FACESOF FAITH

Springtime for Catholics in the North Country

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C16 the Gallery

PHOTO BY JESSE SOVIEFather Patrick Martin, a legally blindpriest of Norwich, Conn., was the leaderfor the annual Lenten Mission for NotreDame/St. Mary's in Ogdensburg. FatherMartin's topic was "God's Love In A Bro-ken World."

PHOTO BY SHAWN RYANFather Don Kramberg prepares children from the religious education program of Red-ford's Church of the Assumption for the Palm Sunday Mass.

The religious education students of the Church of the Visitation, Norfolk, created ties that reflected the good deeds that they didwhile on their Lenten journey. The students wore their ties as they lined the aisles of the Palm Sunday Mass procession. Pictured arejust some who attended a parent/child First Communion meeting after Mass. Front, from left, are Joshua King, Jessika Bullock,Megan McCarthy, Alannah Baker and Carl Morris; back, Carol O'Brien Gonthier, Msgr. John R. Murphy, Hayden Bullock, Micaela Trimm,Jalinden Thomas and Laurie Dufresne.

A good showing of men from the Diocese of Ogdensburg traveled to Syracuse March31 to take part in Ignite, the annual men's conference of the Syracuse diocese. Speak-ers included CBS news analyst Father Thomas Williams, LC; entrepreneur Sean O'Hare,

baseball catcher Mike Piazza, and Bishop Robert Cunningham, former bishop of Og-densburg and current bishop of Syracuse. Among those shown above are Fathers BryanStitt of Malone and Mark Reilly of Saranac Lake.

Confirmation candidates from St. Peter's in Plattsburgh, St. Alexander's/St. Joseph inMorrisonville and St. Augustine's in Peru took part a regional retreat in PlattsburghMarch 31. Beth and Chris Carlin from Living Hope Ministries facilitated the retreatalong with Rose Ann Hickey, who is shown above leading one of the workshops.

CATHOLICNORTH COUNTRYNORTH COUNTRYThe Diocese of Ogdensburg Volume 67, Number 1

APRIL 11, 2012

INSIDETHIS ISSUEPope focuses onjoys, struggles offamilies l PAGE 11

Faces ofFaith in thespringtime l PAGE 16

CHRISTIS RISEN

Divine Mercy Sunday

‘Too Few in the Pew’

Easter blessings

HOORAY FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS!

A TRIP ‘ABROAD’: Local youth ministers join Canadian gathering... p. 10

Responding to Christ’s sacrifice

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OF THE NATIONALGALLERY OF ARTThe Resurrection is depicted in "ChristRisen from the Tomb," a painting byItalian Renaissance artistBergognone. The artwork is from theSamuel H. Kress Collection at the Na-tional Gallery of Art in Washington.Easter, the feast of the Resurrection,was April 8 in the Latin-rite churchthis year. In his message for Easter,Bishop LaValley wrote, “Easter Sundaycomes as surely as the dawn. As a res-urrection people, we breathe the pureair of everlasting life. Death has beenovercome. In His love for us, Goddraws us outwards into the unknown,the beyond, the infinite, the eternal....

PHOTO SUPPLIEDChildren from Holy Family School in Malone reenacted the events of Palm Sunday as part of their observance of Holy Week.Shown are Slade Gonyea, Ryan Hesseltine,Brady Fitzpatrick,Liam Davis, Chloe LaBelle,Olivia Laflesh, Maisie Smallman, center:Evan Gratton(donkey), Alex Randall(Jesus), and Porter Wood(donkey). Catholic schools across the diocese are now acceptingregistration for the school year that begins in September. See special features on pages 4 through 9.

Workshops to be held

April 14-16 in three

sites in the diocese

Catholics across the dio-cese will celebrate the Feastof Divine Mercy with parishdevotions April 15.The devotions originated in

the late 1930’s by St. FaustinaKowalska who said that shehad a vision of Jesus in whichhe asked for devotions to di-vine mercy on the Sundayafter Easter.Pope John Paul II canonized

St. Faustina in 2000 and de-clared the Sunday after Easterto be Divine Mercy Sunday. Parish celebrations are

listed on this week’s “Aroundthe Diocese” page

FULL STORY, PAGE 14

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The trulyChristian response toChrist's death and resurrec-tion must be the dedicationof one's life and one's time tobuilding a relationship withJesus and being grateful forthe gift of salvation, PopeBenedict XVI said."In this Holy Week, the

Lord Jesus will renew the

greatest gift we could possi-bly imagine: he will give ushis life, his body and hisblood, his love," the popesaid April 1, celebrating PalmSunday in St. Peter's Square. "We must respond worthily

to so great a gift, that is tosay, with the gift of our-selves, our time, our prayer,our entering into a profound

communion of love withChrist who suffered, diedand rose for us," Pope Bene-dict said. In his homily, Pope Bene-

dict said the disciples andcrowds who followed Jesusto Jerusalem had their ownidea of who Jesus was andwhat difference he wouldmake in their lives and the

life of Israel.In fact, he said, the vast

majority of them were disap-pointed he did not live up totheir expectations and theywent - in a space of a fewdays - from acclaiming himas Messiah as he enteredJerusalem to calling for hiscrucifixion or running awayfrightened.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C news 15

OBITUARIESAdams – Harold William “Nick” Grieco,92; Funeral Services April 9, 2012 at St.Cecilia’s Church; burial in St. Cecilia’sCemetery.

Carthage – Myron Grant McIntyre, 73;Funeral Services April 7, 2012 at theBezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home; burialin St. James Cemetery.

Champlain – Annabelle Patricia (Tromb-ley) Ashline, 89; Funeral Services April 5,2012 at St. Mary’s Church; burial in St.Mary’s Cemetery.

Champlain – Pauline J. Filion, 86; FuneralServices March 31, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Champlain – Andre Shavel, 59; FuneralServices April 4, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch.

Croghan – Thomas A. “Tommy” Nortz, 88;Funeral Services April 10, 2012 at St.Stephen’s Church; burial in St. Stephen’sCemetery.

Glenfield – Margaret L. (Lorenzini) Bur-dick, 95; Funeral Services May 21, 2012 atSt. Mary’s Church; burial in Old GlendaleCemetery.

Gouverneur – Anthony “Tony” Pastizzo,81; Funeral Services April 3, 2012 at St.James Church; burial in Glenwood Ceme-tery, Watertown.

Hogansburg – Hattie Thompson, 81; Fu-neral Services April 3, 2012 at St. RegisChurch; burial in Kateri Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Debbie (Kuca) Abel, 55;Funeral Services April 14, 2012 at St.Mary’s Cathedral.

Plattsburgh – Gerald R. “Jerry” Brown, Sr.,80; Funeral Services April 6, 2012 at St.Peter’s Church; burial in St. Peter’s Ceme-tery.

Plattsburgh – Helen Marie (Finegan)Camelo, 85; Funeral Services April 4, 2012at St. John XXIII Newman Center; burial inSt. John’s Cemetery, Keeseville.

Rosiere - Edward J. (Ned) Lawrence, 87,Funeral Services April 13 at St.Vincent dePaul Chuch.

Watertown – John R. Doe, 81; FuneralServices April 2, 2012 at Our Lady of the

Sacred Heart Church.

Watertown – Angelina J. (Stupack) Hub-bard, 84; Funeral Services March 31, 2012at Cummings Funeral Service, Inc.; burialin North Watertown Cemetery.

Watertown - Mary Pacific Crescenzi, 93,Funeral services April 9 at St. Anthony’sChurch, Entombment in Glenwood Mau-soleum.

West Chazy – Jeanne M. (Hebert) Beach;Funeral Services April 3, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church.

West Leyden - Dorothy E. (Gibbs) Nellen-bach, 86, Funeral Services April 11 at St.Mary’s Nativity Church; burial in St.Peter’s & Paul’s Cemetery, Fish Creek.

Westport – Huberta J. (Tetro) Conway,85; Funeral Services April 2, 2012 at St.Philip Neri Church.

The Society For

The Propagation Of The FaithSr. Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Director

622 Washington St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669(315) 393-2920; fax (315) 394-7401mbrett@dioogdensburg.org

From Director’s DeskSister Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Diocesan Director

This spring education issue of theNCC is an opportune time for us torecall the beginnings of the Societyfor the Propagation of the Faith...apiece of mission education for all ofus. Our story begins in France in the

early 19th century. Pauline Jaricot,inspired by letters from her brother,Phileas, started gathering togethersmall groups in her family’s silk fac-tory. Pauline asked each member ofthe group to offer daily prayer and aweekly sacrifice of one soul’s (theequivalent of a penny at that time) for the Church’s worldwidemissionary work.She insisted that her efforts be directed to all the Church’s

missions, that they be universal.From Pauline’s vision came the Society for the Propagation of

the Faith. The very first collection for the Propagation of theFaith in 1822 supported the vast diocese of Louisiana, whichthen extended from the Florida Keys to Canada, as well as themissions of Kentucky and China.Little did Pauline realize that the 1822 beginnings of promot-

ing the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in Louisianawould stir strong Louisiana mission connections in 2005. ForSr. Judy, who has spent the past half-dozen years involved inpontifical missionary works in the New Orleans ArchdiocesanMission Office, the connections to the missions in the days afterHurricane Katrina were uplifting and sustaining. Sr. Judy said,“The Katrina tragedy offers a lesson for all Catholics about themissions around the world and the needs of the local CatholicChurches as well as the poor in Africa, Asia, Latin America andthe Pacific Islands.” “Our people – our kids have now experi-enced the daily reality of the poor of the missions firsthand.”We’ve got to help them keep making those connections.”The Society for the Propagation of the Faith continues to seek

prayer and sacrifice for the world’s missions, now some 1,100dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and Latin America.Help is offered for pastoral and evangelizing programs, for cate-chists, catechetical work, healthcare and to build churches.Missionaries still respond to the command of Jesus, “Go and

teach all nations.” Missionaries also continue to depend on as-sistance from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith to sus-tain them in their service to the poorest of the poor. Thank youfor being a “home missionary” and helping in your own way.

Please remember “The Society for the Propagation of the Faith”when writing or changing your Will.

www.dioogdensburg.org/missionoffice

Go and teachall nations

Pauline Jaricot

NORTHCOUNTRYCATHOLIC

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I’ve been a big fan of Catholicschools since my first day in firstgrade with Sister St. Thomas and40 other scared/excited six yearolds. Those were the days

when there were so manyfamilies who wanted tosend their children toBishop Conroy MemorialSchool in Ogdensburg thatthere just wasn’t room tofit a kindergarten.Those were also the

days when it wasn’t neces-sary to send kids toschool to be socializedwith other children.Nearly every Catholichome I knew was filled with chil-dren of all ages!We all had to learn to play well

with others… or else!Like our public school friends,

we learned all the necessary read-ing, writing and arithmetic skillsbut we also took away somethingelse: a reinforcement of theCatholic faith that we all prac-ticed with our families at home.Catholic schools were critical

back in the 1960s and they arecritical still but, alas, with fewerchildren, fewer Religious teachersand higher expenses, too many ofour schools are on the “criticallist.”Since most of us aren’t in a po-

sition to spread millions of dol-lars around to keep those doorsopen, the one thing we can do is

encourage young parents tochoose a Catholic education fortheir precious little ones.This week’s NCC offers a few

helpful “talking points.”Catholic schools in the

Diocese of Ogdensburglead our children towardslives of faith (p. 1), serv-ice (p. 5), good health (p.7) and academic excel-lence.The words of Chris

Hornbarger, the executivesystem administer of IHCin Watertown, can beentaken to heart by us all. He offers “ten reasons

to send your child to IHCschools” which, with just a littletweaking, could fit any Catholicschool in northern New York. My favorite point is his first

one: IHC, he says, is “A gift thatlasts a lifetime.”“We like to say IHC offers stu-

dents ‘A Foundation for Life,’” Mr.Hornbarger writes. “It’s true.What we teach is not about the‘next rung on the ladder’- per-forming on the Regents, the SAT,getting into a good college, orwinning a scholarship (thoughwe’ve got a great track record inthese areas). What we offer lastsa lifetime – a guideline for life,grounded in Christian virtues,that only grows stronger overtime.”Sounds like a pretty good gift to

me!

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C2 Diocesan Life

MSGR. ROBERT L. LAWLERVice President

SR. JENNIFER VOTRAW, SSJSecretary-TreasurerMARY LOU KILIAN

Editor/General Manager

BISHOP TERRYR. LAVALLEYPresident

Mary LouKilian

LETTER FROM THE EDITORCHURCH: A FAMILY OF FAITH

Divine Mercy2nd Sunday of Easter - April 14-15

By Sister Mary Eamon Lyng, SSJDirector of Evangelization

“Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving butbelieving, alleluia!” Jesus, who reaches out to Thomas’ weak faith, offered himdivine mercy and peace. It was through these locked doors that He appearedto the frightened disciples to alleviate their fears, to strengthen their faith, andto offer reconciliation and peace. Like the disciples, we experience fears andbrokenness. When fear sets in, our hearts become locked and no one can enterin. This is what happened to Thomas as well as to the other apostles. WhatJesus desired from Thomas was faith in Him at a time when there was no visi-ble sign of Jesus’ presence. The risen Lord said, “You believe in me, Thomas, be-cause you have seen me; blessed are those who have not seen me, but stillbelieve” (John 20:29)! To believe in Jesus is to accept and to be open to all thepossibilities that God has in store for us, even if we do not visibly see clearly theroad ahead.

In the second reading from John, he tells us that we are all begotten by God.We are His children. There is no need to fear. The way to break down the barri-ers and boundaries that separate us from one another is to love another. Whatwe often fear is the hurt, the judgment, the remark that closes us out from adeeper relationship with the other. We close the door, afraid to go out, andfear to let others enter in.

What we share in common as a family of faith is the gift of the Holy Spirit,the very gift of the Risen Lord, who would empower Thomas and the Apostlesthe gift of peace to unlock the door of our hearts. With the Spirit we partici-pate in God’s great work of reconciliation.

The Church, through the gift of the sacrament of Holy Orders, the ordainedpriest offers the family of faith, the opportunity to forgive sins. It is throughthe gift of the community of believers that we offer one another forgivenessand reconciliation. Each follower of Christ is baptismally called to exercise thisministry. It is the heart of Jesus’ ministry. It is the very foundation of commu-nity. It is the gift of shalom—peace—the wholeness of being connectedagain with the Risen Lord and with the community of believers. It is being inrelationship with our God whose love unlocks the door to bring peace. It is thepeace of Christ that the world cannot give; rather it is a peace that strengthensour faith to go out and to be a sign of Christ’s presence and peace to one an-other. This takes courage.

Reconciliation and forgiveness is not an easy ministry. We are always inprocess. This means we have to be open to change, but also, we have to beopen that others have changed as well. The Risen Lord has left us His gift ofthe Holy Spirit to form and to shape us into becoming a reconciling communityof love. Who we are and what we do continues the mission of Jesus’ forgive-ness and reconciliation.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. Your Deanery or parish will be celebrat-ing the mercy of God through prayer and the Sacrament of Penance. Bringsomeone who would like to receive the Sacrament of Penance and experiencethe forgiveness of sins and God’s peace. We, too, like Thomas, have seen theLord. Now let us, like Thomas, share our good news with others who have notyet met the Lord. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlast-ing” (Ps. 118).

Locked in unbelief;Peace unlocks fear;Peace brings insight

To see with faith!Lord, that I might see!My Lord and my God!

A gift that truly lasts a lifetime

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 3

FOLLOW ME

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:The resurrection itself was never in

doubt—God cannot die. But the sur-prise and gift of Easter is that theresurrection is for us, too! Jesus has been raised in our flesh

and blood. It is our death that hasbeen defeated. This is truly the ‘Day of the Lord.’

But it is our day, too, for Jesusshares with us the fruits of His vic-tory. As we walk through life, we be-come increasingly aware of ourmortality and the inevitable journeytowards death. Death constitutes ahuge challenge to our faith, for wesee beyond death only as through a dark-ened glass. Good Friday, day of darkness and death,

comes to everyone.

