Diocese of Kalamazoo

Most Rev. Earl Boyea named Fifth Bishop of Lansing

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop Carl F. Mengeling, 77, as bishop of Lansing, Michigan, and named Bishop Earl A. Boyea, 56,     auxiliary bishop of Detroit, to succeed him.
            The announcement was made Wednesday, February 27th. At a press conference that same day, Bishop Carl Mengeling welcomed his successor as the fifth bishop of the Lansing diocese.
            “For 12 years, I have met with Bishop Boyea on various occasions…I believe he will be a Good Shepherd — inviting, welcoming, teaching, sanctifying and serving all in the name of the Christ in these 10 mid-Michigan counties.”
Earl Boyea was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on April 10, 1951.
            He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and at the North American College in Rome, where he earned a licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit, May 20, 1978. In 2000, he was made a domestic prelate and on July 22, 2002, Pope John Paul II named him an auxiliary bishop of Detroit.
            While serving as an associate pastor, he earned a master of arts degree in history at Wayne State University in Detroit in 1984. He earned a doctorate in church history from The Catholic University of America, Washington, in 1987, and also did graduate studies at the University of Michigan.
            For 12 years, from 1988 to 2000, he served on the faculty of Sacred Heart Seminary. In February, 2000, Msgr. Boyea was named President/Rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum, a position he held until 2002.
            During his years on the Sacred Heart Seminary faculty, he published a number of articles in the Catholic Historical Review.
            During the press conference Boyea expressed his enthusiasm for his new position. "The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI’s, decision to entrust to me the leadership of and the care for the Church of Lansing moves me not only to giving thanks to God and to His Holiness but also brings me great joy. Who would not be joyful to become a part of such a faith-filled and love-filled family? The reputation of this diocese for its devotion to Christ Jesus is widespread. So being asked to be the presence of the Holy Apostles in this local church does me great honor.”
            Asked during the press conference where his allegiance was with Michigan or Michigan State, Boyea astutely stated he’d like to see both teams defeat Ohio State. The installation Mass for Bishop Boyea is scheduled for April 29th at 2 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas.           

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

The following is first in a series of excerpt from theUSCCB’s Faithful Citizenship document.

            Our nation faces political challenges that demand urgent moral choices. We are a nation at war, with all of its human costs; a country often divided by race and ethnicity; a nation of immigrants struggling with immigration. We are an affluent society where too many live in poverty; part of a global community confronting terrorism and facing urgent threats to our environment; a culture built on families, where some now question the value of marriage and family life. We pride ourselves on supporting human rights, but we fail even to protect the fundamental right to life, especially for unborn children.
            We bishops seek to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with the truth, so they can make sound moral choices in addressing these challenges. We do not tell Catholics how to vote. The responsibility to make political choices rests with each person and his or her properly formed conscience.

Why Does the Church Teach About Issues Affecting Public Policy?
            The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith, a part of the mission given to us by Jesus Christ. Faith helps us see more clearly the truth about human life and dignity that we also understand through human reason.  As people of both faith and reason, Catholics are called to bring truth to political life and to practice Christ’s commandment to “love one another” (Jn 13:34).  According to Pope Benedict XVI, “charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as ‘social charity’”
(Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, no. 29).
            The United States Constitution protects the right of individual believers and religious bodies to participate and speak out without government interference, favoritism or discrimination. Civil law should recognize and protect the Church’s right and responsibility to participate in society without abandoning our central moral convictions. Our nation’s tradition of pluralism is enhanced, not threatened, when religious groups and people of faith bring their convictions into public life. The Catholic community brings to the political dialogue a consistent moral framework and broad experience serving those in need.

Who in the Church Should Participate in Political Life?
            In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group. In today’s environment, Catholics may feel politically disenfranchised, sensing that no party and few candidates fully share our comprehensive commitment to human life and dignity. Catholic lay women and men need to act on the Church’s moral principles and become more involved: running for office, working within political parties, and communicating concerns to elected officials. Even those who cannot vote should raise their voices on matters that affect their lives and the common good.



          Go to www.faithfulcitizenship.org. for complete document, DVD, suggestions (liturgy, preaching, education), prayer, youth ministry, family guide, etc.

