The MirrorVol. XLX, No. 8 DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI August 8, 2014

984The Creed links “the forgiveness of sins” with its pro-fession of faith in the Holy Spirit, for the risen Christ entrusted to the apostles the power to forgive sins when he gave them the Holy Spirit.

The Catechism in brief

The Catechism of the Catholic Church compiles the living tradition of the Catholic Church and divides it into four sections: What Catholics believe (the Creed), how the faith is transmitted (worship and sacraments), how Catholics are called to live (moral life), and prayer.

Springfield

‘Christians are facing a human catastrophe and risk a real genocide.’ —Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad, Aug. 7, 2014.

Pope Francis is renewing his urgent appeal to the inter-national community, to every be-liever and to the conscience of all people, for a peaceful resolu-tion to the prob-lems in northern Iraq, especially that of the Chris-tian communities living there.

“Let us pray in silence, ask-ing for peace; everyone, in silence. … Mary Queen of peace, pray for us!” said Pope Francis at a recent Angelus.

“I ask you to invite the people of your diocese to pray this special prayer written by Patriarch

Parishes asked to offer prayer for peace in Iraq

POPE FRANCIS

The next issue of The Mirror will be Aug. 22, 2014.If you would like to receive the diocesan newspaper via Email in digital format, please contact Angie Toben at (417) 866-0841, or Email her: atoben@dioscg.org.

See Prayer for Peace / 9

ENCOUNTER DISCIPLESHIP—Dyanna New-ton, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lebanon; Br. Baylon Ukhurebor, SMP; Allie Kate Aikens, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lebanon; and Deacon James Soptick, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Leba-non, posed for a photo during Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) 156 held Aug. 2-4, 2014. TEC en-ables young adults to encounter and integrate the Paschal Mystery into their lives, calling them to discipleship and service. (Photo by Annette Peterson)

Teens Encounter Christ in

Lebanon

Lebanon, MO

Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) 156 was held in St. Francis de Sales P arish in Lebanon Aug . 2-4, 2014. Twenty-three candidates and three adult observers joined 27 adult and teen team members as they had the opportunity to encounter and integrate the Paschal Mystery in their lives, while making new friends and having some fun.

Teens Encounter Christ is a spiritual program for high school juniors and seniors. In the context and experience of the Catholic Christian tradition, TEC focuses on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ , the Pascal Mystery.

River of Life TEC’s mission

Through evangelization and catechesis, this intergen-erational movement facilitates the spiritual growth of young adults with a community of adult mentors. Much like Jesus did Himself, TEC calls forth one’s natural goodness for ser-vice in the Church and dis-cipleship at a time of passage into young adulthood.

The next TEC weekend in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau will be Jan. 17-19, 2015, in the De Paul Center at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Cape Girardeau. ©TM

As of July 31, 2014, 84 parishes

have reported 8,181 pledges

to the Diocesan Development Fund totaling $2,300,731,

or 92 percent of the $2,500,000 goal.

Thank you!

Day of Prayer

and Fasting Aug. 17

2 The Mirror August 8, 2014COLUMNS

A simple and public act of faith“Our behavior will be the proving ground of our deepest convic-tions. This firmness in the Faith is often an excellent testi-mony to the beliefs of the Christian. In some cases it can cause people to begin their return to the House of the Father” (Francis Fernandez; In Conver-sation with God).

Several weeks ago I had lunch with one of my new clients, a senior human resources executive of an Atlanta-based company. Our working partnership had been very business focused since the beginning and I wanted to forge a stronger personal connection which I enjoy with most of my other clients. We made small talk about a number of subjects until our food arrived. I said I was going to say a blessing over our meal and she was welcome to join me. As I made the Sign of the Cross and started to pray, I noticed that she also made the Sign of the Cross. I smiled to myself and said a quiet prayer of thanks for the opportunity I had been given.

Between bites of salad, I asked her which parish she attended. She gave me a funny look before

responding with the name, then added “that’s a long story.” I told her I would love to hear about it and for the next half hour we talked about her faith journey, how much she loved her parish, her devotion to the Blessed Mother, and her prayer life. The awkward business focused ex-change at the beginning of the meal had been replaced by a warm con-versation about our shared Catholic faith. I certainly achieved my goal of a stronger personal connection!

As we were preparing to leave, she shared that she never spoke of her faith in business settings and really enjoyed our discussion. As we were leaving the restaurant, we speculated on why Catholics don’t discuss faith as openly as perhaps our Protestant brethren do. I suggested it

may be fear of persecution or lack of confidence in defending the teach-ings of the Church. She suggested that it all came down to simple cour-age. I asked her to explain and her response was, “When you made the Sign of the Cross in a crowded restaurant and said the blessing for all to hear, I realized that I never do that. My fear of saying a simple blessing is a clear reminder to me that I don’t have the courage to share my faith outside of my com-fort zone. I am grateful that you don’t have that issue and also for this wonderful conversation.”

Driving back to my office I reflected on count-less other business meals over the last few years which had turned into faith discussions, perhaps because of the simple act of making the Sign of the Cross and blessing the meal. I don’t know if I see this as courageous as much as following the call of Christ and the teachings of our Church.

It is certainly food for thought and worthy of careful reflection. What would happen if everyone who reads this makes a simple commitment to make the Sign of the Cross and

say a blessing over every meal from now on, regard-less of our companions? How many incredible faith discussions would occur as a result of this simple and public act of faith? I could easily argue the other side and share the possible nega-tive outcomes, but can we live as faithful Catholics if we are paralyzed by fear? The answer, I believe, is in the words of Jesus, “Every-one who acknowledges me before others I will acknowl-edge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father” (Matthew 10:32-33).

Adapted with permission of the publisher and Randy Hain from The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrat-ing Faith and Work (Liguori).

GUESTCOLUMNRandy Hain

The post-Vatican II Lection-ary for Mass has many fine features, one of which is the continuous reading of the Acts of the Apostles during weekday Masses in the Easter season. As the Church celebrates the Resurrection for 50 days, the Church also ponders the first evangelization: the primi-tive Christian community, in the power of the Spirit, brings the sur-rounding Mediterranean world the history-shattering news that Jesus of Nazareth, having been raised from the dead, has been constituted Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of sins. These serial readings from Acts end with Paul established in Rome (prob-ably in today’s Trastevere district), speaking with the Roman Jewish community about the fulfillment of their ancient, covenantal hopes in the Risen Christ.

