Locals Participate in Historic Papal Visit

Whether they journeyed hours by train or hopped planes with expected lay-overs and delays, locals came back from the papal visit invigorated and impressed by participating in this historic papal visit.
          Margaret Erich, superintendent of schools, and a member of St. Catherine Siena, attended a session in Washington D.C. where the Holy Father addressed Catholic educators from around the country. Margaret, who noted she sat between two Catholic university presidents, recounts that her seat placed her so close to the pope she could have reached out and touched him while he exited. “It was an exhilarating experience,” says Erich. “I was part of a group of about 600 and his message and affirmation on the importance of Catholic education was heartwarming.”
          Others around the diocese joined more than 57,000 at Yankee Stadium for the Papal mass on Sunday, April 20th. Michelle Smith and her daughter Ashley, members of St. Augustine parish, traveled to New York via Amtrak. Smith, a diocesan employee and a Director of Religious Education for St. Augustine, found the long journey well worth it.
“There’s something amazing about being in the presence of the Holy Father,” she notes.
          Sara Joyce, coordinator of Youth Ministry, for St. Mary’s, Niles, went with a group that included nine teens ages 12-17 and four chaperones. And while the group encountered the usual travel woes and occasionally would get locked out of the church basement they were staying in, Joyce says everyone was impressed with the pope. One of the highlights for Joyce was hearing the Holy Father speak English.
     “It was neat hearing him speak in English and speaking directly to the Church in the United States. He really fits the papal role very well as he seems very shy and humble but had such joy on his face as well.” The other highlight she notes is “seeing so many young religious there — from seminarians to young Dominican nuns. Their youth and joy was a great witness to vocations for my group.”

House of Discernment

The stately house sits nestled on a quiet tree-lined street in a historical district. On this unseasonably warm March day, a determined squirrel nibbles on some bird feed out in the grounds meticulously cared for by the local Knights of Columbus. From the outside, the historic dwelling may only catch the eye of those drawn to the charm of an older home. However, once inside the home, it’s immediately evident there are remarkable things happening here.
The home is referred affectionately to as South Street House and officially is the Diocese of Kalamazoo’s House of Discernment run by Monsignor William Fitzgerald. Once home to one of Kalamazoo’s most prominent families, the UpJohns, the house now includes a chapel, a library, nooks and crannies for quiet reflection and most importantly is home to young men discerning the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood.
While the current residents, Josh Sobeck and Joseph John finish up lunch dishes and steal glances at a Tiger’s spring training game, Monsignor Fitzgerald offers a tour and short history of the home which dates back to about 1853 and is likely one of the oldest houses in Kalamazoo. It had always been a family-owned home until purchased by the diocese some eight years ago to house a residential discernment program modeled on a similar program in Lansing. Monsignor had just recently left parish ministry and was discerning his next chapter when Bishop Murray talked to him about South Street House.