Working to Heal Hurts

By Robert Delaney

 Overcoming being hurt by someone in the Church can be a long process — even a life-long process — say experts in dealing with victims of clergy sexual abuse. But the Catholic Church stands ready to help victims obtain professional counseling.
            In many ways, the healing process parallels what would be involved in the case of abuse by someone in any institution—schools or government, for example. But it also has its special aspects, because for the survivor of clergy abuse “the Church represents God,” says Michael Morton, executive director of Guest House Institute in Lake Orion, Michigan. The Institute is an educational and training program of Guest House, known for its addiction treatment programs for clergy and religious.
            Since the adoption of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2002, the Church has generally done a better job of dealing with offenders and helping victims than have other institutions, such as police and schools, Morton says.
            Survivors of clergy abuse are now not only heard but credited; action is taken to deal with culprits; and there is not only an expression of contrition, but also the offer of concrete assistance. There are, however, some exceptions, “and some people in leadership positions still need to understand better the gravity of the situation,” he says.
            One diocese that figured prominently in the clergy abuse scandal has had one of the most active programs to help survivors.
            “In the Archdiocese of Boston, over 700 survivors or their family members have contacted us, and 464 have received support from the archdiocese for therapy,” says Barbara Thorp, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Pastoral Support and Outreach. Many survivors of clergy sexual abuse suffer from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic anxiety, depression, or addictions, and some have difficulties on the job or problems with family relations, she continues.
            The archdiocese also pays for psychopharmaceuticals that might be prescribed. The willingness to pay for independent licensed therapists and prescriptions is without regard to any litigation the victims might be pursuing against the archdiocese.
            While many people have benefited from counseling or therapy, healing the spiritual damage survivors have suffered remains “such uncharted territory” that there is no single path indicated, Thorp says. When a priest or other church employee becomes a “faith-destroyer rather than a faith-nurturer,” the results can be soul-searing. “This is probably the most profound aspect of the problem,” Thorp says.
            Considering how abuse often also involved the profaning of a sacrament — in the confessional or in the sacristy before or after Mass — the fact that many survivors do manage to overcome the damage to their spiritual relationship is testimony “to the remarkable resilience of true faith,” she adds.
            Sister Sheila McNiff, a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus and the victim assistance coordinator for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, understands how hard the healing process can be from listening to hundreds of survivors. “I have felt like a container for the rage that is so deep and so destructive of a person’s being. I have silently watched them as they angrily enter counseling. Then some join or start support groups and eventually struggle to talk with their family and friends about their pain and shame,” she says.
            Morton says individual cases vary, depending on the extent, duration, and severity of abuse, as well as the person’s age when the abuse began, so there’s no single formula for successfully dealing with them. But he says the entire church — not just the leadership — can resolve that all future contacts with the church will be characterized by trust.
           Thorp points to efforts in Boston. Not only is there a monthly Mass in the cathedral chapel for victims and survivors of clergy sex abuse, but Cardinal Sean O’Malley also led a nine-day Pilgrimage of Repentance and Hope in 2006 to churches that had experienced abuse incidents. “Cardinal O’Malley also invited the priests in attendance to prostrate themselves with him while a litany was sung in a true expression of atonement,” she says. Article courtesy of Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.           

New Mission Seeks Donations to Provide Free Sacred Art Services.

A new mission is underway to promote the appreciation for traditional sacred art in the worship space.
            Tim Schoonard, along with his wife Connie founded The Society of St. Henry, an independent non-profit organization in January 2007. Since 1988 the Schoonard’s have served the Midwest as church furniture artisans, and are the owner’s of Marywood Studio, Inc.
            “We want to reach out to foster a new awareness for the efficacy that traditional sacred art has historically had on the worship experience, and to inspire a new generation of artists and designers,” says Schoonard.
            “We have worked on more than 40 worship spaces, in 32 cities, across three states, in churches of both Latin and Eastern rite, and have witnessed first hand their continual artistic deterioration. We decided that it was time for someone to step out and lead by example, before our young people lose all ties to the rich Christian culture that is their heritage — and their due.”
            The Society of St. Henry plans to provide free design, fabrication and preservation of sacred furniture and other works for poorer, struggling parishes, or those of historical or cultural significance, as well as other resources to promote traditional sacred art.
            “When we say ‘traditional’, Schoonard explains, ‘we mean traditional in accord with current Church teaching — and nothing less. The Catechism lists sacred art under the Eighth Commandment. Obviously its proper employment is a great responsibility. We believe people can be brought closer to Jesus Christ by worship in places artistically appointed in accord with Church tradition.”
            Together with a select board of directors, that incorporates a balance of both pastoral and secular leadership, (lay persons: Keith Oswald, a retired medical technologist, Joe Brutsche, a retired police officer, and Mary Sheerer, a registered nurse, and priests: Rev. Mark J. Vyverman, Rev. Massimiliano Camporese, and Rev. Christian Johnston), the mission was formally launched on Divine Mercy Sunday, 2007.
            Currently the mission is actively seeking financial donations and other support needed to make their goal of moving forward with the project in 2008.                       “The fate of our mission lies in the hands of good and generous people out there, and we have placed our trust in this providence,” said Tim Schoonard, “we are looking for donors to come forward to be part of a core group of supporters — to help us build from a solid foundation.”