So does Holy Saturday, that day of empti-ness and sorrow. On such days it’s difficult

to believe, to trust, to remain faith-ful. But Easter Sunday comes as

surely as the dawn.As a resurrection people, we

breathe the pure air of everlastinglife. Death has been overcome. InHis love for us, God draws us out-wards into the unknown, the be-yond, the infinite, the eternal. We go forward more confidently

and hopefully because Jesus ourBrother has gone ahead of us.While we may stumble and fall on

our personal journeys, let us never losehope in the God who saves us. Let us be Church for one another, adults

and youth, clergy and lay, individuals who

truly care for one another’s well-being.When we love, accept, and forgive one an-other, we allow the splendor of Christ’s res-urrection to scatter the shadows thatdarken the lives of our sisters and brothers. Let us all walk together in radiant hope,

following the risen Christ who is the Way,the Truth and the Life.May you and your loved ones rejoice in

the hope and peace that our Risen Saviorhas won for all of us. A blessed Easter toyou and your family!

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Terry R. LaValleyBishop of Ogdensburg

Franciscan Sister LouiseAlff, former director of FaithFormation for the Archdio-cese of Philadelphia with aspecial focus on Parish Evan-gelization, will be presentinga workshop across the Dio-cese called “Too Few in thePew” from April 14-16Sister Louise will share

practical strategies to learnpractical ways to invitesomeone to ‘take anotherlook’; recognize signs ofopenness to discuss the

faith, identify the best ap-proach for different needs,and to recognize everydayopportunities to invite peo-ple to join the CatholicChurch.Registration for the work-

shop may be made throughpastors or Sister Mary Eamonat elyng@dioogdensburg.orgor call 393-2920 Ext. 380.The schedule follows:

Jefferson/Lewis/Hamilton-

Herkimer Deaneries Augustinian Academy,

Carthage, April 14, 10 a.m. to12.St. Lawrence/Franklin DeaneriesTrinity School, Massena,

April 15, 2 p.m. to 4Clinton/Adirondack/Hamilton-Herkimer/Essex DeaneriesSt. Peter’s Emmaus Hall,

Plattsburgh, April 16, 1p.m.to 3 AND 7 p.m. to 9

‘Too Few in the Pew’ begins

The ‘Day of the Lord’ is our day, too

BishopTerry R.LaValley

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C14 around the diocese

DIVINE MERCY CELEBRATIONSaranac Lake – St. Bernard’s will cele-brate the Feast of the Divine Mercy.Date: April 15Time: 2:30 p.m.Features: Exposition and Benediction ofthe Blessed Sacrament, Chaplet of DivineMercy, Veneration of the Divine MercyImage, Anointing with St. Faustina's Oil.Opportunity for Sacrament of Reconcili-ation will also be available.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAYPlattsburgh – St. Peter’s Church will beobserving Divine Mercy Sunday.Date: April 15Schedule: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 12:15 p.m. to 2:30Sacrament of Reconciliation in the chapel 1:15 p.m. to 2:15Video: “Tell All Soul’s About My Mercy” 12:15 p.m. to 1:25Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Prayer Services begins at 2:30 p.m.Features: Blessing of Religious objectswill take place during the service. Pleasenot the times have changed this year.

CLOTHING SALEPeru – St. Vincent de Paul Society will beholding a special sale of gently usedspring/summer clothing and footwear.Dates: April 11 through April 14, 9 a.m.to 3 p.m.; April 12 the sale will be from 7p.m. to 9 p.m.Place: St. Vincent’s Thrift StoreFeatures: Fill a large 33 gallon bag withclothing/footwear for $5.

DIVINE MERCY DEVOTIONSKeeseville – Divine Mercy Devotions willbe observed this year.Date: April 15Time: Noon to 3 p.m.Features: The Chaplet of the DivineMercy will be sung , Rosary recited, lightrefreshments

SOAKING PRAYEREllenburg - Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer have soaking prayer.Date: April 16 (every 3rd Monday). Time: 10 a.m. to 11 Features: An hour to come and be im-mersed in prayer with individual prayertime for your specific needs.

BENEFIT DINNERCoopersville – St. Joseph’s Church willbe having its 9th annual benefit dinnerfeaturing a full course Turkey Dinner.Date: May 6

Time: Noon to 2 p.m.Place: K of C Hall, ChamplainCost: $9; children 5-12, $5; under 5, freeFeatures: Raffle and door prizes, you donot need to be present to win.

PANCAKE BREAKFASTTreadwell Mills – Rcc. St. Alexander & St.Joseph’s will hold a Pancake Breakfast Date: April 22Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Place: St. Joseph’s Church HallCost: Adults, $6; Children 6-12, $3;under 5, Free

SPRING BRUNCHAltona – Holy Angels Church will be hav-ing an All You Can Eat Spring Brunch.Date: April 15Time: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Cost: Adults, $7; Children under 12, $3Features: Bake Sale & Craft Tables. Call236-5848 to reserve craft table.

BLUE & GOLD SPRING FLING BALLAuSable Forks– Holy Name School is cel-ebrating its 99th year with a semi-for-mal dinner dance.Date: April 21Time: 5 p.m.Place: Rainbow Banquet Hall Gold RoomCost: $35 per personFeatures: There will be door prizesthroughout the evening and 50/50 raf-fles. Individuals or organizations whosponsor a table of 10 will have theirname displayed on the table.Contact: Holy Name School to purchaseticks, 518-647-8444

BREAKFAST BUFFETBrushton - St. Mary's is planning aBreakfast BuffetDate: April 15 Time: 8 a.m. to 12:30Place: St. Mary's Parish Center, Take outsavailable, call 518 529 6580Menu: Fried/Scrambled Eggs, CornedBeef Hash, Indian Hash, Bacon,Sausage, Home Fries, Pancakes, FrenchToast, Homemade Donuts, ToastPrice: Adults, $7; Seniors, $6; 6-12, $4; 5and under, free; Immediate Family of 5or more, $20

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MERCYMalone – Divine Mercy services to beheld.Date: April 15Schedule: 11 a.m. Mass; Noon to 3 p.m.Blessed Sacrament exposed; 1 p.m. to2:50 Confessions; 3 p.m. Devotions forDivine Mercy Sunday will begin WithChaplet of the Divine Mercy and Bene-diction of the Blessed Sacrament.

SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL DINNEREvans Mills – The Indian River Council7471 Knights of Columbus will be havinga Spaghetti and Meatball dinner.Date: April 21Time: 4 p.m.Place: St. Mary’s Parish CenterCost: Adults, $7; Seniors, $6; Children 12and under, $5; under 5, Free

SPAGHETTI SUPPERWatertown – St. Anthony’s Altar Rosary

Church will be having Spaghetti Supper.Date: April 26Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7Place: Msgr. Sechi HallCost: $8; children $4.50; under 3, free;sauce, $5 per quart meatballs are $.75Features: Take-out orders begin at 4p.m. Please bring your own containers

ECUMENICAL BEREAVEMENTWatertown – A bereavement meetingwill be held.Date: April 23Time: 7 p.m.Place: Sisters of St. Joseph MotherhouseSpeaker: Rev. Dr. Fred Garry, Pastor ofthe First Presbyterian Church on "Why isGrief so Tiring?".

CHICKEN BARBECUEEvans Mills – St. Mary’s Booster Club willbe having a Chicken Barbecue.Date: April 15Time: 11 a.m.Place: St. Mary’s Parish CenterCost: $8; take-outs are available

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAYWatertown – Our Lady of the SacredHeart Church will hold a Divine MercyCelebration.Date: April 15Time: 3 p.m.Features: Exposition of the BlessedSacrament, Singing of the Chaplet of Di-vine Mercy, & Special prayers for healingyour family tree, Blessing of the DivineMercy image and Benediction of theBlessed Sacrament. Contact: For more information onMercy Sunday call Judy at 315-783-7349or 315-788-2388

BULLHEAD FEEDHarrisville – The Knights of Columbuswill be having a Bullhead feed.Date: April 20Time: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30Place: Harrisville Fire HallCost: Adults, $11 for Fish, $9 for Ham;Children 12-5, $6; under 5, Free

SUNDAY BRUNCHLyons Falls – The South Lewis K of C willbe having an All You Can Eat Brunch.Date: April 22Time: 8 a.m. to NoonPlace: St. John’s ChurchCost: Adults, $6; children 5-12, $3; under5, free

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MERCYHouseville – The Feast of the Divine

Mercy will be celebratedDate: April 15Time: 3 p.m.Place: at St. Hedwig’s Church.Features: Sacrament of Reconciliationwill be at 2 p.m. and a Divine Mercymovie will be shown at the church hallat 2 p.m. At 3 p.m. the program will in-clude Blessing of the Divine Mercyimage, Exposition of the Most BlessesSacrament, Chaplet of Divine Mercy(sung), Homily and Benediction. Rev.Jozef Mucha of Christ our Light Church,Pulaski, will be the main celebrant. Contact: Mary Ann at 315-348-6260

OGDENSBURG SHOWTIMEOgdensburg – The A.D. CharbonneauCouncil #258 Knights of Columbus willbe sponsoring Showtime.Schedule: April 21, 7:15 p.m.; April 22,1:30 p.m.; April 23, 7:15 p.m.Place: OFA AuditoriumCost: $5; Seniors, $2; students, $2Performance: Don Woodcock, Dan Pear-son, a quartet of members from the Can-ton Goldenaires Chorus

LIFE CHAIN PLANNEDPotsdam– A Life Chain has beenplanned, rain or shine.Date: May 12Time: 2 p.m. to 3 Gather and pick upsigns at 1:45 across from Roxy TheaterPlace: Along Market and Main StreetsFeatures: All ages are encouraged toparticipate, especially children (withproper supervision) and the elderly.Don’t forget chairs, hats and Water

WOMEN OF GRACE RETREATOgdensburg - A retreat for Women Willbe held.Date: April 20-22Place:Wadhams HallFeatures: Creator of the women’s min-istry Women of Grace JohnnetteBenkovic of EWTN fame will be featuredas a speaker. The Weekend Will featurefour hour-long talks by Mrs. Benkovic aswell as daily Mass, Eucharistic Adorationand time for quiet prayer. Cost: Rates range between $150 to$245 and depend on room type. Thedeadline for registration is April 4. Mealsare included. Registration: forms are available atlocal parishes or by contacting RegionalCoordinator and Facilitator Mary Dillen-back by email atmarydillenback@twcny.rr.com or byphone (315) 771-1377

The North County Catholicwelcomes contributions to “Around the Diocese”. Parishioners are invited to send information about activities to:

North Country Catholic, PO Box 326,Ogdensburg, NY 13669; fax, 1-866-314-7296;e-mail news@northcountrycatholic.org.

Items must be received in the NCCoffice by the Thursday before publication.

ADIRONDACK

CLINTON

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON

LEWIS

ST. LAWRENCE

DIOCESAN EVENTS

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C4 Diocesan Life

By Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin, SSJSuperintendent of Schools

In late winter or early spring Catholic schoolprincipals conduct registrations for the next aca-demic year. Registration packets are sent home,or posted on line, open houses are held, parentswho currently have their children in a Catholicschool are asked to bring a friend who is unfa-miliar with a Catholic school for a school visitand thus get an inside look at a Catholic school.In March and April principals are looking aheadto the next academic year!It may seem early to start the process, but pro-

jected school budgets for the following schoolyear are connected to student enrollment. Thus,principals across the diocese are encouragingparents to register their children for next year.Speaking to teachers from his own Diocese of

Rome, the Holy Father described in detail thechallenges faced by today’s parents and teachers.“Daily experience tells us”, the Pope said, “thatprecisely in our day education in the faith is notan easy undertaking. Increasing difficulty is en-countered in transmitting the basic values of lifeand correct behavior to the new generations.”Catholic schools do far more than teach stu-

dents how to read and write, add and use thenewest tools of technology. They go beyondtraining them in the technical skills necessary fora particular profession. They pass on the “basicvalues of life and correct behavior” needed tolive well. Although each school will offer parents com-

pelling reasons for choosing it, our fifteen Dioce-

san Catholic schools share common beliefs aboutthe value of Catholic school education. OurCatholic schools:• Promote and proclaim the Gospel; • Educate the whole child – mind, body and

spirit;• Recognize the dignity and uniqueness of

each child;

• Acknowledge the social nature of the humanperson;• Build and strengthen communities of faith;• Offer outstanding academic programs inte-

grated with Gospel values.Young people today are constantly exposed to

and often confused by the multiplicity of infor-mation and by the contrasting ideas and inter-pretations presented to them, but neverthelessthey still have a great inner need for truth andopenness to the mystery of God. Our Catholicschools help them to discover that the truth hasa name, Jesus Christ, and to enter into a personalfriendship with him. This is the most compellingreason for choosing a Catholic school! If your children are not in a Catholic school

and you live in an area where a Catholic schooleducation is available I encourage you to contactthe principal to arrange for a visit to the school.Nothing can replace the personal experience pro-vided by a school visit in which you can speakwith the principal, tour the school and experi-ence the atmosphere of the school community. Aschool visit as well as talking to parents whosend their children to a Catholic school can beparticularly helpful to parents who are preparingto send their first child to school. If you currently have your children enrolled in

one of our schools invite a neighbor or friendwhose school aged children are not in a Catholicschool to make a visit to the school with you.Imagine how the enrollment in a school wouldgrow if every family currently enrolled con-vinced one other family that sending their chil-dren to the Catholic school would be a pricelessinvestment in their child’s future.

STAFF PHOTO/SHAN MOOREGavin-Joseph Webb, 8, and a second-grader at St. Mary's Academy inChamplain, enjoys a meal at the school's annual Pancake Breakfastfundraiser.

Looking aheadIt’s registration time for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C entertainment 13

AT THE MOVIES

By Joseph McAleer Catholic News Service

"Who's the fairest one ofall?" The answer may sur-prise you in "Mirror Mirror"(Relativity), a fresh live-ac-tion take on the BrothersGrimm fairy tale "SnowWhite and the SevenDwarfs." This go-round, the hand-

some prince is the center ofattention, as the wickedqueen and her lovely step-daughter stage a battle royalfor his hand, and the fate ofa kingdom hangs in the bal-ance. Directed with high camp

by Tarsem Singh ("Immor-tals"), "Mirror Mirror" pileson the one-liners and innu-endos, along with life les-sons that range from theneed to help the poor andfight discrimination to theimportance of promotingfeminism. The end result is a bit

leaden and somewhat

charmless for a children'sfairy tale. But remarkablecostumes and grand setpieces go a long way tocompensate. Playing against type, Julia

Roberts is the evil Queen,chewing up the scenery inglamorous ball gowns, andrevealing her character to beinsecure and afraid of grow-ing old. The magic mirroroffers a creepy-looking self-image that dispenses badadvice. With her stepdaughter,

Snow White (Lily Collins),locked away in the tower,the Queen sets out to find arich husband, whose for-tune will save her bankruptrealm. The populace is poorand starving as a result ofthe crippling taxes exactedto support the monarch'slavish lifestyle. Her luxuriesof choice include somegross-out spa treatments --who knew pigeon droppingsmade the best ingredient fora facial?

Enter on horseback thefabulously wealthy PrinceAlcott (Armie Hammer), whocatches the eye of both theQueen and Snow White. TheQueen eliminates the com-petition by banishing SnowWhite and ordering herkilled. But the hapless royalbutler, Brighton (NathanLane), weakens, and SnowWhite escapes into the for-est. There she stumblesupon the Seven Dwarfs. Viewer, beware: These are

not the endearing dwarfs ofDisney lore. They are awisecracking band of hood-lums with names likeNapoleon (Jordan Prentice),Wolf (Sebastian Saraceno),and Butcher (Martin Klebba).They steal for a living, but

Snow White persuades themto spare the poor and takefrom the Queen instead. They, in turn, teach her

the ins and outs of streetfighting. Cross Robin Hood with

Joan of Arc and you get the

picture, as Snow White leadsa crusade of diminutive war-riors to overthrow theQueen, snag her PrinceCharming, and live happily... well, you know. "Mirror Mirror" takes none

of this seriously, and insidejokes abound. At one point,when it looks like the Queenmay triumph, Prince Alcottinterjects, "Don't change theending! It's been focus-grouped, and it works."

