July/August
2003
We have a limited number of back issues available in print.
To request back issues, e-mail jjob@dioceseoflansing.org
or call 517-342-2595. You will be charged the regular cover price
of $2.50 per issue.
Oh, what Margaret has seen in
her 107 years
By By Jan DeRossett | Photography by James Luning
 The
Mackinac Bridge spans from one peninsula of Michigan to the other.
Miss Margaret Muir’s life has spanned the centuries –
from the 19th to the 21st, with the turbulent straits of the 20th
century streaming underneath.
Margaret Muir, age 107 on July 23, is healthy and feeling good.
Memories are alive in Margaret’s eyes, which are alight
and happy with so much more than she can share in mere words. While
her long life has been filled with countless personal experiences
she could share, Margaret is a humble, private person. Nonetheless,
when visiting someone who has seen three centuries, one can’t
help but be still and watchful, and just want to listen.
Pictures from throughout the 20th century decorate Margaret’s
home, and a formal portrait hangs in the library of the school that
is named for her. Her stalwart appearance and character are
reflected in a newspaper photograph archived at her school, from
when she retired as an elementary teacher in 1966. In the picture,
her hair is in an elegant French twist, with abundant curls on top.
She wears button earrings and her features are dignified and ageless.
And she is surrounded by little people – her first and second
grade students whom she would teach many things, including how to
read.
How is it that she is still remembered and beloved by her students,
even when she retired 37 years ago? What was it about this woman
that enabled her to reach out to these young children so readily?
It is clear that Miss Muir made a constant effort to meet her students’
needs in the midst of their young struggles. Jesus asks, “Is
a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and
not on a stand?” (Mk 4:21) Miss Muir’s goal was to help
the light of her children shine for all to see.
 Miss
Muir understands that teachers can have a profound effect on children’s
lives. As she was growing up at the turn of the 20th century,
she had a particular admiration for her Aunt Katie, a teacher. Margaret’s
aunt was a very proper lady who could be seen wearing a high stand-up
collar, as was the fashion, and long sleeves – not baring more
than a wrist, even if the weather was hot. “We went to the
school and Aunt Katie was the teacher,” she remembers, smiling.
“She had a dress that had a little decoration on the back,
just a little tail hanging down. ... We used to tell her we would
hang on it when the wind blew.”
When Margaret was young, her mother, who was a convert to Catholicism,
and her Aunt Katie would lead them in the rosary every evening.
During that time, Margaret’s older sister, May, prayed for
help for her disability. Mary Lucille, known as May, had been born
with clubfoot. Although there are successful treatments for this
condition today, this wasn’t the case many years ago. At a
time in which physical labor was both highly valued and an economic
necessity, Margaret’s sister was considered lame.
Her family owned horses on their homestead farm, which allowed May
to get from place to place. Margaret would walk to school, but “May,
with her crippled feet, rode a horse,” she explains. “When
she got off the horse, the horse would go home.” Meanwhile,
as young Margaret walked to school, she carried a stick to protect
her from snakes along the way. She recalls taking President Roosevelt’s
advice, which was to “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”
When she was growing up, Margaret’s family lived in Lennon,
Mich. They later moved to the Brighton area, and their furniture
had to be delivered by railroad. Her father was a telegrapher. As
Margaret says, “He got the news for the newspapers.” Margaret
was the second oldest child, and May was the oldest. They also had
two younger sisters, Katherine and Grace, and two younger brothers,
Joe and John.
Margaret shares a story about a dog that would eventually become
a beloved family pet. “When I lived in Lennon, I had a little
dog that was sort of a nuisance,” she explains. Her parents
decided to give the dog away to someone in Saginaw. After some time,
the dog returned on its own, and no longer misbehaved. As Margaret
recalls, “One morning, I got up to find the dog had come home
on the porch.” She kept the dog, and its loyalty has left an
enduring impression on her.
 As
a little girl, Margaret says she “grew up on the dictionary.”
This is because when she was small, she used to sit on a dictionary
so that she could eat at the table. “I was a rather tough little
girl according to my sister (May),” says Margaret. “My
sister was always upset if I went someplace and she didn’t
go.” Their uncle, Andrew, would often take Margaret places
in a wagon which she remembers had a springy seat. “I sat heavy
on the seat to keep it jiggly,” Margaret reminisces.
By tradition, May was to marry first, since she was the eldest.
Yet because of her disability, there were not many prospective suitors.
“I was right on the edge of marrying,” says Margaret,
“but my sister was a cripple, so I did what my sister wanted.”
She couldn’t bring herself to hurt May by leaving her, and
instead stood by her side. Indeed, Margaret’s friendship with
her sister proved to be the longest lasting and most important relationship
of her life.
One day many years ago, May’s prayers were answered. A
chance meeting allowed her to have an operation for her disability,
and May prayed the rosary every day for the rest of her life in
thanksgiving. She eventually married as well. May lived until 1991,
and died at age 98. Margaret was close with her sister her entire
life, and accepted her passing with her usual grace.
Margaret’s decision not to marry was perhaps also inspired
by her vocation. She knew that being a wife and mother might
not allow her the opportunity for a teaching career, which she was
inspired to pursue by her Aunt Katie’s example. “She thought
that somebody ought to be a teacher sometime,” Miss Muir declares,
simply. In the end, Miss Muir was not content to give up teaching
until age 70. Later, a new school was built and dedicated in her
honor.
Much had changed since she had started teaching in 1914, in the
same one-room schoolhouse she attended as a child. After graduating
from Brighton High School, both Margaret and her sister May enrolled
for a six-week teacher’s training course at what is now Eastern
Michigan University. Margaret’s nephew, Joe, explains that
the other girls at the school made fun of their dresses. They had
only two dresses each – one for warm weather, and one for cold.
