This is a very real and serious development for the life of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Cleveland. It is not just about the people of the Community of St. Peter and Bishop Lennon. It concerns the unity of the Church and the liturgy. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) states, “Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the ‘sacrament of unity,’ namely, the holy people united and ordered under their bishops.”(#26)  The Mass celebrated by the Community of St. Peter was celebrated in direct and deliberate disobedience to an earlier letter that Bishop Lennon sent to all the members of St. Peter parish. Given this, the celebration of the Eucharist as “the sacrament of unity” and “a holy people united and under their bishops” (emphasis added) seems in question and at risk. Yet, at the same time, it is significant that Fr. Robert Marrone, former pastor of St. Peter, described the gathering of the Community of St. Peter as an “act of disobedience, not a schism.”

In his column in The Universe Bulletin, Bishop Richard Lennon wrote, “The events of last weekend involve all the Faithful for what happens in the life of any one person affects all, and so it is true regarding a group of the Faithful affecting the entire Body of the Church. None of us can shrug it off by saying it does not involve me. Yes, it involves all of us if we are to be true to the prayer of Jesus: “Lord, may they be one as you and I are one.” [http://www.catholicuniversebulletin.org/LENNON/ lennon.php] (emphasis in the original).

In her August 22 column in The Plain Dealer, Regina Brett commented, “It’s a defining moment for the Diocese of Cleveland and for all those in its pews. Do you improve the church from the inside or from the outside? Do you stay and struggle or leave and start over?”  In a similar vein, Bishop Lennon wrote, “this is not a time for dismissive words or actions; rather, it is a time for prayer and calmness.”

This weekend, St. Malachi used the Eucharistic Prayer for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions I: The Church on the Way to Unity. It may be fruitful for every Catholic in the Diocese of Cleveland to pray the following words from that Eucharistic Prayer regularly, if not daily, for our Church:

“Renew by the light of the gospel the Church of Cleveland. Strengthen the bonds of unity between the faithful and their pastors, that together with Benedict our pope, Richard our bishop, and the whole college of bishops, your people may stand forth in a world torn by strife and discord as a sign of oneness and peace.”

To achieve “oneness and peace” will demand a great deal of very hard work: listening and speaking honestly and openly, seeking and finding common ground and the common good, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, acceptance,  healing. As followers of Christ, it is a journey that our whole local Church must make, not just Bishop Lennon and the people of the Community of St. Peter. It is a journey that can only happen, will only happen through prayer.

For more information or more brochures, please call Judy Stowe, 440-250-9959, Samaritan Ministry, St. Malachi Church.

Please pass this to anyone you think may be interested.

For a complete copy of the brochure click here!

I am well aware of how long what follows is. Yet given the widespread publicity and controversy that has followed the release of the new Norms from the Vatican, I thought it would be worthwhile to provide explanation in some detail. You will note that there are hyperlinks throughout the entry, to allow the reader to see the sources for what is quoted. For those who are interested in some aspects but not others, the entry is written in a question and response format.

For those without the interest (or fortitude) to work through what follows, my main points are:

• The Vatican Norms are like an Omnibus Crime bill that covers a number of topics regarding serious offenses in Church law
• The Norms strengthen existing law regarding the sexual abuse of minors, including doubling the statue of limitations from 10 to 20 years, adding child pornography and the sexual abuse of a mentally disabled person of any age
• Among the new Norms is the attempt to ordain a woman to the priesthood and a woman who attempts to be ordained are each listed as a serious crime. This is consistent with established Church practice and reflects Church teaching
• Although news reports have made much of both issues (sexual abuse and ordination of women) being in the Norms and suggest (state) that the Vatican is making them equivalent, that is not true. They are very different issues, with very different kinds of “wrongs.” They are both in the Norms, but for very different reasons.

