Local News August 2009 

 

BISHOP OF PHOENIX PUBLISHES CATHOLIC DIRECTIVES
CONCERNING ARTIFICIAL NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

PHOENIX (August 31, 2009) The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, is publishing “Directives for Catholics Concerning Artificially Administered Nutrition and Hydration” to help priests, deacons, religious, lay faithful and healthcare institutions make solid moral and spiritual decisions about the issues concerning artificial nutrition and hydration.

The directives will be published in the September 3, 2009, issue of The Catholic Sun and will be available on the Diocese of Phoenix website along with the Advanced Medical Directives that were published in July 2005. The 2005 document helps Catholics to face and make decisions ahead of time about end-of-life issues, so that family and friends can carry out their expressed desires for what type of treatment is moral and appropriate during any medical crisis that disables them for making their own decisions.

Bishop Olmsted said that many Catholics have sought guidance on how best to assist an individual or family facing questions surrounding artificially administered nutrition and hydration.  In his directive, Bishop Olmsted states, “A Catholic is bound to preserve one’s life but need not prolong it.  Simply put, a person should die from one illness and not because a basic necessity of life was denied them.”

The directives are designed to provide Catholics an ethical framework that guides them in their decision-making process concerning medical treatment, especially at the end of life where there are so many conflicting emotions about the prospects of prolonging someone’s life needlessly.  These directives tell Catholics that there is a moral obligation to use ordinary or proportionate means to preserve life, but a person may forgo extraordinary or disproportionate means of extending life, especially in those instances where there is not a reasonable hope of benefit.

Under these directives, Catholic health care institutions may never condone or participate in euthanasia or assisted suicide in any way.  However, the directives make it clear that “the free and informed judgment made by a competent adult patient concerning the use or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures should always be respected and normally complied with, unless it is contrary to Catholic moral teaching.”

"When someone is faced with severe physical and medical challenges, it is essential that his or her dignity as a person created in the image and likeness of God be respected and protected,” Bishop Olmsted said.  “I pray that these guidelines will help that to happen.” A complete text of the directives and more information on end-of-life issues are available by accessing the official website of The Catholic Sun at www.catholicsun.org.

Directives for Catholics Concerning Artificially Administered Nutrition & Hydration - September 2009

Diocese of Phoenix Advance Medical Directives - July 2005

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ANSWERING THE CALL

ROBERT BOLDING'S JOURNEY INTO PRIESTHOOD

Photo by Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

The path to priesthood is one less traveled, as is evident by a 40-year low in the number of Roman Catholic clergymen serving a growing church. To shed light on the mysteries of priestly training, and the sacrifices made by those who are called, The Dispatch followed seminarian Robert Bolding through his final year of study at the Pontifical College Josephinum for this six-day series. <read story>

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MOST HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL FEATURE ON FOX 10 MORNING NEWS

PHOENIX (August 27, 2009) Most Holy Trinity Catholic School, Phoenix, was featured on Wednesday, August 26, on the Whirlybird Wednesday segment of the FOX 10 morning news cast.

FOX 10 morning weatherman Cory McCloskey visited the school and interviewed students.  A video link to the FOX 10 website is provided to enable you to view this segment. <video>

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S. GILBERT CHURCH CLOSER TO GETTING HOME AGAIN

August 19, 2009

The Arizona Republic

A Catholic church in south Gilbert is closer to having its own building after seven years of having to set up camp at school gymnasiums every weekend.

St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, which currently meets at Gateway Pointe Elementary in Gilbert, will have a new multi-use building as early as next May. <read story>

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ST. ROSE WORSHIPERS WILL HOLD FIRST MASS IN OWN CHURCH

A north Phoenix Catholic congregation will pull up stakes today, moving from the school gymnasium where worshipers have gathered for services since 2003, to a permanent home.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne will have its first Mass at 5 p.m. at 2825 W. Rose Canyon Circle in Anthem. Construction on the $3.5 million mission-style building started in January on a 28-acre tract after a 2 1/2-year campaign for pledges. About 25 vehicles belonging to St. Rose members will ferry sacred vessels, church banners and a baptismal font to the new facility at 4 p.m. <read story>

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ST. JOHN BOSCO INTERPARISH SCHOOL OPENING NEW WING

It was a busy morning for kindergarten teachers, parents and student volunteers one day last week as miniature-size tables and 64 tiny chairs were moved into two recently completed classrooms in the new 4,000-square-foot south wing at St. John Bosco Interparish School.

