By Louise Brass Observer Correspondent

AURORA—The first sum-mer camp held at Our Lady of Good Counsel School here was ranked a success, according to Karen Behrns, the principal at the school.

The summer camp was also the only one being held by a parish in the 14-parish Aurora Deanery, said Father Timothy Mulcahey, pastor of OLGC and parochial administrator of the school.

Besides offering fun in an ed-ucational setting, the camp was also helpful to working parents, now that school is out for the summer, Father Mulcahey said.

“The parents said they loved that it happened here in the en-vironment their kids are most used to,” Behrns said. “They knew our staff. It was a familiar and safe place for them to be.

“We had puzzles that re-volved around math games. We did research up at the comput-ers. They had the opportunity

to write every day,” she contin-ued. “It didn’t feel like ‘school,’ but it still had a very strong academic component to it.”

The summer camp is ex-pected to be held again in 2017, with information going out to parents in February.

The 15 children participating — preschoolers through sixth-graders — worked together on many projects. That opportuni-ty gave them a chance to learn how people of different ages can interact, said Julie Quinn,

an eighth-grade teacher and summer camp instructor.

“They all worked together. It is good for them to be around older kids, to understand grown-up behavior,” Quinn said.

Every week of the camp had a different theme.

Computer math games were popular with 5- and 6-year-olds. The children also per-formed science experiments, including “water walking,”

Continued on page 4

(Observer photos/OLGC, Louise Brass)

Landon Riley (left), 5, and his brother Liam, 6, construct a replica of the Lighthouse at Alexandria, during Seven Wonders of the World

Week, at the OLGC Summer Camp. ThE 12-week camp was offered for the first time this year.

OLGC Summer Camp a SuccessAfter Staff and Parents Evaluate, Repeat Possible Next Year

Volume 81 | No. 34 http://observer.rockforddiocese.org FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016

ISSN: 0029-7739 $ 1.00 per copy

This IssueBishop Malloy ............................. 2Headliners ..................................... 3Diocesan .................................... 4-5Around the Diocese ................... 6Media/Arts ....................................7Back to School ..................... 8-13Forever Family ................... 14-15Our Catholic View ............. 16-17For the Record ......................... 18Nation/World ..................... 19-20

Inside

DeKalb, Genoa Host 27th International RosaryThis year’s annual International Living Rosary featured Dutch and English prayers.

page 3

Blessed Sacrament to Screen Blessed Teresa Bio-pic Aug. 26Just ahead of the canonization of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, the North Aurora parish will show a movie about the life of the soon-to-be saint.

pages 6-7

Fly Toward FunAn eighth-grade project cheers young patients.

Forever Family,

pages 14-15

Flawed Conscience Bill Amended From ‘Horrible’ to ‘More Workable’

By amanda Hudson News Editor

ROCK FOR D — Cha nges made to an Illinois law that protects health care providers from participating in morally-objectionable procedures such as abortion has some mem-bers of the pro-life community fighting the law, scheduled to

go into effect Jan. 1. But the head of the Illinois

Catholic Church’s public policy arm says the original proposed changes “would have gutted” the law of all conscience pro-tections.

Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Con-ference of Illinois, says the ini-tial version of Senate Bill 1564

would have essentially obliter-ated the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

“It was horrible. We couldn’t live with it and testified against it,” Gilligan explains.

“Basically, the bill as intro-duced would have mandated that health care facilities and medical providers would have had to provide written infor-

mation with the name and con-tact information for where you could get abortions. That was a more direct cooperation with evil — a direct referral.”

Limited time to reactOn St. Patrick’s Day, 2015,

the Illinois Senate committee held its first hearing on Senate

Continued on page 5

OBSERVER THE

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2 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

The Observer (ISSN 0029-7739), is published weekly, except fi ve times a year by the Diocese of Rockford, 555 Colman Center Dr., P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125 Phone: 815/399-4300; Fax 815/399-6225.

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Send NEWS information to The Observer at the address or fax number above; send email to Observer@rockforddiocese.org; or fi ll out a form at http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/contact-us.

Subscription rate $28.00 per year (48 issues); Canadian and Pan American $29; other foreign: surface mail $37, air mail $97; single copies $1.

The Observer Online digital subscriptions are also available.Publisher: Most Reverend David J. Malloy

Editor: Penny Wiegert

News Editor: Amanda Hudson

Features and Multimedia Editor: Sharon Boehlefeld

Circulation/Proofreading: Susan Sabrowski, Keith Ludolph

Accounting: Jill Bonk

Advertising and Marketing: Kevin McCarthy

Production and Web Administrator: Gary Haughton

Contributing Writers: Bishop Emeritus Thomas G. Doran, Father John Slampak, Father Kenneth Wasilewski, Father Keith Romke, Keith Ludolph, Lynne Conner, Father Ronald Rolheiser, Tony Carton, Pat Szpekowski, Margarita Mendoza, Louise Brass, Patrick Winn

Publication Dates: Weekly except that in 2016 there will be no issues on Jan. 1, April 29, July 29, Sept. 30 and Dec. 30.

News Deadlines: Usually, 10 days before publication date.

Ad Deadlines: Usually, 10 days before publication date. Offi cial information on the poli-cies, activities, and positions of the Diocese of Rockford is released only in the pages of The Observer, or in state-ments from the Diocesan Offi ce of Communications and Publications. The Observer uses recycled paper and is recyclable.Our Mission is the mission of the Church itself — to spread the Gospel through contemporary means of communications.

Member of:

We Are All Called To Imitate Christ In Our Lives

On July 26, an elderly priest prepared for a quiet morning Mass. The retired priest, Father Jaques Hamel, was helping out by substituting that day for the pastor. He was vesting in the parish of St. Thèrése in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in France. According to news accounts, the faithful attending that Mass comprised three nuns and another elderly lay couple.

By now the rest of the story is well known. At the end of Mass, two young men armed with knives entered the church. They took hostage those present. Father Hamel was said to have made eff orts to protect the faithful and one of the nuns escaped to sound the alarm. Father Hamel’s throat was slit. The two young men were killed by authorities as they exited the church.

As in some other recent attacks, witnesses said the perpetrators cried out “Allahu Akbar.” They thus identifi ed themselves with Islamic radicalism.

The desecration of the church was deepened as news reports say that the young men took a video of themselves martyring Father Hamel.

The brutal killing is particularly shocking. It happened, not on the geographical front lines of whatever clash of cultures we might envision to be currently taking place between the increasingly secular west and the Middle East.

Instead, it took place in a small, out-of-the-way parish in a French suburb of an urban center smaller than Rockford near where St. Joan of Arc was martyred. The martyred man was not some earthly trained warrior. He was a priest of Jesus Christ who was ordained some 59 years ago.

What then are we to make of the death of Father Hamel? How are we to understand the other incidents of martyrdom in the Church in our day?

The early Church theologian Tertullian wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” He was observing that through the centuries, martyrdom has made the faith, to the eyes of the world, seem weak and defeated, like Jesus on the cross.

But the eff ect of the witness of martyrdom, and the graces that it brings to the Church and to the world, have instead strengthened the faith and the life of the Church. It brings a renewal to the Church that began when Jesus came forth from the tomb.

Father Hamel’s bishop visited the parish where his murder took place. He movingly noted that Father Hamel’s death joins to the witness of other martyrs in France and in history. Of course all over the world and especially in the Middle East, we have watched an unfolding modern genocide against Christians, a judgment expressed by both Pope Francis and the State Department. We need to recognize that our Christian faith and even the Mass itself is often the object of hatred and

violence.However, the response of faith is always fi rst to trust Christ, and then to forgive and

to seek peace. Our faith does allow us to defend ourselves, others, especially the innocent, and our faith against injustice. But it does not allow us to repay violence with hatred and vengeance that contaminates our own hearts.

In our increasingly secular world we need to have the courage and the clarity to live and articulate our faith,

especially when it is threatened. But we need to do so with true love

for all men and women. We need to recall the words of Jesus on the cross, “forgive them

Father, for they know not what they do.”Notably, following the

killing of Father Hamel, a clear note of solidarity was

sounded. The weekend after his death, some

members of the Islamic faith were visibly present at Masses off ered in Rouen and throughout

France. Clear renunciations of violence such as that perpetrated against Father

Hamel were also made publicly by some of the leaders and members of the Islamic community.

Father Hamel, in celebrating his fi nal Mass, made present once more to the world the death and resurrection of Jesus. Minutes later, still vested for Mass, acting in the person of Jesus, he gave his life in imitation of Christ’s death.

We too are called to imitate Christ in our own lives. It may include even a sacrifi ce of martyrdom. It will certainly include forgiving those who trespass against us.

In Father Hamel, we have yet another example and reminder. May he pray for us!

BY BISHOP DAVID J. MALLOY

BY POPE FRANCIS

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(CNS photo/Paroisse Saint-Etienne via EPA)

Father Jacques Hamel is seen during a church service June 11 in this handout photo from his parish in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France. He was killed by two attackers July 26.

Read Pope Francis’s column on page 13 of this issue.

By Louise Brass Observer Correspondent

DEKALB—While candles flickered and glowed below a painting of Our Lady of Gua-dalupe, 35 people recited the Rosary Sunday afternoon at St. Mary Parish in DeKalb for the 27th annual International Liv-ing Rosary.

Participants volunteered to “be a bead.”

Sandi Schmidt, president of the St. Catherine of Genoa Par-ish Council of Catholic Wom-en, gave participants a number from one to 10 so they would know when it was their turn to “be a bead” and say a Hail Mary. Both English and Dutch languages were spoken.

It was the first time partici-pating for Eleanor Manecke, who came with several others from St. Catherine of Genoa Parish.

“I just wanted to be part of it,” Manecke said. “I think it is special. The ladies just felt they wanted to come.

“I like to pray the rosary. It is very special. I think, once you are alone — I am a widow — the Blessed Mother becomes very special to you,” she said.

Accompanying her on the visit to DeKalb were Mel Cal-laghan and Ginger Makovic.

“I was told about it and I thought it would be nice to try it,” Makovic said. “I haven’t done this before.”

She added that the afternoon reciting the Glorious Mysteries made her want to say the rosary more often.

The International Living Rosary was sponsored by the Rockford Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, this year in the DeKalb Deanery with hosts St. Catherine of Genoa CCW. People from many area parishes took part, said Cathy Vendemia, president of the RDCCW.

Vendemia lit a candle and prayed before a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe to-gether with seminarian, James Linkenheld of St. James Parish in Belvidere.

“The rosary is one of the most powerful weapons our Lord has given us to conquer satan, who Mary crushes under her heal,” Linkenheld said. “It reminds me of everything our Lord has done.

“When we are saying the Hail Mary, we are talking to her, but we are reflecting on Jesus. Mary always brings us to Jesus. I see more young people taking up the rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet. It’s beautiful,” he said.

The seminarian is complet-ing his third year studying for the priesthood at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Nebras-ka. He said he decided to fol-low Christ and study to become a priest after he had a conver-sion, while a sophomore study-ing sports management at the University of Illinois.

“The Lord really revealed that he wanted me to leave (U of I),” he said.

Another participant at the Aug. 6 event was Gaby van Blyenburgh, formerly of Hol-land. She agreed that the rosary is a very powerful and impor-tant weapon against evil.

“It is a spiritual weapon,” she said. “It is an answer to so many problems in the world. We do believe in miracles and that God’s will be done.”

She attended with her hus-band Hans. They are members of St. Mary Parish in Sycamore.

“We can come to the mother of Jesus and she brings it all to her son. What son would refuse a mother?

“The rosary also is getting you out of the deepest pits in your life,” Hans said, recalling living in the Dutch East Indies after WWII, which saw much

fighting and damage. His family’s statue of Our

Lady was damaged, but he said they knelt and prayed the rosa-ry at what was left of the statue, every morning and night.

“For seven years, the country was in a vacuum. I was living with my dad in a God-forsaken tiny garage after the war. Rats were crawling all over and the vermin were running over our legs, but we kept praying.

“We prayed and believed she would take us out. We prayed, ‘Get us out of this hell hole,’ ” and God did. “It was an incred-ible miracle. He brought me to America and I married (Gaby). The rosary means more than words can tell,” Hans said.

