Joy in the Cloisters - Roman Catholic Diocese of …€¦ · Joy in the Cloisters. If you ever...

A journal of Catholic life in Ohio

FEBRUARY 24, 2008

THIRD WEEK OF LENT

VOLUME: 57.19

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C A T H O L I C

D I O C E S E O F C O L U M B U S

Inside this issue:

Poor Clares talk aboutlife apartfrom the world

0 & 111000 Womenturn out forDiocesan Women’sConference

Page 5

Joy in the Cloisters

If you ever wondered what job satis-faction looks like, just turn back to page1 of this week’s Catholic Times. Takea look at those faces. That’s more thanjob satisfaction. That’s a joy of life thatgoes all the way to the soul.

This issue of Catholic Times takes alook inside the cloister at St. JosephMonastery in Portsmouth to see whatwe can learn from a group of PoorClaire Sisters. There is a lot to learn. Itseems to go totally against conventionalwisdom that these devout women areliving a life filled with joy while aban-doning the very things that so many ofus pursue in vain hope of finding happi-ness. But find it they do in their intensepersonal relationship with Our Lord.

The contemplative life is certainlynot for everyone. It takes a very spe-cial person with a special calling to livethat kind of life. I will not be exchang-ing my reporter’s notebook for a habitanytime soon.

The contemplative life requires oneto focus all of their attention on onething -- Our Lord. I’m a multi-tasker. Ican’t help it. As much as I say I wantto concentrate on one thing at a time, itdoesn’t happen. As I write this I amhaving breakfast -- coffee and a muffin-- at my computer terminal. I have clas-sical music playing in the background.Silence just does not work for me.Actually I’d prefer some Eric Clapton,B.B. King or John Lee Hooker, but thenI’d never be able to concentrate.

Periodically a note pops up on myscreen to let me know that I have a newemail. I read it and zip off a quickanswer before getting back to this page.Then the phone rings. It’s someone

returning a call.I need to askthem a fewquestions for a story in next week’spaper. Meanwhile, a personnel issuehas come up and I have checks to signfor our printing company, the postoffice and other bills. And so it goes,not just at work but in the car, at home,everywhere. And I imagine that thereare a lot of you who live the same way.It’s at the heart of our modern culture.

But here’s the point. We do not haveto chuck it all and move to a monasteryto get a piece of what these sisters areexperiencing. They have found joy byspending time alone with our Lord.Time speaking to him and listening tohim. Time simply in awe of the incred-ible love he has shown to each of themindividually. They do that all day, everyday. We can share some of that joy bydoing the same thing in small doses.

I may not be able to totally shed mymulti-tasking ways. But I can find a lit-tle time to go to Mass and focus on thegreat love that Christ shows in sharinghis very body and blood with me. I cantake a few moments and visit theBlessed Sacrament to feel his love andknow that I am in his physical presence.I can allow for one more interruption inmy busy schedule and take a call fromGod. It’s a simple matter of turning offthe computer, the cell phone, the mp3player and letting God know what’s onmy mind and listening for that smallstill voice that so easily gets lost in thehubbub of daily activity. Then I feel theweight lift from my shoulders and thesmile emerges and I can look at thephoto of these sisters and say, “Yeah, Iknow how you feel.”

The Editor’s Notebook

By David Garick, Editor

Freedom from multi-tasking

2 Catholic Times February 24, 2008

Bishop Frederick F. Campbell, D.D., PhD. – President & PublisherDavid Garick – Editor ([email protected])Laura Troiano – Assistant Editor ([email protected])Tim Puet – Reporter ([email protected])Alexandra Keves – Graphic Design Manager ([email protected])Deacon Steve DeMers – Business Manager ([email protected])Phil Connard – Advertising Sales Account Executive([email protected])Jodie Sfreddo – Bookkeeper/Circulation Coordinator ([email protected])Mailing Address: 197 E., Gay St., Columbus, Oh 43215Editorial Staff Telephone (614) 224-5195 FAX (614) 241-2518Business Staff Telephone (614) 224-6530 FAX (614)241-2518

Copyright© 2008. All rights reserved.Catholic Times is the official newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Ohio.It is published weekly 48 times per year with exception of two weeks following Christmas and two weeks in July.Subscription rate: $25 per year.ISSN 0745-6050 Periodical Postage Page in Columbus, OH

CATHOL ICT IMES

Front Page Photo

From left to right:Sister MaryImmaculate, SisterMarie Ste. Claire,Sister MarieTherese, SisterImelda Marie, andMother DoloresMarieCT photo by Jack Kustron

No one was injured when a fire brokeout at approximately 5:00 pm Friday,February 15 on the roof of MohunHealth Care Center on the grounds ofthe Dominican Sisters, St. Mary of theSprings. The fire was located in a con-struction area on the roof of the facility.

The fire was extinguished.Firefighters and police responded

immediately and the Mohun residentsand staff calmly followed all evacua-tion procedures.

Sisters, Congregational staff andsome Ohio Dominican University

(ODU) students and staff also assistedwith the evacuation of the residents. Acrisis plan was in place and was fol-lowed as practiced.

Mohun Health Care Center is a 72-bed, skilled health care facility operat-ed by the Dominican, Sisters St. Maryof the Springs and is located on theirCongregational grounds.

The center is open to vowed womenand men religious and the ordained.

There are 60 residents. The Sistersask others to join them in thankingGod that there were no injuries.

Fire on Roof of Mohun Extinguished

Smoke pours from the roof at Mohun Hall at the Sisters of St. Mary ofthe Springs. There were no injuries CT photo by Miriam Oyster

Counseling Assistance Fund: Deadline for Filing Claims ApproachingThe Counseling Assistance Fund, established by Ohio’s Catholic Bishops in 2006,supports counseling or similar mental health services for adults who were sex-ually abused as minors by clergy or other representatives of the CatholicChurch in Ohio. This fund operates through a process independent of theChurch. A person may file a claim regardless of how long ago the act of abuseoccurred. However, all claims must be filed by May 15, 2008. Further informa-tion regarding the Counseling Assistance Fund, including instructions and formsfor making a claim, is available online at: www.counselingassistancefund.org.

Catholic Holy FamilySociety has announcedthat St. Peter’s CatholicChurch in Chillicothehas been selected as awinner of the Society’sChurch Grant Program.The entry was submittedby Society memberVirginia M. Ray, a mem-ber of St. Peter’s Parish.

The parish will use thegrant toward the repairof the fifteen stainedglass windows in thechurch. Four times ayear the Society recog-nizes two parishes, nom-inated by a member ofthe Society, with a grantfor any special churchproject. James Rial, the

Society’s President said,“We are very happy tohelp our members’parishes achieve theirindividual project goals.”

St. Peter’s pastor,Father William Hahn,said the award was a realblessing to the parish.“Our beautiful windows

add greatly to thechurch. We knew thatthe windows needed tohave some work done.This grant will cover vir-tually the entire cost ofthe project.”

Catholic Holy FamilySociety was founded in1915 as an Illinois frater-

nal benefit organizationproviding life insuranceto Catholics and theirfamilies. The Societycurrently transacts busi-ness in eighteen stateswith offices located inJoliet and Belleville,Illinois. Through serv-ice to its members andprograms designed to

aid the entire Catholiccommunity, the Societyhas created an organi-zation in which itsmembers join togetherfor their mutual pro-tection and benefit.Information on the soci-ety and its grant pro-gram is available atwww.chfsociety.org .

February 24, 2008 Catholic Times 3

Special grant to preserve windows at Chillicothe St. Peter

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ToastHow often did you recognize Jesus in one another last

week? I found myself embarrassed when I saw Jesus inmy wife, my children, my co-workers and strangers, andrealized how often I treat them so ordinary, and takethem for granted. It takes real effort to consider the factthat Jesus dwells in each and every one of us. Just think

about the love and instant respect that should demand from us.In the readings for the third Sunday of Lent, there are so many things to

consider: thirst, grumbling, rock, hope, water, spouses, divorce andSamaritans, not to mention a long discourse by Jesus describing his role asMessiah. We know how important water is, and how symbolic it is in thesereadings. Water satisfies, sustains and cleanses. Water terrifies and evenkills in hurricanes, floods and tsunamis. Water makes up a good portionof our own bodies, and is a part of our favorite foods and beverages. Jesusas Messiah satisfies, sustains and cleanses. If Jesus would become angrywith my sinfulness, even for a second, the result would be terrifying. Jesusis in our bodies, souls and every part of the good earth. The good stewarduses time to sustain life and cleanse sin from our lives. The good stewarduses talent to comfort the poor and needy who are terrified to face eachnew day. The good steward uses treasure to purchase, support, and con-sume food and beverage that is used as a gift, and not in excess.

These readings remind us of how much we are like our own children. Weknow that we have to let our children do things for themselves, at variouspoints in their lives. We can not, and should not do everything for them.God is the same way with us. In order for us to grow and understand morefully the mystery of God’s love for us, we are free to choose, fail, succeedand mature. God could have simply provided water for the people atMeribah. Instead, He made Moses do something to get it. God could havewatched the human race struggle in sin forever. Instead, while we werestill sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus could have gotten His own water atthe well. Instead, He made the Samaritan woman get it for Him. We canfreely choose to ignore and disregard all that is good and sacred in life.Instead, we freely choose to sustain and uphold life in all that is good.

Our practical challenge this week is a simple prayer. As we continue to pon-der and anticipate the Paschal Mystery, let us offer a prayer of thanksgiving.

God our Father, you provide us with all that is good, and all that weneed for sustenance, even water. Thank you. Jesus, our Savior, you pro-vide us with the only food we need for eternal life. Thank you. HolySpirit, you provide us with your gifts that keep us focused upon ourmost sacred responsibilities. Thank you.

