February 7, 2020 7, February Bishop summarizes Ad Limina r meetings with Roman Curia n addition to meeting with our Holy Also, we need to better get the word out Father, my recent ad limina visit to about all of the seven sacraments and the Holy See included meeting with COME, AND how they touch the important moments the heads of various offices of the of Christian life. We recently gathered IRoman Curia, who shared their priori- YOU WILL SEE the data on sacramental participation in ties and offered me an opportunity to past 20 years in the Church in Southern Missouri, 1998-2018. A portion of those r report on what is happening in the Bp. Edward M. Rice Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in findings are listed in the table found on these various areas. I share these sum- p. 2. mations as many of these observations anyone. If you haven’t already done so, Finally, Cardinal Farrell spoke of will be the basis of much of our pastoral please check out p. 16 of this edition of the importance of spending time with concern moving forward. Many of these The Mirror for information on how to youth, especially what we would call discussions took place within the con- sign up for these learning tracks. I did so “middle school,” and how to bring text of the 25th anniversary of Pope St. myself just this week. them into an encounter with Christ. John Paul II’s “Evangelium Vitae,” “The Regarding marriage preparation We address this in various ways. For Gospel of Life”: and enrichment: more and more, the example, the age for celebrating the Sac- Church must have increased emphasis rament of Confirmation was changed Dicastery for Laity and Family Life on strengthening family life and pasto- on Jan. 28, 2018. Pastors are invited to Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell ral programs to enhance the sacrament consult with their ministry staff and Cardinal Farrell spoke of the of marriage and to understand its sacra- discern which grade levels are to be importance of training and forming mental nature. Similar to other dioceses, prepared and Confirmed, 7th, 8th, or members of the laity, especially teach- we are experiencing a sacramental de- 9th. This lowering of the age of Con- ers. He emphasized that this formation cline with regard to marriage, as many firmation in the diocese is to provide a must begin at the beginning because choose a “trendy destination wedding,” guide for the Church’s pastoral mission we are no longer living in the Christian rather than a sacramental wedding in in contemporary society. Similarly, we One Church, East to West: Loving Jesus, Serving Sharing Jesus East to West: One Church, world. We can no longer assume that the Church. Again, we have to go back have introduced a Middle School track people have a deep knowledge of the to the beginning and treat marriage as to our annual Diocesan Youth Confer- DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI GIRARDEAU, OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPE DIOCESE faith and thus the importance of ongo- a sort of catechumenate and introduce ence (DYC), for grades 9th-12th, held ing formation. people to the faith and accompany each March in West Plains, MO. Now To this I immediately thought of couples to grow in their understanding in its 27th year, the DYC will have the the enormous gift from the Missouri of the sacrament(s). second annual IGNITE, Sat., March 28, Knights of Columbus that the diocese In southern Missouri, I would like a one-day retreat dedicated to youth in has realized: From its Religious Informa- to invite married couples to prayerfully 7th and 8th grade with its own youth tion Bureau, the Knights are offering consider sharing their experience of the conference. By the way: Registration is sponsorship of FREE Online formation sacrament as a Marriage Preparation open to these conferences until March 6 for anyone in the diocese, through the Couple, those that are willing to walk and can be processed through the dioc- Catechetical Institute at Franciscan Uni- with our engaged couples in talking esan Website: www.dioscg.org. The Mir The versity. This enrichment opportunity is about the gifts of a sacramental marriage available to parents, students, catechists, and its fruits in family life and society. See Ad limina / 2 Vol. LV, No. 21 No. LV, Vol. ‘AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM’ (‘TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE APOSTLES’)—A visit that each bishop is regularly required to make to Rome, where he meets personally with the pope and with various officials of the Roman Curia. The visit origi- nated in pilgrimages made by bishops of the Roman province to the threshold of the tombs of the two great apostles: Peter and Paul, for their veneration. Six months prior to his ad limina visit, the