Gathering at 7 a.m., the 15 volunteers and staff members hoped to circumvent the heat but after an hour or so, it was apparent the last morning of July was another scorcher.

Although it may have slowed moving tasks, it didn't dampen spirits.

"This is something we've been saving for and looking forward to for a long time," said Principal Shelley Conner.

The new wing, consisting of the two kindergarten classrooms, two bathrooms, storage area and a meeting conference room, was a much-needed answer to the continued growth of the school at 16035 S. 48th"St., just off Chandler Boulevard.

Newly built and opened in 2001, the St. John Bosco Interparish School serves three primary Catholic parishes: Corpus Christi and St. Benedict in Ahwatukee, St. Andrews in Chandler and Church of the Holy Spirit in Tempe.

The opening school year counted 251 students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The 2008-2009 school population numbered 570.

"Our school continues to increase in size as Ahwatukee continues to expand," said Conner, who this fall enters her fourth year at the helm, serving prior as an administrator at Seton Catholic High School in Chandler, and a former principal at Mesa's Queen of Peace Catholic School.

The need for more space became more apparent last year when two pre-kindergarten classes were moved on campus from Ahwatukee's Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Temporarily housed in the school's art room, art classes for all grades were shifted to the multipurpose room.

When students arrive Tuesdayfor the first day of school, kindergartners will meet their teachers, Kathy McCormick and Carol Prezkop, in the two spacious new classrooms.

Pre-K students find a new home in the former kindergarten wing that also provides them access to their own playground.

"Everything's new, fresh and a little roomier," said McCormick, pointing to where her Smart Board will be installed. "I'm dreaming of school starting."

And to the delight of teacher Jennifer Mahoney, art classes will once again be held in the art room.

After a "Blessing of the Ground" ceremony April 3, the construction on the new wing got under way with an eye to being ready before the first day of school.

The Spanish-style stucco and brick building melds well with the main school building. It's one of two newest schools in the Diocese of Phoenix, along with Pope John XXIII Elementary in Scottsdale.

Parent Eduardo Gamez of Chandler was present at the ground blessing with his then-pre-K son Santiago; the ceremony conducted by the Rev. Gary Regula of adjacent St. Benedict Catholic Church.

"The ground blessing isn't something a lot of people get to see," said Gamez. He and his wife, Erikah, have two other children at St. John Bosco: sixth-grader Eduardo and fourth-grader Gabriella.

"It's really exciting, and a blessing, to have Santiago be among the first kindergartners to use the new classrooms," he said. "It was great to see the school and the diocese make it happen so quickly."

"The fact that the building was ontime was a godsend and our contractor D.L. Withers was great to work with," Conner said. COTY DOLORES MIRANDA/ SPECIAL FOR THE REPUBLIC Kindergarten teacher Kathy McCormick hangs a welcoming sign on her door.

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DIOCESE OF PHOENIX CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
START NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

First new elementary school to open in nine years

PHOENIX (August 10, 2009) Annunciation Catholic School, the first new elementary school of the Diocese of Phoenix to open in nine years, will welcome students for first and second grade on Wednesday, August 12, on the grounds of St. Gabriel Parish, 32648 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix.  The school primarily will serve the Cave Creek/Carefree/Anthem area of the far North part of the valley.

“Annunciation Catholic School is opening to allow the children of Our Lady of Joy Preschool to continue their Catholic education,” says MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent of schools and executive director of the Office of Evangelization and Education.  “The people of St. Gabriel have opened their doors and hearts to their neighbors, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the families from Our Lady of Joy and the communities in the North Valley.” 