Next time you have a drink of water, pause and offer a “toast” in thanks-giving to God. We take it for granted, so thank God that we have it soreadily. At Mass this weekend, pay close attention when the water isadded to the wine at the Offertory. Those drops represent us – the peo-ple of God – as we mingle with Christ’s divinity. As the Celebrant raisesthe cup in a prayerful “toast” to God, let us thank Him for humblingHimself to share in our humanity.

Jeric is director of development and planning for the Columbus Diocese.

PRACTICALSTEWARDSHIP

By: Rick Jeric

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DESALES FILLS ‘EMPTY BOWLS’ FOR FOOD BANK —Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School recently raised $2,193from its annual “Empty Bowls” event, which raises awareness ofhunger in the Central Ohio area. All proceeds from the event wentto the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. A donation check was given to CathyBarr, a representative from the non-profit organization, at theschool’s Winter Sports Assembly. (Above): Stallion cheerleadersMorgan Allen and Aubri Ceneviva with Cathy Barr (center).

CT photo courtesy of DeSales High School


Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference attended by 1,000 The Columbus

Catholic Women’sConference was heldon Saturday, Feb. 16,at Columbus St.Andrew Church.

Nearly 1,000 womenattended this firstannual ColumbusCatholic Women’sConference.

The conference fea-tured Mass, lunch anda keynote presentationby Johnette Benkovic.

Karen Rinehart, anewspaper, magazine,

online humor columnistand author, also gave apresentation.

Benkovic is founderand president of “LivingHis Life AbundantlyInternational,” Inc., aCatholic evangelizationapostolate with out-reaches in television,radio, print and internetcommunications.

She is also thefounder of “Women ofGrace,” a Catholicapostolate for Christ-ian women that fea-

tures a number of out-reaches including con-ferences, curricula andstudy groups.

After years of beinga non-practicingCatholic, Benkovicexperienced a conver-sion back to herCatholic faith in1981and discerned acall to share theGospel messagethrough the media.

She has been a pres-ence in Catholic radiosince 1987 and in

Catholic televisionsince 1988.

She is executive pro-ducer of The AbundantLife, seen internation-ally on EWTN, a tele-vision program thatdiscusses contempo-rary issues from aCatholic perspective.

She is also host of“Moments of TruthLive,” which is a onehour call-in radio talkshow that airs livethree times a week.

She is heard nation-

ally on AM/FM sta-tions and international-ly via short wave radio.

In addition, Ben-kovic is the author ofseveral books, includ-ing Full of Grace:Women and theAbundant Life, Grace-Filled Moments, Livingthe Abundant Life:Stories of People Who

Know God Personally,Experience Grace inAbundance: StrategiesFor Your Spiritual Lifeand The New AgeCounterfeit.

Benkovic has beenmarried to her hus-band, Anthony, since1973, and is the motherof three children.

St. Andrew Church was filled with about 1,000 women for the conference. CT photos by Ken Snow

Johnette Benkovic gave the keynote address.


Annual Respect Life Conference is March 1 “The Fellowship of

Life” will be spotlightedby Father Frank Pavone,National Director ofPriests for Life, when headdresses the ColumbusDiocese’s 2008 RespectLife Conference onSaturday, March 1.

The conference willtake place 8:30 a.m.-3p.m., at Powell St. Joanof Arc Church, 10700Liberty Road South.

Father Pavone is aninternationally-knownspeaker and advocate forthe dignity of life.

Father Pavone grewup in Port Chester, N.Y.After he traveled withclassmates to Washing-

ton, D.C., for an pro-life rally in 1976, hediscovered his calling.He graduated highschool, joined the sem-inary and was ordainedat age 29. He worked atSt. Charles Church onStaten Island for fiveyears, until CardinalJohn O’Connorappointed him the firstfull-time director ofPriests for Life in 1993.

Priests for Life wasstarted in 1991 to helppriests around theworld spread theGospel of Life.

Its mission is toencourage all clergy togive special emphasis to

the life issues and to helpGod’s people take a morevocal and active role inthe pro-life movement,with emphasis on theissues of abortion andeuthanasia.

Priests for Lifeembraces the consistentethic of life as it isexplained in the Bishop’sPastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities: AReaffirmation (1985).

Father Pavone hasspoken worldwide onbehalf of the unborn,including in India at therequest of MotherTheresa of Calcutta.

His work includesservice for the

Pontifical Council forthe Family, EWTN andCatholic radio.

This conference isbeing co-sponsored bythe diocesan Office forSocial Concerns andWorthington St.Michael Church.

Mass will be cele-brated at 8:30 a.m.

The registration fee is$15, and a continentalbreakfast and lunch areincluded.

For more informationor to register, call KeithBerube, Office forSocial Concerns at614-241-2540.

Registration deadlineis Monday, Feb. 25. Father Frank Pavone CNS photo

Catholic Social Servicesnames new staff members

Catholic Social Ser-vices (CSS) announcesthat Mimi Sommer,L.I.S.W., has joined theagency as a clinicalcoordinator for Coun-seling Services and thatCarolina Silva has beennamed coordinator ofHispanic Services,overseeing the JobReadiness program andthe Our Lady ofGuadalupe Center foodpantry in Columbus.

Sommer received hermaster’s degree in socialwork from The OhioState University and herbachelor’s degree insocial psychology fromPark College inMissouri.

She is a licensed,independent socialworker with 25 yearsexperience in communi-ty mental health andmore than 10 years inchild welfare.

As the former execu-tive director for ConcordCounseling Services inWesterville, she also

held the position ofexecutive director forEastwind DepressionServices, a not-for-profitthat specialized in thecomprehensive treat-ment of depression andhas specialized trainingin critical incident stressmanagement, as well asF.B.I. Academy trainingin the treatment of safe-ty service families.

Catholic Social Ser-vices’ counseling pro-gram is accredited by theOhio Department ofMental Health.

As a native of Chile,Silva received her bach-elor’s degree and profes-sional title in psycholo-gy from the Universityof Concepción.

She came to the UnitedStates in 2000 and earnedher master’s degree inpublic administration atWright State Universityin Dayton, Ohio.

Silva most recentlyserved for five years asthe assistant director ofProgram Management

and Evaluation at theEast End CommunityServices Corporation,also in Dayton.

She is a member of theLeague of United LatinAmerican Citizens, hav-ing served on its execu-tive board in Dayton, andwas also a member of theEthnic and CulturalDiversity Caucus at theUniversity of Dayton.

Since 2000, CSS’s JobReadiness program hashelped companies by pro-viding employees fromthe Hispanic community.Each Job Readiness grad-uate has provided CSSwith documentation thatcertifies his/her authori-zation to work in the U.S.as well as has received 60hours of interactive class-room training.

Established in 1945,CSS provides socialservices for those inneed, regardless of beliefor background. For moreinformation about CSSand its services, call614-221-5891.


A quick note from:OFFICE OF LITURGY

Fridays again days of abstinence? Q:A new priest in

our area tells usthat all Fridays are againdays of abstinence.Another priest says it isa sin if we do not per-form some act ofpenance on Fridays.

I know the rulesabout fast and absti-nence during Lent, andwe should do somepenance on all Fridays,but I’ve never heard theobligation ex-pressed interms of sin. Is there achange? (Pennsylvania)

A:No, there is nochange. I have a

suspicion someone mis-understood the priest,and he was referring toabstinence on allFridays of Lent.

In his apostolic con-stitution titledPaenitemini (Feb. 17,1966), changing theChurch regulation aboutabstinence from meat onFriday, Pope Paul VIwas not replacing onekind of sin with another.

The pope said he waspointing out “the impli-cations and importanceof the Lord’s commandto repent,” since allmembers of the Church“are in continuous needof conversion and

reform.” The fact that aspirit of penitence is pri-marily an interior reli-gious experience, hewrites, does not lessenthe need for exteriorpractice of this virtue.

Because this need isso essential in Christianlife, it “prompts theChurch, always atten-tive to the signs of thetimes, and according tothe character of eachage, to seek beyond fastand abstinence newexpressions more suit-able for the realizationof the precise goal ofpenitence.”

In other words, prac-tices of penance effec-tive for spiritual renewalat one period of timemay not be the best foranother period.

Thus the Churchtoday invites everyoneto accompany theirinner conversion, forexample, at times duringLent with “voluntaryexercise of external actsof penitence.”

Note the word “vol-untary.” One can under-stand what Pope Paul isgetting at in this franticand stressful age whenhe says the attitude orvirtue of penitenceshould be exercised firstof all in perseveringfaithfulness to the dutiesof one’s state in life.

Not many would dis-pute that devoted, lovingsteadfastness in fulfill-ing our daily responsi-bilities automaticallybrings with it numerousopportunities for self-denial and patience.

The pope mentionsspecifically the difficul-ties arising from one’swork, from one’s humanrelationships, from thestress of insecurity thatpervades modern life andthe anxieties of eachday’s struggles as addi-tional sources of mortifi-cation and self-restraint.

If anyone lovinglyand generously tries toobserve these habitualpractices of penance the

pope offers, it is hardlyconceivable that he orshe could go through awhole day without somesort of prayer, self-con-trol and expressions oflove that are prescribedby our Lord as well asby traditional Christianspirituality.

Pope Paul, in otherwords, had no intentionto belittle or diminishthe importance ofpenance. He was askingsomething even moredemanding; go back tothe command of Christ,“If anyone wishes tocome after me, he mustdeny himself and takeup his cross daily andfollow me” (Lk 9:23),and ask yourself what,if anything, that meansto you.

Nine months afterthe publication ofPaenitemini, the Amer-ican bishops made itsprovisions specific forthe United States, abro-gating the law of Fridayabstinence from meatexcept during Lent.

Without making it a“law,” in the spirit ofthe pope’s messagethey recommendedFriday abstinence as apraiseworthy, voluntary(not mandatory) act ofself-denial.