As a result, the two sisters decided to complete the remainder of
their extension courses by mail.
 Miss
Muir then began teaching grades one through eight in the schoolhouse.
Each morning, she would come early to start a fire and warm up the
room. She claims she hired someone to help her with all the work,
but according to her nephew, “She did it all.” Miss Muir
would even bring in food for the poor farmer kids, and cooked potatoes
for lunch while they studied each morning.
“I remember one boy who I would keep after school to teach,”
she says. “Then, I’d let him go, and I’d watch him
run all the way home. I remember distinctly watching him run down
that lane.” Even though he didn’t want to be there, Miss
Muir knew it was important that the boy pass the approaching exams.
“He did very well, and after the examinations, he came and
thanked me for keeping him,” she says.
This is one reason why Miss Muir was such a special teacher.
She didn’t allow any of her students – her children –
to fall behind. “My students learned to read very well,”
she recalls. Years later, those little students who gathered around
Miss Muir and learned from her would often come back to visit her.
They would expect her to remember them – and she would. She
treated all of her students with patience and love, and they would
come back to thank her. Such is the kingdom of God.
 “Jesus
said to his disciples, ‘Let the children come to me, do not
hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly,
I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a
child shall not enter it.’ And He took them in His arms and
blessed them, laying his hands upon them.” (Mk 10:14-16)
Peggy McDonald met Margaret and her sister at a
“Renew” meeting in the 1980s. Peggy remembers how
Margaret had described the people in her life during the meeting.
“All the people I ever knew loved me the best that they could,”
Margaret said. For Peggy, this was very profound statement. It seemed
to strip away false expectations, and revealed a humble way of approaching
the world. Margaret’s simplicity seems to reflect what it means
to be pure of heart and to receive the kingdom of God like a child.
For much of her life, Margaret lived in a house that she describes
is “at the gravel pit.” An aggregate company had received
the short end of a deal when they gave her a life-time lease on
her house. She proudly points out her house in various news articles
published throughout the years. Many of us in the Diocese of Lansing
have surely driven on roads made from her family farm, and the gravel
pit has also been used in the building of many houses, work places
and churches in the area.
Miss Muir no longer lives in her house. Instead, she lives in a
nursing home, and her friend Peggy McDonald is among those who visit.
Peggy, a Eucharistic minister for the homebound, now brings her
Holy Communion. They sit down close together, so they may talk and
pray together. On this particular day, after completing the Rite
of Communion for the Sick, Peggy gives Margaret some chocolate chip
cookies she brought. Miss Muir doesn’t have to watch her diet,
and relishes the treat.
Meanwhile, a photo-copied picture of the Mackinac Bridge hangs on
a corkboard nearby. In pink letters across the top, it reads, “Do
not remove.” Miss Muir doesn’t know why it is there. Yet
it remains, as a sign of her life, which has spanned the centuries
and has resulted in many, many blessings.
ministry focus
Imagine the wisdom there is waiting to be discovered in senior citizens
in your area. Become a part of your parish’s outreach to our
elders by calling your parish today or Ellen McKay at the
diocesan aging ministry office: (517) 342- 2467.
Ronnie has dealt with his handicap, accepted it
and conquered it. Much of the credit for that goes to his parents
and siblings. His mother, Frieda, says that when Ronnie was born,
their prayer was, “God, you gave him to us. Make him the best.”
Ronnie not only dealt
with his handicap – he conquered it
By Bob Horning | Photography by Christine Jones
 Ronnie
Knapp is 37 years old. He is a member of St. Casimir’s Church
in Lansing, and of the Knights of Columbus Council 788. Ronnie
has been featured in newspapers and on television, and likes to
hang out with celebrities. He even has a video clip of himself meeting
and talking with former President Bill Clinton.
Ronnie works part-time at a McDonald’s restaurant, likes
doing artwork, and started his own disc jockey business, for which
he is most well-known, at age 19. None of this is extraordinary
until you learn one more fact. He was born with Down Syndrome.
That’s a handicap to Ronnie, of course, but one that he
has also used to his advantage in pursuing his life’s dream
– being a deejay. Ronnie has a corner on the market for
deejaying at handicapped functions, such as the George Perles (former
Michigan State University football coach) Area 8 Special Olympics
Golf Classic. However, that’s only a small part of his business.
He has also done the Ingham County Sheriff Department’s mounted
division dance the past five years. He deejays for the Lansing and
Kalamazoo Knights of Columbus, Lansing Parks and Recreation, nursing
homes, graduations and weddings, parish festivals, and more –
traveling as far away as Toledo, Ohio.
As his brother, Phillip, says, “When he sets his mind to
something, he does it. When he is judged as a deejay, it is
against normal people that he is compared, not against handicapped;
and he compares well. That is why people respect him.”
 Ronnie
describes his work this way: “It keeps me busy, and happy,
all the time. I neverget tired of it. I keep my people dancing
all night long on that dance floor. I love the crowd and the crowd
loves me.” Ronnie says his favorite part is when he leads everyone
in dancing the ‘chicken dance’ and the ‘hokey-pokey.’
“He knows how to work a crowd,” Phillip says. “He
quickly figures out what the people like from the response to the
variety of music he plays – slow, fast, rock, oldies –
and gives them what they want, not what he likes himself.”
Ronnie prays right before he starts a gig. “I will go
in the corner and pray for five minutes and ask God to help me not
to stutter.” he says.