There’s one omission from this early Christian history that I regret, however; the Lectionary omits the 27th chapter of Acts, which tells the dramatic story of Paul’s ship-wreck and his brief stay on Malta, where the apostle is miraculously saved from the poisonous grasp of a poisonous viper, and from which he eventually takes another ship to Rome.

Now here is something to pon-der: There have been innumerable books of Church history written over two millennia. But the only inspired book of Church history, the Acts of the Apostles, ends with the story of a shipwreck—a seeming disaster that becomes, in divine providence, the occasion to extend the Church’s mission.

The imagery continues in Acts 28. Paul is not living in optimum circumstances in Rome; he’s under a form of house arrest. Yet he turns his lodgings into a center of evangeliza-tion, calling the Roman Jewish com-munity to consider Jesus anew and to reconsider the criticisms of the new Christian “sect” they had heard, while explaining how God, in the Spirit, had extended life-giving salva-tion to the Gentiles. The inconve-nience and indignity of house arrest lead to intense evangelical activity: “And he lived there two whole years

at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered” (Acts 28:30).

Shipwreck and mission, it seems, are intertwined strands in the Church’s historical DNA.

This is not to suggest that the Church should willfully seek ship-wreck. Much of the damage that has been done to Catholicism in recent decades—by the abuse scandals, by the ongoing horror stories of mid-20th century Catholic life in Ireland, by forms of intellectual dissent that empty Catholicism of the patrimony of truth bequeathed to it by the Lord, by the counter-witness of Catho-lics in public life who fail to stand firm for the dignity of the human person at all stages of life and in all conditions of life—is a matter of self-imposed wounds, which Church authorities have an obligation to address. The wider cultural assault on the Church, however, is another matter.

Some may consider it “ship-wreck” that the cultural Catholicism that transmitted and sustained the faith in these United States as re-cently as two generations ago is on life-support. What should we expect,

however, when the ambient public culture becomes toxic, anti-biblical, Christophobic (to use the sharp term most recently made prominent by an Orthodox Jewish legal scholar, Joseph Weiler)? Perhaps the demise of cultural Catholicism—Catholi-cism offered to the next generation without great effort, Catholicism-by-osmosis—is a kind of shipwreck. But why not take a lesson from the last chapters of Acts and see in that hard fact the providential invitation to become, once again, a Church in permanent mission? A Church in which every Catholic knows that he or she has been baptized into a mis-sionary vocation? A Church in which Catholics know that the quality of their discipleship is measured by the power of their witness to Christ and their capacity to invite others into friendship with the Risen Lord?

To borrow again from genet-ics, shipwreck and mission are the double-helix of Church history. The challenge is to discern the possi-bilities for mission that God always encodes in what seems to us, at first blush, to be utter shipwreck. ©TM

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC.

Shipwreck and mission:Intertwined strands in Church’s DNA

THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCEGeorge Weigel

Can we live as faithful Catholics if we are paralyzed by fear?

August 8, 2014 The Mirror 3

Bp. Johnston’s prayer intentions for August:For those who work in law enforcement; for their

safety and the grace to carry out their responsibilities with dignity and justice.

For peace in nations that are experiencing strife and violence.

COLUMNS

The dignity of the immigrant child at the border

Some might raise objections, noting that such care might encour-age others to come, making the swell of people at the border worse. Oth-ers note such issues as the limits on resources, the reasons for the migra-tion, or the security of the border. All of these issues are noteworthy, but they do not override the basic reality that as a nation, human beings in need are at our door.

The current challenge illustrates well that Christian charity is usually tidy in the abstract, and very incon-venient in the concrete reality of life. Giving of ourselves to care for the needs of others requires true sacri-fice of some sort, or it is not really

ON THE WAY

Bp. James V. Johnston

“Do not grieve or complain that you were born in a time when you can no longer see God in the flesh. He did not in fact take this privilege from you. As he says: ‘Whatever you have done to the least of my brothers, you did to me.’” —St. Augustine

One major story currently dominating the news is that of the surge of unaccom-panied immigrant children at the southern border, and how to respond to this crisis. There are many pieces to this story, some quite complex. However, the most funda-mental question seems rather simple for a person of faith to answer: How should we respond to these children? Catholic social teaching places a great weight on upholding the dignity of the human person, as well as the good of the family. Both of these goods are at stake here. The correct response is to provide for the immediate security and well-being of the poor.

Mon., Aug. 11- Annual Seminarian GatheringWed., Aug. 13

Tue., Aug. 12 Back-to-School Mass,8 a.m. Springfield Catholic Schools

Faculty and Staff, Immaculate Conception Church, Springfield

Thu., Aug. 14 Catholic Leadership Institute follow-up meeting

Fri., Aug. 15 ROAD RALLY REVIVAL8 a.m. Mass, St. Eustachius School,

Portageville

11 a.m. St. Cecilia Parish, Kennett

1 p.m. Sacred Heart Parish, Caruthersville

2:15 p.m. Immaculate Conception School, New Madrid

5:30 p.m. Mass, St. Ann Parish, Malden

Sat., Aug. 16 ROAD RALLY REVIVAL8 a.m. St. Teresa Parish, Glennonville

11 a.m. St. Benedict Parish, Doniphan

1:30 p.m. Sacred Heart Parish, Poplar Bluff

6 p.m. Mass, Sacred Heart Parish, Dexter

Sun., Aug. 17 ROAD RALLY REVIVAL8 a.m. Mass, St. Henry Parish,

Charleston;

11 a.m. St. Francis Xavier Parish, Sikeston

1 p.m. Guardian Angel Parish, Oran

2:30 p.m. St. Denis Parish, Benton

4 p.m. St. Lawrence Parish, New Hamburg

5:30 p.m. St. Augustine Parish, Kelso

Mon., Aug. 18 ROAD RALLY REVIVAL8 a.m. St. Joseph Parish, Scott City

10 a.m. St. Ambrose Parish, Chaffee

Noon St. Joseph Parish, Advance

1:30 p.m. St. Anthony, Glennon

5 p.m. Mass, St. John Parish, Leopold

Tue., Aug. 19 ROAD RALLY REVIVAL8 a.m. Mass, Cathedral of

St. Mary of the Annunciation, Cape Girardeau

10 a.m. Old St. Vincent Chapel of Ease, Cape Girardeau

11:30 a.m. Catholic Campus Ministry, Cape Girardeau

12:30 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Cape Girardeau

2 p.m. Immaculate Conception Parish, Jackson

5 p.m. St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Fredericktown

Public calendar

charity. It is easy to give to the poor when we are cleaning out our junk, and even getting a tax credit for it! It is more difficult to give up what we like or even need for someone else, but there are many examples of this love in action to inspire us. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta knew this well, and incorporated this self-giving spirit into her religious order, the Missionaries of Charity. Trinity Hills, our diocesan Catholic Worker House, puts this into practice in caring for others. A married couple I know annually forgoes the exchange of Christmas presents and uses the money to buy gifts for the poor. Many of our own Catholic faithful give sacrificially through tithing and the gift of time.