“Didn’t our Mother Mary say to Juan Diego, ‘Am I not your mother?’” Gaby added. “I want to do things for her now. We participate (in the living rosary) whenever we hear about it.”

Following the rosary, re-freshments were provided by DeKalb’s St. Mary Parish Cath-olic Daughters of America.

(Observer photos/Louise Brass)

Gaby and Hans van Blyenburgh of Sycamore recall joyful memories of prayers answered, following the International Living Rosary at St. Mary Parish in DeKalb.

A participant (far right) holds up a paper plate with the number of the prayer being said so the next person is ready to say his or her prayer. The annual RDCCW International Living Rosary was Aug. 6 in DeKalb.

Surviving Divorce Program to Be Held at St. Rita, Rockford

ROCKFORD—St. Rita Par-ish, here, will be offering The Catholic’s Divorce Survival Guide series, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Sept. 6, at the church at 6254 Valley Knoll Dr.

The 12-week program fea-tures a 30-minute DVD each

week that covers topics from shock to forgiveness, annul-ment to remarriage or staying single and much more.

The program costs $20. Fi-nancial aid is available. Info: www.stritarockford.org; Maureen Rosenberg, 815/397-

Bishop Malloy’s Public Schedule

ROCKFORD — Aug. 13, 10:30 a.m., Mass for the Permanent Diaconate Retreat, Bishop Lane Retreat Center

HUNTLEY — Aug. 21, 2:30 p.m., Silver and Gold Mass, St. Mary Church

MUNDELEIN — Aug. 21-25, Region VII Bishop’s Retreat

DeKalb, Genoa Host 27th International Rosary

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The observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 3Headliners

From page 1using colored water and paper towels to track the movement of water.

Pepper and water experi-ments were undertaken to re-veal how germs migrate, Quinn added.

Outside on clear days, the children experimented with soap bubbles and balloons. Soda and Mentos experiments showed reactions in the drinks when they were mixed.

The children also made pa-per planes for lessons in aero-dynamics during “3-D Week.”

And, of course, there is al-ways time for picnics at sum-mer camp.

Recently, camp participants of all age groups learned about the Seven Wonders of the World, including the Colossus at Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

There are also Seven Won-ders of the Modern World, which they studied, including the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil, The Great Wall of China, and Stonehenge in Eng-land.

Students worked on all 14 by writing papers, coloring pic-tures and doing quizzes about the wonders.

A diff erent theme each week gave students a chance to learn new information that they might not otherwise have a chance to discover during the regular school year or through more mundane summer activities.

But a big benefi t is that the faith can be included in the dai-ly sessions at the camp, Quinn said, so important teachings received throughout the school year can be reiterated.

The camp’s version of “Vaca-tion Bible Studies” focused on the Gospels, and the children decorated a classroom with posters depicting The Beati-tudes.

“We worked on the corporal works of mercy. Those are im-portant values for us,” Quinn said. “They have learned many diff erent things. The little ones have grown up a lot.”

There is also accommodation for extended care each day be-fore the camp starts and after-wards, for children whose par-ents work diff erent hours. The

extended care program, usually held during the school year, is coordinated by Kari Sehie for the summer camp that ends Aug. 12.

“Extended care is something held throughout the school year. It is pretty necessary,” said Sehie, as she handed out after-camp snacks.

In a survey of parents con-ducted earlier, many families expressed an interest in having the camp, which was the fi rst ever at the school. The summer camp program was open to any school-age child, not only stu-dents at OLGC.

Teachers will be debriefed soon, said Behrns, whose im-petus it was to begin the sum-mer camp.

She plans to hold sessions soon with parents to analyze what made the two-and-a-half-month program successful and what could be improved for fu-ture camps.

If funding can be found, pos-sible summer camp additions are a fi eld trip, a “circus week”

theme with the building of a big tent, and cake-making lessons.

“The more we can keep our children engaged in a safe en-vironment and a caring envi-ronment, and in a faith-based,

virtue-based environment, I just think it is a plus for us all the way around,” Behrns said.

“Overall, I think this will continue to be a nice continu-um of our education.”

4 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

Kari Sehie serves snacks to OLGC summer camp participates during the extended care hours.

Jihovanni Molina investigates a science project at the summer camp.

(Observer photos/OLGC, Louise Brass)

Tie-dying was one of the activities for Our Lady of Good Counsel summer campers this year.

Summer campers made “puppy chow” and chocolate-dipped strawberries in the morning before their pic-nic, which featured grilled hot dogs.

OLGC Summer Camp a SuccessDiocesan

From page 1Bill 1564. Among the oppo-nents to the bill who testifi ed that day was Erica Laethem, regional director of ethics for OSF HeathCare.

“Those for the bill speak fi rst,” Gilligan explains. “Opponents go next. The committee listens, asks questions and reacts.”

The Senate committee then voted 7-3 to pass the bill — a move that signaled to CCI, Il-linois bishops and other oppo-nents that support for the mea-sure was decisive.

“The politics of Springfi eld are such that it would have passed the senate” as it was originally written, Gilligan says.

Another recent prolife piece of legislation requires insur-ance companies to provide any kind of contraception that an insured person would desire, he says. The legislature passed that law in spite of the oppo-sition of powerful insurance companies.

“Our Republican governor signed that too,” Gilligan says. “Ours is a challenging politi-cal climate with absolutely no guarantees to stop it or change it. I don’t know what would have happened if Illinois passed the original Senate Bill 1564.”

But Senate committee mem-bers had listened to the opposi-tion.

“Part of our argument against the bill was that Catholic hos-pitals already have protocols in place to address such situations while still honoring the needs of the patient,” Gilligan says. “When the legislative commit-tee heard that hospitals have these protocols, their response was to direct us to put the pro-visions of these protocols in the bill.”

CCI participated in meetings with the American Civil Liber-ties Union (ACLU) — which had helped the bill’s sponsor-ing senators draft that original version — and the Illinois State Medical Society.

“Our bottom line was that we would not refer” patients to abortion providers, Gilligan says.

Changes madeAfter much work, Senate Bill

1564’s amendment to the Illi-nois Health Care Right of Con-science Act was itself amended.

“The Catholic Conference of Illinois was successful in ne-gotiating removal of the more problematic provisions of the bill,” says a CCI statement is-sued on May 25, when the leg-islation gained fi nal passage in the House.

“Consequently (CCI) is neutral on Senate Bill 1564 as amended by Amendment Three in the Senate.

Amendment Three protects

the right of conscience for healthcare professionals and fa-cilities. They can still refuse to perform, assist, counsel, sug-gest, pay for, recommend, refer or participate in any form of medical practice or health care service that is contrary to his or her conscience.

“What will be ‘new’ is an information protocol that says when a conscience objection is invoked, the patient’s condi-tion, prognosis and treatment options will be discussed.

“This is already standard medical practice at Catholic healthcare facilities,” he says. “If the patient insists on a mor-ally objectionable service, a list of healthcare providers without specifi c reference to any par-ticular service will be given to the patient to seek out diff erent medical consultations. In our opinion, this list does not con-stitute a direct referral nor does it guarantee an outcome.”

Providing a list of area health services is the third option for facilities and individual provid-ers.

“The bill requires health care personnel and facilities to develop protocols when a

right of conscience is invoked for not performing a requested service,” says Gilligan in an early-August memo to Catholic health care providers.

“The protocol mandates three options for such a situa-tion: 1) a referral, or 2) a trans-fer, or 3) provision of written information where one reason-ably believes the service can be provided,” the memo con-tinues. “The phrase ‘reason-ably believes may’ has been the subject of much discussion. On the House and Senate fl oors, it was stated a few times that this could be as simple as present-ing pages out of a phone book to the person requesting the ob-jectionable procedure.”

Not best or worstRockford Diocesan Ethicist,

Father Kenneth Wasilewski, calls the fi nal bill “more work-able” for prolife healthcare facilities than the original ver-sion. Physicians and healthcare providers now have to discuss all the options with patients if asked — but that can give those doctors the opportunity to say, “Yes, it’s legal, but here are the downsides,” he explains.

Providers can also state the increased risks of depression, suicide, breast cancer, and the potential for additional physi-cal complications, he adds.

“You don’t have to advocate for, suggest or defend” abor-tion, Father Wasilewski says, adding that institutions and in-dividuals are free to say, “We don’t do that, and this is why.”

The more optimistic people he’s talked to, he says, even think that the bill can provide healthcare workers with oppor-tunities to do a little evangeliz-ing.

Such optimism aside, “there are some things in there that can be problematic, and will

present challenges to those in-voking their conscience,” Fa-ther Wasilewski says. “There is not as much leeway as before.

“It’s not great. But there’s enough room here to not vio-late our conscience.”

“Even with these protections, we would rather not alter the law in any way,” concludes the May 25 Catholic Conference of Illinois statement. “It is impor-tant to realize that neutrality does not mean support. How-ever, considering the current realities of politics in our state, we believe that refusing every-thing but the status quo was going to lead to a much worse result.”

(CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Gabriela Alfaro, 4, looks on as her mother, Roxana Alfaro, takes a preg-nancy test at Centro Tepeyac Women’s Center in Silver Spring, Md., in 2010. The recently-signed Illinois Senate Bill 1564 likely will impact Il-linois pregnancy care centers, including those with pro-life values.

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Flawed Conscience Bill Amended From ‘Horrible’ to ‘More Workable’

What’s wrong with ‘material information’?One of the problems with the original version of Illinois Sen-

ate Bill 1564 was its requirement that any health care profes-sional invoking the health care right of conscience provide the patient with all “material information.” “Material information” was de� ned as including “a written document that contains the name of and contact information for health care facilities, physician, and/or health care personnel that can provide the patient the particular form of health care services refused… .”

Catholic health care ethicists were clear that this was too close a cooperation with evil, that complying with the bill in its original form amounted to a direct referral.

Objections remain to amended billBecause the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act al-

lows for a very broad de� nition of “health care facility,” Senate Bill 1564 as signed by the governor most likely impacts some pregnancy care centers, some of which have � led a lawsuit. An unresolved question is what happens if they do not invoke their right of conscience, but instead simply state that they do not perform abortions or provide emergency contraception and such services. Stay tuned.

Diocesan The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 5

2016

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National Pedal Pullers & Racers & And more!

Mon Aug 15ST. CHARLESMarian series: 7-8 p.m. (also Aug. 22 and 29); St. John Neumann, 2900 E. Main. Learn about Marian appariations and the messages of Our Lady. Topics vary. Presenters: Deacon Willie Williams of St. John Neumann, Deacon Mike Zibron of St. Mary, Sycamore and others. Info: parish office, 630/377-2797, http://www.sjnstcharles.org/

Tue Aug 16MCHENRYHoly Doors pilgrimage: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Holy Cross, 2300 Main St. To doors in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Seats limited. Cost: $25 per person; $45 couple; $50 family; optional $10 per person box lunch. Info: Laura Kosmach, 630/845-1384

Wed Aug 17Deadline for Aug. 26 What’s Up (for events Aug. 29-Sept. 4)

Sat Aug 20AURORAChops-4-Charity: 5-7:30 p.m.; Our Lady of Good Counsel gym, 601 Talma St. Sponsor: Knights of Columbus Council 14929. Proceeds for scholarships and Knights’ charities. Pork chops for adults, hot dogs or mac and cheese for kids; dessert, soda, bottled water extra; door prizes, 50/50 raffle. Cost: in advance—$10 adults; $5 children; at the door—-$12

adults; $6 children. Info: after Masses Aug. 13-14; Ed Carroll, 630/892-5796; Dale Boedewig, 630/554-2678

DIXONSteak, chicken dinner: 5 p.m., Dixon Knights of Columbus Council 690 Hall, 506 W. Third St. Steak or chicken with fixings. Cost: varies by meal choice. Info: www.kofc690.com

WEST BROOKLYNHoly Door pilgrimage: 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.; St. Mary, 2520 Johnson St. Travel to St. Mary Parish in DeKalb.