His mother, Frieda, who is his business manager, handles his
phone calls and his bookings, and drives him to and from his jobs.
She also helps him with his finances. “I don’t know much
about math,” he says, “except that with a $20 bill I can
buy a CD, or if I find a sale, I can get two.” Ronnie brings
his own equipment and CDs to the functions.
 Ronnie
has dealt with his handicap, accepted it and conquered it. Much
of the credit for that goes to his parents and siblings. His mother
said that she has always taken the view that if you treat people
with development disabilities as individuals, exposing them to reality,
they will grow.
Phillip recalls that Ronnie was super as a kid. “He
never cried, always had a smile on his face and was a joy to be
around. He was a regular part of the family, doing chores, going
with us everywhere. It would have been a disservice to him if we
had treated him differently.”
Ronnie is the last of eight children, being born when Frieda
was 42. Giving birth past age 40 raises the odds of having a
child with Down Syndrome from one in 800 to about one in 100. Down
Syndrome is caused from chromosome 21 not being a normal pair, but
a triplet, and the most common characteristics are upward slanting
eyes, broad face, flattened skull, short hands, feet and trunk,
and a small nose, along with limited intellectual development.
 Frieda’s
husband, Chuck, died of a heart attack when Ronnie was 18. Frieda
says that when Ronnie was born, their prayer was, “God, you
gave him to us. Make him the best.” She adds, “It was
challenging, of course, and I realized in raising him, that without
God I am nothing.” But their prayer was answered, as is evidenced
in Ronnie’s ability to function highly.
He does have some regrets about his condition and sometimes will
say, “I wish I was normal like you, but I can’t change
that.” Or, “I dream of being six feet tall, but God
made me this way (4’10”).” Still, he is neither ashamed
nor angry about having Down Syndrome. The only thing he says he
doesn’t like is when young people stare at him. “If they
say I am retarded, I tell them, ‘No. I am handicapped.’”
Though his deejay business is central in his life, Ronnie has
other interests. Fr. Bill Lugger of St. Casimir says, “Ronnie
is at church every Sunday. He is there for all of the Easter and
Christmas events, too. He is well-known around the parish and is
a witness to the Catholic life as it should be lived. He is outgoing.
He likes to bring the medals he wins at Special Olympics to church
to show to the parish – and they applaud him.”
 At
the McDonald’s where he works nine hours per week, Ronnie is
a lobby manager. He keeps the area clean, opens the door and
greets customers as they come in. He generally acts as the host,
according to his boss, Kelly Smith. She says that he is always on
time and never calls in sick. “He jokes with the crew when
he comes in. He knows a lot of the customers (he has worked there
over 14 years) and talks with them. He is a good employee.”He
is also a huge Michigan State fan. “My bedroom is green and
white all the way,” he says, which is no exaggeration. It’s
like walking into a Spartan gift shop. There are socks, hats, a
clock, posters, pillows, a blanket, rugs, balls, mugs, chair, lamp,
stuffed bears, Sparty Soda – all with the MSU colors or logo,
and several pictures of himself with coaches and players.
Ronnie Knapp has accomplished a lot and he is proud of it.
He points out the single deep crease along the center of his palm,
which is indicative of those with Down Syndrome. It isn’t uncommon
for those who have come to know Ronnie to check their own palm,
looking, maybe hoping, for a crease a little like his.
ministry focus
Parish festivals and social activities are in full swing
this summer. Find out how you can be a part of it all by calling
your parish office today. For a list of parish activities in the
Diocese of Lansing, click here.
“The aspect of planning forms a good relationship between
the couple, because you’re not able to have relations all
the time and have to practice abstinence and discipline,” Kathy
says. “People are amazed when they’re told about ... how
it works.”
planning a family?
this couple found a way to plan a family
that also strengthened their marriage
By Jan Rynearson | Photography by Christine Jones
Nowadays people may not know about natural,
healthy ways to plan for a family. Migel and Kathy Gatica of
Flushing do and are big believers in natural family planning (NFP).
According to this couple, NFP is not only effective, but it has
strengthened both their marriage and their faith.
When the Gaticas became engaged, Kathy’s mother, Virginia
Therrien, suggested they might want to pursue NFP classes. They
decided to take them at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Burton
and have been using NFP for their family planning during 14 years
of marriage. “We were taught that this is what the Church expects,
natural planning,” says Kathy. “It is much healthier than
a lot of things people can use.”
Although people are aware of NFP, the Gaticas say most don’t
talk about it. Yet, gradually, they’re finding more couples
who are using natural family planning. Kathy’s brother and
his fiancée are currently taking the classes so they can
practice NFP following their marriage this summer.
Migel and Kathy also say that in some parishes, NFP is not stressed
and classes are not readily available in every parish. “Most
people today are not being taught that NFP is an option,” says
Kathy. “To me it’s obedience to what the Church teaches.”
Kathy says NFP seems impossible for some people because they aren’t
used to saying “no.” They want “what they want, when
they want it.”
“NFP is nothing like the rhythm method,” she points
out. “The woman learns her menstrual cycle and when the
safe period exists. You always ovulate (a number of) days before
you start your period. There is a two to three week safe period.”
Through NFP, Kathy learned all about her cycle and zeroed in on
her ovulation time. “A woman’s cycle can be different,
but she can learn everything about it through practicing the program,”
she explains.
Kathy has encountered women who have had difficulty getting pregnant,
but have been successful in conceiving with the use of NFP.
“The aspect of planning forms a good relationship between the
couple, because you’re not able to have relations all the time
and have to practice abstinence and discipline,” she says.
“People are amazed when they’re told about the program
and how it works.”