What brings a young man to South Street?
          Josh, a member of St. Catherine’s of Siena, Portage, was heavily involved in his parish helping out with the Life Teen mass as well as other activities. He heard about the house from his father who was coming to Monsignor for spiritual direction. He was intrigued.
          Josh’s call was gradual and he notes the idea of the priesthood came up in prayer and by working with people.
          “I originally went to Western Michigan University thinking I’d study business but switched to education. I know I would enjoy teaching but also want something that involves more of my faith.”
          What surprised Josh the most about his experience living at South Street is “how well everyone gets along. It’s really a continuation of a community feeling. Living here is a great place to grow spiritually. And it’s not a lock or set that you have to go to seminary.”
          That’s an important distinction for the South Street House as its very mission is to allow a year-long reflection to residents as they discern their vocations. They act in many ways like thousands of roommates — dolling out household chores; coming and going from part-time jobs. But the distinction here is the time dedicated to spiritual reflection either by participation in the mass offered at the chapel everyday at 7 a.m. or together or even alone reflecting in the cozy library.
          The residential aspect of south street is “for young adults who are seriously contemplating the priesthood but not exclusively,” notes Monsignor.
          Josh, in fact, will leave this summer and embark on a different leg of his journey. He is working with the Director of Vocations for the Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus and together they are looking for a teaching missionary assignment with a Jesuit community in Latin America or Africa. Beyond that….he’s still open.
          Past residents have journeyed on to a variety of different callings from one attending the University of Detroit in pre-theology studies to others answering the call of teaching in places as far away as Anchorage and even China.
          Where God may call these young men is sometimes unclear when they arrive, notes Msgr. One such case of this was resident Joseph. Monsignor met Joseph at St. Thomas More where he was active in student ministry.
          “Not only was Joseph active with the student ministry team, he had an interest in evangelizing to other students,” says Monsignor. “I knew he would be and is a person who positively influences others. So I approached him about our program.”
          On this March day, Joseph, a WMU grad with a BA in electrical engineering was days away from leaving Kalamazoo to take a position with Case Western University in Cleveland. When asked what he liked most about living in this unique community his face lights up and he says enthusiastically, “I enjoy the quiet, and the peace helps me to praye, discern and listen to the Holy Spirit. Living here takes me takes away from busy college life and in one that fosters my faith and helps me grow.”
          Joseph, who was raised in the Eastern Catholic rite, Syro-Malabar, encountered some initial culture shock upon his arrival from India but treasures the many different people he’s met through school and at St. Tom’s parish.
          Before coming to the United States, Joseph was involved with a youth movement in India. He had the opportunity to go to Northern India for a mission trip.
          “This was a significant experience in my life. There were remote villages where they hadn’t heard of Christianity. We did door to door evangelizing. We had strong prayer support because our presence wasn’t always welcome but I believe it’s our duty as Christians to take Jesus to other people.
          “After that experience I came to the United States and slowly the thought of priesthood came to me. I’m still discerning if that’s God’s will. Right at this moment the door is still open.”
          Monsignor smiles warmly and knowingly having lived now alongside Joseph for awhile and notes maybe God’s calling someone like him to the scientific world to ensure positive ethics.
          This fall Monsignor hopes to welcome new residents and invites all those interested to call him. Contacts come to him from a variety of places from the parish priests to parents. The key is to listen. “Discernment allows us to let God take the ball and show us where to go.”

Reflections on the Papal Visit

By Vicki Cessna

I was in 6th grade when Pope John Paul II was elected — just barely a month after the untimely death of John Paul I. I remember waiting eagerly the announcement over the P.A. (public address system — the hi-tech world of a 70s classroom). “There’s black smoke — no gray — no black,” said our principal Sister Mary Ann.
          And then finally the announcement. A young and vibrant Karol Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II.
          I grew up with John Paul II — literally. To me his youthful vigor and charisma fueled my pride in my faith. He skied. He joked with the crowd. He was an actor. A poet. On my confirmation in 7th grade my father gave me a gift: Easter Vigil and other Poems by Karol Wojtyla (it sits on my shelf today). He was instrumental in so many life-changing world events. When his death became eminent, I, like so many kept vigil. CNN was on almost non-stop in my office at the time. And when his passing was confirmed, I sat quietly on my basement couch with tears streaming down my face. For me it was so personal. I was so vividly aware of the moment he became pope I wanted to be just as aware when he no longer was.
          So after 25 years I was reluctant to accept a new pope. I must confess I have kept Pope Benedict XVI at arm’s lengthn to a degree. While I have been impressed by his intellect and theological direction having read both his encyclicals, I knew little about the Holy Father. But like the favorite teacher or boss who just can’t be replaced I, like the media, couldn’t help making silent comparisons. I thought: he’s not as charismatic or warm. He wears red shoes — what’s that all about? Does he ever smile? Is he really like a rotweiller like all the unkind rumors labeled him?
          But after his six-day trip to the U.S., having watched him almost bounce down the steps from the plane to greet the President; speak frankly with the U.S. .Bishops; reach out to the victims of sex abuse and those healing from 9-11, I am pleasantly surprised. Like seeing a stoic uncle open up and be the life of the party at a family wedding, Pope Benedict has won my heart.
And now I feel a bit protective of him. Media coverage varied from favorable to condemning. I grow weary of the misinformation spread about the church and the misinterpretation. And I feel both blessed and fortunate to be in a position to do something about that.
          And while I wasn’t among the 57,000 at Yankee Stadium I watched it on TV. Even while a beautiful spring day beckoned I still sat glued to my TV, tears strolling down my face watching the pope during the consecration of the Eucharist.
          From the very beginning of his papacy, I have respected and admired Pope Benedict. I just hadn’t expected to like him so much.

