Online digital because it was humiliating as well as Father asks of us. personal. Yes, He did it for the whole subscriptions are also available. horribly painful. Finally, there is the person of Simon world. But it is vitally important that we Publisher: To die before your friends and neighbors of Cyrene who helped Jesus to carry His recognize that His sacrifice was done for Most Reverend David J. Malloy stripped nearly naked and pinned to cross. While the Gospels indicate the each of us. wooden beams was recognized then (as it Romans forced him to do so, we can well Every time, then, that we see a crucifix, Associate Publisher: Msgr. Eric Barr would be now) as removing every element speculate and pray over whether Simon’s we are helped to stand with Mary and of human dignity. However, Jesus, because proximity to Christ and the cross in that John at the foot of the cross. Jesus’ love Editor: Penny Wiegert He is the Son of God, gave us a greater moment might have brought about within has transformed it from humiliation and News Editor: Amanda Hudson example of humility than will ever be him a willing acceptance of his task. torture to the instrument of our salvation. Features and Multimedia asked of any of us. Every time we look at Meditating on Simon’s role, we are Lift high the Cross! Editor: Sharon Boehlefeld Circulation/Proofreading: Susan Sabrowski, Keith The The Church, Our Mother Ludolph Pope Accounting: Jill Bonk From General Audience, St. Peter’s Square, Sept. 3 on ... Advertising and Marketing: BY POPE FRANCIS Kevin McCarthy (CNS photo/Claudio Peri, pool via Reuters) Production and Web We have pointed out many Vatican Council expressed it in the womb of the Church. From becomes a child of the Church, Administrator: Gary Haughton a wonderful way (see Dogmatic the moment that Christ is the who enters the Church.