The

Mir

rr

Vol.

LIII,

No.

25

DIO

CE

SE

OF

SP

RIN

GF

IEL

D—

CA

PE

GIR

AR

DE

AU

, M

ISS

OU

RI

Mar

ch 3

0, 2

018

One

Chu

rch,

Eas

t to

Wes

t: L

ovin

g Je

sus,

Ser

ving

Jes

us, S

hari

ng J

esus

The next issue of The Mirror will be April 13, 2018.Experiencing delayed USPS delivery? Sign up to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email in digital format: Contact Angie Toben at (417) 866-0841, or Email: atoben@dioscg.org.

Just as the sun’s rays in springtime cause the buds on the branches of the trees to sprout and open up, so the radiance that streams forth from Christ’s resurrection gives strength and meaning to every human hope, to every expec-tation, wish, and plan. … The Easter Alleluia, resounding in the Church as she makes her pilgrim way through the world, expresses the silent exultation of the universe and, above all, the longing of every human soul that is sin-cerely open to God, giving thanks to him for his infinite goodness, beauty, and truth. —Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Alleluia, He is Risen!

2 The Mirror March 30, 2018

I had the recent privilege of spending a Saturday at Holy Trinity, Springfield, with 33 of the religious sisters that serve

in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Gi-rardeau. These women religious work in our parishes, schools, and hospi-tals. Most of them quietly go about their apostolates with little fanfare or recognition. Of course, they have a different motive than accolades: Their lives are at the service to the Gospel, building up the Kingdom of God through their particular charism and service. Since my arrival in the diocese this has been my second Reli-gious Gathering.

We were privileged to have visi-tors from St. Louis come and speak to us about the various challenges facing immigrants in the United

States. You may recall in one of my earlier columns I stated that except for Native Americans, every one of us has an immigrant background. Many can recount stories of stereotypes and prejudices based on nationality, religion, or color. My grandmother told stories of looking for employ-ment, avoiding places with the sign in the window, “INNA” (Irish Need Not Apply). Immigrant populations of old came to the US for a variety of reasons: a potato famine, a “Kul-turkampf,” religious persecution, fleeing a war, or they were simply in search of freedom or work and a bet-ter life for their children.

While the US is known as the “melting pot” where different cul-tures assimilate into our American culture, many people today celebrate their heritage and are proud to main-tain certain aspects of their cultural traditions.

Our diocese is blessed with such diversity. Not everyone may see it, but as I go through the 39 counties and drive the 25,719 square miles that make up the Diocese of Spring-field-Cape Girardeau, I see firsthand the ethnic and cultural diversity of southern Missouri. Did you know that the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Agnes Cathedral is offered in Viet-namese? The joyful presence of our Vietnamese brothers and sisters is a blessing for our diocese. At Sacred Heart Parish, in Springfield, the 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday Masses are

COLUMN

offered in Spanish. In fact, we now have 14 parishes that offer the Holy Mass in Spanish either weekly or monthly. The most current sta-tistics show that there is a Hispanic presence in every county in the State of Missouri.

Welcoming the ‘stranger’

In southern Missouri, our clergy and reli-gious reflect the universality of the Church! Where would we be with-out the richness they provide the Church in South-ern Missouri?

At our Febru-ary Clergy Gather-ing, I made note of the fact that our priests come from Ireland, Haiti, In-dia, Africa, South America, as well as the many “home grown” vocations from our local parishes. It is the same reality with our religious sisters. Of

the 33 sisters gathered on Feb. 17, nine were from outside the US, including Vietnam, Ireland, Africa, South America, Philippines, the Czech Republic, and India.

While this reflects the beautiful mosaic of our diocese, when we encounter those from other cultures we may also become aware of “latent prejudices” that have been dormant in our hearts. To quote the US Bishops docu-ment, “Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity,” “Racist attitudes can linger in subtle ways, even when people get to know one another in parish activities un-less we vigorously edu-cate ourselves about our neighbors, learn to appreciate their heri-tages, encounter their own images of us, and

Diocese is beautiful mosaic of diversityCOME, AND YOU WILL SEEBp. Edward M. Rice

RELIGIOUS ANNIVERSARIES—Sr. Maureen Elfrink, OSF, and Sr. Jane Ann Kiefer, OSF, joined Bishop Edward Rice for lunch March 12 in order to celebrate Sr. Kiefer’s 70th anniversary of religious vows to consecrated life. Sr. Kiefer’s anniversary date is May 19. (The Mirror)

strive to work with them on behalf of common causes.”

Ultimately, “Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed

and rejected strangers of every age,” (Pope Francis, 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 2018).

When we welcome those who are different from ourselves, we welcome Christ Himself! As I write this, we’re in the heart of Holy Week, so self-reflection on my failings and weak-nesses is appropri-ate: Am I racist or prejudiced? Do I harbor ill feelings toward those from

different countries, nationalities, or races? We should never be afraid to ask those questions of ourselves and take a sincere inventory of the heart to detect even the most subtle preju-dice. How welcoming are you? ©TM

We should never be afraid to take a sincere inventory of the heart to detect even the most subtle prejudice.

April 15Gather your fellow parishioners

together in support of our neighbors in need!

Register for Bishop’s Walk 2018 today!

For more information and to register, visit

www.ccsomo.org

Wonderful staff Mass & luncheon today at The Catholic Center honoring Bishop Emeritus John J. Leibrecht’s 62nd anniversary of his priestly ordination, which he marked March 17. Pictured is Msgr. Tom Reidy, VG, Chancellor; Bp. Leibrecht, and Bp. Edward M. Rice.

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 3

Public calendarThu., April 5 Clergy Day of Recollection,

Cape Girardeau;1:30 pm. Memorial Mass for Fr.

Bill Huggins, Immaculate Conception Church, Jackson, MO

Fri., April 6 Mission celebration, Saint2 p.m. Francis Medical Center, Cape

Girardeau;7 p.m. ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ musical

presentation at Notre Dame Regional High School, Cape Girardeau

Sat., April 7 Sacrament of Confirmation,5 p.m. St. Michael the Archangel

Parish, Fredericktown, MOSun., April 8 Sacrament of Confirmation,10:30 a.m. St. Mark Parish, Houston, MOMon., April 9 Priestly Advisors Meeting,

annual Priest AssignmentsTue., April 10 Clergy Day of Recollection,

Springfield;1:30 p.m. Memorial Mass for Fr. Bill

Huggins, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Springfield

6 p.m. USMCFP Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet

Wed., April 11 Our Lady Queen of Heaven7-8:30 a.m. Catholic Radio, KQOH

91.9 FM, Spring Pledge Drive, Immaculate Conception Church, Springfield;

1 p.m. Kenrick-Glennon Seminary Board Meeting, St. Louis;

7 p.m. Holocaust Remembrance, National Avenue Christian Church, Springfield

Thu., April 12 Our Lady Queen of9-10:30 a.m. Heaven Catholic Radio,

KQOH 91.9 FM, Spring Pledge Drive, Immaculate Conception Church, Springfield;

The Catholic Center, Staff Mass and Meeting, Springfield

April prayer intention: That all the newly-baptized and those received into the Church may rejoice and feel welcomed throughout the Easter Season!

COLUMNA

La diócesis es un hermoso mosaico de diversidad

VEN Y VERÁS

Obispo Edward M. Rice

CHARISMATIC RENEWAL—An intergenerational Life in the Spirit Retreat was held the weekend of March 10 and 11 in Sacred Heart Parish, Poplar Bluff, MO. It was co-sponsored by the Charismatic Renewal and the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry. Fr. Bill Hodgson serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish. (The Mirror)

Recientemente tuve el privi-legio de pasar un sábado en Holy Trinity, Springfield, con 33 de las religiosas que sirven

en la Diócesis de Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Estas religiosas trabajan en nuestras parroquias, escuelas y hospitales. La mayoría de ellos realiza silenciosamente sus apostolados con poca fanfarria o reconocimiento. Por supuesto, tienen un motivo diferente a los elogios: sus vidas están al ser-vicio del Evangelio, construyendo el Reino de Dios a través de su carisma y servicio particular. Desde mi llegada a la diócesis, esta ha sido mi segunda Reunión con los Religiosos.

