the catholic magazine on vocation ministry july -s

THE CATHOLIC MAGAZINEON VOCATION MINISTRY

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2007#69 VOL. XVI NO.3

2 Vocations and Prayer

In This Issue JULY - SEPTEMBER 2007 VOL. XVI NO.3

20th Anniversary of J. S. PaluchVocations Seminar

Pg 4

Exercising the SpiritsPg 12

The Story of your LifePg 20

Faith before the Oscar:Interview with Ennio Morricone

Pg 26

EDITORIAL

FROM THE FEW TO THE APOSTOLATE OF THE WHOLE CHURCH ...........................................................................................3The greatest accomplishment of a vocation apostolate is when it grows from the interestof a few to the daily mission of the whole Church.By Fr. John Bruno, RCJ

VOCATION APOSTOLATE

20THANNIVERSARY OF J. S. PALUCH VOCATIONS SEMINAR....................................................................................................4In 1988, Mrs. Margaret A. Paluch brought together national leaders in diocesan and religious vocation ministryin the first of a series of seminars for vocations. During the last 20 years, the J.S. Paluch Vocation Seminarshave offered a unique opportunity for dialogue and interaction in the field of vocations.By Dolores J. Orzel

ROGATE BRAZIL: SPREADING THE VOCATIONS MESSAGE IN LATINAMERICA FOR 25YEARS...............................................10On June 8, 2007, the Rogate Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, sponsored a conference on Vocationsand Media to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the magazine on vocations ministry, Rogate.By Jefferson Pereira and Fr. Juarez Destro

ROGATE ERGO ROME CELEBRATES 70 YEARS IN THE VOCATIONAPOSTOLATE....................................................................11For the last 70 years, Rogate Ergo Rome has featured new paths, doubts, problems and possible solutionsin the vocation apostolate. Rogate Ergo magazine has become a reliable source of informationabout vocations in Italy and the world.By Fr. Vito Magno, RCJ

SPIRITUALITY

EXERCISING THE SPIRITS.......................................................................................................................................................12We are each moved by different spirits, and we all experience many spiritual movements driving usin one direction or another. St. Ignatius of Loyola developed spiritual exercises that ensure we are beingdriven in God’s direction and not feeding desolation and moving away from God.By Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC

THE CROSS: SIGN OF THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION.................................................................................................................18The tone of the feast of the “Exaltation of the Cross”, now called “The Triumph of the Cross”,helps us recall our happiness about our salvation. The cross is the sign of our baptismal calling.By Br. John Samaha, SM

VOCATIONS

THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE.....................................................................................................................................................20The primary author of life’s story is God, and He reveals it to us gradually through the Holy Spirit and His word.We are invited to co-act with Christ, the Divine Author to follow Him in doing the Father’s will.As free characters, we can pursue happiness, joy and satisfaction however we choose.By Rick Sarkisian, Ph.D.

VOCATION WITNESS

RECOGNIZING OUR CONNECTION WITH GOD’S HOLY CREATION.........................................................................................23Inspired by the Oblate priority of the “Integrity of Creation”, Fr. Maurice Lange manages a programcalled Community Supported Agriculture. CSA is a co-op arrangement in which community membersbuy shares of the farm, and during the growing season they come to collect their share of the harvest.By Pamela Selbert

FAITH BEFORE THE OSCAR: INTERVIEW WITH ENNIO MORRICONE.....................................................................................26Ennio Morricone received an honorary Academy Award for career achievement on February 25, 2007. According tohim, the Oscar has not added anything to his life, but one more prize to his collection.By Fr. Vito Magno, RCJ

PSYCHOLOGY

OPENING YOUR MIND’S EYE TO ALL THINGS ETERNAL.......................................................................................................28To live the abundant life, one must adopt an Eternal Locus of Control. And when disappointment,heartache and adversity raise their ugly heads, you will need an eternal perspective to sustain and guide youthrough the storm.By Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen, aka, Dr. BLT

NEWS ON VOCATIONS

Increase in Mexican Vocations: 12,000 seminarians............................................................................................30Non-Italian Born Priests in ItalyVietnamese Vocations in the Philippines

AAnniversaries are an occasion to cele-brate past accomplishments, to

reflect on the present, and to plan for thefuture.In this issue, we celebrate the 20th

anniversary of the J.S. Paluch VocationSeminars. It is remarkable that the Paluchfamily has seen the vocation field as a min-istry and a service to the Catholic Churchin the U.S. more than as a business oppor-tunity. We also remember the 25thAnniversary

of our sister publication in Brazil, thevocation magazine Rogate.

This magazine, in collaboration withthe Institute of Pastoral for Vocations, hasbecome a point of reference for all reli-gious communities and the Church inBrazil. It is also important to mention the 70th

anniversary of the vocation magazineRogate Ergo in Italy.

July - September 2007 3

Editorial

By Fr. John Bruno, RCJ

PublisherRogationist Fathers, U.S.A. DelegationRev. Antonio Carlucci, RCJ, President

EditorRev. John Bruno, RCJ

Editor AssistantMónica Llerena, BS

Contributing WritersSr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC, Rev. Sal Ciranni RCJ,Rev. Joseph MPR Cocucci, Sr. Lou Ella Hickman,IWBS, Fr. Vito Magno, Rev. Emmanuel CharlesMcCarthy, Fr. J. Edward Owens O.SS.T., Rev.William Reiser, SJ, Br. John M. Samaha, RickSarkisian, Ph.D., Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., Rev.Michael Wensing

Subscriptions and AdvertisingMónica Llerena, BS

Art DesignerErika Hirugami

Printing and DesignChallenge Graphics, North Hills, CA

Subscription RatesSingle Copy $5.00One-year subscription $18.00Two-year subscription $30.00International: 1 year $25.00

2 years $44.00

Vocations and Prayer is published quarterly by the Rogationist Fathers, U.S.A.,in cooperation with:ROGATE ERGO/MONDO VOCVia dei Rogazionisti, 8 00182 Rome, ITALY

ROGATE ERGO1 Calcutta St., Merville Park, Parañaque, Metro Manila 1700 - PHILIPPINES

ROGATERua C. Ferreiro Carnero, 9902926 Sao Paulo - S.P. BRAZIL

Manuscripts, letters to the editor, articles forpublication are solicited from all those who wish to cooperate in vocation ministry. All inquiries should be addressed to:

Vocations and Prayer6635 Tobias Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91405Tel. (818) 782-1765, Fax (818) 782-1794E-mail: [email protected]

2007 Congregation of Rogationists. None of the contents of this publication may be printed withoutwritten permission of the publisher. The opinionsexpressed herein are those of individual writers and do not necessarily represent views of theRogationist Fathers.

Cover Photo byGuy Louis Selbert

FR. JOHN BRUNO, RCJ

Ordained in 1974. He is a graduate of St. John’sSeminary in Camarillo and Jesuit School ofTheology at Berkeley. He is presently pastor ofSt. Elisabeth Church in Van Nuys, CA.

All the “Rogate” (Pray the Lord of theHarvest) magazines grew in a time whenthere was not a vocation crisis, but they fol-lowed and encouraged prayer for vocationsas an apostolate for the whole church. Thesemagazines were inspired by St. Hannibal M.Di Francia by Pope John Paul II as “precur-sor and master of the modern pastoral forvocations”.In all these celebrations, we see that the

timid beginning of small groups havebecome a mainstream apostolate of theChurch. I think that the greatest accomplish-ment of a vocation apostolate is when itgrows from the interest of a few to the dailymission of the whole church. This was thedream of St. Hannibal Di Francia, at the endof the 19th century, that his daily prayer forvocations become universal.Our vocation ministry and the success of

vocation groups will be accomplished when:

•The whole parish prays for vocations•Every Catholic becomes aware that“every life is a vocation”

•All people will respond with generosi-ty to their call

•Vocations ministry is not relegated tothe “vocation director” but to everycommunity member

•Every Catholic group will work interms of vocations

•A specific vocation apostolate will notneed to exist because it has become theapostolate of the whole church

•Our fervent prayer will be answered bythe “Lord of the harvest,” and He will“send workers into his harvest”.

RogateErgo

Brazil

By Dolores J. Orzel

As a dream becomes a vision and a vision generates a plan,new possibilities emerge. In 1988, Mrs. Margaret A. Paluch,Chairman of the Board of the J.S. Paluch Company, had a dreamto bring together national leaders in diocesan and religious voca-tion ministry. She had already established the J.S. Paluch NationalVocations Awareness Division (NVAD) in 1985 and then wantedto create an opportunity for person-to-person interaction. At thetime, no national forum existed for this interchange betweendiocesan and religious vocation leaders.

This vision inspired her staff to organize the first PaluchVocation Seminar. The decision was also made to completelyunderwrite all seminar costs, including all travel, hotel, meals, andrelated expenses, so participants would have no concerns abouttheir budgets. This first seminar gathered the executive boards ofthe National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors(NCDVD) and the National Religious Vocation Conference(NRVC). These leaders, with the input and assistance of MostRev. Thomas J. Murphy (d. 1997) and Rev. J. Cletus Kiley, begana dialogue and process of collaboration that has continued for 20years. In the words of Most Rev. Patrick J. Zurek, AuxiliaryBishop of San Antonio, and seminar participant, “I think the voca-tion seminars that the Paluch Company provided for the leader-ship of NCDVD and NRVC were some of the most creative andthought provoking meetings for stimulating new approaches tovocation ministry in the USA. They were the catalyst for manynew programs and a wonderful arena for networking among the

leaders of the directors and promoters of vocations to the priest-hood and consecrated religious life in our country.”

NCEA Seminary Award and Other Anniversary Surprises

From August 6-8, 2007, the J. S. Paluch Vocation Seminargathered vocation leaders from across the United States and rep-resentatives from Canada for the 20th year. The opening dinner onMonday, August 6, celebrated shared history and provided somewonderful surprises.

Fr. Kiley, the facilitator at the first Paluch seminar and current-ly President of The Faith & Politics Institute in Washington, DC,gave the invocation before dinner. Dr. Karen Ristau, President ofthe National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and Rev.Mark A. Latcovich, NCEA Seminary Department ExecutiveCommittee Chairperson, presented the Pope John Paul IISeminary Leadership Award to Mrs. Paluch for her distinguishedservice to the Roman Catholic seminaries in the US and Canada.Sr. Diane Poplawski, OP, Executive Director of the NationalCoalition for Church Vocations (NCCV), Br. Paul Bernarczyk,CSC, Executive Director of NRVC, and Mr. Randall Cirner,Executive Director of NCDVD, then offered congratulations,accolades, and gifts of recognition to Mrs. Paluch, Mary Lou(Publisher) and Bill Rafferty (President), and Dolores Orzel(Creative Director of NVAD). Among the gifts were letters col-


J.S.

Paluch

lected from seminar participants all over the US and Canada,along with donations to The Paluch Family Foundation. In addi-tion to the vocation ministry support given by the PaluchCompany, The Paluch Family Foundation also honors and con-tributes to those who serve the Church in the areas of vocations,liturgy, and stewardship.

Sr. Katarina Schuth, OSF, the speaker chosen for this 20thanniversary year, conducted this year’s seminar entitled A Cultureof Vocations: From Foundations to the Future. Sr. Schuth holdsthe Endowed Chair for the Social Scientific Study of Religion atthe Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity at the University of St.Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sr. Schuth led participantsthrough an exploration of the topic based on her research inCatholic theological education and the relationship between theChurch and American culture. A highly-regarded expert in herfield, Sr. Schuth has written and lectured extensively and hasreceived numerous awards for her service to vocation ministrythrough her research, teaching, and publications. She joins a list ofdistinguished speakers and facilitators who have honored thePaluch Vocation Division through their participation, theirinsights, and their leadership over the last two decades.

