CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 5, 2017 THE FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME VOLUME 66:18 DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS A journal of Catholic life in Ohio MOUNT VERNON ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CONTINUES LONG TRADITION OF OUTREACH 2 Catholic Times February 5, 2017 The Editor’s Notebook Groundhog Day By David Garick, Editor Most of you will be reading this is- shone.” That sue of Catholic Times right around light comes Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. We all know from Christ. He the legend: If the groundhog emerges tells us in John from his den on this day and the sun is 8:12, “I am the light of the world. shining brightly and he sees his shad- Whoever follows me will not walk ow, he will be frightened back into his in darkness, but will have the light of burrow and we will have six weeks life.” more of winter. But if the day is So, like Christ, we also are light. cloudy and he sees no shadow, spring This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 5:13- is just around the corner. 16) makes it clear: “You are the light Given the dark, gloomy weather we of the world. A city set on a mountain have been experiencing of late, I have cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a great hope for an early spring. But the lamp and then put it under a bushel Groundhog Day saga addresses light, basket; it is set on a lampstand, where and that is something for us to think it gives light to all in the house. Just about. so, your light must shine before oth- In the Church, Feb. 2 is Candlemas, ers, that they may see your good deeds the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and glorify your heavenly Father.” Jesus in the Temple. It was historically We do not have to make ourselves the time when people brought the can- the light of the world, because we are dles they used to light their homes into light already. Jesus has called us and church, where they were blessed for we have responded to his call. Most the coming year. The following day is of the world has not heard the call of the Feast of St. Blaise, who was said to Jesus. By our faith in him, we are the have healed a child who was choking beacon that lights the way for them to on a fish bone, and hence became the follow. patron saint of those with throat mala- St. Paul tells us that we are children dies. Today, the church invokes the of light; therefore, we should walk as blessing of St. Blaise with the place- children of light. We are saved in Je- ment of two blessed candles on either sus our Savior and should be renewed side of a person’s throat. day by day and shine that light upon Light is of great spiritual significance. others by living in the way of Christ. Physical darkness is the symbol of We are not groundhogs. We need spiritual darkness. The Devil is the not fear our shadow. The shadow we prince of darkness. In his realm, all is cast is not a dark profile of ourselves, dark, while in the realm of God, all is but rather the cross which bursts forth light. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “The with the glory of resurrection and eter- Don’t forget to renew your people who walked in darkness have nal life. Spring is just around the cor- seen a great light; Upon those who ner. Darkness will be dispelled. The CATHOLIC TIMES subscription lived in a land of gloom a light has light is there and it will go on forever. in February! Front Page photo: Bishop Frederick F. Campbell, D.D., PhD. ~ President & Publisher St. Vincent de Paul CATHOLIC David Garick ~ Editor ([email protected]) Church has served Tim Puet ~ Reporter ([email protected]) Mount Vernon since TIMES 1842, and its school Alexandra Keves~ Graphic Design Manager ([email protected]) Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved. Mailing Address: 197 E. Gay St., Columbus OH 43215 was founded in 1856. Catholic Times (USPS 967-000) (ISSN 745-6050) is the official newspaper The current church of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Ohio. It is published weekly 45 Editorial/Advertising: (614) 224-5195 FAX (614) 241-2518 was built in 1922 and times per year with exception of every other week in June, July and the school building August and the week following Christmas. Subscription rate: $25 per Subscriptions (614) 224-6530 FAX (614) 241-2573 dates to 1931. year, or call and make arrangements with your parish. (subscriptions @columbuscatholic.org) Postage Paid at Columbus, OH 43218 CT photo by Tim Puet Postmaster: Send address changes to Catholic Times, 197 E. Gay St., Columbus, Ohio 43215. Please allow two to four weeks for change of address. February 5, 2017 Catholic Times 3 Jubilant crowd gathers in Washington for annual March for Life By Carol Zimmermann Vann, a Catholic News Service member of Tens of thousands of pro-life supporters Holy Infant of filled the grounds near the Washington Prague Parish Monument and marched up Constitu- in Trussville, tion Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court Alabama, said on Jan. 27, as both a protest of legalized she hoped the abortion and a celebration of successful energy at the pro-life efforts across the nation. march could In years past, the March for Life -- be channeled which takes place on or near Jan. 22 to into everyday mark the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 support for the pro-life move- decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Vice President Pence Bolton that legalized abortion virtually ment, which on demand -- has been almost a battle she is involved cry for the constant uphill fight faced with on a regular basis through sidewalk by those in the pro-life movement who CNS photo/Leslie E. Kossoff counseling, volunteering at crisis preg- hope for more restrictions on abortion nancy centers, and helping young moth- and ultimately an end to abortion. ers with basic needs. She also said she is disheartened by hearing those who say This year’s March for Life, under dential adviser Kellyanne Conway, got amid recent discussion about crowd pro-lifers only are concerned about ba- mostly sunny skies in 40-degree tem- plenty of cheers when she said “This is size at Washington events, it was hard bies, noting that she and her fellow vol- peratures, was decidedly more upbeat, a new day, a new dawn for life.” to measure the number of people that unteers bring pregnant women to their in part because one of the first speakers The scheduled presence of the vice day or the total who have attended the doctor’s appointments and help pay their was Vice President Mike Pence. It was president, which was announced the march during the past four decades. medical costs. the first time such a prominent official day before, required the rally perim- “The only number we care about is the attended the rally. eter to be fenced in and the crowd to 58 million” lost to abortion since it was Jim Klarsch, a member of St. Clement Pence, who marched at the event be- enter through long lines that formed at legalized, she said. Parish in St. Louis, who came with a fore as a participant and addressed it security checks. Participants seemed As in years past, the crowd was pri- busload of eighth-graders, is involved as a congressman, repeatedly said “life unfazed by the wait, taking it in stride marily young, with many high school with pro-life work with the Knights of is winning” and assured rally partici- with the day. Some pulled out their pre- and college-age groups. The speakers Columbus at his parish. In Washington pants that the Trump administration is packed lunches and started eating; oth- took note of this, saying this generation for his second march, he said the expe- behind them. ers prayed the rosary. These marchers not only would keep the pro-life move- rience was “empowering.” Crowd members wearing winter coats are used to plenty of hardships from ment going, but also would bring about Standing alongside Constitution Av- and hats huddled together in the cold weather conditions at the march. changes. enue waiting for the march to begin, he and held placards aloft, but carried Jeanne Mancini, president of March Mary Ann Vann, a retiree attending said the crowd, which was filling the none of the usual giant banners, which for Life, noted that the group has been her sixth march, said the most excit- street to each side and behind him as were banned for security reasons. marching in all types of bad weather ing thing for her each time is seeing the The rally’s first speaker, special presi- over the years. She pointed out that young people. See LIFE, Page 19 Cardinal Dolan: If sanctuary of the womb is violated, no one is safe By Mark Pattison Cardinal Dolan (pic- cluding those used by “should it shock us” that “such a soci- Catholic News Service tured), chairman of the Israelites; the sanc- ety would begin to treat the sanctuary Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New the U.S. Conference tuary of the Temple of the earth’s environment as a toxic York warned that if the sanctuary of the of Catholic Bishops’ in Jerusalem, where waste dump; would begin to consider womb is violated, then other sanctuar- committee on pro-life Mary and Joseph took homes and neighborhoods as danger- ies are at risk.