It does, in its own uniquefashion. The film contains mild ac-

tion violence, some rudehumor, and one semi-pro-fane utterance. The CatholicNews Service classificationis A-II -- adults and adoles-cents. The Motion PictureAssociation of America rat-ing is PG -- parental guid-ance suggested. Somematerial may not be suitablefor children.

CNS PHOTO/RELATIVITY MEDIAJulia Roberts and Armie Hammer star in a scene from the movie "Mirror Mirror.".

Two local boys won the Knights of Columbus Upstate Freethrow Contest held atBishop Ludden High School in Syracuse March 24. Over 75 boys and girls from north-ern, central and western NY State competed in the event. Pictured are Michael Ray-ome Youth Freethrow Director Northern Conference; Kinnon LaRose of Ogdensburg,age 14 winner;and Declan Porter of Canton, age 11 winner. Kinnon and Declan willcompete in the State Final Freethrow Contest at West Point Military Academy April 28.

The Northern Conference Knights of Columbus held its 39th Annual Freethrow Contest March 10 at Massena Central High SchoolGym. Over 50 boys and girls from across the diocese and northern NY State competed in the event. The age brackets included 10 -14 yr olds for both girls and boys. The winners competed in the Upstate Region Freethrow Contest in Syracuse March 24. Shown,front, from left are the girl winners:Katie Beach, age 14; Danielle Cook,12; Jaelyn Martin, 11; and Jennifer Jones, 10; boys, in back,Kinnon LaRose, 14; Louden Porter, 13; Brandon Lorenc, 12; Declan Porter, 11; and Joey Roiger, 10.

FREE THROW PHENOMS

MIRROR MIRROR

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 5

Seton Catholic holds Lentenfundraiser for NicaraguaBy Mallory FavreauSenior, Seton Catholic Central

PLATTSBURGH -Nicaragua is thesecond poorest country inthe Western hemi-sphere. An oppres-sive government anda devastating hurri-cane and other natu-ral disasters haveonly added to thepoverty in the nation. Now, over 80 per-

cent of the popula-tion lives in extremepoverty. The home-less percentage is ex-tremely high andthousands of people cannotafford food or shelter.Forty Days of Hope: 4 for

40 is a fundraiser which wasconducted during the LentenSeason here at SetonCatholic. Our goal is to build four

houses for the less fortunatepeople in Nicaragua.

Several of our fundraisershave been extremely suc-cessful such as, a movienight, bake sale, dress downday, and can drive. Our most profitable event

so far was the ‘lock-in’. Students and fac-ulty were ‘locked-in’the school for 12hours and partici-pated in fun eventssuch as dancing, KanJam, volleyball, ping-pong, and hide-and-go- seek in the dark.There was even abouncy house thatkept us all enter-tained throughout

the night.One of the main events of

the night was a hunger ban-quet. We each received a meal

ticket that represented ourincome level. 15% received ahigh income, 35% receivedmiddle income, and the re-maining 50% were given low

income. We were each given a meal

that corresponded with ourticket. Only 15% of the world can

afford a well-balanced dietand other necessities. It re-ally put into perspective howmuch we have and howblessed we are. Through these events we

have raised enough moneyfor two houses and we arewell on our way to the third. We planned a dance for

the last weekend of Lent andhope we can reach our goalof four houses shortly afterEaster. These houses will provide

four families with shelterand provide a security thatmany in Nicaragua can’t af-ford.Any and all donations for

the fundraiser are welcome;please mail checks made outto Seton Catholic Attn: 4 for40, 206 New York Road,Plattsburgh, NY 12903.

MalloryFavreau

Holy Family School in Malone celebrated the feast of St. Patrick with Irish music and dance under the direction of Grey Nun SisterRita Frances Brady and Mr. Dan Klebes. Shown, from left, are Ananya Gupta, Josh Tylenda, Sidney LeRoy, Samantha Weeks, LaurynNorcross and Cordelia Adams.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C12 commentary

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Easter is over for manypeople, but to those whofollow Jesus, the drama ofCalvary and the RisenChrist has just begun. In the readings

for today, the fruitsof His victory arenow opening intofull flower. In theGospel, Christ ap-pears in His risenbody to all theapostles (exceptThomas) for thefirst time since theresurrection. Hewants to give them anew commission—to preach the rest ofthe Good News. Butfirst, he must set their guiltand their fears to rest. Their behavior during His

hour of need had not beenthe best! Some ran away,some went to sleep in thegarden, Peter actually de-nied Him. All except Johnhad forsaken Him in oneway or another. So His firstwords to them are “Peace!”.Before they can take up

His charge to them of for-giving the sins of others, He

first forgives them theirown! Aside from the “goodthief”, they are the firstfruits of His Divine Mercy!And, since they have re-

ceived mercy, theywill spend the restof their lives distrib-uting His Mercy toall who will be-lieve—ultimately, tothe whole world.In the narrative,

Jesus shows themthe wounds of HisPassion . Thomasis not there, anddoubts their story. Aweek later, Jesus ap-pears again, and in-vites Thomas to

place his finger in the nailholes, and put his hand inthe pierced side, and be notunbelieving, but believing. And Thomas gives us the

cry of faith that has been re-peated down through thecenturies - “My Lord and myGod!”. His doubts have ledto a faith that impelsThomas to travel all the wayto India, where the faith hasflourished even to the pres-ent day!

Blessed John Paul II, un-derstood the full meaningof the Lord’s revelations to ayoung Polish woman of theearly 20th century, SisterFaustina. Through manyrevelations, He told her ofHis desire to shower downHis Mercy to the wholehuman race. All evil, includ-ing the wars of our time, arelimited in their effectsthrough God’s infinitemercy. The justice of Godwas satisfied on the Crosson Good Friday, but thework of salvation that fol-lowed continues to showerdown mercy on those whooffend Him. The first reading today

from the Acts of the Apos-tles tells us the story of howthe first Christians lived—sharing all their goodsequally, so that no one wasin need. Unfortunately, thisideal life, free of materialconcerns, did not last. Thespirit of giving, however, isan enduring sign of trueChristian love.Today’s second reading

from the first letter of John,declares that faith in Jesusis the foundation of Chris-tian love. As water andblood flowed from the sideof Jesus on Calvary, so doBaptism and Eucharist nour-ish that faith and love inChristians today who aresustained in all our imper-fections and sinfulness bythe Divine Mercy.

Second Sunday of EasterDivine Mercy Sunday

READINGSActs 4”32-261 John 5:1-6John 20:19-31

April 15

MonsignorPaul E.Whitmore

Easter celebration continuesWith Divine Mercy Sunday

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C6 Diocesan Life

April 11-13 - Mass and Visit to the Pon-tifical College Josephinum in Columbus,Ohio.

April 14 – 10 a.m., Confirmation for St.Alexander’s, Morrisonville, St. Joseph’s,Treadwells Mill, and Our Lady of Victory,Plattsburgh at St. Alexander’s Church; 4p.m., Confirmation at St. Peter’s Churchin Plattsburgh.

April 15 – 8 a.m., Mass at St. Edmund’sChurch in Ellenburg; 10:30 a.m., Mass atSt. Bernard’s Church in Lyon Mountain.

April 16 – 7 p.m., Novena and Mass atSt. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg.

April 17 – 9:45 a.m., Episcopal CouncilMeeting at the Bishop’s Residence in Og-densburg.

April 18 – 12 p.m., Mass at St. Mary’sCathedral in Ogdensburg.

Bishop LaValley’ Schedule

This week marks the anniversaryof the deaths of the following

clergymen men who have served inthe Diocese of Ogdensburg

April 11 – Rev. John P. Whalen, O.S.A.,1947April 13 – Rev. Callistus Scheid,O.F.M.Conv., 1854; Rev. EmilKrancewicz, O.F.M.Conv., 1974April 14 – Msgr. Richard F. Pierce,1935; Rev. Alfred Valiquette, O.S.A.,1949April 15 – Msgr. Peter O. LaRose,1918; Rev. Alfred J. Chevalier, 1996April 16 – Deacon Vernon J. Cham-berlain, 1993April 17 – Rev. Peter J. Devlin, 1915;Rev. Vernon L. Doe, 1975; Rev. C. Al-bert Richardson, 1988; Msgr. JosephG. Bailey, 2000

Rest in Peace

The Diocese of Ogdensburg hasscheduled sessions for ProtectingGod's Children for Adults. Pre-regis-tration online is required in order toparticipate. Participants may pre-register at www.virtus.org by select-ing the registration button andfollowing the directions. All employ-ees and volunteers who participatein church sponsored activities withminor are required to participate inthis training. Further information isavailable from Atonement SisterEllen Donahue, 315-393-2920, ext.440. Upcoming programs:April 21 - 9 a.m., St. Augustine’sSchool, PeruApril 23 - 6 p.m., Holy Family School,MaloneMay 2 - 6.p.m., Seton Academy,PlattsburghMay 23 - 6 p.m., Seton Academy,Plattsburgh

Protecting God’s Children

Catholic Charities is nowaccepting applications forthe Catholic Campaign forHuman Development localgrant process for the Dioceseof Ogdensburg. The criteriato be used for submitting aproposal is:1. Project must be aimed at

alleviating the causes ofpoverty.

2. Project must be a newinitiative or an enhancementof an established project.3. Sponsoring group must

be a non-profit, 501c3 organ-ization.4. Project must have the

potential to be funded afterthe CCHD funds have beenexpanded.5. Projects must be consis-

tent with the teaching of theRoman Catholic Church. (Ap-plicants do not have to beCatholic)This year two grants for

$4500 each are available.Applications can be re-quested from Catholic Char-ities by mail, phone, ore-mail.

If you have any questionsor to receive an application,please write to Catholic Char-ities, 6866 State Highway 37,Ogdensburg, NY 13669 orcall 315-393-2255. Or e-mailyour request and mailing ad-dress to ccwinny@wad-hams.edu.Grant applications are due

back to Catholic Charities byMay 21, 2012. Grants will beawarded by the end of June2012.

Catholic Charities acceptingCCHD grant applications

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C world/nation 11

AT A GLANCE

CATHOLICWORLDAt Holy Thursday Mass, pope criticizes dissent from church teachings VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During a Mass in which priests renew their promises offidelity to Christ, Pope Benedict XVI firmly criticized dissent from church teach-ings and disobedience of God's will as illegitimate pathways toward reformand renewal. Surrounded by more than 1,600 priests, bishops and cardinals, thepope cautioned against calls for women's ordination, saying such campaignsseemed more "a desperate push" to fulfill one's own preferences rather than asincere attempt to conform one's life more closely to Christ. During the April 5chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which focuses on Holy Thursday as the dayJesus shared his priesthood with the apostles, the pope said he wanted to usethe occasion to ask all priests, including himself, to meditate upon what theirconsecration really means. "Are you resolved to be more united with the LordJesus and more closely conformed to him," which entails a renunciation ofoneself and "of the much-vaunted self-fulfillment," the pope asked. BeingChrist-like means not to be served but to serve, not taking but giving, he said. Ifthat is the nature of the priesthood, then what should be the response ofpriests when faced with "the often dramatic situation of the church today," thepope asked. Without specifying the country, Pope Benedict said a group ofpriests from a European nation have issued a call for disobedience of churchteaching, specifically regarding the question of women's ordination. Last yearthe president of the Austrian bishops' conference, Vienna Cardinal ChristophSchonborn, condemned a "Call to Disobedience," signed by 250 of Austria's4,200 Catholic priests. The document urged Catholics to begin a campaign insupport of women priests and "priestless eucharistic liturgies," as well as forCommunion to be given to non-Catholics and remarried divorcees

On anniversary of Blessed John Paul's death, Vatican focuses on WYD VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- On the seventh anniversary of the death of Blessed JohnPaul II, Pope Benedict XVI paid homage to one of his predecessor's innovations:World Youth Day. Greeting an estimated 5,000 cheering young people fromSpain April 2, Pope Benedict said they were "the protagonists and principal re-cipients of this pastoral initiative promoted vigorously by my beloved prede-cessor, Blessed John Paul II, whose passage to heaven we remember today."The Spanish youths had come to the Vatican for the celebration of Palm SundayApril 1 and to thank the pope for visiting Madrid for World Youth Day last Au-gust. The Spanish delegation included the World Youth Day orchestra, whichplayed during the papal audience. While the pope was with the young people,Vatican officials and representatives of the Brazilian bishops' conference wereholding a news conference to talk about plans for the next international cele-bration of World Youth Day, which will be held July 23-28, 2013, in Rio deJaneiro. Pope Benedict told the Spanish youths that the World Youth Day expe-rience "can only be understood in the light of the presence the Holy Spirit inthe church," who continues to enliven the church and to push believers "tobear witness to the wonders of God." He told the young people, "You are calledto cooperate in this exciting task, and it's worth it to commit yourself to it with-out reservation. Christ needs you to expand and build his kingdom of charity."

By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- An Italiancouple, married 59 years, letthe joys and sufferings offamilies guide the reflectionsthey prepared for Pope Bene-dict XVI, thousands of pil-grims and potentiallymillions of television viewersto meditate on during theStations of the Cross atRome's Colosseum. The pope asked Danilo and

Annamaria Zanzucchi towrite the meditations for hisGood Friday service April 6in Rome. The Zanzucchis,who have five children and12 grandchildren, are the co-founders and were the long-time leaders of the Focolare'sNew Families Movement. "I am not even going to tell

you how many drafts wewent through," DaniloZanzucchi told the Focolare'sLiving City magazine whenasked how he and his wifeprepared the meditations. "We wanted to make sure

that these texts bore themark of a lived Christian ex-perience and, at the sametime, reflected our under-standing of the Passion as ithas developed through yearsof contact with thousands ofcouples," Annamaria Zanzuc-chi told the magazine. The New Families Move-

ment has a special outreachto couples who are hurtingbecause of separation, di-vorce or abandonment. Themovement believes thatstronger families will in-crease peace and brother-hood in communities. The couple looked at how

Jesus suffered and diedunder the weight of humansin - including marital infi-delity and abortion - but alsohow "every single family hasits own Way of the Cross: ill-nesses, deaths, financialproblems, poverty, betrayals,

immoral behavior, discordwith relatives (and) naturaldisasters." "But every Christian, every

family, on this path of paincan turn their gaze towardJesus, man and God," theywrote. Reflecting on the third sta-

tion, Jesus falls the first time,the couple wrote that Chris-tian husbands and wivesvow to care for one another,for their children and forthose they meet. But, "howmany times have our fami-lies fallen? How many sepa-rations, betrayals! Anddivorces, abortions, aban-donments! Jesus, help us un-derstand what love is; teachus to ask forgiveness." For the fifth station, Simon

of Cyrene helps Jesus carryhis cross, the Zanzucchis of-fered prayers for all thosewho have offered help "whena heavy cross has weighedon us or our family." The meditations included

special prayers for familieswho "suffer tremendoushardships" in order to pro-fess their Christian faith. The Zanzucchis prayed

that Christians in the devel-oped world would learn toresist the temptation ofbeing "anesthetized by well-being," and would raise theirchildren to accept a simplelifestyle, sacrifice and self-

denial. In their meditation for the

10th station, Jesus isstripped of his clothes, thecouple focused their reflec-tion on the dignity of thehuman person and thehuman body and on howoften people use or abuseothers. The meditations included

several references to Mary,her relationship with Jesusand her maternal care for allwho follow Jesus. "Mary's love for each of us

is a continuation of her lovefor Jesus," they wrote. AfterJesus' death, she stays withthe disciples "to supportthem, help them, encouragethem and lead them to recog-nize the love of God." For the last station, Jesus is

laid in the tomb, the Zanzuc-chis focused on the disciplestrying to console one anotherand sharing with each othermemories of the things Jesussaid and did while he waswith them. "At that moment, they

begin to be church whileawaiting the Resurrectionand the outpouring of theHoly Spirit. With them wasthe mother of Jesus, Mary,"they wrote."They gather together, with

her and around her, awaitingthe manifestation of theLord."