Tuvimos el privilegio de que vinieran visitantes de St. Louis y nos hablaran sobre los diversos desafíos que enfrentan los inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos. Puede recordar en una de mis columnas anteriores que dije que, a excepción de los nativos americanos, cada uno de nosotros tiene antecedentes de inmigración. Muchos pueden contar historias de estereotipos y prejuicios basados en la nacionalidad, la religión o el color. Mi abuela contaba historias de búsqueda de empleo, evitando lugares con el letrero en la ventana “INNA” (Irish Need Not Apply - No solicite trabajo si es irlandés). Las poblaciones inmigran-tes de la antigüedad llegaron a los EE. UU. por una variedad de razones: una hambruna causada por malas cosechas de papa, un “Kulturkampf”, perse-cución religiosa, huir de una guerra, o simplemente estaban en busca de libertad o trabajo y una vida mejor para sus hijos.

Si bien los Estados Unidos es conocido como el “crisol” en el que diferentes culturas se asimilan a nues-tra cultura estadounidense, muchas

personas hoy celebran su herencia y se sienten orgullosas de mantener ciertos aspectos de sus tradiciones culturales.

Nuestra diócesis está bendecida con tanta diversidad. No todos pueden verlo, pero a medida que recorro los 39 condados y conduzco las 25,719 millas cuadradas [66612 km2] que conforman la Diócesis de Springfield-Cape Girardeau, veo de primera mano la diversidad étnica y cultural del sur de Missouri. ¿Sabía que la misa dominical de las 10 a.m. en la Catedral de Santa Inés se ofrece en vietnamita? La alegre presencia de nuestros her-manos y hermanas vietnamitas es una bendición para nuestra diócesis. En la Parroquia Sacred Heart, en Spring-field, las misas dominicales de las 12:30 p.m. y las 6 p.m. se ofrecen en español. De hecho, ahora tenemos 14 parroquias que ofrecen la Santa Misa en español ya sea semanalmente o mensualmente. Las estadísticas más recientes muestran que hay una pres-encia hispana en todos los condados del estado de Missouri.

Acogiendo al ‘forastero’¡En el sur de Missouri, nuestro

clero y religiosos reflejan la universali-dad de la Iglesia! ¿Dónde estaríamos sin la riqueza que proporcionan a la Iglesia en el sur de Missouri?

En nuestro Encuentro del Clero de febrero, tomé nota del hecho de que nuestros sacerdotes provienen de Irlanda, Haití, India, África, América del Sur, así como también de las mu-chas vocaciones “de cosecha propia” de nuestras parroquias locales. Es la misma realidad con nuestras herma-nas religiosas. De las 33 hermanas reunidas el 17 de febrero, nueve eran de fuera de EE. UU., incluyendo Viet-nam, Irlanda, África, América del Sur,

Filipinas, la República Checa y la In-dia. Si bien esto refleja el hermoso mo-saico de nuestra diócesis, cuando nos encontramos con personas de otras culturas, también podemos tomar conciencia de los “prejuicios latentes” presentes en nuestros corazones. Para citar el documento de los Obispos de los EE. UU. “Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity” [“Aco-giendo al forastero entre nosotros: la unidad en la diversidad”], las actitudes racistas pueden persistir de maneras sutiles, incluso cuando las personas se conocen en las actividades de la par-roquia, a menos que nos eduquemos vigorosamente sobre nuestros vecinos, aprendamos a apreciar sus herencias, nos encontremos con sus propias imágenes y nos esforcemos por tra-bajar con ellos en nombre de causas comunes”.

En definitiva, “Cada forastero que llama a nuestra puerta es una oca-sión de encuentro con Jesucristo, que se identifica con el extranjero acogido o rechazado en cualquier época de la historia” (Papa Francisco, 104ª Jornada Mundial de los Emigrantes y los Refu-giados, 2018).

Cuando damos la bienvenida a aquellos que son diferentes de nosotros mismos, ¡le damos la bi-envenida a Cristo mismo! Mientras escribo esto, estamos en el corazón de la Semana Santa, por lo es apropiada una reflexión sobre mis propias fallas y debilidades: ¿Soy racista o tengo prejuicios? ¿Albergo sentimientos negativos hacia personas de diferentes países, nacionalidades o razas? Nunca deberíamos tener miedo de hacernos esas preguntas y hacer un inventario sincero del corazón para detectar incluso los prejuicios más sutiles. ¿Qué tan acogedor es usted? ©TM

Life in the Spirit retreat held in Poplar Bluff

4 The Mirror March 30, 2018MASS & EUCHARIST

Sin separates us from both God and neighborBy Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City

Pope Francis recently emphasized how sin breaks our relationship with God and with

our community, which is why at the beginning of ev-ery Mass we pause to recognize our sinfulness and ask for forgiveness.

“Sin severs: Severs the relation-ship with God and severs the relation-ship with our broth-ers, the relationship with family, with society, with the community: Sin always severs, sepa-rates, divides,” the Pope said Jan. 3, at his first general au-dience of the year.

The Penitential Rite, at the begin-ning of Mass, “favors the at-titude with which to dispose oneself to worthily celebrate the holy mysteries, that is, recognizing our sins before

God and our brothers, recog-nizing that we are sinners.”

Personal responsibilityPope Francis continued

his weekly audience cateche-sis on the topic of the Mass, focusing on the part where we make a general confession,

professing to God and brothers that “I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do.”

He emphasized how we even con-fess to “omissions” in deed, which means the times we failed to do good.

“We often feel good because—let’s say—‘I did not hurt anyone,’” the Pope said. “In reality, it is not enough not to

harm our neighbor, we need to choose to do good, seiz-ing the occasions for giving positive testimony that we are disciples of Jesus.”

When we pray the “Con-fiteor,” as the prayer is called, we confess to both God and our brothers and sisters that we are fellow sinners. And it helps us to understand how sin not only separates us from God, but also from our fellow human beings, he said.

Then, when we make the gesture of beating our breast, repeating the words “through my fault” three times, this also reminds us that we have sinned by our own responsibility and no one else’s.

Out of fear or shame, sometimes we want to accuse others for our sin, he said, but it is good to always confess

our sins “with sincerity.”

After this con-fession of sin, Francis continued, we then turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints and angels to help us on the path towards

full communion with God, “when sin will be definitively annihilated.”

The Pope also men-tioned a few other ways we make this penitential act at Mass, such as when we sing the Kyrie eléison, or when we have the rite of sprinkling wa-ter during the Easter season in the memory of our baptism.

He also pointed to the many examples of figures in Holy Scripture who, after hav-ing sinned, find the courage to open themselves to the grace and mercy of God, such as King David, the prodi-gal son, Zaccheus, and the

PAPAL CATECHESIS—Pope Francis continues his weekly Catechesis on the Mass and Eucharist, instructing that sin must be acknowledged sincerely and annihilated with the help of the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints. (Photo by Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

The Mirror: Newspaper of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau USPS Publication 117-330 Publisher: The Most Rev. Edward Rice Editor: Leslie A. EidsonProduction: Glenn Eckl Circulation/Advertising: Angie Toben, atoben@dioscg.org

Published every other week except the last week in December at 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143. Address all communications to 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143; Telephone (417) 866-0841; FAX (417) 866-1140; Email atoben@dioscg.org

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Mirror, 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143. When giving change of address, state both old and new address, also old and new parish.Periodicals postage paid at Springfield, MO, and additional mailing offices. Vol. LIII No. 25 March 30, 2018 Single copy price, $0.50 Subscription: $14 per year.