For greater explanation, read on.                                                                     Fr. Tony Schuerger]

Recently, the Vatican released new Norms regarding the most serious offenses (called “delicts”) under church (Canon) law which are the responsibility of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. [The text of the new norms can be found at: http://www.vatican.va/ resources/resources _ norme_en.html]  These “Norms Concerning the Most Serious Crimes” (Normae de gravioribus delictis) are a revision and updating of the norms established by Pope John Paul II in 2001 “The Safeguarding of the Sanctity of the Sacraments” (Sacramentorum Santitatis tutela).

What are these norms about?

These new Norms are a legal document, detailing some of the serious offenses/crimes in church (Canon) law and clarifying the procedures for dealing with these offenses. It is something like  an “Omnibus Crime Bill” that Congress might pass: revising the Criminal Code, listing new crimes, changing the seriousness of some crimes, revising judicial procedures.

The published document has two major parts: the “Substantive Norms” of 7 Articles and “Procedural Norms” of 24 Articles. Each article in the “Substantive Norms” focuses on a specific topic about faith, sacraments or commandments and serious offenses related to that topic. The “Procedural Norms” is divided into two sections: Title 1, “The Constitution and Competence of the Tribunal” and Title 2, “The Procedure to be Followed in the Judicial Trial.” Canon Law is cited throughout, with the (official) Latin text of the Canons printed in the footnotes.

What “Serious Offenses” are mentioned in the Norms?

• Offenses against faith (heresy, apostasy and schism)
• Offenses related to the Eucharist (such as throwing away the Host or Precious Blood, using the Eucharist in a sacrilegious way or for sacrilegious purposes)
• Offenses related to the Sacrament of Penance (such as soliciting for sex in confession or breaking the secrecy (“seal”) of confession)
• Offenses related to attempting to ordain a woman to the priesthood or for a women attempting to be ordained
• Offenses related to the sexual abuse of a minor or obtaining, possessing or distributing pornographic images of minors

What changes are in the Norms about Sex Abuse?

The Norms make four major changes regarding offenses related to the sexual abuse of a minor. These are:

• Classifying the sexual abuse of a mentally disabled person of any age (i.e. including someone who is an adult in terms of physical age) as the sexual abuse of a minor
• Adding as a serious offense the “acquisition, possession or distribution by a cleric of pornographic images of minors under the age of fourteen”
• Increasing the “statute of limitations” for the Church to prosecute such crimes from 10 years to 20 years (specifying that the statute of limitations for a minor who is a victim begins when the person becomes 18 years old).
• In the procedures section, making some changes to allow serious cases to be resolved more quickly, including the possibility of proceeding by extrajudicial decree or by direct appeal to the Pope (for cases in which there is no possible question or dispute about whether the offense was committed and after the guilty party has had a chance to defend himself).

What about the Norm listing “the attempted sacred ordination of a woman” as a “more grave” offense?

This is one of the additions from the norms promulgated in 2001. It should be noted that what is new the listing of “the attempted ordination” of a woman as a more grave norm.

Canon 1024 states, “A baptized male alone receives sacred ordination validly” so the issue is not a change in the Church’s teaching or practice about ordaining a woman as a priest.

On 17 December 2007, the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith issued the decree that “both the one who attempts to confer a sacred order on a woman, and the woman who attempts to receive a sacred order” are automatically (latae sententiae) excommunicated. (http://www. vatican. va/ roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/ rc_con_cfaith_doc_20071219_ attentata-ord-donna_en.html) Thus, the offense was already established; the Norms just published ratified or codified it in the law.

Why would the Vatican classify “the attempted ordination of a woman” in this way?

It is probably difficult to impossible for anyone who was not part of the decision-making process to answer precisely why the Vatican made this decision. However, in recent years, the Church has repeatedly addressed the issue of women’s ordination.

The deeper issue here is why the Church has taken such a strong stand on women’s ordination.

Many people, both in the news media and in the Catholic community, understand the Church’s position on the ordination of women primarily as a policy issue, something that the Church can choose to do or not do, which, for various reasons, the Church has chosen not to do. This raises issues of unfairness, discrimination, hypocrisy, power, prejudice.