Joys and sufferings offamilies focus of pope'sGood Friday Via Crucis

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY FOCOLARE ARCHIVESPope Benedict XVI had asked Danilo and Annamaria Zanzucchi, founders of the Foco-lare Movement's New Families initiative, to write the meditations for his Way of theCross service at Rome's Colosseum April 6.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 7

St. Joseph Sister Shirley Anne Brown, assistant superintendent of schools for the Dio-cese of Ogdensburg visited St. Mary's School in Ticonderoga to attend their Health FairMarch 30. The fair was sponsored by Fidelis Health Care health insurance company andwas made possible by a variety of community organizations who participated bydemonstrating what hey do to promote healthy living to our students,staff,familiesand the public. Pictured, above, with Sister Shirley Anne are Sister Sharon, school prin-cipal, and four fifth grade girls who learned first hand what happens in an ambulancewhen an emergency arises. Below, a physical therapist demonstrates physical therapyactivities to one of the children.

USED BY PERMISSION OF THE CARTHAGE REPUBLICAN TRIBUNEHunter Clark and James Packer, students at Carthage Augustinian Academy learn about dental health from Capt. Govanny Zalamar, aFort Drum dental technician, during a health fair held during Catholic Schools Week. The fair, made possible through a grant from Fi-delis Care Catholic insurance company, featured booths on nutrition, coping skills, drug and alcohol awareness, fire prevention, childsafety, bicycle safety, disability awareness. The event was organized by Augustinian's physical education teacher, Joanne Lazore andKrista Dennis, a physical therapist and parent of two students at Augustinian.

Fidelis Care partners with Catholic schools to promote student health

Happy healthy heart, minds and souls

USED BY PERMISSION OF THE CARTHAGE REPUBLICAN TRIBUNEParent volunteer, Krista Dennis, talks with Augustinian Academy students about how it would be to be hearing-impaired or to haveother disabilities.

By Michele Chartrand and Tamra MurphyContributing Writers

OTTAWA, ONT. - “Be Still andKnow that I am God” Psalm46:10, was the theme forthe Canadian Catholic YouthMinistry Network Confer-ence held March 9-11.

To take part in Canadian national youth conference

Deacon Brian Dwyer, di-rector of youth ministry forthe Diocese of Ogdensburg,led a group of parish youthministries from the Dioceseof Ogdensburg including,Monique Dwyer (Chateau-guay), Michelle Chartrand(Massena), Kathy Burns(Potsdam) Tamra Murphy(Malone), to the conferencein Ottawa. Although our contingent

was the only group from theUnited States among theover 400 youth ministers inattendance, we were warmlywelcomed and were free toexchange in conversationand ideas. We found the diversity of

age, gender and rites of theChurch represented at theconference fascinating. Theage of those in attendanceranged from college stu-dents to retirees and the di-versity of life experienceswas a rich learning experi-ence. Also the number of men

involved in youth ministryin Canada was very impres-sive. Approximately half ofthe participants were male.After an opening prayer,

we walked five blocks to St.Patrick’s Basilica and hadthe privilege of hearingArchbishop Terrence Pren-dergast, S.J. of Ottawa ad-dress the theme “Be Stilland Know that I am God.” The archbishop spoke

about how youth ministersneed to be still and knowwho is in charge of theirministries. Their own rela-tionship with God needs tobe focused on him , he said,noting that if youth minis-ters are not in right relation-ship with God they cannotguide others to God so that

others can have a personalrelationship with God. In the busy schedules that

youth ministers all keepthey need to make and takethe time to spend time withGod on a quiet level so thatthey can hear His voice inthe noise of the world, hesaid. After Archbishop Prender-

gast opening keynote wehad a chance to experiencethat stillness with Adorationof the Blessed Sacramentand Confession. After this “Still Time with

our Lord,” it was back to thehotel and a “Wii love Jesus”social. Here we had freetime to get to know theother conference attendeesin a relaxed atmospherewith card, board and videogames, conversation andsnack foods.

Saturday’s programSaturday’s schedule

started with the EasternByzantine Rite of Prayer ofthe Third Hour. After morning prayer,

Archbishop Richard Smithof Edmonton talked about“The New Evangelization.”The ardor or ‘burning

within’ that each CatholicChristian must have to be

able to evangelize showsthat “We are not an acciden-tal happening,” ArchbishopSmith said. “We are a product of a

thought of God,” he said.“We were created by God be-cause God wants us. Wewere not a fluke or a whimof God. We were willed intobeing by God. We are lovedby God. We are wanted byGod.”Does not your heart burn

with joy reading thesewords? God is not callingus to be perfect, but to usethe gifts and talents he hasgiven us for the body of theChurch, to ever improveand enrich the lives we en-counter, by bringing God tothem through our words, ac-tions and deeds of compas-sion. God wants a personalrelationship with each andevery one of us. And our jobs as youth

ministers is to let youngpeople know that they arewilled, loved, and necessary.These personal relation-ships come from encounterswith God. We as ministersneed to allow Jesus to showus where to open doors andbe willing to walk throughthose doors even when weare not comfortable to do

so. Three major doors towalk through will be invita-tion, crisis, and socialmedia. The rest of the morning

and afternoon was spent inworkshops of various topicsof balancing ministry, youthculture, giving gospel pre-sentations, keeping yourministry grounded, prayingwith youth, social network-ing, stewardship and more. The day’s program ended

as Archbishop Prendergastcelebrated an AnticipatedMass at St. Patrick’s Basilica.

On SundaySunday started with Taize

prayer followed by akeynote from ArchbishopPaul-Andre’ Durocher ofGatineau and the ChurchDocument Verbum Domini,“Living the Word of God”. The archbishop spoke

about how truth, creation,scripture, Jesus, Eucharist,the Holy Spirit, and Livingtraditions of the church areall the Word of God. Trueinterpretation to the Wordof God is not just intellec-tual but it is felt and rea-soned, he said. Again the theme of “Be

Still and Know that I amGod” was reiterated in Arch-

bishop’s talk that Scripturecan only be digested in si-lence He then went on tosay that Catechesis must beimpregnated with all the dif-ferent aspects of the “Wordof God”. Following the Arch-

bishop’s talk we had theclosing ceremonies withmore worship music andskits and finally closingprayer. It was a great oppor-tunity to gather informa-tion, meet other parish andDiocesan leading expertsand experience great spiri-tual prayer and liturgies. The pleasure to meet, lis-

ten and learn from not onebut three archbishops was agreat honor. With much new informa-

tion we return to the Dio-cese of Ogdensburg and ourlocal parishes with newideas, strengths, and per-sonal spiritual riches to con-tinue evangelizing theyouth of our area.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C10 Diocesan Life

Ted Hurley, front left, youth director of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, is shown with youth ministers from the Diocese of Ogdensburgwho took part in Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network Conference held in Ottawa March 9-11. In front are Monique Dwyer, CatholicCommunity of Burke and Chateaugay, holding her son Matthew; and Michele Chartrand, Massena; back, Kathy Burns, St. Mary's,Potsdam and St. Patrick’s, Colton; Deacon Brian Dwyer, diocesan director of youth ministry; and Tamara Murphy, Malone Catholicparishes.

The annual diocesan Youth Rally willbe held April 28 at ImmaculateHeart Central School in Watertown.The theme for this year’s rally is“Hear His Voice” inspired by thescripture readings for the fourthSunday of Easter and Good Shep-herd Sunday. The keynote speakerfor the day will be speaker and mu-sician Chris Padgett fromSteubenville, Ohio. In addition to thekeynote address, the day will fea-ture workshops geared towardyoung people and youth leaders.There will also be an interactivepark with tables featuring Sports-camp and Guggenheim, Vocationsand scouting, family life office andCatholic Charities and the RespectLife office.In addition, there will bethe opportunity for adoration of theBlessed Sacrament and the partici-pation in the Sacrament of Reconcil-iation. The day concludes with aquestion and answer session withBishop LaValley and closing Mass. Registration may be made throughparishes or by calling the youth of-fice at 315.393.2920, Ext 411. Thecost is $20.

Youth rally 2012

Youth ministers from diocese travel to Ottawa

ALBANY -The new state budgetagreement for Fiscal Year2012-13 increases reim-bursement to religious andindependent schools by $20million over last year, revers-ing a recent trend of under-payment.

The legislature acceptedGovernor Andrew Cuomo’sExecutive Budget proposal toonce again fully reimbursethese schools under the Man-dated Services Reimburse-ment (MSR) program (addingan additional $13 millionfrom last year’s appropria-tion).

The three-way agreementbetween the governor andthe two houses of the legisla-ture also added an additional$7 million in reimbursementto the Comprehensive Atten-dance Policy (CAP) mandate.

More importantly, the lan-guage of the budget agree-

ment restores the originalformula used to calculate thereimbursement for CAP, asproposed by the Senate.

The state’s action will helpprovide relief from the

ever-increasing burden on tu-ition-paying families in

Catholic schoolsRichard E. Barnes, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference

An error several years agoby the State Education De-partment led to a formulathat did not include all ex-penses religious and inde-pendent schools expend incomplying with the mandate.

Total reimbursement forMSR is set at $90.4 million,with an additional $33.2 mil-lion for CAP.

“We are very grateful toGov. Cuomo, Senate MajorityLeader Dean Skelos and As-sembly Speaker Sheldon Sil-ver and their members forrecognizing the injustice ofproviding less than full reim-bursement for expenses in-curred in programs that thestate mandates that ourschools undertake,” saidRichard E. Barnes, executivedirector of the New YorkState Catholic Conference.

“In a time of continuing fis-cal challenges for ourschools, literally every dollaris important,” Barnes said.“The state’s action will helpprovide relief from the ever-increasing burden on tuition-paying families in Catholicschools.”

The Catholic Conferencerepresents New York State’sBishops in matters of publicpolicy.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C8 Diocesan Life

Students from Kristy Simmons Junior Kindergarten class from St. Marguerite D’Youville Academy in Ogdensburg test crayons forbuoyancy. Pictured above are Aleta Gidney, Christopher Wells, Wes Miller, Max Bosnet, and Delia Payne.

NY state budget increasesreimbursement for schools

SCIENCE FUN IN JUNIOR- K

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 9

By Chris HornbargerExecutive System Administrator, IHC Schools

WATERTOWN - Why pay to sendyour child to a Catholicschool, when public schoolsare free? Often, familiesaren’t convinced by the an-swers they presume. Tomake a good choice, theyneed good information.

Here’s our “top ten” list forwhy families should considersending their children to Im-maculate Heart CentralSchools (Pre-K to 12) in Wa-tertown.1.A gift that lasts a lifetime.

We like to say IHC offersstudents “A Foundation forLife.” It’s true. What weteach is not about the “nextrung on the ladder”- per-forming on the Regents, theSAT, getting into a good col-lege, or winning a scholar-ship (though we’ve got agreat track record in theseareas). What we offer lasts alifetime – a guideline for life,grounded in Christianvirtues, that only growsstronger over time. Considerthe comments of some grad-uates:

•“Immaculate Heart taughtme a way of life.”

•“I believe that IHC pro-vides a ‘foundation for life.’… The moral and ethicalfoundations that were em-phasized made it easier forme to meet the strict honorcode requirements of the AirForce Academy.”

•“The Sisters of St. Josephhave been a central part ofour lives – always there tohelp us, guide us, supportus.”

Our students, who includeabout 50 students of faithsother than Catholic, partici-pate in a wide range of activ-ities that continuouslyreinforce the central role ofChrist in our schools. Wepray daily. We celebrate theliturgy from time to time.Our senior “Mystery Players”bring powerful stories ofJesus’ birth and death on thecross during the Advent andLenten seasons to churchesthroughout the Northeast.

Our student religious re-treats are powerful andtransformative for students.We believe in the portion ofour mission statement thatcalls on us to “cultivate holi-ness based on the love andimitation of Christ.”2.IHC students love their school.

Please visit and see foryourself. You will be im-pressed by the friendlinessof the students, and the en-thusiasm they have for theirschool. Don’t take our wordfor it. We recently surveyedour seventh-graders, andwhile, yes, 26% would like usto loosen up on the dresscode (we’ll take it under ad-visement!), 95% said theywould recommend IHC to afriend. When asked what hasbeen their favorite experi-ence at IHC, the number oneanswer was “how supportivethe teachers have been.”3.We provide an excellent education.

Our High School is accred-ited by the prestigious andrigorous Middle States Asso-ciation Commission on Sec-ondary Schools. Our SATscores exceed the New Yorkand national averages bynearly 70 points, and the top30 percent of our graduatingclasses exceed the SAT aver-ages by over 300 points.Over 45% of our faculty haveadvanced degrees. Sixty-four percent of last year’sgraduating class earned a Re-gents diploma with Ad-vanced Designation orAdvanced Designation withhonors. We believe in theportion of our mission state-ment that says “provide aquality Catholic and seculareducation.”4.IHC students are prepared for college.

Nearly 100% of our gradu-ates go on to higher educa-tion, winning approximately$1 million is scholarships.Moreover, they are readywhen they arrive, with a solidfoundation of knowledgeand skills, time-managementhabits forged by years of re-inforcement, and Christianvirtues that help them navi-gate the often difficult ethi-cal and moral choices that

confront them when theyleave home. When it comestime to say goodbye, you canhave faith that your childrenwill make the right choices.5.We’re affordable and substantial aidand scholarships are available.

Bottom-line: if a familywants to send their child toCatholic education, we willwork out a way for them todo so. IHC tuition is amongthe lowest of CatholicSchools in economically sim-ilar areas of New York State,while the value – dollar fordollar – is high (and grow-ing). More than 45% of ourstudents receive financialaid, and the pool of availableaid is growing. Several schol-arships are available for newstudents who would like togive IHC a try.6.Students become responsible citizens.

Our alumni have distin-guished themselves here inthe community, across thecountry, and around theworld. The list of local lead-ers who are IHC alums, eitherin business or public office,is long. Our alumni nation-wide include many membersof the clergy, nuns, doctors,lawyers, successful businesspeople, non-profit organiza-tion leaders, active membersof their local congregations,Knights of Columbus, work-ers bringing services to dis-advantaged people in poorsocieties, and many others.We believe in the portion ofour mission statement thatrequires us “to form respon-sible citizens whose Chris-tian values will transform theworld.”7.IHC students learn the value of service

From elementary school tograduation, IHC students areexpected to serve in a widevariety of ways, and not justto pad their college applica-tions. Whether it be our ele-mentary students visitingwith seniors, our junior highschool students helping raisemoney for our “Bite Back”campaign to help fightmalaria in Africa, or our sen-ior high students helping in-stall drywall in a house forHabitat for Humanity as partof our Faith Community

Service Program, IHC stu-dents learn from doing, andthat they are expected to beactive in their communitiesthroughout their lives, serv-ing the greater good, andhelping those in need.8.Our schools are safe.

Little need be said. Weoffer a safe and secure envi-ronment that is free of thesafety and discipline distrac-tions that many schools con-tend with.9.Free transportation from local areas(including Fort Drum).

Students who live within a15 mile radius of IHC, includ-ing Fort Drum, are availablefor free busing provided bytheir home school district.Moreover, all of our schools(Primary, Intermediate, andJunior/Senior High School)are on the same schedule,simplifying family logistics.10.Exceptional athletics.

IHC is known for the com-petitiveness of our sportsteams. Our success is notrooted in recruiting (wedon’t) or in size (we’re small)

– it is rooted in exceptionalstudent-athletes with strongcharacter, a work ethicforged in the classroom, asense of mutual responsibil-ity to their teammates, andcommitted coaching by vol-unteer parents and alumniwho care deeply about thestudents, the school, andsportsmanship – not thescore. Our small school hasgarnered State, Sectional,and Frontier League titles,won numerous sportsman-ship awards, and routinelycompetes successfullyagainst much larger schools(for example, our baseballteam, which should be inClass D due to its size of lessthan 174 qualifying athletes,competes in Class A, againstschools with 900 some qual-ifying athletes).

We encourage you to makean informed decision. Pleasecheck out our website,www.ihcschools.org , give usa call at (315) 221-3785, andset-up a visit. “IHC Schools:A Foundation for Life.”

Ten reasons to send your child to IHC schoolsAs parents make a critical decision about the lives of their children:

ALBANY -The new state budgetagreement for Fiscal Year2012-13 increases reim-bursement to religious andindependent schools by $20million over last year, revers-ing a recent trend of under-payment.

