July 13, 2007 - Issue #14
Local News | Opinion/Editorials | Letters to the Editor
Local News
Death penalty opponent brings message of forgiveness to Alaska
Despite losing a child she learned to forgive
Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. For Marietta Jaeger-Lane, that nightmare became a reality during a family camping trip in 1973, when a kidnapper snatched her 7-year-old daughter from her tent in the middle of the night.
On the anniversary of the kidnapping, her daughter’s abductor called Jaeger-Lane, initially to taunt her about the crime. Surprising even herself, Jaeger-Lane remained on the line with the man, filled with compassion for him. The two talked for over an hour and a half. Tracing the phone call, FBI agents managed to arrest the abductor, find the body of Jaeger-Lane’s daughter and charge the man with murder.
The yearlong manhunt tested the limits of Jaeger-Lane’s faith.
Her strong relationship with God, through her Catholic faith, not only helped give her strength to persevere through the tragedy, it also led her to forgive and pray for her daughter’s kidnapper. While police scoured the nation looking for the man, Jaeger-Lane prayed not only for her daughter, but also for her abductor, "that he would experience the love of God."
Through out the ordeal, Jaeger-Lane embraced the Catholic teaching that every human life is sacred and she embarked on a crusade to abolish the death penalty. She is active with "Journey of Hope," a national organization that helps families and friends cope with the murder of a loved one.
On July 7, Jaeger-Lane spoke with the Anchor regarding her upcoming trip to Alaska, where she plans to give several talks about the death penalty. The following interview was edited for length and clarity.
How has your Catholic faith and the teachings of the church informed your position regarding the death penalty?
As a Catholic, I had to put my money where my mouth was and approach justice the way God does. Ultimately, through prayer, I came to realize that in God’s eyes, the suspected killer’s life was just as important as my daughter’s. That man had a dignity because God has chosen him, and I had to respect that dignity.
The first thing I did when I got home from the camping trip was to go out and buy a readable Bible. In the process of reading it, God spoke to me very clearly that I was supposed to pray for my enemies. That was the last thing I wanted to do, I wanted him to be miserable like I was miserable. But out of nothing more than obedience, I did pray for him. Through time I found that it was easier.
When he called on the anniversary of my daughter’s kidnapping, everything that I had been working for came to fruition. It was no longer a matter of something that I should do; I felt real compassion for him as a suffering person. Even though he was taunting me on the phone, trying to get me riled up, I felt compassion and concern for him. I realized then that God blessed him and loved him through me.
How were you able to work through your anger with your daughter’s kidnapper and move towards one of compassion?
It’s hard work! Those who say that forgiveness is for wimps have never tried it before, because it is very difficult. It’s a lot like being an alcoholic in recovery, you take it day-by-day, sometimes even minute-by-minute. That meant I had to sit on my tongue and put derogatory terms behind.
I don’t believe for a minute that my daughter’s life was meant to be taken. I do believe that God allowed the situation to be used for something good. I also believe that Susie is happy, celebrating in the arms of God, and not suffering anymore.
Many people feel that the death penalty is justice for certain crimes and have a hard time understanding the importance of forgiveness. How would you address those concerns?
For me as a Catholic, I spent a lot of time praying about what God’s idea of justice was. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh and the justice of God made flesh. In scripture, I don’t see him as a punisher, but as a healer. Jesus came to the earth to teach us to live in peace. His primary mission was one of restoration, re-uniting us with God the Father.
When we use violence to kill another person, we stoop to their level. Ultimately, it actually hurts us as a society. Think of the message that it sends, especially to our children, that it’s okay to use violence as a way to solve our problems.
The other thing about the death penalty is that it is so expensive and at the end of the day, it doesn’t work as a deterrent. States with the death penalty actually have higher rates of killing than those that do not.
Why is it so important to educate Alaskans about the death penalty, especially since we don’t have capital punishment on the books?
There are always people in the criminal justice system that want to advance their careers by trying to introduce the death penalty, especially after a heinous murder crime. We kill people to teach people that killing people is wrong.My goal is to share my story to educate people, so the next time a push comes to re-introduce the death penalty, people will be more educated and make a decision for life and bring God’s peace to the world.
Blessings by the dozen
Eagle River Catholics cherish their 12 kids
With 11 siblings, family life is both a blessing and a challenge, said 17-year-old Timothy Lochner as he prepared for a recent Anchorage bike trip with members of his 14-person clan.
The outgoing Lochners acknowledge that their family size is outside the norm but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
"In a family with two (children) you have to get along with those two. The more people you have, the more you get to interact with," said 15-year-old Sarah.
As newlyweds, George and Sue Lochner talked seriously about having a large family.
"We jokingly said six, but not more than twelve," George said.
Over the years, that conversation proved prophetic as the couple raised 12 children — 5 girls and 7 boys. They range in age from 26 to 4.
"Large families are counter-cultural," George said. "Back in earlier generations, families with 12 or 13 children were fairly common."
In the past four to five decades, however, family sizes dropped considerably, leaving the Lochners as a modern-day anomaly.
The U.S. Census Bureau noted a radical drop in the average number of children from 3.5 per family in 1960, to 1.86 in 2000.
While the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that there may be certain reasons for married couples to space the births of their children, it also affirms that couples have "a duty to make certain that their desire is not motivated by selfishness but is in conformity with the generosity appropriate to responsible parenthood."
Staying open to new life, however, can be a challenge but it’s one the Lochners embraced wholeheartedly.
"Being open to life within the marriage — that’s the only way," George said.
When they were younger, George and Sue said they received some negative comments about the size of their family.
"Many people think that large families are a financial burden," Sue said, noting that that is one of the biggest arguments she’s heard against having lots of children.