Digital subscriptions available as an option to USPS delivery with paid subscription. For more information, contact atoben@dioscg.org.Copyright © 2018, The Mirror, CNA, USCCB, The Vatican, as noted. The Mirror OnLine: www.dioscg.org

“Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau” @DioSCG

Samaritan woman.“To measure ourselves

with the fragility of the clay we are kneaded with is an ex-perience that strengthens us,” he continued.

“While making us deal with our weakness, it opens our hearts to invoke the divine mercy that transforms and converts. And this is what we do in the penitential act at the beginning of the Mass.” ©CNA

Next up …Respect silence at Mass

All are most welcome to attend.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on April 8 with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Sacrament of Confession at the following locations:

St. Joseph Parish in Advance beginning at 3 p.m.

Old St. Vincent Chapel of Ease, Cape Girardeau beginning at 2 p.m.

When we beat our breast, this reminds us that we have sinned by our own responsibility and no one else’s.

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 5

AnnouncementsParishes and organizations are invited to submit notices of future events

to be printed in the Announcements. They will be printed on a space-available basis. There is no fee.

Advance—St. Joseph Parish Coun-cil of Catholic Women (PCCW) will host a Plant, Yard, and Bake Sale, Fri., April 27, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sat., April 28, 7 a.m.-noon, in the Knights of Columbus Hall next to St. Joseph Church. Garden plants, flowers, homemade baked goods, and other items will be available for purchase. Proceeds will be used to assist with church renovations. For more information, Email Rachel Hawkins, rphawkins27@gmail.com.

Belleview, IL—The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows will present “Our Sacred Earth, Our Common Home: Reflection and Action on ‘Laudato Si,’” Sat., April 21, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in the Shrine Visitors Center. The keynote is Mary Evelyn Tucker, PhD, Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale Divinity School. This event is intended for individu-als and parish groups looking for practical ways to care for the earth. Cost: adults: $25; students: $15. Pre-registration is required. For information and registra-tion, visit www.snows.org/programs, or contact the shrine at (618) 394-6270.

Cape Girardeau—The St. Padre Pio Emerging Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order will meet Tue., April 10, Saint Francis Medical Center. Prayers begin in the chapel at 6 p.m., with a fraternity meeting to follow in the St. Agatha conference room. Join us to learn more about how you can live the call of “Gospel to Life, Life to Gospel” in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. For more information, contact Shawn Asmus, OFS, (573) 204-7688, or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/padrepiocape/.

Clyde, MO—The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration will host a “Festival of Prayer” retreat for single women ages 18-40, Fri.-Sun., April 13-15. The weekend will offer the chance to experience the daily rhythm of the Benedic-tine Sisters by joining them in singing the Divine Office, daily Mass, sharing in community meals and recreation, spending time in Adora-tion/Exposition, and in personal prayer. There is no cost to attend. More details can be found at www.benedictinesist-ers.org, (vocations/walk with us). To register or for more informa-tion, contact Sr. Maria Victoria Cutaia, OSB, (660) 944-2221, ext. 127, or Email vocation@benedictinesisters.org.

Forsyth—Our Lady of the Ozarks

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ScheduleSafe environment in-service opportunities will be held at the following locations:

Mon., April 9 6-9 p.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Lady of the Cove, Kimberling CityWed., April 11 4:30-7:30 p.m.. . . . . . . . . St. Peter the Apostle, JoplinSat., April 14 9 a.m.-12-noon . . . . . . . . St. Vincent de Paul, Cape GirardeauSat., April 14 9 a.m.-12-noon . . . . . . . . St. Joseph the Worker, OzarkSun., April 15 3-6 p.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holy Trinity, AuroraThu., April 19 5:30-8:30 p.m.. . . . . . . . . St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, SpringfieldMon., April 23 6-9 p.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Lady of the Lake, Branson

Pre-registration is necessary; go to www.virtus.org and click on “registration” on the left or call your parish/school office for assistance; or call Rosie Francka at The Catholic Center, (417) 866-0841; or Email her at rfrancka@dioscg.org. Participants must be present for the entire training. Training sessions are for adults only. Schedules may be found on the diocesan events calendar at www.dioscg.org, or at www.virtus.org.

Parish will hold a Spring Rummage and Bake Sale, Thu., April 26, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fri., April 27, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sat., April 27, 8 a.m.-noon, in the parish hall. There will be furniture, antiques, house-hold items, artwork, clothing, homemade baked goods, and much more. Proceeds benefit the church as well as local organi-zations and charities. For more informa-tion, contact the parish office, (417) 546-5208.

Jackson—Immaculate Concep-tion School will host a Fall Craft Festival, Sat., Nov. 3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the parish center/cafeteria. We are currently seek-ing vendors to sell their homemade craft items. Vendors with homemade items are preferred. For more information, contact Cathy Borst, (573) 270-0905.

Kimberling City—Our Lady of the Cove Parish will have its Spring Garage Sale, Fri., May 11, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., and Sat., May 12, 8 a.m.-noon. There will be clothing, furniture, appliances and much more: Something for everyone! For more information, call the church office, (417) 739-4700.

Republic—The third annual Motor-cycle Diaper Run will be Sat., May 12, 10:30 a.m. Starting point will be the Re-public Pregnancy Resource Center, 291 US Hwy 60 West, Republic. All proceeds benefit the Republic Pregnancy Resource Center.

St. Louis—The St. Vincent De Paul Society is hosting its second an-nual Young Adult Day of Service, Sat., April 21. The day’s activities will con-sist of the following: 12:30 p.m., quick

orientation at the Cathedral Basilica; 1:30-4 p.m., work at sites distributing household goods to the needy OR sorting inventory at an SVDP thrift store (vol-unteer choice); 4:30 p.m., reflection at Cathedral Basilica and car pick up; 5:30 p.m., Mass at Old Cathedral; 7 p.m., social (optional). For more information, contact Bryan Kirchoff at bryankirchoff@att.net.

Springfield—The Followers of Fran-cis Fraternity will meet, Sat., April 28, beginning with lunch at noon (optional), then at 1 p.m. in the day chapel at Holy Trinity Parish. Contact for new inquirers is Steve Moncher, stevemoncher@gmail.com, or call (417) 861-2109.

Springfield—Sacred Heart Parish will hold its Seventh Annual Trivia Night, Sat., April 7, 7 p.m., in the parish hall. Entry fee: $10/person (maximum of eight per table). Pay at the door, or mail your check to Sacred Heart Church, 1609 N Summit Ave., Springfield, MO 65803-3161. Food will be served beginning at 6 p.m. Menu includes our famous Reuben sandwiches, cheeseburgers, hamburgers, and hot dogs! Cost for a sandwich, chips, and drink is $5. Proceeds will help with the PSR and RCIA programs. For reserva-tions, contact the parish office at (417) 869-3646.

Springfield—The Contemplative Outreach of Springfield will hold a Day of Prayer, Sat., April 7, Holy Trinity Church, 2818 E Bennett St. The theme is Healing Violence. Mass (optional): 9 a.m.; regis-tration: 9:30 a.m.; program begins at 10 a.m. and will conclude at 1 p.m. The morning will be spent in centering prayer, viewing a video that focuses on violence

in the world, and sharing our insights on how we can help each other heal from this violence. For questions, contact Barb DePue at (417) 881-1381, or Email democatsx2@gmail.com, or Mary at (417) 844-1318, or maryellison@sbcglobal.net.

Springfield—Gamblers Anony-mous, meets in the conference room at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Monday nights, 7-8 p.m., and on Thursday nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the youth room at Holy Trinity Parish. This is a proven 12-step program for those with gambling issues. For more information, call, (417) 894-7959.

Springfield—Got your Praise on? This prayer group meets Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church. Enjoy beautiful music and prayer with friends. For more information, call Jan Peters, (417) 827-3764.