diocesan bishop submits to the Holy See a report on the state of the diocese. Episcopal Region IX includes (arch)bishops in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, and they made their ad limina visit Jan. 12-18, 2020. Pictured were: The Most Rev. Gerald Vincke, Diocese of Salina/KS; The Most The next issue of The Mirror Rev. George J. Lucas, Archdiocese of Omaha/NE; The Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann, Archdiocese of Kansas City/KS; The will be Feb. 21, 2020. Most Rev. Edward M. Rice, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau/MO; The Most Rev. Mark S. Rivituso, Auxiliary Bishop, Experiencing delayed USPS Archdiocese of St. Louis/MO; The Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson, Archdiocese of St. Louis/MO; The Most Rev. Thomas Zinkula, delivery? Sign up to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email Diocese of Davenport/IA; The Most Rev. William M. Joensen, Diocese of Des Moines/IA; The Most Rev. Richard Pates, retired, in digital format: Contact Angie Diocese of Des Moines/IA; The Most Rev. Carl A. Kemme, Diocese of Wichita/KS; The Most Rev. W. Shawn McKnight, Diocese Toben at (417) 866-0841, or of Jefferson City/MO; The Most Rev. Joseph G. Hanefeldt, Diocese of Grand Island/NE; and The Most Rev. James V. Johnston, Email: [email protected]. Jr., Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph/MO. (Photo courtesy of Vatican Media) 2 The Mirror DIOCESAN NEWS February 7, 2020 At-a-glance: Bishop: Ad Limina 20 years of incremental change From Page 1 family member or close friend who Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau identifies as LGBTQ. We need to ap- Congregation for the Doctrine proach these issues pastorally, but also of the Faith from a Scriptural anthropology, and 1998 2018 Difference % Change Cardinal Luis Ferrer we cannot presume that young people Two issues were addressed. First, agree with the Church’s view of the Total Baptisms 1,231 852 -379 -30.79% the process of handling sexual abuse human person. Nor can we expect Total Marriages 462 246 -216 -46.75% cases. Among other issues, sexual abuse them to understand natural law. The cases reflect a “crisis” in the “sacra- challenge is to get them to understand Total Validations 171 76 -95 -55.56% mental nature of the priesthood.” To that their attractions or behaviors are counter that, there must be broader not the same thing as their identity. Confirmations 904 807 -97 -10.73% awareness of abuse and education We must be caring with people deal- on its symptoms and procedures in ing with these issues and education is Registered Households 23,846 23,226 -620 -2.60% addressing allegations. Transparency key, and cannot be taken for granted. and accountability will lead to heal- A resource example would be perhaps Total Catholic Population 55,742 63,167 7,425 13.32% ing. There have been three new clergy a deliberate catechesis on Pope St. John members brought in to the Congrega- Paul II’s beautiful work, “Theology of tion, which will hopefully speed up the the Body.” processing of abuse cases more quickly. The second issue is the relation- and follow the appropriate canonical With awareness and a commitment Papal Secretary of State ship of the Church with China. The procedures, which must be obeyed. to the end of abuse, there has been an Cardinal Pietro Perolin goal of our dealings with China is to increase in the number of cases with Archbishop Joseph Naumann, normalize a relationship with China Congregation for Bishops which the Congregation is dealing, but of Kansas City, KS, brought up three and avoid a schism. Bishops have been Cardinal Marc Ouellet they are all from the past. Bringing the issues for discussion. Number one was ordained without the approval of the We were encouraged to look at past to light is part of the solution. the persecution of Christians in general Holy Father. Both St. John Paul II and how we promote vocations on the na- The second issue is in regard to and whether or not the Holy See has Benedict XVI were in negotiations tional (USCCB) level as well as learning gender ideology and same-sex “mar- drawn enough attention to these situa- with the Patriotic Church in China. from neighboring diocese as to how riage.” Most people approach both tions. Many people feel as if the Middle It is felt that the fact that the Church best to promote vocations through of these issues as an emotional issue, East has been abandoned and that we in China cannot be united with the programs such as campus ministry, having personal experience with a are not doing enough. Universal Church it is hurting her summer camps, Totus Tuus, and adora- growth. By entering into relationship tion—all of which we have present in with the Chinese government, hope- our Church of Southern Missouri.