"But we’ve never gone with out. God has always given us what we need," she said. "If you embrace your marriage vocation and accept children lovingly, you won’t have anything to worry about. You can’t be afraid of the costs."
Strengthening families was an important topic to Pope John Paul II. In his apostolic letter "Familiaris Consortio," the pontiff focused on four crucial tasks to strengthen families. Those include living in community, serving life and participating in both the church and the greater world.
Looking out for one another and living in community is a crucial tenet in the Lochner family.
"Our parents always taught us to become a community, to be courteous to one another and to look out for one another," 24-year old Elizabeth Lochner said.
The key to that, the Lochners said, is in flexibility and making family time the number one priority.
"We always have dinner together…it might be at five or six, or even at nine, but we always try and have it," George said.
Sacrifice is also important. Several years ago, to the dismay of their children, George and his wife decided to pull the plug on the television so the family could focus more on each other. The added time gave rise to more family conversations and opportunities for George and Sue to share and instill Catholic faith, on topics like marriage and being open to life.
It was hard at first, the kids admitted, but said they now like to spend that extra time in conversation with one another.
"(Now) its not uncommon for us to be talking and chatting till 2 a.m.," Elizabeth said.
With a lot of children you’d expect a slough of activities, and the Lochners are no exception. Scouting, sports, civil air patrol and music are just a few of the activities the family engages. So how do they manage so many schedules?
"We had a period where we had so many activities, they were ruling us," George said.
So the family made the decision to limit each child to one activity.
"We did that because we think it’s important to choose one activity that really matters and get good at it," George said.
One activity the family does share in common is the ministry of music. George and several of his children are active musicians in the ministry at Saint Andrew Church in Eagle River. Both he and Sue said active involvement in the church is the most important thing they try and teach their children at home.
"Prayer is my mother’s first question and first answer to life’s struggles," Elizabeth said.
George stressed that as Catholic parents, the most important task for he and his wife is to pass on the Catholic faith to their children.
It’s a maxim that echoes the 1999 message that Pope John Paul II gave during his final visit to the United States."As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the world."
Alaska icon calls religious community to lives of prayer
The golden arches, the Nike swoosh, or for younger generations, the tiny apple with a bite out of its right side — these are some well-known modern day icons of the secular world.
The church has icons too — ones that go much deeper than the marketing ploy of brand recognition."The beauty of the images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes and subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God," St. John Damascene once said about sacred icons.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that icons help communicate the gospel message in the same way as words. In fact, because image and word illuminate each other, the church teaches that icons are "written" and not "painted."
Take, for example, "Our Lady of the Midnight Sun Icon," which was written specifically for Alaska’s Our Lady of the Midnight Sun chapter of the Secular Order of the Discalced Carmelites. The chapter is a group of lay people who live and work in Anchorage, while maintaining a special prayer life focused on Carmelite spirituality.
The icon is written in acrylic on wood, featuring an image of Mary amidst a field of fireweed in the mountains. She is bathed by the soft glow of the midnight sun. The Blessed Virgin has an olive complexion, representative of the different cultures found in Alaska. All of these familiar elements help the reader recognize and feel close to God in Alaska.
But the icon beckons the reader to go deeper, said Phyllis Shepherd, president of the local chapter.
The Blessed Virgin’s hands are raised toward heaven in intercession for Alaska members, Shepherd said. The icon features Mary cradling the Carmelite logo in her arms, showing how close she is to all members of the order — the three crosses in the icon represent the Virgin Mother’s closeness with the Carmelite brothers, sisters and members of the secular order.
Shepherd said the icon allows members of the Alaska chapter to enter deeper meditations about their specific vocations and spiritual callings. Each member takes turns monthly with the icon to spend time with it in special prayer. At any given time the icon is in one of the four members’ homes.
Shepherd said a member of the local chapter asked Carmelite Sister Paula Howard at the Mount Scholastica Abby in Atchison, Kansas to write the icon. Sister Howard spent several weeks in prayer before she began the work, Shepherd said. Then, using Carmelite spirituality and pictures given to her of Alaska, she created the icon and presented it to the order on the Feast of the Assumption last year.
The icon comes on an important anniversary for the whole order as they celebrate the 800th Anniversary of the Rule of Saint Albert, by which Carmelites practice their spiritual life. For members of the secular order, this includes 30 minutes of meditation and a morning and evening offering, every day.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that sacred images, such as icons, "truly signify Christ, who is glorified in them."
In addition, devotion to the local icon reflects the teaching of the Second Nicean Council, which said, "to contemplate an icon is not (just) a matter of aesthetics, but rather a spiritual event."For more information on the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, visit their Website at www.helpfellowship.org/secular_carmelite_info.htm.
Anchorage woman offers advice to U.S. bishops
Organization gives input from the laity
Ernie Fleece was a little taken aback when asked to give the U.S. Catholic bishops her input on church matters.
A member of St. Patrick Church in Anchorage, Fleece was invited to serve on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Advisory Council. Her first thought was, "I didn’t know it existed."
And neither do most Catholics, said Fleece, who is trying to spread the word that U.S. bishops are actively seeking input from the laity.
"They’re not just acting blindly. It’s good to know that."
Fleece was asked to serve as one of two council representatives from Region XII (Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana), which meets each March and September in advance of the Bishops’ twice-yearly national meetings.
Before the Council meets, members receive large packets of information about the bishops’ upcoming agenda. After pouring over this homework, they meet in Baltimore, Maryland, (Thursday afternoon through Sunday) to discuss agenda items and give their input in support or opposition.
"And we can bring up anything we want to see discussed," Fleece said. "We’re supposed to be pro-active as opposed to re-active."