Growth and Expansion

During the past 20 years, the seminar has grown to include theregional coordinators of the NCDVD and the NRVC, the execu-

tive directors and national boards of the NCCV, NVAD, and theNCEA Seminary Department, members of the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee onVocation, and representatives from the diaconate, SerraInternational, and secular institutes. Br. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC,observed that “over the years, the seminar has provided an oppor-tunity for training, collaboration, and reflection for hundreds ofdiocesan and religious vocation directors.”

What began as a group of 15 has expanded to between 60 and70 participants, including special guests from other national voca-tion organizations. The initial conversations have generated perti-nent themes and speakers from many areas of vocation ministry.In the words of Most Rev. Richard J. Garcia, Bishop of Monterey,“This year marks a tremendous milestone. As a vocation directorfor some years in the Diocese of San Jose and a participant in thevocation seminars sponsored by J.S. Paluch, I know of the rich-ness and profound insights these seminars have offered to somany over these past twenty years.”

From Conversation to Collaboration

From the initial conversations 20 years ago, through theprocess of building trust and working together in dioceses acrossthe country, participants arrived over time at the positive reality ofpresumed collaboration. Mutual respect and understanding under-girded the efforts at shared resources and cooperative programs.


Sr. Kathy Bryant, RSC, a longtime vocation director andNVAD Advisory Board member summarizes this reality:“These seminars have been a great source of encouragement tous as well as a springboard for creative ideas and professionaldevelopment in the field of vocation ministry. Twenty-oneyears ago, organizations in the US worked separately in Churchvocations. Out of these meetings a concerted, collaborativeeffort has evolved to work together and share the wealth. Thesummer Paluch seminars have also been a source of encourage-ment for vocation ministers who face challenges in this partic-ular work and need the support of colleagues.” Sr. CharleneHerinckx, SSMO, former NRVC Coordinator ofPrograms and Planning, seminar participant,and now Sisters Council member,Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, foundthe seminars “useful, practical,inspirational, supportive,encouraging, sustaining, andalways pertinent to the min-istry of vocation directors.”

Rev. John Regan, for-mer President ofNCDVD and NCCVExecutive Board mem-ber, seminar participant,and now parish pastor,summarizes the benefitsof collaboration: “Theannual seminars helpbring new topics to theforefront of the conversa-tion between religious anddiocesan vocation directors…Paluch was willing to bring inspeakers that could move the con-versation along in constructive ways.One of the most helpful elements wassimply to provide an environment where wefelt appreciated for our ministry and supported in ourwork. In many communities and dioceses, there is not muchaffirmation of vocation ministry or there is too much expecta-tion based on numbers. It is always helpful to be in a placewhere others understand what you are going through and offersupport in times of struggle…We will always have more incommon than what makes us different. We need to continue tofind ways in which we can work together. The Paluch Seminarprovides a yearly opportunity for that to happen.”

A Future Full of Hope

The Paluch seminars have been privileged to serve as plan-ning and discussion arenas for national and international voca-tion efforts. Most Rev. Paul S. Loverde, Bishop of Arlington,former Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Vocations, andseminar presenter on A Future Full of Hope, recently expressed

his appreciation for the seminars: “During these past twodecades, these annual gatherings…have been a critical catalystin the sharing of vocation promotion ideas, materials, andexperiences. The forums, materials, and financial resourcesoffered…have led to a heightened awareness of all vocationsamong countless Catholic families and households. I have beenhonored to attend and address several of these seminars in thepast and I have always been impressed by the collaborativespirit and tireless dedication of the participants.”

Most Rev. John J. McRaith, former Committee onVocations member and co-presenter with Bishop

Loverde, added his remembrance of “commit-ment to the promotion of vocations to thepriesthood and religious life, as well assupport of those of us who work in thisministry. I remember the encourage-ment and gratitude shown to us atthe time of the seminars. Theseminars were informative, sup-portive, always most enjoy-able… and they continue tomake a difference in the lifeof the Church in so manyways.”

Former Chairman of theUSCCB Committee onVocations, Most Rev. RogerL. Schwietz, OMI, Archbishopof Anchorage and seminar par-ticipant, offered his congratula-tions and gratitude for 20 years ofsupport for vocation ministry: “I

personally found the seminars to behelpful through their input as well as an

occasion to connect with others in vocationministry.”

Third Continental Congress on Vocations

When the US and Canada prepared for the ThirdContinental Congress on Vocations to be held in Montreal,from April 18-21, 2002, the Paluch seminar became a sourcefor ideas and development. Msgr. Edward J. Burns, ExecutiveDirector, USCCB Secretariat for Vocations; PriestlyFormation; Priestly Life & Ministry, seminar presenter, andCongress US Co-Chair, describes that meeting: “I am mostmindful of one of the vocation seminars, which focused on thepreparation for the Third Continental Congress on Vocations toOrdained Ministry and Consecrated Life in North America. Itis hard to believe that we are celebrating the fifth anniversaryof the Third Continental Congress on Vocations. The work ofthe participants at the Paluch Vocation Seminar helped tremen-dously in securing topics that would be priorities within theThird Continental Congress on Vocations. Fr. Raymond


Vocation Apostolate

“The Paluch vocationseminars have providededucational opportunities for vocation ministers acrossthe United States and beyond.

The innovative and engaging seminars model collaboration at its best.”

Sr. Diane Poplawski, OP NCCV Executive Director

Lafontaine and I facilitated the discussions. The collaborationthat existed in preparation for the Congress on Vocations wasreminiscent of the ongoing nature of the seminars. The energy,zeal, insights, dedication, and commitment surrounding voca-tion ministry are truly present there. The Paluch VocationSeminar not only provided for a great amount of preparationfor the Congress on Vocations but it also serves as a way inwhich the Pastoral Plan can become a reality. It also estab-lished a new connection with vocation leaders in Canada.”

Sharing the seminar presentation and preparation for thecongress with Msgr. Burns, Congress Canadian Co-Chair Rev.Raymond Lafontaine recalls: “Presenting at the 2000 J.S.Paluch Seminar was a baptism of fire for me. As a relative neo-phyte to vocation ministry—and being from another coun-try!—I didn’t know quite what to expect. Never has thisCanadian been more warmly welcomed and strongly encour-aged by an amazingly dynamic, committed, and fun group ofpeople! My work before, during, and after the North AmericanVocation Congress brought me back to Chicago many times,and I am immensely grateful.” Sr. Susan Kidd, CND,Continental Congress Committee member and former head ofthe National Association of Vocation and Formation Directorsof Canada (NAV/FDC), echoes these sentiments: “The seminarwas an opportunity to bring together women and men commit-ted to vocation ministry, initially to prepare a congress butthen, for support in what can be a lonely ministry. The seminarbroadens the network of those involved in this ministry—a USjewel that nourishes the Canadian church as well.”

Collaboration with Other National Vocation Organizations

As the seminar explored various aspects of vocation min-istry, participants included representatives from other nationalvocation organizations, including the NCCV and the USACouncil of Serra International. For Sr. Diane Poplawski, OP,NCCV Executive Director, “The Paluch vocation seminarshave provided educational opportunities for vocation ministersacross the United States and beyond. The innovative andengaging seminars model collaboration at its best.” Mr.Edmund V. Verbeke, Serra USA Council Executive Director,considers the value of the seminars: “It’s one conference thatyou don’t want to miss. The speakers have always been thebest in their area, the topics both current and practical. It’s agreat place to meet and get to know the leaders in vocationministry.”

Representatives from the diaconate and the liaison to theBishop’s Committee on Vocations for Secular Institutes alsojoin the gathering each year. Dr. Patricia L. Skarda expressesher sentiments: “As the Chair of the Vocations Committee forthe U.S. Conference of Secular Institutes, I value the contactswith vocation ministers for both religious institutes and voca-tions to the diocesan priesthood. At the Paluch Seminar I feelthe power of building the kingdom with others who share my


delight in following the will of the Lord. Liturgies at the PaluchSeminar set a standard for me, for our prayer multiplies in con-cert as we do what the Lord asks of each of us.”

Rev. Eugene Hemrick, Director and Founder of the NationalInstitute for the Renewal of the Priesthood (www.jknirp.com)and seminar presenter, draws from his longtime participation:“For more than a decade and a half, I have attended the summerPaluch seminars for vocation directors. One way of summarizingthem is that we always left those seminars with noble thoughts— thoughts that added dignity and inspiration to our work. Theseminars are the occasion for us to share ideas and our collectivewisdom.”

The 2007 seminar also included the NCEA SeminaryDepartment Executive Committee. Rev. Richard W. Siepka,President/Rector, Christ the King Seminary, shared thoughts onbehalf of the committee: “In my work over the years in bothgraduate-level and college-level seminary and in vocation min-istry, I can attest to the assistance that the vocation seminar hasgiven in the work for forming our future priests. The dialoguethat has been begun and the information that has been shared on

Mrs. Margaret Paluch (seated) with Sr. Diane Poplawski, OP, and Br. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC,

after presentations at seminar anniversary dinner.

J.S.

Paluch

most challenging ministries of our Church, has beenenriched immensely due to this opportunity for directors togather for a few days for prayer, education, and relaxation.The intentional gathering of the national vocation organiza-tions to meet and exchange ideas, learn from other experts,plan future endeavors, and build relationships has been ablessing not only for the leaders of vocation ministry but forthe good of the whole Church in creating a culture of voca-tions.”

The Big Picture

Sr. Catherine Bertrand, SSND, former vocation directorand longtime NRVC Executive Director, seminar plannerand participant, and now Provincial Leader of the SchoolSisters of Notre Dame, Mankato Province, has a wide rangeof experience in vocation ministry from promotion to for-mation to leadership. From her perspective, “Fostering avocation culture is no small challenge at any time in history.But at this juncture, it is more critical than ever that we takeseriously the urgent need to invite and sustain those amongus who have the skills, gifts, and, yes, the deep desire to liveand minister within the context of consecrated life or dioce-san priesthood. There are many resources and services avail-able to vocation ministers, but the Paluch Seminar offers aunique opportunity… This seminar has a history and reputa-tion for fostering dialogue and collaboration between thediocesan and religious life dimensions of vocation ministry.This gathering consistently calls for naming and claimingcommon concerns, common questions, and commonground, often resulting in a common focus or action plan. Atthe Continental Congress for Vocations, Very Rev. DonaldSenior, CP, said ‘those entrusted with fostering voca-tions…must be sacraments of hope.’ Yes, vocation ministersin a particular way do need to be sacraments of hope, andthe Paluch Seminar in a particular way fuels the fire that isso necessary in keeping hope alive. ”

History weaves memories. Experience tailors them.During the 20 years of the Paluch seminars, many faith-filled, dedicated, resourceful, and committed men andwomen, who have served the Church, have created the fab-ric of vocation ministry. Their voices continue to shape thefuture.


a variety of issues affecting the work of vocation recruitment and priest-ly formation are invaluable. We are grateful not only for the impact thatthis seminar has had on the national level but for the assistance it hasprovided for each diocese in our country in the important work ofpreparing our future shepherds.”