Justice for Immigrants
From Many, One Family of God

Editor’s Note: Over the next months the Justice for Immigrants column will feature profiles on people in our Diocese making a difference in the lives of the Hispanic community.

By Michelle Noordhof

Regardless of their legal status, migrants, like all persons, possess inherent human dignity which should be respected. Government policies that respect the basic human rights of the undocumented are necessary. (Source: Page 16, Paragraph 38, A Stranger Among Us)
            Migration is part of the very fabric of human life and has been so throughout human history. How many times have we casually read Matthew’s narrative of the flight into Egypt? (Mt. 2:13-15)  When we open our eyes and begin to relate this story to what is happening now in our countries, we realize that the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt is not just a pretty painting that we like to hang in our homes. Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus are the thousands and thousands of parents and children who have to leave their homes in order to survive, to protect their own lives, and to search for a better future. The Holy Family is the migrant or refugee family that we see in the city streets.
            As we celebrate the passion and death of Jesus, it is good to reflect on Jesus’ capacity to endure suffering and pain for us. Through his passion we recognize the enormity of his love and we readily join our sufferings to his for the redemption of the world. Although Jesus suffered and died only once, his death is made current, it is actualized here and now in the people who suffer today. The Church has long taught what the Latin American bishops stated in their conference in Santo Domingo: “In the suffering faces of the poor, we see the suffering face of Christ.” 
            Today we see the suffering face of Jesus in immigrant families so often exploited, demeaned, hunted and separated from family members. It is estimated that 500,000 immigrants enter the United States each year without legal documentation. They come in search of work in order to support their families. They have little option if they want to survive because there is no work in their homeland and the United States allows so few visas that they cannot realistically legally obtain entry within a meaningful length of time. They arrive in our country after a dangerous journey which often ends in death or rape. They begin their lives in our land already indebted to those who helped them cross the border and traverse the desert.  They accept almost any job, often earning below minimum wage. When at times employers refuse to pay them for work completed, they can hardly take legal action, not only because they lack information about how to defend themselves but because they lack the resources to hire a lawyer. 
            Undocumented immigrants work in the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs, and for that reason they have the highest rate of serious industrial accidents of any ethnic group in the country. Once they are injured, they have little recourse to medical services and compensation for loss of work. Employers can readily fire them, and they often do after the workers get injured, because undocumented immigrants do not qualify for unemployment compensation. If they are laid off or lose their jobs because of plant closings, they cannot obtain economic aid to assist them while looking for a new job. 
            Added to this exploitation are efforts by the federal government and many local municipalities to round up undocumented workers and deport them. Government agents and police stop cars searching for undocumented workers, surround factories and search the premises for undocumented persons, knock on doors of immigrants’ homes in the early morning looking for people they believe are here illegally. One recent example happened on Saturday, November 17th, when the sanctity of Saint Francis Xavier Church in Sallisaw, Okla., was violated by police who knew that Hispanic Catholics trust the Church and come to Mass, even when they would not otherwise venture out of their homes for fear of deportation.
            In the terrified faces of these families we must recognize the suffering face of Jesus. He defended the immigrant against legalized restrictions and rejection. He held up the immigrant as a model when he told the story of the Good Samaritan.
            No matter what our politics, no matter how indifferent or unfeeling or how unsupportive a person may be, no one can remain unmoved after seeing the sadness, the sorrow, the anguish and the fear reflected in the faces of the immigrant men and women, young people and adults, boys and girls, who — because they or their parents have entered this country illegally in order to survive or find a better life — are regularly treated as persons of little or no value. While we tighten the laws against immigrants, we continue to welcome them to do our menial labor. Who among us has not benefited from their washing dishes, cutting lawns, mixing cement, or making beds? After benefiting from immigrants back breaking labor, how can we not reward them with a stay of deportation? 
            As we celebrate the passion and death of Jesus, let us look into his face and feel his love and compassion for the poor and oppressed.  Today, his sufferings are reflected in the faces of the poor and the immigrant. Let us comfort our Lord by embracing the immigrant among us.