Subiaco, AR—Subiaco Academy, A Catholic Benedictine boarding school for young men, will host a spring Shadow Day for prospective students and parents, Fri., April 13. Boys in grades six-10 are invited to come for an all-day campus adventure. Activities will include shadow-ing current students to class, tours of the campus and facilities, informational meetings with members of the adminis-tration and faculty, and placement exam. Prospective boarders may arrive early and experience residential life by spend-ing Thursday night before the Shadow Day in a college-like residence hall. There is no charge to attend. For additional in-formation, or to register for the April 13 Shadow Day, call the admissions office at (800) 364-7824, or (479) 934-1034, or Email admissions@subi.org, or visit www.SubiacoAcademy.us. Those interested can also make a campus visit by appointment.

6 The Mirror March 30, 2018DIOCESAN NEWS

St. Henry Catholic School in Charleston, MO is seeking applicants for School Principal for the 2018-2019 school year.Applicants should be persons of energy, integrity, vision, and leadership with strong communication and interpersonal skills. Applicants must be faith-filled and practicing Roman Catholics, have or working toward a Master’s Degree in School Administration, provide evidence of three years of successful teaching and/or school administrative experience. Applicants must hold or be working towards a Missouri Principal’s certificate.

Salary is negotiable, but commensurate with education. While previous administrative experience is preferred, applicants who meet the other requirements will be considered.If you are interested in this position, please send credentials to:Fr. David Dohogne, St. Henry Catholic School304 Court St., Charleston, MO 63834

School Principal

The Mirror Staff Springfield

Fr. William Anthony Huggins, a retired priest of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape

Girardeau, died Sun., March 18, 2018, at the age of 76. Father Huggins was living in the Brookdale Assisted Living Center in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. He was a priest for 51 years. May he rest in peace.

Father Huggins was born June 29, 1941, in Cor-pus Christi, TX, to Woodson and Louise (Kretszchman) Huggins. He attended St. John High School Seminary in Kansas City, MO, and Im-maculate Conception Semi-nary (Conception Seminary) in Conception, MO. He was ordained May 20, 1967, by Bp. Ignatius J. Strecker in St. Lawrence Parish in Monett, MO, for the Diocese of

Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

AssignmentsFollowing his ordination,

his first assignment was as associate pastor to St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral in Cape Girardeau. Fr. Hug-gins also served as associate pastor for Sacred Heart Parish in Poplar Bluff as well as St. Mary Parish in Joplin. He was assigned pastor for St. Mary Parish in West Plains and Sacred Heart Mission Church in Thayer; Sacred Heart Parish in Dexter; St. Lawrence Parish in Monett; St. Joseph Parish in Billings; St. John Parish in Leopold; and St. Anthony Mis-sion Church in Glennon.

Some of many other assignments for Fr. Huggins included being Chaplain to the Veterans Administration, Deanery Director for Cana Conference, Deanery Modera-tor for Council of Youth in Poplar Bluff, Deanery Direc-tor of Poplar Bluff Deanery, Deanery Director for Joplin Deanery Vocations, Diocesan Director of the Council of Catholic Youth and Religious Vocations, Administrator for Sacred Heart Parish in Dexter,

Assistant Diocesan Director of the So-ciety for the Propa-gation of the Faith, Modera-tor for the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW), Moderator for Re-gion 2, and Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Verona.

PersonalAmong his hobbies,

Fr. Huggins enjoyed playing racquetball and tennis each week with Fr. Oliver Clavin, retired priest of the diocese, whom he met while serving in West Plains. They became fast and life-long friends. Fr. Hug-gins traveled to Turkey to Mt. Ararat (Noah’s Ark) and said Mass in Jerusalem. He also walked the journey of St. Paul in Greece. Of special note: Fr. Huggins collected water from the Jordan River and he used it to baptize Hector Lopez, his great nephew.

Fr. Huggins is best known for his caring and

good-heartedness. He was well liked by his parishioners, very humble, and devoted to the Blessed Mother. Fr. Huggins was a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, and told his family that he enjoyed “working for God.” He gave great homi-lies, which he said were often derived from his siblings, particularly his two sisters, the weddings of which Fr. Hug-gins was able to preside. Fr. Huggins also taught religion classes and was active with the youth groups of the parishes he served.

Father Huggins retired from active ministry on July 1, 2009, and he went to reside with his brother in Florida. He would often concelebrate Mass in Our Lady of Victory Church in Crestview until his health deemed that impossible.

Rite of Christian BurialThe Funeral Mass for Fr.

Huggins was celebrated by The Most Rev. Edward M. Rice on March 28 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in San Antonio, TX. The lit-urgy was concelebrated by Fr. Oliver Clavin and Msgr. Kevin Ryan, pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist Church. Fr. Huggins is buried in San Geronimo Cemetery in Seguin, TX.

Father Huggins was pre-ceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Gerald Hug-gins. He is survived by his sib-lings: Robert (Linda) Huggins, Woodson (Netsie) Huggins, Marilyn (Red) O’Laughlin, Simon Huggins, and Rose (Gary) Moeller, and his sister-in-law, Claudette Huggins. Cards of sympathy can be sent to Robert Huggins, 203 Forrest Parkway, Crestview, FL 32539.

Bishop Rice wishes to celebrate a Mass in memory of Fr. Huggins at the April Clergy Days of Recollection. Anyone who remembers Fr. Huggins is most welcome to attend either of these Masses: They will be held at 1:30 p.m. on April 5 in Immaculate Con-ception Parish in Jackson, and at 1:30 p.m. on April 10 in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Springfield. ©TM

Retired priest Fr. Bill Huggins dies at age 76

Fr. Huggins

On the Web—Bishop Rice anoints

Fr. HugginsFrom The Mirror archives

—Deacon will spendsummer months at

St. Agnes Cathedral Parish

www.dioscg.org

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 7COLUMN/DIOCESAN NEWS

What do we mean by the communion of saints?

COMMUNITY IN MISSIONMsgr. Charles E. Pope

This is the 10th in a series of articles on The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.

that will come from being perfectly members of Christ and of one another. Imagine the peace that will come from finally understanding and being understood. This is deep, satisfying, and wonder-ful communion—not crowds of strangers.

Therefore, the bibli-cal descriptions of Heaven as multitudes should not be understood as mere num-bers, but as the richness and glory of communion. The paintings showing “crowds” should be understood as an allegory of deep commu-nion, of being close in a way we can only imagine.

St. Augustine had in mind the wonderful satisfac-tion of this deep commu-nion with God and with one another in Christ when he described

hate big cities and crowds. Are these descriptions accurate or am I missing something?

—Doris Leben, Wichita, KS

A: The danger to avoid when meditating on Heaven is taking earthly realities and merely transfer-ring them to Heaven. Even if there are similarities to things on earth, things in Heaven will be experienced in a perfected way, with unspeakable joy.

The more biblical and theologi-cal way to understand the multitudes in Heaven is not as a physical crowd-ing but as a deep communion. In oth-er words, the Communion of Saints is not just a lot of people walking about or standing around talking.

St. Paul teaches, So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and indi-vidually members, one of another (Rom 12:5). Although we experience this imperfectly here on earth, we will experience it perfectly in Heaven. As members of one another we will have deep communion; we will know and be known in a deep and rich way. Your memories, gifts, and insights will be mine, and mine will be yours. There will be profound understand-ing and appreciation, a rich love, and a sense of how we all complete one another and really are all one in Christ.

Imagine the glory of billions of new thoughts, stories, and insights

Continuing our series on the Four Last Things, in this ar-ticle, we consider an aspect of Heaven called the Commu-

nion of Saints. I have discovered that it is frequently misunderstood. Many of you know that I write the weekly “Question and Answer” column for the Our Sunday Visitor newspaper. Every once in a while, someone poses a unique question, one that I had never thought of before. such is the case with the question below. It led me to reflect on the deeper experience of what we call the Communion of Saints in Heaven:

Q: The descriptions in the Bible seem to describe a vast amount of people, and the paintings I have seen from the Renaissance make it look rather crowded and busy. Frankly, I

In deep communion, we will experience a rich love, and a sense of how we all complete one another and really are all one in Christ.

