April 9, 2012, Volume VI, Number 15

"Christ is Risen!" "Truly, He is risen!"B L E S S E D EA S T ER

FEAST OF SAINT CASILDAMonday in the Octave of Easter

Question of the WeekFor the Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday“‘My Lord and my God!’ …Blessed are those who have not seen and believed.” How did you come to your belief? What have you seen that helped your belief? What signs have strengthened your belief?

NCCL News

The latest episode of the CL Podcast went live this week: John Rinaldo - REAL Ministry (http://tiny.cc/d1xgcw).

According to Jonathan Sullivan, "This month we welcome to the podcast John Rinaldo – diocesan director, podcaster, and founder of REAL Ministry, a web site about developing church leaders to serve the kingdom of God. We discussed what it means to be a leader in the Church, what we can learn from business leaders, how we can develop our leadership skills, and some of our favorite resources." For more on REAL Ministry, go to http://www.realministry.org/blog/

Book Your Hotel Rooms NOW – Rates Guaranteed till FRIDAY, April 13

We have plenty of rooms for May 5 - 10, however Towne & Country is sold out on May 2, 3, 4th  - but T&C has an overflow hotel that is .4 miles away, the Doubletree Mission Valley, and they will honor our group room rate. T&C will provide transportation to and from the Doubletree. Anyone looking for a room

on one of the nights not currently available should call the T&C (800-77-ATLAS or 619-291-7131) and they will walk through the process to book the rooms at both the T&C and to book at the overflow hotel. If you have any difficulties, please contact the NCCL office. There are only five (5) days left to guarantee these rates. BOOK NOW!

For pictures of the hotel and a video, go to http://www.towncountry.com/about/index.cfm#photo_gallery. For more information including transportation options form the airport, please check out www.nccl.us.

To Those in Their 20s and 30s – Let’s Talk!   (at the conference…Monday 8:30 p.m.)

Charis Ministries will once again be sponsoring this session for young adults at the conference on Monday night beginning at 8:30 p.m.  Join other young people in the catechetical ministry for wine, refreshments and conversation about the challenges and joys of working in ministry.The session will be led by Pam Coster and Michael Noser of Charis Ministries, a Jesuit ministry to those in their 20s and 30s.

Charis provides retreats in the Ignatian tradition in Chicago and 30 cities throughout the country through its Partner Program.  www.charisministries.org  

Sunday Mission Tour UPDATE - $5.00 Fuel Surcharge

This four hour Tour not only includes a view of the Historic Mission San Diego de Alcala, but also has a visit to the Presidio Park Museum, and a stroll through the Old Town Village. Due to the increase in fuel costs a

$5.00 surcharge has been added and will be collected as one enters the bus. A total of 26 people is needed or the tour will be cancelled.

Invitation to FCH Extended to All NCCL Members Registered for the Conference

As a registered member for NCCL you are entitled to participate at our Pre-Conference for FCH (Forum for Catechesis with Hispanics) at no additional charge with morning snacks and lunch provided for both Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6th 2012. A flyer can be downloaded at FCH Pre-Conference (http://tiny.cc/2xu7bw).

The goal of this Pre-Conference is to assist Catechetical Leaders who minister to Hispanic Catholics with resources and an understanding of the Hispanic heritage and culture. This year our statistics showed a 4%  increase of the Hispanic Catholic population in the Diocese of San Diego, this tells us we must prepare for this increasing reality, since those numbers only show

the actual registered Spanish population. For your convenience FCH is totally conducted in English.

One of the highlights of FCH will be a Sunday Tour to three historical sites; San Diego de Alcala Mission, Presidio State Park and Museum, and the Old Town Village. The additional charge for this tour is $25.00. Please check the CL Weekly for additional information.

Boston Boy Choir

On this Easter weekend of great religious music, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly visits the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School. It is the only Catholic all-boy choir school in the country and

has been described not as a school with a choir, but as a choir with a school. You can read/listen to this twelve (12) minute segment at

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/april-6-2012/boston-boy-choir/10683/.