Confessions, Mass and pilgrimage. Info: Father Randy Fronek, 815/849-5412, olph.mary@gmail.com

WOODSTOCKOutdoor concert: 6:30 p.m.; Resurrection, 2918 Country Club Road. Resvinia theme: “Going to the Zoo.” Rain site: inside church. Bring lawn chairs and picnic food. Open mike with selection from parish Rezband “In Duspute.” Free. Info: Kim Scherrer, 815/338-7330; office@resurrectioncc.comcastbiz.net

Sun Aug 21CALEDONIAGRFACC family picnic: noon; Olson Swedish Heritage Park, 7901 Harlem Road. Sponsor: Greater Rockford Filipino-

American Catholic Community. Info: www.facebook.com/grfacc/

HUNTLEYSilver and Gold: 2:30-4:30 p.m.; St. Mary, 10307 Dundee Road. Diocesan celebration of special wedding anniversaries; Mass and reception with Bishop David Malloy. Register by Aug. 5 for commemorative certificate. Free. Info: LiFE office, 815/399-4300; www.rockforddiocese.org/anniversary or www.rockforddiocese.org/aniversario

ROCKFORD35th Polish fest: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; St. Stanislaus Kostka, 201 Buckbee St. Free. Mass opens fest. Music: The Julida Boys and Effect Band. Folk song and dance: Syrena. Polish food, pastries and beer; games for children and adults; cash and basket raffles; John Paul II Cultural Center displays. Info: Margaret Borowski, 815/965-3913; www.st-stansislaus.org; church@st-stanislaus.org

SUBLETTEIce cream social: 2-4 p.m.; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 201 Locust St. Celebrate the Octave of St. Mary of the Assumption. Info: olph.mary@gmail.com

Find more events on The Observer Catholic Newspaper Facebook page and at http://www.rockforddiocese.org/calendar.php

Aurora Knights Clean Up Members of Aurora Knights of Columbus Cardinal Bellarmine Council 4849 of Holy Angels Parish cleaned up a segment of Orchard Road July 16. Taking part were (back from left) Scott Tellman, Ray Froehlich, Guy Cholut, Mel Boule, (front) Richard Kendle and Jesse Kendle.

Mass Offered at ACLAbout 80 area residents and visi-tors gathered for Mass offered by Father Michael Morrissey in the Apple Canyon Lake clubhouse, July 24. It was the first Mass at the private recreational community. Father Morrissey, parochial ad-minstrator at Holy Cross Parish in Stockton, plans more such activi-ties for area Catholics.

Going on NowAURORACrafters needed: St. Anne’s Society of Holy Angels Parish is seeking crafters for its Dec. 4 Christmas Cookie and Craft Fair. Info: Julie Lano, 630/585-8174. julielano@sbcglobal.net

Save the DateAug 27CRYSTAL LAKEBlock party: 6-9 p.m.; St. Thomas the Apostle, 451 Terra Cotta Ave. First Love Your Neighbor Block Party with music by Ike Ndolo and Ennie Hickman, games, food and more. Cost: cash for food trucks. Info: Lisa Kendzior, 815/455-5400; lkendzior@saintthomascatholicchurch.org; www.saintthomascatholicchurch.org/blockparty.html

FREEPORT9th Colby Smith classic: 7 a.m. registration, 8 a.m. walk/run start; St. Thomas Aquinas, 1400 S. Kiwanis Dr. 4-mile race starts and ends at church. Age groups from 10 and younger to 70 and older. Proceeds for the Colby Smith Scholarship for Aquin Catholic Schools. Cost: $20 before Aug. 21, $25 after Aug. 21 adults; $18 Rockford Road Runners members; $15 students. Info: aquinschools.org; www.colbysmithmemorialrun.com/

HUNTLEYFirst Responders’ Mass: 1:30 p.m.; St Mary, 10307 Dundee Road. Sponsor: Knights of Columbus Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill Assembly 2381 of Algonquin, Carpentersville, Dundee, Elgin, Hampshire and Huntley. Celebrant: Bishop David Malloy. Reception after Mass Info: Bill Wenzloff, 847/915-9214, demodude@hotmail.com; Ken Labuda, 224/856-1017, kennethlabuda@gmail.com

LEECorn and chops dinner: 5-7 p.m.; St. James hall; 221 W. Kirke Gate. Corn boil with pork chops and more. Cost: $8 for one-chop meal; $10 for two-chop meal. Info: Mike Fuco, 815/762-1200, mfulco@mchsi.org; www.StJamesKnights.org

ROCKFORDHaiti fundraiser: Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road. 15th “An Evening in the Tropics” home building event. Info: Bob Pfundstein, 815/847-0656; events@foodforthepoor.com; www.foodforthepoor.org/rockford

SOUTH BELOITFun fest: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Coral Cove Family Fun Center, 586 Progressive Dr. (off Prairie Hill Road). Proceeds for St. Vincent de Paul Society local charities. Car show, live music by Northern Lights, games for all ages, food, raffles. Free parking and admission. Cost: $10 per raffle ticket. Info: Carolyn Matson, 608/361-1783, cissie54@charter.net

Aug 28AURORAWomen of Inspiration: 4 p.m.; Pipers Banquets, 1295 Butterfield Road. Sponsor: Aurora Deanery Council of Catholic Women. Reservation deadline Aug. 15; no tickets at the door. Cost: $30 adult; $15 children 4-11. Info: Aurora Deanery parishes; Pat Leatherwood, 630/978-2271; Mary Glosson, 630/308-4138, maryglosson@hotmail.com

Sept 9ROCKFORDPilgrimage: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Holy Family, 4401 Highcrest Road. Sponsor: Legion of Mary. Trip to Marytown, bus fare, continental

breakfast and lunch. Stop at St. Mary in Woodstock for additional passengers. RSVP by Aug. 25 Cost: $37.50 per person. Info: Laura Greer, 815/547-9346

Sept 12MCHENRYAdult Bible study: 7-8:30 p.m. (first of eight sessions); St. Patrick, 3500 Washington St. “Follow Me,” a study of the Gospel of John. Cost: $20 for workbook. Info: Carleen Murphy, 815/385-0025, cmurphy@stpatrickmchenry.org; www.stpatrickmchenry.org

Sept 14CRYSTAL LAKEDivorce Survival: 6:30-8 p.m. (first of 12 Wednesday sessions); St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1023 McHenry Ave. Information for people in any stage of divorce. Cost: $10. Info: Margaret Oskorep, 847/224-6989, mjoskorep@att.net; elizabethannseton.org

ROCKFORDLa Promesse: 10 a.m.; Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road. Theme: “All KEYed Up.” Sponsor: Catholic Women’s League. Proceeds for charity. Silent auction, luncheon, entertainment by pianist Michael “Stu” Stoinski. RSVP by Sept. 9 Cost: $35 Info: Kathy Baker, 815/985-5635

Sept 17ROCKFORDHike for Life: 8:30 a.m. registration; Midway Village walking path, 6799 Guilford Road. Proceeds for the Pregnancy Care Center. Live music, kids’ games, refreshments, fundraising awards. Cost: pledges. Info:815/997-1200, thepregnancycarecenter.org

Deacon info day: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (repeated Oct. 15 and Dec. 3); Diocesan Administration Center, 555 Colman Center Dr. Open to men 35-55; wives must accompany their husbands. Overview of the permanent diaconate and the formation program. Interested men should speak to their pastor before attending. Info: 815/399-4300.

Sept 17-18ST. CHARLESBarn sale: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 17, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept 18; Kane County Fairgrounds, one block west of Randall Road on Illinois Rt. 38. Sponsor: St. Peter, Geneva. Home decor, appliances, clothes, books, music, hardware and more. Breakfast 7 a.m. Sept. 17 and 8 a.m. Sept. 18; lunch both days; Country Market baked goods.

ElsewhereOct 20OGLESBYCemetery training: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Starved Rock State Park, 2668 East 873 Road. Training for small cemetery adminstrators. Cost: $25 per person (rooms at the lodge separate). Info: Diocesan Catholic Cemeteries, 815/965-1450; Starved Rock Lodge, 815/667-4211

Oct 28-20MADISON, WIS.PalliTalk: Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. For practicing physicians, PAs, NPs, RNs, social workers, and other providers interested in better communication and palliative care. Sponsors: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and School of Nursing. Cost: $1,050 until Aug. 15, $1,150 after Aug. 15; lodging extra. Info: Matt Kronberger, Palliative Care Education Coordinator, 608/262-8624; WeTALK@medicine.wisc.edu

Photo TipsSubmitted photos must be in focus or we will not be able to use them. Identify people in photos from left to right using first and last names.Electronic images shold be:n the original, uncropped .jpg format with a dpi of 72; n individual attachments not embeded in any document.

Submit Online: Parish, school and organization publicists may send news and photos using interactive forms at The Observer website http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/contact-us. Click on Submit Events and News. (You may attach one picture per form.) Submissions will be forwarded to El Observador, to the diocesan calendar and to the Year of Mercy calendar.

What’s Up

(Photo provided)

(Photo provided)

Around the Diocese6 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

— Contact —Kevin McCarthy 815-399-4300 ext. 385

kmccarthy@rockforddiocese.org

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NORTH AURORA—To celebrate Blessed Teresa of Kolkata’s upcoming canoniza-tion, Blessed Sacra-

ment Parish here will screen “The Letters: The Untold Sto-ry of Mother Teresa.”

The free show will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Holy Family Hall at the church, 801 Oak St. It

runs about two hours. Those attending should

bring lawn chairs for seating.Starring Juliet Stevenson as

Mother Teresa, the film begins with the moment she takes her vows as a cloistered nun and ends as she receives the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Stevenson, known for stage, film and television work, takes on the persona of the quiet, de-

termined sister who believes answering God’s call among the poor is more important than remaining inside the con-vent.

But the conflict in the movie is actually about what role her feelings of abandonment and despair will play in the cause for her sainthood.

Oscar-nominated Max von Sydow plays Father Celeste

van Exem, Mother Teresa’s spiritual adviser and the keep-er of the letters which reveal her darkest hours. They were published in 2007.

Rutger Hauer portrays Fa-ther Benjamin Praagh, who is charged with overseeing her sainthood cause. In the end, he suggests her holiness is deeper than many had suspsected.

Beautifully photographed,

even the film’s diffiult mo-ments — an offscreen birth, deaths and a rock-throwing crowd — are suitable for most family members.

Blessed Teresa’s canoniza-tion is scheduled Sept. 4.Info: 630/897-1029, psecretary@blessedsacrament-na.org

— Sharon Boehlefeld, features editor

Blessed Sacrament to Screen Blessed Teresa Bio-pic Aug. 26

Juliet Stevenson (center) stars in a scene from the movie “The Letters.” The Catholic News Service classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

A-IIPG

(CNS photo/MPRM Communications)

At the MoviesIndignation

(Summit)Challenging drama, set in the early 1950s, in which a

young Jewish man (Logan Lerman) wins a scholarship to an elite college where he forms an unusual bond with an emotionally troubled fel-low student (Sarah Gadon) and butts heads with the school’s traditionally minded dean (Tracy Letts). Writer-director James Schamus’ ad-aptation of Philip Roth’s 2008 novel is not for the casual moviegoer. Grown and well-grounded viewers will recog-nize the subtleties calibrating the story — and its message.

THIS FILM CONTAINS ma-ture themes, suicide and an ambivalent treatment of religion, violence with gore, discreetly portrayed but aber-rant premarital sexual activity, irreverence, profanity, rough and crude expressions.

Suicide Squad(Warner Bros.)A lurid atmosphere marks this initially stylish but ultimate-

ly ridiculous and chaotic DC comics-based adventure. A hard-bitten intelligence agent (Viola Davis) assembles a team of violent villains (most prominently Will Smith and Margot Robbie), places them under the command of the

military’s leading special ops warrior (Joel Kinnaman), and compels them to take on an evil specter. Further compli-cating a murky plot, Batman’s (Ben Affleck) longstanding adversary, the Joker (Jared Leto), gets added to the mix. Writer-director David Ayer film is barely passable while scenes attempting to show Smith’s career hitman loves his young daughter (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon), and bonding them as a pseudo-family mis-

fire completely. THIS FILM CONTAINS action violence with minimal gore,

debased sensuality, profanity, crude and crass language. — Catholic News ServiceL

R

LPG-13

Media/Arts The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 7

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8 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

The Observer ... Proud to assist in the mission of

education in the Rockford Diocese. Bring the Young Observer and The Junior Observer into your home with any subscription to The Observer. Get print, digital or both for just $28 per year. Subscribe by phone at 815/399-4300, ext. 383 or online at http://observer.rockforddiocese.org.