QUESTIONANSWER

by: FATHER DIETZEN

&The Cathedral Church

The cathedral church is the site of the bishop’s chair, orcathedra, and is properly the bishop’s home church. It isregarded as the center of liturgical life of the diocese and isto be “the express image of Christ’s visible Church, praying,singing, and worshipping on earth… the image of Christ’sMystical Body”. The cathedral church reflects the reverenceand dignity owed to the bishop as “Christ’s vicar and repre-sentative” through its physical presence and through partic-ipation of the diocesan faithful in exemplary liturgy andmusic.

The history of the cathedra can be traced to Christ’s teach-ings, in which he declared that scribes and Pharisees had

taken their seat on the chair ofMoses (Mt 23:2), affirmed by theCatholic feast of the Chair of St.Peter. Cathedral churches havetraditionally been built in urbancenters with the intention ofhosting dense, socially vibrantpopulations. As our urban land-scape becomes increasinglycomplex, the cathedral missionto unify and serve all peoples ofthe diocese persists, presentingthe best Christ has to offer. Thecathedral is the quintessential

realization of the Church body, God’s faithful, rich in diversi-ty while completely unified and engaged.

The cathedral church shines as a beacon of Christ, provid-ing community outreach, concerts and other arts events,and a space in which to encounter God individually and col-lectively. Other than housing the cathedra, no specific archi-tectural criteria exist, although most cathedral churchesstrive to honor the longstanding tradition of representingthe space of God’s holy city in heaven, the new Jerusalem. AsJesus frequently retreated to the desert to meet his Father,the cathedral church functions as an urban haven where thefaithful come to meet God through his manifestation invisual and musical arts and through his true presence in theBlessed Sacrament, particularly in the celebration of Mass.

The unity of God’s people is perhaps best exemplified inthe cathedral Chrism Mass, at which the bishop consecratesthe oil of holy chrism, the oil of the sick, and the oil of cat-echumens in anticipation of the sacred Easter Triduum. Atthe Chrism Mass, every parish across the diocese is repre-sented by priests and parishioners as a sign of the unity ofthe presbyterium. With the sacred Triduum solemnities, theChrism Mass calls for special inclusion of other ordinary andlay ministers, including deacons, the master of ceremonies,and the choir, all who help express Christ’s presence. Theeloquence and beauty of such important liturgical eventsbring worshippers closer to God and unifies believers. Theseevents serve to recognize two millennia of Christiandevotion through the divine traditions that compriseand define Roman Catholicism.

Hartline: ArchbishopSheen’s final years werenot lived without suffer-ing were they?

Father Apostoli:You areright; they certainly were notlived in comfort. Someclaimed that whenArchbishop Sheen wasyoung he was somewhatvain. Later in life the arch-bishop admitted that vanitywas his main fault. But healso said that if he had to doit again he would have donesome things differently.However, at the end of hislife he certainly was not vainor living in ease. His healthsuffered greatly especially inthe last year of his life whenhe underwent three majoroperations. But most of histrials at the end were relatedto others. During the last 10-15 years of his life somebegan to say that ArchbishopSheen was passé, that hisideas were no longer rele-vant. Well I don’t know howanyone can say that the truthis passé. What I believe hereally faced was resistancefrom some who wanted to

change the authentic teach-ings of the Church. The Lordalso brought individuals tohim who told of experienceswhich he probably wishedhe didn’t have to know. Forexample the one time ardentCommunist Bella Dodd wasa convert of ArchbishopSheen. She told him thatwhile she was a CommunistJoseph Stalin told her andother Communists that theCatholic Church was thegreatest enemy of Com-munism. He wanted toundermine the Church byrecruiting men into thepriesthood who had novocations and who wouldcause havoc by confusionand bad example. BellaDodd told the Archbishopthat she had personallyrecruited into the priesthoodbetween 800 and 1200 menwho had no vocations.Knowledge such as this wasnot easy for ArchbishopSheen. Yet it caused him topray even harder. There isalso the story of a man (actu-ally a leper) who was greatlydeformed and who hid from

the public as much as possi-ble. Archbishop Sheennoticed him on the streets ofNew York City. In additionto paying for plastic surgeryto help the man physically,Archbishop Sheen hadlunch with him twice aweek to get to know the manbetter and see how he wascoming along. These are thetypes of stories that peopleneed to know aboutArchbishop Sheen.

Hartline: I find itrevealing that many youngpeople, who weren’t evenborn in the 1950s and1960s, are watchingBishop Sheen on EWTNand buying his books.

Father Apostoli: Isn’tit interesting that theyoung people are embrac-ing Archbishop Sheen andMother Angelica whoappeal to the roots andcore of our faith.

Hartline: Do you seeany connection betweenthe work of ArchbishopSheen in the 1950s and thework of Mother Angelicain the 1980s and 1990s?

Father Apostoli: Arch-bishop Sheen pioneered therole of mass communica-tions for Catholic audiences.It not only helped Catholicsbut those of other faiths tobetter understand Catholic-ism. Mother Angelica knewthe power that television andradio were having on ourculture and felt she had tohelp the Church eventhough she never thought ofherself as someone who wasgifted in front of the camera.However, her naturalnessappealed to audiences justlike Archbishop Sheen did.Two different approaches,the same goal. God alwaysraises up men and women atthe right time to accomplishHis purposes. The questionis: will we listen to His call?Thankfully, ArchbishopSheen and Mother Angelicaboth responded to God’scall for all those who wouldbecome disciples throughthe media.

Hartline is author of The Tide IsTurning Toward Catholicism,founder of the Catholic report.orgblog and a former, teacher, coach,principal and administrator for thediocese.


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HIBERNIANS GIVE TO SOUP KITCHEN —The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) PatrickPearse Division 1 recently donated $1,000 to theColumbus Holy Family Soup Kitchen and FoodPantry. The AOH is a Catholic Irish-AmericanFraternal Organiz-ation. Jim Wade (right), divi-sion president, and Al Cassady (left), charitiesand missions committee chairman, presentFrances Carr (center), director of the HolyFamily Soup Kitchen, with the donation check.

CT photo courtesy of Jim Wade

SHEEN, continued from Page 15


I wish I had arecording device tohave captured forev-er the 10-minuteconversation I justoverheard.

It was between 3year old Elizabethand my own 90 yearold “toddler,” Dad.

Elizabeth was herewhile her parentsattended the funeralservice for her ownGreat Grandpa.

As God often plansthings, my Dad, whohas Altzheimers andlives with us part ofthe time, was here at

the right time helpfill a “grandpa void”for the little one.

As I had emails tocheck and a littlework to do on thecomputer, I settledElizabeth, our dogDappy, and Grandpain front of the Disneychannel for somewholesome TVwatching.

With one ear on thehappy little group, Iwent about my work,just around the corner.

I heard Grandpaask Elizabeth, “Whatare you doing today?”

In her most grownup voice she replied,

“I see Sassy andDappy” (Sassy is anoutdoor cat.)

Grandpa, who canbarely hear said, “Doyou have brothersand sisters?”

Response, “Merdifis wif mommy.”

Grandpa reassur-ingly said , “yourmommy will beback.”

In a slightlymournful, yet veryfirm voice, the reply“I know dat.”

Then, evidently,the little one discov-ered on the tablebeside her, a dish oftiny candy bars.

I heard a wrapperopen. Grandpa said“what you got there?”and a full mouthreply “umm, candy.”

“Bring me on,”Grandpa said.

“Ok.”His tired old

crooked fingers donot work well anylonger and afterstruggling he said toElizabeth, “can youopen this for me?”

“Sure“, she said,and as she did, I heardher begin chewing asshe plopped the candyin her own mouth.

Grandpa said, “youate my candy.”

Elizabeth said,“Uh huh, but I canget you some and youcan be my friend.” (Ithink that was a 3year old‘s apology.)

Now, we all knowthat friends sticktogether , so I peakedaround the cornerand there she sat,where she hadclimbed up closebeside him on thecouch, Grandpa wastrying again to opencandy and Elizabethwas getting ready to“read” a book to hernew friend.

The marvels ofDisney’s electronic

entertainment werebeing completelyignored.

The wonder of a tinygirl sitting beside avery old grandpa, shar-ing a book, that shecouldn’t read and hecouldn’t see, was thesimple perpetuation ofthe work of God —two helpless children— interacting with noother purpose thanpure, innocent love.

Blessings on all thelittle children and bigones as well.

Gloria Bulter is aparishioner at Plain CitySt. Joseph Church.

Living FaithThe Conversation

Like the majority of uswho grew up attendingCatholic schools, I wastaught that we must “giveup” something for Lent.

Do without. Make asacrifice. Deny a pleasure.

Nothing wrong withthat.

In our pleasure-seekingsociety, I am sure it woulddo me some good to dowithout.

As I was thinking aboutwhat I could give up thisyear for Lent, the bigthree came to mind: food,sugar and alcohol.

And then, an incidentfrom my past popped intomind.

When my daughter wasin the eighth grade prepar-ing for her Confirmation,the students were to listwhat service projects theywould undertake to show

that they were seriousabout becoming adults inthe Church.

Serious Christians takeon service as part of theirpledge toward spiritualadulthood.

But my daughter did notwant to volunteer tobabysit (she hated it), toclean the church (toomuch cleaning required athome), to visit the nursinghomes (turned up hernose), to sort the clothesfor the rummage sale (noway!) or any of the otheravailable projects.

After she nixed all mysuggestions for wonderfulvolunteer opportunities, Irelinquished the servicesheet to her.

About a week later, Iquestioned my daughteron what she had decidedupon, and she assured meshe and her teacher hadfilled out the sheet and

she was working on it.When I finally had the

individual Confirmationparent meeting with herteacher, who I might addwas a very young woman,I was basically appalled atthe “service” on which thetwo of them had agreed.

It seems the teach hadsat my daughter near a boywho was very backwardsocially, and as her projectshe was to chat it up withhim and take him underher wing, so to speak.