Ideal Gift to Remember One’s First Communion

201102 Do This in Memory of ME

This distinctive, high quality 1 inch lapel pin is composed of a high shine gold chalice with a white enamel host positioned on top. It is surrounded by the phrase, “Do this in Memory of ME”. This pin is an excellent gift for children receiving their First Eucharist. This is an exclusive NCCL product.

Place your order for immediate delivery.

Quantity discounts apply. Order from NCCL (202) 884-9753.

Pope Proposes St. Clare as Model for Today's Youth

On the occasion of the Claretian Year, Pope Benedict XVI sent a special message to Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi, Nocera Umbria and Gualdo Tadino, to celebrate the first female disciple of Saint Francis. Clare’s and Francis’ charism “speaks also to our generation, and has a fascination especially for young people,” added Benedict XVI, referring to the 27th World Youth Day being celebrated on Palm Sunday. Again today the Claretian Order, having “become a

robust tree, in the fruitful silence of the cloisters, continues to spread the good seed of the Gospel and to serve the cause of the Kingdom of God.”

It is no coincidence that the Holy Father’s letter was published precisely at the beginning of Holy Week: in fact, the story of Chiara’s (Clare’s) conversion “revolves around the liturgical feast of Palm Sunday,” explained the Pope. It was precisely on the Vigil of this Solemnity that Clare went to Francis to share her choice with him.

According to Saint Clare’s Testament, it was Francis himself who received the prophecy of the vocation of his first spiritual daughter: the Crucifix spoke to him in the church of San Damiano, announcing that “that place would be inhabited by women who would glorify God with their holy tenor of life.”

Saint Clare’s monastic life is profoundly linked to Assisi and it was precisely her prayer and that of her Sisters that saved the city from “violence and devastation” in some difficult circumstances. Chiara’s, explained the Pope, is the “conversion of love” of a young woman who gives up the “fine clothes of the nobility of Assisi” but keeps “the elegance of a soul that spends itself in praise of God and in giving itself.”

Francis’ and Chiara’s example is proposed “to the attention of today’s young people,” wrote Benedict XVI. The Medieval context of their earthly event “has not diminish their fascination,” even at this time when illusions and disappointments abound, “with the thousands attractions of a life in which everything seems possible and licit.”

In fact, examples are not lacking also today of young people who “who take up the invitation to entrust themselves to Christ and to face with courage, responsibility and hope the journey of life, also making the choice of leaving everything to follow him in total service to Him and to brothers,” wrote the Pontiff, before imparting the Apostolic Blessing upon the whole diocese of Assisi, “with a particular thought for the daughters of Saint Clare of the Proto-monastery.” A translation of the full text of the Pope's letter can be found at http://www.zenit.org/article-34557?l=english.

Elderly Married Couple Writes Stations of the Cross Reflections for Pope

Every year Pope Benedict XVI asks a different person to write the meditations for the traditional Stations of the Cross procession on Good Friday (April 6) at the Colosseum in Rome. This year, the Pontiff has chosen an elderly married couple who have chosen to tackle family problems such as marital infidelity and divorce. Danilo Zanzucchi, 92, and his wife, Anna Maria, 83, who have

been married for nearly 60 years and have five children, are the founders of the “New Families” group, an offshoot of Focolare, a Catholic movement.

Issues familiar to families worldwide will feature prominently in the Zanzucchis’ texts. They say that every family has to go through its own “Via Crucis” (Way of the Cross) made of “illnesses, deaths, bankruptcies, poverty, infidelity, immorality, family quarrels and natural catastrophes. The couple reflects on the “pain” induced by adultery: “So many separations, so many infidelities ... Jesus, help us understand what is love and the meaning of forgiveness.”

The Zanzucchis also mention the difficulty of educating children in values such as “sobriety” and “sacrifice” in a society devoted to the pursuit of material wealth. In an interview with L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s official newspaper, the couple said they have tried to make Jesus’ passion “contemporary” through the lens of their family experience. The reflections can be found at http://saltandlighttv.org/blog/lent-easter/the-way-of-the-cross-at-the-colosseum-watch-live-online-and-follow-the-stations-with-salt-light#more-34843.

