Catholic News Around Indiana
Compiled by Brandon A. Evans
Diocese of Evansville
Indiana Franciscans, religious communities pray for immigrants and immigration reform
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Immigrants and immigration reform have been the focus this week during prayer vigils attended by over 600 Franciscan men and women throughout Indiana.
The Franciscans of Indiana, who minister in over 80 parishes, schools and health care facilities, are also signing post cards which will be sent to their U.S. representatives as well as to Sena-tors Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh. The cards ask legislators to support comprehensive immigration reform.
National Migration week was designated by the Catholic Church to call attention to people forced from their homes and displaced because of war, natural disasters, climate change and economic necessity.
“The Christian God is a God of immigrants, indeed an Immigrant God,” said Franciscan Brother Bill Short, theologian and historian from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. “[St.] Francis often reminded his followers of the biblical injunction that we are ‘aliens and exiles, pilgrims and strangers’ on earth.”
Franciscan Sister Jane McConnell is a chaplain at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville. This Monday she joined fellow Franciscan Sisters and lay associates at a prayer service designed to “raise our awareness of our migrant brothers and sisters among us.”
The Monastery of St. Clare is located on the southwest side of Vanderburgh County. Sister Jeanne Maffet serves as the prioress there. She said the Poor Clare sisters were also praying for immigrants and immigration reform this week.
Restrictions at Masses due to H1N1 removed in diocese
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
The local health department has acknowledged a decrease of confirmed cases in our area, said Matthew Miller, director of the diocesan office of worship. “Therefore the previous restrictions on offering the Sign of Peace and Communion from the chalice have been removed.”
Miller communicated the removal of restrictions in an email message entitled “H1N1 Flu Instructions Update for January” to parish and school leaders Jan. 4.
“The understood practice of the diocese is that Communion from the chalice may be offered at any Mass where it can be done in an orderly and reverent manner,” he went on to say. “The invitation for the Sign of Peace may be extended once again in the usual way.”
While removing the restrictions, which had been in place since the fall, Miller asked for consideration and common sense “if there is some concern of sickness.”
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Evansville, log on to the website of The Message at www.themessageonline.org)
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Rodriguez to offer Project Rachel outreach to the Hispanic community
By Diane Freeby
SOUTH BEND — As Project Rachel is rejuvenated in the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, the Office of Family Life is making sure the program is available to anyone whose life has been affected by abortion. Family Life Co-director Lisa Everett says she needed to look no further than Women’s Care Center and the training provided to Margarita Rodriguez, now assistant director for Pro-Life and Hispanic Outreach.
“Margarita used to work as a counselor for Women’s Care Center,” explains Everett, referring to the years Rodriguez spent as a bilingual counselor, teaching parenting classes and helping women facing a crisis pregnancy. “She is bilingual and works in our office for pro-life outreach, especially with the Hispanic community, (that) makes her the perfect person to answer the hotline.”
Rodriguez agrees that her role will be to compassionately listen to the people who call, and assess their needs.
According to Everett, the hotline counselor’s job is to then refer them to someone on the confidential network of priests, professional counselors and spiritual mentors who will help them through the process of healing and reconciliation. Rodriguez says she is relying on her faith as well as her training.
“As a hotline counselor for Project Rachel, and with the help of Jesus and Mary, our Mother, I hope to be a resource and provide support and information … to the women and men whose lives have been affected and devastated by abortion,” says Rodriguez.
Rodriguez also credits her experience with Women’s Care Center for preparing her to help others through Project Rachel.
“Women’s Care Center bases its services on the ‘Love Approach,’” explains Rodriguez. “Jesus’ unconditional and nonjudgmental love is the main approach I will take as the diocesan hotline counselor for Project Rachel. This same approach is at the core of the Church’s pro-life vision and at the core of my passion for doing this ministry.”
Photo caption: Margarita Rodriguez taught a parenting class in Spanish last summer. Her bilingual counseling skills make her a strong asset for the diocesan Project Rachel program.
John Gaughan retires with 57 years of service to Catholic schools
By Kay Cozad
FORT WAYNE — Eighty-two-year-old John Gaughan lives by faith. “Faith describes me,” he says, adding, “without it I wouldn’t be anything.” And faith is what led him to serve 39 of his 57 years as teacher and coach in the Catholic school system in the diocese.
A native of Chicago, Gaughan and his wife of 58 years, Patricia, moved to Fort Wayne in July of 1959, where he served as athletic director of Bishop Luers High School for eight years. During those years he taught classes at the high school and coached football, track and basketball.
“I did the laundry for all the athletic teams too,” he quips.
His four years of Marine Corps duty during the late ‘40s, including 16 months in North China, motivated him to “be a catalyst for change” and served him well upon his return.
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1953 and eventually a master’s in education administration, he excelled as a young teacher and coach of high school students.
“Potential doesn’t make an A. Performance is what counts,” he says. But he admits that “challenging the young people to become what they are capable of becoming, permeated with the Gospel spirit of freedom, justice and charity” gave his career meaning.
Following the eight years as athletic director at Bishop Luers High School the Gaughans moved back to Illinois where for the next 12 years John served as director of studies, and football and basketball coach at his high school alma mater, St. Bede Academy. Then in 1979 the family moved back to Fort Wayne to stay. Gaughan took the administrative position of principal for Bishop Dwenger High School and led the school for 15 years.
After retiring from the Catholic school system in 1994, Gaughan was invited by Bishop John M. D’Arcy to become the assistant director of the high schools in the diocese, which had him making pastoral visits to all the Catholic high schools, and attending teacher, school board and other meetings. Gaughan retired last month from his position.