Wed Aug 17

AlgonquinSt. Margaret Mary School

AuroraOur Lady of Good Counsel SchoolSt. Peter School

ElginSt. Edward Central Catholic High School

RockfordHoly Family SchoolSt. Edward SchoolSt. James School

South BeloitSt. Peter School

SterlingNewman Central Catholic High School

Thu Aug 18

AuroraAurora Central Catholic High SchoolRosary High School

BelvidereSt. James School

RockfordSt. Peter School

SycamoreSt. Mary School

Fri Aug 19

AuroraMarmion Academy

RockfordSt. Bernadette School

Mon Aug 22

AuroraSt. Therese of Jesus SchoolCarySS. Peter and Paul School

DixonSt. Anne SchoolSt. Mary School

ElginSt. Joseph SchoolSt. Laurence SchoolSt. Thomas More School

FreeportAquin Catholic Elementary SchoolAquin Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School

HampshireSt. Charles Borromeo SchoolMcHenryMontini SchoolRock FallsSt. Andrew School

RockfordBoylan Central Catholic High SchoolSterlingSt. Mary School

Tue Aug 23

BataviaHoly Cross School

Crystal LakeSt. Thomas School

GenevaSt. Peter School

Wed Aug 24

AuroraAnnunciation BVM SchoolHoly Angels SchoolSt. Rita of Cascia School

DeKalbSt. Mary SchoolEast DubuqueSt. Mary School

ElginSt. Mary SchoolJohnsburgSt. John the Baptist School

Loves ParkSt. Bridget SchoolRockfordSt. Rita School

St. CharlesSt. Patrick SchoolWest DundeeSt. Catherine of Siena School

WoodstockMarian Central Catholic High SchoolSt. Mary School

Wed Aug 31

AuroraSt. Joseph School

When is Your First Day of School?

New President, Principals to Serve at Students and parents

at several schools in the Rockford Diocese are meeting new school leaders as the school year gears up. While some are new faces, others are already familiar to their school families.

The Observer invited each of the newcomers to answer a few questions. Those who have already responded are introduced here. Look for more information as we

receive it.

Rosary Hires First School President

AURORA—Dr. Thomas Choice has been selected to be Rosary High School’s first president.

Dr. Choice began his service on Aug. 1. Sister Ann Brum-mel, OP, will remain as Rosa-ry’s principal.

After deliberation, Rosary’s board of directors and the member board opted to restruc-ture Rosary’s administration to a president-and-principal mod-el. Two schools in the Rockford Diocese — Marmion Academy in Aurora and Boylan Central

Catholic High School in Rock-ford — use that model.

Dr. Choice, whose doctorate

is in higher education admin-istration, began his career as an English teacher at Marmion Academy in the early 1980s.

Most recently, he served as president of Kishwaukee Col-lege in Malta from 2007 until his retirement in December of 2015.

He has expertise in strate-gic planning, fundraising, and forging strong and enduring relationships with other educa-tional partners, local business-es, and community agencies.

Dr. Choice has also served as chair of the Rosary High School board of directors 2015-2016.

His wife, Susan (O’Brien) Choice, graduated from Ro-sary in 1978. She is a physical therapist at Delanor Hospital in Geneva.

Their two daughters, are also Rosary alumnae, Meghan in 2010 and Rachel in 2014. Meghan is a third-grade teach-er in Nashville, Tenn., and Ra-chel, a junior at Loras College in Duguque, Iowa.

Son Matthew is a 2012 grad-uate of Marmion Academy, a 2016 graduate of the University of Iowa and is beginning work on a master’s degree in athletic training at the University of South Carolina.

(Photo provided)

Dr. Thomas Choice

Back to School

The family attends Holy Cross Parish in Batavia.

As an experienced adminis-trator, Dr. Choice will oversee Rosary’s recently developed 10-year strategic plan, design and support innovative pro-grams, and promote Rosary within the community.

A reception in his honor will be held at 9 a.m. Sept. 25, at Rosary High School in conjunction with its annual Veritas Mass and brunch.

“I am hon-ored to have the opportu-nity to serve the students and commu-nity of Rosary High School,” he said. “I look forward to supporting and building upon the long tradition of excellence in providing a premier Catholic, college-prep education for young women in the Fox Valley area.”

“My early goal is to get to know as much as I can about the people, the students, the parents, the family here at Ro-sary,” he said.

Barb Villont Now Superintendent, Principal at St. Edward CCHS in Elgin

ELGIN—A familiar face in Catholic education in the Rock-ford Diocese, Barbara Villont takes on the role of superin-tendent and principal at St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin this year.

She worked at Marian Cen-tral Catholic High School in Woodstock for eight years. She was the technology director from 2008 to 2010, then joined the school administrative team for six years. Her first post was director of curriculum and technology (2010-2014), then served as principal for the past two years (2014-2016).

She has a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Illinois State University,. She also has two masters de-grees from Aurora University, one in educational leadership and another in business admin-istration in leadership.

She and her husband Kevin have been married for 23 years. They are parents of five chil-dren, all of whom graduated from Montini Catholic School in McHenry.

Jake, the oldest, graduated from Marian Central Catholic High School in 2015 and attends DePaul University. Daughter Makala graduated from Mar-ian Central this year and will begin her studies at Marquette University this fall. Daughter Hannah (Class of 2018), Sam

(Class of 2020), and Zoe (Class of 2020) are students at Marian Central.

They are parishioners at St. Patrick in Hartland.

“As a new member of the St. Edward Community,” Villont said, “it is my primary con-cern to get to know the entire school community. St. Ed-ward is a faithful, committed, Catholic family, and in order to best support the continued success and help address the challeng-es, we must first get to know one an-other in order to build trust, to identify the school’s needs, and to establish a collaborative working rela-tionship.

“In the short time I have been in Elgin,” she added, “I have already learned that St. Ed’s, along with the entire Elgin Deanery, is comprised of a dedicated family with incredible passion and undefined potential, which will mean boundless opportu-nities ahead.”

Villont says she is “passion-ate about continued sustain-ability and the future growth of Catholic schools. This is my ministry in the Church. .... The work we do affords us the joy of guiding students in understanding their faith as a source of strength and identify-ing their God-given talents to determine their interests, gifts, and future paths. ... I thank God every day for the privilege to serve in Catholic schools.”

St. Mary Grad to Head Sycamore School This Year

SYCAMORE—Janice Ben-son, who will be serving as interim principal for St. Mary School for the 2016-17 school year, is a graduate of St. Mary School as are her three adult sons.

“This school and parish com-

munity is very special to me,” she said, “es-pecially since it was here that my faith in God was nurtured.”

She and her husband Don are both 1970 graduates of S y c a m o r e High School.

Their sons are in their 30s, all mar-ried to “amaz-ing daugh-ters-in-law.” They live in Chicago, Se-attle, and Kansas City.

The couple is also first-time grandparents of Lynn Adeline, who lives in Chicago.

Benson attended Western Il-linois University in Macomb, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary and special education in 1974.

During her first teaching job at Southeast Elementary School, she started work on a master of science degree in special education. She com-pleted that degree in May 1979 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. She later earned a certificate of graduate study for director of special educa-tion at NIU, at the same time

earning her administrative cer-tification.

While her sons were young, she also completed a nursing de-gree from Kishwaukee College, then worked at Kishwaukee Community Hospital as a reg-istered nurse for several years in the pediatric unit, later called the Family Center.

Her nursing credentials with the State of Illinois remain up-to-date.

I recently retired from 30 years in education with the Sycamore School District. She taught at both elementary and secondary levels in the district.

The last 10 years of her ca-reer, she worked at the admin-istrative center for the Syca-more School District, serving first as an educational diag-nostician, then special educa-tion coordinator for Sycamore Middle School and Sycamore High School. Her last post was as director of Special Educa-tion for the school district.

In the parish community, she is involved with the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, serves as extraordinary min-ister of Communion for Mass and Kindred Hospital, Hope for Haitians and funeral luncheons.

She is also a member of the Sycamore Library Board, Sycamore History Museum, and Pay it Forward House, and

works as a DeKalb County election judge.

She has set her goal for this school year with words from Pope Francis:

“Our generation will show that it can rise to the promise found in each young person when we know how to give them space. This means that we have to create the mate-rial and spiritual conditions for their full development; to give them a solid basis on which to build their lives; to guarantee their safety and their education to be everything they can be.”

New St. Patrick Principal has Experience in Post

ST. CHARLES—Jodi Faloti-co joins St. Patrick School here as principal this year.

She earned a bachelor of sci-ence degree in health admin-istration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a teaching certificate and a mas-ter’s degree in special education at Northeast-ern Illinois Un ive r s i t y, and a master’s in educational ad min is t ra-tion at Aurora University.

She comes to St. Patrick School from T h o m p s o n Middle School in St. Charles, where she served as as-sistant princi-pal.

Falotico has been married to her husband Jim for 30 years. They are parents of grown daughters Markie and Jackie. They “rescued” the fam-ily dog Stanley in 2010 when the

Continued on page 10

(Photo provided)

Barbara Villont

My summer reading

Dr. Thomas Choice reread “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch, as well as everything he could find about Rosary High School.

My summer reading

Barbara Villont and others at St. Edward CCHS read “I Beat the Odds” by Michael Oher, this year’s summer selection for the high school’s One School, One Book program.

Several Schools in Rockford Diocese

My summer reading

Jodi Falotico, who says she always reads three books at a time, read “Fablehaven” by Brandon Mull, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver and “Rick Steve’s Italy.”

(Photo provided)

Jodi Falotico(Photo provided)

Janice Benson

My summer reading

Janice Benson read “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah,“Between Heaven and Mirth” by Father James Martin, SJ, and “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman.

The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 9Back to School

From page 9Blackhawks won the cup of the same name.

Her primary goal for next year is to “lead with Catholic values while facilitating student and adult growth.”

She’d also like parents and students to know, “I am pas-sionate.”

Holy Family Parishioner in First Year as Principal

ROCKFORD—Corrine Gen-dron will be the new principal at Holy Family School this year.

She earned a master’s degree in educational administration from National Louis University in 2004 and a bachelor’s de-gree in history and second-ary education from North-ern Illinois University in 1991.

With 20 years ex-perience at schools in the Rockford Dio-cese, Gendron taught middle school at St.

Bridget in Loves Park for eight years, was principal at Cathe-dral of St. Peter School for six years, then was principal at St. Edward School in Rockford for six years.

As a 28-year parishioner at Holy Family, she and her fam-ily will be familiar to the school family.

Both of her children gradu-ated from Holy Family School and Boylan Central Catholic High School. Her recently-mar-ried daughter lives in Rockford with her husband. Her son will be a senior at the University of Illinois-Champaign this year.

“My goal for the coming school year,” she said, “is to

work hard to bring our parish and school families together and to build enrollment.

Former Teacher Moves to Principal Post in East Dubuque

EAST DUBUQUE—Angela Jones will be the principal at St. Mary School, here, this year.

She has a bachelor of sci-ence degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education, both from the University of Il-linois Urbana-Champaign.

She joined the faculty last year, teaching fifth and sixth grades.

A resident of Dubuque, Iowa, she and her family attend St. Raphael Cathedral there. She has been married to Jeremy

for 18 years. Their children are MaryRose,14; Rita 13; Cecilia 11; Anastasia 11; and Maximil-ian, 3.

“My main goal is to en-sure that all of our students are as success-ful as they can be in all areas of their edu-cation,” she said, adding, “I would want the families to know that our teachers, families and students work together to create a school where all feel welcome.”

Sterling Teacher To Lead St. Anne School in Dixon

DIXON—Karen Payan will be leading St. Anne School in Dixon this year.

She attended Western Illinois University and is continuing her education at St. Ambrose Uni-versity in Davenport, Iowa.