Were they kidding me?This is a service project?

Ms. Teacher Whatever-her-Name assured me itwas a wonderful project.“The boy is so much moresocial now,” sheexplained.

“He is more confidentin a group. Your daughteris doing a wonderful job!”

I sat there with mymouth open. I protested a

bit, but the teacher stuckto her guns.

Wilting in the face ofauthority, I let it pass.

Obviously my daughter,Ms. Whatever-her-Name,and Backward Johnnywere all happy.

And with four otherchildren at home, it wasone less thing vying formy attention.

Now, my daughter mayhave skated by on herservice project, but I amthe one who learned thelesson.

God asks differentthings of each of us.

Some may be asked forhours of prayer each day;some may need to performcorporal works of mercy.

Some may be asked toclean a sick friend’s homeor to prepare and delivera meal.

Some may need to liein bed and be an obedient

patient; some may need tohold their tongue.

I believe in a patientGod that continues topush me toward spiritualadulthood, and I think Heallowed me to rememberthe little service projectstory to remind me ofjust that.

He gave me specificgifts that allow me tobring his love to the worldin my own unique way.

During this time ofpreparation for Easter, Irealized I would be wiseto give my creative self alittle elbow room.

Lent is not all aboutfood.

It is about preparing forthe Easter that will soonbe upon me and the Easterreunion that awaits me ineternity.

Nancy Grilli is a parishioner atGroveport St. Mary Church.

Lent is about preparing for Easter

By Gloria Butler

By Nancy Grilli

Any notion that cloistered nunswho constantly pray before theBlessed Sacrament and spend muchof their lives in silence must live asolemn, somewhat grim existencequickly disappears on a visit to St.Joseph Monastery in Portsmouth.

Five of the six Poor Clares ofPerpetual Adoration who live theregathered for an interview last weekwith the Catholic Times — the sixth,Sister Mary Vincentia, PCPA, wasexcused because of age. Throughoutthe hourlong session, smiles andlaughter were abundant as theytalked about what made then decideto spend their lives adoring Jesus inthe Blessed Sacrament and praying

for the world beyond the monastery.Mother Dolores Marie, PCPA,

abbess, said the monastery has beenrevitalized by the presence of threeyoung women who have becomepart of the community since 2003.The newest member, Sister MaryImmaculate, PCPA, is in the secondyear of a two-year novitiate in whichshe is preparing for her first vows ofpoverty, chastity, and obedience.

Sister Marie Ste. Claire, PCPA,and Sister Marie Therese, PCPA,both joined the order at about thesame time and took their first vowsa little more than a year ago. Thevows will be renewed each yearuntil 2011, when both take solemnvows of poverty, chastity and obedi-ence for life.

Mother Dolores Marie, a memberof the community since 1991, andthe monastery’s mother vicar, SisterImelda Marie, PCPA, a membersince 1994, both came to Ohio in2002 from the Poor Clares’ OurLady of the Angels Monastery inIrondale, Ala., which was foundedby Mother Angelica, best known asthe founder of the Eternal WordTelevision Network.

All five nuns said the decision toenter the cloister wasn’t as difficultas it might appear to be because theyfelt an overwhelming desire to livethe contemplative life.

“I found my Protestant friendsunderstood my choice better andadmired it more than my Catholicfriends did,” said Sister Marie

Therese, an Alabama native. “Itshocked so many people that a ‘nor-mal girl’ who was very much intoacting and the theater in high schoolwould become a nun, but this wassomething I’d been drawn to foryears, partly because my dadworked for EWTN.”

“I was looking for love and real-ized the world couldn’t offer every-thing I was looking for,” SisterImelda Marie said. “I had plenty offriends in Louisiana where I grew up,and I know I could have gotten mar-ried and been happy in that life, but itjust wasn’t what I was called to do.

“In this hidden life, you don’talways see or know whether yourprayers have been answered, but asyou trust more and more in God’s

love, you find yourself realizing thathe will meet your needs, and that’s aliberating thing.”“I grew up Catholic in a part of

Florida where there weren’t manyreligious or priests from which Icould take an example,” said SisterMary Immaculate. “I said theRosary daily and prayed to findwhat I was meant to do. When I was16, I began to realize the Lord want-ed something more for me, and Iwanted to give more for God. Hehas done so much for me and wascalling me to serve him with anundivided heart.”

Sister Marie Ste. Claire describedherself as “a southern California girlwho mostly likes Ohio but missesthe beach.”

“The Lord kept inspiring me withthis desire to give him everything,even though I kept fighting it,” shesaid. “Eventually, I came to realizeGod had given me his whole self inthe Blessed Sacrament and I want-ed to return that gift by givingmyself to him. ...

“I went to college in NewHampshire with the idea of goingto med school, but instead, that’swhere I made the decision that ledme here. After my first visit to St.Joseph’s, I knew Jesus was here. Afriend at college used to say I’dmarry the first guy who asked me,and he was right, but not in theway he expected.”

Mother Dolores Marie came tothe Poor Clares from a career in

retail merchandising and said thelast thing she would have antici-pated while growing up wasbecoming a nun. “I never was involved with religion

until I went to work at EWTN as aset designer’s assistant,” she said.“When I saw the nuns there in theirhabits, I was terrified. I tried my bestto avoid being introduced to MotherAngelica, but it happened.

“I was caught up in a lot of world-ly things, but in time I found myself

10 Catholic Times/February 24, 2008 February 24, 2008/Catholic Times 11

Sr. Marie St. Claire, right, Sr. Imelda Marie, middle, Sr. Marie Therese, far left

Sr. Marie Therese at prayer before the Blessed Sacrament Sr. Marie Therese, left, and Mother Dolores Marie

Sr. Imelda Marie, left, and Sr. Marie St. Claire in the kitchen

Nuns in Portsmouth MonasteryLive Joyfully in Prayer

Cloister has Lost its Sense of Isolation

BY TIM PUETReporter, Catholic Times

See NUNS, Page 12

It’s hard to live the life of a con-templative nun when you’re dodg-ing foul balls, trying to tune out rockmusic, surrounded by neighborsregularly waving at you, and hearingtraffic go by all day long.

That’s the dilemma facing thePoor Clares of Perpetual Adorationevery day at their monastery inPortsmouth. Its location in a resi-dential area just off busy U.S. Route

23 makes it hard to concentrate ontheir mission of adoring theEucharist and praying for theneeds of the diocese and the world.Their job demands a sense of beingapart, but they’re surrounded bythe world on all sides.

That’s why they’re looking for anew monastery site which wouldallow them a better opportunity tofulfill the role they have chosen.

The Poor Clares came toPortsmouth in 1956 at the invitationof the late Bishop Michael Ready

and lived for 30 years in what hadbeen a hilltop mansion donated bythe Reinhardt family of Portsmouthto the Diocese of Columbus.

“As the nuns got older, it becameharder to live in that buildingbecause it had many levels and lotsof stairs. It also was hard to get toduring the wintertime because ofits hilltop location,” said MotherDolores Marie, PCPA, abbess ofthe monastery.

The diocese owned other land onthe hill and had built Notre Dame

High School on part of the land. Inthe 1980s, a new monastery wasbuilt just down the hill from theschool, and the nuns moved therefrom the mansion.

Their new home was built as aone-story structure to make it easierfor the elderly sisters to get around.From the outside, it looks like aranch-style home similar to otherhouses in the neighborhood.Mother Dolores Marie said itblends in almost too well.

“The high school baseball field is

just above the hill from us, so whenthere are games or practices, we’vealways got foul balls comingdown,” she said.

“We used to have people cominghere all the time to get the balls untilwe worked out an agreement tothrow everything back that landedhere. So we’re always keeping aneye out for baseballs or softballs.

“You can tell when there’s a gameon, not just because of the crowdnoise and the foul balls, but becausepeople usually bring rock music

with them and it can get pretty loud.In addition, even though we do havefencing to protect our privacy some-what, this is a residential neighbor-hood and we’re surrounded byhomes up and down the hill.

“The neighbors are friendly andwave at us and we wave back. Weknow they’re just trying to be niceand we appreciate that, but it doesaffect our work. Then there aretimes when you see people just

By TIM PUETReporter, Catholic Times

See MONASTERY, Page 13

St. Joseph Monestery

All photos by Jack Kustron

seeming to stare at you asthough you were animalsin a petting zoo or relicsfrom the past.”

There’s also the issue oftraffic. The monastery isjust off a busy residentialstreet, and it’s easy to hearthe noise of cars andtrucks coming up the hillfrom four-lane U.S. Route23.

“It’s just not a good situ-ation for us here,” MotherDolores Marie said. “Wedon’t want to be totallyisolated, but we need to besomewhere with fewerdistractions so we canconcentrate on beingalone with God.

“Being in the far south-ern end of the diocese,we’re also far from thebulk of its population and alot of people don’t realizewe’re here. We’d like tomove closer to Columbusto increase people’s aware-ness of us, with the hopethat it might attract voca-tions. Even though we’vebeen in the diocese since1956, we’ve never hadanyone from the diocese

join our order in that time.”Bishop Frederick

Campbell gave the PoorClares approval to look atpossible sites for a newmonastery about a year ago.“We spent a lot of last yearlooking at properties aroundColumbus and learned wedon’t have the money tobuild a new monastery fromscratch,” Mother DoloresMarie said.

“At this point, we’relooking for sufficient landwith an existing buildingthat’s large enough for ourneeds. We’ve found onesite near Hebron (inLicking County) with adecent-sized building anddecent acreage, but itwould take a lot of timeand money to convert thebuilding, so we’re contin-uing to search.”

Any building where thenuns would relocate wouldneed to have sufficient areafor sleeping quarters androom for a chapel, a com-munity room, a refectory,space for shipment and stor-age of altar bread, a sewingroom, a library, and offices.