The legislature acceptedGovernor Andrew Cuomo’sExecutive Budget proposal toonce again fully reimbursethese schools under the Man-dated Services Reimburse-ment (MSR) program (addingan additional $13 millionfrom last year’s appropria-tion).

The three-way agreementbetween the governor andthe two houses of the legisla-ture also added an additional$7 million in reimbursementto the Comprehensive Atten-dance Policy (CAP) mandate.

More importantly, the lan-guage of the budget agree-

ment restores the originalformula used to calculate thereimbursement for CAP, asproposed by the Senate.

The state’s action will helpprovide relief from the

ever-increasing burden on tu-ition-paying families in

Catholic schoolsRichard E. Barnes, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference

An error several years agoby the State Education De-partment led to a formulathat did not include all ex-penses religious and inde-pendent schools expend incomplying with the mandate.

Total reimbursement forMSR is set at $90.4 million,with an additional $33.2 mil-lion for CAP.

“We are very grateful toGov. Cuomo, Senate MajorityLeader Dean Skelos and As-sembly Speaker Sheldon Sil-ver and their members forrecognizing the injustice ofproviding less than full reim-bursement for expenses in-curred in programs that thestate mandates that ourschools undertake,” saidRichard E. Barnes, executivedirector of the New YorkState Catholic Conference.

“In a time of continuing fis-cal challenges for ourschools, literally every dollaris important,” Barnes said.“The state’s action will helpprovide relief from the ever-increasing burden on tuition-paying families in Catholicschools.”

The Catholic Conferencerepresents New York State’sBishops in matters of publicpolicy.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C8 Diocesan Life

Students from Kristy Simmons Junior Kindergarten class from St. Marguerite D’Youville Academy in Ogdensburg test crayons forbuoyancy. Pictured above are Aleta Gidney, Christopher Wells, Wes Miller, Max Bosnet, and Delia Payne.

NY state budget increasesreimbursement for schools

SCIENCE FUN IN JUNIOR- K

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 9

By Chris HornbargerExecutive System Administrator, IHC Schools

WATERTOWN - Why pay to sendyour child to a Catholicschool, when public schoolsare free? Often, familiesaren’t convinced by the an-swers they presume. Tomake a good choice, theyneed good information.

Here’s our “top ten” list forwhy families should considersending their children to Im-maculate Heart CentralSchools (Pre-K to 12) in Wa-tertown.1.A gift that lasts a lifetime.

We like to say IHC offersstudents “A Foundation forLife.” It’s true. What weteach is not about the “nextrung on the ladder”- per-forming on the Regents, theSAT, getting into a good col-lege, or winning a scholar-ship (though we’ve got agreat track record in theseareas). What we offer lasts alifetime – a guideline for life,grounded in Christianvirtues, that only growsstronger over time. Considerthe comments of some grad-uates:

•“Immaculate Heart taughtme a way of life.”

•“I believe that IHC pro-vides a ‘foundation for life.’… The moral and ethicalfoundations that were em-phasized made it easier forme to meet the strict honorcode requirements of the AirForce Academy.”

•“The Sisters of St. Josephhave been a central part ofour lives – always there tohelp us, guide us, supportus.”

Our students, who includeabout 50 students of faithsother than Catholic, partici-pate in a wide range of activ-ities that continuouslyreinforce the central role ofChrist in our schools. Wepray daily. We celebrate theliturgy from time to time.Our senior “Mystery Players”bring powerful stories ofJesus’ birth and death on thecross during the Advent andLenten seasons to churchesthroughout the Northeast.

Our student religious re-treats are powerful andtransformative for students.We believe in the portion ofour mission statement thatcalls on us to “cultivate holi-ness based on the love andimitation of Christ.”2.IHC students love their school.

Please visit and see foryourself. You will be im-pressed by the friendlinessof the students, and the en-thusiasm they have for theirschool. Don’t take our wordfor it. We recently surveyedour seventh-graders, andwhile, yes, 26% would like usto loosen up on the dresscode (we’ll take it under ad-visement!), 95% said theywould recommend IHC to afriend. When asked what hasbeen their favorite experi-ence at IHC, the number oneanswer was “how supportivethe teachers have been.”3.We provide an excellent education.

Our High School is accred-ited by the prestigious andrigorous Middle States Asso-ciation Commission on Sec-ondary Schools. Our SATscores exceed the New Yorkand national averages bynearly 70 points, and the top30 percent of our graduatingclasses exceed the SAT aver-ages by over 300 points.Over 45% of our faculty haveadvanced degrees. Sixty-four percent of last year’sgraduating class earned a Re-gents diploma with Ad-vanced Designation orAdvanced Designation withhonors. We believe in theportion of our mission state-ment that says “provide aquality Catholic and seculareducation.”4.IHC students are prepared for college.

Nearly 100% of our gradu-ates go on to higher educa-tion, winning approximately$1 million is scholarships.Moreover, they are readywhen they arrive, with a solidfoundation of knowledgeand skills, time-managementhabits forged by years of re-inforcement, and Christianvirtues that help them navi-gate the often difficult ethi-cal and moral choices that

confront them when theyleave home. When it comestime to say goodbye, you canhave faith that your childrenwill make the right choices.5.We’re affordable and substantial aidand scholarships are available.

Bottom-line: if a familywants to send their child toCatholic education, we willwork out a way for them todo so. IHC tuition is amongthe lowest of CatholicSchools in economically sim-ilar areas of New York State,while the value – dollar fordollar – is high (and grow-ing). More than 45% of ourstudents receive financialaid, and the pool of availableaid is growing. Several schol-arships are available for newstudents who would like togive IHC a try.6.Students become responsible citizens.

Our alumni have distin-guished themselves here inthe community, across thecountry, and around theworld. The list of local lead-ers who are IHC alums, eitherin business or public office,is long. Our alumni nation-wide include many membersof the clergy, nuns, doctors,lawyers, successful businesspeople, non-profit organiza-tion leaders, active membersof their local congregations,Knights of Columbus, work-ers bringing services to dis-advantaged people in poorsocieties, and many others.We believe in the portion ofour mission statement thatrequires us “to form respon-sible citizens whose Chris-tian values will transform theworld.”7.IHC students learn the value of service

From elementary school tograduation, IHC students areexpected to serve in a widevariety of ways, and not justto pad their college applica-tions. Whether it be our ele-mentary students visitingwith seniors, our junior highschool students helping raisemoney for our “Bite Back”campaign to help fightmalaria in Africa, or our sen-ior high students helping in-stall drywall in a house forHabitat for Humanity as partof our Faith Community

Service Program, IHC stu-dents learn from doing, andthat they are expected to beactive in their communitiesthroughout their lives, serv-ing the greater good, andhelping those in need.8.Our schools are safe.

Little need be said. Weoffer a safe and secure envi-ronment that is free of thesafety and discipline distrac-tions that many schools con-tend with.9.Free transportation from local areas(including Fort Drum).

Students who live within a15 mile radius of IHC, includ-ing Fort Drum, are availablefor free busing provided bytheir home school district.Moreover, all of our schools(Primary, Intermediate, andJunior/Senior High School)are on the same schedule,simplifying family logistics.10.Exceptional athletics.

IHC is known for the com-petitiveness of our sportsteams. Our success is notrooted in recruiting (wedon’t) or in size (we’re small)

– it is rooted in exceptionalstudent-athletes with strongcharacter, a work ethicforged in the classroom, asense of mutual responsibil-ity to their teammates, andcommitted coaching by vol-unteer parents and alumniwho care deeply about thestudents, the school, andsportsmanship – not thescore. Our small school hasgarnered State, Sectional,and Frontier League titles,won numerous sportsman-ship awards, and routinelycompetes successfullyagainst much larger schools(for example, our baseballteam, which should be inClass D due to its size of lessthan 174 qualifying athletes,competes in Class A, againstschools with 900 some qual-ifying athletes).

We encourage you to makean informed decision. Pleasecheck out our website,www.ihcschools.org , give usa call at (315) 221-3785, andset-up a visit. “IHC Schools:A Foundation for Life.”

Ten reasons to send your child to IHC schoolsAs parents make a critical decision about the lives of their children:

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 7

St. Joseph Sister Shirley Anne Brown, assistant superintendent of schools for the Dio-cese of Ogdensburg visited St. Mary's School in Ticonderoga to attend their Health FairMarch 30. The fair was sponsored by Fidelis Health Care health insurance company andwas made possible by a variety of community organizations who participated bydemonstrating what hey do to promote healthy living to our students,staff,familiesand the public. Pictured, above, with Sister Shirley Anne are Sister Sharon, school prin-cipal, and four fifth grade girls who learned first hand what happens in an ambulancewhen an emergency arises. Below, a physical therapist demonstrates physical therapyactivities to one of the children.

USED BY PERMISSION OF THE CARTHAGE REPUBLICAN TRIBUNEHunter Clark and James Packer, students at Carthage Augustinian Academy learn about dental health from Capt. Govanny Zalamar, aFort Drum dental technician, during a health fair held during Catholic Schools Week. The fair, made possible through a grant from Fi-delis Care Catholic insurance company, featured booths on nutrition, coping skills, drug and alcohol awareness, fire prevention, childsafety, bicycle safety, disability awareness. The event was organized by Augustinian's physical education teacher, Joanne Lazore andKrista Dennis, a physical therapist and parent of two students at Augustinian.

Fidelis Care partners with Catholic schools to promote student health

Happy healthy heart, minds and souls

USED BY PERMISSION OF THE CARTHAGE REPUBLICAN TRIBUNEParent volunteer, Krista Dennis, talks with Augustinian Academy students about how it would be to be hearing-impaired or to haveother disabilities.

By Michele Chartrand and Tamra MurphyContributing Writers

OTTAWA, ONT. - “Be Still andKnow that I am God” Psalm46:10, was the theme forthe Canadian Catholic YouthMinistry Network Confer-ence held March 9-11.

To take part in Canadian national youth conference

Deacon Brian Dwyer, di-rector of youth ministry forthe Diocese of Ogdensburg,led a group of parish youthministries from the Dioceseof Ogdensburg including,Monique Dwyer (Chateau-guay), Michelle Chartrand(Massena), Kathy Burns(Potsdam) Tamra Murphy(Malone), to the conferencein Ottawa. Although our contingent

was the only group from theUnited States among theover 400 youth ministers inattendance, we were warmlywelcomed and were free toexchange in conversationand ideas. We found the diversity of

age, gender and rites of theChurch represented at theconference fascinating. Theage of those in attendanceranged from college stu-dents to retirees and the di-versity of life experienceswas a rich learning experi-ence. Also the number of men

involved in youth ministryin Canada was very impres-sive. Approximately half ofthe participants were male.After an opening prayer,

we walked five blocks to St.Patrick’s Basilica and hadthe privilege of hearingArchbishop Terrence Pren-dergast, S.J. of Ottawa ad-dress the theme “Be Stilland Know that I am God.” The archbishop spoke

about how youth ministersneed to be still and knowwho is in charge of theirministries. Their own rela-tionship with God needs tobe focused on him , he said,noting that if youth minis-ters are not in right relation-ship with God they cannotguide others to God so that

others can have a personalrelationship with God. In the busy schedules that

youth ministers all keepthey need to make and takethe time to spend time withGod on a quiet level so thatthey can hear His voice inthe noise of the world, hesaid. After Archbishop Prender-

gast opening keynote wehad a chance to experiencethat stillness with Adorationof the Blessed Sacramentand Confession. After this “Still Time with

our Lord,” it was back to thehotel and a “Wii love Jesus”social. Here we had freetime to get to know theother conference attendeesin a relaxed atmospherewith card, board and videogames, conversation andsnack foods.

Saturday’s programSaturday’s schedule

started with the EasternByzantine Rite of Prayer ofthe Third Hour. After morning prayer,

Archbishop Richard Smithof Edmonton talked about“The New Evangelization.”The ardor or ‘burning

within’ that each CatholicChristian must have to be

able to evangelize showsthat “We are not an acciden-tal happening,” ArchbishopSmith said. “We are a product of a

thought of God,” he said.“We were created by God be-cause God wants us. Wewere not a fluke or a whimof God. We were willed intobeing by God. We are lovedby God. We are wanted byGod.”Does not your heart burn

with joy reading thesewords? God is not callingus to be perfect, but to usethe gifts and talents he hasgiven us for the body of theChurch, to ever improveand enrich the lives we en-counter, by bringing God tothem through our words, ac-tions and deeds of compas-sion. God wants a personalrelationship with each andevery one of us. And our jobs as youth

ministers is to let youngpeople know that they arewilled, loved, and necessary.These personal relation-ships come from encounterswith God. We as ministersneed to allow Jesus to showus where to open doors andbe willing to walk throughthose doors even when weare not comfortable to do

so. Three major doors towalk through will be invita-tion, crisis, and socialmedia. The rest of the morning

and afternoon was spent inworkshops of various topicsof balancing ministry, youthculture, giving gospel pre-sentations, keeping yourministry grounded, prayingwith youth, social network-ing, stewardship and more. The day’s program ended

as Archbishop Prendergastcelebrated an AnticipatedMass at St. Patrick’s Basilica.

On SundaySunday started with Taize

prayer followed by akeynote from ArchbishopPaul-Andre’ Durocher ofGatineau and the ChurchDocument Verbum Domini,“Living the Word of God”. The archbishop spoke

about how truth, creation,scripture, Jesus, Eucharist,the Holy Spirit, and Livingtraditions of the church areall the Word of God. Trueinterpretation to the Wordof God is not just intellec-tual but it is felt and rea-soned, he said. Again the theme of “Be

Still and Know that I amGod” was reiterated in Arch-

bishop’s talk that Scripturecan only be digested in si-lence He then went on tosay that Catechesis must beimpregnated with all the dif-ferent aspects of the “Wordof God”. Following the Arch-

bishop’s talk we had theclosing ceremonies withmore worship music andskits and finally closingprayer. It was a great oppor-tunity to gather informa-tion, meet other parish andDiocesan leading expertsand experience great spiri-tual prayer and liturgies. The pleasure to meet, lis-

ten and learn from not onebut three archbishops was agreat honor. With much new informa-

tion we return to the Dio-cese of Ogdensburg and ourlocal parishes with newideas, strengths, and per-sonal spiritual riches to con-tinue evangelizing theyouth of our area.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C10 Diocesan Life

Ted Hurley, front left, youth director of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, is shown with youth ministers from the Diocese of Ogdensburgwho took part in Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network Conference held in Ottawa March 9-11. In front are Monique Dwyer, CatholicCommunity of Burke and Chateaugay, holding her son Matthew; and Michele Chartrand, Massena; back, Kathy Burns, St. Mary's,Potsdam and St. Patrick’s, Colton; Deacon Brian Dwyer, diocesan director of youth ministry; and Tamara Murphy, Malone Catholicparishes.

The annual diocesan Youth Rally willbe held April 28 at ImmaculateHeart Central School in Watertown.The theme for this year’s rally is“Hear His Voice” inspired by thescripture readings for the fourthSunday of Easter and Good Shep-herd Sunday. The keynote speakerfor the day will be speaker and mu-sician Chris Padgett fromSteubenville, Ohio. In addition to thekeynote address, the day will fea-ture workshops geared towardyoung people and youth leaders.There will also be an interactivepark with tables featuring Sports-camp and Guggenheim, Vocationsand scouting, family life office andCatholic Charities and the RespectLife office.In addition, there will bethe opportunity for adoration of theBlessed Sacrament and the partici-pation in the Sacrament of Reconcil-iation. The day concludes with aquestion and answer session withBishop LaValley and closing Mass. Registration may be made throughparishes or by calling the youth of-fice at 315.393.2920, Ext 411. Thecost is $20.

Youth rally 2012

Youth ministers from diocese travel to Ottawa

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C6 Diocesan Life

April 11-13 - Mass and Visit to the Pon-tifical College Josephinum in Columbus,Ohio.

April 14 – 10 a.m., Confirmation for St.Alexander’s, Morrisonville, St. Joseph’s,Treadwells Mill, and Our Lady of Victory,Plattsburgh at St. Alexander’s Church; 4p.m., Confirmation at St. Peter’s Churchin Plattsburgh.