Heaven as Unus Christus amans seipsum (One Christ loving Himself). This is not some selfish Christ turned in on Himself. This is Christ, the Head, in deep communion with all the members of His Body, and all the members in Christ experiencing deep mystical communion with Him and with one another—together swept up into the life of the Trinity. As St. Paul says, you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1 Cor 3:23). ©TM

A priest of the Archdio-cese of Washington, Msgr. Pope is pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Church. An Online catalogue of his “Question and Answer” columns are available at www.osv.com: Msgr. Pope’s

OSV Columns.

Information is on the Camp page of the Diocesan Websitewww.dioscg.org

8 The Mirror March 30, 2018ADULT FAITH

Mary is the mother of the ChurchBy Fr. John Nepil Denver, CO

The Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac once noted a correspon-dence between the Reformation’s criticism of Mary and its criti-

cisms of the Church. That correlation is in some sense logical—you can’t have Mary without the Church, nor the Church without Mary. They exist in such an inti-mate and mutual relationship that one cannot be fully understood without the other. And we see clearly enough in our present day what happens when they are separated: Mary, elevated in excess, loses her humanity and begins to appear as a quasi-fourth-person of the Trinity; and the Church, reduced in excess, loses her divine foundation and appears as an exclusively male-run institution.

This is far from the vision of the early Church, where Mary and the Church were viewed together in a single reality —the New Eve. Jesus Christ, the New Adam and the true spiritual father of mankind, fittingly chose a New Eve to be his helpmate and the true spiritual mother of mankind. This New Eve has two forms: the personal form of Mary and the collective form of the Church. But Mary precedes, being the Church in seed-form before Pentecost. She alone was given the singular grace of her Im-maculate Conception in order to take on the unique role as the Mother of God. She stands at the foot of the Cross as the Church, but also more than the Church; for she personally participates in her Son’s redemption and his foundation of the Church.

Mary’s maternity heart of churchAt Pentecost, Mary’s mediating

maternity becomes the heart of the Church, permeating it with an all-encompassing Marian character. Mary is the Church’s mother, and in her, the Church is mother. For this reason, we can marvelously say—through Mary’s di-vine motherhood, the Church gives birth to Christ sacramentally in the Eucharist and spiritually in souls!

This beautiful vision of Mary and the Church was largely lost to modern man until the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). There, the treatise of Mary was placed within that of the Church, restoring the ancient relationship (cf. “Lumen gentium,” Ch. 8). But with that came a tragic turn. After the council, Mary’s identity seemed to dissolve into the Church, and Mariology went into a kind of post-conciliar winter. The modern Catholic sentiment toward Mary changed—now, some thought, we were “rid” of the shame of our bizarre medieval fixation. Now, some claimed she was finally “one of us”—relatable, authentic, truly in the Church.

But Bl. Pope Paul VI, with prophet-ic intuition, saw through those theo-logical illusions and countered them by declaring that “the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church” (Paul VI, Address at the conclusion of the third session of Vatican II, Nov. 21, 1964). If Mary is the Mother of Christ, and the Church is the Body of Christ, then Mary is the Mother of the Church. He knew, as did his successors, that the defense of Mary’s dignity is intimately tied to the preservation of the faith’s integrity.

New liturgical memorialOn March 3, the Vatican an-

nounced that Pope Francis had decreed a new liturgical memorial. Beginning this year, on the Monday after Pente-cost (May 21, this year), the Church will universally celebrate Mary as the Mother of the Church. By this, the Church is not merely encouraging Mar-ian piety. The Church is inviting us to see more deeply the Marian character of the Church’s maternity.

St. Leo the Great formulated this 15 centuries ago on Christmas: the birthday of the Head is the birthday of the body (Sermon 26, “De Nativitate”). Meditating on the unique Christian mystery of the Incarnation reveals the pattern of all divinization—re-birth

in the order of grace. And birth al-ways requires a mother. To liturgically celebrate Mary as the Mother of the Church is to weave into an organic unity the cross, the Eucharist, and maternity. Only through them, St. Leo said, does one “quit the old paths of his original nature and pass into a new man.”

And in our age of self-reliance and neo-pelagianism, perhaps we would do well to quit another old path: that of Marian minimalism, and pass into the newness of this feast, celebrating with joy and filial love, Mary, Mother of the Church. ©CNA

Fr. John Nepil is a priest of the Arch-diocese of Denver.

OUR LADY OF THE COLUMN—The Altar of Our Lady of the Column is an im-age of the Blessed Virgin that had been painted on a column of porta santa mar-ble, which was part of the central nave of the Old St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Mary, as the Mother of God, weaves into organic unity the cross, the Eucharist, and Maternity. (CNA)

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 9ADULT FAITH/DIOCESAN NEWS

Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, added to liturgical calendar

MOTHER OF THE CHURCH—The Mar-ian title of “Mother of the Church,” was given to the Blessed Mother by Bl. Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council. The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, has been added to the General Roman Calendar and will now be celebrated by the whole Roman Catholic Church each year on the Mon-day following Pentecost. (The Mirror)

By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City

The Vatican announced March 3 that Pope Francis determined that the Church cel-

ebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as “Mother of the Church” every year on the Monday after Pentecost, as a way to foster the maternal sense of the Church.

The decree establishing the memorial was published in a letter from Card. Robert Sar-ah, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

As Card. Sarah explained, Pope Francis added the memo-rial to the Roman Calendar after carefully considering

how the promotion of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under this particular title might encourage growth in “the maternal sense of the Church” and in “genuine Marian piety.”

“This celebration will help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Ban-quet, and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed,” Card. Sarah wrote.

The cardinal noted that the “joyous venera-tion given to the Mother of God by the contempo-rary Church, in light of reflection

In 2018, the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, will be celebrated on May 21.

on the mystery of Christ and on his nature, cannot ignore the

figure of a woman, the Virgin Mary, who is both the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church.”

The memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, has been added to the General Roman Calendar, the Roman Missal, and the Liturgy of the Hours.

A celebration of a memorial generally means that prayers and read-ings specific to the day’s memorial are used in the Mass. With its addition to the General Roman Calendar, it will now be celebrated by the whole

Roman Catholic Church. ©CNA

SCHEDULE OF GUESTS

Tune in and listen to this great line-up of local guestsCoverage area: Mount Vernon, to west; Lebanon, east; Highlandville, south; Osceola, north. Like us on FaceBook @KQOH Queen Of Heaven Catholic Radio

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11

7-8:30 am: Bishop Edward M. Rice

8:45-10:15 am: Sr. Jacinta Tran, CMR

10:30-12 noon: Christine Vande Griende Catholic Radio Enthusiast

12 noon-1 pm: Ann Bumberry, Cornerstone Scripture Study

1:30-3 pm: Fr. Javier Reyes, CMF

3-3:20 pm: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

3:20-4:30 pm: Fr. Chaz Dunn

4:30-6 pm: John Carpenter, author

THURSDAY, APRIL 12

7-8 am: Dan Grelle & Jim Mohan Catholic Radio Enthusiasts

8-9 am: Fr. Joe Kelly

9-10:30 am: Bishop Edward M. Rice

10:45-12 noon: Fr. Denis Dougherty, OSB and Harold Baum

12 noon-1 pm: Waiting for a Great Guest!