When she finishes her mas-ter of science in education de-gree there, she will officially take over as principal. In the meantime, she will be guided and mentored by the Sterling Deanery education superinten-dent, Kathy Howard, principal of Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling.

Payan has been a junior high teacher at St. Mary School in Sterling.

She not only teaches religious edu-cation there, but serves in several minis-tries, includ-ing catechism, a d o r a t i o n , e u c h a r i s t i c ministry, Rite of Christian Ini-tiation for Adults, and distri-bution of Communion to the homebound.

In addition, Payan has served as president of the board of Gi-anna’s House and is working with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Freeport to establish the Madonna Renewal Center.

She attends Sacred Heart Parish in Sterling. She has been been married to her “best friend,” Jay, for 33 years. They have six children and five grand-children.

“My main goal at St. Anne School is to first get to know all my staff and families,” she said, adding “I would also like to build our pre-school pro-gram.

“The first time I walked into St. Anne,” she said, “I was touched by their beautiful church and tabernacle at the very center of their school. I feel honored and blessed to have my office so near Jesus every

10 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

May the new school year be a time ofblessing and grace for all

students, faculties, and families.

1255 N. Edgelawn Drive, Aurora, Illinois(630) 907-0095 • www.auroracentral.comAurora Central Catholic High School

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New President, Principals to Serve at

(Photo provided)

Corrine Gendron(Photo provided)

Karen Payan(Photo provided)

Angela Jones

My summer reading

Corrine Gendron enjoys historical fiction, but this summer also read books about educational research and innovative teaching.

My summer reading

Angela Jones read for a course on “Writer’s Notebooks,” the new Harry Potter book, and “hundreds of picture books to my little guy.”

My summer reading

Karen Payan, who was taking classes this summer, said her favorite book was “Switch” by Dan Heath and Chip Heath.

‘Until you dig a hole, you

plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking.’

Wangari Muta Maathai, Kenya, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner

Back to School

Faculty Veteran Becomes Principal in Algonquin

ALGONQUIN—Alison Mal-lo will move up to principal and educational leader of St. Marga-ret Mary School, here, this year.

She will begin her 10th year at the school in the new post, mov-ing up from assistant principal.

At St. Margaret Mary, she has also taught music and first grade.

She has a master of art de-gree in educational leadership from Concordia University and a bachelor of art degree in ele-mentary education from North-eastern Illinois University.

She lives in Lake in the Hills with her husband of 24 years and two sons who will be at-tending Marian Central Catho-lic High School in Woodstock as a freshman and a senior.

“One of my goals will be to continue my commitment to always respect and serve the Lord, my staff, my school fami-lies and my students,” she said.

In Aurora, Long-Time Teacher to Lead Annunciation BVM

AURORA—The new prin-cipal at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary School, Jennifer Wardynski, is familiar both as a teacher and as a pa-rishioner.

She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Il-linois Uni-versity and is working on a master’s de-gree in edu-cational lead-ership from Aurora Uni-versity.

For the past nine years, she was the s i x t h -g r a de teacher at An-nunciation.

She and her husband Joe have three children — Madelyn, Jack, and

Grant. They also have two dogs named Backer and Major.

They have been parishioners at Annunciation BVM Parish since 2003.

“In my first year as prin-cipal of Annunciation, I am

most excited about building relationships with the children and spending time in the class-rooms,” Wardynski said.

“I would like the parents and students to know that I am very excited to serve Annunciation

and help our children grow ac-ademically and spiritually this year,” she added.

Look for additional school leader profiles in upcoming editions of The Observer.

You and your family are invited to our

OPEN HOUSESunday, Nov. 6, 2016 at 1 PMPlease enter through the Regole Field House.

RSVP at marmion.org/openhouse.

S C H O L A R S H I P Q UA L I F Y I N GENTRANCE EXAM

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 at 9 AMAll 8th grade boys are encouraged to apply online at

marmion.org/admissions.

For additional information or to arrange a tour, please contact the Admissions Office at:

630-897-6936or visit us at MARMION.ORG

1000 Butterfield Road | Aurora, IL 60502

A Catholic & BenedictineCollege Prep High School for Young Men

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PROSPECTIVE PARENTS Q&ANovember 15, 9 a.m.

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January 7, 2017, 8 a.m.January 7, 2017, 8 a.m.

For 5th– 8th grade students and their families

Sunday, October 23, Noon

OPENHOUSE

Several Schools in Rockford Diocese

My summer reading

Jennifer Wardynski likes reading historical stories. This summer she read “Church of Spies: The Pope’s Secret War Against Hitler” by Mark Reibling.

(Photo provided)

Alison Mallo

(Photo provided)

Jennifer Wardynski

‘Every great achievement is but a small peak in the mountain range of

contributions.’

Dale T. Mortensen, U.S., 2010 Economics Nobel winner

The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 11Back to School

Boylan Catholic High School4000 Saint Francis Drive

Rockford, Illinois 61103

Committed to Excellence. Guided by Faith. Supportive Family Environment.

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12 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

St. Peter Catholic SchoolA Place Where Students Can ...Make New Friends

Live

Our

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o G

odSh

ow M

ercy

Go To Church PrayBecome A Saint Love One Another

Sing In The Choir

Read

Know Love and Serve GodJoin Prayer ClubPlay Sports

Learn About JesusLaugh

SmileTry New Things

Become an Ambassador of Jesus!320 Elmwood Avenue — South Beloit, IL 61080

779-475-0560 — www.st-peter-school.com

Help them keep the faith

Send

The Observer to your college studentOur digital edition is perfect for the

student on the go.And it’s just $28 for a full year.

Call us at 815/399-4300,

ext. 383 or order online at

http://observer.rockforddiocese.

org/

(CNS photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann, Catholic Standard)

Students Bene� t Academically from Catholic EducationA fi rm grounding in the faith

is, perhaps, the most obvious benefi t of a Catholic school edu-cation, but it isn’t the only one.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

is “the largest nationally rep-resentativ e and c ontinuing as-sessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas,” accord-ing to its website.

And Catholic students are doing well, compared to stu-dents in public schools.

The schools and students se-lected to take the assessment represent the diversity of the nation’s students and schools. NAEP assesses a representa-tive sample of Catholic school students in fourth-, eighth-, and 12th-grade, acording to the Na-tional Catholic Education As-sociation (NCEA).

The Commissioner of Educa-tion Statistics, who heads the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Depart-ment of Education, is responsi-ble by law for carrying out the NAEP project.

Several diff erent breakdowns of Catholic school results are available, depending on the year and the rate of school and student participation.

In 2014, the most current year for which civics, geogra-phy, and U.S. history are avail-able, eighth-grade students from Catholic schools on av-erage had higher scale scores than students from public schools in all three subjects, according to a report from the NCEA.

Because the test has been of-fered for decades and changes little over time, the scores are among the most reliable gauges of student achievement in the nation.To learn more about the NAEP test, visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/

For Catholic school results, see www.ncea.org/NCEA/Learn/Resource_Library/NCEA/Learn/NCEA_Resource_Library.aspx?hkey=4dce95be-9c95-4a11-a88b-612f511a05ab

—Sharon Boehlefeld, features editor

(Cutline - credit paragraph style)

In both geography and U.S. history, eighth-grade students at Catho-lic schools outperformed their public school peers in 2014. These re-sults are based on scores from the National Assessment of Educational

Progress, a test that is given annually to a selection of students across the nation. In Catholic schools, students in fourth-, eighth-, and 12th-grade take part in the testing.

Write to us at observer@

rockforddiocese.org

Back to School

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School of HampshireExcellence in Education since 1929, through Catholic Faith and Virtues

Focusing on Feeding the Spirit,Educating the Whole Child

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Promoting life-long learning centeredon Catholic faith and virtues

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Call us to arrange a visit and see how we can be your child’s family away from home!288 E. Je� erson Avenue, Hampshire, IL 60140 847-683-3450 www.scborromeoschool.org

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forefront!...”

From the homily, Mass for World Youth Day, July 31,

Krakow

Continued from Aug. 5

After his small stature, after the pa-ralysis of shame, there was a third ob-stacle that Zacchaeus had to face (to meet Jesus). It was no longer an interior one, but was all around him.

It was the grumbling of the crowd, who first blocked him and then criti-cized him. How could Jesus have en-tered his house, the house of a sinner? How truly hard it is to welcome Jesus, how hard it is to accept a “God who is rich in mercy.”

People will try to block you, to make you think that God is distant, rigid and insensitive, good to the good and bad to the bad.

Instead, our heavenly Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good.”

He demands of us real courage: the courage to be more powerful than evil by loving everyone, even our enemies.

People may laugh at you because you believe in the gentle and unassuming power of mercy. But do not be afraid.

Think of the motto of these days: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”

People may judge you to be dreamers,

because you believe in a new humanity, one that rejects hatred between peoples, one that refuses to see borders as bar-riers and can cherish its own traditions without being self-centered or small-minded.

Don’t be discouraged. With a smile and open arms, you proclaim hope and you are a blessing for our one human family, which here you represent so beautifully!

That day the crowd judged Zacchae-us; they looked him over, up and down. But Jesus did otherwise: He gazed up at him.

Jesus looks beyond the faults and sees the person. He does not halt before bygone evil, but sees future good. His gaze remains constant, even when it is not met.

It seeks the way of unity and commu-nion. In no case does it halt at appear-ances, but looks to the heart. Jesus looks to our hearts, your heart, my heart.

With this gaze of Jesus, you can help bring about another humanity, without looking for acknowledgement but seek-ing goodness for its own sake, content to maintain a pure heart and to fight peaceably for honesty and justice.

Don’t stop at the surface of things. Distrust the worldly cult of appear-ances, cosmetic attempts to improve

our looks. Instead, “download” the best “link” of all, that of a heart which sees and transmits goodness without grow-ing weary.

The joy that you have freely received from God, please, freely give away. So many people are waiting for it! So many are waiting for it from you.

Finally let us listen to the words that Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus, which seem to be meant for us today, for each one of us, “Come down, for I must stay at your house today.

“Come down, for I must stay with you today. Open to me the door of your heart.”

Jesus extends the same invitation to you, “I must stay at your house today.”

We can say that World Youth Day be-gins today and continues tomorrow, in your homes, since that is where Jesus wants to meet you from now on.

The Lord doesn’t want to remain in this beautiful city, or in cherished mem-ories alone.

He wants to enter your homes, to dwell in your daily lives — in your studies, your first years of work, your friendships and affections, your hopes and dreams.

How greatly He desires that you bring all this to Him in prayer! How much He hopes that, in all the “contacts” and

“chats” of each day, pride of place be given to the golden thread of prayer!

How much He wants His word to be able to speak to you day after day, so that you can make His Gospel your own, so that it can serve as a compass for you on the highways of life!

In asking to come to your house, Je-sus calls you, as He did Zacchaeus, by name. All of us, Jesus calls by name.

Your name is precious to Him. The name Zacchaeus would have made peo-ple back then think of the remembrance of God.

Trust the memory of God. His memo-ry is not a “hard disk” that “saves” and “archives” all our data. His memory is a heart filled with tender compassion, one that finds joy in “erasing” in us every trace of evil.

May we too now try to imitate the faithful memory of God and treasure the good things we have received in these days.

In silence, let us remember this en-counter, let us preserve the memory of the presence of God and His word, and let us listen once more to the voice of Jesus as He calls us by name.

So let us now pray silently, remember-ing and thanking the Lord who wanted us to be here and has come here to meet us.

Young People: Overcome Obstacles to Meet Jesus, To Awaken Your Soulby POPE

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The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 13back to School

It is adorned with six community-created murals, the result of collaborative work that refl ect the values and common vision of the groups who fi nd a home at the center.

While the status of refugees and immigrants has become a topic of heated national conversation, the center is a place that welcomes residents regardless of their documentation or lack of it.

In a time of unprecedented fear about immigrants, said Bethany Welch, the Aquinas Center provides a way to know them “as human beings, not on the front page of the newspaper. They are real people who have dignity and deserve to have opportunity.”