April 15 – 8 a.m., Mass at St. Edmund’sChurch in Ellenburg; 10:30 a.m., Mass atSt. Bernard’s Church in Lyon Mountain.

April 16 – 7 p.m., Novena and Mass atSt. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg.

April 17 – 9:45 a.m., Episcopal CouncilMeeting at the Bishop’s Residence in Og-densburg.

April 18 – 12 p.m., Mass at St. Mary’sCathedral in Ogdensburg.

Bishop LaValley’ Schedule

This week marks the anniversaryof the deaths of the following

clergymen men who have served inthe Diocese of Ogdensburg

April 11 – Rev. John P. Whalen, O.S.A.,1947April 13 – Rev. Callistus Scheid,O.F.M.Conv., 1854; Rev. EmilKrancewicz, O.F.M.Conv., 1974April 14 – Msgr. Richard F. Pierce,1935; Rev. Alfred Valiquette, O.S.A.,1949April 15 – Msgr. Peter O. LaRose,1918; Rev. Alfred J. Chevalier, 1996April 16 – Deacon Vernon J. Cham-berlain, 1993April 17 – Rev. Peter J. Devlin, 1915;Rev. Vernon L. Doe, 1975; Rev. C. Al-bert Richardson, 1988; Msgr. JosephG. Bailey, 2000

Rest in Peace

The Diocese of Ogdensburg hasscheduled sessions for ProtectingGod's Children for Adults. Pre-regis-tration online is required in order toparticipate. Participants may pre-register at www.virtus.org by select-ing the registration button andfollowing the directions. All employ-ees and volunteers who participatein church sponsored activities withminor are required to participate inthis training. Further information isavailable from Atonement SisterEllen Donahue, 315-393-2920, ext.440. Upcoming programs:April 21 - 9 a.m., St. Augustine’sSchool, PeruApril 23 - 6 p.m., Holy Family School,MaloneMay 2 - 6.p.m., Seton Academy,PlattsburghMay 23 - 6 p.m., Seton Academy,Plattsburgh

Protecting God’s Children

Catholic Charities is nowaccepting applications forthe Catholic Campaign forHuman Development localgrant process for the Dioceseof Ogdensburg. The criteriato be used for submitting aproposal is:1. Project must be aimed at

alleviating the causes ofpoverty.

2. Project must be a newinitiative or an enhancementof an established project.3. Sponsoring group must

be a non-profit, 501c3 organ-ization.4. Project must have the

potential to be funded afterthe CCHD funds have beenexpanded.5. Projects must be consis-

tent with the teaching of theRoman Catholic Church. (Ap-plicants do not have to beCatholic)This year two grants for

$4500 each are available.Applications can be re-quested from Catholic Char-ities by mail, phone, ore-mail.

If you have any questionsor to receive an application,please write to Catholic Char-ities, 6866 State Highway 37,Ogdensburg, NY 13669 orcall 315-393-2255. Or e-mailyour request and mailing ad-dress to ccwinny@wad-hams.edu.Grant applications are due

back to Catholic Charities byMay 21, 2012. Grants will beawarded by the end of June2012.

Catholic Charities acceptingCCHD grant applications

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C world/nation 11

AT A GLANCE

CATHOLICWORLDAt Holy Thursday Mass, pope criticizes dissent from church teachings VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During a Mass in which priests renew their promises offidelity to Christ, Pope Benedict XVI firmly criticized dissent from church teach-ings and disobedience of God's will as illegitimate pathways toward reformand renewal. Surrounded by more than 1,600 priests, bishops and cardinals, thepope cautioned against calls for women's ordination, saying such campaignsseemed more "a desperate push" to fulfill one's own preferences rather than asincere attempt to conform one's life more closely to Christ. During the April 5chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which focuses on Holy Thursday as the dayJesus shared his priesthood with the apostles, the pope said he wanted to usethe occasion to ask all priests, including himself, to meditate upon what theirconsecration really means. "Are you resolved to be more united with the LordJesus and more closely conformed to him," which entails a renunciation ofoneself and "of the much-vaunted self-fulfillment," the pope asked. BeingChrist-like means not to be served but to serve, not taking but giving, he said. Ifthat is the nature of the priesthood, then what should be the response ofpriests when faced with "the often dramatic situation of the church today," thepope asked. Without specifying the country, Pope Benedict said a group ofpriests from a European nation have issued a call for disobedience of churchteaching, specifically regarding the question of women's ordination. Last yearthe president of the Austrian bishops' conference, Vienna Cardinal ChristophSchonborn, condemned a "Call to Disobedience," signed by 250 of Austria's4,200 Catholic priests. The document urged Catholics to begin a campaign insupport of women priests and "priestless eucharistic liturgies," as well as forCommunion to be given to non-Catholics and remarried divorcees

On anniversary of Blessed John Paul's death, Vatican focuses on WYD VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- On the seventh anniversary of the death of Blessed JohnPaul II, Pope Benedict XVI paid homage to one of his predecessor's innovations:World Youth Day. Greeting an estimated 5,000 cheering young people fromSpain April 2, Pope Benedict said they were "the protagonists and principal re-cipients of this pastoral initiative promoted vigorously by my beloved prede-cessor, Blessed John Paul II, whose passage to heaven we remember today."The Spanish youths had come to the Vatican for the celebration of Palm SundayApril 1 and to thank the pope for visiting Madrid for World Youth Day last Au-gust. The Spanish delegation included the World Youth Day orchestra, whichplayed during the papal audience. While the pope was with the young people,Vatican officials and representatives of the Brazilian bishops' conference wereholding a news conference to talk about plans for the next international cele-bration of World Youth Day, which will be held July 23-28, 2013, in Rio deJaneiro. Pope Benedict told the Spanish youths that the World Youth Day expe-rience "can only be understood in the light of the presence the Holy Spirit inthe church," who continues to enliven the church and to push believers "tobear witness to the wonders of God." He told the young people, "You are calledto cooperate in this exciting task, and it's worth it to commit yourself to it with-out reservation. Christ needs you to expand and build his kingdom of charity."

By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- An Italiancouple, married 59 years, letthe joys and sufferings offamilies guide the reflectionsthey prepared for Pope Bene-dict XVI, thousands of pil-grims and potentiallymillions of television viewersto meditate on during theStations of the Cross atRome's Colosseum. The pope asked Danilo and

Annamaria Zanzucchi towrite the meditations for hisGood Friday service April 6in Rome. The Zanzucchis,who have five children and12 grandchildren, are the co-founders and were the long-time leaders of the Focolare'sNew Families Movement. "I am not even going to tell

you how many drafts wewent through," DaniloZanzucchi told the Focolare'sLiving City magazine whenasked how he and his wifeprepared the meditations. "We wanted to make sure

that these texts bore themark of a lived Christian ex-perience and, at the sametime, reflected our under-standing of the Passion as ithas developed through yearsof contact with thousands ofcouples," Annamaria Zanzuc-chi told the magazine. The New Families Move-

ment has a special outreachto couples who are hurtingbecause of separation, di-vorce or abandonment. Themovement believes thatstronger families will in-crease peace and brother-hood in communities. The couple looked at how

Jesus suffered and diedunder the weight of humansin - including marital infi-delity and abortion - but alsohow "every single family hasits own Way of the Cross: ill-nesses, deaths, financialproblems, poverty, betrayals,

immoral behavior, discordwith relatives (and) naturaldisasters." "But every Christian, every

family, on this path of paincan turn their gaze towardJesus, man and God," theywrote. Reflecting on the third sta-

tion, Jesus falls the first time,the couple wrote that Chris-tian husbands and wivesvow to care for one another,for their children and forthose they meet. But, "howmany times have our fami-lies fallen? How many sepa-rations, betrayals! Anddivorces, abortions, aban-donments! Jesus, help us un-derstand what love is; teachus to ask forgiveness." For the fifth station, Simon

of Cyrene helps Jesus carryhis cross, the Zanzucchis of-fered prayers for all thosewho have offered help "whena heavy cross has weighedon us or our family." The meditations included

special prayers for familieswho "suffer tremendoushardships" in order to pro-fess their Christian faith. The Zanzucchis prayed

that Christians in the devel-oped world would learn toresist the temptation ofbeing "anesthetized by well-being," and would raise theirchildren to accept a simplelifestyle, sacrifice and self-

denial. In their meditation for the

10th station, Jesus isstripped of his clothes, thecouple focused their reflec-tion on the dignity of thehuman person and thehuman body and on howoften people use or abuseothers. The meditations included

several references to Mary,her relationship with Jesusand her maternal care for allwho follow Jesus. "Mary's love for each of us

is a continuation of her lovefor Jesus," they wrote. AfterJesus' death, she stays withthe disciples "to supportthem, help them, encouragethem and lead them to recog-nize the love of God." For the last station, Jesus is

laid in the tomb, the Zanzuc-chis focused on the disciplestrying to console one anotherand sharing with each othermemories of the things Jesussaid and did while he waswith them. "At that moment, they

begin to be church whileawaiting the Resurrectionand the outpouring of theHoly Spirit. With them wasthe mother of Jesus, Mary,"they wrote."They gather together, with

her and around her, awaitingthe manifestation of theLord."

Joys and sufferings offamilies focus of pope'sGood Friday Via Crucis

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY FOCOLARE ARCHIVESPope Benedict XVI had asked Danilo and Annamaria Zanzucchi, founders of the Foco-lare Movement's New Families initiative, to write the meditations for his Way of theCross service at Rome's Colosseum April 6.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 5

Seton Catholic holds Lentenfundraiser for NicaraguaBy Mallory FavreauSenior, Seton Catholic Central

PLATTSBURGH -Nicaragua is thesecond poorest country inthe Western hemi-sphere. An oppres-sive government anda devastating hurri-cane and other natu-ral disasters haveonly added to thepoverty in the nation. Now, over 80 per-

cent of the popula-tion lives in extremepoverty. The home-less percentage is ex-tremely high andthousands of people cannotafford food or shelter.Forty Days of Hope: 4 for

40 is a fundraiser which wasconducted during the LentenSeason here at SetonCatholic. Our goal is to build four

houses for the less fortunatepeople in Nicaragua.

Several of our fundraisershave been extremely suc-cessful such as, a movienight, bake sale, dress downday, and can drive. Our most profitable event

so far was the ‘lock-in’. Students and fac-ulty were ‘locked-in’the school for 12hours and partici-pated in fun eventssuch as dancing, KanJam, volleyball, ping-pong, and hide-and-go- seek in the dark.There was even abouncy house thatkept us all enter-tained throughout

the night.One of the main events of

the night was a hunger ban-quet. We each received a meal

ticket that represented ourincome level. 15% received ahigh income, 35% receivedmiddle income, and the re-maining 50% were given low

income. We were each given a meal

that corresponded with ourticket. Only 15% of the world can

afford a well-balanced dietand other necessities. It re-ally put into perspective howmuch we have and howblessed we are. Through these events we

have raised enough moneyfor two houses and we arewell on our way to the third. We planned a dance for

the last weekend of Lent andhope we can reach our goalof four houses shortly afterEaster. These houses will provide

four families with shelterand provide a security thatmany in Nicaragua can’t af-ford.Any and all donations for

the fundraiser are welcome;please mail checks made outto Seton Catholic Attn: 4 for40, 206 New York Road,Plattsburgh, NY 12903.

MalloryFavreau

Holy Family School in Malone celebrated the feast of St. Patrick with Irish music and dance under the direction of Grey Nun SisterRita Frances Brady and Mr. Dan Klebes. Shown, from left, are Ananya Gupta, Josh Tylenda, Sidney LeRoy, Samantha Weeks, LaurynNorcross and Cordelia Adams.

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C12 commentary

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Easter is over for manypeople, but to those whofollow Jesus, the drama ofCalvary and the RisenChrist has just begun. In the readings

for today, the fruitsof His victory arenow opening intofull flower. In theGospel, Christ ap-pears in His risenbody to all theapostles (exceptThomas) for thefirst time since theresurrection. Hewants to give them anew commission—to preach the rest ofthe Good News. Butfirst, he must set their guiltand their fears to rest. Their behavior during His

hour of need had not beenthe best! Some ran away,some went to sleep in thegarden, Peter actually de-nied Him. All except Johnhad forsaken Him in oneway or another. So His firstwords to them are “Peace!”.Before they can take up

His charge to them of for-giving the sins of others, He

first forgives them theirown! Aside from the “goodthief”, they are the firstfruits of His Divine Mercy!And, since they have re-

ceived mercy, theywill spend the restof their lives distrib-uting His Mercy toall who will be-lieve—ultimately, tothe whole world.In the narrative,

Jesus shows themthe wounds of HisPassion . Thomasis not there, anddoubts their story. Aweek later, Jesus ap-pears again, and in-vites Thomas to

place his finger in the nailholes, and put his hand inthe pierced side, and be notunbelieving, but believing. And Thomas gives us the

cry of faith that has been re-peated down through thecenturies - “My Lord and myGod!”. His doubts have ledto a faith that impelsThomas to travel all the wayto India, where the faith hasflourished even to the pres-ent day!

Blessed John Paul II, un-derstood the full meaningof the Lord’s revelations to ayoung Polish woman of theearly 20th century, SisterFaustina. Through manyrevelations, He told her ofHis desire to shower downHis Mercy to the wholehuman race. All evil, includ-ing the wars of our time, arelimited in their effectsthrough God’s infinitemercy. The justice of Godwas satisfied on the Crosson Good Friday, but thework of salvation that fol-lowed continues to showerdown mercy on those whooffend Him. The first reading today

from the Acts of the Apos-tles tells us the story of howthe first Christians lived—sharing all their goodsequally, so that no one wasin need. Unfortunately, thisideal life, free of materialconcerns, did not last. Thespirit of giving, however, isan enduring sign of trueChristian love.Today’s second reading

from the first letter of John,declares that faith in Jesusis the foundation of Chris-tian love. As water andblood flowed from the sideof Jesus on Calvary, so doBaptism and Eucharist nour-ish that faith and love inChristians today who aresustained in all our imper-fections and sinfulness bythe Divine Mercy.

Second Sunday of EasterDivine Mercy Sunday

READINGSActs 4”32-261 John 5:1-6John 20:19-31

April 15

MonsignorPaul E.Whitmore

Easter celebration continuesWith Divine Mercy Sunday

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C4 Diocesan Life

By Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin, SSJSuperintendent of Schools

In late winter or early spring Catholic schoolprincipals conduct registrations for the next aca-demic year. Registration packets are sent home,or posted on line, open houses are held, parentswho currently have their children in a Catholicschool are asked to bring a friend who is unfa-miliar with a Catholic school for a school visitand thus get an inside look at a Catholic school.In March and April principals are looking aheadto the next academic year!It may seem early to start the process, but pro-

jected school budgets for the following schoolyear are connected to student enrollment. Thus,principals across the diocese are encouragingparents to register their children for next year.Speaking to teachers from his own Diocese of

Rome, the Holy Father described in detail thechallenges faced by today’s parents and teachers.“Daily experience tells us”, the Pope said, “thatprecisely in our day education in the faith is notan easy undertaking. Increasing difficulty is en-countered in transmitting the basic values of lifeand correct behavior to the new generations.”Catholic schools do far more than teach stu-

dents how to read and write, add and use thenewest tools of technology. They go beyondtraining them in the technical skills necessary fora particular profession. They pass on the “basicvalues of life and correct behavior” needed tolive well. Although each school will offer parents com-

pelling reasons for choosing it, our fifteen Dioce-

san Catholic schools share common beliefs aboutthe value of Catholic school education. OurCatholic schools:• Promote and proclaim the Gospel; • Educate the whole child – mind, body and

spirit;• Recognize the dignity and uniqueness of

each child;

• Acknowledge the social nature of the humanperson;• Build and strengthen communities of faith;• Offer outstanding academic programs inte-

grated with Gospel values.Young people today are constantly exposed to

and often confused by the multiplicity of infor-mation and by the contrasting ideas and inter-pretations presented to them, but neverthelessthey still have a great inner need for truth andopenness to the mystery of God. Our Catholicschools help them to discover that the truth hasa name, Jesus Christ, and to enter into a personalfriendship with him. This is the most compellingreason for choosing a Catholic school! If your children are not in a Catholic school

and you live in an area where a Catholic schooleducation is available I encourage you to contactthe principal to arrange for a visit to the school.Nothing can replace the personal experience pro-vided by a school visit in which you can speakwith the principal, tour the school and experi-ence the atmosphere of the school community. Aschool visit as well as talking to parents whosend their children to a Catholic school can beparticularly helpful to parents who are preparingto send their first child to school. If you currently have your children enrolled in

one of our schools invite a neighbor or friendwhose school aged children are not in a Catholicschool to make a visit to the school with you.Imagine how the enrollment in a school wouldgrow if every family currently enrolled con-vinced one other family that sending their chil-dren to the Catholic school would be a pricelessinvestment in their child’s future.