Region XII’s newest representative, who was nominated by Archbishop Roger Schwietz, said her first meeting in March was an eye-opener.
"We were told that each one of represents one million adult Catholics. I thought, oh my, oh my."
Since the bishops’ June meeting was a retreat, an event usually held every three or four years, there were few "action items" on the March council agenda.
"This was the lightest load in years," said Fleece, which made it easy for "newbies" to be introduced to the structure, committees and membership of the Council.
Fleece said she’s impressed by the diversity of her fellow council members. Region XII’s other representative is Robert McCann of Spokane.
"Members are such considerate and open people. But no one hesitates to speak up. I’m so pleased to be a part of this."
Membership is broken down by regions, age, gender, ethnicity – in essence a cross-section of the U.S. church. Thirty members are chosen from the 15 regions – one laywoman and one layman from each.
Additionally, there are 7 diocesan priests, 3 male religious, 3 women religious, 2 deacons, 10 at-large representatives and 4 bishops. Members serve four-year terms.
Fleece said the appointment capped a wonderful year for her – in February, 2006, she was presented a St. Francis of Assisi Award in the layperson category for her many years as a Catholic volunteer. Within a year, she received the call to serve on the National Advisory Council.
Fleece pointed out that St. Anthony Messenger, a national Catholic publication, ran a large article in March on the National Advisory Council. Efforts like this, she hopes, will increase public awareness of the positive role of the Council in bringing lay opinion into the U.S. Catholic Church’s decision-making process.
Father Giebel has the last word
Through Father Giebel’s sister, Christine and his niece, Patricia, who are with us here, I want to extend to the Giebel family the condolences of the Archdiocese of Anchorage and of the people of the two parishes in which Father Giebel served unselfishly as pastor at St. Andrew Parish and St. Benedict Parish. We are also thankful to the Diocese of Brooklyn for allowing him to move to Alaska. We share the sorrow of some very close personal friends who are here, of the staffs of the two parishes and of one person, Maeve Ryan, who warrants being singled out because of her service and friendship and support to Father Giebel in both parishes.
One of my first official acts as Archbishop of Anchorage in 1976 was to formally accept Father Giebel’s request for incardination as a priest of the archdiocese and to welcome him as one of our presbyterate. By that act the archdiocese embraced Father Giebel and Father Giebel embraced Alaska. It became a joyful relationship for the next 31 years, until his death last Sunday.
The year, 1976, was an exciting time for Alaska because of the opening of the 800-mile oil pipeline. Alaska grew and changed and the archdiocese grew and changed with it. So too did Eagle River and St. Andrew Parish, Father Giebel’s first pastorate. Very quickly I learned something about Father Giebel.
Having great self-confidence and a yearning for independence, he was not particularly disposed to ask for permission. Eagle River was growing rapidly. The existing church was too small. One Christmas Eve, I joined him in his early evening Mass because my schedule began with the televised Midnight Mass. He welcomed me, especially because he wanted to impress me with his crowded church.
In his sermon he told a story that happened to fit into the sermon I had prepared for Midnight Mass. I made a mental note and used it in the televised Mass. The next morning he used his same sermon with the same story. After Mass a parishioner said to Father Giebel, "I see you swiped a story from the Archbishop’s sermon on TV last night." Father Giebel was caught off guard. He did not object to my stealing his story, but he chided me, "at least you could have given me credit for it."
A couple of months later I was flying over Eagle River en route to Glennallen. I flew a bit low so I could look at St. Andrew’s. I spotted it and to my surprise I saw next to it a huge hole and cleared property. When I got back I called Father Giebel, "Oh, don’t you remember at Christmas agreeing that we had an over-crowded church? I am just following up on that." I was able to rein him into the procedure for permission for a building project. But those two episodes became the beginning of what might be called a "point-counterpoint" relationship, symbolized by the question: "Who gets the last word?"
By 1976 it had been just 10 years since the completion of Vatican Council II. The council called for a number of changes and they came to the surface a little later in Alaska than the rest of the country. Father Giebel responded in the new church he built, recognizing the new guidelines for changes, the altar facing the people, the positioning of the tabernacle, a seating design that brought the people more around the altar, that is, one family gathered around the table of the Lord. He had servers that were well trained; he began utilizing Eucharistic ministers and lectors. His choirs and musicians added spirit to the celebration. For some, Father Giebel might not have been innovative enough, for others he might not have been traditional enough. But each Sunday people left enriched by a truly spiritual experience, which in turn fostered social gatherings. In effect he was fulfilling what Pope John Paul II urged on all priests, to keep the visible and invisible bonds of the community in tact.
With all the changes, Father Giebel’s liturgies still retained the decorum of tradition — well, most of time. One exception was the parish feast day for St. Andrew. He always invited me to their annual special celebration. That was when he did something special, at times off beat. One night was quite a surprise. The gift- bearers came forward decorated like Alaskan bears. The last gift-bearer wore a huge head of bear. He personally was not recognizable, as the others were. He was a Kodiak bear with a huge head. When I invited the people after the offertory, "Pray, bothers and sisters…" the bear’s head was staring at me from the back wall. I wondered if he was going to come to receive communion wearing that? It was an unsettling distraction for the rest of the Mass.
"What will I do if he comes to communion?" I thought. "Try to slip a host through the bear’s teeth or ask him to take off his head?"
I wondered if someone would catch it on camera, and send it to Rome. What a relief when the bear did not come to communion. Fortunately for me he was not a Catholic. I got the last word at the end of Mass that night but Father Giebel got the last laugh.
So the saga continued: Who will get the last word?
Last night at St. Benedict’s Church the wake was a very moving, inspiring prayer service. Before it someone said to me: "I have never seen a priest laid out in a coffin. How will he be dressed? In his black suit?" I replied, "In his Mass vestments" "Why?" he persisted. "Because he is a priest."