“You don’t take her (your wife) for granted,”
adds Migel. “When you’re able to be together, it’s
more special. It’s like old fashioned courting or dating
where people learn to know each other. I think of it as a mini-Lent.
You give up something you really want. Then at Easter you can have
it.”
Kathy says with NFP you learn to appreciate and anticipate your
time with each other. “It keeps the relationship exciting,”
she says. Migel agrees. “Periodically, I will pick up a card
or flowers or take Kathy out to dinner for no particular reason
other than to just let her know how special she is to me,”
he shares. “You learn to better appreciate the many qualities
that your spouse has.”
Some of the women at Migel’s place of work note what a special
relationship he and Kathy have. They were curious about NFP,
so Migel took them some pamphlets. The couple is always willing
to share the success of the program in their life with others.
“Every child that is brought into this world is another
soul that can bring glory and honor to God,” says Kathy.
“NFP made me look at it a little differently rather than in
a selfish way.”
“Really, to me, NFP makes the relationship stronger,”
adds Migel. “For us, it works out well, but like everything
else, sometimes it’s not easy.”
 The
Gaticas, both in their late 30s, are the parents of five children,
all of them wanted and planned with God’s cooperation.
Brianna is 13, Leah, 11, Michael, 8, Maria, 6, and Matthew is 22
months old. Brianna attended kindergarten and, Leah, preschool,
but since then, their mother has been busy homeschooling her children.
In 1993, after a 7-month pregnancy, Kathy gave birth to a stillborn
son, named Migel, after his father. After suffering this loss, they
were anxious to try again. A year later, Michael was born, and two
years after that, Maria arrived. The couple still wanted another
boy. Matthew came along to fill this void. They say he is probably
their biggest challenge and greatest joy – a toddler who keeps
the entire family busy.
The Gaticas have their minds set open to God’s will.
It’s whatever He wants, they say. When they first married,
Migel wanted two or three children and Kathy, four or five. Along
the way Migel had a change of heart and wanted more. Together, they
say, “God had the whole thing planned.”
According to Rita M. Michaels, R.N., “NFP helps couples
understand how this gift of fertility works from a factual, scientific
standpoint so that both husband and wife realize the purposeful
workings of the human body united with God, to bring new life into
the world.” The Catholic Church has consistently taught “the
sacredness of every human life from the moment of conception until
death.”
Michaels is coordinator of the Natural Family Planning Program for
the Diocese of Lansing. She explains, “NFP uses a natural pattern
to help couples conceive who are having difficulties and to teach
couples who have serious reasons not to conceive to use the natural
pattern to postpone pregnancy. It does not divide the unitive and
procreative meaning of the conjugal act.”
3 facts about
Natural Family Planning
Natural family planning (NFP) includes several scientific methods
of charting a woman’s natural signs of fertility and infertility.
1 Totally natural: No chemicals are used to interfere with
normal bodily function.
2 NFP is 99 percent effective to postpone pregnancy when
used as taught.
3 Couples using NFP have a less than 5% divorce rate compared
to the general population. Marriages are strengthened by mutual
commitment and increased communication required by using NFP.
Rita Michaels, RN, a Billings Ovulation Method teacher, is coordinator
for the NFP Program for the Diocese of Lansing. The NFP Program
recently achieved endorsement from the Diocesan Development Program
for NFP under the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. You
can learn more about NFP during NFP Awareness Week, July 20-27,
and by checking the NFP Program Web site at nfplansing.catholicweb.com
3 new priests
one is married:
meet them all
Interviewed by Ronald Landfair | Photography by Christine Jones
 They
come with dreams and expectations – taught of the past but
prepared for the future. Theirs is a voluntary road, absent
of nuclear family – save one, uniquely – but saturated
with people along the way. Two of them emerge from non-Catholic
families; one is a life-long Catholic. Their lives are pledged to
God as servant leaders. As shepherds and stewards, they learn to
follow as well as lead.
Priests do not spring from nothingness. They have personal histories
as well as unlived futures. What will they take with them on
their career Emmaus walks? What “less-traveled roads”
have they chosen to take?
Meet Fr. John Fain, Fr. Jeffrey Njus and Fr. Steven Anderson.
Ordained priests on June 14, 2003, Fr. Jeff and John concluded their
studies at Mundelein Seminary, near Chicago, and Fr. Steve at Sacred
Heart Seminary, Detroit. Fr. John (the son of James and Mary Fain)
hails from St. Michael Parish, Flint, and is the oldest of six children.
Fr. Jeff (the son of Richard and Gayle Njus) was born in Curacao,
Netherlands Antilles, in the Caribbean, and is the younger of two
boys. His home parish is St. Martha, Okemos. Fr. Steve is the sixth
of seven children (the son of Nelson and Marion Anderson), and is
a native of Pontiac, Mich. He is the first married man to be ordained
a priest for the Diocese of Lansing. See
below to find out more.
These three men have now entered the phase of priestly young
adulthood. At this pivotal moment in their personal histories,
take a moment to briefly to get to know them – their pasts,
their presents and
possibly their futures.
 a
few moments with Fr. John Fain
On the inspiration to become a priest: There really is
no single reason. Fundamentally every vocation – including
my own – is a personal response to the call of Jesus Christ.
For that reason, it is somewhat hard to articulate because it
is so personal, so interior. A vocation develops and grows over
time. I can say that I felt a calling to the priesthood from an
early age. Growing up I was blessed to know priests who were excellent
role models, particularly at my home parish, St. Michael, and
at the Catholic elementary school I attended, St. John Vianney.