Families in Trial Are Not Alone

In his brief address to conclude the Via Crucis, the Pope reflected: "The experience of suffering and of the cross touches all mankind; it touches the family too. How often does the journey become wearisome and difficult! Misunderstandings, conflicts, worry for the future of our children, sickness and problems of every kind. These days too, the situation of many families is made worse by the threat of unemployment and other

negative effects of the economic crisis. 

"The Way of the Cross which we have spiritually retraced this evening invites all of us, and families in particular; to contemplate Christ crucified in order to have the force to overcome difficulties. The cross of Christ is the supreme sign of God’s love for every man and woman, the superabundant response to every person’s need for love. At times of trouble, when our families have to face pain and adversity, let us look to Christ’s cross. There we can find the courage and strength to press on."

The Holy Father also affirmed that in times of trial, "we are not alone; the family is not alone. Jesus is present with his love, he sustains them by his grace and grants the strength needed to carry on, to make sacrifices and to overcome every obstacle.

And it is to this love of Christ that we must turn when human turmoil and difficulties threaten the unity of our lives and our families. The mystery of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection inspires us to go on in hope: times of trouble and testing, when endured with Christ, with faith in him, already contain the light of the resurrection, the new life of a world reborn, the passover of all those who believe in his word." The full text can be found at http://www.zenit.org/article-34592?l=english.

Parish Nurses

"As a parish nurse one of the greatest things we do is be present and just listen," says Diane Tieman of Queen of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church in suburban Chicago.

There is a growing number of registered nurses on the staffs of churches of many denominations, helping people with both physical and spiritual care. This program was featured on Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. It runs a little over seven (7) minutes and you can read/listen to it at

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/april-6-2012/parish-nurses/10684/.

Catholic Extension: 2012 Lumen Christi Award Nominees

Catholic Extension has announced that the 2012 Lumen Christi Award nominees are in and it's time to show your support! These incredible individuals and groups have been shining the light of Christ all across America. They are building faith, inspiring hope and igniting change in our nation's mission dioceses. Read about their amazing work and then vote for the person or group who you'd like to see become the next Lumen Christi Award recipient!

We have been notified that Sr. Dorothy Giloley, NCCL member and diocesan director in Fairbanks, Alaska is one of the nominees. Check it out at 2012 Nominees (http://tiny.cc/tdnxbw) and vote soon as voting ends on April 13. Here is what was said in Sr. Dorothy’s nomination:

In any given week, Sister Dorothy Giloley, SSJ, can travel thousands of miles to meet the needs of the 23 parishes she

serves as Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Fairbanks. This vast territory makes getting around difficult, but Sister Giloley takes it in stride. She teaches religious education certification classes as well as theology courses, and holds annual retreats for catechists so that they can pass the knowledge on to their Catholic communities. With her support and determination, she's igniting enthusiasm in Alaska's Native parishes and ensuring that faith thrives even with the absence of resident clergy.

Book-signings By Some of Your Favorite Presenters – Watch for details

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio Joe Paprocki Jim Blackburn David Rizzo Kathy Hendricks Lupita VitalTom McGrath

Catholic Home Missions Appeal: Strengthening the Church at Home

The Catholic Home Missions Appeal, which will be taken up in many U.S. parishes the weekend of April 28-April 29, supports home mission dioceses, which are dioceses in the United States and its dependencies that need outside help to offer basic pastoral services. The Appeal, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), strengthens the church at home by bridging the gap between need and available resources in those dioceses.

"There is a serious need for priestly formation in mission dioceses throughout the United States in order to build vibrant parish communities," said Bishop Michael W. Warfel of Great Falls-Billings,

Montana, and chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions. "Often home mission priests require special training to attend to the unique needs of their faith communities. The support of Catholics throughout the United States is necessary for the success of these and other projects."