In the directions for his funeral Father Giebel wanted an open casket at the wake and prayer service the night before the Mass. At the Mass, however, the coffin was to be closed. Why open at one and closed at the other? Perhaps it is because he wanted the people to see him for what he is, a priest, their priest. But when the coffin would be brought to the altar it should be closed because it was not he, the priest, presiding but the Great High Priest Himself, the Lord Jesus.
Shortly before Pope John Paul II died, he wrote an encyclical called, "The Eucharistic Church." He described the Eucharist as "The heart of the mystery of the Church," and, "the Eucharistic sacrifice as the source and summit of the Christian life…containing the church’s entire spiritual wealth."
Father Giebel had an appreciation of this wealth of the church, a wealth encapsulated in Jesus’ gift of His own flesh for our food and His own blood for our drink, the gift of Himself in the Eucharist. "This is My Body, take and eat. This is My Blood, take and drink." "Do this in memory of me." Doing that in memory of the Last Supper was Father Giebel’s priority and passion and joy.
Related to that priority is another — preaching and proclaiming the Gospel. "The Sermon on the Mount," the Gospel for today’s Mass for Father Giebel, is appropriate. Many of his parishioners considered him a good preacher. As one put it: "He had something to say and he said it."
The Sermon on the Mount is also "The Beatitudes." They are snapshots of what the spirit of Christ is to be among his followers and in communities that gather in his name to care for the poor who are often victims, to encourage the meek and to console the suffering. Those were trademarks of Father Giebel’s ministry and preaching.
In the sparring that Father Giebel and I did over "getting the last word," we realized that the one who lived longest would prevail. Obviously, I am the one who survived, but as I pondered what the last word should be, I began to get the feeling that Father Giebel might have maneuvered me into at least a draw.
Last night the open casket was his word to the parishioners of St. Andrew and St. Benedict that he was their priest.
Today the closed casket signals a shift of attention to the One for whom he became a priest, the Great High Priest, Jesus.
And in this liturgy we all joined in chanting the refrain for the responsorial psalm: "Thou art a priest forever in the line of Melchisedech."
Taken all together that amounts to one word — priest. I get to say the last word but Father Giebel chose it — "priest."We have no hesitancy in commending to the Lord Father Giebel, his priest forever.
News & Notes
Twelve bishops gather in Anchorage
A dozen bishops met in Alaska this month to explore the state’s glaciers, mountains and other landmarks. The July 5-9 gathering of Northwest bishops included bishops from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Canada and Alaska. Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz hosted several of the bishops at his residence in Anchorage and said the gathering was an opportunity to reconnect with several fellow Northwest bishops from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, while showing them Alaska. The bishops celebrated several private Masses during their stay. Besides Archbishop Schwietz, Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Francis Hurley, Juneau Bishop Michael Warfel and Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler, there were 8 other bishops in Alaska. The visitors included: Bishop Eugene Cooney of Nelson, British Columbia; Archbishop Alexander Brunnett, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo and Bishop Joseph Tyson of Seattle; Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane; Bishop Michael Driscoll of Boise; Bishop Robert Vasa of Bend and Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland.
Archbishop’s sister passes away
Debra Schwietz, younger sister of Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz, died June 24, after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 51 years old. A Mass of Christian Burial was held June 27 at St. Casmir’s Parish in St. Paul, Minnesota. The family of Debra Schwietz asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the "Schwietz Memorial Fund" in care of Archbishop Schwietz at the Archdiocese of Anchorage, 225 Cordova Street Anchorage, AK 9950. Condolence cards may also be sent to Archbishop Schwietz at: Pastoral Center, 225 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501.
Listening session set for Southeast
Alaska bishops will be in Ketchikan and Prince of Wales later this month for their summer meeting of the Alaska Conference of Catholic Bishops.
During July 25-26, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz, Bishop Donald Kettler of Fairbanks, and Bishop Michael Warfel of Juneau, will hold two listening sessions — one in Ketchikan and another in Klawock. Archbishop Schwietz told the Anchor that the sessions are a chance for parishioners to voice their concerns regarding the church in Alaska. Last year, the three bishops met with parishioners in the villages of Bethel and Emmonak. That was the first session of its kind but Archbishop Schweitz said the plan is to hold one each summer in remote areas of the state.
"Normally, we meet once a year in Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks, but there is so much more outside of these three major cities," he said. "We want to get a sense of how the church can be of greater service for people who are living out there."
Theology on Tap BBQ nears
The annual Theology on Tap barbecue with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz will be at St. Benedict Church on Wednesday, July 18, at 6 p.m. All young adults are welcome to attend and are encouraged to bring a dessert or side dish. Questions regarding this event can be directed to Arthur Roraff at 360-2320.
Columns
Married couples are an image of God’s love in faith, fruitfulness and prayer
"We have come to believe in God’s love."
With these words Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical "Deus Caritas Est," seeks to bring to mind the fundamental reason that each one of us is Catholic. Even if we are cradle Catholics, at some point we became aware of God’s personal love for each one of us, and we chose to respond to that great love.
I’m sure everyone has his or her own unique story to tell of when they especially felt this love that God continually pours out. It is God’s will that our first experience of that love come through our parents. The love of a man and a woman is meant to reflect the love of God in a very unique way (Gen1:27).
Let’s look at some of those different ways.
God’s love is faithful. A man and woman who live their marriage vows faithfully show those around them a concrete example of loving fidelity. Since no one is perfect, there are many trials that married couples must endure to remain faithful to each other. This is a beautiful reminder of how God is always faithful to us, who are far from perfect.