In pursuing its mission is to “build unity in diversity, support learning and inspire thoughtful action,” the center off ers English-language classes,

counseling, legal help, advocacy for immigrants (whether documented or not) and a host of other programs.

Funded in part by a local grant from the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development, it has developed partnerships with local universities and neighborhood organizations dedicated to supporting local immigrant communities.

Over the past three years, hundreds of students and adults have participated

in center retreats, leadership development workshops, urban immersion experiences, volunteer opportunities and internships.

Last year, said Welch, the center’s founding director, 27 high schools and universities took part in “days of encounter and mercy.”

They were “really coming and being part of who we are in a culture of encounter. In order to build kinship, we have to be in the same place,” she said.

A dynamo active both in the Philadelphia Archdiocese and in national church circles, Welch, a convert to Catholicism, received CCHD’s Cardinal Joseph Bernardin New Leadership Award.

Named for the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, the award has been presented annually since 1988 to a Catholic between 18 and 40 years

old who demonstrates leadership in fi ghting poverty and injustice through community-based solutions.

Other center-sponsored activities include a community garden. Its array of “culturally relevant” vegetables not only witnesses to the vast number of potential culinary options open to families, but are also a way of encouraging them to grow their own vegetables at home, said Welch.

Though Welch is the only full-time staff person, the center also is staff ed by interns and members of AmeriCorps, a federal service program, as well as part-time staff and volunteers, she said.

“We are off ering a really unique opportunity to experience community without some of the restrictions of a large nonprofi t.”— Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans, CNS

14 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

FOREVER FAMILY

FAMILY CORNER

Prayer for PeaceLord,You give us the Body and Blood of your Son

and renew our strength.Fill us with the spirit of love, that we may

work e� ectively to establish Christ’s farewell gift of peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.R/ AmenIntersessions:R/ Lord, hear our prayer.For Christians and all people of good will,

may they never lose hope in the possibility of peace, we pray to the Lord: R/

For Government leaders, may they hear and respond to their peoples’ plea for peace and justice, we pray to the Lord: R/

For the young everywhere, may they grow in courage to seek the peace God o� ers the

world, we pray to the Lord: R/ For those serving in the military, may the

Lord guide them and protect them, we pray to the Lord: R/

For those who have died, especially those who have died in war, may the Lord Accept them into His loving presence, we pray to the Lord: R/

Our Father...Lord our God,Teach us to cherish in our hearts the

Paschal Mystery of your Son by which you redeemed the world.

Watch over the gifts of grace your love has given us and bring them to ful� llment in the glory of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R/ Amen

—From “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, USCCB

(CNS photo/Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans)

Bethany Welsh, founding director of the Aquinas Center in a South Philadelphia neigh-borhood, stands in the middle of the center’s garden July 27. The center is a collaboration of a Catholic parish and various social service organizations and educational institutions.

Welcome Neighbors

Get Help in Our DioceseCatholic Charities Refugee

Resettlement Program provides similar services for immigrants. To learn how you can give or receive help, call Janet Biljeskovic at 815/399-1709.

Works of MercyAs the school year begins, expenses go up for families

with children. Clothes, backpacks, gym shoes, crayons, paper and so many more things are on shopping lists.

How can your family help?Some of you have probably already donated to

drives such as Crayons for Kids (below), a program run by students at Marmion Academy and Rosary High School in Aurora. Or you may have contributed to school supplies drives at your parish.

If you haven’t, it’s not too late. Check at a school near you to see if there is a need for some special items that a family — especially one new to this country — can use right now.(Photo provided)

J ust a few miles from where Democratic convention delegates met July 25-28 at the Wells Fargo Center, a South Philadelphia neighborhood echoed with the sounds of multiple languages, presenting an array of cuisines and businesses that cater to a dizzying diversity of ethnicities

and cultures.Once a landing place for Italian and Irish immigrants, the area

which houses the Aquinas Center, an innovative church-supported and community-supported venture in welcoming and supporting immigrants, is now home to Asian, African, Latin American and others families seeking a new life in America.

But while her extended hospital stays and doctor visits were all-consuming, Caroline still found time to be a little girl, especially when she received something special from relatives — a pint-size hot pink superhero cape with a bright blue crown sewn squarely in the middle.

It was something her mom, Suzette, called a “bright spot during her treatment.”

“We already thought she was a superhero and the cape was the perfect touch,” Suzette told The Catholic Commentator, newspaper of the Baton Rouge Diocese.

Caroline’s superhero cape was one of 79 crafted by eighth-graders at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge.

Incorporated as part of an eighth-grade religion project aimed at reflecting the corporal works of mercy, the capes were created by the students and then donated to children in need.

“We wanted our focus to celebrate the courage of those who are chronically ill,” said Elizabeth Jones, Sacred Heart religion teacher.

As her eighth-grade students took ownership of the project, Jones said their ideas quickly morphed into an understanding of the type of courage and strength it takes for children

who are affected with cancer or other debilitating illnesses.

For student Faith Woods, the project allowed her to connect with something she learned from her mom.

“My mom’s a physician, and hearing her talk about the things she has to see people deal with has always impacted me. Being able to help people my age or even younger was so amazing,” she said.

Students were allowed to use their own creativity in crafting the capes, which featured designs from the traditional comic book heroes.

The students, however, didn’t stop at typical comic legends. They also used everyday objects and animals, including snowflakes, lightning bolts, dogs, cats and even a superhero cow — anything that would make a child smile.

“Something as simple as a flower can make you happy,” said Woods.

Her classmate Ashley Stevens agreed.

“I was able to embrace my inner 6-year-old and put all of my crazy little childish thoughts on this cape and make someone else’s day,” she said.

Half of the capes were donated to the children’s hospital and the rest were donated to the Baton Rouge General Pediatric Burn Center.

Jones said it was important for her students to understand how far-reaching their simple acts can be.

She said the project was student-run but also given support by teachers, parents and parishioners.

For example, they learned attaching their designs to the capes wasn’t as easy as they thought.

“We were trying to use super glue, and we realized that it just didn’t work,” said student Abby Ligon.

A teacher and some moms came to the rescue by hand-sewing designs onto each cape.

“There was so much support,” said Jones, who added she would like to see the project continue for next year, even offering her assistance to other schools interested in replicating it.

“When you’re sick, you’re not the happiest person,” said student Kelvin

Givens, who took part in the project. “To raise someone’s spirit is the greatest feeling in the world.”

Caroline Hoffman is proof that each super cape has its own special power to lift a person’s spirit.

Her mom said that when Caroline received her cape, she “would run up and down the halls” with it.

Caroline, who recently completed her treatments, is enjoying herself.

“We are currently at the beach,” said Suzette Hoffman, adding that Caroline’s “prognosis is great.”

By Rachele Smith Catholic News Service

A t almost 4 years old, Caroline Hoffman is battling something no child should ever have to worry about: cancer.

Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, Caroline, who lives in Virginia, has endured many months

of treatments at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La.

’‘In these (World Youth) days, we have experienced the beauty

of our universal fraternity in Christ, the center and hope of our lives. We have heard His voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd who dwells in our midst. He has spoken to each of you in your heart. He has renewed you by His love and He has shown you the

light of His forgiveness, the power of His grace. He has made you experience the reality of prayer. These days have given you a spiritual “breath of fresh air” that will help you live lives of mercy once you return to your own countries and communities.

— Pope Francis

(CNS photo/courtesy of Sacred Heart of Jesus School)

Leukemia patient Caroline Hoffman, who will soon celebrate her 4th birthday, sports a pint-size “super hero” cape crafted by eighth-graders at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Baton Rouge, La. Caroline is a patient at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge.

Eighth-Graders’ Capes Bring Joy to Young Patients

Fly Toward Fun

‘I was able to embrace my inner 6-year-old

and put all of my crazy little childish thoughts on this cape and make someone else’s day.’

— Ashley Stevens, eighth-grader

the Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 15

16 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

Assisted Suicide and Redemptive Su� ering

by Father Kenneth WasilewskiDiocesan Ethicist

Ethically Speaking

kwasilewski@rockforddiocese.org

‘There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish

until it is accomplished.’

— Luke 12:50

© 2015 Diocese of Fort Worth

Word to Life: Aug. 14, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

BY JEAN DENTONCatholic News Service

I live at the edge of Appalachia, where I’m awed every day by the beauty of the mountains. But despite a sense of serenity, I know the scene before me is not at peace.

The paradox of the Appalachian region is well-known: Its natural beauty and rich culture belie a continuing struggle with environmental exploitation and poverty.

An inspiring, ongoing story I covered as a reporter for my diocesan newspaper was the work of the church advocating for justice in Appalachia. Over recent decades, much of that mission has been carried out at the grass roots by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia, an active group of religious and laypeople living and laboring with the people, lifting a prophetic voice against such degradation as mountaintop removal, industrial pollution and myriad social problems that come with endemic poverty.

The Holy Spirit is at work among God’s faithful people there, characteristically stirring up confl ict. Characteristically?

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus asks, “Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth?”

On the contrary, He states, He intends to set the earth on fi re, bringing division and, yes, that can mean confl ict even among our brothers and sisters in Christ.

A stark example is the struggle for justice in Appalachia, alive with Christ’s Spirit as the members of the church grapple with their diff erences of opinion on environmental issues.

Members of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia last year applauded Pope Francis’ encyclical on the global threat of climate change. The pope’s words appeared to speak directly to conditions in Appalachia as he described the critical depletion of the earth’s natural resources and its particular impact on the poor.

But the response of some local dioceses diff ered from the committee’s. They disagreed on the environmental and economic impact some of the document’s proposals would have on the region as well as on how to address the problems it raised. Nevertheless, the committee encouraged all the bishops of Appalachia to engage the church in the concerns and confl icts raised by “Laudato Si’,” even though the conversation may be contentious.

So it is with many issues our church faces, but in bequeathing His Spirit to His disciples, Jesus baptized us in fi re and calls us to work through the confl icts to accomplish His will.

Ask yourself: How would you describe the attitude of Jesus in this Gospel? When have you witnessed the Spirit of Christ working through confl ict?

We Must Work Together

(CNS photo/Lawrence Looi, EPA)

A common argument employed by advocates of assisted suicide, is that by ending one’s life, one avoids pointless suff ering. Who wouldn’t want to avoid suff ering? I think everyone would. But beyond this, faithful Christians diff er greatly with advocates of assisted suicide over the assertion that suff ering at the end of one’s life is pointless.

While Christian charity may motivate us to off er comfort and pain control for one in the midst of suff ering, there are moral limits to what can be done. Ending suff ering by ending someone’s life is a direct breech of the Fifth Commandment and therefore a grave sin, regardless of one’s intentions.

So what do we do with the unavoidable suff ering that sometimes accompanies a person’s last days? As Christians, our response must always be informed by our faith.

We must never forget that Jesus Himself freely accepted the suff ering that came to Him. If there was ever anyone on this earth who deserved to be free from suff ering, it’s Him. We could make a similar claim about His mother, Mary. And yet, Scripture records the gruesome details of Jesus’ horrifi c suff ering — and mentions that Mary herself would be “pierced with a sword.”

Theologically, we understand that sin is the ultimate cause of suff ering. And yet the two persons who would have a claim to be exempted, suff ered greatly.

This underscores the fact that, with our limited view, suff ering will sometimes be mysterious, especially when it involves the innocent. Such examples elicit in us the question “Why?” — Why this? Why now? Why them?

I’m sure Christ’s followers who witnessed His suff ering likely asked similar questions. The inability to answer this question fully leads some to question God’s existence. If the cross of Christ was the end of the story, we might be able to sympathize with that response. But the cross isn’t the end. Something comes after which, while not erasing Jesus’ pain, nevertheless changed the meaning of suff ering itself, and revealed a deeper truth accessible to those with faith.

Faith in Jesus allows us to trust that there is an answer to

the

question “Why?” even if it may not be fully known now.

But our faith also inspires another question which is much more helpful: “How?” How can I serve Him with this? How can I join my suff ering to Christ’s?

These are questions that believers must ponder, because they recognize something invisible to atheistic and nihilistic eyes: suff ering is not pointless — even if mysterious.