However, the Church does not understand the question of women’s ordination as a policy issue at all. The Church understands this as a theological issue, something fundamental to the nature of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. In his Apostolic Letter of April, 1994, On Ordination to the Priesthood (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis), Pope John Paul II wrote:

“Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force.

Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”  (#4) (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html)

The key phrase is “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women.”  This means that the Church is teaching that it cannot ordain a woman to the priesthood, whether or not it may want to.

The point here is not to debate the merits of the arguments for or against ordaining women to the priesthood, but simply that for the Church this is a serious, theological issue about the nature of the Sacrament of Holy Orders itself and for this reason, the Church considers attempting to ordain a women as a priest a serious offense.

Does this mean that the Church is equating pedophilia and ordaining women?

This is what the news media has been reporting and what has set off the firestorm of negative reaction. (see the 23 July article in The Plain Dealer, Vatican Sets Off Controversy with Church Law Revisions that List Ordaining Women with Pedophilia, Other Offenses (http://www. cleveland. com/ religion/ index.ssf/2010/07/vatican_sets_off_controversy_w.html) as just one of many examples).

The answer seems to be, “yessssss ….  and NO!”

The “yessssss” is because both are certainly in the same document and both are both categorized as “more grave” offenses, reserved to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. But that is really where the similarity ends.

Speaking at the July 15 press briefing for the release of the Norms, Monsignor. Charles Scicluna, the Promoter of Justice for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, addressed this issue:

About the concern in the media that sexual abuse against minors was being equated with the attempted ordination of women in the eyes of canon law, Msgr. Scicluna said in English, “They are not on the same level.” Serious sins are divided into those against Christian morality and those committed during the administration of the sacraments, he explained.

Sexual abuses of minors and child pornography are the graver sins and represent “an egregious violation of moral law.” And while the attempted ordination is grave, it’s “on another level,” he said, explaining that it is a wound that goes against the Catholic faith and the sacrament of Holy Orders.

“So they are (both) grave but on different levels,” Msgr. Scicluna said, noting in Italian that their comparison is incidental as both “are found in the only document that attempts to put in order all of the competence on the delicts that are reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”

Catholic News Agency [http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/msgr.-scicluna-new-norms-important-ongoing-action-needed/]

The distinction made by Msgr. Scicluna between “an egregious violation of moral law” and “a wound that goes against the Catholic faith and the sacrament of Holy Orders” is real and serious.  A person may truly believe that the priesthood should be open to women as well as men and, with sincere conscience, believe that ordaining a woman to the priesthood, although illegal and invalid according to the laws of the Catholic Church, is morally right before Almighty God. The Catholic Church would consider this to be a conscience that is in error (erroneous) but not sinful. Attempting to ordain a woman to the priesthood would be a serious violation of Church teaching and Church law and would break the union (communion) with the Church.  The sexual abuse of a minor is morally wrong, sinful, and criminal. That’s the difference – and it is huge.

From this story, the phrase “Good Samaritan” has entered our language as a description of anyone who selflessly comes to the aid of a person in need. There are even “Good Samaritan” laws which protect such individuals from being sued for any harm a helper might unintentionally cause while offering aid.

Using the imagery of this story, the question is: why is there so much passion about and attention given to the very rich young man who is leaving town with his entourage? In light of “The Decision,” why has so much time, energy, commentary, newsprint, talk, focus and emotion been paid to someone who is leaving, with all his riches and power intact?

Why is there not the same level of passion – and compassion – for so many of our children who are being robbed of an adequate education, which we know is essential to their future?

Why is there not the same level of passion and compassion for the millions of people who have lost or are in the process of losing their unemployment benefits, who have no “next job” in sight (despite all their efforts) and who are now worrying how they can possibly support themselves and their families?