STAFF PHOTO/SHAN MOOREGavin-Joseph Webb, 8, and a second-grader at St. Mary's Academy inChamplain, enjoys a meal at the school's annual Pancake Breakfastfundraiser.

Looking aheadIt’s registration time for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C entertainment 13

AT THE MOVIES

By Joseph McAleer Catholic News Service

"Who's the fairest one ofall?" The answer may sur-prise you in "Mirror Mirror"(Relativity), a fresh live-ac-tion take on the BrothersGrimm fairy tale "SnowWhite and the SevenDwarfs." This go-round, the hand-

some prince is the center ofattention, as the wickedqueen and her lovely step-daughter stage a battle royalfor his hand, and the fate ofa kingdom hangs in the bal-ance. Directed with high camp

by Tarsem Singh ("Immor-tals"), "Mirror Mirror" pileson the one-liners and innu-endos, along with life les-sons that range from theneed to help the poor andfight discrimination to theimportance of promotingfeminism. The end result is a bit

leaden and somewhat

charmless for a children'sfairy tale. But remarkablecostumes and grand setpieces go a long way tocompensate. Playing against type, Julia

Roberts is the evil Queen,chewing up the scenery inglamorous ball gowns, andrevealing her character to beinsecure and afraid of grow-ing old. The magic mirroroffers a creepy-looking self-image that dispenses badadvice. With her stepdaughter,

Snow White (Lily Collins),locked away in the tower,the Queen sets out to find arich husband, whose for-tune will save her bankruptrealm. The populace is poorand starving as a result ofthe crippling taxes exactedto support the monarch'slavish lifestyle. Her luxuriesof choice include somegross-out spa treatments --who knew pigeon droppingsmade the best ingredient fora facial?

Enter on horseback thefabulously wealthy PrinceAlcott (Armie Hammer), whocatches the eye of both theQueen and Snow White. TheQueen eliminates the com-petition by banishing SnowWhite and ordering herkilled. But the hapless royalbutler, Brighton (NathanLane), weakens, and SnowWhite escapes into the for-est. There she stumblesupon the Seven Dwarfs. Viewer, beware: These are

not the endearing dwarfs ofDisney lore. They are awisecracking band of hood-lums with names likeNapoleon (Jordan Prentice),Wolf (Sebastian Saraceno),and Butcher (Martin Klebba).They steal for a living, but

Snow White persuades themto spare the poor and takefrom the Queen instead. They, in turn, teach her

the ins and outs of streetfighting. Cross Robin Hood with

Joan of Arc and you get the

picture, as Snow White leadsa crusade of diminutive war-riors to overthrow theQueen, snag her PrinceCharming, and live happily... well, you know. "Mirror Mirror" takes none

of this seriously, and insidejokes abound. At one point,when it looks like the Queenmay triumph, Prince Alcottinterjects, "Don't change theending! It's been focus-grouped, and it works."

It does, in its own uniquefashion. The film contains mild ac-

tion violence, some rudehumor, and one semi-pro-fane utterance. The CatholicNews Service classificationis A-II -- adults and adoles-cents. The Motion PictureAssociation of America rat-ing is PG -- parental guid-ance suggested. Somematerial may not be suitablefor children.

CNS PHOTO/RELATIVITY MEDIAJulia Roberts and Armie Hammer star in a scene from the movie "Mirror Mirror.".

Two local boys won the Knights of Columbus Upstate Freethrow Contest held atBishop Ludden High School in Syracuse March 24. Over 75 boys and girls from north-ern, central and western NY State competed in the event. Pictured are Michael Ray-ome Youth Freethrow Director Northern Conference; Kinnon LaRose of Ogdensburg,age 14 winner;and Declan Porter of Canton, age 11 winner. Kinnon and Declan willcompete in the State Final Freethrow Contest at West Point Military Academy April 28.

The Northern Conference Knights of Columbus held its 39th Annual Freethrow Contest March 10 at Massena Central High SchoolGym. Over 50 boys and girls from across the diocese and northern NY State competed in the event. The age brackets included 10 -14 yr olds for both girls and boys. The winners competed in the Upstate Region Freethrow Contest in Syracuse March 24. Shown,front, from left are the girl winners:Katie Beach, age 14; Danielle Cook,12; Jaelyn Martin, 11; and Jennifer Jones, 10; boys, in back,Kinnon LaRose, 14; Louden Porter, 13; Brandon Lorenc, 12; Declan Porter, 11; and Joey Roiger, 10.

FREE THROW PHENOMS

MIRROR MIRROR

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 3

FOLLOW ME

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:The resurrection itself was never in

doubt—God cannot die. But the sur-prise and gift of Easter is that theresurrection is for us, too! Jesus has been raised in our flesh

and blood. It is our death that hasbeen defeated. This is truly the ‘Day of the Lord.’

But it is our day, too, for Jesusshares with us the fruits of His vic-tory. As we walk through life, we be-come increasingly aware of ourmortality and the inevitable journeytowards death. Death constitutes ahuge challenge to our faith, for wesee beyond death only as through a dark-ened glass. Good Friday, day of darkness and death,

comes to everyone.

So does Holy Saturday, that day of empti-ness and sorrow. On such days it’s difficult

to believe, to trust, to remain faith-ful. But Easter Sunday comes as

surely as the dawn.As a resurrection people, we

breathe the pure air of everlastinglife. Death has been overcome. InHis love for us, God draws us out-wards into the unknown, the be-yond, the infinite, the eternal. We go forward more confidently

and hopefully because Jesus ourBrother has gone ahead of us.While we may stumble and fall on

our personal journeys, let us never losehope in the God who saves us. Let us be Church for one another, adults

and youth, clergy and lay, individuals who

truly care for one another’s well-being.When we love, accept, and forgive one an-other, we allow the splendor of Christ’s res-urrection to scatter the shadows thatdarken the lives of our sisters and brothers. Let us all walk together in radiant hope,

following the risen Christ who is the Way,the Truth and the Life.May you and your loved ones rejoice in

the hope and peace that our Risen Saviorhas won for all of us. A blessed Easter toyou and your family!

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Terry R. LaValleyBishop of Ogdensburg

Franciscan Sister LouiseAlff, former director of FaithFormation for the Archdio-cese of Philadelphia with aspecial focus on Parish Evan-gelization, will be presentinga workshop across the Dio-cese called “Too Few in thePew” from April 14-16Sister Louise will share

practical strategies to learnpractical ways to invitesomeone to ‘take anotherlook’; recognize signs ofopenness to discuss the

faith, identify the best ap-proach for different needs,and to recognize everydayopportunities to invite peo-ple to join the CatholicChurch.Registration for the work-

shop may be made throughpastors or Sister Mary Eamonat elyng@dioogdensburg.orgor call 393-2920 Ext. 380.The schedule follows:

Jefferson/Lewis/Hamilton-

Herkimer Deaneries Augustinian Academy,

Carthage, April 14, 10 a.m. to12.St. Lawrence/Franklin DeaneriesTrinity School, Massena,

April 15, 2 p.m. to 4Clinton/Adirondack/Hamilton-Herkimer/Essex DeaneriesSt. Peter’s Emmaus Hall,

Plattsburgh, April 16, 1p.m.to 3 AND 7 p.m. to 9

‘Too Few in the Pew’ begins

The ‘Day of the Lord’ is our day, too

BishopTerry R.LaValley

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C14 around the diocese

DIVINE MERCY CELEBRATIONSaranac Lake – St. Bernard’s will cele-brate the Feast of the Divine Mercy.Date: April 15Time: 2:30 p.m.Features: Exposition and Benediction ofthe Blessed Sacrament, Chaplet of DivineMercy, Veneration of the Divine MercyImage, Anointing with St. Faustina's Oil.Opportunity for Sacrament of Reconcili-ation will also be available.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAYPlattsburgh – St. Peter’s Church will beobserving Divine Mercy Sunday.Date: April 15Schedule: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 12:15 p.m. to 2:30Sacrament of Reconciliation in the chapel 1:15 p.m. to 2:15Video: “Tell All Soul’s About My Mercy” 12:15 p.m. to 1:25Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Prayer Services begins at 2:30 p.m.Features: Blessing of Religious objectswill take place during the service. Pleasenot the times have changed this year.

CLOTHING SALEPeru – St. Vincent de Paul Society will beholding a special sale of gently usedspring/summer clothing and footwear.Dates: April 11 through April 14, 9 a.m.to 3 p.m.; April 12 the sale will be from 7p.m. to 9 p.m.Place: St. Vincent’s Thrift StoreFeatures: Fill a large 33 gallon bag withclothing/footwear for $5.

DIVINE MERCY DEVOTIONSKeeseville – Divine Mercy Devotions willbe observed this year.Date: April 15Time: Noon to 3 p.m.Features: The Chaplet of the DivineMercy will be sung , Rosary recited, lightrefreshments

SOAKING PRAYEREllenburg - Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer have soaking prayer.Date: April 16 (every 3rd Monday). Time: 10 a.m. to 11 Features: An hour to come and be im-mersed in prayer with individual prayertime for your specific needs.

BENEFIT DINNERCoopersville – St. Joseph’s Church willbe having its 9th annual benefit dinnerfeaturing a full course Turkey Dinner.Date: May 6

Time: Noon to 2 p.m.Place: K of C Hall, ChamplainCost: $9; children 5-12, $5; under 5, freeFeatures: Raffle and door prizes, you donot need to be present to win.

PANCAKE BREAKFASTTreadwell Mills – Rcc. St. Alexander & St.Joseph’s will hold a Pancake Breakfast Date: April 22Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Place: St. Joseph’s Church HallCost: Adults, $6; Children 6-12, $3;under 5, Free

SPRING BRUNCHAltona – Holy Angels Church will be hav-ing an All You Can Eat Spring Brunch.Date: April 15Time: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Cost: Adults, $7; Children under 12, $3Features: Bake Sale & Craft Tables. Call236-5848 to reserve craft table.

BLUE & GOLD SPRING FLING BALLAuSable Forks– Holy Name School is cel-ebrating its 99th year with a semi-for-mal dinner dance.Date: April 21Time: 5 p.m.Place: Rainbow Banquet Hall Gold RoomCost: $35 per personFeatures: There will be door prizesthroughout the evening and 50/50 raf-fles. Individuals or organizations whosponsor a table of 10 will have theirname displayed on the table.Contact: Holy Name School to purchaseticks, 518-647-8444

BREAKFAST BUFFETBrushton - St. Mary's is planning aBreakfast BuffetDate: April 15 Time: 8 a.m. to 12:30Place: St. Mary's Parish Center, Take outsavailable, call 518 529 6580Menu: Fried/Scrambled Eggs, CornedBeef Hash, Indian Hash, Bacon,Sausage, Home Fries, Pancakes, FrenchToast, Homemade Donuts, ToastPrice: Adults, $7; Seniors, $6; 6-12, $4; 5and under, free; Immediate Family of 5or more, $20

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MERCYMalone – Divine Mercy services to beheld.Date: April 15Schedule: 11 a.m. Mass; Noon to 3 p.m.Blessed Sacrament exposed; 1 p.m. to2:50 Confessions; 3 p.m. Devotions forDivine Mercy Sunday will begin WithChaplet of the Divine Mercy and Bene-diction of the Blessed Sacrament.

SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL DINNEREvans Mills – The Indian River Council7471 Knights of Columbus will be havinga Spaghetti and Meatball dinner.Date: April 21Time: 4 p.m.Place: St. Mary’s Parish CenterCost: Adults, $7; Seniors, $6; Children 12and under, $5; under 5, Free

SPAGHETTI SUPPERWatertown – St. Anthony’s Altar Rosary

Church will be having Spaghetti Supper.Date: April 26Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7Place: Msgr. Sechi HallCost: $8; children $4.50; under 3, free;sauce, $5 per quart meatballs are $.75Features: Take-out orders begin at 4p.m. Please bring your own containers

ECUMENICAL BEREAVEMENTWatertown – A bereavement meetingwill be held.Date: April 23Time: 7 p.m.Place: Sisters of St. Joseph MotherhouseSpeaker: Rev. Dr. Fred Garry, Pastor ofthe First Presbyterian Church on "Why isGrief so Tiring?".

CHICKEN BARBECUEEvans Mills – St. Mary’s Booster Club willbe having a Chicken Barbecue.Date: April 15Time: 11 a.m.Place: St. Mary’s Parish CenterCost: $8; take-outs are available

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAYWatertown – Our Lady of the SacredHeart Church will hold a Divine MercyCelebration.Date: April 15Time: 3 p.m.Features: Exposition of the BlessedSacrament, Singing of the Chaplet of Di-vine Mercy, & Special prayers for healingyour family tree, Blessing of the DivineMercy image and Benediction of theBlessed Sacrament. Contact: For more information onMercy Sunday call Judy at 315-783-7349or 315-788-2388

BULLHEAD FEEDHarrisville – The Knights of Columbuswill be having a Bullhead feed.Date: April 20Time: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30Place: Harrisville Fire HallCost: Adults, $11 for Fish, $9 for Ham;Children 12-5, $6; under 5, Free

SUNDAY BRUNCHLyons Falls – The South Lewis K of C willbe having an All You Can Eat Brunch.Date: April 22Time: 8 a.m. to NoonPlace: St. John’s ChurchCost: Adults, $6; children 5-12, $3; under5, free

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MERCYHouseville – The Feast of the Divine

Mercy will be celebratedDate: April 15Time: 3 p.m.Place: at St. Hedwig’s Church.Features: Sacrament of Reconciliationwill be at 2 p.m. and a Divine Mercymovie will be shown at the church hallat 2 p.m. At 3 p.m. the program will in-clude Blessing of the Divine Mercyimage, Exposition of the Most BlessesSacrament, Chaplet of Divine Mercy(sung), Homily and Benediction. Rev.Jozef Mucha of Christ our Light Church,Pulaski, will be the main celebrant. Contact: Mary Ann at 315-348-6260

OGDENSBURG SHOWTIMEOgdensburg – The A.D. CharbonneauCouncil #258 Knights of Columbus willbe sponsoring Showtime.Schedule: April 21, 7:15 p.m.; April 22,1:30 p.m.; April 23, 7:15 p.m.Place: OFA AuditoriumCost: $5; Seniors, $2; students, $2Performance: Don Woodcock, Dan Pear-son, a quartet of members from the Can-ton Goldenaires Chorus

LIFE CHAIN PLANNEDPotsdam– A Life Chain has beenplanned, rain or shine.Date: May 12Time: 2 p.m. to 3 Gather and pick upsigns at 1:45 across from Roxy TheaterPlace: Along Market and Main StreetsFeatures: All ages are encouraged toparticipate, especially children (withproper supervision) and the elderly.Don’t forget chairs, hats and Water

WOMEN OF GRACE RETREATOgdensburg - A retreat for Women Willbe held.Date: April 20-22Place:Wadhams HallFeatures: Creator of the women’s min-istry Women of Grace JohnnetteBenkovic of EWTN fame will be featuredas a speaker. The Weekend Will featurefour hour-long talks by Mrs. Benkovic aswell as daily Mass, Eucharistic Adorationand time for quiet prayer. Cost: Rates range between $150 to$245 and depend on room type. Thedeadline for registration is April 4. Mealsare included. Registration: forms are available atlocal parishes or by contacting RegionalCoordinator and Facilitator Mary Dillen-back by email atmarydillenback@twcny.rr.com or byphone (315) 771-1377

The North County Catholicwelcomes contributions to “Around the Diocese”. Parishioners are invited to send information about activities to:

North Country Catholic, PO Box 326,Ogdensburg, NY 13669; fax, 1-866-314-7296;e-mail news@northcountrycatholic.org.