I will leave the complex aspects of immigration to the statesmen: en-couraging them to follow just princi-pals, especially those found in Catho-lic social teaching, to bring about just immigration reform (much of which can be found on the US Bishops’ Web site, www.usccb.org). All of us should urge our representatives to undertake comprehensive immigration reform. Pray for them, this challenge, and the people who seek a better life in the US. Addressing the immediate needs of “the least of these” seems the more straightforward response to the otherwise complicated issue of unaccompanied children at our southern border, even if exercising this basic charity is inconvenient and demanding. ©TM

See Living The Liturgy / 10

Ritual is the heart and founda-tion of Catholic liturgical life. ‘Routine’ is a secular term closely related to “ritual” that is used on a more personal basis. Whether we recognize it or not, it seems that a great deal of life is a ritual or routine. Look at how your day be-gins, unfolds, and ends. I’m sure that each of us have our standard routines or “patterns of behavior” when we roll out of bed each morning. There are certain things we do in order to prepare for the day, usually done at a particular time or performed in a set pattern. The same is true regarding the liturgical life of the Church.

As we participate in Mass and the other sacraments, we see that there is a set “pattern” or “routine” of how things are done. Certain words are pre-scribed, designated “earthly” elements are used (bread, wine, water, oil), and even the priest/deacon celebrating the

sacrament has particular vestments to be worn. The proper words and prayers offered in each sacrament are usually referred to as the “form” of the sacrament, while the “elements” or “items” we use (unleavened bread, wine made only from grapes, pure water) are referred to as the “matter.” In celebrating each of the sacraments, in particular the Holy Eucharist, we try to be as faithful as we can to the example of Christ and the tradition of the Church. What we use, how we use it, and what we pray and say in each of the sacraments is important and

intentional.One example to help us better

understand and appreciate the na-ture of ritual is a professional base-ball game (since we are currently in baseball season, this is an appropriate example!). When we go to a baseball game, there are certain things we expect to happen: introducing the lineup of players before the game begins, having the National Anthem or some other patriotic song sung before the first pitch, the “seventh-inning stretch” with the usual singing of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” or fireworks being shot off when a home run is made by the home team. Perhaps when you go to a baseball game, you sit in the same seat and eat the same food. You can imagine how shocked and even disappointed you would be if any of these things

Ritual forms our ‘holy routine’ in Catholic worship

LIVING THE LITURGYFr. David J. Dohogne

For a complete Road Rally Revival schedule, log on to

www.dioscg.org.

4 The Mirror August 8, 2014

The Mirror: Newspaper of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau USPS Publication 117-330 Publisher: Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. Editor: Leslie A. EidsonProduction: Glenn Eckl Circulation/Advertising: Angie Toben, atoben@dioscg.org

Published every other week except the last week in December at 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143. Address all communications to 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143; Telephone (417) 866-0841; FAX (417) 866-1140; Email atoben@dioscg.org

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Mirror, 601 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806-3143. When giving change of address, state both old and new address, also old and new parish. Subscription price, $14 per year.Periodicals postage paid at Springfield, MO, and additional mailing offices. Vol. XLX No. 8 August 8, 2014 Single copy price, $0.50

Copyright © 2014, The Mirror, CNS, CNA, USCCB, The Vatican, as noted. The Mirror OnLine: www.dioscg.org

to the Sparrow to teach His disciples about God’s great love for us. Jesus uses other animals to teach us to avoid temptation and evil, and how to treat others with care.

With its emphasis on the human spirit and devo-tion, the aim of the Besti-ary is especially in line with the theology of the Eastern Church. In the fourth cen-tury, St. John Chrysostom taught that it is good to be kind and gentle with animals, and to learn from them, because we share the same Creator. The literary devices of the Bestiary are also com-mon in the West. St. Francis de Sales, in his Introduction to the Devout Life, details numer-ous animals in order to lead us to devotion. According to St. Francis, devotion is “a spir-itual activity and liveliness by means of which Divine Love works in us, and causes us to

REVIEWS

New devotional features virtually every animal named in BibleThe Blessed Book of Beasts By Jonathan Scott Eastern Christian Publications, 2014

Eastern Christian Publi-cations announces the publication of a series of original Catholic devotionals entitled The Blessed Book of Beasts, written by Jonathan Scott. Featuring virtually every animal named in the Bible, it uses classi-cal literary forms from the Middle Ages, and is designed to delight the imagination

and lead the heart towards devotion.

The books have been written for families—chil-dren, parents, grandparents—and feature over 100 classi-cal engravings. The late Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who had the opportunity to view early drafts of the work, described the books as “an answered prayer to all who believe.”

A Bestiary is a liter-ary collection of animals, each one of which conveys a moral lesson about good-ness. The first known Bestiary was written by an unknown author in the first century. In the Bible, God uses animals to help teach wisdom. We immediately think of the talking donkey in the Book of Numbers who prods the prophet Balaam towards the

path of God. The writer of the Book of Proverbs, as well, describes several animals as being exceedingly wise.

In the New Testament, Our Lord points directly to the animals to teach us about goodness. We see Him point

work briskly and lovingly. … Just as charity leads us to a general practice of all God’s Commandments, so devo-tion leads us to practice them diligently.”

For over 20 years, East-ern Christian Publications has produced books and other liturgical/educational resourc-es for Christian communities throughout the world, includ-ing more than 300 focused on Eastern Traditions.

The Blessed Book of Beasts comes in three sepa-rate volumes, each covering a category of beasts, or in a single combination book. Discounts are available for quantity purchase by parishes or bookstores. Further infor-mation is available and orders can be placed through the New Titles page of the Online Catalog at www.ecpubs.com or by checking with your lo-cal Catholic book store. ©RNS

Beasts from the EastBook Review

Sci-fi adventure morally uplifting but not suitable for allGuardians of the Galaxy Chris Pratt, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Dave Bautista, and Zoe Saldana Disney

Self-sacrificing, morally elevating love as well as dedicated camarade-rie are showcased in the crackerjack sci-fi adventure “Guardians of the Galaxy” (Disney).

