This week, the Catholic New World features its special section for older adults, Exciting Senior Perspectives, and news about Encuentro 2000, a multi-ethnic/multi-racial gathering of Catholics in Los Angeles.

Cardinal's Column

Exciting Senior Perspectives:

Growing older ‘isn’t for sissies’: Unique program teaches pastoral care for elder patients

When Deacon Bill Kalivoda was 54, he found himself retired from his corporate career and looking for a change in his ministry. He found it by taking a course in clinical pastoral education for mature adults, a unique program which opened up opportunities for service.
The program is a joint venture of Addolorata Villa in Wheeling and Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village. Full text available.

This ‘miracle’ more than just bricks and mortar

The people of St. Ailbe Parish believe in miracles and they proclaimed that conviction on special lapel buttons when Cardinal George came to dedicate their new senior citizen housing complex at 9300 S. Kimbark Ave., July 17. Full text available.

News:

Pro-life leader resigning to become law professor

If the fight against abortion were seen as a war, many would consider Helen Alvare a war hero.
But her own admiration goes to the foot soldiers in the pro-life movement.
Alvare, director of planning and information for the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities since 1990, is preparing to hand over the role of chief Catholic pro-life spokeswoman to someone else. The Philadelphia-born attorney recently announced that she will become a law professor at The Catholic University of America in the fall.

Mother Cabrini turns 150

Her name will forever be a part of Catholic history in Chicago.
She has been called one of the 100 most influential Chicagoans of the 20th century. And she was a saint to those around her.
July 15 was the 150th anniversary of the birth of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, known to most in the city as Mother Cabrini, foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Catholic Charities squeezed by good economy

Let Alan Greenspan worry about the economy overheating.
Father Michael Boland, administrator of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, is too busy worrying about how his agency will keep providing services to poor people in a world where nobody wants to believe anybody is poor anymore. Full text available.

Encuentro 2000: ‘Many faces in God’s house’

Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry was among some 50 Chicagoans who attended Encuentro 2000 in Los Angeles. Following are his comments on the event, which this year was a multi-ethnic/multi-racial gathering celebrating cultural diversity in the church. Full text available.

Encuentro 2000 celebrates the diversity of U.S. church

“Encuentro 2000’’ opened with Native American drums calling together participants from across the nation.
At the end of its final liturgy, 5,000 worshippers tied ribbons to one another’s wrists, a traditional Hmong sign of sending forth.
In between, the different languages and styles of dress, music, art and worship celebrated the many-hued richness of Catholic life in the United States.

Bringing Encuentro home

“It was amazing,” said Andrew Lyke, on the elevator of the archdiocesan pastoral center. Father Esequiel Sanchez, across the car, nodded in agreement.
Lyke, from the Family Ministries Office, and Sanchez, archdiocesan director of Hispanic Ministry, were referring to Encuentro 2000, held July 6-9 in Los Angeles. Over 40 area Catholics, including Bishops Joseph N. Perry and John R. Manz attended the four-day event. Full text available.

Pope vacations in mountains

Escaping the summer heat of Rome, Pope John Paul II flew north to the Italian Alps for his annual vacation.
The pope departed July 10 for the village of Les Combes in the mountains of the northwest Italian region of Valle d’Aosta.
This year’s 12-day stay marked his eighth trip to the village.

Features:

Traveling image inspires devotion

When Ed Sajewski and Tom Scott arrived at the Aguanunu household on a Tuesday evening, they were welcomed by father Chika, his brother-in-law, and the three Aguanunu sons.
Sajewski and Scott began packing up a 6-foot-by-4-foot image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The image had shared the Aguanunu’s Southwest Side living room with the children’s trophies and the other religious pictures for the past week. Full text available.

Remembering Pope Pius XII

The recent Catholic New World interview with Martin Doorhy regarding Pope Pius XII (May 28-June 10) brought back many memories for one Catholic New World subscriber, Father Vincent J. Zarlenga, OP. Full text available.

The Interview:

This week, Eugene Liner, a veteran state official of the Knights of Columbus, talks with Catholic New World staff writer Michael D. Wamble. Across the nation, Knights are preparing for their annual conference, this year to be held in Boston Aug. 1-3. Cardinal George plans to attend. Full text available.

Commentary:

Is violence equal to sex as a matter of concern to the FCC?

Mark Pattison of Catholic News Service writes: Sex and violence. Those two words go hand in hand as easily as Mom and apple pie, although with much less favorable connotations.
The U.S. bishops in their documents on the media have seen little distinction between the two.

Briefs:

Cardinal to lead pilgrimage to Mexico City

Cardinal George will lead a group of about 600 pilgrims to Mexico City in December, furthering the partnership between the archdioceses of Chicago and Mexico City. Among the pilgrims will be a delegation of church and community leaders, who will meet with their counterparts from Dec. 9-13.
The trip marks the first official visit by the archbishop of Chicago to the Archdiocese of Mexico City, the most populous Catholic diocese in the world. Cardinal Norberto Rivera-Carrera of Mexico City visited the Archdiocese of Chicago in May 1999.
The two cardinals signed a statement of mutual intent during that visit expressing a desire to cooperate in charity and justice ministry, catechesis and pastoral ministry, immigration and adoption services, anti-drug programs and cultural exchanges.
The pilgrims from Chicago will celebrate the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe Dec. 12 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
The Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Mexico City is an initiative organized by Father Esequiel Sanchez, archdiocesan director of Hispanic Ministry, in collaboration with Best Catholic Pilgrimages. For information about the pilgrimage, call (800) 908-BEST.

Parish Pride:
St. Joseph Church
1107 N. Orleans St.

This parish blends 154 years of ministry, service and tradition with contemporary survival skills and social awareness. Originally formed to serve German Catholics living north of the Chicago River, St. Joseph’s was rebuilt after the Chicago fire in 1871 just as its parishioners were moving further north. Their new church was literally “rolled” to the present site in 1872. Today’s Gothic style brick edifice was built and dedicated in 1878, with colonnaded aisles, and walls rich with the stained glass wonders of Francis X. Zettler of Munich, Germany.

Church Clips:

Hear the silence? — Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House (Barrington) now has 30 rooms with central air and more rooms are getting window units, which is boosting attendance in these dog days of summer. This home of “Ignatian” retreats, or “Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius,” still believes in silent retreats, and finds most newcomers enjoy the rarified atmosphere. However, a new program of interactive retreats geared to 20- to 30-year-olds, “Charis,” was initiated this month, designed by a team led by Father Michael Sparough, SJ. For info on individual or group retreats, call (847) 381-1261.

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