Pentecost Rich with Symbolism

By Patricia Kasten

With a rush of wind and gushing flames, the Easter season draws to a dramatic close with Pentecost. Christ’s Paschal Mystery was the key that unlocked the power of the Spirit, who brings the divine gifts that build up the church. Through the Spirit, we are baptized and confirmed, filled with the grace for our personal missions in the world. These graces and gifts lead us to envision the Holy Spirit in many ways.
          While traditional art has shown God the Father as an older man with white hair and Jesus as a young man with a Cross (even if only in a halo), there is no one way to symbolize the Spirit.
          We have used fire and water, rushing wind or a hovering dove. These are often contrasting symbols. Yet, in that very contrast, the Spirit reminds us that God united divinity and humanity in Christ. Through the Spirit, the risen Christ unites our earthliness with His divinity and gives us a share in his work on earth.
          That work encompasses three aspects. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Jesus Christ “the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet and king. The whole People of God participate in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them” (no. 783). So when we celebrate Pentecost, we celebrate how the Spirit unites us to these three offices of Christ. Traditional symbols of the Spirit help us see this more clearly.

PRIESTLY MINISTRY

Anointing. The pouring of oil is a time-honored ritual setting someone apart for a mission. In the Old Testament, Moses anointed his brother, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons as priests (Ex 40:13-15). Each Christian is likewise anointed as a sign of Christ (the title Christos means “anointed”), the High Priest. The catechism says that, at his baptism, “the Spirit filled Christ and the power of the Spirit went out from him in his acts of healing and saving.” (no. 695). In the same way, the baptized “share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission” (no. 1268).

Cloud/light. A shining cloud combine light and dark in both the Old and New Testaments, as with Moses at Sinai or on the mountain of Jesus’ Transfiguration. As the catechism notes, these revelations, “now obscure, now luminous, reveal the living and saving God, while veiling the transcendence of his glory” (no. 696). For Christians, light shining in darkness reminds us of Christ’s glory in a shadowed world. Just as the Paschal candle shone forth at the Easter Vigil, we are called to show Christ’s saving power in the world.

PROPHETIC MISSION

Fire, coming on a strong wind, is one of the main symbols for the Spirit in the church. In Acts of the Apostles (2:1-4), the Spirit descends as “tongues of fire” and the disciples begin to praise God “in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”
In the Old Testament, prophets were often associated with fire, whether for oratory skills or actual fire, as when Elijah brought flames upon Mount Carmel (1Kg 18). At baptism, Christians receive a candle, lit from the Paschal candle, symbolizing the Spirit coming into their lives. The Rite of Baptism proclaims, “Walk always as children of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your hearts.”

Wind. The disciples heard a rushing wind in the Upper Room, just before the fire of the Spirit arrived (Acts 2:2). The Spirit is associated with a living wind; Jesus, speaking of life in that Spirit, said, “You hear (the wind’s) sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:8).
The Dove. Riding the wind is the dove, the most recognized Spirit symbol. From Genesis’ Spirit moving on the waters” and Noah’s returning messenger from the receding floodwaters, to Spirit descending at Christ’s baptism, the dove has announced God’s life-giving presence. Just as the Spirit rested upon Jesus at his baptism, the catechism tells us that “the Spirit comes down and remains in the purified hearts of the baptized” (no. 701).

KINGLY WORK

Seal or stamp. The seal coming down on a document signifies permanence as well as importance. Kings and governments have used stamps and seals for ages. By baptism, confirmation and (for some) ordination, a divine stamp of approval is set. That living seal marks us forever as Christ’s. And, just as Jesus was sent into the desert after his baptism, so his followers, signed and sealed, are delivered from baptism and sent forth into the world.

The hand and the finger are lesser known symbols of the Spirit. Both represent the work of God through Jesus, especially in healing and forgiveness. The ministry of touch is central to all sacraments — from the imposing of hands at ordination, to anointing the baptized, confirmed, and sick. And, just as joined hands in marriage shows two lives becoming one, so do the finger and hand show God’s intimate union with us through his Son. As Vatican II said, “by his incarnation the Son of God … united himself with each human. … he has truly been made one of us” (Lumen Gentium, no. 22).
Christ became one with us, even in our death. Our sharing in his death, through baptism, unites us to his risen glory throughout eternity. The catechism reminds us that the Spirit is “living water welling up from Christ crucified … welling up in us to eternal life” (no. 694).Whichever symbol best reminds us of the Spirit, each serves to symbolize our union with Christ and his mission of announcing the Kingdom.

Kasten has been a Catholic journalist since 1985 and is currently associate editor of The Compass in Green Bay, Wis.