I was an altar server at both parishes and developed a love for
the Mass. I certainly benefitted from participating in parish
life at St. Michael, which is a very close community and has always
been supportive of vocations. Parishioners and teachers at the
Catholic schools I attended encouraged me to think about the priesthood.
The best part of my preparation for priesthood: I’ve
enjoyed a number of things. Two years ago, I had an internship
at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing. I really enjoyed
working with the priests and staff there. I have no doubt that
the rest of our lives will be devoted to restoring trust in the
priesthood and in the Church itself. ... The world is going to
change radically and rapidly over the next 50 years. I think that
it would be much better if we, as a Church, anticipated and planned
for these changes rather than reacted to them after they have
occurred. The seminary that I attend(ed) strongly encourages proficiency
in Spanish, so after my internship I studied Spanish for five
weeks in Guadalajara. Mexico has a culture which is strongly Catholic
and very family-oriented. It was a very eye-opening experience
for me. This past summer I spent 10 weeks working as a chaplain
at Covenant Hospital in Saginaw. I was assigned to the ICU units
and worked frequently in the ER. I was called in to deal with
a number of tragic situations; yet, I also witnessed the tremendous
power that prayer and faith provide in the midst of suffering.
My best example of a “good” priest: I have been
inspired in many ways by the parish priests, formation directors,
and seminary professors I have known. I have known a number of
dedicated religious women and men as well. A priest who has been
a mentor to me over the past number of years is Fr. Jim Eisele,
with whom I worked at St. Alphonsus, Deerfield, and is currently
the pastor of St. Agnes, Flint.
The best advice I’ve gotten: Read the Bible every
day. Be flexible. Don’t keep grudges. Think before you speak.
Don’t forget where you come from.
The advice I would give to someone considering priesthood:
At times, I meet people considering vocations who expect to receive
a dramatic sign from God confirming their call. That probably
won’t happen. If a person feels a sense of peace after praying
about a vocation, that is the best sign. I would strongly encourage
a person considering a religious vocation to find a good spiritual
director who can assist in discerning God’s will for his
or her life. It is also very helpful to meet people in a seminary
or religious community.
The challenges I see in my future as a priest: I think
we need to do a much better job of catechesis and evangelization.
Of the people with whom I grew up, I am one of a few who has remained
a practicing Catholic. The conventional wisdom is that young adults
return to the Church when they want to marry or have their own
children baptized. I am not convinced that this is necessarily
true of my generation or the generation following mine. I think
that the Church in the United States needs to undertake a serious
study of which catechetical and evangelical approaches are the
most effective. We should also be less hesitant to employ the
methodologies of other Christian denominations which are successful
at evangelization.
 a
few moments with Fr. Jeffrey Njus
My inspiration to become a priest: On a trip during college
I went to Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
at Christmas time. The beauty of the liturgy and the mix of people
– both pilgrims and Palestinian school kids – drew me
in. I wanted to be a part of that. Fr. Jeff’s parents
(Richard & Gayle Njus) observe, “Apparently on this trip
to study the world’s major religions, Jeff studied and worshiped
with Catholic scholars ... and in Rome had a physical touch from
the Holy Father. These events caused Jeffrey to question his future
path and to seek guidance from his professors and the local parish
priest in Minnesota. Imagine our surprise when (he) telephoned
(us) his Protestant parents, and told us of his plans to convert
to Catholicism! Our first question was how this would impact his
plans to become a minister. There was silence on the other end
of the line and Jeffrey replied, “I haven’t changed
my plans; I intend to become a priest.”
The best part of my prepartion for priesthood: I especially
enjoyed one summer in New York City learning about hospital ministry
with Jewish and Protestant seminarians.
The saint who most inspires me: St. Francis, because he
loved God and other people in such a lively and beautiful way.
The best example I’ve seen of a “good” priest:
I have to say the Holy Father. Pope John Paul is a great inspiration
to me.
My best talent or gift: I love to tell the stories of our
faith.
The person I most identify with in religious history is:
David in the Old Testament – because whatever mischief he
got himself into he always remembered that God loved him and he
tried to love God back.
I like to relax by: Watching a good movie.
My favorite secular film: Life is Beautiful, by
Roberto Benigni.
My favorite religious or spiritual film: Alfred Hitchcock’s
I Confess.
My biggest struggle in my personal faith journey: My biggest
struggle was the joyful adventure of converting to the Catholic
faith while I was in college. The journey challenged me deeply
but it was filled with the joy of falling in love with the Church.
The advice could you give to someone considering priesthood:
I would encourage that person to spend time with God in prayer
everyday, with their ears open to hearing what mission He has
for him.
The challenges I see in my future as a priest: Priests
that I know have told me that I will learn more in my first year
of priesthood than in all of the years of seminary combined. I
realize I have a lot to learn and that it will be challenging,
but I am excited about jumping into parish ministry with both
feet and learning more.
 a
few moments with Fr. Steven Anderson
My inspiration to become a priest: As a teen I had a religious
experience that resulted in a closer relationship with God in
a dynamic way. I became interested in reading the Bible all the
time. This developed over time and in college I felt a call to
be a pastor in a church. I prepared for this call in seminary.
All this was in various Protestant denominations. I became Catholic
by reading early Church writers, especially St. Irenaeus. He was
my most significant influence.
The best part of my prepartion for priesthood: Spirituality.
Taken together with theology and moral theology, my courses in
spirituality have helped me integrate a realistic and dynamic
Christian life.”
The saint who most inspires me: The simple ones like St.
Bernadette and the mystics who love God with all their heart like
St John of the Cross and Theresa. St. John Vianney was humble,
prayerful and given to serve his people. I am of the opinion that
a shepherd ought to smell like sheep.