Why is there not the same level of passion and compassion for the struggling alcoholics and addicts who have become “sick and tired of being sick and tired” and have reached out for treatment, only to be told that there are no treatment beds available and they will have to wait? For many, that wait will be too long and they will relapse, not because they want to, but because their addiction overwhelms them once again.

Why is there not the same level of passion and compassion for people coming out of prison, who have paid their debt to society and are trying to begin a new life? Very quickly, they learn that if they are honest on their resume, they may not get an interview and probably won’t get the job; if they leave it off their resume and the person hiring finds out, they certainly won’t get the job; and if the owner does a background check, they probably won’t get the apartment.

Why is there not the same level of passion and compassion for the people whose neighborhoods have been devastated by mortgage fraud, by foreclosures, by vandalism, by abandoned and empty houses and lots, whose own property has lost much of its value despite being kept up for many years and now will have little to leave to their children or grandchildren?

Why is there not the same level of passion and compassion for the many people who sit alone in their home, in their apartment, in the nursing home and no one ever calls and no one ever comes?

Perhaps it is easier to pay attention to the rich man leaving. Perhaps it is easier for us to talk about him and complain and criticize and get all worked up. That way, we keep moving down the road ourselves and we, too, can pass by on our way. And pretty soon, we can forget about the people on the side of the road and forget that we ever saw them.

The story of the Good Samaritan is a simple one. We know what we’re supposed to do. As the book of Deuteronomy says, it “is not too mysterious and remote for you. …  No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (Deuternonmy 30: 11, 14)

Or, as Jesus tells the scribe, “Go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)

July 19
Italian Sausage, Starch, Vegetable, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

July 26
Rigatoni, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

August 3
Sloppy Joe’s & Buns, Starch, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

August 9
Kielbasa, Starch, Vegetable, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

August 16
Chicken, Starch, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

August 23
Italian Sausage, Starch, Vegetable, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

August 31
Rigatoni, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert, Meal prepared & donated by Garfield Memorial Prot. Church in Pepper Pike

September 6
Hot Dogs & Buns, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Fruit (Watermelons), Dessert

September 13
Rigatoni, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

September 20
Kielbasa, Starch, Vegetable, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

September 27
Chicken, Vegetable, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Dessert

A JOY MAKER MAY I BE—FOR THOSE WITHOUT A SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM .

A PEACE MAKER MAY I BE—FOR THOSE IN NEED OF HARMONY  & SUPPORT.

A HOPE MAKER MAY I BE—FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR LIGHT & ENCOURAGEMENT.

A LOVE MAKER MAY I BE—FOR THOSE WHOSE GIFTS ARE NOT YET FULLY GIVEN.

THEN MY DREAMS WILL ALSO BE FULFILLED AMIDST GREAT JOY, PEACE, HOPE AND LOVE. FOR WHEN I SERVE OTHERS, I SERVE MYSELF AND MY CREATOR AS WELL!!

Robert L. Rossman, April, 2010

The Catholic Theological Society held their annual conference in Cleveland the weekend of June 10-13.  They celebrated Mass Saturday evening at St. Malachi, with Fr. Bryan Massingale, President of the Society presiding and preaching.

During his homily, Fr. Massingale recounted his experience earlier that day. For his morning run, he decided to run from the hotel downtown across the bridge to see where St. Malachi was and get some sense of the area. He spoke of finding a man “sleeping under the arch,” lying on a makeshift cardboard “bed.” He noticed that the man was barefoot — “and I began weeping.”

I was not at the Mass; someone told me the story the next day. As I listened, Fr. Massingale’s encounter was very familiar to me; I could picture the scene clearly in my mind. It was easy for me to recognize from experience why the man was barefoot — probably not because someone had stolen his shoes, but because he took them off and put them under his head for a pillow.

What moved me was Fr. Massingale’s tears. Like the Good Samaritan, when he came upon him, “he was moved with compassion at the sight.” (Luke 10:33)  For Fr. Massingale, the man was not, could not be invisible.