Retrouvaille – Rediscovering Love

By Jane Knuth

In December of 2000 Teresa and Allan were staring at the end of their marriage. After deceit and broken promises they weren’t even sure if it was possible to save their relationship but they tried Retrouvaille as a last resort. It wasn’t an instant fix. It wasn’t an easy fix. But today, Teresa says, “Retrouvaille was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
          Retrouvaille (French for “rediscover,” pronounced “retrovaee”) is a Catholic – sponsored peer ministry designed to be a life-line for troubled marriages. It begins with a weekend aimed at re-establishing communication between husband and wife. This is key because, as Teresa sees it; “Non-communication can be worse than infidelity.”
          The second part of the program is a series of follow-up presentations which allow time and space to work on healing. For six weeks a support group takes the couple deeper into the core of their problems and introduces them to the four decisions necessary to repair a marriage: the decision to love, the decision to trust, the decision to forgive, and the decision to recommit. These later phases cover such troublesome topics as family of origin, personality types, conflict management, and intimacy and sex.
          Tim and his wife, Susan, from Grand Rapids, had been in counseling on more than one occasion with competent therapists but they were still struggling. “Retrouvaille was just what we needed when we needed it,” Tim says. “I not only learned a lot about my wife but also about myself on multiple levels.”
          Founded in 1977 in Quebec, it quickly spread to Toronto where it was translated into English and shared with communities throughout Canada and the United States. It is now in every continent of the world. Teresa and Allan are coordinators for the program in the Lansing and Detroit dioceses and also work on expanding it into a five state region in the Midwest. Tim and Susan coordinate the Grand Rapids – based program.
          With these programs so close to Kalamazoo, Deacon Joe Schmitt, Director of Marriage and Family Ministry, counsels prospective couples to go to one of those nearby cities. “At this time funds are not available nor is it necessary to recreate the wheel here in Kalamazoo,” Deacon Joe says. “Our Couple Communication program is a very valuable tool that people use to improve their marriages. We also have Marriage Encounter weekends here, and what we really do well in the Diocese of Kalamazoo is marriage preparation through the Marriage Discovery program.”
          How successful is Retrouvaille for marriages in trouble? Teresa points out that many Detroit judges assign couples to attend a weekend as a condition before signing divorce papers. In a follow-up study of couples who were forced to attend in this way, 50 percent were still married five years later and considered it hugely successful. Out of all couples participating in Retrouvaille, 80-85 percent save their marriages.
          Tim is sure it saved his and Susan’s marriage. “Some people say you find your true love once in life, but because of Retrouvaille I found my love   twice — with the same woman.”
          Teresa recommends Retrouvaille to many people she knows. “I’ve given the cost of a weekend to family members on their anniversaries. I tell my family and friends that there isn’t anyone who couldn’t improve themselves and their relationship. It’s a gift to give to each other. I don’t want to sound like a Bible-thumper, but today, Allan and I have the marriage that God intended us to have.”

Catholic Family Services Helps Homeless
Older Youth on Their Journey to Adulthood

By Kerry Lyn Williams

Each year, Catholic Family Services’ Transitional Living Program (TLP) serves more than 80 homeless, unaccompanied youth in Kalamazoo County. Who are these youth? Where did they come from? And how did they end up homeless? While each youth has a unique story, each comes to Catholic Family Services to receive help and support so that they can change their lives, become self-sufficient and succeed on the journey to adulthood.
          The TLP serves youth ages 16-21. Many of these youth come to the program broken and lost, having experienced various forms of abuse and neglect. Some come to the program because their parents have kicked them out, others because they choose to leave an unsafe home. Still others are aging out of the foster care system and simply have nowhere to go. Of the youth who sought TLP services in 2007, 22 percent entered the program directly from a shelter environment. An astounding 15 percent had been living on the streets and 57 percent reported “couch-hopping” in private residences. None of these youth had safe, stable housing — a warm place to call their own each night. Imagine knowing that your child lacked something so fundamental as a safe place to sleep every night.
          As a result of their current situation, these youth face enormous challenges. They lack the education and experience to get a decent job. This leads to insufficient income — they cannot afford basic needs and often go hungry. Many are young parents and need additional resources to care for their children. Yet, in spite of what might appear insurmountable odds, these youth do not want you to pity them. They want you to help them. They come into the program with challenges, but they also come with strengths and talents. Many will amaze you with their resiliency and ability to work with what they have. They simply need help learning new skills and understanding how to make use their strengths to succeed.
          The TLP provides that essential help. By engaging these youth and working to provide them with safe housing — meeting their basic needs first — the program helps them to develop a sense of security and stability. Building upon that foundation, TLP staff connects the youth with essential educational and employment resources, helping them to begin to generate sufficient income to support themselves. Teen parents are connected with resources to meet their needs. Unique services are provided for each individual; the end goal is the same for all — using the youth’s strengths and working on their personal goals while ensuring safety, stability, and self-sufficiency.
          Catholic Family Services is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1 million grant to support the TLP program. The grant, providing $200,000 a year for five years, comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and ensures that these resources and supports will be available for Kalamazoo County youth. The funds are also used to leverage grants which provide housing and/or rental subsidies for TLP youth, ensuring they have a safe, stable place to stay as they start their journey.