My best talent or gift: (By offering) counseling I have
learned to listen and be empathetic. I like to preach. I like
to pray. I hope to be able to help reconcile people to God in
the sacrament of Penance, too.
The person I most identify with in religious history: I
have only been Catholic for four years and (I) am still amazed
at the depth of history and saints. The richness is what I enjoy
most now. One saint for humility and another for joviality, etc.
Historically, I suppose St. Irenaeus has had the most influence
on me.
I like to relax by: I like to relax with my little ones
on my lap telling me about life as a five- or eight-year-old,
or to sit in my chair and listen to my oldest son play the piano.
A small glass of wine with a friend was my favorite at seminary.
The best advice I’ve gotten: Perseverance is success.
And pray faithfully.
My biggest struggle in my personal faith journey: Finding
a healthy way to live in the tension of being a Christian. We
have been filled with the Spirit, but still live this life in
the flesh. We are citizens of heaven, but live on earth. We are
pilgrims. I have found that developing the virtues and becoming
a virtuous man has been a good approach to a healthy spirituality.
The advice could you give to someone considering priesthood:
Be courageous and bold, and be full of faith and the Holy Spirit.
In your discernment of a vocation or anything in life, never make
a decision when you are down. Always make your decisions from
consolation and faith.
My favorite religious or spiritual film: The Song of Bernadette.
The challenges I see in my future as a priest: Staying
focused on the task of reconciling people to their heavenly Father
and to one another in a way that helps establish the kingdom of
God among us.
Fr. Steve Anderson is the first married man to be ordained a
priest for the Diocese of Lansing. How can this be? Is the celibacy
rule changing? No, rules are not being broken. Find out all about
this rare exception below.
 How
can a married man be
ordained a Catholic priest?
If a married minister of certain denominations converts to Catholicism,
what is he to do if he wishes to minister as a Catholic priest?
He may approach the bishop who can petition the Vatican to consider
his possible ordination. It is at the discretion of the bishop
to make the petition – he is not required to do so. Neither
is the Vatican required to approve the bishop’s request.
Such requests are handled case by case by the Vatican and the
bishop, based on criteria in Church law.
Have married men been
ordained elsewhere?
According to CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate),
there are around 200 married Roman Catholic priests in the United
States. Other rites than the Latin rite within the Catholic Church
allow men to enter the priesthood if already married. One rule
predominates – no marriage after ordination. After all, celibacy
is not simply a “no sex” rule. It’s a richer discipline
to agree not to marry for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Isn’t this unfair
to other priests?
Men ordained to the Catholic priesthood in the Latin rite have
freely accepted the call to celibacy. Remember, celibacy is more
than the discipline not to marry. It is a gift of self for the
kingdom of God. In the case of a married minister who converts
to Catholicism, a bishop can make the decision to seek ordination
for pastoral reasons. Why is this pastoral? Because a minister
who has already exercised a ministerial vocation should be able
to petition the Vatican for ordination after he becomes Catholic.
And obviously, he can’t be expected to withdraw from his
marital or family obligations. Our priests have freely chosen
celibacy and understand that this exception is a caring, pastoral
solution within Church law.
Does this mean the
celibacy rule is changing?
Since Vatican II, the Church has found a way to accept the conversion
of non-Catholic married clergy and to accept their ministerial
vocation as well. This pastoral exception has been in effect many
years. It does not mean the discipline for celibacy is changing
or being relaxed.
Do married clergy converts
have to study in a seminary?
The need for additional formation in Catholic priesthood is always
required. These men attend major seminary with other seminarians
studying for the priesthood.
Will a married priest minister
differently than a celibate priest?
The married priest will serve no differently than a celibate
priest. Just like any priest, he will have the same faculties
to administer the sacraments.
What will be the role of
the priest’s wife in the parish?
There is no official role for the priest’s wife. Think of
her as you would a deacon’s wife.
If the married priest’s wife dies
will he be allowed to remarry?
No. Similar to a deacon, Canon Law (Church law) prohibits remarriage
if the spouse of the deacon dies first.
Do married priest’s children
get special status or privileges?
Other priests, who are not married, may have children from a
previous marriage or adoption. Married priests’ children
are treated no differently than these – no special status.
Where does the married
priest and his family live?
A married priest would have an office at the parish but would
live with his family. It is natural and expected that the married
priest would live in a separate residence – not in a traditional
rectory with other priests. Many parishes already provide their
priests with a separate residence apart from the parish office.
Does the married priest
receive a salary from the parish?
All priests receive a salary from the parish or institution of
the Church to which they are assigned. Married priests, like all
diocesan priests, are not under the vow of poverty.
"The Matrix"as a Lesson
in Anthropology
Interview With J.J. Muñoz García,
Professor of Anthropology and Ethics
 MADRID,
Spain, JUNE 9, 2003 (Zenit.org).-
Juan José Muñoz García, author
of Cinema and Human Mystery, says that the cinema continues
to be a favorite instrument tounderstand the human being.
Muñoz uses the movie "The Matrix" to analyze
some tendencies of contemporary thought: "There are some
in our postmodern era who are satisfied with weak thought: mere
opinions or simple facts. They assert, like Cipher in 'The Matrix,'
that ignorance is bliss."
The cinema explains to us how the human being is, says Muñoz,
who calls it "the principal storyteller" of our times.
Muñoz is professor of anthropology and ethics in the field
of communication at the Villanueva University Center, attached
to the Complutense University. He is also a professor of philosophy
at the Colegio Retamar.
Q: What do you mean when you describe the cinema as the principal
anthropologist of our time?