Mother Dolores Mariesaid it’s going to be hardto leave Portsmouthbecause the nuns havedeveloped strong ties tothe community and willalways be grateful for thehelp they have receivedfrom area residents.“It’s sad for the people

here who have been ourlongtime supporters, butwe’ve spoken to them andthey understand our prob-lem,” she said. “We want to stay in the

diocese if we can find theright place, the right situa-tion, which will be anindication of God’s willfor us. We have yet to findthat place, but I am surethe Lord has prepared itfor us somewhere.”The Poor Clares also have

monasteries in the Ohiocommunities of Clevelandand Canton, as well as inArizona, Washington, D.C.,Poland, and France, wherethey were founded in 1854by Mother Marie de Ste.Claire Bouillexeau andFather Bonaventure, aCapuchin friar.

They take their name

from St. Clare of Assisi,who worked with St.Francis of Assisi in the13th century and foundedthe original order of PoorClares. This order’s par-ticular mission, as indicat-ed in its name, is to prayconstantly before theBlessed Sacrament inadoration, in thanksgiv-ing, and in reparation forthe sins of humanity.

Mother Dolores Mariesaid the order was thrilledto learn of the VaticanCongregation for theClergy’s issuance on Dec.8 of a document titled“Adoration, Reparation,Spiritual Motherhood forPriests.” The document

called for a movement,with 24-hour Eucharisticadoration at its center,designed to unceasinglypray on behalf of priests.

“This is very importantto us because we are dedi-cated to the BlessedSacrament,” said SisterMarie Ste. Claire, PCPA,another of the six PoorClares who live at themonastery . “We wouldn’texist without the BlessedSacrament, and theBlessed Sacrament would-n’t exist without priests.”

What the Vatican is ask-ing for is something themonastery has done foryears. Throughout the

year, each of the sisters isassigned one week tospecifically offer all herprayers for the intentionsof priests and for voca-tions to the priesthood.

The sisters also wouldlike to remind the peopleof the diocese thatbecause their mission isone of prayer, they areanxious to receiveprayer requests at anytime. They may be con-tacted electronically atn u n s @ s t j o s e p h -monastery.com, via phoneor fax at (740) 353-4713,or through the mail at2311 Stockham Lane,Portsmouth 45662-3049.


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MONASTERY, continued from Page 11

Sisters make the Sign of the Cross before noon meal CT photo by Jack Kustron

increasingly drawn tospending time with theBlessed Sacrament. I’d gothere sometimes not topray, but just to be in thepresence of Jesus. At firstI didn’t think I had a voca-tion, but in time I realizedGod was calling me.”

When Mother DoloresMarie was transferred toPortsmouth, there wasconcern that themonastery would have toclose because of thedeclining health of thefour elderly nuns wholived there, but the addi-tion of the younger sisters

eliminated that threat. Sister Mary Vincentia is

the last older nun at themonastery. Two others areat the Mohun Health CareCenter in Columbus andone has died.

A woman from Irelandis scheduled to enter themonastery March 31 tobegin her postulancy, ayear of discernmentwhich will lead to thenovitiate if she and thecommunity agree she issuited for a nun’s life.The Poor Clares’ life is

limited to the monastery,except for necessary

errands such as visits tothe doctor. But they’rehardly isolated from theworld. For instance, theywere quickly made awareof the shooting and stab-bing of a teacher atPortsmouth Notre DameElementary School onFeb. 7 through severalphone calls.

The convent also has aWeb site, www.stjoseph-monastery.com, can sendand receive e-mail, andreceives Portsmouth’sdaily newspaper and theCatholic Times. MotherDolores Marie monitorsthe various means of com-munication and informsthe other nuns of signifi-cant events.

The nuns can writehome and receive lettersonce a month. AtChristmas time, they maysend and receive letters toand from anyone.

Family visits areallowed twice a year fortwo days each, but takeplace with nuns and theirfamilies on opposite sidesof a wooden latticeworkgrill. The nuns’ adorationchapel is open to the pub-lic daily from 5:45 to 7a.m. and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,When the nuns are atprayer during those times,they remain behind awooden screen.

Their day starts at 5 a.m.and continues through“lights out” at 10 p.m.Additional adorationoccurs Wednesday andSaturday nights, witheach nun assigned an houron Wednesday and 90minutes on Saturday.

Mass is at 7 a.m. and theday proceeds through aschedule which includesthe Church’s Office ofReadings, the Rosary, theChaplet of Divine Mercy,the Franciscan Crowndevotion to the seven joysof Mary, the Stations of

the Cross, and set timesfor work, study, recre-ation, and free time.

Lunch at noon is themain meal, with toast andpeanut butter generally forbreakfast, and a sandwichor cereal at supper. Themain meal usually con-sists of a protein, a starch,two vegetables and fruit.Meat is eaten onTuesdays, Thursdays,and Sundays, and onChurch feasts and solem-nities. Snacks anddesserts are limited toSundays and solemnities.

The monastery’s mainrevenue source is thepackaging of altar breadwhich comes from anoutside supplier. Thatmeans a United ParcelService truck arrivesnearly every day.

Most of the day is spentsilently; indeed, the word

“Silence” is postedthroughout the monastery.It’s not an absolutesilence, since the nunsmay speak to each otherabout things that are nec-essary during the day.Greater silence isobserved from after 8p.m. night prayers untilthe next morning.

The silence also is bro-ken occasionally by oneof the monastery’s threedogs — Jewel, an adultschnauzer, and Pippin andMerry, two blackLabrador puppies.

Talk is done quietly andkept to a minimum, but asMother Dolores Marie putit, “If something funnyhappens, we laugh. Wedon’t expect anyone to beinhuman or oblivious tothe situations around us.We are not experts atsilence, but we continual-

ly work at it.”Any single woman

between 18 and 35 whohas a high school educa-tion, is a Catholic in goodstanding, and is physicallyand psychologicallyhealthy is eligible to jointhe Poor Clares. “I would encourage any

young woman to spendtime in prayer before theBlessed Sacrament to helpdiscern the direction ofher life,” Mother DoloresMarie said. “You have tohave a longing for a life ofprayer, specifically a lifeof prayer before theBlessed Sacrament. “A contemplative life is

not for everyone, but it isa rich and fulfilling one.I would encourage any-one who feels such a call-ing to not be afraid, but tolisten to what God maybe saying.”


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NUNS continued from Page 11


Exodus 17:3-7Romans 5:1-2,5-8

John 4:5-42

Though longer orshorter versions oftoday’s Gospel may beread, I encouragechoosing the longerversion. I recommendthe same for nextweek’s story of the manborn blind and the fol-lowing week’s story ofthe raising of Lazarus.

The proclaimed wordhas a power in itselfand we do it a disserv-ice if, for the sake ofconvenience, we abbre-viate what was writtenas a whole piece.

The story begins withJesus sitting by “Jacob’swell” at “about noon”(the same hour when hewill ascend the cross)when the unnamedSamaritan womancomes to “draw water.”

In Johannine litera-ture, simple “water” is

almost always a sym-bol suggesting baptism.

This becomes evi-dent as Jesus explainswhat he means by “liv-ing water,” which cer-tainly evokes thoughtsof baptism among thebaptized.

The unnamedwoman plays a centralrole in this scene,remaining on stagelonger than any othersingle character in thisGospel. The dialoguebegins with a requestJesus makes of her for adrink (of water).

It continues with herasking a simple ques-tion about why a Jewishman would ask aSamaritan woman for adrink. Jesus uses herquestion to speak aboutliving water. She con-tinues to ask questionson one level. Jesus con-tinues to answer onanother level.

Each answer Jesusgives leads her into anew area. When she

finally asks for thewater he has to offer, heinvites her to go call herhusband and come back.When she says she hasno husband he mentionsher five previous onesand agrees with her thatthe one she’s with nowis not her husband. It isnot done with anger orjudgment on his part. Itis a simple statement.

Undaunted, shechanges the subject, not-ing he is a prophet anddeepens the dialogueabout the proper place toworship, in Jerusalem oron the mountain nearwhere this dialoguetakes place.

A nice change ofpace, perhaps? But Jesususes the remark to speakon a much deeper levelabout worshipping Godin Spirit and in truth.

Yet again the womanjumps to another topic,that of the nature of thecoming Messiah whowill tell all. Jesusclaims to be the one: “Iam he.” When she goesoff to her townspeopleto speak of a man whohad told her everythingshe’d ever done sheasks rhetorically“could he possibly bethe Christ?”

That’s where herrole ends in the story.We never knowwhether she returned tohim or if she found an

answer to her questionwhether he might bethe Messiah. Her testi-mony to her townspeo-ple suggests she did.

We also have toadmire how well Johnthe evangelist put it alltogether. The woman isin many ways the star ofthe entire scene. Herquestions and her popu-lar theology drive theentire dialogue. There issomething quite enjoy-able about the woman.She’s brash, sassy andproud of what sheknows. She reminds meof many women I know.

She is unashamed inthe presence of Jesusbut puzzled by what hesays. But each time hesays something shebecomes all the moreintrigued and pushesthe dialogue further.She is unafraid to reporther conversation withhim to her fellowSamaritans, althoughshe simply invites themto come hear a “man,who has told me every-thing I’ve ever done.”

We get the impres-sion that Jesus enjoyedthe banter with her. Wehave John to thank forpreserving her story.And we have her tothank for being herself.

Father Lawrence L. Hummer, aScripture scholar, is pastor ofChillicothe St. Mary. He can bereached at [email protected].

Third Sunday of Lent (Cycle A)The

Weekday BibleReadings

MONDAY2 Kings 5:1-15b

Psalm 42:2-3;43:3-4Luke 4:24-30

TUESDAYDaniel 3:25, 34-43

Psalm 25:4-5b,6,7bc,8-9Matthew 18:21-35

WEDNESDAYDeuteronomy 4:1,5-9

Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20Matthew 5:17-19

THURSDAYJeremiah 7:23-28Psalm 95:1-2,6-9

Luke 11:14-23

FRIDAYHosea 14:2-10

Psalm 81:6c-11b,14,17Matthew 9:14-15

SATURDAYIsaiah 58:9b-14Psalm 86:1-6Luke 5:27-32

Speaking about the living water...

