Bishops cite abortion Parish deregulation fears milestone in postelection St. Bonaventure, statement Grampian, celebrates A roundup of the 175 years, U.S. bishops’ fall page 4. meeting, page 2. www.ErieRCD.org BI-WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN OF THE DIOCESE OF ERIE December 7, 2008 Church Calendar Events of the local, American and universal church Feast days Youth rally inspires students to live out their faith through service By Jason Koshinskie St. Nicholas Our Lady of Guadalupe FaithLife editor Doug Tooke was bluntly honest with more than Dec. 6 St. Nicholas 200 high school students throughout the Erie Dio- Above, students work on Dec. 8 Immaculate Conception cese. their service project during Dec. 9 St. Juan Diego “You have no idea what God’s going to do in your the Nov. 15 diocesan high Dec. 11 St. Damasus I life,” said Tooke, who along with David Casey, was a school youth rally held at Our keynote speaker for the high school youth rally Nov. Lady of Peace Parish in Erie. Dec. 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe 15 at Our Lady of Peace in Erie. The project included a card Dec. 13 St. Lucy Tooke and Casey delivered their message with a and prayer rock reminder, brand of stories, humor and song. which were given to guests “Some of you are like, ‘I’ve got plans. I’m gonna of the Sisters of St. Joseph Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception play for the Knicks. If that doesn’t work out, I’m gon- Thanksgiving dinner. At right, – Dec. 8 (holy day of obligation) na go to med school,’” Tooke said, which was fol- youth participate in a concert lowed by laughter from the crowd. “’I’ve got plans, performed by Who Do You The Catholic belief that Mary was free from I’m gonna go to Ohio State, I’m gonna be a physi- Say I Am? music ministry. original sin from the moment of her existence cians assistant and I’m gonna save the world.’ OK. was promulgated by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Good plan. Monday, Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immac- “Let me just be honest with you,” Tooke said. ulate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “You have no idea, you have no clue. You do not patroness of the United States, is a holy day of know what God is going to do when you ask him to Youth ministry looks ahead to 2009 obligation in the United States. really sit and dwell inside of you. You don’t know. Get over it, embrace it, laugh about it, pray about it. And say, alright, how are you going to use me and Father Steve Schreiber shares his vision with youth leaders change me? Bring me to what you want to bring me By Jason Koshinskie Life in Washington is Jan. 21-22. Father Schreiber said. “With to.” FaithLife editor Plans call for youth to gather at 9 our diocese, as you know being The youth rally, themed “I Send You as Servants,” p.m. on Jan. 21 at St. Mark Cath- so large geographically, it’s hard was sponsored by the diocese’s Youth and Young Father Steve Schreiber, direc- olic Center for us to coordinate events like Adult Ministry. Each component of the rally was de- tor of youth and young adult in Erie. Af- this. But we’re going to do the voted to the topic of service to God and to others. ministry for the Erie Diocese, ter Mass, best we can.” Teaching about social justice issues, Father John laid out his vision for youth min- praise and He said it was possible to Santor, coordinator of the diocese’s Catholic Refu- istry in the diocese for 2009 and worship meet other groups along the gee Ministry, said the United States has increasingly beyond during the senior high and refresh- way and head down together. become a very diverse country. school youth rally Nov. 15 at ments, stu- The youth rallies for mid- “This has been a real blessing for America, hav- Our Lady of Peace in Erie. dents and dle and high school students, as ing all kinds of different people and cultures,” Father Father Schreiber, who was chaperones they are currently constructed, Santor said. “It’s made America a very productive named to the post this summer will get on will be reorganized into region- and very rich country. But again, there are people and also serves as the diocese’s buses at al retreats and speakers. who are narrow-minded, people who are slow to ac- associate director of vocations, midnight Father Steve “In talking to a number of cept different kinds of people who speak a different spoke to about 30 youth leaders to head Schreiber you, we’ve come to the conclu- language and who