Empowered to Serve

The purpose of dialogue and interaction, of input and process, ofcoming together from across the country and returning home renewed,continues to be improving the quality of vocation ministry in order tobetter serve God’s people. Sr. Peter Mary Hettling, CSJ, Vicar forReligious, Archdiocese of Chicago, capsulizes this: “It is good to bewith other men and women and to talk with those working in vocationministry in a supportive environment. I always leave the seminar richerthan when I came and with a new fire enkindled in my heart to contin-ue to help young people, and not so young people, discern what it is thatGod is calling them to do with their lives. ”

Mrs. Dorothy Foss, former longtime NCDVD Executive Directorand seminar planner and participant, explains the key dynamic of theseminars this way: “I believe that vocation ministry, being one of the

Mrs. Margaret Paluch (seated) and Mrs. Mary Lou Rafferty enjoy viewing the NCEA Pope John Paul II Seminary Leadership Award

and the contribution check from seminar participants to The Paluch Family Foundation.

DOLORES J. ORZELis Creative Director of the National VocationsAwareness Division at the J.S. Paluch Company,Vice President of the Executive Board of theNational Coalition for Church Vocations, and arecipient of the Harvest Award from the NationalReligious Vocation Conference. She received a

graduate assistantship and has a master’s degree in theology fromLoyola University in Chicago. Dolores taught theology at ResurrectionHigh School in Chicago and served as Director of Religious Educationat St. Paul of the Cross Parish in Park Ridge, Illinois.

J.S.

Paluch

11 99 88 88--11 99 88 88 --Imaging Priesthood for Today’s YouthPresenters: Most Rev. Thomas J. Murphy,Coadjutor Archbishop, Archdiocese ofSeattle, and board members and regional rep-resentatives from NCDVD and NRVC Facilitator: Rev. J. Cletus Kiley, Director,Department of Personnel, Archdiocese ofChicago

11 99 88 99--11 99 88 99 -- Pastoral Planning to PromoteDiocesan Priesthood & Religious Lifeamong Young Adults Presenters: Rev. JohnCusick, Director of Young Adult Ministry,Archdiocese of Chicago; Ms. Carol Fowler,Director, Ministry in Higher Education,Archdiocese of Chicago; and Sr. SharonGlumb, SLW, Vocation Office, Archdioceseof ChicagoFacilitators: Rev. Edward J. Griswold,NCDVD Executive Director, and Br. JosephSamson, FSC, NRVC Executive Director

11 99 99 00--11 99 99 00 -- Strategy 6: Fostering Parish-basedVocation Awareness Presenters and facilita-tors: Rev. Edward J. Griswold, NCDVDExecutive Director, and Br. Joe Samson,FSC, NRVC Executive Director

11 99 99 11--11 99 99 11 -- What’s Working: Vocation Awareness,Invitation, & Discernment Presenters andfacilitators: Rev. Jay O’Connor, NCDVDExecutive Director, and Br. Joseph Samson,FSC, NRVC Executive Director

11 99 99 22-- 11 99 99 22 -- Applicants and Implications:Priesthood & Religious Life Presenters: Rev.Eugene Hemrick, USCC Office of Research,and Sr. Eleace King, IHM, Center forApplied Research (CARA)Facilitator: Sr. Dorothy Monikowski, SSJTOSF, Sisters of St. Joseph of the ThirdOrder of St. Francis, Chicago

11 99 99 33-- 11 99 99 33 -- Vocation Ministry: A MulticulturalFocus Keynote address: Rev. Mark Francis,CSV, Faculty member, Catholic TheologicalUnion at ChicagoCTU; Presenters: Sr. Verónica Méndez,RCD, Director of Hispanic Ministry at St.Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein;Rev. Donald Sterling, Past President,National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, andRev. Thang Tran, SVD, Vocation Minister atDivine Word College; Group Leader: Sr.Carmen de Barros, OSF, Director of CasaFranciscana de Alegría in Chicago

Facilitator: Sr. Dorothy Monikowski, SSJTOSF, Sisters of St. Joseph of the ThirdOrder of St. Francis, Chicago

11 99 99 44 --1199 99 44 -- Diocesan and Religious VocationMinistry: Working Together Presenters andfacilitators: Most Rev. John McRaith, NRVCepiscopal liaison and NCCB VocationCommittee member, and Rev. John Linnan,CSV, CTU theology faculty member

11 99 99 55 --1199 99 55 -- Emerging from the Crunch:Collaboration for the Future Presenters andfacilitators: Br. Loughlan Sofield, ST,Councilor General of the MissionaryServants of the Most Holy Trinity and SeniorEditor of Human Developmentmagazine,and Sr. Carroll Juliano, SHCJ, Director ofLife Planning for Ministry, Summit, NewJersey

11 99 99 66 --1199 99 66 -- A Future Full of Hope: Challengesand Opportunities Presenters and facilita-tors: Most Rev. Paul S. Loverde, Chairman,NCCB Committee on Vocations,and Most Rev. John J. McRaith, CommitteeMember, NCCB Committee on Vocations

11 99 99 77 -- 1199 99 77 -- Almost Home: An Exploration of theSpirituality of the Vocation DirectorPresenters and facilitators: DominicanPreaching Team: Rev. Michael Kyte, OP, andSr. Ann Willits, OP

11 99 99 88 --1199 99 88 -- Mentoring Today’s Candidates forHealthy Religious Life and PriesthoodPresenter and facilitator: Br. James R. Zullo,FSC, Ph.D., Faculty member, LoyolaUniversity, Chicago

11 99 99 99 --1199 99 99 -- Vocations: Marketing, Image, andMedia for 2000 and BeyondPresenters and facilitators: SageCommunications Team: Tim Anderson, AnnThompson, Helen Wilkie

22 00 00 00 -- 2200 00 00 -- Sharing Our Vision: Preparing for theThird Continental Congress on VocationsPresenters and facilitators: Rev. Edward J.Burns, Executive Director of the Secretariatfor Vocations and Priestly Formation andAmerican Co-Chair of the ExecutiveCommittee for the Continental Congress, andRev. Raymond Lafontaine, Canadian Co-Chair of the Executive Committee for theContinental Congress

22 00 00 11--22 00 00 11 -- Come and See: Who’s Looking andWhat Are They Finding? Presenter andfacilitator: Br. James R. Zullo, FSC, Ph.D.,Faculty member, Loyola University, Chicago

22 00 00 22--22 00 00 22 -- Celibate Commitment and Affectivityin Today’s Church Presenter and facilitator:Very Rev. Canice Connors, OFM Conv,Minister Provincial of the ImmaculateConception Province, President of theConference of Major Superiors of Men(CMSM), Immaculate Conception Friary,Rensselaer, New York

22 00 00 33--22 00 00 33 -- Conscious Celibacy: Truth orConsequence Presenters/Facilitators: Rev.Bill Jarema, Founder/Director of the MercyCenter for Healing the Whole Person,Colorado Springs, Colorado; Br. PaulBednarczyk, CSC, NRVC ExecutiveDirector; Mrs. Dorothy Foss, NCDVDExecutive Director; Rev. Edward J. Burnsand Rev. Raymond Lafontaine, Co-Chairsfor the Continental Congress on Vocations;Sr. Susan Kidd, CND, Continental CongressExecutive Committee member

22 00 00 44--22 00 00 44 -- Contemporary Vocation Ministry:Calling Men and Women to LiveMarginally in a Postmodern WorldPresenter/Facilitator: Rev. ChristopherRobinson, CM, Department of ReligiousStudies at DePaul University

22 00 00 55--22 00 00 55 -- Reflections on Collegians, Priesthood,and Eucharist Today Presenter/Facilitator:Rev. James J. Bacik, Adjunct Professor ofHumanities at the University of Toledo andPastor of Corpus Christi University Parish

22 00 00 66--22 00 00 66 -- Crossing Borders: Vocation Ministryin a Multicultural ChurchPresenter/Facilitator: Rev. Gary Riebe-Estrella, SVD, Vice President and AcademicDean, Catholic Theological Union atChicago

22 00 00 77--22 00 00 77 --Culture of Vocations: FromFoundations to the FuturePresenter/Facilitator: Sr. Katarina Schuth,OSF, Professor, Endowed Chair for theSocial Scientific Study of Religion, TheSaint Paul Seminary School of Divinity,University of St. Thomas, St. Paul,Minnesota


Vocation Apostolate

By Jefferson Pereira and Fr. Juarez Destro

ple’s conscience the same compassion ofJesus for the needs of the crowds of ourtimes, abandoned and exhausted like sheepwithout Shepherd (Lk. 10,2). The true com-passion will call for a personal involvementin favor of those in need. The theologicaldimension of the Rogate implies that prayersand communication is to be followed byinvolvement and practice of charity.

The conference became even more stimulat-ing with the participants’ questions to eachspeaker. The panel was followed by the pres-entation of the new book, Mística daVocaçao, which collects meditations by FreyPatricio Sciadini, Carmelite, and edited byRogate.

At the conclusion of this event, Bro.Francisco Chirico and Mr. Claudio Linarth,both among the founders of Rogate maga-zine, received an honorary award of appreci-ation. Bro. Chirico, a Rogationist religious, isstill in charge of the distribution of the mag-azine, and Mr. Linarth is the president andowner of the publishing house in Curitiba,where the magazine has been printed since itsbeginning.


A cultural debate on Vocations and Mediatook place to commemorate the 25thanniversary of Rogate, the RogationistBrazilian magazine on vocations. TheRogate Center sponsored the Silver Jubileecelebration on June 8, 2007 in Sao Paulo,Brazil. Fr. Juarez Destro, coordinator of thisevent and editor of the magazine, indicatedthat Rogate was born with the “vocation ofanimating vocations”. A significant numberof clergy, religious and lay people attendedthe conference, and participated on thedebate that followed.

A panel of five speakers addressed the fol-lowing topics:

TThhee CChhaalllleennggeess ooff tthhee WWoorrkk ooffVVooccaattiioonn AAnniimmaattiioonn iinn tthhee MMeeddiiaa

By Fr. José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira,Religious of the Congregation ofVocationists

According to Fr. Ionilton, the absence of aculture of vocations in our communities, andthe limited monetary resources available forthis field are true challenging obstacles for aneffective presence of vocations promotion inthe media today.

TThhee IImmppoorrttaannccee ooff tthhee MMeeddiiaaiinn tthhee SSeerrvviiccee ooff VVooccaattiioonnaall

AAnniimmaattiioonn By Fr. Angelo Mezzari, Superior Provincialof the Rogationists in Brazil, and formerEditor of Rogate magazine

Fr. Mezzari who was one of the founders ofthe magazine Rogate said: “I was still aSeminarian in Curitiba, when I took part onthe planning and editing of the magazine.The celebration of the 25th anniversary of apublication on vocations is a great achieve-ment. To run an instrument of communica-tion is not an easy task, but the Church needs

such a vehicle in order to proclaim and pro-mote Jesus’ message: “Pray the Lord of theharvest to send laborers for his harvest(Rogate)”.

CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn aanndd LLaabboorreerrssooff tthhee HHaarrvveesstt

By Sister Noemi Dariva, Pauline Religious,teacher in History and Economics, and mem-ber of the editorial staff of Rogate magazine

Sister Noemi’s congregation charism is pre-cisely on communications. She explainedabout the interaction between vocations andmedia: a radio listener and a magazine read-er are both potential laborers of the harvest.These instruments of communicationencourage the embracing of God’s call to aspecific mission in the Church.

LLaayy PPeeooppllee:: CCuullttuurree aanndd MMeeddiiaa

By Mrs. Terezinha Siqueira Brito Feres,teacher of History and Economics, and mem-ber of the editorial staff of Rogate magazine

Mrs. Therezinha synthesized the role of layChristians in the Church and in the society asa whole. She cited important ecclesial docu-ments, such as Lumen Gentium (Vatican II),and the document of the recent EucharisticConference in Apareçida do Norte.Catholic men and women have greatexpectations from the Church regardingvocations, she said.