Father Lawrence L. Hummer

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Shamrock Club of Columbus’ decision to host parade made with careThe Shamrock Club of

Columbus has gone throughgreat effort in making thedecision to host the civic por-tion of the Central Ohio St.Patrick’s Day parade and IrishFamily Reunion.

As the grandchild of a pastpresident, Edward “Red”Dempsey 1964, I understandyour position; but, as the cur-rent president of the ShamrockClub, I must clarify how wecame to this decision.

The Shamrock Club is no

longer a strictly Irish Catholicorganization, and I don’t writethis with any pride towardsthat fact, but the ShamrockClub has survived for 72 yearsbecause of the support fromthe Irish Community, not justthe Irish Catholic Community.

The Shamrock Club hasevolved into an Irish Socialorganization with a diversemembership. We still maintainmany, many Catholic traditions.

We host several Masses atthe Club; we maintain a

Roman Catholic Clergy asour Club Chaplain and makecharitable contributionsthroughout the year.

As for the bishop’s requestto move all activities outsideof Holy Week, we took greattime and effort to discuss theoptions with all local Irishorganizations and researchedwhat other cities that tradition-ally host their parades onMarch 17 (which is rare).

In our research, we discov-ered that New York’s Cardinal

Egan will be participating in theparade and that the ClevelandBishop is participating also.

Even in Ireland, the paradeswill be held on March 17.

In Boston, a Palm Sundayparade.

Why should Columbus beheld to a different standardthan these other cities and theirCatholic participants?

I have a deep respect formy faith. But, the leadershipI’ve seen recently from myChurch has me scratchingmy head.

I remain faithful as aCatholic and I hope that any-one that takes the time to makea comment on this issue, andalso takes the time to do theresearch and make their deter-mination with all the facts.

The Feast of St. Patrick isabsent from the 2008 recogni-tion of St. Patrick, but the com-mitment of the IrishCommunity to this country,religious or not, stands tall.

Mark DempseyColumbus

Letters To The Editor

I was contacted by thoseinterested in the cause ofsainthood for ArchbishopSheen and was put into con-tact with Father AndrewApostoli CFR. The follow-ing interview began inDecember 2007 and wascompleted in January 2008.Archbishop Sheen is eitherreferred to as bishop orarchbishop. He was BishopSheen for much of his lifebut was given a Titular Seein his latter days.

Dave Hartline: Canyou give the readers anupdate on the progress ofArchbishop Fulton Sheen’scause for sainthood?

Father AndrewApostoli: The diocesanphase investigating Arch-bishop Sheen’s cause forsainthood began in 2002and that was started byBishop Daniel Jenky CSCof Peoria, the boyhoodhome of ArchbishopSheen. The diocesan phaseof the cause is drawing to aclose. Through our inter-views with witnesses whoknew the archbishop, weare hopeful that we canpresent testimonies thatdemonstrate that the arch-bishop lived a life of heroicChristian virtue, which is

necessary for sainthood.We also believe we havetwo significant healingsthat can be attributed to theintercession of ArchbishopSheen. One healing tookplace in Champaign, Ill.,and the other in Pittsburgh,Pa. Both were quiteextraordinary. One in-volved a woman who near-ly died from a major tear inher pulmonary artery thatoccurred during a very del-icate operation. Doctors feltthere was no hope for thewoman to survive, but shedid. The other caseinvolved a newborn infantwho was diagnosed withthree life-threatening con-ditions one of which wasthe worst form of a blooddisease called sepsis. Thereseemed to be little hope andyet the infant miraculouslyrecovered to the point thatthe child shows no signs ofhis illnesses. The doctorshave been amazed.

Hartline: Explain to thereaders what it was like tosee Bishop Sheen on tele-vision in his heyday. Whatwas the public’s reaction?

Father Apostoli: Acompeting network put himon TV opposite MiltonBerle. The TV networks had

an obligation to show onehour of religious program-ming each week. SinceBerle was so popular (hewas actually called “Mr.Television,” at the time) noone expected BishopSheen’s program to do verywell. However, after his firstshow he received some28,000 letters. Within sixmonths, the number ofBishop Sheen’s viewersincreased to the point that hebeat Milton Berle in the firsthalf hour of the time slot. Itwas amazing that percent-age-wise more Jewish peo-ple watched the Bishop thanCatholics or Protestants. Ibelieve this point helps toexplain how Bishop Sheenwas chiefly responsible forhelping many Protestantsand Jewish people to under-stand what the CatholicChurch was really about.On a radio interview pro-gram a Protestant man

shared with me that his fam-ily always watched MiltonBerle and never BishopSheen. One evening, how-ever, when the TV receptionthat showed Berle was sobad his family looked pure-ly out of curiosity to seewhat Bishop Sheen waslike. He told me that fromthen on they only watchedBishop Sheen. Another per-son told me that wheneverher grandmother, who wasa Protestant, watchedBishop Sheen’s TV pro-gram, she always wore oneof her best dresses. She feltlike she was in church.

Hartline: BishopSheen had a special devo-tion to St Therese the LittleFlower. You wrote the for-ward to a book titled,Archbishop FultonSheen’s St Therese: ATreasured Love Story. Ithas just been released.Could you elaborate on

this?Father Apostoli: Yes, I

was happy to write the for-ward to this beautiful newbook since I knew howmuch St Therese meant toArchbishop Sheen. I thinkthere were many youngmen and women who weregreatly influenced by thewritings and example of StTherese. You must remem-ber that she died at the ageof 24. This type of devotionand dedication for someoneso young had a great impacton people, among themArchbishop Sheen. Thisbook is special because itwas the fruit of ArchbishopSheen’s preaching about St.Therese in which case youhave a saintly person writ-ing about a canonized.

Hartline: Tell us aboutwhy Archbishop Sheenspent an hour in eucharisticAdoration every day.

Father Apostoli: Whilestill in the seminary, FultonSheen heard about the boldfaith of a young Chinesegirl who during a time ofpersecution of the Churchin China gave her life forthe Eucharist. This younggirl made reparation inhonor of Jesus in the

Blessed Sacrament in asmall church in Chinawhere the Eucharist hadbeen desecrated by anti-Catholic soldiers. The littlegirl came back severalnights in a row to sneak intothe church. There she spentabout an hour in prayer andreparation for the Eucharistthat had been desecrated.Each night she licked up aconsecrated Host (remem-ber in those days the laitydid not receive the BlessedSacrament with theirhands). One night one of thesoldiers saw her enteringthe church, and as she wasreceiving the last consecrat-ed Host the guard shot andkilled her. Before his ordi-nation Fulton Sheen saidthat if this young girl couldgive her life in reparationfor the Eucharist, he couldspend at least one hour ofeach day in prayer beforethe Blessed Sacrament. Weknow he kept to this. Forexample, once while visit-ing missionaries in aremote village in Africa hearrived late at night and hisfirst request was to bebrought to their chapel sohe could spend his hour.

THE TIDE IS TURNINGTOWARD CATHOLICISM

DAVID HARTLINE

Update on Archbishop Sheen’s cause for canonization

See SHEEN,

ALLDREDGE, Edward L., 61, February 13 St. Pius X Church, Reynoldsburg

AMRINE, Robert J., 60, February 12 St. Timothy Church, Columbus

ANDEREGG, Marjorie L., formerly ofColumbus, February 7

BADGER, Evelyn M., 94, February 14 St. Francis de Sales Church, Newark

BARRY, Josephine Collette, 89, February 15 St. Andrew Church, Columbus

BECKER, George C. “Newt,” 96, February 13 St. Mary Church, Groveport

BOLEMAN, Carolyn M., 91, of Columbus,February 13

BOLEY, Leo J., February 14 St. Agnes Church, Columbus

BRAY, Edward J., 81, February 10 Immaculate Conception Church, Columbus

CANLAS, Purita, 95, February 11 Our Lady of Peace Church, Columbus

DAGER-FRYSINGER, Maureen, 70, February 16 Church of the Nativity, Utica

DEANER-(RANCOUR), Eleanore C., 83,February 14 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Grove City

FAIELLA, Sittemia M., 88, February 18 St. John the Baptist Church, Columbus

FLORIO, Jane C., 87, February 13 St. Mary Magdalene Church, Columbus

GREENE, Ruby R., 73, February 10 Holy Rosary-St. John Church, Columbus

HATHAWAY, Virginia A., 73, February 10 Holy Trinity Church, Zoar

HORNING, Helen M., 96, February 12 St. Joseph Church, Dover

JONES, Sam E., 76, February 7 Christ the King Church, Columbus

O’BRIEN, Virginia, 94, February 8 St. Thomas Church, Zanesville

RACLE, Marie M., 99, February 14 St. Michael Church, Worthington

SMITH, Katherine M., 85, February 20 St. Edward Church, Granville

WALTER, William, 89, February 11 Our Lady of Peace Church, Columbus

WEAVER, Marianne, 79, February 16 St. Aloysius Church, Columbus

WHELAN, Mary, 82, February 16 St. Joseph Church, Plain City

WHITLER, Elizabeth T., 57, February 12 St. Paul Church, Westerville

WOOLEY, Dr. Charles F., 78, February 15 St. Andrew Church, Columbus


Pray for our Dead

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

CEMETERY field workers will be removing winter-timeand artificial decorations from graves and mausoleums at allCatholic cemeteries beginning March 3, 2008.

WE request that families wishing to retain any per-sonal keepsakes, to please remove them by March 3.

DUE to the number of decorations involved, the cemeterystaff can not be responsible for collecting or storing personalitems. Thank you for your cooperation.