When we come to St. Malachi, how much to we see? Are some people invisible?

[Spoiler Alert solution: "Nobody ever notices postmen somehow," he [Fr. Brown] said thoughtfully; “yet they have passions like other men, and even carry large bags where a small corpse can be stowed quite easily.”]

It was an invitation to go and share a meal with my friends from Church (sounds okay right?) followed by prayer and reflection around Lakewood Park.  Hmm.  That part got a little uneasy.  I pray, actually, I have great conversations with God all the time.  But do I want to do that with a group while I walk around the park?  Another hmmm.

One of the things that made this event different is that it was organized by one of the teens from the Parish.  As a parent I would be stunningly proud if one of my children organized such an event.  So I wanted to support her, and it was at a park, so I wanted to get off the computer for the night and get the kids out to play!

The reception I got upon arriving made the entire struggle and decision  completely worth it.

Having my children see me participate in such an event made it even more worth it.  How could I dream of them organizing such a thing if I do not even introduce them to the concept.

It was small, in a very appropriate way.  It was organized and planned so well and it was a great way to spend a couple hours with my family.

The Lord was so present – especially in the sunset.  I cannot thank Taylor enough for doing this.  I look forward to the next one!
Pam Pulizzi

 I marvel at her generosity. Yet studies have shown repeatedly that the poor – those in the lowest income brackets – give far more (as a percentage of their income) than those in every higher income bracket, including the very rich.

Several weeks ago, one of our “regulars” came to office, accompanied by a volunteer with many years’ service. The man asked for help with his rent; he was about to be evicted from his apartment. When asked how he got so far behind, he explained how various family members and friends had financial difficulties and asked for his help. The sums were not large and he gave to them, receiving a promise that he would be paid back. It stretched his resources and he fell a little bit behind, but he was certain (at the time) he would make it up. Over the months, the “little behind” grew, and he was never able to catch up. Finally, he got so far behind that he was about to be evicted.

 He described his many efforts over several months to make up the money (requesting repayment of those who owed him money, looking for odd jobs to earn extra income, approaching family and friends, seeking financial assistance from other charitable organizations) and how all had failed. The volunteer who had accompanied him was able to vouch for his efforts and how they had extended over weeks and weeks. The volunteer likewise was able to describe the many hours the man regularly gave around the church, assisting the volunteer.

 Given all the information, the right thing to do was to help him pay what he owed, although the total was far more than we would ordinarily give to an individual need. (When a person receives an eviction notice, the only way to keep one’s place is to pay the rent in full; partial payments are not accepted.) And so we helped him pay his rent and he avoided evicted, after having a long conversation about how a person has a first responsibility to provide for one’s own needs in life, and then, help others.

 Yet, the widow did not do that; she did not provide for her own needs first. She had nothing “extra” to give. She shared what little she had.

 The widow’s story concludes, “she was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.” (vs. 15-16)  The story does not describe how this happened. The common assumption is that the Lord provided for her miraculously, a sort of continuing “multiplication of the flour and oil” lasting over a year (just as the manna lasted all during Israel’s wandering through the desert).

But perhaps it happened in differently. Maybe God provided for her through more “ordinary” ways, ways that are familiar to us. Perhaps the widow went to her neighbors, who shared food with her. Perhaps she had to go to the local Zarephath food pantry; perhaps she and her son and Elijah went to the area meals program. Maybe her local temple/ shrine helped her.

When I think about these possibilities in the story of the widow of Zarephath, I think a bit differently about the man who came looking for rent assistance. Perhaps my conversation about “becoming more financially responsible” reflected more “the wisdom of the world” than the wisdom of the Gospel. When family and friends came to him earlier, looking for help, didn’t he respond like the widow, who was willing to share what little she had, even at the risk of not having enough for herself? And although at the time he decided to help them, he didn’t know that we would be there to help him, God knew. And because God sent him here, his “jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.”