Think Green 50¢ Recycle May 20, 2012 Volume 86, No. 20 Go Green todayscatholicnews.org Go Digital Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC Ordination to the Priesthood May 26 Meet Deacons Jacob Meyer and Benjamin Muhlenkamp Christopher Lapp consecrated Pages 10-14 to the Lord’s ministry as deacon Same-sex marriage BY TIM JOHNSON Reaction to President Obama’s support FORT WAYNE — “With joy and thanksgiving, we have gathered to celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Pages 2, 4 Spirit upon Christopher Lapp as he enters the Order of the Diaconate through the sacrament of Holy Orders,” Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades said as he opened his hom- ily at the ordination Mass. Pentecost Collection Bishop Rhoades ordained Christopher R. Lapp to the order of the diaconate on May 12 at the Cathedral for Seminarian of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne. He will minister for a year as a deacon before his ordination to Education the Priesthood on June 1, 2013. Bishop Rhoades spoke about the divine initiative, as Assists formation costs spoken by the Lord to the Prophet Jeremiah: “Before Page 3 I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” “Today, Chris makes that response,” Bishop Rhoades said. “With faith, he says ‘yes’ to the Lord’s Sainthood causes call. He trusts in the Lord’s words to Jeremiah: ‘To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I com- Two who served in America mand you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, named venerable because I am with you to deliver you.’ With confidence in the Lord and His grace, Chris comes forward to be Page 5 consecrated for the Church’s ministry, to be ordained a deacon, a minister of Jesus Christ.” Bishop Rhoades spoke of celibacy, which the dea- con embraces. “The celibate life is a sacrifice and involves Soccer, softball renunciation, yet it is also a means to embrace life fully. More CYO in action Compelled by the sincere love photos are of Christ and living this state available at Page 17 www.diocesefwsb.org with total dedication, Chris will KAY COZAD cling to Christ more easily with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades solemnly recites the Prayer of Ordination over Christopher Lapp at LAPP, PAGE 8 his diaconate Mass of Ordination on May 12 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. HONORING OUR LADY IN MAY Bishop Rhoades to ordain two men to the Priesthood May 26 FORT WAYNE — Bishop Kevin C. Columbus, Ohio. Rhoades will ordain Deacon Benjamin More Muhlenkamp is Muhlenkamp and Deacon Jacob Meyer to information on the from Geneva, and the Priesthood on Saturday, May 26, at 11 two young men to be the son of Gary a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate ordained can be found and Mary Agnes Conception in Fort Wayne. on pages 10-14 Muhlenkamp, the Born in Wheaton, Ill., and now a resident middle child in a of Niles, Mich., Meyer is the oldest of three family with five chil- children of Kurt and Julie Meyer. He attend- dren, four of whom are girls. Raised on PROVIDED BY KATHY WANECKE ed Holy Cross School, South Bend, and is a dairy farm, he said he began thinking All three campuses of Mishawaka Catholic a graduate of Ball State University with a about the priesthood while he was in college bachelor’s degree in human resource man- an Indiana University-Purdue University at School — St. Monica, St. Joseph and St. agement. Originally, Meyer had intended to Fort Wayne (IPFW) studying for his bach- Bavo — came together for “Faith Families” on pursue a business career but told his parents elor’s degree in organizational leadership and prior to graduation he wanted to become a supervision. Following graduation, he began Tuesday, May 8. The school prayed the living Catholic priest. He then began his theologi- his theological studies at Pontifical College rosary and launched a balloon rosary. cal studies at Pontifical College Josephinum, Josephinum. 2 TODAY’ S C ATHOLIC May 20, 2012 TODAY’S CATHOLIC Official newspaper of the Defending the truth about Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend P.O. Box 11169 Fort Wayne, IN 46856 PUBLISHER: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades marriage: A matter of justice EDITOR: Tim Johnson NEWS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER: Kay Cozad IN TRUTH Editorial Department AND PAGE DESIGNER: Francie Hogan FREELANCE WRITERS: Lauren Caggiano, CHARITY Michelle Castleman, Karen Clifford, Bonnie Elberson, Denise Fedorow, BY BISHOP KEVIN C. RHOADES Diane Freeby, May Lee Johnson, Sister Margie Lavonis, CSC, Joe Kozinski, Vince LaBarbera and Deb Wagner ast week, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the recent Business Department Lcomments of President Obama in support of BUSINESS MANAGER: Sean McBride the redefinition