St. Joseph614-491-2751

Mt. Calvary614-491-2751

Resurrection614-888-1805

Holy Cross740-927-4442

Spring Clean-up!

SubmitObituaries

There is no charge forobituaries. To have an obit-uary printed, send it to: TheCatholic Times, Obituaries,197 E. Gay St., Columbus,OH 43215; or fax to 614-241-2518. Obituaries can-not be taken by phone.They will be edited forlength/clarity/style andprinted as space permits.

Christopher John CampbellFuneral Mass for Christopher John

Campbell. 80, who died Monday,Feb. 4, was held Saturday, Feb. 10, atColumbus Immaculate ConceptionChurch. Burial was in ResurrectionCemetery, Lewis Center.

He was born in 1927, in Pittston,Pa., to Earl and Catherine Campbell.He served in the Army, graduatedfrom Fordham University in NewYork City, where he was captain ofthe football team in 1951, and wasemployed for 36 years at AccuRayCorp. in Columbus. He was a memberof Columbus St. Andrew Church for

nearly 50 years and established theTEFEE (Tuition Earned for ExtraEffort) Fund at Columbus BishopWatterson High School.

He was preceded in death by hisparents and brother, William.Survivors include his wife of 56 years,Anne; sons, Deacon ChristopherCampbell Jr. (Anne), who serves atImmaculate Conception Church;Martin (Dawn) and Michael (Valerie);daughters, Karen (Jay) Augenstein,Lisa (Dan) Best and Julie (Jim)Grunenwald; brother, Earl; sister,Kathryn; and, 18 grandchildren.

22, FRIDAYWay of the Cross Concert With Living Water7 :30 p.m., St. Paul Church, 313 N. State St., Westerville. Way ofthe Cross with vocal group Living Water. 614-882-2109

22-24, FRIDAY-SUNDAYBishop Ready Spring Musical7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, BishopReady High School, 707 Salisbury Road, Columbus.School’s spring musical Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat. 614-276-5263

24, SUNDAYSt. Christopher Adult Religious Education10 to 11:15 a.m., parish center, St. Christopher Church, 1420Grandview Ave., Columbus. “Sinicism, Not Cynicism: TheEclectic Religion of the Chinese” with R. Blake Michael,professor of world religions at Ohio Wesleyan University.

614-488-9971

Cancer Prayer Support Group Meeting7 p.m., St. Peter Church, 6899 Smoky Row Road,Columbus. Meeting of “Hope in the Journey,” a prayersupport group for those touched by cancer or anychronic illness. 614-436-9939

25, MONDAYBethesda Post-Abortion Healing Ministry6:30 p.m. support group meeting, 2744 Dover Road(Christ the King Church campus), Columbus.

614-718-0277, 614-309-2651, 614-309-0157Our Lady of Peace Men’s Bible Study7 p.m., Our Lady of Peace Church, 20 E. Dominion Blvd.,Columbus. Bible study of Sunday Scripture readings.

614-459-2766Hearts of Jesus and Mary Bible Study 7:30 to 9 p.m., Marian Hall, St. Michael Church, 5750 N.High St., Columbus. Hearts of Jesus and Mary BibleStudy/Prayer Group meeting, beginning with Rosary at7:10 p.m. 614-846-3803 or 614-841-1776

26, TUESDAYLenten Soup Supper at St. Edward 6 p.m., St. Edward Church, 785 Newark Road, Granville.Soup supper, followed by talk by Father Rod Damico,parochial vicar, Westerville St. Paul Church, at 6:30 andStations of the Cross at 7.

27, WEDNESDAYSerra Club Luncheon for Boys 11:45 a.m., Jessing Center, Pontifical College Josephinum,7625 N. High St., Columbus. Serra Club of NorthColumbus life awareness luncheon for boys, with FatherJohn Boll, OP, chaplain, Ohio Dominican University, fol-lowed by a tour of the college at 1 p.m. for those whocan stay. 614-436-8918 or 614-488-3773Lenten Office, Soup and Teaching at St. Agnes 5:30 p.m., St. Agnes Church, 2364 W. Mound St.,Columbus. Evening Prayer, followed by soup supper anddiscussion on Church history with Father HomerBlubaugh or parish members. 614-276-5413Soup Supper at St. Pius X 5:30 to 7 p.m., St. Pius X Church, 1051 Waggoner Road,Reynoldsburg. Simple Lenten supper of soup, bread andbeverage benefiting Operation Rice Bowl. 614-866-2859Mass, Simple Supper at St. John the Baptist 6 p.m., St. John the Baptist Church, 720 Hamlet St.,Columbus. Mass, followed by simple Lenten supper ofsoup, bread, salad, and beverage benefiting OperationRice Bowl.Ohio Dominican Presidential Lecture Series 7:30 p.m., Matesich Theater, Ohio Dominican University,1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus. Presidential lecture seriespresents Ray Suarez of the PBS NewsHour. Free, but tick-ets required. 614-251-4561

28, THURSDAYTalk on Apocryphal Gospels at St. Anthony 10 a.m., St. Anthony Church, 1300 Urban Drive,Columbus. Third of four-week series on the apocryphalgospels with Father M. Edmund Hussey. Subject: “TheGospel of Judas.” 614-885-4857Series on Communication Skills for Parents 7 to 9 p.m., Church of the Resurrection, 6300 E. Dublin-Granville Road, New Albany. Part 2 of “How to Talk SoKids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk,” a three-part series on communication skills for parents and care-givers sponsored by the diocesan Marriage and FamilyLife Office. 614-241-2560‘Courage’ Support Group Meeting7:30 p.m. ACatholic organization providing support for indi-viduals with same-sex attraction. Mary Louise 614-436-8676Theology and a Pub7:30 p.m., Columbus Maennerchor, 966 S. High St.,Columbus. Father Vincent McKiernan, CSP, of the St.Thomas More Newman Center speaks on “TransplantingBuckeyes.” For Catholic young adults.. [email protected] to RSVP.

28-MARCH 1, THURSDAY-SATURDAYBishop Hartley Musical7:30 p.m., Bishop Hartley High School, 1285 ZettlerRoad, Columbus. 42nd Street. Tickets are available atdoor, $10. 614-237-5421


All fund-raising events (festivals, bazaars,spaghetti dinners, fish fries, bake sales, pizza/sub

sales, candy sales, etc.) will be placed in the “Fund-Raising Guide.” An entry into the Guide

will be $17.50 for the first six lines, and $2.50 foreach additional line. For more information, call Phil

Connard at 614-224-6530 or 800-511-0584.

Televised Sunday Mass for theThird Sunday of Lent

Feb. 24, 2008From the Diocese of Columbus

The Sunday Mass with the PassionistFathers can be seen at:

7 a.m. on WHIZ 18

7:30 a.m. on WWHO 53

11 a.m. on Cable Channel 2 (in Marion)11 a.m. on Cable Channel 20 (on Adelphia

Cable in Scioto County)

The televised Sunday Mass also can beseen on Time Warner Cable Chan. 6

(Hardin County), at:10 a.m. Immaculate Conception Church,

Kenton

On EWTN (Time Warner Chan. 127, InsightChan. 382 and on WOW Chan. 378) at:

8 a.m. Our Lady of the Angels Monasteryin Birmingham, Ala. (Encores at noon and

midnight)

Daily Mass8 a.m. Our Lady of the Angels Monastery

in Birmingham, Ala. (Encores at noon, 7p.m. and midnight) See EWTN above; and

on I-Lifetv (Chan. 113 in Ada, Logan,Millersburg, Murray City and Washington

C.H.; Chan. 125 in Marion, Newark,Newcomerstown and New Philadelphia;and Chan. 207 in Zanesville; 1270 AM in

Marysville on St. Gabriel Radio, rebroad-cast at noon.)

We pray Week III, Seasonal Proper of the

Liturgy of the Hours

Notices for items of Catholic interest must bereceived at least 12 days before expected publicationdate. We will print them as space permits. Items notreceived before this deadline may not be published.

Listings cannot be taken by phone.Mail to: The Catholic Times, Happenings,

197 East Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215 Fax to: 614-241-2518

E-mail as text to: [email protected]

‘Happenings’ submissions

FEBRUARY

SPECIAL EVENTSSt. Matthias Fish Fry

Corner of Karl & Ferris Rd. • 267-3406LENTEN FRIDAYS • FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 4-8 PM

LARGE OR SMALL DINNERS, BAKED OR FRIED,PLUS MANY ALA CARTE ITEMS

Carry-Out Available!30 Years Experience!

St. Andrew ChurchFantastic Fish Dinners

Corner of Reed & McCoy, in the spacious Parish HallALL FRIDAYS DURING LENT • 4:30-7:00 PM

BAKED WHITE FISH, FRIED PERCH AND MUCH MORE$8/baked, $7/perch, $4/kids Carryout available!