Muñoz: I only try to remind the reader that we have all learned
what it means to be a good son or a good brother by listening to
stories. Thanks to stories, we learned what it means to be a person,
and how we should behave in life.
The basic norms of behavior became tangible when we heard stories
and narratives with a moral. When we grew up, literature fulfilled
this function. Classics like "Don Quixote," "Crime
and Punishment," "Life Is a Dream," or "Henry
V" showed us that the greatness of human life is in
the capacity to surmount difficulties, and in the search for meaning
in life.
Reading Shakespeare, for example, we might learn the consequences
of exaggerated jealousy -- "Othello"; excessive doubt
-- "Hamlet"; or the desire for power -- "Macbeth."
To this was added the good fortune of being able to see in our daily
life close models who embodied values
that made life worth living.
This didactic function of art has manifested itself in all cultures.
Its success hinges on the fact that human life has a narrative structure.
We love to hear stories because we are not merely biology. We also
have a biography, that is, our life is a plan, a story that must
have meaning.
However, for several decades, the cinema has been the principal
storyteller. The seventh art has taken on, to a great extent, the
anthropological role that formerly literature and traditions had.
As Julián Marías has noted, the cinema has become
a great educational power. And if we want to be involved in anthropology
today, we cannot ignore the big screen.
Very different films like "The Matrix," "Sense and
Sensibility," "Toy Story," "Lord of the Rings,"
"Les Miserables," "Life Is Beautiful," or "Awakenings"
are lessons of implicit anthropology, as they are telling us, with
pictures, what the human being is.
However, the audiovisual world is not enough to know in-depth the
mystery of the human person. It needs to be completed with the thought
of philosophers and theologians.
Q: Why do you think that we are like Cipher, the character in
"The Matrix," who despite his knowledge, prefers to remain
anchored in appearances and to abandon the struggle for truth?
Muñoz: To discover truth and allow it to possess us is a
journey that is not made only with the support of the intelligence.
As Plato and Aristotle pointed out, and psychologists tell us about
the emotional intelligence, to arrive at truth requires effort and
ethical habits.
Unfortunately, there are many in our postmodern era who are satisfied
with weak thought: mere opinions or simple facts. Like Cipher in
"The Matrix," they say that ignorance is bliss. And immediately,
they make decisions that attack human dignity, such as killing the
unborn or
terminal patients, or give their consent to the freezing and manipulation
of human embryos.
I think that the main character in "The Matrix" lets us
observe how truth and ethics go hand in hand. By denying the first,
to stay with appearances, Cipher denies the second,
and immediately betrays his companions. This is why it is so dangerous
to say that there are no
certainties, only subjective opinions, as in this way we open the
doors to the arbitrary will of the strongest – be he a scientist,
a communicator, or a politician.
Q: So, then, one can come out of "The Matrix." Is it
possible to escape from the cavern?
Muñoz: Of course. This escape was already referred to in
Plato's "Republic," in Descartes' "Discourse on Method,"
and in Calderon's "Life Is a Dream."
Moreover, it is a basic idea of all religions, which is effectively
realized in Christianity: The things we apprehend at first sight
are not the sole or fundamental reality; there is something beyond.
We must transcend the immediate, without denying its relative value,
and not be slaves to sensations and instincts. It is possible to
escape from the cavern, but we need help to
be delivered from that slavery.
Although we live in a society that worships appearances and pictures
– a defect that the tabloid press and "reality shows"
exploit -- we know that it is possible to surmount the shadows of
the Platonic cavern because every human being has a desire for transcendence.
We feel, like Neo in "The Matrix," an anxiety that drives
us to seek genuine reality.
Hence, the fact that a life given to the purely external gives way
to the most absolute emptiness,
unhappiness and depression. Suffice it to read the biographies of
some of the famous to see that nothing that surrounds us satisfies
us fully. Only the fullness of truth, goodness and beauty can satisfy
our infinite longing and desire.
Q: Can technical competence and a dose of humanity produce quality
films?
Muñoz: Indeed. There are examples of it in the course of
the centennial history of the seventh art. In fact, the films that
are most liked by the public are often those that have a great human
content.
And the ones I analyze in the book as master lessons of implicit
anthropology fulfill those requisites. To cite only some examples:
"Marvin's Room," "Solas," "Shadowlands,"
"The Oil of
Life," "Cyrano de Bergerac" or "Cradle Song."
I think that to be creative it is not enough to control the special
effects, musical techniques or the
photography. The artist molds ambits of human life in his works,
and the spectator molds what he wants – although at times it
might seem the opposite -- the spectator wants to see from his seat
the person portrayed with faithfulness, not debased to the condition
of an object or instinctive animal.
Q: How can the mistrust that so many Catholics have of the cinema
be overcome?
Muñoz: I would recommend that they read John Paul II's Letter
to Artists. In it he says that "beauty is the key to mystery
and a call to the transcendent."
The cinema has this capacity to "make perceptible, more than
that, to make fascinating insofar as possible, the world of the
spirit." It is a means to express the mystery of the human
being, "translating it into colors, forms and sounds that help
the intuition of the one who looks and listens. All this without
depriving the message itself of its transcendent value."
A Tempting Proposition
By Douglas Culp
 Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Wow! What an exciting verse! In first reading this beatitude, my
eyes went straight to "for they shall see God." We are
talking about the beatific vision and the ultimate goal of the religious
life here - and Jesus is telling us that it is possible for each
one of us. What great news!
Immediately, images of what God might look like rushed through my
mind. Would He look like the old man with a white beard? Or maybe
there would be just warm light? Oh, to rest in the vision of God
where there would be perfect peace, harmony and love. No more struggles
or conflicts that are so much a part of life on this planet. If
only I could get there, and get there fast.