While not suitable for young moviegoers, director and co-writer (with Nicole Perlman) James Gunn’s rol-licking adaptation of a series of Marvel comic books offers their elders top-flight escapist entertainment.

Vital to the film’s success is Chris Pratt’s appealing por-trayal of its lost-in-space hu-man protagonist, Peter Quill.

As opening scenes set in 1988 disclose, as a young boy (Wyatt Oleff), Peter was emotionally crushed by his mother’s terminal illness, and bolted from the hospital moments after her untimely death, only to be kidnapped by the crew of a spaceship. (Hints in the early dialogue already suggest that this star-tling turn of events was not as random as it might, at first,

appear).Flash-forward a quarter

century and Peter, who prefers the moniker Star-Lord, has joined the gang of intergalac-tic bandits who shanghaied him. Dispatched to a depopu-lated planet by their chief, Yondu (Michael Rooker), Peter is charged with purloining a mysteriously powerful silver orb concealed in its recesses.

No sooner has Peter gained possession of the object, though, than he

discovers that a whole range of other interested parties is on its trail as well. They include green-skinned warrior Gamora (Zoe Saldana) geneti-cally manipulated, anthro-pomorphic raccoon Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) and Rocket’s sidekick, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a sen-tient tree.

Ostensibly, Gamora is acting on the orders of a maniacal villain named Ronan (Lee Pace). As with the

relationship between Peter and Yondu, however, her real allegiance is ambiguous.

A raucous street fight for control of the sphere lands Peter, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot in jail where they encounter hulking, tattooed convict Drax (Dave Bautista), who joins them when they eventually fly the coop.

Agreeing to quell their rivalry and split the profits from the sale of the magic globe, the quintet sets out to find a merchant (Benicio Del Toro) Gamora believes will pay top dollar for it. Once they discover the artifact’s vast potential for destruction, however, commercial interests take a back seat and the for-mer adversaries unite around a higher purpose: keeping the weapon out of Ronan’s grasp.

As Peter, Pratt success-fully embodies the movie’s saucy but good-hearted spir-it—which is, in the end, far more important than the ins and outs of its plot. A free-booting, lovable rogue, Peter is also a sentimentalist whose most prized possession is a mix tape his mother made for him comprising her favor-ite pop tunes, some of them already quite out-of-date by

the late ‘80s.One of the songs Mom

favored, Elvin Bishop’s 1976 hit, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” accurately predicts her son’s destined transforma-tion from interstellar ladies’ man (at least according to his own boastful account) to altruistic, forsaking-all-others potential spouse. Following a similar arc to those of his opponents-turned-friends, moreover, Peter transcends his thieving past to become an unlikely, but thoroughly selfless, hero.

The positive ethical direction in which Peter and his comrades move—to-gether with the sheer fun of observing their humor-filled exploits—makes it a shame that the elements listed below prevent endorsement of “Guardians of the Galaxy” for a wider audience.

The film contains much action and martial arts-style violence, brief shadowy rear nudity, occasional rough and crude language and an ob-scene gesture. The CNS clas-sification is A-III—adults. The MPAA rating is PG-13—par-ents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. ©CNS

Movie Review

Reviewed by John Mulderig

‘GuaRdians of the Galaxy’

August 8, 2014 The Mirror 5

Mercy Arthritis Center will sponsor free, six-week workshops to help people manage lung and heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes. Each pro-gram is developed by Stanford University’s Patient Education Research Center with the following goals: Improve knowledge of living a healthy life with a chronic condition; learn to manage fatigue and stress more effec-tively; identify ways to deal with anger, fear, frustration, and depression; learn new ways to communicate with family and friends; learn how to form a partnership with your health care team.

Free Mercy Workshops on healthy living

Greenfield, MO—Classes will be held each Monday at Dade County OACAC Center, 150 Main St., from Aug. 18 through Sept. 29. The class will run from 1-3:30 p.m. To register, call (417) 637-2701.Lebanon, MO—Tuesday classes begin Aug. 12 at Lebanon First United Meth-odist Church, 300 N. Madison Ave., and will continue through Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Please register by calling (417) 269-2278.Marshfield, MO—The Missouri Ex-tension Center, located at 800 S. Marshall St., will hold classes each Thursday, Sept. 4 until Oct. 9 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Call (417) 207-1304 to register.Springfield—On Tuesdays starting Sept. 9, weekly classes will be held at St. Agnes Cathedral, 533 S. Jefferson Ave., through Oct. 14. Call (417) 888-6787 to sign up for the sessions, which will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. each week.

The $20 fee for each course has been waived, thanks to a grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Participants will also receive a free book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Con-ditions. For more about Mercy, visit www.mercy.net.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Belleville, IL—The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in conjunction with the Karla Smith Foundation, St. Clair County Mental Health Board, and NAMI Southwestern Illinois, will hold When Mental Illness Hits Home confer-ence “Living the Past: Planning for the Future,” Fri.-Sat., Aug. 22-23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Shrine’s Visitor Center. The conference reaches out to family, friends, and professionals who journey with those with a mental illness. Fri., Aug. 22, Dr. Dawn M. Porter, MD will speak on “Self-Care: Detaching with Love, offering ways for caregivers to care for themselves so they can effectively help others. Sat., Aug. 23, Sgt. Jeremy Romo, St. Louis County Police Depart-ment’s crisis intervention team coordinator, will speak on “What to do during a time of Crisis: When is it time to call 911?” For more informa-tion or to register, contact the Shrine at (618) 397-6700, ext. 26270, (314) 241-3400, ext. 6270, or Online at www.snows.org/help.

Branson—The Youth Ministry at Our Lady of the Lake Parish invites all youth (grades seven-12) to participate in the annual “Our Lady Celebrates Youth” conference on Sat.-Sun., Sept. 6-7, 2014. Advance registration is $65 per person. For more information, please contact Pat Hutcheson at mspat1024@gmail.com or visit the Youth Ministry page of the diocesan Web site, www.dioscg.org.

Cape Girardeau—A Re-Marrige Prepara-tion Seminar for Regions 6-9, will be Sat., Sept. 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.in the lower level meeting room in St. Vincent de Paul Church, 741 N. Forest Ave., Cape Girardeau. Lunch will be provided. To register, call Katie Newton, Office of Family Ministries, (417) 866-0841, or Email her at knewton@dioscg.org.