1:30-3 pm: Daughters of St. Francis de Sales

3-3:20 pm: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

3:20-4:30 pm: Staffers of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri

4:30-6 pm: Michele Marsh, Director LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home

PLEASE TUNE IN APRIL 11 & 12THKQOH CATHOLIC RADIO 91.9 FM

in Springfield-area

10 The Mirror March 30, 2018DIOCESAN NEWS

Titans conclude season undefeated

CATHOLIC SCHOOL LEAGUE—The girls basketball “B” team of St. Denis Catholic School, in Benton, went undefeated this season in the Catholic School League and in its tournament. The St. Denis Titans pictured include (front row) Kaylee Holman, Marie Marshall, Macy Burger; (second row) Emma Duenne, Leah Silman, Ava Legrand, Mya French; (third row) coaches Andy Silman, Steve Holman, and Blake Burger. Not pictured is Katelyn Dannenmueller. (The Mirror)

Southeast Regional Science Fair Winners

ST. AMBROSE, CHAFFEE—Smiles and awards were shown off by St. Ambrose Catholic School students in Chaffee, MO, after the Southeast Regional Science Fair held March 6 at Southeast Missouri State Univer-sity, in Cape Girardeau. Pictured are Ainsley Burnett, seventh grade, who placed Third in Physics; Jacob Dannennmueller, seventh grade, winner of The Office of Naval Research Science Award; and Grant Lange, eighth grade, who won First place in Botany. (The Mirror)

Missouri Junior Beta Convention held in MarchOran, MO

The Missouri Junior Beta Convention was held at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, MO on March

8 and 9 under the 2018 theme of “Beta on My Mind.”

Several seventh and eighth grade Junior Beta members of Guardian Angel School, Oran, at-tended on March 8 and had entries in the visual art categories and the banner competition. In Fiber Arts, Lydia Tankersley won Third place with her crocheted elephant afghan. The students also had an entry in the Division II Special Talent Competition: Logan Dame sang and played the guitar while Jordan Diebold played the drum to the tune of “Jolene.” Dame and Diebold performed twice and were in the Top Five out of 26 entries. The Junior Beta banner was created by Dalaini Bryant, Taylor Hobbs, Haley Webb, Sophie Priggel, and Daley Siebert.

The entries in the visual art categories were: Black & White Photography-Jordan Diebold (pic-ture of a cat); Color Photography-Brittany Dirnberger (picture of a dog); Painting-Courtney Dirn-berger; Fiber Arts-Lydia Tankersley (elephant afghan); Woodworking-Nathaniel Woods (magazine rack); Charcoal Sketching-Taylor Hobbs; Pencil Sketching-Dalaini Bryant; Recyclable Art-Riley Schlosser (ta-ble); and Handmade Jewelry-Daley Siebert. ©TM

RECYCLABLE ART—Guardian Angel School student Riley Schlosser talked about the table he created from recycled items at the 2018 Missouri Junior Beta Convention held March 8 and 9 in Pop-lar Bluff, MO. (The Mirror)

JUNIOR BETA BANNER—“Beta on My Mind” was the theme of the 2018 Junior Beta Convention held March 8 and 9 in Poplar Bluff, MO. Pictured are the creators of the banner for Guardian Angel School, Oran: Dalaini Bryant, Taylor Hobbs, Haley Webb, Sophie Priggel, and Daley Siebert. (The Mirror)

ELEPHANT AFGHAN—Lydia Tank-ersley held her Third place winning entry in the Fiber Arts category of the March 8 and 9 Missouri Junior Beta Convention. Tankersley is a student in Guardian Angel School, Oran. (The Mirror)

DIVISION II SPECIAL TALENT COMPETITION—Guardian Angel students Logan Dame and Jordan Diebold practiced their talent entry, “Jolene” for fellow students, prior to placing in the Top 5 of 26 entries in the Talent Competition of the Missouri Junior Beta Convention held March 8 and 9 in Poplar Bluff. (The Mirror)

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 11DIOCESAN NEWS

Marriage is a vocation to holiness. From their first days as husband and wife through their golden years, married couples have the awesome task of witnessing to God’s faithful love to each other, their children, and society. No couple does this perfectly, and everyone needs help when love feels strained and the going gets tough. All marriages can grow in knowledge, faith, joy, and love. Whether you are just starting out in marriage or have fifty years under your belt, the advice, real life stories, and Church teaching here can help strengthen and bless your marriage.

Ozark 7 Math & Science Competition

JACS STUDENTS TAKE HOME EIGHT AWARDS—Congratulations to St. Peter Middle School students in Joplin who brought home eight awards from the recent Ozark 7 Math & Science competition. Ozark 7 Math and Science Middle School Winners included, Pre-Algebra: Kable Reichardt, Fifth place, and Ava Glover, Fourth place; Algebra: Caroline Hunter and John David Wheeler, tied for Fourth place; Math Team Competition: Kable Reichardt, Ava Glover, Caroline Hunter, and John David Wheeler, Second place; Life Science: Corinne Fogarty, Third place, JoJo Wheeler, Second place; Physical Science: Jeffrey Horinek; Sci-ence Team Competition: Corinne Fogarty, JoJo Wheeler, Jeffrey Horinek, and Jenny Archer, Third place. Over 50 students competed in the Ozark 7 Math & Science competition from seven schools. (The Mirror)

St. Denis Catholic School has several teaching positions open for the 2018-19 school year. We are looking for a full time third & fourth grade teacher, a part time sec-ond grade teacher, a part time junior high teacher, a two year old teacher, and an aid for two year program.

Please send resume and application to St. Denis School, ATTN: Karen Powers, P.O. Box 189, Benton, MO 63736 or Email it to karen@stdenisbenton.eduk12.net, or bring it by school any time. If you have questions please Email or call (573) 545-3017. Application may be found at www.stdenisbenton.eduk12.net under Forms and Documents.

Teacher Openingsat St. Denis Catholic School in Benton, MO

12 The Mirror March 30, 2018DIOCESAN/NATIONAL NEWS

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSOMO), a growing, faith-based, non-profit social services agency, seeks a dynamic self-starter for its newly created Director of Human Resources position, responsible to guide and manage the overall provision of Human Resources services, policies, and programs for CCSOMO. CCSOMO serves the most vulnerable throughout Missouri’s 39 southernmost counties from eight offices. For more information and to apply, please go to: http://www.ccsomo.org/employment/

Director of Human Resources

St. Augustine School in Kelso, MO is ac-cepting applications for a full-time Fifth Grade Teacher for the 2018-19 School year. Applications are available at dioscg.org (Click on Ministries/Offices—Schools/Education—Employment).Send completed applications to Sarah Cato, PO Box 97, Kelso, MO 63758 or by Email: scato@stakelso.eduk12.net.Application deadline is April 16, 2018.

Fifth Grade Teacher

Russell Bucklew granted a stay of executionJefferson City

The execution of Russell Buck-lew was put on hold Tues-day evening, March 20, when the US Supreme Court

SILENT WITNESS—Members of the Springfield chapter of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADP) held a silent witness at noon on March 20 on Park Central Square in Springfield for Russell Bucklew and all victims of violent crime. Bucklew was issued a stay of execution later that day by the US Supreme Court. (The Mirror)

voted five-four to halt the execu-tion until the justices can review the case. It is the second time the high court halted Bucklew’s execution over concerns about his rare medical condition, cavernous hemangioma. The ailment causes tumors in his head, throat, lips, and also causes problems with his veins. Bucklew’s attorneys argued that the medical condition would cause him to suf-fer an unconstitutionally gruesome death. Bucklew, 49, had his execu-tion stopped in 2014 for the same

Notre Dame Regional High School presentsOpening Night:

Thu., April 5, 2018

PERFORMANCES Each evening at 7 p.m., April 5-8

Evenings Thursday - Sunday, 7 p.m.

WHERE Cynthia R. King Performance Hall |Notre Dame Regional High School | 265 Notre

Dame Drive | Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

Tickets $10

CONTACT notredamehighschool.org | (573) 335-6772

reason. The court’s stay of execu-tion is temporary; the argument on the case is expected in the coming months. ©MCC

Food assistance for Missouri children in jeopardyJefferson City

Several bills are pending in the Missouri General Assembly that, if passed, will scale back the food assistance available

through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for poor children. SB 561, sponsored by Sen. David Sater (R-Cassville), is pend-ing in the Senate, while HB 1486, sponsored by Rep. Hannah Kelly (R-Mountain Grove), is under consider-ation in the Missouri House.

The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) estimates that passage of this legislation could lead

to 30,830 households (a total of 48,541 children) losing SNAP ben-efits for up to six months.