So, I naturally looked at the beatitude again to see what I had
to do in order to see God. It seemed that the only requirement was
to be pure in heart. This would seem easy enough. If I was single-minded
in my desire to see God, I would see God. And this would seem to
make sense. After all, we are told over and over by our society
that to be successful we must be dedicated, "single-minded"
in attaining our goals. Sacrifice and perseverance will likely be
necessary ingredients but a beautiful body, financial success, heroic
achievement, celebrity status, or, in our case, seeing God await
you in the end.
Okay, so now that I had my motivation and knew what I needed to
do, to be pure in heart, I turned my attention to the question of
what does this look like. After all, if I was going to work toward
my goal, I needed to have a game plan, a strategy. However, I was
a bit surprised by what I discovered…
Temptation
When Jesus went out into the desert following His baptism, He was
asked to turn stones into bread to relieve His hunger, to throw
Himself from the parapet of the temple, and to pay homage to the
devil in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world. In response
to each of these requests to use His power to satisfy material needs,
to do something spectacular, and to be important, Jesus held His
Father up as the Giver of Life, beyond testing and question, and
alone worthy of adoration. In other words, in each instance, Jesus
refused to elevate Himself and instead pointed to His Father.
In the same way, this beatitude can actually be a temptation to
that elevation of "self" that Jesus so doggedly refused
to embrace, especially to a society that loves personal achievement
and glory because the beatitude promises the ultimate achievement:
seeing God. Perhaps, then, being pure in heart is not simply about
single-mindedly going after one’s desire to see God. But if
"seeing God" is not the motivating force behind this beatitude,
what is?
Of Salt and Lamps
For me, a key to unlocking a deeper meaning of this beatitude came
from the passage directly following the beatitudes in Matthew’s
Gospel. There Jesus describes His disciples as "the salt
of the earth" and "the light of the world"
(Mt 5:13-14). He goes on to say that just as people "do
not light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket…so your
light must shine before men so that they may see goodness in
your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father"
(Mt 5:14-16).
In other words, we are to be pure in heart not so that we may see
God, but so that others may see God through us and give praise to
God. Okay, okay, I thought I finally had it: As a Christian, I am
to be pure in heart not only so that I can see God but so that through
my acts, others may see and praise God. Fine, so what acts constitute
the acts of someone pure in heart?
To Do (Not) List
For insight into those acts that I would need to engage in to be
considered pure in heart, I focused again on the Gospel of Matthew.
In the remainder of chapters 5-7, however, Jesus spends most of
the time telling us what not to do: do not be angry or abusive;
do not lust after others; do not divorce; do not swear; do not retaliate;
do not hate enemies. He instructs us: "Be on guard against
performing religious acts for people to see" (6:1); "When
you are praying, do not behave like the hypocrites who love to stand
and pray in synagogues or on street corners in order to be noticed"
(6:5); and "When you fast, you are not to look glum
as the hypocrites do" (6:16). Furthermore, we are to stop
worrying over questions of material needs and to stop passing judgment.
Thus, it would seem that purity in heart has more to do with not
acting versus acting. However, this is in keeping with Jesus’
teaching in and through the temptation story and the story of the
salt and lamp. In order for others to see God through us, the "I"
or "self" must not get in the way. In a way, Jesus is
backing the "I" into a corner by cutting off all its routes
of escaping and cleverly expanding itself in the name of a pureness
in heart. Anything that distracts the "I" like concern
for material needs, attracts attention to the "I" like
public displays of prayer, or grants importance/power to the "I"
like passing judgment is cleared away so that God may be revealed.
LOVE
I was coming to see that this beatitude was really about the heart
of the Gospel message: Love. The pure in heart are those whose center
is Love and not the self. For it is only Love that knows God for
God is Love. This means we are called to love who we see for the
world does not change first. We are not called to wait for the world
to become a more loving place, a more loveable place before we are
to love it. No, our duty is to love and nothing else. If this is
the intent of our life, we will see God - in the other and in creation,
which is precisely where God has always been present.
In the beginning of this article, I related that my first reaction
to the beatitude was the anticipation of seeing God. I then wanted
to know what I had to do because I was looking for God "out
there." However, "I" was looking for God according
to my own image of who God is and therefore I was blind and could
not really see. It was a question of the focus being in the wrong
place. By focusing on being pure in heart alone for its own sake
because we see the truth that what is important is not the "I"
and what it can achieve but only love, we will see God naturally.
We have to wait on God to be revealed as the breaking through of
the divine comes as a surprise, unexpectedly - only when we are
ready. This means that instead of looking for God, we simply need
to look. Focusing on being pure in heart presupposes the intention
to love and this love requires us to look.
Conclusion
In closing, to be pure in heart then is to love and to only love.
How are we to do this? Jesus tells us: "Ask, and you will
receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to
you" (Matt 7:7). In other words, we must have the intention
to love which means assenting to the surrender of the "I".
And this is the very mystery and frustration of Christianity for
it is not in our control to love. "I" cannot love, only
God who is Love can love. "I" just need to stay out of
the way which requires assent and making room for God.
This is why to focus on seeing God is to focus on the wrong thing.
The beatific vision is the fruit that is revealed. Purity in heart
is the necessary condition in which the fruit can be revealed, but
the fruit is something we can’t ultimately control – like
the farmer cannot control whether the fruit grows but can only attend
to making the conditions right for it to grow. And yet, at the same
time, Jesus does give us the measure by which we can know whether
we are pure in heart, do we see God?
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