Monett—St. Lawrence School will host a golf tournament, Sun., Sept. 7, at Windmill Ridge Golf Course. Registration for this 18-hole, three-person scramble opens at 12:30 p.m.; tee time: 1:30 p.m., shotgun start. Cost: $200/team, includes green fees, lunch, and golf cart. Prizes for longest drive, longest putt, and closest to pin. For more information, contact Matt Batson, (417) 772-2737, or mbatson@jackhenry.Com, or Beth Luebbering, (417) 236-3969, or bethluebbering@gmail.Com.

Scott City—St. Joseph Parish will hold a buffet-style fall dinner, Sun., Sept. 7, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., in the school gym. Menu in-cludes kettle beef, chicken and dumplings, chick-en and dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, dessert, tea, and coffee. Adults: $9; children (ages six-12): $4; children (under age six): free; carry-outs available. For more infor-mation, contact Linda at (573)-264-2600.

Springfield—The Secular Franciscan group will meet Sat., Aug. 23, beginning with

lunch at noon (optional), and then at 1 p.m. in the day chapel at Holy Trinity Parish. Contact for new people is Steve Moncher, stevemon-cher@gmail.com, or call (417) 861-2109.

Springfield—Sacred Heart Parish will host Festival of the Nations, Sat., Aug. 30, 6-9 p.m., in the parish hall. The festival will fea-ture contemporary and folklore dances, music, and art from the many different countries rep-resented. Visitors will also be able to explore cultural richness in food, unique beverages, and traditions. Parking available; admission is free. For more information, call (417) 869-3646.

Springfield—St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish will host Harvest Home Festival, Fri., Sept. 5, 5-11 p.m., Sat., Sept. 6, 2 p.m.-midnight. Home-cooked dinner will be served Fri., 5-9 p.m., and Sat., 4-8 p.m. Adults: $10; Senior: $7; children (ages 10 and under): $4. There will be carnival rides for $5-$7 each. Friday only, purchase an unlimited ride band for $25 (does not include laser tag). There will be games, laser tag, washer tournament, photo booth, silent auction, and a teen dance for seventh-12th grades. No charge for the en-tertainment tent featuring Lonesome Hollow Bluegrass Band, Big Iron Band, The Guise, and dueling pianos featuring Mike Tettamble, Jr., and David Pyck. For more information, contact Paul Boeckman, (417) 894-9819, or (417) 883-9575, or Rebecca Hallinan, (417) 894-2444, or (417) 883-9575.

Springfield—A Re-Marrige Preparation Seminar for Regions 1-5 will be Sat., Nov. 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., in The Pallotti Center at the Catholic Center, 601 S. Jefferson. Lunch will be provided. To register, call Katie Newton, Office of Family Ministries, (417) 866-0841, or Email her at knewton@dioscg.org.

Springfield—St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish will hold a Cherub Mass and Cherib Gar-den dedication on Wed., Oct. 1, 6 p.m., to re-member and honor all children who have died. All are welcome to come and celebrate this special liturgy. A reception will follow in the SEAS Café. For more information, contact Barbara Carey at (417) 368-2930.

Springfield—Holy Trinity Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW) will hold a fall ba-zaar, Sat., Nov. 8, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sun., Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in the church hall. There will be a variety of crafts, baked goods, jewelry, Christmas items, white elephant items, plants, and gardening tools offered by the gar-den ministry. The men’s group will serve donuts, coffee, and juice, Saturday morning; smoked meats and sides by the Knights of Columbus for lunch Saturday; spaghetti and meatballs, Saturday evening; Knights of Columbus will have a pancake breakfast Sunday morning. For more information, call the parish office at (417) 883-3440.

ScheduleThe next safe environment in-servic

e opportunities will be held at the

following locations:

Tue., Aug. 12 6-9 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Our Lady of the Cove Parish, Kimb

erling City

Wed., Sept. 3 5-8 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . St. Ann School, Carthage

Tue., Sept. 9 6-9 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . St. Teresa School, Glennonville

Mon., Sept. 22 6-9 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Brans

on

Tue., Nov. 4 6-9 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Our Lady of the Cove Parish, Kimb

erling City

Mon., Nov. 10 6:30-9:30 p.m. . . . .. . . . . St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Cape Gir

ardeau

Sun., Nov. 16 1-4 p.m. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Brans

on

Preregistration is necessary; go to www.virtus.org and click on “registrat

ion” on the left

or call your parish/school office for assistance; or call Ken Pesek at The

Catholic Center,

(417) 866-0841; or Email him at kenpesek@dioscg.org. Participants mus

t be present for

the entire training. Training sessions are for adults only. Schedules may

be found on the

diocesan events calendar at www.dioscg.org, or at www.virtus.org.

6 The Mirror August 8, 2014DIOCESAN NEWS

Road Rally RevivalBishop’s ‘Tour de Faith’ begins Aug. 15

His car is revved and he’s ready to hit the road!

Bishop James V. Johnston will embark on a 2,000-mile Road Rally Revival in August during which he will visit each parish and mission in the diocese in order to an-nounce the diocesan Mutually-Shared Vision (diocesan purpose, values, five-year vision, and key priorities). This mes-sage is so important that Bp. Johnston will take to the road Aug. 15-31, 2014, in order to personally communicate the vision and accompanying SMART Goals for ministry (Specific and Measur-able; Motivating; Attainable; Relevant; Trackable [time bound]).

Please consult the parish visitation schedule and make plans to be present when Bp. Johnston visits your parish or mission, or attend a rally event nearby.

August 8, 2014 The Mirror 7DIOCESAN NEWS

Road Rally RevivalBishop’s ‘Tour de Faith’ begins Aug. 15

His car is revved and he’s ready to hit the road!

Bishop James V. Johnston will embark on a 2,000-mile Road Rally Revival in August during which he will visit each parish and mission in the diocese in order to an-nounce the diocesan Mutually-Shared Vision (diocesan purpose, values, five-year vision, and key priorities). This mes-sage is so important that Bp. Johnston will take to the road Aug. 15-31, 2014, in order to personally communicate the vision and accompanying SMART Goals for ministry (Specific and Measur-able; Motivating; Attainable; Relevant; Trackable [time bound]).

Please consult the parish visitation schedule and make plans to be present when Bp. Johnston visits your parish or mission, or attend a rally event nearby.

8 The Mirror August 8, 2014DIOCESAN NEWS

Trinity Hills is the diocesan Catho

lic Work House

beautifully situated just 20 minute

s east of Springfield.