Backers of the legislation say they want to encourage more par-ents to participate in work activities in order to receive the family SNAP benefits. Yet Missouri has only 32 Job Centers to cover 114 counties, with some additional services in Kansas City and Springfield. It is very unclear whether parents, espe-cially in rural areas, would be able to access these centers because of transportation barriers and lack of childcare options.

The Missouri Catholic Confer-ence (MCC) is opposing these bills while encouraging legislators to find more positive ways of encouraging work without harming poor chil-dren. ©MCC

Legislative updates from MCC

For more information on these and other issues of interest, log on to mo-catholic.org and join the MCC Citizen Network. The Missouri Catholic Confer-ence (MCC) is the public policy agency for the Catholic Church in Missouri. The Bishops of Missouri, speaking together on matters of public policy, form the MCC.

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 13DIOCESAN NEWS

Catholic School positions in JoplinSt. Peter Catholic Middle School in Joplin, MO, is currently seeking an

enthusiastic, creative science teacher to join its team for the 2018-2019 school year. The successful candidate will be certified to teach science in grades 6-8, be familiar with current learning standards, be creative and adaptive in teaching styles, willing to partner and communicate with parents, and have a strong desire to work as part of a growing, develop-ing, faith-filled team. Interested persons please send a resume and letter of interest to Tracey Welch, principal, at twelch@jacss.org.

McAuley Catholic High School in Joplin, MO, is currently seeking an

enthusiastic, creative person to fill the position of library/media special-ist. The successful candidate will be certified as a library/media specialist with a strong background in technology, support, and integration, be creative and adaptive, willing to partner and communicate with parents, and have a strong desire to work in a developing, faith-filled team. The position could also include some work with St. Peter Middle School. Inter-ested persons please send a resume and letter of interest to Tracey Welch, principal, at twelch@jacss.org.

Lead Couples needed in the DioceseThe Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is in need of married couples throughout the Diocese that are willing to share their wisdom and experience of married life with engaged couples. Lead couples share their faith and help engaged couples prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage by exploring various topics together. We provide materials and utilize a new video-based program, “Beloved.” Most Lead Couples host one or two classes per year, and each class meets for five sessions of two hours each.If you are interested in becoming a lead couple or would like to recommend a couple in your parish you think would be an asset to our ministry, please contact the Office of Family Life at (417) 866-0841 or Email Nick Lund-Molfese at nlund-molfese@dioscg.org.

Bishop ‘photo-bombs’ DYC photo

25TH ANNUAL DYC—The 25th Annual Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC) was held March 23-25 in West Plains. Full coverage of this event and its great photos will be in the next edition of The Mirror, April 13. In this photo, DYC keynote speaker Sr. Karolyn Nunes posed with Ben and Tracy Borgmeyer, of Joplin, with “photo bomber” Bishop Rice in the background. Bishop Rice and Sr. Karolyn got into a LipSync Battle over the weekend, so watch for an alert of that video post. (Photo by Margie Black/The Mirror)

Students place in George Washington Carver contests

FOURTH GRADERS—Kate Sloan, Holly Pham, and Naima Ingabire from Mrs. Kim Hosp’s 4th grade class at St. Mary Catholic School, Jo-plin, recently placed in area-wide George Washington Carver contests. Sloan and Ingabire both won Honorable Mention in the 2-D Artwork, and Pham placed First in the same category.The annual George Wash-ington Carver contests are open to all area fourth graders and offers categories in Essay, 2-D and 3-D artwork, and other achievements. (The Mirror)

14 The Mirror March 30, 2018INTERNATIONAL NEWS/ADVERTISING

Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral HomeLocally-owned & operated u Dedicated u Caring u Professional

Offices of the Catholic Cemeteries

Paul & Lynn WunderlichDavid Fenton • Louis Lohmeyer • Charlene Harris-Bengsch

Gene Lohmeyer • Mary Ann Johnston • Joel Champ

500 E. Walnut - Springfield, MO (417) 862-4433www.hhlohmeyer.com

Youth say they want a Church that’s transparent, up-to-dateBy By Elise Harris Vatican City

At the end of a week-long meeting held at the Vati-can, young people from around the world have urged

the Church to be more authentic, modern, and creative in the way it interacts with young people, and in addressing controversial contempo-rary issues.

“We want to say, especially to the hierarchy of the Church, that they should be a transparent, wel-coming, honest, inviting, communi-cative, accessible, joyful, and interac-tive community,” the youth delegates said in the final document of this week’s pre-synod meeting in Rome.

“A credible Church,” they said, “is one which is not afraid to allow itself be seen as vulnerable.”

Pre-synod meeting & documentThe document, released March

24, is the product of a week-long dis-cussion with some 300 young people from different cultural and religious backgrounds, who gathered in Rome for a March 19-24 pre-synod meeting, which is a precur-sor to the October synod of bishops on “Young People, the Faith and the Discern-ment of Vocation.”

Youth were divided into 20 different language-groups, in which they reflected on a several ques-tions throughout the week. Those who weren’t able to attend the meeting took part via social media, specifi-cally through six different Facebook groups in differ-ent languages, which were moderated by other youth. Through these platforms, youth discussed the same topics addressed in the Rome gathering.

Between the Rome gathering and the social media participation, some 15,300 young people took part in the discussion. Draft-ing groups were tasked with taking the conclusions of the 26 different groups and compiling them into one

comprehensive text.An initial draft was written

and presented to the group March 22, and several of the youth partici-pants made comments. Adjustments were made and the final draft was approved Saturday morning. It was given to Pope Francis during his March 24 Palm Sunday Mass, which also marks the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day.

The 16-page document is divid-ed into three sections: the challenges and opportunities of young people; faith, vocation, discernment, and accompaniment and the Church’s formative and pastoral activities.

According to the document’s introduction, it is not intended to be “a theological treatise” and nor was it written “to establish new Church teaching.” Rather, it is meant to serve as “a compass” for bishops in their October discussion as they seek to understand the reality of youth today.

Identity & belongingThe text said that young people

want to be listened to and taken seri-ously, and noted that they often seek communities that are supportive and which “empower them,” giving them a sense of identity and belonging.

“Young people look for a sense of self by seeking communities that are sup-portive, uplifting, authentic, and accessible: communities that empower them,” the document said, while noting that for some religion is now “a private matter,” and said that at times, it seems that “the sacred appears to be something separated from our daily lives.”

“The Church often-times appears as too severe and is often associated with excessive moralism,” they said, adding that “some-times, in the Church, it is hard to overcome the logic of ‘it has always been done

this way.’”Rather, the text said, “we need

a Church that is welcoming and

merciful, which appreciates its roots and patrimony, and which loves everyone, even those who are not following the perceived standards.”

“Sadly not all of us believe sainthood is something achievable and that it is a path to happiness,” the document said.

Young people, they wrote, “are deeply vested in and concerned about topics such as sexuality, ad-diction, failed marriages, broken families, as well as larger-scale social issues such as organized crime, hu-man trafficking, violence, corruption, exploitation, femicide, all forms of persecution, and the degradation of our natural environment.”

Disagreement with some teachings

However, one paragraph men-tioned that among young people there is clear disagreement on certain “controversial” Church teachings dealing with issues such as contra-ception, abortion, homosexuality, cohabitation, the permanency of

marriage, and the priesthood.The paragraph noted that many

don’t understand Church teaching on these issues, and that of those who do, not all of them are in agree-ment. Young people “may want the Church to change her teaching as a result, or at least have access to a better explanation,” they said, but “even so, they desire to be part of the Church.”

Other young Catholics, the document said “accept these teach-ings and find in them a source of joy. They desire the Church to not only hold fast to them amid unpopular-ity but also to proclaim them with greater depth of teaching.”

Youth disagree on the topic of migration, the document said, but converge on the need to promote social justice, saying, “although we acknowledge our common call to care for the dignity of every human person, there’s no consensus on the question of welcoming migrants and refugees.”