have different values.” during one of the rally’s after- to Washington. After attending sion that it’s time to give the He shared some excerpts from the U.S. bishops’ noon sessions. a national youth rally and the youth rallies, as they are, a little pastoral letter, “Welcoming the Stranger Among Here are a few tidbits to come March for Life, buses will return break and try something new,” Us.” out of that meeting: by midnight on Jan. 22. Father Schreiber said. “The American Catholic bishops are telling us that The next big youth event “Other groups from the dio- we should welcome the strangers among us because, is the Youth Stand 4 Life trip in cese will head down on their See YOUTH January. The annual March for own, and we encourage that,” MINISTRY, page 2 See RALLY, page 3 Retired Religious Fund Collection – Dec. 13-14 Not so retired religious Advent By the numbers: $51,361 Even in retirement, Sister Ann Retirement Fund for Average cost of skilled care for one religious Religious Collection – A season of joyful waiting for one year. (Below the national average of Amen brings others closer to God Dec. 13-14 Advent, the season of expectation leading $55,200) By Jason Koshinskie Today, 58 percent of women and up to the celebration of Christmas, began Nov. FaithLife editor $33,442.36 men religious are past the age of 70, 30. This joyful period prepares us for the com- Average cost of care in 2008 for religious past Sister Ann Amen, SSJ, says and 7 percent are past the age of 90. memoration of the Incarnation. age 70. her life has been beyond her Nearly 5,000 elderly religious in the dreams. U.S. need skilled nursing care. Advent calendar 21,520 In fact, she believes it so Most women and men religious An Advent family Religious with less than 20 percent of amount much that she used the phrase receive, on average, a Social calendar from Catholic needed for projected costs of living and health as the title for her autobiogra- Security Eene¿t of ,0 per Charities is available on care in retirement. phy. year the average U.S. Eene¿ciary the diocesan Web site Sister Ann, who celebrated receives ,98 annually. Though at www.ErieRCD.org. Data obtained from the National Religious Retirement community living provides economies 2f¿Fe NRR2 and ³7he 6enior &are $FTuisitions her 90th birthday in August, The printable calendar Report” from ,rYing /eYin $ssoFiates ,nF is one of the many religious of scale, health care and living costs includes a Scripture in the diocese who have lived in most religious communities far YHUVH UHÀHFWLRQ DQG Lessons & carols at St. Mark Seminary faithful and amazing lives that Sister Ann Amen, SSJ, poses exceed income from investments, activity for every day of have drawn others closer to with her autobiography, government programs and the season. – Dec. 15 God. And it’s on the weekend “Beyond My Dreams,” which compensated ministries. The public is invited to join Bishop Donald Traut- of Dec. 13-14 that the church she published in 2006 at the Jesse Tree man and the students of St. Mark Seminary for an takes up the Retirement Fund age of 88. of GIs and five American girls Faith magazine has created Jesse Tree ornaments evening of lessons and carols on Monday, Dec. 15 for Religious Collection. It’s a who were allowed to see her. WRKHOSUHÀHFWRQWKHVWRU\RIVDOYDWLRQIURPWKHFUHDWLRQ beginning at 7 p.m. chance for the church to give College and went to summer They went in about seven at a of the world through the birth of Jesus. This reflective meditation on the Advent season to many religious who gave school at Catholic University time. Download a free, printable set of Jesse Tree orna- includes music and Scripture. The program will be so freely of themselves during for her master’s and doctorate “I went into her bedroom ments at www.ErieRCD.org. Each of the 28 ornaments presented in the St. Mark Seminary chapel, located their ministry. degrees. and it was as though a voice is accompanied by a Scripture verse and explanation of at 429 E. Grandview Blvd., Erie. Sister Ann, a native of During World War II, she were saying to me that I what the symbol represents. The ornaments are avail- Quincy, Ill., lives at the Sisters was with the American Red should be a nun,” Sister Ann able in both small and large sizes. of St. Joseph Community Liv- Cross in Europe. She was says. “That was about 99th Read comments on the Jesse Tree from visitors ing Center, located on West stationed in England, France on a list of a hundred things I throughout the United States and abroad.