With 126 acres of rolling hills, gre

en pastures, walking

prayer paths and grottos, and a po

rtion of the James

River, Trinity Hills provides the pe

rfect venue for study,

retreat, service, and respite. In act

ively caring for cre-

ation, Trinity Hills also produces f

ood for the hungry,

among other justice efforts. Get in

volved! Opportunities in which

parishes and individuals may part

icipate include:

• Mentoring homeless guests and h

elping transport them to

appointments;

• Helping us promote our retreat

programs to college students,

youth groups, parish councils and

guilds, and Scouts;

• Helping with farm

projects; • Living and wo

rking

at Trinity Hills for a

set period of time;

• “Adopt” one of our

free-range laying

hens, helping to

keep her healthy

while she feeds the

hungry.

For more information,

contact Nick Lund-

Molfese at nick@thills.

org or call (417) 753-7758.

Check out our gallery of

photos at www.thills.org.

Revel in God’s creation at Trinity Hi

llsCursillo reorganizing in the diocese

The Cursillo in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is seeking those interested in being a part of a revived and active Cursillo movement. If you have made a Cursillo weekend and would like to know more about this, contact Fr. Bill Hodgson at wmhodgson@live.com. For more information about Cursillo in general, please consult www.cursillo.org.

KHJMCatholic radio for Southeast Missouri

89.1 FM

From Jackson to the Bootheel KHJM 89.1 FM brings the heart of Catholic Radio to the area.Heart of Jesus and Mary radio

Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.By Anne Buckley Springfield

Where can a girl find an organi-zation that not only allows, but encourages her to express her Catholic faith in all aspects of life? American Heritage Girls (AHG).

How can a girl explore opportunities for service in her community and beyond, discovering her unique gifts? AHG.

What about having fun, making friends, and ex-periencing the world with a group of supportive peers and adults? Yep, AHG.

Although new to this

diocese, American Heritage Girls began in 1995 and has grown quickly into a nation-wide organization with tens of thousands of members. From local troop to national headquarters, AHG exists to provide Christ-centered groups for girls ages five through 18.

“I am thrilled that AHG is happening in our Diocese,” said Troy Casteel, diocesan Coordinator of Youth Minis-try. “It is reassuring to know that our young ladies have a social organization to which they can belong that nurtures our Catholic values while providing them so many op-portunities to grow.”

In Springfield, AHG Troop MO1118 just complet-ed its first full year. During that time, the 20 active girls gave over 500 hours of ser-vice and earned badges for projects including Our Flag, Young Meteorologist, and Cake Decorating. Members range in age from kindergar-ten through 12th grade. The older girls develop leadership

skills as they help the young-er groups of girls, giving them great role models. These leadership skills translate into increased opportunities after high school. For instance, look over any application for scholarships, internships, col-lege honors programs, etc., and notice the importance of developing those skills early.

With 240 badge of-ferings and numerous

opportunities in any local community, girls have plenty of ways to develop skills do-ing things of interest to them.

Rachel Salomon, Troop Coordinator for Troop MO1118, was involved with American Heritage Girls prior to moving to the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

American Heritage Girls: Faith, service, funAmerican

Heritage GirlsThe Springfield Troop

meets the second and fourth Monday

of each month at St. Joseph Catholic

Academy.

Girls from every parish are welcome!

The first meeting for the coming year will be Mon., Aug. 25,

6 to 7:30 pm.

Salomon has done a great job of organizing adult volunteers and creating an atmosphere for the girls to grow in char-acter, learn new skills, and develop their spirituality. At the annual Scouting Awards last May, Salomon received the Bronze Pelican Award from Bp. James Johnston.

GUEST METEOROLOGISTS—Evan and Brianne Milliner, members of AHG Troop MO1118, were guest meteorologists at a local television station as part of a community educa-tion component of the American Heritage Girls experience. (Submitted photo)

August 8, 2014 The Mirror 9DIOCESAN NEWS

[Louis] Sako [of Baghdad] at Masses on Sun. Aug. 17 and to keep the intentions for peace in the Middle

East, but especially Iraq, in the Prayers of the Faithful,” wrote Bp. Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Chairman, Committtee on International Justice and Peace, to all US

Bishops.“Please encourage your

people to let their elected representatives know of their concern for Christians and other religious minorities who are in dire straits in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and other coun-tries,” Bp. Pates said.

The Holy Father has said “violence generates more violence; dialogue is the only path to peace.” Let us continue to pray in com-munion with the Holy Father and with Patriarch Sako for a cessation of the violence and for a peace that will allow people to live in harmony without fear, Patriarch Sako said.

BackgroundIn June the Islamic

State, or ISIS, proclaimed the creation of a new “caliph-ate,” or state run by a reli-gious leader, after thousands of militants seized control

of large parts of northern and central Iraq and eastern Syria. There has been a mass exodus of Christians from those regions of Iraq; they were told by militants to flee, convert to Islam or be killed.

Militants have released videos on Facebook and oth-er social media showing mass executions of Christians and other Iraqis. According to some estimates, as many as 1,500 people were killed in July.

Airstrikes & aidOn Aug. 7, US Pres.

Barack Obama authorized airdrops of humanitarian supplies to thousands of reli-gious minorities in Iraq and limited airstrikes against the Islamic militants in Iraq.

In a strongly worded July 25 letter to US National Security Advisor Susan Rice July 25, Bp. Pates said that US humanitarian assistance

Parishes asked to offer prayer for peace in Iraq “was urgently needed to help these beleaguered people (of Iraq), especially Christians.”

“This aid should go directly to the minority com-munities through trusted NGOs, otherwise past experi-ence has shown that aid is diverted,” he said.

“I asked that the US government urge Iraqi political leaders to form an inclusive government repre-sentative of all ethnic and re-ligious groups, thus reversing the exclusion that has been exploited by extremists. Only in this way can the rule of law be restored and the com-mon good of all be served, he said. “Sadly the situation in Iraq has only deteriorated in the past month.”

Abp. Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, KY, who is presi-dent of the USCCB, said, “We should never underestimate the power of prayer; for it touches and opens us to the power of God among us. My prayer is that together we might help open our world to God’s gift of peace.” ©TM

From Page 1

American Heritage Girls: Faith, service, funThis award recognizes adults who make outstanding con-tributions to the spiritual de-velopment of Catholic youth in the Scouting program.

“I feel honored to be the leader of Troop MO1118,” Sa-lomon said. “I get to witness these girls learn new skills, develop friendships, serve the

community, and grow into our future leaders.”