Items must be received in the NCCoffice by the Thursday before publication.

ADIRONDACK

CLINTON

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON

LEWIS

ST. LAWRENCE

DIOCESAN EVENTS

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C news 15

OBITUARIESAdams – Harold William “Nick” Grieco,92; Funeral Services April 9, 2012 at St.Cecilia’s Church; burial in St. Cecilia’sCemetery.

Carthage – Myron Grant McIntyre, 73;Funeral Services April 7, 2012 at theBezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home; burialin St. James Cemetery.

Champlain – Annabelle Patricia (Tromb-ley) Ashline, 89; Funeral Services April 5,2012 at St. Mary’s Church; burial in St.Mary’s Cemetery.

Champlain – Pauline J. Filion, 86; FuneralServices March 31, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Champlain – Andre Shavel, 59; FuneralServices April 4, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch.

Croghan – Thomas A. “Tommy” Nortz, 88;Funeral Services April 10, 2012 at St.Stephen’s Church; burial in St. Stephen’sCemetery.

Glenfield – Margaret L. (Lorenzini) Bur-dick, 95; Funeral Services May 21, 2012 atSt. Mary’s Church; burial in Old GlendaleCemetery.

Gouverneur – Anthony “Tony” Pastizzo,81; Funeral Services April 3, 2012 at St.James Church; burial in Glenwood Ceme-tery, Watertown.

Hogansburg – Hattie Thompson, 81; Fu-neral Services April 3, 2012 at St. RegisChurch; burial in Kateri Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Debbie (Kuca) Abel, 55;Funeral Services April 14, 2012 at St.Mary’s Cathedral.

Plattsburgh – Gerald R. “Jerry” Brown, Sr.,80; Funeral Services April 6, 2012 at St.Peter’s Church; burial in St. Peter’s Ceme-tery.

Plattsburgh – Helen Marie (Finegan)Camelo, 85; Funeral Services April 4, 2012at St. John XXIII Newman Center; burial inSt. John’s Cemetery, Keeseville.

Rosiere - Edward J. (Ned) Lawrence, 87,Funeral Services April 13 at St.Vincent dePaul Chuch.

Watertown – John R. Doe, 81; FuneralServices April 2, 2012 at Our Lady of the

Sacred Heart Church.

Watertown – Angelina J. (Stupack) Hub-bard, 84; Funeral Services March 31, 2012at Cummings Funeral Service, Inc.; burialin North Watertown Cemetery.

Watertown - Mary Pacific Crescenzi, 93,Funeral services April 9 at St. Anthony’sChurch, Entombment in Glenwood Mau-soleum.

West Chazy – Jeanne M. (Hebert) Beach;Funeral Services April 3, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church.

West Leyden - Dorothy E. (Gibbs) Nellen-bach, 86, Funeral Services April 11 at St.Mary’s Nativity Church; burial in St.Peter’s & Paul’s Cemetery, Fish Creek.

Westport – Huberta J. (Tetro) Conway,85; Funeral Services April 2, 2012 at St.Philip Neri Church.

The Society For

The Propagation Of The FaithSr. Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Director

622 Washington St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669(315) 393-2920; fax (315) 394-7401mbrett@dioogdensburg.org

From Director’s DeskSister Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Diocesan Director

This spring education issue of theNCC is an opportune time for us torecall the beginnings of the Societyfor the Propagation of the Faith...apiece of mission education for all ofus. Our story begins in France in the

early 19th century. Pauline Jaricot,inspired by letters from her brother,Phileas, started gathering togethersmall groups in her family’s silk fac-tory. Pauline asked each member ofthe group to offer daily prayer and aweekly sacrifice of one soul’s (theequivalent of a penny at that time) for the Church’s worldwidemissionary work.She insisted that her efforts be directed to all the Church’s

missions, that they be universal.From Pauline’s vision came the Society for the Propagation of

the Faith. The very first collection for the Propagation of theFaith in 1822 supported the vast diocese of Louisiana, whichthen extended from the Florida Keys to Canada, as well as themissions of Kentucky and China.Little did Pauline realize that the 1822 beginnings of promot-

ing the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in Louisianawould stir strong Louisiana mission connections in 2005. ForSr. Judy, who has spent the past half-dozen years involved inpontifical missionary works in the New Orleans ArchdiocesanMission Office, the connections to the missions in the days afterHurricane Katrina were uplifting and sustaining. Sr. Judy said,“The Katrina tragedy offers a lesson for all Catholics about themissions around the world and the needs of the local CatholicChurches as well as the poor in Africa, Asia, Latin America andthe Pacific Islands.” “Our people – our kids have now experi-enced the daily reality of the poor of the missions firsthand.”We’ve got to help them keep making those connections.”The Society for the Propagation of the Faith continues to seek

prayer and sacrifice for the world’s missions, now some 1,100dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and Latin America.Help is offered for pastoral and evangelizing programs, for cate-chists, catechetical work, healthcare and to build churches.Missionaries still respond to the command of Jesus, “Go and

teach all nations.” Missionaries also continue to depend on as-sistance from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith to sus-tain them in their service to the poorest of the poor. Thank youfor being a “home missionary” and helping in your own way.

Please remember “The Society for the Propagation of the Faith”when writing or changing your Will.

www.dioogdensburg.org/missionoffice

Go and teachall nations

Pauline Jaricot

NORTHCOUNTRYCATHOLIC

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densburg, N.Y. 13669.

Editorial Office: 622 Washington Street, Ogdensburg, N.Y. 13669.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes toNorth Country Catholic,

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I’ve been a big fan of Catholicschools since my first day in firstgrade with Sister St. Thomas and40 other scared/excited six yearolds. Those were the days

when there were so manyfamilies who wanted tosend their children toBishop Conroy MemorialSchool in Ogdensburg thatthere just wasn’t room tofit a kindergarten.Those were also the

days when it wasn’t neces-sary to send kids toschool to be socializedwith other children.Nearly every Catholichome I knew was filled with chil-dren of all ages!We all had to learn to play well

with others… or else!Like our public school friends,

we learned all the necessary read-ing, writing and arithmetic skillsbut we also took away somethingelse: a reinforcement of theCatholic faith that we all prac-ticed with our families at home.Catholic schools were critical

back in the 1960s and they arecritical still but, alas, with fewerchildren, fewer Religious teachersand higher expenses, too many ofour schools are on the “criticallist.”Since most of us aren’t in a po-

sition to spread millions of dol-lars around to keep those doorsopen, the one thing we can do is

encourage young parents tochoose a Catholic education fortheir precious little ones.This week’s NCC offers a few

helpful “talking points.”Catholic schools in the

Diocese of Ogdensburglead our children towardslives of faith (p. 1), serv-ice (p. 5), good health (p.7) and academic excel-lence.The words of Chris

Hornbarger, the executivesystem administer of IHCin Watertown, can beentaken to heart by us all. He offers “ten reasons

to send your child to IHCschools” which, with just a littletweaking, could fit any Catholicschool in northern New York. My favorite point is his first

one: IHC, he says, is “A gift thatlasts a lifetime.”“We like to say IHC offers stu-

dents ‘A Foundation for Life,’” Mr.Hornbarger writes. “It’s true.What we teach is not about the‘next rung on the ladder’- per-forming on the Regents, the SAT,getting into a good college, orwinning a scholarship (thoughwe’ve got a great track record inthese areas). What we offer lastsa lifetime – a guideline for life,grounded in Christian virtues,that only grows stronger overtime.”Sounds like a pretty good gift to

me!

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C2 Diocesan Life

MSGR. ROBERT L. LAWLERVice President

SR. JENNIFER VOTRAW, SSJSecretary-TreasurerMARY LOU KILIAN

Editor/General Manager

BISHOP TERRYR. LAVALLEYPresident

Mary LouKilian

LETTER FROM THE EDITORCHURCH: A FAMILY OF FAITH

Divine Mercy2nd Sunday of Easter - April 14-15

By Sister Mary Eamon Lyng, SSJDirector of Evangelization

“Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving butbelieving, alleluia!” Jesus, who reaches out to Thomas’ weak faith, offered himdivine mercy and peace. It was through these locked doors that He appearedto the frightened disciples to alleviate their fears, to strengthen their faith, andto offer reconciliation and peace. Like the disciples, we experience fears andbrokenness. When fear sets in, our hearts become locked and no one can enterin. This is what happened to Thomas as well as to the other apostles. WhatJesus desired from Thomas was faith in Him at a time when there was no visi-ble sign of Jesus’ presence. The risen Lord said, “You believe in me, Thomas, be-cause you have seen me; blessed are those who have not seen me, but stillbelieve” (John 20:29)! To believe in Jesus is to accept and to be open to all thepossibilities that God has in store for us, even if we do not visibly see clearly theroad ahead.

In the second reading from John, he tells us that we are all begotten by God.We are His children. There is no need to fear. The way to break down the barri-ers and boundaries that separate us from one another is to love another. Whatwe often fear is the hurt, the judgment, the remark that closes us out from adeeper relationship with the other. We close the door, afraid to go out, andfear to let others enter in.

What we share in common as a family of faith is the gift of the Holy Spirit,the very gift of the Risen Lord, who would empower Thomas and the Apostlesthe gift of peace to unlock the door of our hearts. With the Spirit we partici-pate in God’s great work of reconciliation.

The Church, through the gift of the sacrament of Holy Orders, the ordainedpriest offers the family of faith, the opportunity to forgive sins. It is throughthe gift of the community of believers that we offer one another forgivenessand reconciliation. Each follower of Christ is baptismally called to exercise thisministry. It is the heart of Jesus’ ministry. It is the very foundation of commu-nity. It is the gift of shalom—peace—the wholeness of being connectedagain with the Risen Lord and with the community of believers. It is being inrelationship with our God whose love unlocks the door to bring peace. It is thepeace of Christ that the world cannot give; rather it is a peace that strengthensour faith to go out and to be a sign of Christ’s presence and peace to one an-other. This takes courage.

Reconciliation and forgiveness is not an easy ministry. We are always inprocess. This means we have to be open to change, but also, we have to beopen that others have changed as well. The Risen Lord has left us His gift ofthe Holy Spirit to form and to shape us into becoming a reconciling communityof love. Who we are and what we do continues the mission of Jesus’ forgive-ness and reconciliation.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. Your Deanery or parish will be celebrat-ing the mercy of God through prayer and the Sacrament of Penance. Bringsomeone who would like to receive the Sacrament of Penance and experiencethe forgiveness of sins and God’s peace. We, too, like Thomas, have seen theLord. Now let us, like Thomas, share our good news with others who have notyet met the Lord. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlast-ing” (Ps. 118).

Locked in unbelief;Peace unlocks fear;Peace brings insight

To see with faith!Lord, that I might see!My Lord and my God!

A gift that truly lasts a lifetime

FACESOF FAITH

Springtime for Catholics in the North Country

A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C16 the Gallery

PHOTO BY JESSE SOVIEFather Patrick Martin, a legally blindpriest of Norwich, Conn., was the leaderfor the annual Lenten Mission for NotreDame/St. Mary's in Ogdensburg. FatherMartin's topic was "God's Love In A Bro-ken World."

PHOTO BY SHAWN RYANFather Don Kramberg prepares children from the religious education program of Red-ford's Church of the Assumption for the Palm Sunday Mass.

The religious education students of the Church of the Visitation, Norfolk, created ties that reflected the good deeds that they didwhile on their Lenten journey. The students wore their ties as they lined the aisles of the Palm Sunday Mass procession. Pictured arejust some who attended a parent/child First Communion meeting after Mass. Front, from left, are Joshua King, Jessika Bullock,Megan McCarthy, Alannah Baker and Carl Morris; back, Carol O'Brien Gonthier, Msgr. John R. Murphy, Hayden Bullock, Micaela Trimm,Jalinden Thomas and Laurie Dufresne.

A good showing of men from the Diocese of Ogdensburg traveled to Syracuse March31 to take part in Ignite, the annual men's conference of the Syracuse diocese. Speak-ers included CBS news analyst Father Thomas Williams, LC; entrepreneur Sean O'Hare,

baseball catcher Mike Piazza, and Bishop Robert Cunningham, former bishop of Og-densburg and current bishop of Syracuse. Among those shown above are Fathers BryanStitt of Malone and Mark Reilly of Saranac Lake.

Confirmation candidates from St. Peter's in Plattsburgh, St. Alexander's/St. Joseph inMorrisonville and St. Augustine's in Peru took part a regional retreat in PlattsburghMarch 31. Beth and Chris Carlin from Living Hope Ministries facilitated the retreatalong with Rose Ann Hickey, who is shown above leading one of the workshops.

CATHOLICNORTH COUNTRYNORTH COUNTRYThe Diocese of Ogdensburg Volume 67, Number 1

APRIL 11, 2012

INSIDETHIS ISSUEPope focuses onjoys, struggles offamilies l PAGE 11

Faces ofFaith in thespringtime l PAGE 16

CHRISTIS RISEN

Divine Mercy Sunday

‘Too Few in the Pew’

Easter blessings

HOORAY FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS!

A TRIP ‘ABROAD’: Local youth ministers join Canadian gathering... p. 10

Responding to Christ’s sacrifice

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OF THE NATIONALGALLERY OF ARTThe Resurrection is depicted in "ChristRisen from the Tomb," a painting byItalian Renaissance artistBergognone. The artwork is from theSamuel H. Kress Collection at the Na-tional Gallery of Art in Washington.Easter, the feast of the Resurrection,was April 8 in the Latin-rite churchthis year. In his message for Easter,Bishop LaValley wrote, “Easter Sundaycomes as surely as the dawn. As a res-urrection people, we breathe the pureair of everlasting life. Death has beenovercome. In His love for us, Goddraws us outwards into the unknown,the beyond, the infinite, the eternal....

PHOTO SUPPLIEDChildren from Holy Family School in Malone reenacted the events of Palm Sunday as part of their observance of Holy Week.Shown are Slade Gonyea, Ryan Hesseltine,Brady Fitzpatrick,Liam Davis, Chloe LaBelle,Olivia Laflesh, Maisie Smallman, center:Evan Gratton(donkey), Alex Randall(Jesus), and Porter Wood(donkey). Catholic schools across the diocese are now acceptingregistration for the school year that begins in September. See special features on pages 4 through 9.

Workshops to be held

April 14-16 in three

sites in the diocese

Catholics across the dio-cese will celebrate the Feastof Divine Mercy with parishdevotions April 15.The devotions originated in

the late 1930’s by St. FaustinaKowalska who said that shehad a vision of Jesus in whichhe asked for devotions to di-vine mercy on the Sundayafter Easter.Pope John Paul II canonized

St. Faustina in 2000 and de-clared the Sunday after Easterto be Divine Mercy Sunday. Parish celebrations are

listed on this week’s “Aroundthe Diocese” page

FULL STORY, PAGE 14

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The trulyChristian response toChrist's death and resurrec-tion must be the dedicationof one's life and one's time tobuilding a relationship withJesus and being grateful forthe gift of salvation, PopeBenedict XVI said."In this Holy Week, the

Lord Jesus will renew the

greatest gift we could possi-bly imagine: he will give ushis life, his body and hisblood, his love," the popesaid April 1, celebrating PalmSunday in St. Peter's Square. "We must respond worthily

to so great a gift, that is tosay, with the gift of our-selves, our time, our prayer,our entering into a profound

communion of love withChrist who suffered, diedand rose for us," Pope Bene-dict said. In his homily, Pope Bene-

dict said the disciples andcrowds who followed Jesusto Jerusalem had their ownidea of who Jesus was andwhat difference he wouldmake in their lives and the

life of Israel.In fact, he said, the vast

majority of them were disap-pointed he did not live up totheir expectations and theywent - in a space of a fewdays - from acclaiming himas Messiah as he enteredJerusalem to calling for hiscrucifixion or running awayfrightened.