God’s love is a total gift. When a man and woman marry, they are pledging the gift of their whole selves to each other. This finds its culmination in the beautiful act proper to marriage whereby they become two in one flesh. This nuptial meaning of the body helps us to understand more deeply God’s invitation to Holy Communion. He gives of himself completely; when we receive communion, we are receiving all of him. He holds nothing back so immense is his love for us.
God’s love is fruitful. When God wills it, the total gift between spouses results in the conception of new life. Each child is a unique representation of the love between spouses. So to, we are enabled to see that the gift of God bears fruit in each of our souls. How much beautiful fruit has sprung up in the hearts of saints who have been open to God’s gift of himself?
If we were to meditate deeply on these and other similarities between spousal love and divine love, I believe it would be much easier for us to understand why the church has always taught that contraception harms marriage in a very fundamental way. It is not just our soul that is called to image God’s love; it is our bodies as well. Contraceptive use does not image God’s love. In fact, God gave us bodies to make spiritual realities visible, a fact often explained by the late Pope John Paul II.
Prayerfully consider what realities contraception makes visible.
The church’s teaching on married love opens couples to one another and to new life. It does not suppress the divine image, which the union of husband and wife represents.
My prayer, as we celebrate Natural Family Planning week (July 23-28), is that more couples will come to understand the great dignity to which they are called in marriage. May they always be that special image of God’s love for the world.
For information about Natural Family Planning in the Anchorage Archdiocese, visit www.archdioceseofanchorage.org/NFP.htm or call 297-7740.
The writer is Archbishop of the Anchorage Archdiocese.
True hospitality will show loving respect towards the entire person
I cannot claim ever being much of a fan of Don Imus, the radio "host" of "Imus in the Morning." He does not need to spoil my morning: There is already sufficient world news on a typical morning to do that.
Mr. Imus, as you will remember, found himself embroiled over some scurrilous remarks he made about a splendid group of young women basketball players at Rutgers University back in April of this year. I actually hesitate to call him a "host" because a host is someone whom we assume will try to make guests feel welcome and respected.
Actually, in this instance, the young women never asked to be guests or dialogue-partners on the program, so it was surprising to them that their character as individuals and as a team should be so demeaned. What had they done to deserve all this?
Well, it became evident to most intelligent and sensitive people around the country that "shock-radio" hosts had been over the top and out of bounds for a long time. Something needed to be done and it was done: Imus was fired, despite the loss of revenue to corporate radio.
I speak of all this not because Don Imus is worthy of news, now in late July, but because he appears to be a sort of "contra-icon" of true hospitality
It is an interesting word, hospitality. The definition I found on my Apple dictionary said: "A friendly welcome and kind or generous treatment offered to guests or strangers." Actually, the word derives from the Latin haspes, meaning a host or one who welcomes. Hence, we have the word hospital or the "Hospitalers", caregivers of the middle Ages.
It occurs to me to say that hospitality, although it has much to do with care for the body, can also be perceived as a word which indicates respect for the mind or, indeed, for the whole person.
Many of us, of course, spend some of our time each day simply listening to others. We may not always be particularly interested in what the individual has to say, but out of kindness and respect we pay attention. It shows our esteem and reverence for the person.
I often think, for instance, of the respect Catholics pay to their homilists Sunday after Sunday even though they may not be particularly interested in what the homilist has to say.
Given all that, you will find two examples of hospitality in the Scriptures assigned for the forthcoming 16th Sunday in the church calendar: One is a typical story of Middle Eastern concern for desert travelers. Abraham offers three itinerant strangers water for their feet, coolness to slake their thirst and then a grand banquet. But the travelers were actually offering their host a reverse mark of respect simply by accepting food and water from him.
The Gospel tells the lovely story of Martha and Mary who "hosted" Jesus, off the road from his travels. As you will note, two different sorts of hospitality were offered: Martha, the chef, offers the gift of her cooking skills and food from her kitchen. Mary simply takes the time to sit and listen. So, which is more important, a dish of lamb stew and hot bread or a theological conversation about the meaning of God’s Kingdom? It’s an arguable question.
Nonetheless, the story is not about food or conversation: It’s about respect for the hosts and the guest. Both were enriched in different ways.
Hospitality may often seem to be a sort of normal thing to practice, of course, but, as Mr. Imus learned, it is also a "learned science," which all of us may need to review and relearn occasionally.
The writer is archdiocesan director of Pastoral Education. He also serves as canonical pastor and coordinator of parishes without resident pastors.
Sin loses its power when we take the time to confess it
The Hebrews of the 13th century BC didn’t need a Disney movie to explain the circle of life. They were living it. Of course the entertainment industry just can’t seem to borrow an eternal truth without warping it into some bizarre unnatural scenario, e.g. the king of the jungle taking counsel from a main course. Next, they’ll be touting bunnies delivering painted eggs as the main event of Easter…oh yeah, never mind.
It is our duty, as Catholics, to pull eternal truths, like "the circle of life," out of the media distortion and reclaim them. The circle of life has always been a geometric representation of our relationship with God. It’s about our retreat and return to God and it is as old as humanity.
It was around 1200 BC when the children of Abraham emerged from an extended retreat in the Sinai desert tracing a very large circle in those sands that lasted 40 years. Joshua led them into the Promised Land and set about conquering their new country. After mostly finishing the job, Joshua sent the tribes out to their particular territory to settle in and finish the job of pushing out the Canaanites. Then began the time of the Judges of Israel and the circle of life went into the spin cycle.
Sacred Scripture best describes the circle of life during this period.