More information about AHG can be found Online at http://ahgonline.org. Through AHG membership, girls can ex-press their faith, explore their gifts and talents, and experi-ence the blessings of friend-ship and teamwork through

Faith, Service, and Fun. Those interested in join-

ing American Heritage Girls, or exploring the idea of start-ing a local troop, can contact Rachel Salomon at rswaddle@yahoo.com or Katie Newton at the Catholic Center, knew ton@dioscg.org, or telephone (417) 866-0841. ©TM

CLEAN-UP—American Heritage Girls Eve Salomon and Oliv-ia Bauer performed service at the St. Anne Campus of Catho-lic Charities of Southern Missouri. (Submitted photo)

SCOUTING AWARDS—American Heritage Girls (AHG) Troop MO1118 and its leadership posed for a photo with Bp. James V. Johnston during the Catholic Scouting Awards held in May in St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield. (Submitted photo)

Lord,

The plight of our country is deep and the suffering of Christians is severe and frightening. Therefore, we ask you Lord to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,and courage to continue our witness of Christian values with trust and hope.Lord, peace is the foundation of life; Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us to live with each other without fear and anxiety, and with dignity and joy.

Glory be to you forever. † Louis Raphael I Sako

Prayer for Iraq

10 The Mirror August 8, 2014DIOCESAN NEWS/ADVERTISING

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were not available to you. the baseball game wouldn’t be the same!

Many people are attracted to the Catholic Church because of our wor-ship and liturgical celebrations, which are very structured and ordered. A growing trend in many non-Catholic churches today is to provide a “con-temporary” worship experience that usually has no sense of structure or or-der. No one service is the same. Some people find this very fulfilling while others find it frustrating. As human

beings, we need some degree of struc-ture and order in life. The Church, in her wisdom and experience, has recognized this over the centuries, and order and structure is certainly reflect-ed in our Catholic worship and prayer.

There are a variety of ways for us to pray as Catholics. But the ritual of the Mass enhances and strengthens our unity as believers and worship-pers. However, in many segments of modern Christianity, ritual has become a negative word. As Catholics, we embrace this word with loving and faith-filled hearts because it is an

From Page 3

Ritual forms our ‘holy routine’ in Catholic worshipessential part of who we are. When you participate in Mass or celebrate the other sacraments of our Catholic Faith, realize that God is revealing Himself to you at that moment in a very powerful and unique way. As you embrace and appreciate the rituals of your daily life at home and at work, also embrace and appreciated the rituals of your spiritual life when you walk through the doors of your parish church! ©TM

St. Louis

Fr. Anthony E. Gaydos, OSM, was born in Weirton, WV, on April 27, 1921, son of Emery & Anna (Pillar) Gaydos. Fr. Gaydos was the oldest of six children.

He entered the Servite Order’s high school seminary in Hillside, IL, in September 1934. He professed Sol-emn Vows as a Servite on June 23, 1946, and was ordained a priest on May 27, 1948.

After ordination, Fr. Gaydos had a number of roles in the forma-tion and vocation departments of Our Lady of Sorrows Provence centered in Chicago. He served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Carteret, NJ, from 1963-1969. In 1969, he was assigned to minister at Seven Holy Founders as an associate pastor in Affton, MO.

He is remembered for both his jokes and his serious homilies.

In 1973, he began his 39 years of ministry in Ironton, MO. He was pastor of Ste. Marie du Lac Par-ish until 1991.

By 1986, he was working long hours as the only priest serving the parish, whose small Catholic base was swollen with visitors during the sum-mer months. Fr. Gaydos was also pas-tor of Our Lady of Sorrows Mission in Lesterville, and St. Philip Benizi Mis-sion in Viburnum.

In 1991, Fr. Jim Unterreiner was appointed as pastor of Ste. Marie du Lac, and Fr. Gaydos remained as

senior priest in service until he moved in May 2012 to the ServiteMother of Perpetual Help residence in St. Louis.

Once settled in St. Louis, Fr. Gaydos wrote a note to parishioners. It said, in part, “A brief word to say ‘thanks’ to you for the many great years I spent with you in Ironton. ... [The age of] 91 entitles most people the privilege of retirement. However, it may take me a few months to get used to it. Blessings to all of you.”

In closing, Fr. Gaydos wrote, “P.S.: One thing I haven’t lost is a clut-tered desk. I succeeded in making this desk just that on the very first day.”

For many years, the Servites were entertained by his stories from Iron-ton through his writing in the order’s monthly newsletter.

Following recent hip surgery, Fr. Gaydos moved to a nearby nursing

facility. On July 14, 2014, he told his nurse that he was leaving. When she asked where he was going, Fr. Gaydos pointed up. Fr. Gaydos passed away on July 18, 2014, at the age of 93. May he rest in peace.

His surviving family members include Emery and Sylvia Gaydos of Los Angeles, CA; Bernard Gaydos of Denver, CO; Tim and Marion Gay-dos of Greensburg, PA; and surviving nephews and nieces. His deceased sis-ters include: Martha (John) Meriman and Sr. Cecelia Gaydos, OSM of the Servite Ladysmith, WI, community.

Visitation was on July 24 where Fr. Gaydos lay in state at the foot of the altar of the Basilica of Our Lady of Sor-rows in Chicago. The Mass of Resur-rection was held July 24 in Our Lady of Sorrows, Chicago. He was buried in the Servite plot in the Queen of Heav-en Cemetery in Hillside, IL. A Memo-rial Mass will be held in Ste Marie du Lac Church, Ironton, on Aug. 9. ©TM

Fr. Gaydos

Former Ironton pastor dies at age 93

In addition to his position as dioc-esan Director of Worship, Fr. Dohogne serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Dexter, MO; St. Teresa Church, Glennon-ville; and St. Ann Church, in Malden.

August 8, 2014 The Mirror 11ADVERTISING

12 The Mirror August 8, 2014ADULT FAITH

“Catholic doctrine and discipline may be walls, but they are the walls of a playground.” —G.K. Chesterton

The words above by Gilbert Keith (G.K.) Chesterton say much about Catholicism and about Chesterton himself. Born in London on May 29, 1874, he is one of the real giants of English literature, in both physical size and in literary output. G.K., as he liked to be called, was six-feet, four-inches tall, and weighed almost 300 pounds. He saw life as a playground, and was loved by all who knew him for his approach to life, sense of humor, and readiness to laugh at himself.

Chesterton said he was one of the most polite people in England because on a bus he could stand up and offer his seat to not just one, but three ladies! He enjoyed debate and often took the stage with famous atheists like George Bernard Shaw and Clarence Darrow. Those who at-tended usually named Chesterton as the winner, but he was never mean-spirited. He remained friends with his opponents, who respected him and enjoyed joking with him. He once said to George Bernard Shaw, who was thin and frail, “To look at you, any-one would think a famine had struck England.” Shaw responded, “To look at you, anyone would think you have caused it.”