Seminary Screening Early Step for Healthy Priesthood

By Emilie Lemmons

          Since the sexual abuse scandal unfolded dramatically in public view in 2002, Catholic seminaries have refined their admissions screening with more emphasis on attracting healthy candidates and keeping problematic ones out of the priesthood. Interviews examining candidates’ sexual and dating histories are more common and thorough, for example, and diocesan vocations offices do a better job of filtering out men who don’t make the grade before they even apply to the seminary.
          “Not only are seminaries conducting careful psychological assessments, including assessments of a candidate’s psychosexual maturity and capacity for chaste celibacy, but they are also providing an integrated program of formation in the area of human sexuality,” said Msgr. Jeremiah McCarthy, director of accreditation and institutional evaluation for the Association of Theological Schools, based in Pittsburgh.
          The stronger emphasis is reflected in the newest version of the Program of Priestly Formation, released by the U.S. bishops in 2006, Msgr. McCarthy said. The program governs seminary formation in the United States.
          Officials are quick to point out, however, that the church has been working to strengthen seminary screening and formation for more than a decade.
          Msgr. Stephen Rossetti, a psychologist who heads the St. Luke Institute, a Silver Spring, Md., residential treatment center for priests and religious with psychological problems, has seen a “modest increase in the amount of help” seminaries have requested since the early 2000s.
          A trend noticed at the seminary level is that potential priesthood candidates are examined more thoroughly by diocesan vocations offices before they apply to the seminary.
          “The dioceses that send us candidates are doing a much better job of screening before they come to see us,” said Sulpician Father Gerald Brown, who became rector of St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, Calif., in 2004.
          It’s an extra level of scrutiny that wasn’t there a few years ago, he said. “In the past, a diocese might say, ‘We’re not sure about this guy, but let’s send him, and the seminary can screen him out.’ Now, they don’t send him if they’re not sure about it.”
          To be accepted into a seminary, all men seeking the priesthood must undergo standard psychological tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Rorschach inkblot test. But those don’t necessarily detect potential molesters, Msgr. Rossetti said.
          In his consultations with seminaries, he said, he encourages them to include a “full, in-depth psychosexual history.” A trained clinician sits down with each candidate and asks him about his sexual and relationship history. Questions range from queries about the man’s sexual orientation to his dating life.
          The clinician looks for a number of typical scenarios that might suggest a man is a higher risk for being a sexual abuser. Men who are emotionally regressed and immature raise a red flag. So do men who have been victims of abuse themselves and seem stuck in their victimhood. Compulsively sexual individuals, narcissists, and passive or dependent men who don’t have healthy peer relationships also warrant further scrutiny, he said.

Article courtesy of the USCCB.