Located at Pima and Cave Creek roads in Carefree, Our Lady of Joy is a little over seven miles away from St. Gabriel.  Up until now, the preschool at Our Lady of Joy has been the only Catholic school presence in that part of the valley.  In the past year, Our Lady of Joy has operated a kindergarten and first grade.  With the opening of Annunciation, it will continue to operate a kindergarten.

Annunciation Catholic School will have the capacity for 25 students in each classroom for grade one and grade two and will be staffed by a certified faculty.  Admissions priority has been given to students from Our Lady of Joy, but the school is also open to the public at large. 

The other elementary schools of the Diocese of Phoenix will also welcome students back to school on August 12, and the six Catholic high schools will open for the new academic year at various times during the week beginning on Monday, August 10.

Many of the schools will feature new additions, programs and services as the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Phoenix continue to build an excellent educational environment that enables students to excel in life and become assets to their parishes and communities.

“We are welcoming our students to a new school year that will offer improved programs and services as well as enhanced facilities,” noted MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent for the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Phoenix.  “We expect another successful school year and hope to build upon our tradition of academic excellence and service to the community.”

The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Phoenix once again proved in this past academic year that they provide an almost unequalled atmosphere for successful academic achievement.  The six Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Phoenix graduate more than 90 percent of those who enter as freshman.  In addition, roughly 98 percent of all graduates of the class of 2009 at the Diocesan Catholic high schools are now going on to further their education in colleges and universities, community colleges, technical schools or the military.  For the third year in a row, all of the graduates of Xavier College Preparatory High School in Phoenix are going to attend four-year colleges and universities.

More information on what diocesan schools are doing during the new school year and additional information on the programs and services of the Diocese of Phoenix can be accessed through the Diocesan web site at www.diocesephoenix.org.

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GUADALUPE RELIC TO GRACE PHOENIX CHURCH

PHOENIX (August 7, 2009) Hundreds are expected to flock to a Phoenix Catholic church on Sunday, August 9, 2009. The Tilma of Tepeyac, a small piece of St. Juan Diego’s tilma (cloak) that holds the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will make a stop that day at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. The highly revered relic is being brought to Arizona by the Knights of Columbus.

 

It is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant, and miraculously left an image of herself on his garment in 1531.  This image continues to baffle scientists and is the most recognizable religious symbol in Mexico. It is only one of three recorded apparitions of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, officially recognized by the Catholic Church. Juan Diego was canonized by Pope John Paul II on July 31, 2002, in front of over 5 million people. The entire Tilma is on permanent display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Millions of people visit the Basilica in Mexico City annually – the most visited Catholic shrine in the world. The relic, on loan from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and likely the only one in the United States, is a small piece of the Tilma that was detached and sent to the Archbishop of Los Angeles by the Archbishop Luis Maria Martinez of Mexico City in 1941. 

 

“The Knights of Columbus are excited and honored to again host the Tilma on its second visit to Arizona,” said Herb Maddock, chief executive for the Arizona State Council of the Knights of Columbus.

 

The Tilma made a stop in Phoenix in 2003 as part of an international tour. During this first visit over 10,000 people turned out in several venues throughout Arizona to see and venerate the relic. The Tilma will be in Phoenix as part of the First International Marian Congress and Guadalupe Festival being held through Saturday at the J. W. Mariott Desert Ridge Resort and Jobing.com arena. These events are sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and Diocese of Phoenix. For more information on the Marian Congress, people can browse www.mariancongress.org. Additional details on the Guadalupe Festival can be found on the www.guadalupefestival.org website.

 

The Tilma will arrive in time for the 9:00 a.m. Mass at the Catholic Cathedral located at 6351 N. 27th Avenue (north of Bethany Home Road). Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of the Phoenix Diocese, will preside at the Mass. It will remain at the Cathedral until approximately 3:00 p.m. for veneration.

 

“Members of the Knights of Columbus have always had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, it is a deep honor to help bring her holy relic to Phoenix,” added State Deputy Maddock.