In Judges 2:14 it says, "The Children of Israel would do what was evil in the eyes of Hashem (Hebrew for "the name") … Then the wrath of Hashem would flare against Israel and He would deliver them into the hands of plunderers … Then Hashem would set up judges who would save them from the hand of their plunderers … But it would happen that upon the death of the judge they would turn back and be even more corrupt than their forefathers."
I explained this concept to my biblical history class by drawing a circle, subdivided like a clock. At the top of the circle is harmony in the grace of the Lord. Then at 3 o’clock, there is a departure from grace, i.e. sin. At 6 o’clock your town gets sacked, followed by repentance at 9 o’clock and then back to the top. Rinse, repeat.
The key point about the time of the judges is that God was showing the value of repentance: it brings you back to the top. Then when Christ became incarnated, he added a twist: you don’t have to wait for your town to get sacked to repent.
When Christ instituted the sacrament of reconciliation, he gave us an instant path back to his grace. We don’t have to give sin traction. There is no momentum that must be honored. We don’t have to follow the circle all the way around. Forgiveness is as close as the nearest priest. You can stay near the top of the circle and confound Satan by practicing frequent and random trips to the confessional.
The writer teaches church history at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River.
Alaska girls care about dressing modestly
Love can make a person do crazy things. That’s why I headed to Anchorage on a beautiful summer evening last month, the back of my car loaded with borrowed clothes. I was driving to the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to give a talk about modest dress for girls.
During the drive from Palmer, I had plenty of time to develop the jitters, butterflies, sweaty palms, and all the self-doubt of a girl on her first date. Why would girls show up to hear a middle-aged woman lecture them about what not to wear? What if young women don’t care about dressing modestly?
In today’s world the more skin you show, the more fashionable you are considered. With children’s fashions just as revealing as style offered for teens, parents have to be frustrated when shopping for even their youngest daughters.
We have all seen our share of half dressed girls at the malls, grocery stores and even church. Blame it on what you will — peer pressure, trends or fashion. The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to teach modesty to the young women of our church. It exemplifies the virtues of dignity and self-respect. When a young woman’s clothing leaves little to the imagination, it sends a message to everyone who sees her. A message that perhaps she doesn’t want to convey. I wondered if the youth of our church wanted to hear all this? Did they even care?
Well, they did. Nearly sixty girls, moms, and one nun attended my girls-only workshop. They spoke candidly about their concerns. They separated into small groups and designated a model for each of the outfits. The clothing represented both modest and immodest fashion. Based on the clothing, they described who would wear it in great detail, giving her a name, personality, hobbies and shared whether they would want to be friends with this person. The girls were sometimes harsh and even judgmental as they profiled each fictional girl. This made it so simple to illustrate that people do judge us based on what we wear.
The girls had a sincere desire to shine the light of Christ. How much brighter that light shines when their clothing doesn’t contradict or distract from it. The girls also talked about the sisterhood of looking out for each other. They were quick to point out that they had a responsibility to tell a friend that she sends the wrong message if she shows up at school wearing a skin tight, cleavage baring top or pants below the equator.
After the workshop several girls came up to hug and thank me, and made me promise that I would teach it again. All that worry for nothing. I love the youth of our church.
The writer is secretary at St. Michael Church in Palmer and a student in the Youth Ministry Certification program.
Alaska youth conference was a sincere call to holiness
A few weeks back, I wrote about how Pope John Paul II called today’s youth to be "Saints of the New Millennium." I included his charge but didn’t provide his formula for accomplishing the task: Be contemplative and love prayer; being constant in your faith; generously serve fellow brothers and sisters; listen to God’s word; and draw strength from the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance.
When hundreds of youth gathered last month for the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference, the participants encountered a life-changing event. I believe ACYC was powerful because all the components of saint-making youth ministry were present. When this occurs, youth ministry is fun, memorable and most importantly it helps young people become holy.
Be contemplative and love prayer: Youth were exposed to so many forms of prayer: the Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, Taize, the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration, and more.
Be constant in faith: ACYC youth spent four days living in Christian community, living the faith with their peers. Think how powerful it would be if our homes, school, and neighborhoods truly provided a constant Christian community.
Generously serve fellow brothers and sisters: Just imagine the hundreds of young people who went out Tuesday afternoon to all corners of Anchorage to serve those in need.
Listen to God’s word: ACYC offered dozens of workshops so youth could learn the faith, be challenged by the truth, and discover how to share it with their communities. Weeks later, the young people are still talking about several of the workshops.
Draw strength from the sacraments: We started off with Mass concelebrated by the three bishops of Alaska and never looked back. Daily Mass was inspiring but the long lines of youth waiting for three hours to go to confession was most notable.
Pope John Paul II called us to be Saints. Young people who attended ACYC had an opportunity to spend a week doing all the things people need to do to become holy, to become saints. The late pontiff also urged youth to "be bold apostles of the Gospel and builders of a New Humanity."
There are certain events that are so powerful, so life changing, that every young person should attend. ACYC responds so well to John Paul II’s call to be saints. It’s not too early to commit now to attending the next ACYC, June 2-5, 2008. It’s too good to miss.
The writer is a member of the Anchorage Archdiocese Youth Evangelization Team.
Celebrating Mass: The very essence of our gifts change
Last time, we talked about how we share our story in the Liturgy of the Word. This week, we discuss our great prayer of praise and thanksgiving in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Some say the offertory is one of the most important parts of the Mass. It is an opportunity to give our gratitude concrete expression in a planned proportionate response of time, talent and treasure for God’s blessings.
Four gifts are offered. The unleavened bread is the bread of pilgrims. The wine is both the cup of joy and the cup of sorrows. Our treasures are offered for the support of the church’s ministry. Finally, we offer our very selves.