A unique need in the Biloxi community, where Catholics make up one-quarter of the hearing impaired individuals in the region, is training sign language practitioners. Without the appeal, the desperate need for sign language practitioners cannot be met. "The grants we receive from the Catholic Home Missions Appeal help us ensure that the future of these parishes are in the hands of adequately prepared priests who can meet the needs of the residents here. While we have faced many challenges in recent years, this Appeal restores our hope that the future will be brighter and our parishioners will continue to be served," said Bishop Roger P. Morin of Biloxi.

The Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions oversees the Catholic Home Missions Appeal as part of the USCCB Committee on National Collections. This year the Subcommittee is providing $8.3 million in funding to 84 home mission diocese in the United States. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal funds essential pastoral projects such as catechesis, cultural ministry and lay

leadership training and helps keep mission parishes open. Visit www.usccb.org and search "home missions" for more information.

Gift Service Project: Extending Embrace Grace to Mothers for Mother’s Day

Here’s a new feature at this year’s 76th annual NCCL Conference and Exposition and even if you are not coming, you can help. Here is part of a letter that Mary Jo Waggoner, Director for the Office for Evangelization and Catechetical Ministry in San Diego sent to over 100 businesses and service organizations. She also posted it on her Facebook page and has already received financial support from family and friends. You can do the same.

The conference theme this year is Embrace Grace. Our Lord gives us Grace and we are to use that grace to serve others in His Name. During the gathering we will invite the attendees to participate in a Mother’s Day gift service project by putting together gift bags which will be delivered to various San Diego organizations that serve homeless and abused women.

We hope to assemble 500 Mother’s Day gift bags for needy women with donated items such as boxes of shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants, perfumes, combs, brushes, cosmetics, new socks and/or stockings, etc., and are counting on the generosity of businesses and organizations such as yours to help us reach this goal. …We can also accept monetary donations so we can include purchased items in the gift bags. All donations will be tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to: Diocese of San Diego (memo: Mother’s Day Gift) and sent to:

Diocese of San DiegoOffice for EvangelizationP.O. Box 85728San Diego, CA 92186-5728.  Our plan is to deliver these gifts to shelters throughout San Diego on the Friday

and Saturday following our annual conference. All monies will be used to purchase items for 500 women and all gifts will be put together by the participants at the May 5-10 NCCL gathering in San Diego. A list of donors will be posted during the NCCL conference and will be included in each gift bag. Thank you for your consideration!

President Invites Members to Join Committees

As a member-driven organization, President Anne Roat understands the importance of member participation on committees. They are the backbone of the organization. If you are interested in sharing your talents on a committee or if you would care to nominate an individual, either a member or a friend of NCCL with the gifts or skills to meet the committee’s objectives, please contact NCCL President Anne Roat personally at aroat@dol-in.org.

A complete list of committees and their charges can be found at the NCCL website under Committees. In addition, if you sign in you can see the current list of persons belonging to each of those committees.

LATEST– Most-Up-To-Date Information on Embrace Grace

If you want to be sure you have the most current information on the happenings at the NCCL 76th Annual Conference and Exposition, please go to http://www.nccl.us/home.html. You can access everything from the daily schedules to presentation overviews as well as topics and presenters for more than fifty (50) Learning Sessions, how to register, secure lodging and book your transportation from the airport. This site is updated on a regular basis.

FREE Professional Development Webinar – Thursday, April 26

Ave Maria Press, in partnership with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and the National Association for Lay Ministry presents a series of free, online workshops on professional development for parish ministers. For a

complete listing of professional development webinars in this series please visit www.avemariapress.com/webinars

Navigating Course II: Who is Jesus Christ?In the highly Christological USCCB Framework sequence, Course II: Who Is Jesus Christ, provides the core opportunity for teens to know and understand how God fully reveals himself in his Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. Certainly, as with the other Framework courses, no apology is made for expecting the students to master some basic information including a deeper understanding about Revelation, the Trinity, the Incarnation, Marian dogmas, and discipleship.