TThhee IImmppoorrttaannccee ooff tthheeCCeenntteerrss RRooggaattee oonn tthheeQQuueesstt ooff aa CCuullttuurree ooff

VVooccaattiioonnssBy Fr. Rodolfo D’Agostino, Rogationistof the Rogate Center in the UnitedStates

Fr. Rodolfo, a Rogationist from LosAngeles, California, emphasized thatforming a culture of vocations doesnot mean just to communicate or passon information about vocations; itmeans instead the awakening in peo-

RogateErgo

Brazil


Vocation Apostolate

The newest member of the Rogationist publications familyis Rogate Ergo Asia. Established seven years ago, RogateErgo Asia brings the vocation message to the entireCatholic world in Asia. For two consecutive years, it hasbeen a recipient of the Catholic Mass Media Awards in thePhilippines.

Rogate Ergo (Pray Therefore theLord of the Harvest) was born 70 yearsago as a religious pamphlet, and hasbecome an important monthly publica-tion of the Rogate International VocationCenter in Rome, Italy. The first issue waspublished in January 1938. Erik Hofferonce wrote that “the only way to foreseethe future is to prepare for it.” During thelast 70 years, Rogate Ergo has been firm-ly resolved to prepare for the future byfeaturing, year after year, new paths,doubts, problems and possible solutionsin the vocation apostolate.

From the beginning, Rogate Ergowas an expression of the RogationistVocational charism, inspired by St.Hannibal Mary Di Francia who wasdefined by Pope John Paul II as the “pre-cursor and master of modern pastoral forvocations”. For St. Hannibal, the motorof the pastoral vocations is the constantand fervent prayer to obtain not onlymany vocations but, above all, saintlyvocations.

Since its beginning, the magazinehas constantly traveled in this directionas can be seen particularly in the yearsbefore the Council. At that time, Italy hadmany crowded seminaries, but soon afterWorld War II the need to give a newimpulse to vocation animation becameapparent. In 1941, Pius XII instituted thePontificia Opera per le Vocazioni, and in1950 he published the apostolic exhorta-tion Menti Nostrae seriously preoccupiedfor the formation of the candidates to thepriesthood and religious life. Eventhough the Pope had extensive and con-

crete directives about the quality of voca-tions, this document was ignored formany years.

With the Vatican II decree OptatamTotius, Pope Pius XII preoccupation forvocations became relevant. The Vaticanestablished the National Plan forVocations to create centers of pastoralvocations at different levels in theChurch. During this time, Rogate Ergomagazine was ready to inform and tooffer formation that will contribute tospread St. Hannibal Di Francia’s pleasfor prayer and work for vocations. PopePaul VI made St. Hannibal’s dreams areality with the institution of World Dayof Prayer for Vocations in 1964.

The early 70’s marked the begin-ning of the vocation crisis, and the need

for information on vocations becamecrucial. Rogate Ergo embarked on astudy to determine the factors that con-tributed to this crisis, and pointed outsome of the remedies, as well as present-ed different observations and recommen-dations.

Rogate Ergo has strived to avoidthe risk of decrying negative phenomenaconnected with the crisis of vocations,and has preferred to look at the futurewith optimism. With meticulous preci-sion, the magazine has followed the fluc-tuations in numbers related to vocationsin Italy and the world, and has publishedannual reports and other relevant data.The magazine strives to keep an eye onpositive phenomenawithout ignoring theproblematic on vocations in the CatholicChurch.

RRooggaattee EErrggoo RRoommee CCeelleebbrraatteess 7700 YYeeaarrss iinn tthhee VVooccaattiioonn AAppoossttoollaattee

By Fr. Vito Magno, RCJ


Spirituality

hat is driving you? As Fr. Pedro Arrupe SJ asked,“What gets you out of bed in the morning?” Whatenlivens and energizes you? These are the ques-tions for young adults who wonder where God iscalling them to be their best selves.

We are each moved by different spirits. We can be moved joy-fully and with great enthusiasm towards God or we can bemoved, ever so subtlety away from God by resigning ourselvesto the minimum expression of love and life. From the time weget out of bed in the morning until we go to sleep in theevening, we experience many spiritual movements driving usin one direction or another. Some of the movements that drawus away from God come from our own ego, the broken part ofour humanity, or the pressures of a materialistic society. Thosemovements, inclinations and desires that impel us to serve, tolove, to be grateful, to praise and worship God come from thebest of our humanity, from the Holy Spirit, from those influ-ences of our faith communities, and perhaps from friends andfamilies. Which spirits will you exercise? And how will you“exercise” the good spirits? The more spiritual we are, themore aware we are of these movements. The less spiritual justsleep walk their way through life oblivious to the influencesdriving them.

Our Catholic tradition has wonderful exercises to help us growin awareness of these movements, to see where they lead usand to discover where they come from! We have SpiritualExercises that enable us to clarify our desires and where God isleading us to live out lives faithful to the Gospel. However, thething about “exercises” is that they have to be repeated and reg-ular practice guarantees some progress! Doing spiritual exer-cises on a retreat once a year is not enough just as someonewho is into bodybuilding or gymnastics wouldn’t be satisfied

with a workout once a year! Spiritual exercises are designed tobe repeated and practiced regularly.

We can be so driven to ensure good health and even goodlooks that exercise, the gym, and working out can overrideother priorities in our lives. We know however, that exercise isan integral part of any balanced life. So are spirituality andspiritual exercises integral to an authentic life. Most spiritualdirectors will ask their directees about their spiritual practice,which means their daily prayer routine, including the timeallotted and a prayerful place to ensure quality time with God.These spiritual practices are more about deepening a relation-ship with Jesus, than about meeting an obligation or perform-ing a religious duty. We develop our friendships with people bycertain exercises such as getting together, text messaging, talk-ing on the phone, e-mailing, and sharing what is most impor-tant to us. The same devotion applies to that relationship weeach have with God. Did you ever imagine how God is waitingfor your attention? Did you ever think about how God delightswhen you notice some created beauty? Do you ever realize thatthe God who loves you awaits you in every moment? Just asin any human relationship, our relationship with God needsclearly allotted time, places and expressions in order to deepen.We can call these spiritual exercises.

For those who are on the edge of discovering how to use theirgifts and talents for a life calling, spiritual exercises for dis-cernment can clarify where they will be most truly themselvesand fully alive. St. Ignatius of Loyola developed spiritual exer-cises for those seeking God’s will. These exercises were not“given” to him in a moment of insight. They were developedfrom his own experience of struggle, delight in God, and timesof desolation and consolation. These exercises have workedwell throughout the centuries with both men and women, and

By Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSCJust as in any human relationship, our relationship with God needs clearly allotted time,

places and expressions in order to deepen. We can call these spiritual exercises.


across races, cultures and ethnicities. Let’s examine a few of theseexercises that you might find helpful in your own life.

St. Ignatius designed a meditation called “The Two Standards”.He invites us to look at the two directions and tugs that confrontus – that of the Standard of Jesus and that of Satan. One key dif-ference is that Jesus invites us to something and Satan entices us.Those words are key in detecting which strategy is at work with-in us. Jesus invites because God respects our freedom. Satanentices, manipulates or seduces us through our compulsions,impulses and societal pressures. Our freedom is compromisedwhen we are hooked by enticements of money, power or prestige.1St. Ignatius uses military imagery from his own experience. Youare invited to imagine two great armies, with different standards,values, and goals. Where do you align yourself? Which of thesetwo standards do you claim for your life? Through meditating onthe Gospel you can grow deeper in awareness of how you arecalled to life and what strategies Jesus uses to draw you. You willalso learn how the evil one strategizes to lead you in anotherdirection with another standard.

WWaakkee uupp!!

We have to be spiritually awake to do these exercises. Beingawake means we are ready to move, not stuck in a rut, overlyattached to who we are, what we do and our own comfort. Weneed to jump out of the bed of our comfort to embrace the new daythat Jesus has in store for us. It is a personal invitation to followHim, to be stretched and challenged in doing so. Jesus never letanyone stay cozy and comfortable in their own little world.Whether it was a religious leader, or a beggar on the road, Jesusalways challenged each with a question. Perhaps he is asking you,

just as he did the blind beggar, “What do you want me to do foryou?” You ARE being asked! How incredible is that when yourealize Who is asking you the question?

So first we need to wake up. We need to wake up to the realiza-tion that life is NOT about me, about my needs, and all my ego-centric inclinations. When we see the needs and hungers of peo-ples in the world, and hear the cry of the poor, we realize that weare part of Jesus’ disciples who form a tight band across the worldin selfless service. We wake up to see that each one of us can con-tribute to the well being of others and be a grace for them.

Awake and ready to greet whatever the “day” holds with whatev-er God given gifts you have, you begin your spiritual exercises. Ifthey are truly exercises you will be stretched. Your heart rateshould increase or at least your passion to love God and others.

DDeeeepp DDeessiirreess

The first basic Spiritual Exercise for discernment is to get in touchwith your deepest desires. Imagine Jesus asking you the questionof the first chapter in John, “What is it you really desire? What isit that you are seeking? What is it that you really want?” InIgnatian contemplation invites the person praying to so enter intothe Scripture passage that every sense is used. You need to smell,touch, taste, hear and see this scriptural event. Place yourself on aroad walking beside a friend. Imagine Jesus walking way upahead of you. You’re curious about Jesus. You want to learn moreabout who he really is. You desire intimacy with Jesus but perhapsyou’re afraid of getting too close. However, at one point Jesusturns around, looks you in the eye, calls you by your name andasks, “What is it you truly desire?” Spend time honestly articulat-

Through meditating on the Gospel you can grow deeper in awareness of how you are called to life, and what strategies Jesus uses to draw you.

EraServices


ing your deepest desires to Jesus. Spend at least equal time listeningto his response. If you really get into this meditation, you might hearJesus say something surprising to you. You might not hear “Comeand see.” Allow the Spirit to open up the Scriptures to enable anexperience of Jesus speaking personally to you.

If your life is oriented towards God or if you are living a life of grace,then your deepest desires will be in harmony with God’s will. Theclues to God’s will are in those deepest desires. This spiritual exer-cise demands regular attending to those deep desires. It demandsquiet meditation. It is not a meditation for one time but one in whichJesus continues to ask you the question. Some people are not in touchwith their desires or their feelings. So the exercise is difficult. Thenthe challenge is to dig deeper, to be stretched, and to be honest withJesus about your difficulty expressing your deepest desires. There isno correct answer to Jesus’ question. The correct answer is your hon-est response to the question.

Another spiritual exercise would be to imagine yourself 5 or 10 yearsfrom now. What year will it be? How old will you be then? Takeone of your possible life vocations and imagine your dream day inthat vocation. If you are not certain if you are called to the married

St. Ignatius of Loyola developed spiritual exercisesfor those seeking God's will.

vocation or to priesthood, you would imagine your dream dayas a married person. Schedule your activities in detail from thetime you get out of bed in the morning until you go to sleep atnight. Then reflect as you look over your written plan and noticewhat affect is stirred. Do you feel joy, peace, hope? Do you feelenlivened?

Then take another possible vocation that you are open to. If it ispriesthood, plan in detail your dream day from morning untilnight. Read it over and reflect on the affect stirred within you.Do you feel enlivened?

Depending on how you are being called and the vocations opento you, whether that is the vocation to be single, married, priest,religious, ecclesial minister, or deacon, you would apply thissame scheduling exercise. Be creative and imaginative. Keep inmind your gifts, talents and experience. Write the scheduledown including every hour from early morning until night.Include every facet of life in that schedule. The most criticalpart of this exercise is the reflection that follows. Which dreamday gave you the most energy? Where did you sense that youwould be your best self? Your most selfless self? Did you feeldrawn towards God in that particular vocation dream day or didyou feel bored and weary?