These gifts are changed in their essence. The bread and wine become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Our treasure become all the things we need to run the parish and the archdiocese. And ourselves, if offered sincerely, are changed at the heart of our being when we are united with Christ in the Eucharist.
Once the gifts are prepared, the Eucharistic prayer begins with the dialogue between the priest and the people. Lifting up our hearts, the very core of our being, we enter into the dialogue of grace.
The preface sets the tone for the celebration. The celebrant has many to choose from. Listen closely next time to catch the subtle themes of each one.
The sacred dialogue continues as the people respond with the Sanctus, which reflects the Hebrew superlative that our God is thrice holy.
The heart of the Eucharistic prayer, the Canon, follows. Again, the celebrant can chose from a number of options. Most of us are familiar with the four main canons, but there are also canons for Masses with children, for reconciliation and for other needs as well. But no matter which canon is used, they all end with the great amen.
This is the moment of faith where the assembly affirms all the celebrant’s prayers. It is in the great amen that the Body of Christ prepares to receive the Body of Christ. All that we are and all that we hope to be is united body and soul with all that Christ is.Next time we’ll take a look at the Communion rite.
Editorials
Children are a "supreme blessing"
A large family, bustling with children, is nearly impossible to ignore. These clans often take up whole pews at church, pack mini-vans and Suburbans and load the trunks with food by the crate rather than the carton.
In recent times, however, large families have become increasingly rare. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of children in an average U.S. family has plummeted by 50 percent in the past half decade. Similar trends are emerging in many other parts of the world.
Not surprisingly, family size continues to shrink as the number of abortions and contraceptive options increase throughout the developed world. These child-preventing measures often come with talk about "unwanted" and "unplanned" pregnancies.
This language assumes that unwanted or unplanned children in the womb are somehow expendable – their value being based on whether a parent wants them around.
The Catholic Church is one of the few institutions in the world where married men and women are encouraged to be radically open to the possibility of conceiving and raising children.
Catholics are routinely instructed to not use contraception but to embrace the fruitfulness of conjugal love.
For sure, the church acknowledges legitimate reasons (financial, health and psychological) for why couples may choose to limit their number of children. On the other hand, the church cautions against limiting family size based on selfish or self-serving reasons.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church asks couples to be generous toward children and open to new life. As Sue Lochner said (see article on page one) this requires faith and trust that God will provide the means to support a burgeoning family.
The church also calls children the "supreme blessing" of conjugal love between a man and woman.
This more ancient vision of the child serves to check some contemporary ideas that children are best when they are limited or that child rearing is something that should only last for 18 years so as to maximize freedom for travel and adventure in middle age. Families like the Lochners illustrate the immense blessing that comes from being radically open to life.
Yes, children are expensive and time consuming. Yes, they generate far more work than they shoulder. And yet, children are the supreme blessing of married life. They are the future saints and the youngest disciples of the church. To faithfully raise them is to expand Christ’s kingdom.
When a couple remains prayerfully open to the gift of children, this decision should be honored and supported. It’s not always easy and the decision requires an openness to untimely surprises and happy accidents.George and Sue Lochner’s generosity to raise 12 children is nothing short of a tribute to life.
I was home schooled, but didn’t know it
I am the oldest of six children, and the only one not to be home schooled. As a teenager, I felt I dodged a bullet. School and friends meant everything to me and I would not have changed that for the world.
In adulthood, however, I’m not breathing a sigh of relief. In fact, my feelings about being a product of the public school system have me a bit wistful about not being home schooled. These feelings stem in part from recent interactions with home schooled students at my parish and among my friends.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to a friend’s house for a family barbecue. Their five-year-old daughter read me a story as part of the pre-dinner entertainment. Needless to say, I was impressed. Not from the story, it was a repeat (don’t tell my friend’s daughter) and besides, anthropomorphic talking animals are so cliché.
The advanced reading level of this pre-kindergarten girl, however, impressed me. I estimate that she was at a third-grade reading level and that’s fairly common among home-schooled students. According to the Seton Home School Website (a Catholic home school association), the average home-school student performs four grade levels above the national average.
My mother made the decision to home school when one of my brothers was diagnosed with a learning disability. Mom was an elementary school teacher before she had me and felt she could do a better job, one-on-one with my brother, while also instilling the Catholic faith. Eventually, she taught all five of my siblings at some point in time and she did a good job. Everyone went on to college, except for the youngest who is still in high school.
In his apostolic letter "Familiaris Consortio," the late Pope John Paul II wrote that the primacy of all education is love. This love, he said, is an "animating principle and therefore the norm inspiring and guiding all concrete educational activity, enriching it with the values of kindness, constancy, goodness…and self sacrifice that are the most precious fruit of love."
Something tells me that Ms. Smith, my ninth grade English teacher, didn’t have that for me, especially considering how many detentions she gave me.
Parents, as primary educators, are best equipped to instill this love, not only in what they teach, but also in their approach. In fact, Pope John Paul II wrote that the parents’ place as educators is "so decisive, scarcely anything can compensate for it".
It’s important to point out that home schooling is a luxury, and only one of many options for parents. I am a fanatical supporter of Catholic schools, and have even taught U.S. history at Lumen Christi Senior High School in Anchorage. Catholic schools are a great option for those living in Anchorage, Kodiak and now the Mat-Su Valley.
Ultimately, though, it’s the parent’s decision. My parents felt that public school would work, as long as it was supplemented with CCD classes and education in the faith at home. For many who don’t have the time or the resources, this is the best option.
I may not think I was home-schooled, but I was. Maybe my parents didn’t teach me in the formal academic sense, like learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs. Their home, however, was the classroom where I learned what it meant to be a man of faith — the most important lesson of all.
The writer is the assistant editor for the Catholic Anchor.