Photo caption: Pat and John Gaughan pose for a photo at a retirement celebration on Jan. 6 for John at the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center. He retires after serving 39 of his 57 years as teacher and coach in the Catholic school system in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. At the reception, Bishop John M. D’Arcy thanked Gaughan for his service and dedication.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, log on to the website of Today’s Catholic at www.todayscatholicnews.org)
Diocese of Gary
Tastes, sights, sounds of Kwanzaa come to Pastoral Center
Story by Steve Euvino
MERRILLVILLE — For a few hours Jan. 7, the great hall in the Pastoral Center was filled with the colors, sounds, and aroma of a Kwanzaa celebration. Several days after Ss. Monica and Luke observed its 23rd annual Kwanzaa, Pearlette Springer, director of the Office of African American Ministries, brought the celebration to the diocesan staff. Springer provided background information and images of the African American observance, along with food and music.
“It’s educational, formation,” said Springer, who had done similar Kwanzaa programs several years ago and who decided to bring the program back. “We fear what we don’t know.”
Among the foods Springer brought was sweet potato pie. She recalled bringing the pie to a Pastoral Center potluck years ago, only to see people afraid of the unfamiliar food.
“It was new,” she said. “No one wanted to try it. You gotta try it.”
Springer said that several Pastoral Center staffers asked her to bring Kwanzaa to the building. Following an opening prayer that focused on feeding the poor, Springer invited 20 PC staff persons to enjoy a meal that included ribs, oven-fired chicken, black-eyed peas, mixed greens, cornbread, baked beans, corn, pound cake, peach cobbler, and sweet potato pie.
"Normally," Springer said, "the karamu table would include produce to represent the first fruits, including corn on the cob, symbolic of children yet to come."
Another important symbol is water, or the libation. Springer explained that water would be poured into a vessel made from the ground and then poured into something else from the earth, e.g., a plant or another vessel. Water is a sign of life, Springer said, and the libation ceremony calls forth ancestors to celebrate with the living. Following the ceremony, the water is thrown into the ground to send back those ancestors.
During the karamu, or feast, Springer displayed symbols of Kwanzaa, including candles in African colors of black, green, and red. Each candle represented one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which Springer ties into the pillars of Catholic social teaching.
(For this story and more news from the Diocese of Gary, log on to the website of the Northwest Indiana Catholic at www.nwicatholic.com)
Diocese of Lafayette
Seven seminarians take another step on journey to priesthood
By Louisa J. Reese
MUNCIE — Bishop William L. Higi came to St. Mary Parish on Dec. 31 to confer ministries upon seven of the Local Church’s 30 seminarians and to celebrate the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
Taking the next step on the journey to priesthood, Sam Futral, Thomas Haan, Kevin Hurley and Clayton Thompson were installed as lectors and Adam Kerrigan, Dominic Petan and Travis Stephens were installed as acolytes.
In his homily at the vigil Mass, Bishop Higi focused on the Blessed Mother as a model for all. “At the Annunciation, you know the angel greeted her (with the words) ‘Be not afraid.’ … Our goal in life can never be close to the role of the Blessed Mother. But like her, we need not be afraid; if like her, we put our trust in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Looking at Mary, our spiritual mother, he said, we see “God who is gentle and tender and who loves us passionately.
“The reading from the Book of Numbers (6:22-27) … tells us God is about blessings. God wants to be gracious to us, … look upon us with kindness, … and give us his peace.
“The presence of Mary, center stage this evening, is a sign to all of us that we should be confident, hopeful, joyous, no matter what the future may hold for us.”
The church was filled to capacity with parishioners, priests, deacons, seminarians, and their relatives and friends. Seminarians Joshua Bennett and Kyle Neterer served as master of ceremonies and assistant master of ceremonies, respectively.
A dinner, sponsored by the parish’s Women’s Association, was held after Mass in Noll Hall. Association president Terry Avila coordinated the reception.
Catholic toy company in Fishers offers new 'vocation dolls'
By Kevin Cullen
FISHERS — Every religious vocation starts somewhere. The seed can be planted by a book, a movie or a sermon. Other vocations can be traced to the example set by a favorite pope, bishop, priest or nun.
Steve and Joni Abdalla, of Fishers, co-founders of Wee Believers Catholic Toy Company, know that exposure to religious toys can play a role, too.
In 2009, they introduced their first product for kids, a set of plush altar vessels called “My First Mass Kit,” that retails for $89.99. Now — during the Year for Priests — they’re marketing their first two “vocation dolls,” Father Juan Pablo and Sister Mary Clara.
The mission of Wee Believers is to create and market “authentically Catholic” toys, dolls, sacramental gifts and seasonal items that “enkindle the fire of faith in families,” Joni said.
“The Holy Spirit hit us in the face with it,” Steve said. “We really approached this from a parenting standpoint, to help parents have better tools to raise their kids, but it’s also a powerful vocations tool. To even have the most tangential effect on somebody’s vocation is humbling.”
The Abdallas and their four young children attend Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Church in Indianapolis.
They decided to develop their own toy line after watching children fidget during Mass. They searched for faith-related toys to keep their own children occupied, but often came home disappointed.
“We had our own children in church, so we knew that the art of keeping a young child quiet in church is distracting,” Joni said. ‘Something faith-related was needed to keep them distracted with.”
The concept of a Mass kit seemed to be a good one, she said, and it meshed with Steve’s goal of running his own business. He has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and now works full-time for Wee Believers.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Lafayette, log on to the website of The Catholic Moment at www.thecatholicmoment.org)