However, this course asks students to reflect on the meaning of what they are learning and to judge the relevance of Jesus to their personal lives.

The course asks teens to provide an answer to the question, “Who do people say that I am?” Moreover, it returns to the corollary: “Who do you say that I am?” The webinar will offer a basic survey of Course II along with some enrichment exercises that can be offered in a variety of places throughout the course. This webinar, presented by Michael Amodei on Thursday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. EDT, is geared to high school religion teachers and catechists. You

can register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/228072504.

ATTENTION : Save Me a Place Persons – RESPOND & COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION NOW

If you are one of the people who between the last Conference and today, took advantage of the Save Me a Place offer, NOW is the time to complete your registration. Please go to www.nccl.us and review the Registration brochure. You will need to download the Registration form (page six) and complete

the Events RSVP section, the Learning Sessions/Workshop Preferences, and any additional fees you may incur for the special events (your registration is already paid)

After completing the form, please return it to the NCCL office by fax (202) 884-9756 or by mail, NCCL, 125 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20017.

If you have not yet registered, don’t delay. Go to www.nccl.us to download a registration brochure.

Two Upcoming FREE Webinars with Paulist Evangelization Ministries

 PEM April Webinars

 With An Evangelizing Agenda for Parishes Today on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at 3:00 pm ET, Fr. Frank DeSiano, CSP, reviews the directions that parishes can take today to respond more effectively to their mission imperative.  After presenting some general observations about the issues that affect modern society, he unfolds concrete directions that parishes can employ to better fulfill their mission.  Realistic, practical, directly applicable, this FREE webinar will help anyone involved in parish work. Register today. 

(http://tinyurl.com/7uy7p7t) Fr. DeSiano, ordained in 1972, has spent half his priestly ministry in parish work, provided leadership in evangelization, written many books and articles, and is a nationally known speaker.  Fr. Frank will be the opening keynote at the 76th annual NCCL conference and exposition in San Diego, May 6-10, 2012. 

Catholic Speakers OnlineThursday, April 19, 3:00 pm ET 

 

Welcoming Returning & Disconnected Catholics, Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 3:00 pm ET.   Deacon John Rex will provide practical tips for parish ministers to welcome returning and disconnected Catholics and to help them deepen their commitment and participation in the life of the Church.  He answers these questions:

When we invite Catholics to return or re-connect, how do we receive them? What do our parishes have in place to create a hospitable environment?" 

(http://tinyurl.com/7rtnqj7)

Deacon John Rex was ordained in 2005 and serves in the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. Damian Parish. He was raised in the Methodist faith and became Catholic in 1998. He serves as the world wide clergy representative for Catholics Returning Home and, since his ordination, his focus has been reaching out to inactive Catholics. He runs his own successful printing company and uses his sales and marketing skills for the faith.

NCPD Theological Framework for Ministry for and with People with Mental Illness

The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) sets forth the following framework as a guide to the Church’s ministry for and with people with mental illness:

HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED. EVERY PERSON IS CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE.

“One of the fundamental truths of Christian belief is that each human being is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Catholic Church unconditionally embraces and faithfully proclaims this truth. It is the foundation for human dignity. Our commitment to this truth is measured through actions on behalf of the vulnerable and alienated in society, especially the poor and suffering.” Affirming the Dignity of the Mentally Ill, Nebraska Bishop’s Conference, January 2005.

SINCE ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, THEIR DIGNITY AND WORTH CANNOT BE DIMINISHED BY ANY CONDITION INCLUDING MENTAL ILLNESS.