Letters to the Editor
Jewish holy day should be respected
The Interfaith Council of Anchorage represents diverse faith communities whose mission is to respond to human need through cooperative effort, dialogue, and education. We believe that the strength of our community’s cultural and religious diversity depends on our ability to respect a variety of traditions and beliefs. Accordingly, we would like to commend the Anchorage School Board’s recent decision to reschedule the Region IV Cross-Country Running meet out of respect for the Jewish faith’s high holy day of Yom Kippur. This decision not only supports the students for whom this is a vital religious holiday, it also supports the values upon which our country was founded – freedom to worship without fear of prejudice or discrimination.
Religious clothing changed with times
As a Dominican religious sister who recently arrived with four others to commit several years, if not more, to the Archdiocese of Anchorage, I was surprised by the June 15 issue of the Catholic Anchor, in particular, by the editorial and the article on the ACYC conference.
I think of the religious women who have given decades of service in the archdiocese and of the other sisters who made time to be present at this conference even though they were not personally invited. I am saddened that they were not even mentioned. The article gives the impression that a sister must be young and athletic in order to have any connection with youth. It also suggests that the only legitimate way for a religious woman to witness is to wear a habit. I am certainly not against the habit and recognize that different congregations and individuals have different reasons for wearing it. What many Catholics do not realize is that the change to regular clothes came about for many as a response to the pope’s call in Vatican II that religious go back to the roots of our charisms. It was an act of obedience and fidelity. We discovered that most religious clothing was based on the dress of the people at the time the religious order was founded, and at times the dress of the widows. For that reason, many of us adopted the current dress of these times. Of course, there is the question of a visible witness, and we do discuss that. At the same time, many of us do not want to receive special privileges or be honored simply because of clothing. We do not hide that we are Sisters.
Often we will receive nasty and critical comments for not wearing a habit from people who do not ask why, but simply pass judgment. It is hurtful. It is also surprising since I know God called me to my particular congregation and I wonder how people can so easily dismiss the call of God in another person’s life.
Finally, I would like to correct an error in the article. The Dominicans sisters of St. Cecilia (Nashville) are a congregation, not the Dominican order. The order is made up of over 40,000 priest, nuns, sisters and lay Dominicans around the world. The Nashville congregation is one of over twenty Dominican congregations in the United States.
Anchorage
Religious garb is a sacramental witness
I applaud Ms. Caldarola’s comments regarding animosity towards others about their appearance, however, her article, "Holiness is wrapped in many garbs," left me with several reservations. First, she incorrectly analyzes the editorial "A spiritual habit must reflect the soul." She suggests the editorial connects holiness to religious garb — it does not. In the words of the editorial, "the collar or robe or habit does not make the spiritual man or woman." Personally, I very much appreciate seeing vocational garb in public for several reasons. Foremost, public wear highlights both the religious vocation and my lay vocation by providing a visible reminder of the call to holiness. As humans, the union of our body and souls means that what we do (read, think, say, wear and how we treat others and ourselves) affects the ability of God’s grace to cultivate holiness in us. The physical world is filled with many other less direct ‘sacramentals’ than religious garb. By its very essence it is filled with God’s truth. Ms. Caldarola captures this in her comment "there’s truth aplenty to be found…in the world." However, as Catholics we are immensely blessed to have more than a "repository of the truth," we have the fullness of truth in the Catholic Church.
Palmer
Reader recalls Fr. Giebel’s humor
It took guts for him to admit once after Mass that he disagreed with Pope John Paul II’s opposition to the Iraq war. Fr. Giebel’s voice broke once during a homily when he recalled flying to San Diego (despite his strong aversion to warm weather) to watch a parishioner graduate from Marine boot camp. Once during a prayer for the faithful during Mass, I asked for God’s forgiveness for reacting angrily to someone who advocated executing all peace activists, to which Fr. Giebel said aloud, "It wasn’t me."
Since we both originally came from New York. I constantly harassed him. To finance the gym for Lumen Christi High School, I suggested supplying those outdated missals for our country’s "missal defense system" and asked which he preferred—St. Benedict’s Air Force Base or Lumen Christi Air Force Base.
I gave him a hard time about his Noo-Yawk accent. After a homily in which he referred to God as the "sauce" of all goodness, I asked which sauce he referred to—Tabasco or Worcestershire.
Even my compliments were barbed. "That was an excellent homily," I once observed, "Are you on steroids?" He could only shrug when I once suggested he could raise revenue by inserting product placement into his homilies.
I pray that one of my jibes has come true. I told him when he dies, he’ll go straight to heaven after having already served his purgatory by putting up with me.
Anchorage
Fr. Giebel was a true leader
I’d like to thank Lucy Viens for her beautiful memorial to Father Giebel. I second every word of it and would like to add a few of my own.
Father had a reputation for being autocratic, but really, he was just a strong leader. Before collaboration was cool, Father was calling his long list of ad hoc advisors, getting their opinions, checking what they thought about his. In the end, he would put it all together and make a final decision for the good of the parish. People flocked from all parts of the city for that special leadership ability he possessed.
He was the consummate good steward. If Father needed something for the parish, his parishioners opened their wallets because they knew he wouldn’t waste their hard-earned money.
I’ve never met a more humble person than Father. He simply wanted to be faithful; that was his hallmark. He loved God, he loved the Church, he loved his flock, and he loved his vocation.
Father taught me a lot on his final way of the cross. He lived resignation to God’s will in a most beautiful manner. He never became bitter, he never lost hope, and he was totally without guile.
Father enjoyed life but also longed for heaven in a way that reminded me of the great saints. I pray that he has attained that blessed state.
Pray for the repose of his soul and don’t forget to ask for his help because he is a priest forever.
Anchorage