WWhhiicchh SSppiirriitt iiss MMoovviinngg YYoouu??St. Ignatius wrote about the movements of consolation and des-olation in the spiritual exercises. These are real movements andneed to be attended to carefully. He clearly gives us ways todeal with these movements in order to ensure that we are beingdriven in God’s direction and not feeding desolation and mov-ing away from God.

So in each exercise we need to pay attention to where the con-solation and desolation occur. When we are living in the “stateof grace” or our lives are oriented towards God, then we arecalled to move with the consolation. When you have an experi-ence of God’s presence, encounter beauty or love in anotherperson, feel impelled to serve or to be generous - these are allconsolations. Any inclination, desire, thought, movement thatleads you to greater faith, trust in God or love of God is a con-solation. The clues to God’s will lie in your consolations. Weexperience major consolations a few times in our lives andminor consolations as God’s grace touches us each day. Payingattention to these graces gives us direction for our future.

Desolation is anything that leads you, even if baby steps, awayfrom God. Like consolation, desolation can be major or subtle.St. Ignatius encourages us in times of desolation to rememberthe times of consolation. You can do that by remembering timeswhen you experienced God’s presence in your life, perhaps ona retreat, reception of a sacrament, being loved, hearing God’sword, or serving another person. Instead of feeding the desola-

www.nysj.org


Spirituality

tion of fear, doubt, apathy, mediocrity, Ignatius urges us toremember the consolation moments of our lives so that we feedhope, life, and move in another direction.

Exercise the good spirit by continuing your faith journeytowards God which is towards life, love, peace, and service forothers. Don’t fall into the temptation of saying that you are notworthy to follow Jesus. Some have the temptation of pride tothink that they are able to follow Jesus without any help! It isimportant to know how you are vulnerable to being hooked intodesolation. For each person it is different.

St. Ignatius also recommends that whenyou are in desolation that you goagainst the pull with the oppositeenergy or virtue. So if you’re feel-ing strong doubts, make an actof faith. If you’re feeling selfabsorbed, go out of your wayto do something for someoneelse. This could be as simpleas sending a card, e mail ormaking a phone call. St.Ignatius also warns usnever to make a change inour life plans when we arein desolation. This isbecause we are being drivenby the wrong spirit! Insteadwe should spend more time inreflection and notice where weare being dragged down. This istruly exorcising the desolate spiritand exercising the good spirit!

This is all an overly simplified summary of St.Ignatius of Loyola’s teachings on the movements forthose who are living a life of grace. St. Ignatius suggests manyspiritual exercises in his classic work that is really meant to be a30 day retreat. . It is not helpful to just read through the text ofthe spiritual exercises but to be led through them by an experi-enced director. St. Ignatius also designed the 19th Annotationfor those who could not leave work, home, school or family for30 days of retreat The 19th Annotation is given over a period ofmonths meeting with a director once a week. You may considermaking the 19th Annotation or even a 30 day retreat

IImmaaggiinnaattiioonn aass aa WWiinnddooww iinnttoo YYoouurr VVooccaattiioonn

St. Ignatius practiced “holy daydreaming” when he was recover-ing from a leg injury. In those days there were no DVD playersor television. So he spent his time fantasizing about his future

and what he would do when he was up and around again. He alsoread some of the scripture and lives of the saints and was movedto fantasize about doing great things for God. He wondered whatkind of a saint he could be. He compared his fantasies aboutbeing a great soldier and lover of women to those about being asaint and giving God glory. It was through comparing his expe-riences that he noticed a deep, deep peace that sustained himcoming from one set of fantasies! Yes, he was excited aboutreturning to his life as a soldier and being honored for hiscourage and skill. Yes, he daydreamed also about being a great

lover. But he also imagined himself at the service of Godand the joy and peace from these fantasies lasted

longer and were deeply sustaining.

What would your holy daydreams con-sist of? Anthony de Mello recom-mends a meditation called “HolyDesires” in his book, Sadhana.2 Inthis meditation you pray about theholy desires you have for othersas well as the great desires youhave for yourself. De Melloencourages you to imagine thegreat deed of some of the saintsand make those deeds your ownthrough desire.3

I always find wisdom in the exer-cise in which you ask your innerold wise person for advice. Pretendthat you are an experienced, wiseperson. What advice would you give to

yourself? Write a dialogue between youand your inner wise person.

Choose a saint that you feel a kinship with and writea dialogue between you and that saint. Pour out your situa-

tion, your heart, your hopes, your struggle to discern on paper.Allow your imagination and what you know of this saint to influ-ence the reply. Keep it going like a conversation. Do not judgewhat you imagine or write. Be spontaneous and let the dialogueflow out of you.

Another spiritual exercise from St. Ignatius would be to imagineyourself on your deathbed. This is not meant to make anyonefeel guilty or remorseful. Instead, from the perspective of thewhole of your lived life, what choice would you imagine youwished you had made? Given the context of an entire life, whereis your true vocation? Sometimes we get caught up in themoment, or the busyness of our lives. Looking at the breadth ofwhat we imagine our lives to be, we can stand back and getanother perspective.If you have trouble imagining or getting into the meditation withyour senses, you might want to examine your inner freedom. Are

““EExxeerrcciissee

tthhee ggoooodd ssppiirriitt

bbyy ccoonnttiinnuuiinngg yyoouurr ffaaiitthh

jjoouurrnneeyy ttoowwaarrddss GGoodd,,

wwhhiicchh iiss ttoowwaarrddss lliiffee,,

lloovvee,, ppeeaaccee,, aanndd sseerrvviiccee

ffoorr ootthheerrss..””


Spirituality

you free to give God a blank check for your life? I know that myimagination was limited years ago as a sister. I was a musicmajor and played piano. When I was called to go to Zambia,Africa, it didn’t fit in my own imagined future. I was attached tomy own idea of who I was and what I was capable of doing anddefinitely convinced of what I was NOT capable of doing.However, after a long discernment, I felt a bedrock peace aboutGod’s call and my response to go to Zambia. I had five incredi-ble years of life there with God’s people and truly enjoyed it.

A good spiritual exercise is to list any ways you are not free. Askyourself if you have any blind spots about what you can do andwhat you can’t do, about who you are and who you are not. Arethere any prejudices operative in your life? Are there any attach-ments that keep you from being ready to move if it is God’s will?Pray for the freedom that God intends you to have. If by chance,you do not want this freedom, then ask God for the grace todesire freedom and openness.

Exercise your dreams for your future by writing them down.Young adults in search of a partner for marriage may start writ-ing letters to that future spouse before even meeting her or him.This helps a person start articulating who they hope to spendtheir life with. One young adult told me that then she realizedthat she had a lot of growing before meeting this imagined hus-band that she would like to marry.

OOnn aa FFaacctt FFiinnddiinngg MMiissssiioonn ttoo GGoodd

St. Ignatius invites us to include in our discernment every facetof our person as well as our lives. Listening to your heart isimportant but listening to your head and gathering informationabout your vocation is equally important for discernment. A spir-itual exercise is to gather all of the relevant information aboutthe choices open to you for your life. You need to see yourself ason a fact finding mission. Read the books, ask the questions,visit the ministry, seminary, and novitiate but also learn from theconversations you have with people. Find out the requirementsfor the vocation you are considering and then take an inventoryof your own life. If the vocation you feel called to requires grad-uate study and you have struggled to be an average student, thenperhaps you need to consult further with a dean of studies. If youare generous and have good social skills, then perhaps you meetthe requirements of an apostolic community or the diocesanpriesthood which engage with the world. If you want to be aParish Life Director or a Pastoral Associate, find out what edu-cational requirements are necessary as part of the discernment.

Choose one of your options and begin a list. For example, if youare considering giving a year of service as a lay missionary youask: What would be the advantages of this option for you person-ally? In other words, what are the “pros”? At another time, St.

Ignatius suggests leaving a period of time in between, you do theopposite exercise. List all of the reasons why this option is notfor you. Why is it not a good idea for you to be a lay missionaryat this time? List the disadvantage or the “cons”. You may keepan ongoing list that you add to from time to time. The criticalpart of this exercise is not in the number of entries but in thereflection on the entries. Notice where there is a strong pulltowards life, of being moved towards God. Perhaps you onlyhave three items listed in the pro column and twenty in the concolumn, but you experience deep consolation with those threepros. God’s will is in harmony with your deepest desire and theclues are in the consolations. Obviously this dynamic is not trueof a person who is selfish or in sin. There are different rules fordiscernment and different exercises for that initial stage.

A way to keep track of both the information gathered and themovement of the Spirit is to keep a spiritual journal. This is nota diary in which you write daily but a way to keep track of sig-nificant experiences of God, of words of Scripture that struckyou profoundly, of life events that spoke to you. When you logthese critical experiences, then over the period of a month or soyou can see a pattern emerge. Some young adults use a journalto write prayers to God. Reading those prayers a few monthslater they can see how God has been at work in their lives. Thepractice of spiritual direction is enhanced when you keep a jour-nal and have a reference for monthly meetings with the director.

Whatever spiritual exercises you do, the critical part is to reflecton them and notice where you are being moved. If you werereading scripture as a spiritual exercise, don’t just see how muchyou can read in 30 minutes. Read slowly and stop when some-thing strikes you. After you finish reading, reflect on what youheard. If you were making the Stations of the Cross, reflect lateron which station you were most captivated by on that particularday. Why? What does that station have to say to you about yourlife today? Another day, another station will speak to you morepowerfully. After you finish praying the rosary, reflect on whatthat experience was like. Do you feel sustained? Did anythingcome to mind while you were praying the rosary that you wantto remember? If you spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration,spend a few minutes afterwards examining where any move-ments of consolation or desolation occurred. Was there anyresistance during that prayer time? Perhaps you went armedwith novenas, books, a journal, rosary and Bible to the HolyHour and the Spirit was nudging you to stop and just listen andbe in God’s presence. Did you get the hint? Did you followthrough? Whatever the exercise is, give it a deeper efficacy byreflecting on it afterwards.

In order to develop your repertoire of spiritual exercises and todeepen your knowledge of discernment I recommend that youget a spiritual director, make a silent directed retreat of 3 to 8days, meditate daily and get spiritual reading. Just as we need a


Spirituality

BBooookkss ffuullll ooff SSppiirriittuuaall EExxeerrcciisseess::

All for Love, Kathleen Bryant, RSCDoing the Truth in Love, Michael J. HimesFree to Pray Free to Love, Max Oliva, SJOn the Way to Priesthood, Kathleen Bryant, RSCSadhana, Tony de Mello, SJSeasons of Strength,Evelyn and James WhiteheadTake and Receive Series, 5 books with meditationsfrom the Spiritual Exercises

The Ignatian Workout, Tim MuldoonThe Inner Compass,Margaret SilfVocations Anonymous, Kathleen Bryant, RSCWeeds Among the Wheat, Thomas Green

SR. KATHLEEN BRYANT, RSC

a member of the Sisters of Charity is Vocation Director for theArchdiocese of Los Angeles, California.

variety of physical exercises (stretching, cardio and weight bearing activity), wealso need a variety of spiritual exercises to keep ourselves in good shape. If youare using only one devotional form of prayer, you will want to broaden your exer-cise program to enhance your spiritual health.

God will speak through every aspect of life and not only those “spiritual” times.If we are awake, we will meet God in people, nature, beauty, pain, joy, struggle,study, work, and even the traffic on the freeway. Stay awake and enjoy the gloryof God surrounding you. Then you will have plenty of raw material for your spir-itual exercises.