 

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization with over 1.7 million members throughout North America, Mexico, Europe, and the Philippines. In 2007, members reported raising and contributing a record $145 million to charitable causes and volunteering a record 69 million hours of service.

 

For further information contact John Garcia, Public Relations Director for the Arizona State Council, Knights of Columbus, at telephone (602) 525-4424 or via e-mail at garciakofc@cox.net. Visit the Arizona Knights of Columbus website at: www.azknightsofcolumbus.com.

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BISHOP THOMAS J. OLMSTED RELEASES PASTORAL LETTER
ON MARRIAGE PREPARATION
Promulgates new marriage preparation policy

PHOENIX (August 6, 2009) The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, released a new Pastoral Letter, published today in the August 6 issue of The Catholic Sun, that ushers in a new marriage policy for the Diocese of Phoenix by January 2010.

Titled Covenant of Love, the pastoral letter launches a three-year initiative that will be devoted to helping engaged couples prepare for marriage; enabling couples already married to deepen and renew their marriage; and focusing younger people who are still years away from marriage on remote marriage preparation so that they can work with their parents to be ready for the lifelong commitment of love required for marriage.  Parishes will begin preparing during the fall for the changes in policy, which are scheduled to take effect in January 2010.

The major changes outlined in the Pastoral Letter include extending the time for the marriage preparation period for engaged couples to nine months from six and requiring three courses instead of two, which encompasses a full course in the approved method of Natural Family Planning.  The new policy also provides for deeper analysis of, diagnosis of, theological understanding of, and pastoral response to the cultural situations Catholic couples are facing in modern society.  In addition, the policy encourages parish, diocesan and online education programs and offers more thorough training for marriage preparation ministers and lay leaders.

In his Pastoral Letter, Bishop Olmsted cites four reasons for the new marriage preparation policy.  One major concern is that parents, pastors and marriage preparation catechists report frustration about the pervasive doubts and fears now regularly encountered by young people who have a difficult time committing to a lifelong union. The second reason, and a major one, is that the “culture of divorce” still persists in our nation. The divorce rate has reportedly soared to over 60 percent in Arizona and more than 70 percent in Maricopa County. Third, that a troubling disconnect between marriage and children is growing in the popular culture, and the final reason for a new policy is the increasing confusion over why it is good and just to protect traditional marriage in law.

“It would be a grave injustice to have a map through the desert of today’s marriage environment and not give it to couples headed there,”  said Michael Phelan, Director of the Diocesan Office for Marriage and Respect Life Issues.  “But to give such a map would be a great service.  Here we come to the good news.  We have the map for a successful marriage.”

Phelan added that marriage preparation flows from the Catholic Church’s respect for the dignity and mission of laity in marriage.  Because marriage is valued so highly, those entering marriage are asked to understand what they are entering and to prepare for it.

Bishop Olmsted noted Catholics believe marriage to be a covenant with God and a partnership of the whole of life.  It is ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children.

“I am confident that the teaching and provision of Covenant of Love will guide us in forming couples in the renewed sacramental understanding of marriage,” Bishop Olmsted said. “It also encourages educating, hearing and responding to God’s call to marriage, the priesthood or religious life. Finally, it calls on parishes to redouble their efforts to bring enrichment to existing marriages, which are always in need of support, renewal and celebration.”

A complete text of the pastoral letter and more information on the new marriage policy are available by accessing the official website of The Catholic Sun at www.catholicsun.org.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS GATHER IN PHOENIX FOR 127TH INTERNATINOAL CONVENTION

More than 80 bishops from U.S., Canada, Mexico and Philippines to participate

PHOENIX (August 3, 2009)— Delegates from all 72 jurisdictions of the 1.78 million member Knights of Columbus are gathering for their 127th annual convention, to be held August 4-6, 2009 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The Knights of Columbus, founded in 1882, is now the world’s largest lay Catholic organization, and has local councils in 11 countries on three continents.