"Whoever suffers from mental illness 'always' bears God's image and likeness in themselves, as does every human being. In addition, they 'always' have the inalienable right not only to be considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also to be treated as such.” Pope John Paul II, International Conference for Health Care Workers, on Illnesses of the Human Mind, November 30, 1996. For more details go to http://www.ncpd.org/ministries-programs/specific/mentalillness/framework

NCCL invites you to submit your best practices to its YouTube Channel

In the spirit of our national conference roundtables, we invite membership to submit its best practices in evangelization and catechesis. Please submit your entries to Bryan Reising (breising@dnu.org) and Juliann Donlon-Stanz (Jdonlon@gbdioc.org) for review and they may be a part of the NCCL YouTube Channel. Practitioners in parishes, Diocesan level personnel, scholars, publishers, and other resource people can submit their videos. Thank you for sharing your gifts!

Meet the Two Slates for the NCCL Officers for 2012-2015

In this issue of CL Weekly you will be introduced to the secretary nominee of the two slates of candidates from whom you will choose the NCCL officers for the next three years. Here are the general introductions.

S E C R E T A R Y Cheryl Fournier Slate Bill Miller Slate MARY FRAN CASSIDY LINDA STRYKER

Mary Fran Cassidy for Secretary

I have more than 35 years of professional experience as an educator and musician, including 23 years as Director of Religious Education for St. Brigid of Kildare Parish in Dublin, Ohio. My daily responsibilities include organizing and directing programs within the parish for preschoolers through adults, developing resources for teachers, implementing adult faith enrichment classes, workshops, and retreats, instructing sacramental classes for parents and collaborating with the pastor, deacons, school principal, and other members of the parish staff. In addition, as a part of the liturgy team of the parish, I collaborate in

Linda Stryker for Secretary

As a member of the NCCL Representative Council for the past five years, Co-Chairman of the Communications Committee, and past member of the Membership Committee, I am well aware of and grateful for the passion we all have as catechetical ministers. I would like to continue to work as a member of NCCL to make each catechetical leader, at every level, more effective in our ministries by helping to develop and/or “spread the good word” concerning the very best resources available to us. Moreover, I feel strongly that we must work together as an organization to advocate for the importance

Fournier Slate continued

liturgy planning, share responsibilities as an organist, am a member of the adult choir, and cantor. My passion is handing on the faith to all the generations.

Music is a big part of my life. I founded and direct The Dublin Singers, the community chorus of Dublin.. I also present annual choral and choreography workshops for the singers, and plan and direct an annual Christmas concert and spring show. Music feeds my soul and strengthens me for the work of the gospel.

I value the work of NCCL and I look forward to the many ways we serve the church together. As a Catechetical Leader, I strive to share theological insights and practical ways to bring the practice of our faith to life in the lives of those whose lives I touch. I envision NCCL as THE organization for all levels of catechetical leadership in the United States. NCCL should be the leader in innovation as well as the preserver of catechetical ministry in conjunction with the USCCB. I try to lead by example, giving my best effort to every duty and responsibility. I also try to allow those whom I lead to exercise their own gifts and talents for the goal at hand.

I am married to Tom Cassidy, who up until this year was one of my catechists, completing 15 years of service in that role. He is also a member of St. Brigid Choir and The Dublin singers. (He and I sing together.) We have three children: a son who lives in San Francisco with his wife and sons, a daughter who is deceased, and another daughter who lives in Dublin. We also have

Miller Slate continued

of catechesis as a vital ministry in the church. Because I believe that NCCL is particularly important to the ministry of catechesis, I would enjoy using my

creativity, my energy, and my passion to help make NCCL an organization that is indispensable to catechetical leaders, something they simply “can’t do without!”

I live in Omaha, Nebraska, have been married to my husband for 34 years, and have three adult daughters who are all active in our Catholic faith. I received my BS and MS degrees in elementary education from the University of Nebraska. In 2001, I became the catechetical leader at St. Margaret Mary Parish, in the Archdiocese of Omaha, where I continue to minister today. Shortly after beginning that position, I decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry at Creighton University, which I completed in 2007. I have been a volunteer for a number of organizations, including our church, for over 40 years, serving on boards and actively working in a variety of capacities. These experiences have taught me numerous ways to think creatively, establish goals and implement them effectively. I believe that as members of NCCL we must work together, assisting one another, as we strive to help all members of our church grow in the faith.