1 Bryant, Sr. Kathleen RSC, Vocations Anonymous, 1996, NCCV, p. 402 De Mello, Anthony SJ, Sadhana: a Way to God, p. 126-83 Bryant, Sr. Kathleen RSC, Vocations Anonymous p. 187

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Tapestry

Tapestry

Tapestry

Tapestry

By Br. John M. Samaha, SM

No other symbol represents the Christian faith and way of life more plainly than the cross.

Already in the time of the apostles the cross on whichChrist died had become the symbol of his redemptive death,and a symbol for himself and for Christianity.

In 335 A.D. on September 13, the Church of theMartyrdom and Resurrection was dedicated in Jerusalem. Thenext day, in a solemn ceremony, the faithful were shown thecross that the Empress Helen had discovered on September 14,320 A.D. This ceremony was repeated each successive year onSeptember 14 in that church, which possessed a large relic ofthe cross. The reverent elevation of the relic of the true crossgave this day its name, “exaltation of the cross.” From thisgesture we have our popular contemporary hymn, “Lift highthe cross.” Later this feast was combined with the memorial ofthe rescue of the stolen cross from the Persians by the EmperorHeraclius in 628.

The striking prayers of the Divine Liturgy for this day tes-tify to the grace of our salvation as expressed in Christ’s prom-ise, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all tomyself” John 12:32). The tone of the feast of the “Exaltation ofthe Cross,” which more properly is now called the “Triumph ofthe Cross,” is quite different from the somber and sorrowfulliturgy of Good Friday. September 14 has a definitely joyouscharacter. It recalls our happiness about our salvation.


Spirituality

Because the cross has become so commonplace, there isdanger that this symbol of Christian salvation may losemuch of its significance. The cross is visible in somany places and we see it so often: in church,in our room, in public displays, even onsome hilltops. Frequently we make the“sign of the cross” over ourselves whenwe pray and at other times. Even inthe secular realm the word “cross” iswidely used not only as a symbol ofhonor or service as in “Red Cross”and “Distinguished ServiceCross,” but even in more prosaicterms such as “criss-cross,”“crossword,” and other commonexpressions. How do we over-come the tendency to lose or dilutethe importance of the word and thesymbol?

We need to devise solutions andreminders to overcome that kind ofpassivity. One approach is to think ofand to speak of the striking symbolism ofthe two beams that make up the cross. Theupright (vertical) beam with its orientationpointing both above and below will remind us thatthe Son of God came down from heaven for us and for our sal-vation. This beam is a symbol of God’s love for humankind,which manifests itself especially in the Incarnation and inChrist’s sacrificial death on the cross. The upright beam willalso remind us of the necessity of lifting up the human spirit toGod. When people forget this upward climb to God, this tran-scendence, they quickly lose awareness of the fundamentaldimension of their own creaturely status and dependence on theCreator. Then the illusion of human autonomy quicklyencroaches resulting in error and confusion.

The horizontal (cross) beam points both left and right indi-cating our fellow human beings all round us. That reminds us

that together with the love of God, the love of neigh-bor is essential to the Christian commandment oflove. True holiness cannot overlook one’sneighbor. Christ himself demonstratedsymbolically with his arms extended onthe cross what he had earlier proclaimedpublicly: “When I am lifted up fromthe earth, I will draw all to myself”(John 12:32). Let us stretch ourarms wide as Jesus has done, so thatwe will embrace the whole world.We cannot love God while denyingour fellow human beings practicallove in concrete situations. Christrefers every good deed, and everygood deed left undone, to himself:“...you did it (did not do it) to me”(Matthew 25:40-45).

Recalling the vertical and horizon-tal beams of the cross in this way is a live-

ly reminder of the Christian way of life. It isthe sign of our baptismal calling.

To give the symbol of the cross such a prominencein our lives is the most significant “exaltation” and “triumph” ofthe cross. May the feast and each time we bless ourselvesremind us of this.

BR. JOHN M. SAMAHA

Currently serving at villa St. Joseph in Cupertino, CAhas been a Marianist for almost sixty years.

“The illusionof human autonomy results inerror and

confusion.”

By Rick Sarkisian, Ph.D.

EraServices


Vocations

primary Director in life’s story is theHoly Spirit. He’s directing the greateststory ever told – throughout all of timeand space – guiding us to the truth of ourexistence and to eternal life.

But the Holy Spirit isn’t theonly director of our lives. He’s the pri-mary Director, since He guides us inChrist to the Father’s eternal plan for ourlives. Through His grace, we are invitedto “co-direct” the play of our lives – tocollaborate with the Holy Spirit, theDivine Director, and so accept His guid-ance in following Christ, fulfilling thewill of the Father in the story of ourlives. So we are directors, too.

As characters in God’s story,does that mean we’re locked into a pre-determined plot line that can’t bechanged? No. Because, unlike the tradi-tional “cast of characters” in a play –who are slaves to the whims and imagi-nation of the author – each of us has beencreated as a “free” character in God’sstory. Not free to determine the plot orthe roles of the other characters, but freeto be – or not to be – the characters Godintends us to be. Free to accept or rejectthat God is God and we are not. Free tobring love, heroism, generosity andtruthfulness to the unique roles God hasauthored for us. God is able to create thestory and leave His characters free intheir thoughts, words and actions.

WWee LLoonngg TToo BBeelloonnggAs free characters, we can pur-

sue happiness, joy and satisfaction how-ever we choose. But to be truly fulfilledcharacters in God’s story, we must learnwhat it means to “belong.” Everybody isborn with the innate desire to belong: toa family or a friendship, to a club or acareer. But we need to be careful aboutwho or what we belong to.

Ultimately, the choice comesdown to belonging either to the worldand its culture of corruption, or to God –the very Author of our lives and His cul-ture of conversion. It’s our choice: it’s up

to us to accept or reject His grace in ourlives.

Many of the characters in God’sstory choose to belong to the world –building on the sand of power, positionor pride. While on the surface thesethings are positive attractions, deepdown they are negative addictions, andsend the concept of “belonging” down adeadly spiral into spiritual slavery.

But other characters choose tobelong to God – building on the rock ofa lifelong partnership with Christ – abelonging that becomes evident throughtheir strong, satisfying relationships andthrough their sense of balance in theareas of life that matter most.

The other characters in God’sgrand story are part of the story of ourlives. In God’s plan, we are not isolatedindividuals; we are all called to belong toGod’s family. To be united in Christ. Weare closely interconnected to the “cast ofcharacters” in our lives.

They, like us, are called to col-laborate with God – with the Holy Spiritdirecting them to follow Christ in fulfill-ing the Father’s will. Every person in ourlives has a different role to play, yet theyhelp us to define and fulfill our ownroles. These characters – as well as theevents and circumstances we encounterin the story – give relevance to our roles.

LLiiffee iiss nnoott aa ““DDoo--IItt--YYoouurrsseellff PPrroojjeecctt””

We must radically change theway we view life: A change of mind anda change of heart.

Why? Because if you see your-self as the only author, actor and directorin your story or play, life becomes a “do-it-yourself” project with no instructions,no sense of a master plan. It’s like build-ing your house on sand without a blue-print. The results will leave you unful-filled and disappointed, every time.

Have you ever thought of your lifeas a story, a drama played out on thestage of life – filled with interesting char-acters and surprising plot twists? I find ithelpful to view my life from this perspec-tive, as it takes me “outside of myself”and allows me to see the bigger picture ofmy life and its purpose.

Of course, every story or playhas an author, and I’d like you to con-sider that the primary Author of life’sstory is God, revealed by Christ as ourHeavenly Father. He’s writing the great-est story of all time – not just in theBible, but throughout all of history – aliving story that spans from creation tothe end of time, and contains a distinct,irreplaceable role for each of us. It’s theonly story that really matters – the storythat embraces all time, all people and allevents.

But the Father isn’t the onlyauthor of our lives. He’s the primaryAuthor, since He holds the eternal planfor our lives and wants to be intimatelyinvolved with each of His characters.Through His grace, we are invited to “co-author” the story of our lives – to collab-orate with the Father, the Divine Author,and so discover His will, His plan for ourlives, as it unfolds day-by-day. So we areauthors, too.

And, of course, every play ordrama has actors, and I’d like you toconsider that the primary Actor in life’sstory is Jesus Christ. He’s performing thegreatest story ever told – the story notonly of our creation and fall into sin, butalso the story of our salvation from sin.

But Christ isn’t the only actor inour lives. He’s the primary Actor, sinceHe has acted on our behalf by sacrificingHimself on the cross for us. And throughHis grace, we are invited to “co-act” inthe drama of our lives with Him in self-giving love – to collaborate with Christ,the Divine Actor, and so follow Him indoing the Father’s will in our daily lives.So we are actors, too.

Finally, every play has a direc-tor, and I’d like you to consider that the


Vocations

But if you see yourself as part ofa grand story in which you are free to col-laborate with the other characters and,indeed, with the Author Himself, then lifetakes on true purpose and direction. You’llbe building your house on rock (seeMatthew 7:25) based on God’s Divineblueprint (His Word). As a result, you’llbe well on your way to true fulfillmentand satisfaction.

If you choose to separate your-self from the unique, unrepeatable planGod has designed for your life, thenyou’ll never experience the joy and pur-pose life has to offer. It’s like choosing towatch a black-and-white television withfuzzy reception and a tiny speaker, insteadof a wide-screen television with vivid, liv-ing color and surround sound!

There’s a certain beauty – a realfreedom! – in maintaining an eternal per-spective. With this perspective, you canfocus on things that won’t pass away; andembrace those parts of your life that meanthe most from God’s point of view, ratherthan from the world’s point of view. Howmuch you love others. How consistentlyyou live your faith. How well you are ableto master your impulses and desires.

The Father hasn’t finished Hisstory yet, and He hasn’t chiseled the plotin stone. And if we are “good” characters,accepting the Holy Spirit’s guidance, wewill follow Christ day-by-day in makingwise and beneficial decisions, fulfillingthe Father’s will.

God’s story is already filled withHis grace – and with His truth, beauty andgoodness – and the characters shouldserve to reveal Christ’s presence – Hislove and mercy, His truth and goodness.When, by His grace, we actively collabo-rate with God, the Holy Spirit will directus in the daily decisions we make.

But what if we turn away fromGod, and make selfish, sinful choices inlife? Then we need to turn back to Godand ask for His mercy and forgiveness.Through His Son, Jesus Christ, we canreceive pardon and peace, and start afresh.

To restore and re-establish ourlives in Christ, God, as Divine Author,then “edits the story”; He makes changes– for our own good – when we contradictGod’s nature and His eternal plan for us.And since His story involves a whole“cast of characters,” our choices affectthem as well – for better or for worse. Tobe a follower of Christ means to beginagain, over and over... fortunately for us!

WWhhoo ddoo yyoouu wwaanntt ttoo bbee??What kind of characters will we

be in God’s story? That’s for us to decide,based on selfishness or on the self-givinglove of Christ. We must determine howwe will interact with other characters,each one living out the “subplot” in whichGod has placed them.

Each subplot is equally worthyand important before God, whether itinvolves an impoverished family, awealthy entrepreneur, a convicted crimi-nal, a homeless veteran, a brave rescueworker, an abandoned orphan or a dotinggrandparent. Likewise, each character isequally worthy and important. Why?because God loves each one of us infinite-ly, and Christ died for each and every oneof us.

If we don’t believe that, then ourworldview narrows, elevating some char-acters above others. The successful exec-utive becomes far more impressive thanthe relapsed drug addict. The professionalathlete has greater value than a migrantfarm worker. But when we see these char-acters from an eternal perspective, thingslook different...