Catholic geniusHis literary output was more

astonishing than his physical size. Chesterton wrote around 100 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays, and several plays. He was a literary and social critic, historian, playwright, novel-ist, biographer, Catholic theologian and apologist, debater, and mystery writer. He is probably best known today for mystery stories featuring priest-detective Father Brown, a series shown Saturday evenings on Public Broadcasting System (PBS). He wrote columns for 30 years in an impor-tant British newspaper, the Illustrated London News, and in other newspa-pers. He published G.K.’s Weekly for the last 11 years of his life. He created articles for the Encyclopedia Britannica. He also gave popular weekly radio talks on British Broadcasting Corpora-tion (BBC). His mental abilities were legendary: He could write one essay in longhand while at the same time dictating a completely different essay to his secretary.

Chesterton died on June 14, 1936. His Requiem Mass was celebrat-ed in Westminster Cathedral, London. At the homily, Fr. Ronald Knox said, “All of this generation has grown up under Chesterton’s influence so completely that we do not even know when we are thinking Chesterton.”

A giant among us: G.K. Chesterton

A telegram sent by Pope Pius XI was read at the funeral, expressing grief at Chesterton’s death and offering con-dolences to the people of England.

Last year the bishop of North-hampton, England, appointed a priest to investigate the possibility of open-ing the cause for sainthood for Ches-terton. This step was recommended by Chesterton devotees from many parts of the world, including the US.

Chesterton connectionAlmost 50 years ago, as a young

priest, I read G.K. Chesterton’s book, Orthodoxy. I was impressed with Ches-terton’s intelligence and wit as he explained Christianity. In 2004, while I was preaching a mission in Rome, GA, Dr. Tom Farmer gave me a book, G.K. Chesterton, The Apostle of Common Sense, by Dale Alquist. This work of-fers enjoyable, easy-to-read summaries of Chesterton’s most important books, and shows how his wisdom can be a real blessing to us today. Alquist’s book “reacquainted” me with Ches-terton, and helped me appreciate how much his thinking had influenced my own. I’m reading it again with a study group, and recommend it. You may also want to do an Internet search on G.K. Chesterton.

It is amazing that so many things Chesterton wrote a 100 years ago seem like a commentary on today’s world. Here I’d like to share with you three important aspects of Chesterton’s writing that can enrich our lives here and now.

Belief in GodChesterton was baptized as an

infant into the Church of England, even though his parents were Unitar-ian and rarely practiced their faith. As an adolescent, Chesterton got involved in the occult, joining his brother, Cecil, in experimenting with Ouija boards. But when he married Frances Blogg in 1901, she led him to the active practice of Anglicanism. He began to seek what he called ortho-doxy, and in 1922 found the fullness of truth in Roman Catholicism.

Chesterton seemed to have the ability to remember everything, and after a debate with Clarence Darrow, he was reported to be a far better scientist than his opponent. He was called a “colossal genius” by George Bernard Shaw. Chesterton’s book, The Everlasting Man, led C.S. Lewis from atheism to belief. Only God knows how many others have been led to faith in Jesus by Chesterton’s writ-ings. That such a brilliant man as Chesterton, born into a non-religious family, could find the meaning of life in the Catholic Church should give us new confi-dence in the solid truth of our Faith.

It’s impossible here to give an adequate summary of Chesterton’s reasons for belief in God. For this, I’d recommend Dale Alquist’s book, especially the chap-ters, “Orthodoxy,” and “The Everlasting Man.” Chester-ton delights in pointing out the weaknesses of atheism. He says, for example, that atheism depends on “dogmas” far more than does religion. “Atheism is indeed the most daring of all dogmas … for it is the assertion of a universal negative.”

What is meant by a universal negative? The claim, “There is no God,” claims there is no evidence for God anywhere in the universe. That is a brash statement that can’t be proven. Chesterton says that atheists refuse even to examine the evidence (like the scientific evidence for miracles at Lourdes), because they believe in their “dogma” that miracles are impossible. When former non-believers like astronomer Dr. Allen Sandage or DNA specialist Dr. Francis Collins are led to belief by scientific study, atheists say they are mistaken because of their own “dogma” that everything comes from nothing. In rebuttal, Chesterton used to say, prob-ably with a wry smile, “If there were no God, there would be no atheists.”

TimelessnessI’m amazed at how Chester-

ton’s words seem to have been written yesterday rather than 100

years ago. He writes, for example, that those in the media change the meaning of words. They talk of “free love” when they really mean “free lust.” “They insist on talking about birth control when they really mean less birth and no control.” He criti-cizes the notion that government should take over the responsibili-ties of the family, as if … “there is supposed to be an endless supply of salaried persons and of salaries for them; and they are to undertake all that human beings naturally do for themselves.”

JoyChesterton lived in an age

when traditional values were being questioned. He saw the Catholic Church as a protector of life, fam-

ily, and religious free-dom. When asked why he became a Catholic, he wrote a book, The Catholic Church and Conversion. In it, he stated, “To become a Catholic is not to leave off thinking, but to learn how to think.”

In the Catholic Church, Chesterton found truth and ways of worship that went back to Christ. In the Eucharist and in the other sacraments, he found Jesus. Confession was under attack in his time as it is today, and he observed that those who abandon truth will end up with a poor substitute. He said, for example, “Psychoanalysis is

confession without absolution.”But Chesterton, no matter how

bitter the attacks against Catholi-cism, was never bitter in return. We might get discouraged today because our beliefs are under attack by the media, government officials, and the “intelligentsia.” Chesterton would encourage us to be cheerful and con-fident, because with Christ ultimate victory is certain.

We began with Chesterton’s “playground.” Just as children can play safely even near the edge of a cliff if there is a solid wall to keep them from falling off, so we can en-joy life’s playground because we are protected by the walls of Catholic doctrine and discipline. Protected by those walls, we close with a Chester-ton quote: “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” ©TM

A Vincentian priest in Perryville MO, Fr. Lukefahr directs Catholic Home Study Service (CHSS), sponsored by the Missouri Knights of Columbus and their Religious Information Bureau. He may be reached at frlukecm@gmail.com.

THE GRACE OF BEING CATHOLICFr. Oscar Lukefahr, CM

G.K. CHESTERTON—G.K. Chester-ton (1874-1936) was an agnostic who converted to Catholicism in 1922 and who became one of Ca-tholicism’s best-known defenders. (Portrait by Edwin Swan; photo/John Carroll University)

To become a Catholic is to learn how to think.