I am delighted to be able to serve on the NCCL Representative Council, representing Parish Catechetical Leaders in the Archdiocese of Omaha (and nationally). I would be equally happy to serve as the next Secretary for the organization, and I pledge to use my pastoral gifts in order to perform

Fournier Slate continued

three cats that remind us to “slow down, stretch, find a place in the sun, stay calm, and take a nap.” I have not quite caught on

to the first and last, but do the rest rather well!

Miller Slate continued

that ministry well. NCCL is a leader in assisting parish and diocesan staff members as we evangelize and catechize; however, we can do even more to support individuals and families everywhere as they strive to live lives of faith.

Absentee Ballots DUE By April 20

Absentee ballots received after the close of business on Friday, April 20, 2012 will not be counted in the Election of Officers.

Seeing in the Dark

A visually stunning ode to time, music, and the stars, Timothy Ferris' film "Seeing in the Dark" celebrates the wonders of stargazing -- from kids learning the constellations to amateur astronomers doing professional-grade research in discovering planets and exploding stars. Here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1Za-jnWd-M, Ferris reflects on the PBS film, which features never-before seen

astronomical photography and special effects. "Our aim was not just to inform our viewers (although we hope we've done that) but to incite them to get outside at night and have a look for themselves. After all, the point of stargazing is not just to

see things as other have seen them, but to have an original and memorable experience all your own -- even if you cannot describe it all." You can find out more about this film at http://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/. You can also read an inspiring interview with Ferris at http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?sid=209.

Clare and Francis

Clare and Francis by Guido Visconti is an incredible, beautifully illustrated picture book about the lives of both Francis and Clare, two people who were born in Assisi, Italy around the year 1200. Although both Francis and Clare were born into wealthy families, both of them deliberately chose to live lives of dedicated poverty. Francis preached to people throughout towns and villages, while Clare cared for the sick in the convent of San Damiano. Both Francis and Clare wholeheartedly embraced spirituality and Christian faith, and their lives set an example in the Middle Ages that is remembered down to this very day. In 2004

the Association of Theological Booksellers gave this book the Theologos Award for Best Children's Book. You can order Clare and Francis .

Radical Gratitude

Sr. Teresita Wind spoke at Trinity University during Holy Week on the topic of Radical Gratitude. She reiterated the following statement twice to be sure we heard it. “True possession is only known by giving because what you cannot give possesses you.”She closed by saying that we cannot

buy our identity purchase our goodness bargain for our meaning manipulate for our purpose.

And then she ended with this poem by R. S. Thomas which seemed appropriate to the season.

The Coming

And God held in his handA small globe.  Look he said.The son looked.  Far off,As through water, he sawA scorched land of fierceColour.  The light burnedThere; crusted buildingsCast their shadows: a brightSerpent, A riverUncoiled itself, radiantWith slime.                On a bareHill a bare tree saddenedThe sky.  many PeopleHeld out their thin armsTo it, as though waitingFor a vanished AprilTo return to its crossedBoughs.  The son watchedThem.  Let me go there, he said.

Glimpses of Easter Grace

This reflection is from Fr. Joe Nassal, C.PP.S., Provincial Director of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, Kansas City Province. It appeared in the April 5 edition of their publication, The Weekly Wine Press.

Last year during Easter week, I drove from Berkeley where I was living at the time south on the Pacific Coast Highway to spend a few days walking along the ocean and pondering the events that took place during Holy Week and would take place the following week in Kearney at our Electoral Assembly. I stopped at various places along the way to pray and discern, but I ended up in Santa Barbara.