You get the point! It all comesdown to changing our perceptions andactions, based on Divine grace and on ourunderstanding of the Author’s story andour roles in Christ. It’s exciting!Especially since the Author doesn’t showus the whole story at any one time –instead He reveals it to us graduallythrough the Holy Spirit and His word:page-by-page, chapter-by-chapter, as wejourney through life – making daily,

grace-filled decisions in the 7 areas of lifethat matter most.

OOuurr ppeerrmmaanneenntt ppaassttPerhaps the most daunting thing

about seeing our lives as stories ratherthan projects is that we can no longerignore our past. It’s always right there in“black and white.” Unerasable. Unchan-geable. Painful events remain forever apart of the story of our lives.

But with God’s help, we don’tneed to erase or change the past. Instead,Christ can transform the meaning of ourpast and let events remain as they were.All we need to do is ask God for Hismercy and forgiveness for our past sins;resolve to change by the help of Hisgrace; and ask Him to bring good out ofevil. Success from failure. Healing frompain. “With God, all things are possible”(see Matthew 19:26).

Then, in Christ we can give ourfreedom to our Heavenly Father. By giv-ing Him our freedom, we let Him inhabitour choices – so that in Christ we act withlove, honesty, courage and caring. Inessence, we give our free will back to Godas a gift! When we do that, we becomefully involved in a story with infinite,eternal fullness – a grace-filled play thatcan touch the whole “cast of characters”around us.

Giving our free will back to Godas a gift – that’s a radical concept that canlead us to a radically changed life!

RICK SARKISIAN, PH.D.

is the author of numerousbooks on vocation and lifepurpose. He produces anumber of Catholic videos,

airing on EWTN, and has spoken to variousCatholic conferences in the US and Canada.He established LifeWork Press in 1997.


By Pamela Selbert

In as lovely a setting as you can imagine –on 255 grassy oak-statued acres high atop abluff overlooking the glittering MississippiRiver near Godfrey, Illinois – Father MauriceLange is on a “mission,” he says. From LaVista, the appropriately-named farm he man-ages here, Father Maurice is spreading theword about living in harmony with the earth,which in this case means farming organically –using no chemical pesticides, just fabric rowcovers as “physical barriers” to crop-eatinginsects, and “companion planting” where onecrop discourages another’s pests.

Such organic farming, says FatherMaurice, a member of the religious order of theMissionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate(sometimes known simply as Oblates), pro-duces herbs and vegetables that are not onlyhealthier to eat but also tastier than what youcan buy at the grocery store, items that mayhave been picked unripe days earlier and faraway. Locals who enjoy La Vista’s producecan prepare it the day it’s plucked from theground or off the vine.

Father Maurice, 44 (though he looks atleast ten years younger), explains that theOblates order, which originated in France near-

Guy

Louis S

elbert

Oblates; he shares a fine old Spanish-style home with three other priests andthree novices, though he is the only oneinvolved with the farm and CSA.

Following his internship at Genesis,Father Maurice, originally from SanAntonio, Texas, was assigned to Sts.Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Alton,not far from Godfrey, in 2000, whichgave him a “platform” from which topreach the merits of CSA and eco-theol-ogy, he says with a smile. He is nolonger parish priest in order to work full-time at La Vista.

As director of the “umbrella min-istry” Oblate Ecological Initiative, healso oversees La Vista EcologicalLearning Center. The center offers pro-grams on “earth literacy” to religious andlay men and women. In general, peopleare “autistic with relation to the earth,”he explains. Sister Maxine Pohlman ofthe School Sisters of Notre Dame (wholives many miles away in WebsterGroves, Missouri) helps orchestrate theprograms, which offer instruction on“care for God’s creation, living in amutually enhancing way.”

On our recent visit Sister Maxine,who had just completed a two-day EarthLiteracy Revisited program, was gather-ing her weekly share of farm produce,

which included “unlimited picking” ofcherry tomatoes. As Father Mauriceshowed us around the farm – four andone-half acres are devoted to growingmore than 60 different types of vegeta-bles, herbs and flowers – he explainedthat currently 200 area families ownshares, of whom about 80 families own“full memberships,” paying $500 tocome every Tuesday or Friday to collecttheir share; alternate memberships cost$300 a year.

La Vista hires a local farmer, KrisLarson, 32, now in his second year there,to do the plowing, planting and most ofthe harvesting (though on this warm Julyafternoon shareholders were in the fieldpicking cherry tomatoes, green beans,feathery sprigs of cilantro, lovely yellowconeflowers, and enormous sunflowers).The soil, observes Father Maurice, isunusually rich, having formerly beenhorse and mule pasture.

Other shareholders were gatheringproduce such as eggplants, onions, toma-toes, lettuce, beets, carrots and morefrom bins at the “distribution center,” ahistoric barn. An erasable board on thewall lists items and how many of each theshareholders are entitled to carry away(one cabbage, three eggplants, twoonions and 12 carrots, among others thisday).


Kevin and Audrey Neace in the garden at La Vista

Shareholder Carol Norman of Godfrey prepares herbs and lemons for a dish

Fr. Maurice and a Visitor sit in La Vista’s front yard overlooking the Missisippi River far below

ly two centuries ago, believe in “justice, peaceand integrity of creation,” which means “rec-ognizing that creation is holy, God’s first word,and we are interdependent – we are part of it,it’s part of us.”

He continues, “We are all connected to theearth and must learn to live in a mutuallyenhancing way, giving back, not only extract-ing.”

In 2003, two years after receiving permis-sion from his superiors, Father Maurice begana program at La Vista called CommunitySupported Agriculture, or CSA. CSA is a co-op arrangement in which community membersbuy “shares” of a farm, then during the grow-ing season – in La Vista’s case May toNovember – come weekly (or bi-weekly for aless expensive membership) to collect theirshare of the harvest.

The concept had been introduced to theUnited States in the mid 1980’s, and one of thefirst of these was in New Jersey and called“Genesis Farm.” Community SupportedAgriculture originated in Japan in the 1960’s,and then spread to Europe. From the first CSAfarms begun in this country 20 years ago, themovement has grown to include 1500 suchfarms in the United States today, mostly in theMidwest, New England and California, headded.

Father Maurice has an undergraduate col-lege degree in environmental studies and aMasters degree in theology, but until he heardabout “eco-theology” in the early 1990’s andthen went to Genesis Farm, his “two fields ofstudy had not seemed to speak to each other,”he says. A two-year internship at Genesis(1998-99) convinced him that the programcould work at La Vista, which is a novitiate for

Guy

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elbert

Father Maurice adds that sharehold-ers not only pay for their produce, theymust also work three hours at some task“according to their likes and abilities.”This can mean such diverse work asassisting Larson in the field or serving as“greeters” at the barn to helping withpublicity for the farm or writing grants,he said.

After our walking tour, we sat anhour with Father Maurice on the lawnlooking far over the silver Mississippiand thickly-treed rolling hills ofMissouri, while he talked about the farmand his mission, and other programs hehas begun here.

He says La Vista, which onceincluded more than 350 acres, belongedto a wealthy family named Levis that ranOwens, Illinois Glass Company. AfterCharles Levis died in 1949, the Oblatespurchased the property in 1950, laterselling 100 of its acres to the town ofGodfrey, which eventually turned it intoa park.

The order, to which Father Mauriceprofessed his first vows in 1985, and wasordained a priest five years later, wasfounded in 1816 by diocesan priestEugene DeManzenod in Aix-en-Provence, France, he said. Father

DeManzenod had a “love for the poorand wanted to reach those the churchwasn’t touching,” he said.

“He gathered like-minded menaround him and started what wouldbecome a primarily missionary commu-nity,” he said. “The first missions –“oblates” means “offerings” in Latin –were in Sri Lanka and South Africa, andnow count 4500 Oblate priests in 63countries.”

Soft-spoken Father Maurice notesthat he returned recently from a confer-ence in Thailand with 30 Oblates from18 countries, during which he had givena talk about the “Oblate priority of theIntegrity of Creation.” He says, we“should be honoring God’s revelation,working to find our place in His cre-ation.”

Six years ago, when Father Mauricelearned of plans to build ball fields onthe former Oblate property, he suggestedalso building a one-acre DiscoveryGarden there for children. His plan wasapproved, and today about 1000 areachildren ages kindergarten through highschool take part in the planting, weedingand harvesting, growing – organically –a variety of crops including potatoes,watermelons, squash, peas, strawberries,

PAMELA SERLBERTis a freelance writer based justoutside St. Louis, Missouri. Herwork has appeared in more thanfifty publications.


Shareholders select produce at Distribution Center

Yellow coneflowers at the gardenFr. Maurice and a Visitor sit in La Vista’s front yard overlooking the Missisippi River far below

corn and more, he said.The garden, he says with obvious pride andpleasure, won the Governor’s HometownAward in 2004.

Other events at La Vista include cookingclasses (a “Tour of the Mediterranean” throughfood, taught by shareholders Lori Bregenzerand Christina Argyropoulos assisted by FatherMaurice, was held the evening of our visit).“Exploring the Sacred Universe” takes placeevery August 3-10 and includes a Tomato FestAugust 5 and Cooking Class August 7 offeredby Oblate priest “Chef Jacques.” Nearly all theingredients for dishes prepared at cookingclasses and for the Oblates’ table are grown atLa Vista.

Father Maurice said Pope John Paul II “hadencouraged us in our ‘ecological vocation,’which means recognizing our connection withGod’s holy creation, at which point it’s unthink-able for us to abuse it.” Clearly this gentlepriest has made the connection – the farm at LaVista is living proof.

For more information about La Vista Ecological Learning Center visit

www.lavistaele.org or the Community SupportedGarden at La Vista, www.lavistacsa.org

For information about the Children’s DiscoveryGarden visit www.thediscoverygarden.org

Father Maurice Lange can be reached by e-mail

What touched youthe most on your trip to America?Being invited to perform at the meeting hall of the UnitedNations, where all countries gather to decide the fate of theworld.

Has the Oscar you received added anything to your life?Nothing at all. It only added one more prize to my collection.

One more prize for your hundreds of music tracks, symphonic andcamera music. Do you think that you have received some help fromthe above?Maybe there has been some help from above. But I do notknow if God mixes himself with these earthly affairs. Let mesay the truth: compared to the mistery, the spirituality, themysticism, my music is not as important. The gift God hasgiven me is musical talent. It is up to me to use it withcoherence.

Uniting music and spirituality is a very special talent of yours!It is true. Many affirm that even when I write light music, theyfeel something mystic, something sacred.

Am I wrong to say the the best music track you have written is forthe movie “Mission?”You are not wrong, even though I do not think that it is the onlytrack that came out very well.

Why do you think that it came out so well?Maybe because I felt profoundly the sacrifice of the Jesuits andthe Native Americans against the Spaniards and Portuguesewho massacred them. The communion between the Jesuits andthe Native Americans greatly touched my heart.


What did you feel in Tornatore’s movie “Nuovo CinemaParadiso”?I felt human love, a very beautiful love, summarized in thescene of the kisses captured in so many movies. Thedevise used by Tornatore is extraordinary!

How do you remember the director Pier Paolo Pasolini?I recall his respect regarding my professionalism and thatof all his other collaborators.

Another of your ingenious ideas can be found in SergioLeone’s movie “For a Fistful of Dollars”!Ideas must always be present, otherwise is better not towrite music at all.

What do you think of Gregorian chant?It is fundamental. I am sorry that in the majority ofchurches it has been abolished in the liturgical functions.Today’s songs, especially those composed for guitars,remind me of the period when the Council of Trentintervined to correct the distortions of sacred music withprofane words, and sacred texts with profane music. Thetype of music that the play in Chuch nowadays, I feel, isa degenaration. The liturgical music should be Gregorianmusic.

