NORTH COAST CATHOLIC The newspaper of the Diocese of Santa Rosa • www.srdiocese.org • AUGUST 2014 A NEW SISTER FOR SANTA ROSA The Diocese of Santa Rosa recently gained its newest pro- ence her parents gave to priests and religious, her mother really difficult. “If you do anything for love, it’s not hard,” fessed woman religious. making meals for Sisters because they didn’t like to cook, she observes. “There’s giving up your own will, of course. Two days before Fr. Isaac de la Cruz’s ordination, Sr. and so on. All of this sowed the seeds that God watered On a natural level, who wants to do that? ‘I want my way. Mary Rose Mank, MSSR, took her final vows as a Sister into the flower of a religious vocation. I want to do it now.’ But in giving up my will, I am more for the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa. The attraction to the convent was easily disposed to doing God’s.” Born in Baltimore in a family of four boys and one other girl, something she began to articulate She concedes living in community “can be difficult her father negotiated government contracts while her mother at age nine when she “went to the on a natural level, but it also helps me see my flaws worked in the home. As a senior in high school, her parents library to find all books could find and that helps me become more virtuous. It’s all in moved to San Jose. She was only here for six months, how- on being a religious.” your attitude.” ever, because religious life back east beckoned. After many years as a Sister, she What about having children? “I get to love, worry “My attraction to the convent began at a very young age,” felt called to become one of the about, be concerned about, be happy with every child Sr. Mary Rose recalls. “Church was an extension of home. first members of the Marian Sis- with whom I come in contact. I get to love them 100 Plus witnessing my parents love for Church,” it instilled ters of Santa Rosa. And now she percent, with my whole heart and soul. They are all a the same feeling in her. is fully professed with the order. gift from God.” Her parents played a huge role in her vocational dis- Asked what she likes most about “There was a feeling that came over me at the moment cernment, which is ironic because they never once either being a religious, Mank says, it’s that her “job as a Sister is I of my profession, when the bishop said to me, ‘You are encouraged or discouraged her when it came to being a get to be loved by God, love Him, lead everybody to Him, definitively incorporated.’ Those were clinching words. religious. Instead Sister says it was things such as family and let them know they’re loved, too.” And I remember thinking, ‘I will die a Marian Sister of meals, the witness of her dad praying the Rosary, the rever- While tough days happen, nothing about her vocation is Santa Rosa.’” ❖ DIOCESE SETTLES ABUSE CASE July 20, 2014, Santa Rosa removing him from ministry. It also reported the situation hijo de Dios recibió nunca compensará el sufrimiento por to the civil authorities. The diocese could not do more than el que el paso. Rezo y espero que con el tiempo el encuentre “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls like the civil authorities. la paz y la tranquilidad. a roaring lion seeking some one to devour. Resist him… ” At this time, the most important thing is to begin the Le pedí disculpas por el daño causado a el y todas las vic- (1 Pet 5:8-9) healing of all involved. tams. También me disculpé -y esto incluye mis disculpas para Clearly the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California has usted- que esta perversidad se haya permitido y que persist- Dear Fathers, Deacons, Consecrated Women and Men, appropriate—even trend-setting—policies and procedures iera en la Iglesia por tanto tiempo. Les he pedido perdón a Brothers and Sisters in Christ: in place, and yet this evil still occurred. We therefore need ellos. Y le pido perdón, también a cada uno de ustedes. There is nothing harder for me as a bishop, as your pastor, everyone—every member of every parish, every administra- Muchos piensan que la Iglesia o yo como obispo tenemos than to have to announce that yet again, this diocese has tor, teacher, employee, coach, volunteer, catechist, and stu- la capacidad de erradicar definitivamente cada pista de este recently reached yet another settlement with yet another dent in every school to cooperate with them—to be vigilant tipo de perversidad. Sin embargo, esta es una tarea más victim of clergy sex abuse. and diligent now more than ever if we hope to