In addition to delegates and their families, more than 80 bishops from the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Philippines will participate in the convention and help celebrate the daily Masses that are a part of the convention schedule. Among the eight Catholic cardinals in attendance will be Francis Cardinal George, the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Archbishop of Chicago, who will deliver the keynote address at the “States Dinner” on Tuesday night, August 4. William Cardinal Leveda, the prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will deliver the homily at the convention Mass on Wednesday, August 5.

This year’s convention will be followed for the first-ever Marian Congress devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to St. Juan Diego in Mexico City in 1531, and is considered the Patroness of the Americas. A new book, Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love, by Carl A. Anderson and Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, is being published by Doubleday on August 6, and will be available to participants in the Congress that follows the convention, August 6-8. Anderson is the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus and Chávez was the postulator for the cause for sainthood of Juan Diego, to whom Mary appeared on Tepeyac Hill.

CATHOLIC TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE 127TH SUPREME CONVENTION

PHOENIX (August 3, 2009) Three Catholic television networks and a Catholic satellite radio channel will be providing coverage of the opening day of the 2009 Knights of Columbus annual convention on Tuesday, August 4.

EWTN will broadcast convention proceedings via its cable and satellite affiliates throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Pacific Rim of Asia. News Director Raymond Arroyo will be onsite Tuesday, Aug. 4, with live TV interviews and updates on convention activities. EWTN Radio Network's Thom Price will also broadcast live from the convention site and provide live audio of the opening Mass and business session.

Canada's S + L Television will cover the convention events live to its audience of over two million people in Canada alone, and tens of thousands of people the world over viewing the live streaming on the Salt and Light Web site www.saltandlighttv.org, with English and French-language reports by Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, David Naglieri, Michele Nuzzo, Alicia Ambrosio and Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre.

Boston-based CatholicTV returns for its second year of broadcast coverage to its national audience. News anchor Kevin Nelson will provide live reports, activities and interviews from the convention site throughout the opening day's events.

All three TV outlets will broadcast Men of Faith Who Made a Difference: The Knights of Columbus. This new hour-long documentary chronicles the history of its 127-year history and profiles several of its prominent members and charitable initiatives.

SiriusXM satellite radio's The Catholic Channel (159) will air Busted Halo with Paulist Father Dave Dwyer on Aug. 3 and 4. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York will record his weekly program, A Conversation with the Archbishop, hosted by Rob Astorino, from the convention site

 CECILIA FRAKES, PHOENIX CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, STUDIED ANTI-SEMITISM & THE HOLOCAUST IN ISRAEL

PHOENIX (August 03, 2009) A Phoenix Catholic school administrator was among a group of Catholic educators from around the country that traveled to Israel to learn about anti-Semitism and the Holocaust as part of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) nationally acclaimed Bearing Witness Advanced program.

Bearing Witness Advanced provides educators with an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of Israel against the backdrop of Jewish history, the Holocaust and Catholic-Jewish relations.

“It has opened a new window in which I am able to see the challenges and the accomplishments of Israel by understanding the past, living in the present, and looking to the future when peace will exist in the Middle East.  I am thankful to ADL for giving me this experience that will help teach our children, the future leaders of our world, the devastation that was caused by the Holocaust. It is important that we teach our children that this part of history should never be repeated anywhere in the world.” said program participant Cecilia Frakes, Assistant Superintendent of the Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Schools.

At Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, the teachers heard from Holocaust survivors, historians and pedagogical experts.  They also visited Christian and Jewish holy sites, and met with interfaith experts.  To lend a contemporary sense of Israel, the group traveled around the country, and met with authors, journalists and political analysts.

To prepare for the trip, the educators attended an introductory seminar at Seton Hall University with Holocaust and anti-Semitism experts.           

The 19 participants in the 2009 Bearing Witness Advanced seminar hailed from Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.  All are graduates of regional ADL Bearing Witness programs. Phoenix is scheduled to host a regional program November 8-10, 2009. Applications are available through the Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Schools.

Since its inception, Bearing Witness has trained more than 1,000 Catholic school educators across the country.  In 1998 it became an ADL nationally sponsored program and ADL regional offices began replicating the initiative in 2002.  Bearing Witness is endorsed by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.