Shamrock Club Fish Fry60 W. Castle Road (Just off South High Street)LENTEN FRIDAYS • FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 5:30-8:00 PM

ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH • LIVE ENTERTAINMENTPrepared and served by the Police & Fire Emerald Society

www.shamrockclub.com 491-4449

St. Matthew’s Annual Fish Fry795 Havens Corners Road, Gahanna, Ohio

FRIDAYS • FEBRUARY 8, 15, 29 & MARCH 14 • 5:15-7:30 PMCOD, MAC’N CHEESE, FRIES, PIE, COOKIES, PUNCH & COFFEE

Adults: $8.50, Seniors: $7.25, Students w/ID: $5, Children: $4.50Family pricing of 4=$24, of 5=$27, of 6 or more=$29.50

Carry out available

St. Charles Preparatory SchoolSpaghetti Dinner

in the Robert C. Walter Student Commons• 2010 E. Broad Street in Bexley

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, NOON-7 PMAdults: $6.50, Seniors: $5.50, Children 4-12: $4

Carry out orders available

Immaculate Conception Church Lenten Fish Fry

In the Marian Hall • 414 E. N. Broadway in ClintonvilleFRIDAYS • FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 5-8 PM

GREAT FRIED FISH • DAIRY QUEEN BARLEY’S BEER • TASTY DESSERTS

Adults: $8, Children: $3.50

St. Margaret of Cortona1600 N. Hague Avenue

Fish Fry DinnersLENTEN FRIDAYS • FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 4:30-7:30 PMFISH, POTATOES, SLAW, ROLLS & BUTTER

Adults: $8, Seniors $7, Children: $3.50

St. Michael ChurchLenten Fish Fry, Fridays 5-8 pm

5750 N. High St., WorthingtonCost: Adults: $7.50, Children: $5.50

Macaroni-Cheese Dinner: $5.50DINE IN, DRIVE THRU & CARRYOUT

Seton Parish600 Hill Rd. North, Pickerington

Knights of Columbus Fish FryLENTEN FRIDAYS, 6:00-7:30 PM

BAKED OR FRIED WHITE FISH OR SALMONCarryouts Available

St. Paul the Apostle Church313 North State St., Westerville

Fish Fry FRIDAYS, 2/15, 2/29, 3/7 & 3/14 • 5-7 PMSponsoring organization: Knights of Columbus Westerville Council 5776

Raising funds which are distributed to various charitiesContact person: Kevin O’Connor • 614-778-4084

St. Timothy ParishSpaghetti DinnerSUNDAY, MARCH 2 ~ NOON - 7 PM

Parish Center, 1088 Thomas LaneAdults: $7.50, Seniors: $6.50, Children: $4

Carryouts Available

St. Peter Church6899 Smoky Row Rd., Columbus

Lenten Meatless Spaghetti DinnerFRIDAYS, FEBRUARY 15 & MARCH 7 • 5-7 PM

CHOOSE RED SAUCE, CLAM SAUCE OR PESTO PASTA,SALAD, BREAD, BEVERAGE, ICE CREAM

Adults: $7, Children $5 (age 3-12), free under 3 Family of 4/$25

OUR LADY OF VICTORY CHURCHParish Center-1559 Roxbury Rd., Marble Cliff

FISH FRY DINNERSFRIDAYS DURING LENT

FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 4:30-7:00 PMFRESH OCEAN PERCH • POTATOES or RICESALAD or SLAW • BEVERAGES • DESSERT

Adults: $8.50, Children under 12 yrs.: $4.00Carry-outs Available

St. Stephen the Martyr Fish Fry

4131 Clime Road, Columbus, OhioFRIDAYS DURING LENT • FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 14 • 5-7:30 PM

BAKED/FRIED PERCH W/ROLL, DESSERT &DRINK + TWO SIDE DISHES

Adults: $8, Seniors $7, Children <12: $3.50Proceeds donated to local charities


EVEN JERUSALEM IS DEALING WITH THE WINTER WEATHER

A Catholic monk holds an umbrella during an uncommon snowfall in Jerusalem Feb. 19 CNS photo/Eliana Aponte, Reuters

Father Rodric J. DiPietro ofSt. Brendan Parish wearsthe special stole that wasprinted with stamps creat-ed by the second gradersin art class. They werestudying African textiledesign. The students rep-resenting the second gradewith Father Rod from leftto right are Mary KateBunstine, Aidan Mayfield,Macy Wilson, and KyleNaderhoffPhoto courtesy of St. Brendan School

A young woman sheds tears while attending a memorial serv-ice at the Newman Center at Northern Illinois University forthe victims of a shooting on the DeKalb, Ill., campus. Formergraduate student Stephen Kazmierczak, 27, walked onto thestage o f a lecture hall at the university and opened fire on apacked science class Feb. 14, killing five students and woundingat least 16 before committing suicide

CNS photo/Kamil Krzaczynski, Reuters

ABC to air excitingremake of classic film “A

Raisin in the Sun.”By Harry Forbes, Catholic

News Service

Billed as an "ABC WorldPremiere Movie Event," thissecond television adaptationof Lorraine Hansberry's clas-sic 1959 play (which becamea treasured 1961 film) trulydeserves the "event"moniker. The year is young,but "A Raisin in the Sun"will surely rank with the bestof 2008.

Airing Monday, Feb. 25, 8-11p.m. EST, this TV film -- adapt-ed from 2004's Broadwayrevival -- uses the leads fromthat production, all of whomhave deepened their interpreta-tions. (For the record, DannyGlover and Esther Rolle starredin the 1989 PBS version.)

Here, Phylicia Rashad is LenaYounger, the upstanding wid-owed matriarch of a South SideChicago family. She works as adomestic, and lives in a smallapartment with her son, WalterLee (Sean Combs), who is pro-foundly frustrated by his dead-end job as a chauffeur, and feels

thatno one supports him in hisdreams. He is sullen anduncommunicative with hishardworking wife, Ruth (AudraMacDonald) who, we soon dis-cern, is expecting their secondchild, unbeknownst to anyone.

His free-spirited college-agesister, Beneatha (Sanaa Lathan),completes the household. Sheaspires to become a doctor andfinds herself wooed by prag-matic wealthy George (SeanPatrick Thomas) and fellow stu-dent Joseph (David Oyelowo), aNigerian who helps her exploreher African roots, which isscorned by George.

Beneatha's rebellious denial of

God in an earlyscene prompts astunning rebukefrom her moth-er, an admoni-tion whichonstage elicit-ed supportiveapplause fromthe largelyA f r i c a n -A m e r i c a naudienceswho packedthe theaternightly.

Walter Leeferventlyhopes toi m p r ovehis lot byinvestingin al i q u o rs t o r e

with the life insurancecheck Lena will soon receivefrom her late husband's estate.But once Lena learns what themoney will be used for, shetakes back the check, propellingWalter Lee on a serious drink-ing binge.

In her despair at Walter Lee'sremoteness, Ruth contemplatesan abortion. As the film hasbeen opened up somewhat fromthe stage version, we do actual-ly see her going to a womanwho performs clandestine abor-tions. You'll forgive the spoiler,but Ruth's ultimate decision isyet another resolutely pro-lifeaffirmation, in a cinematic sea-son rife with them (e.g., "Bella,"

"Juno" and "Waitress"). This isin keeping with the myriad out-standing values espoused byHansberry, including integrity,unconditional love, human dig-nity, ethnic pride and affirma-tion of faith.

Stage director Kenny Leon'sfilmic approach -- he uses tightclose-ups throughout -- takes someadjustment. But, it must be admit-ted, the power of the performanc-es comes through all the more.

The three women are especial-ly luminous, and a low-keyRashad dispenses her worldlywisdom without ever soundingsanctimonious.

Considering Combs was thelinchpin of the stage produc-tion and co-executive producerof this TV film (along withCraig Zadan, Neil Meron andothers), it might be churlish toobserve that his performance isnot quite on a par with hismore seasoned colleagues. Buthe's completely professional,and convincingly conveysWalter Lee's boyishness,naivete and frustrations.

Other good performancesinclude John Stamos as an unc-tuous community rep who triesto buy off the Youngers fromtheir new house in a whiteneighborhood, and Bill Nunnand Ron Cephas Jones asWalter Lee's prospective busi-ness partners.

Hansberry's play is still aknockout as this production tri-umphantly demonstrates. Missit at your peril.


focus onART“A Raisin in the Sun”MOVIE REVIEW

New PhiladelphiaSacred Heart Schoolopened in 1908, and

students marked the building’scentennial with a celebrationearlier this month.

It included an open house forthe community on Thursdaynight, Feb. 7, and a Mass andperformance of a historicalpageant the following day,which was the 100th schoolday of the school’s 100th year.

The celebrant for the Masswas Msgr. Stephan Moloney,diocesan vicar general.

“From the sacred heart ofJesus, every grace flows, andfor 100 years, many of his giftshave flowed from that heartthrough the channel of thisschool and the hearts, mindsand souls of its students,” hesaid in his homily.

He said the mission ofCatholic schools could besummed up in St. Paul’s prayerto the Philippians “that yourlove may increase more andmore in knowledge and everykind of perception, to discernwhat is of value, so that youmay be pure and blameless inthe day of Christ.”

“These words of St. Paulecho what Sacred Heart Schoolhas done for children in thepast 100 years,” he said.

The pageant was presented inthe form of a newscast, withscenes from each of the past 10decades blended with music.

Students portrayed historicalfigures such as Henry Ford,Amelia Earhart, QueenElizabeth II, and Martin LutherKing. as well as singers includ-ing the Supremes, Sonny andCher, the Jackson Five, the

Pips, the Backstreet Boys, andthe cast of Disney’s “HighSchool Musical.”

Adults who attended theschool shared their memoriesof former pastors and teacherswith the eighth-graders whowrote the script for the play.Those also were part of thepageant, with the young actorswho played students and nunsdressing in the styles of thedecades being portrayed.

Guests included Msgr.Moloney and representativesof the congregation of theSisters of Divine Providencefrom Pittsburgh, which pro-vided teachersfor the schoolthrough much ofits history.

Before and afterthe pageant,those in atten-dance viewed dis-plays of historicalartifacts from thechurch, school andcommunity repre-senting eachdecade, includingitems such asschool lunch boxesand Cabbage Patchdolls.

sacred heart schoolmarks 100th

birthday

Angelina Fadorsen and Jimmy Tolloti played news-casters introducing events of the past 100 years

CT photos by Tim Puet

A performance by“The Jackson Five”

The rising prices of milk, bread, gasoline, and postage through the years weredisplayed

Students danced to a song from Disney’s“High School Musical” as part of the100th anniversary pageant at NewPhiladelphia Sacred Heart School

By TIM PUETReporter, Catholic Times

A 1908 scene with students as FatherBonaventure Becker, two businessmen, and

Sister Wilhelmina, CDP

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