of marriage “deeply sadden- AD GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Mark Weber ing.” The institution of marriage is the very BOOKKEEPING/CIRCULATION: Kathy Voirol cornerstone of our society. We must speak out [email protected] against all attempts to redefine marriage. By its very nature, marriage is exclusively Advertising Sales the union of a man and a woman. God is the Tess Steffen (Fort Wayne area) author of marriage and He endowed marriage (260) 456-2824 with certain essential attributes. Male-female Jeanette Simon (South Bend area) complementarity is essential to marriage. Marriage has two fundamental ends or pur- (574) 234-0687 poses: the good of the spouses and the procre- Web site: www.todayscatholicnews.org ation of children. It is inseparably both unitive and procreative. Same-sex unions cannot CNS PHOTO/GEORGE HOFFMAN JR., CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Published weekly except the fourth qualify as marriages. Parishioners of St. Ann Catholic Church in Charlotte, N.C., form a prayer chain in front of the Sunday in June, second and fourth church May 6 to voice support for the proposed statewide constitutional amendment to protect weeks in July and August, the first In 2009, we Bishops of the United States week of September and last week issued a pastoral letter entitled Marriage: marriage. A few hours before voters in North Carolina were to go to the polls May 8, Bishop Peter in December by the Diocese of Fort Love and Life in the Divine Plan. Given the J. Jugis of Charlotte prayed with his brother bishops for the courage always to defend the Gospel Wayne-South Bend, 1103 S. Calhoun movement to redefine marriage in our country during their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican. St., P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. to include same-sex unions, I have decided to Periodicals postage paid at Fort Wayne, use this column to share with you the part of IN, and additional mailing office. that pastoral letter that deals with this issue. from the beginning the Creator made them sons to have chaste friendships. ‘Chastity is I think we explain well the reasons why the male and female… For this reason a man expressed notably in friendship with one’s POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Church opposes so-called “same-sex mar- shall leave his father and mother and be neighbor. Whether it develops between per- Today’s Catholic, P.O. Box 11169, Fort riages.” joined to his wife, and the two shall become sons of the same or opposite sex, friendship Wayne, IN 46856-1169 or email: “One of the most troubling developments one flesh’ (Matthew 19:4-6). represents a great good for all’ (CCC 2347). [email protected]. in contemporary culture is the proposition By attempting to redefine marriage to At the same time, the Church teaches that MAIN OFFICE: 915 S. Clinton St., Fort that persons of the same sex can ‘marry.’ include or be made analogous with homosex- homosexual acts ‘are contrary to the natural Wayne, IN 46802. Telephone (260) This proposal attempts to redefine the nature ual partnerships, society is stating that the per- law. They close the sexual act to the gift of 456-2824. Fax: (260) 744-1473. of marriage and the family and, as a result, manent union of husband and wife, the unique life. They do not proceed from a genuine BUREAU OFFICE: 1328 Dragoon Trail, harms both the intrinsic dignity of every pattern of spousal and familial love, and the affective and sexual complementarity. Under Mishawaka, IN 46544. Telephone (574) human person and the common good of soci- generation of new life are now only of relative no circumstances can they be approved’ 234-0687. Fax (574) 830-1042. ety. importance rather than being fundamental to (CCC 2357). Marriage is a unique union, a relationship the existence and well-being of society as a Basic human rights must be afforded to all News deadline is the Monday morning different from all others. It is the permanent whole. people. This can and should be done without before publication date. Advertising bond between one man and one woman Today, advocacy for the legal recognition sacrificing the bedrock of society that is mar- deadline is nine days before publica- whose two-in-one-flesh communion of per- of various same-sex relationships is often riage and the family and without violating the tion date. sons is an indispensable good at the heart of equated with non-discrimination, fairness, religious liberty of persons and institutions. every family and every society. Same-sex equality, and civil rights. However, it is not The legal recognition of same-sex unions Today’s Catholic may be reached at : unions are incapable of realizing this specific Today’s Catholic, unjust to oppose legal recognition of same- poses a multifaceted threat to the very fabric P.O.