In God’s economy nothing is wasted or devoid of meaning — not even suff ering. If it were not transformed by the cross, if His death was the end of the story, if there was nothing after this life, then those advocating for assisted suicide would have a point calling it pointless.

But if Christ’s suff ering served a purpose and accomplished something, if there is something after this life, then we who “have been baptized into His death” can view suff ering diff erently.

What if it’s our call to be reconciled to God or to detach ourselves from our own will in favor of God’s? What if it could be off ered up for those family members who have left the faith? What if it is the greatest prayer we might ever pray? With God the possibilities are endless.

On the other side of this life, we will see what we cannot see now, and may even see the suff erings we off ered to God as the greatest gifts we ever had the opportunity to give.

Perhaps it was this realization that inspired St. Paul to write: “Now I rejoice in my suff erings for your sake, and in my fl esh I am fi lling up what is lacking in the affl ictions of Christ on behalf of His body, which is the church.” (Col 1:24)

For the Christian, our faith reminds us, and reassures us, that no suff ering, no matter how large or small is ever pointless.

Our Catholic View

When we think of “temptation,” most of us likely go right to thoughts of a gooey pizza or hot fudge sundae or some other such treat that, in our saner moments, we seek to limit.

Such things may add a layer of fat to our profi le, but other temptations, when indulged, have much greater potential

for signifi cant and lasting damage. We may not, however, recognize them as temptations, much less as part of the spiritual warfare being waged in the world.

One evil spirit that appears to target committed Catholics — those who have sacrifi ced

in greater or lesser ways for their faith — is the temptation of chronic irritability.

This is not what we experience when we are trying to beat the clock and something gets in the way. Such a short-lived burst of aggravation will hopefully dissipate once we arrive and settle down.

The more-entrenched tendency tempts us to fi nd fault with all the pieces of life — including good-hearted attempts by others to make this fallen world a better place. If we fi nd ourselves slamming people who seek to do God’s will, we can discern that the spirit we are indulging is NOT the Holy Spirit.

We don’t have to get all weirded out over that. St. Ignatius teaches that non-Holy Spirit spirits come from the devil or from ourselves. In many ways, it doesn’t matter if we are under attack from a real demon or if we are being our own selfi sh selves. Neither come from God, and both should be resisted.

There are numerous other areas where we can be tempted. Historically, evil goes after all people at their weak points, and so it is wise to ask God to help us know ourselves better. One benefi t of facing up to our own reality is to gain some sense of where we need to be especially vigilant and expect challenges.

For example, if we tend toward fear of the unknown, we will be tempted to be afraid of what God wants for our future. If we don’t resist the fear, we may fi nd ourselves opposing or ignoring our religious leaders who call us to reach beyond our norms, either to embrace people we don’t know or to begin a new-to-us way of serving God and His Church.

If we are obsessed with doing things perfectly, evil may work to make us scrupulous (tempted to hate ourselves) or it might direct our attention to the faults of others (tempting us to discourage and dishearten them in their better eff orts).

If we have a need to be liked by everyone, we’ll be vulnerable to the great temptation to please others at all costs. In that quest, we may end up ignoring God’s directions as we listen so closely to others. As children, we may have gotten the impression that being nice is always good. Sadly, some niceties may simply be a matter of being wimpy on behalf of the good.

Comfort is a most-sneaky temptation. It is the primary goal of many who surround us in life and of society in general. We work very hard to create comfortable surroundings for ourselves. Deliberate and regular sacrifi ces made for God and others can push back our fl owing automatically right into this temptation.

As youngsters we may have absorbed behavior triggers — situations or relationships that bring out the worst in us. If we traditionally approach or view our spouse or children, workplace underlings or bosses in unkind and unChristian ways, we might be imitating a mentor or parent from our past. How great it is to realize what is happening and to stop such mean-spiritedness.

Temptations are tempting because they encourage us to take an easy road, to please our own desires and give ourselves a pass from the hard things of faith. By pondering our Savior’s path, unearthing our unthinking motivations and discerning how what we do fi ts into the bigger picture, we can come to realize our need for God’s graces.

With His saving help, we can recognize the times and places where we are most vulnerable to temptations. We can fi gure out how to avoid the occasions of sin once we know what those situations are.

The Holy Spirit is more than willing to help us in that noble and holy quest to resist temptations.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of

speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

To send letters to us please use one of the following:

Mail: The Observer, The Diocese of Rockford555 Colman Center Drive P.O. Box 7044Rockford, IL 61125Fax: 815/399-6225

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Person in the Pew

by Amanda HudsonNews EditorThe Observer

ahudson@rockforddiocese.org

It was a vacation to my homeland to renew my spirit in the mountains of New Mexico, appropriately named for the blood of Christ for their reddish tint at certain times of the day. It was certainly that, but the greater inspiration came from a visit to a cousin suff ering from cancer of the pancreas.

The day my wife, Penny; my son, Jim; and I came to see Jose Perea, he had just been to the doctor, who told him that the chemotherapy was no longer working. But back home, he was as cheerful as in the best of times. He said he asked the doctor if he could travel to a casino in the Denver area.

“He told me I can do anything I want because I cannot take my money with me,” Jose said. “But, you know, I think he is wrong. Before I die, I am going to write a check to myself, and I am going to have it in my hand when that moment comes,” he said.

We talked about a cruise we had taken together to Alaska and the laughs we shared then and at other times. We saw in him a spirit that throughout a hard life never gave in to despair.

He was an orphan whose fi rst childhood memory was of his mother dying of tuberculosis when he was 4 years old. Afterward, he was shuffl ed from one grandfather to another, to an aunt and even to a cousin.

When he was 12, he was back again living with Grandfather Perea. Grandmother Josefi ta had died and his grandpa had remarried, but his new wife did not want Jose.

So at the age of 13, Grandfather Perea told him: “You have to go. I suggest you go to Colorado. There is much work there. We do not have the money to pay your fare, but you can go to the Labor Department and enlist.”

Jose set off with a bedroll he learned how to pack from his

grandfrather. From then on, he was on his own, working in the onion fi elds in Colorado, as an attendant in the state mental hospital in Las Vegas, N.M., where he had to lie about his age to be hired, and going to high school at the same time.

At 17, he enlisted in the Army after a tragic accident in which his car lost a wheel, killing his cousin, Henry, his closest friend. In Korea, his unit was approaching the Yalu River when a million Chinese invaded. He spent six months in the front lines simply because his superiors forgot about him.

Back home safe, he worked his way through college to earn a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s and fi nally a doctorate in education. He worked as a university professor, vice president of a branch of Community College of Denver and superintendent of public schools in Vaughn and Las Vegas, N.M..

He and his wife, Stella, raised six children, among them a teacher, pharmacist, manufacturing equipment technician, systems engineer and a publisher. At 84, Jose can certainly look back to a rewarding life.

After our visit, Jose was able to go to Denver, where extended family and friends welcomed him with a nice reception.

The unwanted orphan had created a family that extended beyond his own loving sons and daughters to relatives and beyond.

He said: “Whatever God has in store for me, I know it will be for the best.”

Hope in the Face of Terminal IllnessSeeking Life

by Moises Sandoval

Catholic News Service

In a NutshellIn “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy

of Love”), Pope Francis says that during the years of their journey together, a wife and husband serve as each other’s companion, “one with whom to face life’s dif-� culties and enjoy its pleasures.”

New spouses — such as these exchanging rings as Pope Francis (in background) celebrated their marriage with 19 other couples in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vati-can— share an “age-old love ... It is a deeper love,” the pope says, “a lifelong decision of the heart.”

Their love remains the same love they have known, yet over time it “� nds new forms of ex-pression and seeks new ways to grow” stronger.

The pope urges couples to make marriage a matter of prayer, asking the Holy Spirit “to con� rm, direct and transform [their] love in every new situation.”

(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 17Our Catholic View

DeathsAU RO R A — A n n u n c i a t i o n BVM: Julianne Trezek, 54, July 28; DEKALB—St. Mary: Mildred E. Burtch, 95, Aug. 1;DURAND—St. Mary/St. Pat-rick: Angelo Nicolosi, 65, July 26;EAST DUBUQUE—St. Mary: Clem Polfer, 100, July 25; Freder-ick Ramaker, 92, July 29; Cletus S. Dalsing, 77, Aug. 2;HUNTLEY—St. Mary: Mon-ica Grund, 45, July 14; DeWayne Spielman, 78, July 28; Thomasina Moran, 76, Aug. 2;MCHENRY—St. Patrick: Jean Brown, 89, July 28; Mary Ann Whittenhall, 70, July 29; Anthony Canzoneri, 74, Aug. 3;NORTH AURORA—Blessed Sacrament: Laverne Ann Covelli, 91, July 27; Daniel A. Gorman, 68, July 29;ROCKFORD—St. Stanislaus Kostka: Deacon James Hudzin-ski, 64, July 24; Nicholas Kredich, 80, July 26;ST. CHARLES—St. John Neu-mann: Kathleen I. Birth, 96, July 26; Daniel J. Schmidt, 29, July 26; John L. Huber, 82, July 27;STERLING—St. Mary: Trini-dad C. Molina, 82, July 25: James E. Fitzgerald, 83, July 26.

WeddingsAU RO R A — A n n u n c i a t i o n BVM: Samantha Rubin and Da-

vid McCown, June 25; Kathleen Momper and Grant Gendrum, July 9; Michelle Montalbano and John Peters, July 16; Erin Kofron and Brian Hoss, July 22; Jenna Hlava-cek and Andrew Phinney, July 24; Aislinn Bohr and Timothy Wood-worth, July 30;FREEPORT—St. Thomas Aquinas: Brianna Ruth Martinez and Shaun Eli Dascher, July 30;HAMPSHIRE—St. Charles Borromeo: Jaclyn V. Clai and Benjamin W. Versnik, July 9;HUNTLEY—St. Mary: Susan Baird and Dale Gibson, July 23;ST. CHARLES—St. Patrick: Katherine V. Fennessy and Eric N. Shepard, June 4; Michele M. Robbennolt and Neal C. Woods, June 4; Laurie R. Muellner and Matthew R. O’Brien, June 11; Kristin A. Wlezien and Curtis M. Gendron, June 11; Elizabeth C. Castaneda and Tyler J. Jones, June 25; Jacqueline Ledesma and Thiraphol Anongsack, July 2; Kortney A. Moss and Ikenna E. Achi, July 2; Merlie Hernan-dez Garcia and Jose Luis Marti-nez Escobedo, July 9; Audrey C. Danner and Robert A. Conway, July 16; Kayla M. Recchia and Alexander J. Drage, July 22; Ju-lie Parisi and Arkadiusz M. Bar, July 22.

Stewardship Moment

Possessions: God intended pos-sessions to be used. He wants them to be used for the physical, spiritual, educational, social and recreational needs of the people. Possibly the biggest problem we face is how to divide the spending of our money between the spiritual and material aspects of life. Our task is to divide it properly.

Courtesy of Parish Publications “Stewardship” newsletter

Mass Meditation

Sunday, Aug. 14 (20th Ordi-nary): In today’s second read-ing, St. Paul encourages us not to grow weary or lose heart, but to persevere in following Jesus. Our willingness to give of ourselves, even in the face of conflict and di-vision, is one way to measure our discipleship.

Courtesy of Sharon Hueckel

Life Moment

Pray: That all who proclaim the word of God may find strength in times of persecution.

Courtesy of www.priestsforlife.org

18 | FRIDAY AUGUSY 12, 2016 | The Observer For the RecordParish offices may forward death and wedding information using forms at http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/contact-us. You may also request death and wedding postcards by calling 815/399-4300, ext. 383. We encourage you to send the information as soon as you receive it. Thank you.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual abuse by an employee or mem-ber of the clergy of the Rockford Diocese, report the matter to law enforcement in the county in which the conduct occurred and then please call the hot-line number: 815/293-7540.