safeguard allá de cualquier poder humano. Sólo lograremos esto a If you do not know the details, we recently agreed to the safety and well-being of our children and everyone else. través de la oración y las obras de penitencia, tales como el pay a significant settlement to a victim of the deceased If you are an ordinary parishioner with no volunteer, ayuno y las obras de caridad como dar ayuda a los pobres. Fr. Ted Oswald. This was not his first victim. He died in ministerial, or administrative function, educate yourself En resumen, un cambio sólo se producirá a través de cada 2010, however. He cannot harm anymore. Because of the about things such as warning signs, what is and isn’t abuse, uno de nosotros al trabajar primero por la conversión de settlement, the suit was dismissed. and what factors might place the vulnerable at risk. nuestros corazones y después en el trabajo por la reno- Thankfully, as of this writing, we have no pending lawsuits. vación amplia de la Iglesia. Cuando nos convertimos en As I noted in the news release to local media announcing (cont. p. 2) nuestro corazón entonces se redoblará su determinación the settlement, the money this child of God received will de evitar toda ocasión de pecado, y entonces asi no ten- never compensate for what was taken from him or any of En Español driamos más la preocupación acerca de que estas historias the other victims. I pray and hope they will eventually find 20 de julio 2014 terribles de abuso sucedan. peace and tranquility. Podemos decir que ya había una declaración pública I apologized for the harm done to them. I also apolo- “Estén sobrios y vigilantes. Porque vuestro adversario el de un acuerdo final que implicó el Padre Oswald en 2009, gized—and this apology includes you—that this perversity diablo, ronda como león rugiente, buscando a quien devorar. antes de este caso. Y cuando la diócesis tuvo conocimiento was allowed to persist in the Church for far too long. I have Al cual resistan ...” (1 Pedro 5:8-9) de las acusaciones que involucron en el 2008 al Padre asked their forgiveness. I ask your forgiveness, as well. Oswald, la Diócesis respondió al sacarlo del ministerio. Many think the Church or I as bishop has the ability to Estimados Sacerdotes, Diáconos, personas Consagradas y También informó de la situación a las autoridades civiles. definitively root out every hint of this type of perversity. Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo: La diócesis no podía hacer más que de lo que las autori- This, however, is a task beyond any human power. We will No hay nada más difícil para mí como Obispo, y como dades civiles hacen regularmente. only accomplish this through prayer and works of penance su pastor, que tener que anunciar que una vez más, esta En este momento, lo más importante es comenzar la such as fasting and giving of alms to the poor. In short, diócesis ha alcanzado recientemente otro acuerdo con otra sanación de todos aquellos involucrados. it will only happen through each of us working first for víctima de los abusos sexuales del clero. Con claridad ahora la Diócesis de Santa Rosa en Cali- the conversion of our own hearts and then for the wider Si usted aún no sabe de los detalles, recientemente se acordó fornia tiene ya implementadas y ha creado polizas y pro- renewal of the Church. When through conversion every pagar una cantidad significativa a una víctima del difunto Padre cedimientos que estan en efecto, sin embargo aún así se heart has redoubled its resolve to avoid every occasion of Ted Oswald. Esta no era su primera víctima. El sin embargo produjo este mal. Por lo tanto, necesitamos que todos sin, that is the day we need no longer worry about another murió en el año 2010. Él no podrá hacer daño nunca más. –absolutamente todos los miembros de cada parroquia, of these terrible horror stories happening. Debido al acuerdo final acordado, la demanda fue retirada. cada administrador, cada maestro, cada empleado, cada It bears stating there was a public disclosure of the settle- Afortunadamente, mienstras les escrito esta carta, no entrenador, cada voluntario, cada catequista, y cada estu- ment involving Fr. Oswald in 2009, prior to the time period tenemos demandas pendientes. diante en cada escuela cooperar con nosotros y nosotros of this case. And when the diocese became aware of the Como señalé en el comunicado de prensa a los medios con ellos a estar atentos y vigilantes ahora más que nunca 2008 allegations involving Fr. Oswald, it responded by locales en el que anunciaba el acuerdo, el dinero que este (a cont.