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 Susan E. Reed

          One of the seven practices of Christian charity that we Catholics know as the “corporal works of mercy” is to visit those in prison. Many immigrants are detained in jails and prisons while they await Immigration Court hearings or deportation. Immigration detainees in Michigan are housed in four locations: Wayne County, Monroe County, Chippewa County, and, notably for our diocese, in Calhoun County at the Calhoun County Jail.
          Many immigrants are detained there for weeks, months, even years, without ever having the opportunity to speak with a lawyer. In the landmark case, Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963), the United States Supreme Court held that the right of a defendant in a criminal trial to have the assistance of counsel is a fundamental Constitutional right essential to a fair trial and due process. So, in our system, criminal defendants who cannot afford to pay counsel are entitled to have counsel appointed for them. This serves not only the accused, but also the public interest because it promotes more efficient proceedings, shorter detention periods, better legal decisions, and justice itself. However, because immigration is a civil matter, not a criminal matter, immigrants who cannot afford to pay attorneys generally do not have them. By federal statute, persons in Immigration Court removal proceedings are entitled to “the privilege of being represented,” but “at no expense to the government.” Immigration and Nationality Act § 292. Due to the distance of the Calhoun County and Chippewa County facilities, in particular, from Detroit where the vast majority of Michigan immigration attorneys have their practices and where a few nonprofit firms struggle to keep up with demand, the vast majority of detainees cannot secure an attorney. Detainees are not presently provided any form of legal orientation to help them know and understand their rights.
          Detained immigrants right here in our diocese face tremendous isolation that leads to a great deal of suffering. In Matthew 25:34, Jesus tells us, “I was in prison and you came to visit me.” There is no qualification in the statement suggesting that Jesus only wants us to care for those whom we believe are wrongly imprisoned. Christ’s compassion extends to all. Certainly it must extend to the many detainees in Calhoun County Jail and throughout the country who may (or may not) have violated the civil immigration law. In a landmark pastoral letter issued by the Catholic bishops of Mexico and the United States, Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, the bishops acknowledge that the current immigration system is badly in need of reform and that a comprehensive approach to fixing it is required. The bishops offer a comprehensive set of recommendations for changing U.S. laws and policies to reflect the principles contained in Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching and to bring about a more humane and just immigration system in the United States. One of the key elements of the bishops’ call for reform is the restoration of due process.
          As individuals, we probably can’t each go to Battle Creek and visit immigrants in the Calhoun County Jail. Few of us could step in to pay attorney fees or the high cash bonds that are often required to secure a person’s release. (The more traditional phrasing of the work of mercy is “ransoming the captive!”) However, we can live Christ’s call to compassion as a church by continuing to support ministries like our diocesan Immigration Assistance Program and heeding the bishops’ call to seek humane immigration reform. That we do unto Him.

Susan Reed is a member of the Justice for Immigrants committee and a parishioner of St. Joseph, Kalamazoo.

A Short Story – “I once knew a Rich man like you

By Greg Szcztoka
Jail and Prison Ministry

          I rarely get asked as to how or why I became involved in this ministry. I suspect many choose not to ask out of fear that I might use that as an opportunity to try to press them into service. I can’t fault them. My initial response to performing charitable work was to immediately go to “periscope depth” or better yet run silent/run deep and begin evasive maneuvers to avoid detection.
          That all worked fine until a now retired Msgr. decided to run a stewardship campaign at our parish. He made up little books listing all the ministries that a layperson could become involved with. For about 6 weeks he relentlessly encouraged the parishioners to pick something. And as I recall it took all of six weeks to reel me in thrashing and fighting like a giant tuna all the way.
          In the end, I chose the intriguing, tough guy, “where few men dare to go”, Jail and Prison Ministry. My macho delusion was quickly shattered when I met Sr. Rita and learned that the ministry included other female volunteers, senior citizens, and ordinary guys. I quickly dismissed the need for some type of “Special Forces” training. It turned out that basic training would be needed in the Bible, the Catholic faith and how to interact with the inmates.
          To make a long story short, before joining the ministry my faith was fairly non-existent and essentially useless. Developing the bible study sessions and sharing them with the inmates helped me grow in many ways, spiritually, emotionally and socially.
          But the tough decision regarding this ministry came along when the Diocese was in need of a coordinator to oversee the religious services at four juvenile detention centers, nine county jails and three state prisons.
          I had just retired and my initial thought was — no way, Greg. You’re a free man now, you worked really hard, and you earned this retirement, its time to kick back and enjoy life. But every now and then a nagging thought would creep in; that maybe I should reconsider.
          I recall a conversation I had with God before finally deciding to embark on the ministry. “Ok Lord,” I thought. “How do you figure that I have the talent for this job? After all, I’m an engineer, I’m a more technically rather than socially orientated guy. I haven’t hung around the clergy, I don’t know church policies and I’ll probably have to deal with a lot of really, really nice people, which, for some reason, makes me feel uncomfortable.
          What I heard back in that conversation was the insight that I’ve held numerous managerial positions during my career and have dealt with many organizational technical, personnel and regulatory issues. I realized that I’ve learned and adapted in each of those cases and I would be able to as well in my ministry.

If you’re interested in reaching out to the imprisoned, please don’t hesitate to contact me or visit our website to learn more: www.catholicjailministry.org