The Wharf in Santa Barbara is a destination for tourists, not discerning pilgrims. Visitors gather with local skateboarders, rugby players, joggers, and walkers to soak in the warm sun and gentle breezes off the ocean. Everyone seemed to be in great spirits except the surfers because there was not enough wind to cause the big waves. The Wharf has a variety of quaint shops, restaurants and bars, souvenir shops, candy stores, and fish and tackle places. One of the restaurants is called Moby Dick. On the side of the restaurant there is a large depiction of the whale with its mouth wide open. A young father was holding his daughter, perhaps four or five years old, in the mouth of the whale while the mother and grandmother snapped a few pictures. The look on their faces was pure joy. The little girl was doing her best to look afraid but she kept giggling as she tried to squirm out of her father's arms. Her dad had a smile on his face that would cause the darkest cloud to scatter. Several others who stopped to watch enjoyed this little family scene. It was so simple, so pure, that one couldn't help but smile. As I continued walking the Wharf, I found more than a little spring in my step. Down the pier toward the beachfront, there were a couple of beach towels stretched out on the sand just below the pier. A cardboard sign on one said something like, "Junior and his Dad thank you" and there were a few coins on the towel. The other was more extravagant. A small table with plastic dishes that you might find in a child's playhouse sat in the middle of the blanket. There was a plastic tub-the kind that once held ice cream-filled with water. The sign said: "Make a wish." So I emptied the change in my pocket and made a wish. Moments like these remind me how each day we are provided glimpses of God's grace. Many are weary and their hope worn thin from the terrible tragedies our world has experienced in recent years -from earthquakes and tsunamis to tornadoes and wildfires that leave so many homeless and helpless; from the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the violence in Homs, Syria and Sanford, Florida-the suffering of the world comes to us instantly via modern technology. And yet, this is where Easter finds its meaning. Before the new translation, the Opening Prayer for Easter Sunday used to say: "This is the morning on which the Lord appeared to people who had begun to lose hope." We sometimes forget the first followers of Jesus had begun to lose hope because their leader had been executed and they had run away in fear. They were hiding out, thinking about what to do. Were they going to get caught too? Should they sneak out of town and pick up the pieces of the lives they left behind three years before? 

But then Mary Magdalene comes to their hiding place with the astonishing news that the body of Jesus is missing. She thinks someone has stolen the body-she believes at first Jesus is the victim of the invasion of the body snatchers or the raiders of the tomb. Remember, the first followers of Jesus didn't know what to make of the resurrection. They all race to the tomb. John, faster, younger, more athletic and less prone than Peter to put his foot in his mouth, arrives first. He bends down and sees the burial clothes but doesn't enter the tomb. He waits for his fearful leader who finally arrives, huffing and puffing and out of breath. Peter barges right in and sees "the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place." This is a probably a clue but at this point Peter and the others are still clueless. Recently, someone shared with me that this small detail in the resurrection story is an important piece of evidence found in the empty tomb. When we are finished with a meal, she said, we often put the napkin on the table or on the plate suggesting to the waiter that we are finished. But when we fold the napkin after finishing the main course, it suggests that we're not finished yet; maybe we'd like to look at the dessert menu. Scripture scholars believe this is the implication of the cloth rolled up and folded in a separate place: Jesus isn't finished yet. And they will all find out soon enough as he will appear to them several times to give them instructions on how to carry out the mission. As members, companions, and volunteers in the Kansas City Province, we are far from finished. Indeed, we have only begun to embrace the Easter challenge to bear witness to the rebirth, renewal, and reconciliation won for us in the blood of Christ. So how will our lives bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus this Easter season? How do we sustain the exhilaration of Easter? How do we keep going when the forces of darkness crowd in around us? "I don't keep going because some system of authority says I should," Margaret Silf writes. "That would never be enough to see me through the storms. I keep going because just once in a while, very occasionally, I have felt the touch of God on my heart." Maybe we can take a cue from that father playfully holding his delighted daughter in the mouth of the whale; or Junior and his Dad thanking their benefactors with a cardboard sign; or a makeshift wishing well made from an empty tub of ice cream. Pay attention to the glimpses of grace we get each day of the life and love of God that surround us and abide within us-and feel the touch and tug of God upon our hearts.

Knowing Jesus and His Message – Conociendo a Jesus y su Mensaje

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