Do you practice your faith?Yes, I do!

By Fr. Vito Magno, R.C.J.

Ennio Morricone is one of the best-known modern composers offilm scores. On February 25, 2007 he received an HonoraryAcademy Award for career achievemet in HollywoodCalifornia. He is the author of more than 500 film scores, manyof which have become very famous. Movies such as Mission,For a Fistful of Dollars, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, The Legendof the Pianist on the Ocean,and The Untouchable, have gainedgreat part of their success because of his music.

RogateErgo

Rome

From an artist’s perspective, do you feel we need theChurch?Very much so. In Rome I live near the “Chiesa di Gesù,”and every morning I go there. When I pray I do so in veryspecific ways, as if I was following an order coming fromabove, even though it is not so. To pray for me is apleasure and a duty.

There are groups in the Church today that play rock, popmusic, etc. Is that good or bad?I think that in the best productions of rock and pop music– I intend with these two also other forms of music - therecan be the sacred. In rock music for example some thinkthat there is nothing sacred. Some people think that thereis only something blasfemous or sinful. I however thinkthat in the best experiences of rock music there is a veryhigh sacredness when it refers to the primitive state ofman. In today’s rock music the primitive (primordial) isbound to today’s progress in technical means, as well asin the production, recording, and execution.

There are historical cycles. Probably we will go back, even ifin different forms, to the purity of sacred music of which youspeak. After all we already see a return to Gregorian chant.The monks of Silo have recorded some albums that haveachieved a notable success.Yes, they are the only ones who have remained faithful.After all it is not easy to execute Gregorian chant. It isnecessary that purity, that simplicity of voice, thatsoftness, those right pauses that are not easy: it is a veryspecialized school.

As a believer what do you expect of the Church?I do not think I can ask for anything, maybe I would askfor the Church to be even closer to the poor, even thoughI am convinced that Church already does a lot in thisregard.

Finally Hollywood has given you an Oscar for your career!But don’t you think that movies owe you even more?No. It is enough that movie directors feel happy with mymusic.

Have you always felt free with movie directors?Free and bound at the same time.

I know that there is a great understanding between you andyour wife! Do you ask her opinion when you have finishedcomposing?I ask for her opinions even before those of the moviedirectors!

Does she have a good musical ear?She has the right sensibility.


Vocation Witness

FR. VITO MAGNO, RCJwrites from Rome where he is editor of Rogate Ergo,a magazine on vocation ministry. He also collaborateswith Vatican Radio, RAI, and different newsapers andmagazines.

Among the musicians of the past and of today, whom do youlove best?Bach, Stravinsky, Frescobaldi, Palestrina, and Luigi Nonoamong others.

I know that you like to play chess! Is there a relationshipbetween chess and your compositions?It may be, but I do not know!

And between chess and life?Chess and life are the same thing. It is a struggle!

Has your life changed now that you have an Oscar?Not at all!

Above: Morricone receivesthe Oscar fromClint Eastwood.

Left: Morricone’s

concerto “Voci dalSilenzio” presented

at the Meeting Hall of the United

Nations.

By Psychologist, Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT

Prelude to article:On Bended Knee - Dr BLT © 2007http://www.drblt.net/music/onbendedknee.mp3

Do you believe that what happens to you depends on yourself or,alternatively, do you believe that your destiny is governed by exter-nal forces that are beyond your control? While enrolled in graduateschool, I was taught that the best way to foster personal growth andpositive change in patients was to help them to alter their perspec-tives. This generally involved assisting the patient in abandoning aperspective involving an external locus of control, and, in inculcat-ing an internal locus of control. In a nutshell (no pun intended), thismeans helping the patient to look at him/herself, and not at externalevents and objects as the ultimate cause of his/her behavior.

I tried this approach, drawn from quintessential psychological the-orist Jullian Rotter, and found it highly useful in some cases.Certain patients remained stuck in a dysfunctional pattern of think-ing that produced a phenomenon identified by Seligman as LearnedHelplessness. In short, they began to believe that nothing they didmattered. No matter what they tried, failure seemed to follow.Underlying and, ultimately paralyzing self-statements correspon-ding to their dysfunctional pattern of thought included the follow-ing:

� I’ll never find love, lasting love, after coming from a bro-ken home.

� My dad was an alcoholic who died of liver disease, so Iknow I’ll never overcome my own problem with alcohol.

� A job-related accident has left me unable to work. I cannever be happy without being gainfully employed.

� Kids at school teased me relentlessly, so don’t expect meto ever be outgoing at social functions.

� I was brought up in a church where the priest consistent-ly preached a message of hell, fire and brimstone. Andyou want me to believe in a loving God?

After getting patients to see that they did had some measure of con-trol over their own fate, I noted a dramatic improvement in theiroverall levels of functioning. And their attitudes were dramatical-ly more optimistic. Yet they were left with the sentiment expressedin a classic song by the band, U2, I Still Haven’t Found What I’mLooking For.

At this point, I realized that there was a marked gap in my training,one that could only be filled in with faith. Yes, the Bible teaches usthat we reap what we sow. It teaches us the importance of takingpersonal responsibility for our actions. But the scriptures neversuggest that we are to go it alone, as is often suggested by core prin-ciples inherent in humanistic psychology.

This brings me to the limits of the Internal vs. External Locus ofControl model of human behavior. While “god” is sometimesalluded to as an external source, or locus of control, he is cast inwith all of the other crutches and excuses. This is consistent withFreud’s notion that God, and religion, were not real sources ofpower and strength, but, rather, symptoms of psychological weak-ness and impuissance.

Nothing could be further from the truth. This brings me to the con-clusion that to live the abundant life, one must adopt an EternalLocus of Control. An external locus of control will keep you pas-sive and feeling stuck in a rut. And you can get by with an InternalLocus of Control, at least until there is an unexpected twist in theroad.

Nobody escapes disappointment in life, and nobody can keep life’sroad consistently clear of obstacles and perplexing, and oftenpainful problems. Even St. Paul, the Apostle, repeatedly alluded towhat he described as a thorn in his flesh. And when disappoint-ment, heartache and adversity raise their ugly heads, you will needan eternal perspective to sustain and guide you through the storm.

More specifically, adopting an eternal perspective, or an EternalLocus of Control will do the following for you:

� Give you energy to get through each day and througheven the darkest of nights.The Bible says those who waitupon the Lord will rise up with wings as eagles. With aneternal focus and an eternal locus, you will “run and notbe weary. You will “walk and not faint.”

� Allow you to stay focused and to keep your prioritieswhere they need to be.

� Be less self-absorbed and more responsive to the needs ofthose around you. Jesus said that if you do somethinggood for somebody (and even the desire to do so comesfrom above), you have done the same to Jesus himself.


Psychology

Adopting an eternal perspective, or an Eternal Locus of Control will help you make better decisions, and live a happier life.

� Inspire you to take on life’s challenges with a renewed senseof hope.

� Allow you to have a reason to be a better steward of yourtime, your energy and your money.

� Give you a sense of purpose, direction, and personal satis-faction.

� Keep you spiritually fed and nurtured. Give you a foundation for problem-solving.

� Reduce feelings of guilt and unworthiness worry, fear andoverwhelming levels of anxiety.

� Give you a basis for avoiding painful bouts of identity con-fusion and strengthen self-esteem by giving you a place andpurpose within the kingdom of God and a sense of securityand belongingness as a child of God.

There are times when you will need to adopt an external locus of con-trol. For example, though I discourage my patients from using thepast as an excuse or a crutch, I do encourage looking at the past toestablish and learn from external factors contributing to certain dys-functional patterns of thought, emotion and behavior. Sometimes youwill need to make changes in your surroundings in order to create a“pollution-free” internal environment.

Other times, you will need to make a shift from an external to an inter-nal locus of control. Such times may include, but are not limited tofear of going after God-given, God-inspired dreams due to negativepeople who have encouraged you to give up your dreams.

But when the rubber meets the role, and your very soul is threatened,and the problems you face need something bigger than what you, orothers, can provide, an Eternal Locus of Control is the only way togo.

God has given you a brain. Use it. He has given you friends and fam-ily. Turn to them. But don’t look to yourself, others, or your environ-ment exclusively. As the song goes,

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,Look full in His wonderful face,And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,In the light of His glory and grace.

Helen H. Lemmel, 1922

In short, don’t wait until all else fails, listen to Jesus when he bidsyou: Turn 2 Me - Dr BLT © 2007http://www.drblt.net/music/Turntome.mp3

DR. BRUCE L. THIESSEN, PH.D.Known by patients as Dr. B.L.T. is a Christ- centered psy-chologist, and a singer/songwriter. He presently works as aclinical psychologist for the CA Department of Corrections,and teaches for the National and Chapman University spe-cializing in the psychology of modern music. Era

Services


News

There are about 12,000 young people preparing themselves to the priesthoodin the Major Seminaries in Mexico. This is the conclusion presented byXavier Legorreta to the 82ndnd Assembly of the Episcopal Conference.Legorreta affirmed that in Mexico there is a sizeable increase in vocations.He added that there are about 15,000 priests and 32,000 religious women inMexico today. “One of the fundamental reasons of this vitality and wealth ofvocations in the Mexican Church is the persecution that she sustained in the1930’s, which helped Catholics to defend their faith”, explained XavierLegorreta. He also pointed out that the formation of future priests and con-templative religious women is a priority for the Mexican Church. Nowadays,

Mexico, in addition toColombia, is one of thecountries that send moreevangelizers to the rest ofthe world, especially toEurope.

In the Philippines, approximately250 priests, seminarians and reli-gious from Vietnam study inCatholic universities and institutes.They can not complete their collegeeducation in Vietnam because ofgovernment’s limitations. Most ofthem are students of Theology, whocannot attend Vietnamese seminar-ies whose enrollment is restricted.Many of them obtain scholarshipsfrom foreign benefactors. One ofthe Filipino Institutes with a greaternumber of students from Vietnam isthe ICLA (Institute of ConsecratedLife in Asia) run by the Claretians,in Quezon City. There are thirtytwo priests and Vietnamese reli-gious attending Master andDoctorate courses. The ICLA offersalso different courses about basicTheology and Biblical Studies, andhas prepared different teachers for apossible opening in Ho Chi MinhCity for an Institute of ConsecratedLife.

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NNoonn--IIttaalliiaann BBoorrnn PPrriieessttss iinn IIttaallyy

By Fulvio Cavarocchi

In Italy, 4% of diocesan priests are non-Italianborn. This figure represents approximately 1,200priests (religious congregations not included).One-fourth of these priests come from Africa, par-ticularly from Congo; one-third from the EuropeanUnion (Poland in the first place); followed byLatin America, Asia, other EU countries, NorthAmerica and Oceania. 712 foreign priests work inparishes of central Italy, 230 in southern Italy, and201 priests in northern Italy. NNoonn--IIttaalliiaann PPrriieessttss iinn IIttaallyy

Africa

Latin America

Non-Italian

European

Rev.FranciscoJavier

Flores, R

CJ

RogateErgo

Brazil

Speak, Lord, your Servant is Listening.Prayers and Devotions for Youth

This booklet encourages the devotional life of young people and helps them on the purpose of their life,

their vocation.

To order contact:

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E-mail: [email protected]

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Vocation Poster

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Offer good through Dec 31, 2007

Inside

Rogationist Development Office6635 Tobias Ave., Van Nuys CA 91405Tel: (818) 782.1762 Fax: (818) 782.1794

Email: [email protected]

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the catholic magazine on vocation ministry july -s

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