They also pointed to specific

PRE-SYNOD MEETING IN ROME—Pope Francis walked with youth at World Youth Day in Poland, July 2016. Three hundred youth representing different cultural and religious backgrounds gathered in Rome March 19-24 for a pre-synod meeting, a precursor to the October synod of bishops on “Young People, the Faith and the Discernment of Vocation.” Between the Rome gathering and participation via social media, some 15,300 young people took part in the discussion. Youth delegates said they want the hierarchy of the Church to be “transparent, welcoming, honest, inviting, communicative, accessible, joyful, and interactive,” in a 16-page document released March 24 as a result of the pre-synod. (Photo courtesy of Vatican Media)

The document is meant to serve as ‘a compass’ for bishops in their October discussion as they seek to understand the reality of youth today.

March 30, 2018 The Mirror 15INTERNATIONAL NEWS/ADVERTISING

CONTEMPLATIVE

M O N KTrappist Cistercian

A small, self-supporting community in the Ozark

foothills of Missouri. Available for retreats and periods of discernment.

Assumption Abbey RR 5 Box 1056, Ava, MO

65608 (417) 683-5110www.assumptionabbey.org assumptionabbey@gmail.com

Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, Inc.Brentwood Chapel • University Chapel

Crematory • Columbarium

Licensed funeral directors of distinction:Bill M. Abbott W. Bruce Howell Marquis Howell, Jr.Robert Lohmeyer Harley R. WilliamsDon R. Lohmeyer Clint W. Mease‘Marquis Howell, Sr. Angela N. CollinsHeather K. Howell Winford R. Laster

Locally owned and operated for over 50 years

1947 E. SeminoleSpringfield MO 65804

(417) 886-9994 • fax (417) 886-9996, gormanscharpf@mchsi.com

Youth say they want a Church that’s transparent, up-to-datechallenges such as globalization, an increase in secularism, racism, the difficulties faced by people in coun-tries where Christianity is a minority, and the increasing number of Chris-tian martyrs.

“As we grapple with these chal-lenges,” they said, “we need inclu-sion, welcome, mercy, and tender-ness from the Church—both as an institution and as a community of faith.”

On new technologies, they out-lined both the benefits and the risks, noting that while there are endless possibilities for increased connection, education and knowledge, there is also the danger that technology leads to “isolation, laziness, desolation, and boredom.”

They also pointed to poor uses of technology such as Online por-nography, which “distort a young person’s perception of human sexual-ity” and creates a “delusional parallel reality that ignores human dignity.”

In this regard, the document at one point makes two key sugges-tions, first encouraging the Church to view technology, particularly the Internet, as a “fertile place for the new evangelization.” Reflections on this point, they said, “should be for-malized through an official Church document.”

Second, they requested that the Church “address the widespread cri-sis of pornography, including Online child abuse, and the toll it takes on our humanity.”

On the role of women, the youth said women are still not given equal spaces in the Church or in society, and questioned how and where women can “flourish” in these environments. They said the role of

women often isn’t clear, and asked the Church to specify what their role entails.

The document stressed that youth want to be taken seriously, and that despite often being accused of not having a vision for life, young people do envision a better future for themselves.

“Sometimes, we end up discard-ing our dreams,” they said, adding that “we are too afraid, and some of us have stopped dreaming. At times, we have not even had the opportuni-ties to keep dreaming.”

Young people, the document said, “value the diversity of ideas in our global world, the respect for oth-ers’ thoughts and freedom of expres-sion.” At the same time, youth want to preserve their cultural identity

and “avoid uniformity and a throw-away culture.”

Authentic witness & mentoringThey said that many young

people frequently feel “excluded for being Christians in a social environ-ment that is adverse to religion,” and highlighted the need to “encounter ourselves and others” in order to form deep bonds.

False images of Jesus—that he is out-of-date, distant, or rigid—often make young people unattracted to him, making Christian ideals seem “out of reach to the average person,” they said. “Therefore, for some, Christianity is perceived as an un-reachable standard.”

“Ultimately, many of us strong-ly want to know Jesus, yet often

struggle to realize that He alone is the source of true self-discovery, for it is in a relationship with Him that the human person ultimately comes to discover him or herself,” the docu-ment said.

“Thus, we have found that young people want authentic wit-nesses—men and women who vibrantly express their faith and rela-tionship with Jesus while encourag-ing others to approach, meet, and fall in love with Jesus themselves.”

Scandals within the Church damage the confidence young people have in it, the delegates said, but stressed that the Church can still play a “vital role” in ensuring that youth are accepted, and no longer marginalized.

In terms of vocation, youth said the concept is still “abstract” to many, and therefore doesn’t cross their minds.

“Young people understand the general sense of bringing meaning to life and being alive for a purpose, but many do not know how to con-nect that to vocation as a gift and call from God,” they said, and voiced their desire for mentors who are able to accompany them with wisdom and without judgment.

Youth also voiced their desire for more authenticity, transparency, and openness in the Church’s life and structures, saying at one point that “a credible Church is one which is not afraid to allow itself be seen as vulnerable.”

“We want to say, especially to the hierarchy of the Church, that they should be a transpar-ent, welcoming, honest, inviting,

See Youth / 16

Many of us strongly want to know Jesus,

for it is in a relationship

with Him that the

human person ultimately

comes to discover him

or herself.

YOUTH IN THE CHURCH—Youth in the Church seek au-thentic witnesses of the faith and mentors with whom they can explore what it means to be an intentional dis-ciple. (Photo by Jeffrey Bruno/CNA)

16 The Mirror March 30, 2018DIOCESAN NEWS

communicative, accessible, joy-ful, and interactive community,” they said, adding that the Church should also be “sincere in admit-ting its past and present wrongs, that it is a Church made up of persons who are capable of error and misunderstanding.”

The document encouraged the Church to be firm in condemning scandals such as sex abuse and the “mismanagement” of power and wealth. If the Church does this with humility, they said, it will “undoubt-edly raise its credibility among the world’s youth people.”

Modern means of communicationYoung delegates also voiced their

desire for a Church that is capable of spreading its message through mod-ern means of communication and which is also able to answer young peoples’ questions in a way that isn’t “watered-down” or “prefabricated.”

Rather, “we the young Church, ask that our leaders speak in practi-cal terms about controversial subjects such as homosexuality and gender issues, about which young people are already freely discussing without

taboo.”The docu-

ment under-lined a desire that youth would become leaders in their communities, and asked that young leader-ship programs offering con-tinual formation and develop-ment be estab-lished. Specific mention was made of the lack of young female role models in the Church, who also with to contribute with “their intellectual and professional gifts.”

Credible presence in creative settings

Youth said they want to be “met where they are,” stressed the need for the Church to find “new and creative” ways of encountering people outside of the usual setting, such as in bars, coffee shops, gyms, stadiums, or cul-tural centers.

They asked the Church to en-gage with “the right instruments,” which the document listed in

bullet-point format as having a mul-timedia approach; service in move-ments or charities; beauty and the arts; adoration and contemplation; testimonies and the synod process itself.

Going beyond practical, func-tional and institutional decision-mak-ing roles, youth said that ultimately, they want to be “a joyful, enthusias-tic, and missionary presence within the Church.” ©CNA

April 22, April 29 & May 6, 20182:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Springfield, MO2200 W. Republic Road, Springfield, MO 65807

Discover Your Spiritual GiftsI will pour out My Spirit upon all – Acts 2:17

Deepen your love for the Blessed Trinity & transform your life. Discover your charisms and be able to better bring your

gifts of service to the church!

Our presenters are from the Charismatic Renewal Center at the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Youth want a Church that’s transparent, up-to-dateNew

technology, particularly

the Internet, is a fertile place

for the new evangelization.

EVANGELIZATION & MODERN TECHNOLOGY—Card. Juan Luis Cipriani took a ‘selfie’ with his iPad during a youth event in Lima, Peru. Youth long for connectedness and a Church that embraces multi-channeled communica-tions using all forms of new technology to engage in the new evangelization. (Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Lima/CNA)

From Page 15