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News in BriefTraining prepares dioceses for terrorism, mass shootings, other disasters

WASHINGTON (CNS)—To help before tragedy occurs, a Wash-ington-based priest and psychologist is conducting a free webi-nar at the end of August to prepare priests, religious and other church members to deal with the trauma that follows a natu-ral disaster, an act of terrorism or any other large-scale tragedy that they and the communities they serve might face. “Just be-cause you’re a priest or a (reli-gious) sister or a brother does not mean you have the training to deal with these large-scale di-sasters,” said Msgr. Stephen Ros-setti. He’s conducting the free Aug. 31 online webinar “Shep-herding in Tragic Times: Caring for Self and Others in Trauma” via St. Luke Institute in Mary-land. Msgr. Rossetti, a licensed psychologist and past president of St. Luke Institute, first dealt with large-scale tragedies after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005 and he was dispatched to help priests in Biloxi, Mis-sissippi. He will discuss some of the lessons from that experience during the webinar aimed at priests and religious, but available to anyone who wants to register at www.sliconnect.org.

Maryland Catholic church becomes place of refuge in catastrophic flood

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (CNS)—When flash flooding turned the old metaphor “Head for the hills” into a literal imperative July 30, some 50 people found a Catho-lic church. “Pretty much every-one was telling the same story,” said Father Warren Tanghe, pas-tor of St. Paul, a historic church located at the top of the hill on St. Paul Street. The stories were of a nice night out in a nice town and a nice meal in a restaurant with a view of rain. A sudden “loud noise” was followed by water that rapidly rose to knee-cap-level. The staff of several restaurants guided patrons out the back doors of their establishments on Main Street, while strongly urging them to seek high ground.

TORONTO (CNS)—Most Western humanitarian aid is failing to reach the thousands of Christians who have fled their homes as Islamic State fighters have swept through Iraq and Syria, three Middle Eastern bishops said at the 134th Knights of Columbus convention in Toronto.

“It’s time for election (in the United States) and also it is time to rethink American policy in the Middle East,” said Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Irbil, in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq. “Call on the government to direct the help directly to the people af-fected.”

Aid sent to refugee camps in the region never reaches the Christian minorities who do not feel safe inside the camps.

The only aid reaching Chris-tians in the region comes from churches, he said, adding west-ern governments need to get over their reluctance to directly fund church organizations.

A visibly angry Melkite Arch-bishop Jean-Clement Jeanbart of Aleppo told journalists: “The

governments send their money to the people in the camps and to the fighters and nothing to us.”

Archbishop Jeanbart argued that aid is needed as a way of keeping Christians in the re-gion ready to reclaim their homes when the war involving thousands of foreign mercenar-ies in Syria is over.

“Syria is a holy land be-cause millions of Christians have shed their blood in this land — fathers of the church who preferred to die than leave their faith,” he said. “It is our country. We were there before the Muslims ... We are sons of Abraham effectively, not theo-retically.”

Western Government Aid Said Not to Reach Minorities

Parish Guide on Ecology Gives Practical Ideas

ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS)—In his encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” Pope Francis states: “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”

A new guide draws from more than a dozen countries and cultures to offer practical ways to care for creation and respond to the pope’s call to action.

The “Eco-Parish Guide: Bringing ‘Laudato Si’ to Life” is a tool for pastors, staff, pas-toral councils and parishioners to combat climate change.

Divided into three main sec-tions, the guide includes ini-tiatives that can help parishes reduce emissions, suggestions for how they can inspire and engage parishioners about en-vironmental issues, and ways to practice solidarity and advo-cacy that serve the neediest and build up the common good.

The 45-page guide is avail-able at bit.ly/Eco-ParishGuide

(CNS photo/Sarah Webb, CatholicPhilly.com)

Women Religious Raise AwarenessEmily Edwards, of the group Witnesses to Hunger, signs the Nuns on the Bus bus after giving testimony at the close of a July 29 rally in Philadelphia near where the Democratic National Convention was held. Twenty women religious participated in a three-week, 13-state bus trip that also took them to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Network, a Washington-based Catholic social justice lobby, sponsored the tour to raise awareness of social issues affecting the poor and disenfranchised.

Marriage and Family CoordinatorThe Catholic Diocese of Madison is seeking a Marriage and Family Coordinator. Essential job functions in areas of marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, Retrouvaille, Rachel’s Vineyard, Theology of the Body, Hispanic Ministry, and other initiatives.Coordinator shall publicly profess and follow Catholic teachings as proclaimed by the magisterium of the Church, especially in the areas of marriage, family, and sexual morality.Preferred education and experience include: a bachelor’s degree or higher in marriage and family studies, theology, philosophy, or related subject; specific study in the Theology of the Body; proficiency in Spanish; proficiency with standard office software.

For details go to www.madisondiocese.org/DioceseofMadison/HumanResources/Employment/MadisonChanceryOpenings.aspx.

To apply, send cover letter and resume to Diocese of Madison, Attn: Eric Schiedermayer,

702 S. High Point Rd, Suite 225, Madison, WI 53719 or to Eric.Schiedermayer@MadisonDiocese.org

Full Time SecretarySt. Patrick Catholic Church, Rochelle is seeking a self-starting, self-motivated person of the Catholic faith to work as a full time secretary. Requisites: — Bilingual: speak and write (Spanish and English) — Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Publisher preferred — High School diplomaResponsibilities include:

l Schedule appointments l Create weekly bulletinl Answer calls and emails l Arrange funeral liturgies

l Order supplies as neededInterested parties should send cover letter

and resume by August 22th to 244 Kelley Drive, Rochelle, IL 61068

or email to: stpatrick-rochelle@rockforddiocese.org.

(CNS photo/courtesy St. Francis of Assisi Church)

Students from St. Francis of Assisi School in Triangle, Va., rake leaves as part of a clean-up effort.

(CNS photo/Tom Tracy)

People gather in West Palm Beach, Fla., June 12 to mourn those killed in a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla.

(CNS photo/Kevin J. Parks, Catholic Review)

Father Warren Tanghe, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Ellicott City, Md., stands at the en-trance of the historic downtown.

(CNS photo/Reuters)

Displaced people who fled Islamic State violence, receive aid on the outskirts of Shirqat, south of Mosul, Iraq. Most Western humanitarian aid is failing to reach the thousands of Christians who have fled their homes as Islamic State fighters have swept through Iraq and Syria, three Middle Eastern bishops said at the 134th Knights of Columbus convention in Toronto.

The Observer | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | 19Nation/World

20 | FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 | The Observer

Pope Names Panel to Study Women Deacons

Body of Seminarian Found, Had Rescued a Woman from Drowning

VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis has appointed six men and six women to a commission to study the issue of women deacons, particu-larly their ministry in the early church.

In addition, the pope tapped Archbishop Luis Ladaria Fer-rer, secretary of the Congre-gation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to serve as president of the commission.

The pope set up the commis-sion at the request of the Inter-national Union of Superiors General, the organization for the leaders of women’s reli-gious orders around the world. Meeting the group in May, Pope Francis said that while his un-derstanding was that the women described as deacons in the New Testament were not ordained as male deacons are today, “it would be useful for the church to clarify this question.”

The International Theologi-cal Commission included the question of women deacons in

a study on the diaconate almost 20 years ago. Its report, issued in 2002, concluded that biblical deaconesses were not the same as ordained male deacons.

In June, Pope Francis told re-porters that he had asked Car-dinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the doctrinal congregation, and Sister Carmen Sammut, president of the superiors’ group, to suggest scholars to include in the study group.

At least one of the members

Pope Francis named to the commission — U.S. scholar Phyllis Zagano — has written extensively on the role of wom-en deacons in the early church, arguing that they were ordained ministers and that women can be ordained deacons today. She is a senior research associate in the religion department at Hof-stra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

“The theological question isn’t whether women were or-dained (in the early church), but rather whether women can be ordained as deacons. The church has stated definitively that women cannot be ordained as priests. The church has al-ways left the question of restor-ing women to the diaconate as open,” she told CNS Aug. 2.

Another U.S. scholar also is among the 12: Augustinian Fa-ther Robert Dodaro, president of the Pontifical Augustinian Insti-tute in Rome and a professor of patristic theology specializing in the works of St. Augustine.

News in BriefBombing of Aleppo destroys hospitals, traps civilians, including kids

AMMAN, Jordan (CNS)—Only a small number of civilians in Aleppo are using humanitarian corridors to flee weeks of inten-sive bombardment; activists say people do not trust that the routes are safe. Sonia Khush, who directs Save the Children Syria, told Catholic News Service that civilians trapped inside the city’s eastern neighborhoods have experienced bombing that has destroyed homes and hospitals, leaving children crippled and dead. She recounted a story from a staffer at a partner agency at the scene of an airstrike, where children were buried beneath the rubble. “A child less than 10 years old ran to me shouting, ‘Sir, please put my arm back.’ His left arm was amputated and he held it with his right hand. He was begging me to put it back, and this is only one of so many tragedies that we see,” the aid worker said. “He described life in East Aleppo like living on the edge of an ac-tive volcano,” Khush told CNS in the Jordanian capital. “You never know when you are going to die. It just keeps getting harder and harder and more dangerous and more dangerous.”

Forgive others and find peace, pope says during brief visit to Assisi

ASSISI, Italy (CNS)—Celebrating how God’s mercy has been experienced for 800 years in a tiny stone church in Assisi, Pope Francis said people need to experience God’s forgiveness and

start learning how to forgive others. “Too many people are caught up in resentment and harbor hatred because they are incapable of forgiving. They ruin their own lives and the lives of those around them rather than finding the joy of serenity and peace,” the pope said Aug. 4 during an afternoon visit to the Basilica of St. Mary of the An-gels. Before speaking about the importance of confession and forgiveness, Pope Francis set a bouquet of red and white roses on the altar and prayed silently for 10 minutes in the Portiunco-la, a stone chapel in the middle of the basilica. The abandoned ninth-century Benedictine cha-pel was entrusted to St. Fran-cis of Assisi in the early 1200s.

When St. Francis felt God calling him to rebuild the church, he first thought he meant the little chapel. St. Francis restored the chapel in 1207 and two years later he founded his religious or-der there. The reason Pope Francis visited Aug. 4 and the reason thousands travel there each August is the “Pardon of Assisi,” a plenary indulgence offered to visitors who are sincerely sorry for their sins, go to confession, receive the Eucharist, recite the Creed and pray for the intentions of the pope as a sign of their unity with the church.

Archbishop Gregory to chair USCCB task force on race

WASHINGTON (CNS)—Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of At-lanta has been appointed as chair of a new task force of the U.S. bishops to deal with racial issues brought into public conscious-ness following a series of summertime shootings that left both citizens and police officers among those dead. The task force’s charge includes helping bishops to engage directly the challeng-ing problems highlighted by the shootings. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Cath-olic Bishops, also called for a national day of prayer for peace in our communities, to be held Sept. 9, the feast of St. Peter Claver.

(CNS photo/Max Rossi, Reuters)

Pope Francis poses with refugees as he leads his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Aug. 3.

Nation/World

WICHITA, Kan. (CNS)—Law enforcement officials in Wichita Aug. 1 announced that a body found some days earlier in the Arkansas River near one of the city’s parks was the body of Brian Bergkamp, a seminari-an from the Diocese of Wichita.

The Wichita Eagle daily newspaper reported that a fish-erman had spotted a piece of life vest floating in the water with a rosary attached to it. That dis-covery led to finding the body of the missing seminarian.

The coroner July 29 con-

firmed it was Bergkamp and his family was given the news first.

Bergkamp, who was study-ing for the Kansas diocese at a Maryland seminary, had been missing since he saved the life of a woman who fell into the Arkansas River July 9.

Three days later, he remained missing and was presumed to be dead.

Bergkamp, 24, was among five people traveling in separate kayaks when all got caught in turbulent waters.

According to The Wichita

Eagle, Bergkamp jumped from his kayak to save the woman before getting pulled under himself. He was not wearing a life jacket.

The other kayakers made it to shore.

His family said his funeral and burial would be private.

“Our prayers continue to be lifted up for the consolation of Brian’s family as they take the next step to honor the mem-ory of their son and brother,” the Wichita Diocese said in an Aug. 1 statement.

(CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

Pope Francis prays in the Porti-uncola, the chapel inside the Ba-silica of St. Mary of the Angels, in Assisi, Italy, Aug. 4.

(CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Phyllis Zagano, a senior research associate in the religion depart-ment at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., will take part in the study of women deacons.