THE UPDATE:

Retired religious collection set

Under the slogan “Let Mercy Triumph,” this year’s national collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be conducted in most U.S. parishes the weekend of Dec.13-14.

Since the appeal started in 1988, more than $400 million has been contributed.

Despite the campaign’s success, the unfunded retirement liability of U.S.-based religious orders stands at $6.1 billion, more than double the $2.5 billion estimated in a 1985 study, which prompted the drive.

People news

Vincentian Father John Minogue, 57, has announced that he will step down as president of DePaul University. A successor is expected to be named in time for the 2004 academic year. … Dominican University, River Forest has named Dominican Sister Diane Kennedy associate provost.

NEWS:

Get involved—but not used—in politics: Bishops

In today’s political climate, the U.S. Catholic Church must be “engaged but not used,” the U.S. bishops’ Administrative Committee said in a document designed to promote dialogue before the 2004 elections.

The document, “Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility,” was unanimously approved by the 47-member committee in September and made public Oct. 13. A similar document has been issued before every presidential election for the last 28 years.

Pope, at jubilee, prays for wisdom and holiness

As the world offered congratulations and encouragement, Pope John Paul II celebrated a 25th anniversary Mass and prayed for the “wisdom, holiness and strength” to keep leading the church.

The Oct. 16 liturgy in St. Peter’s Square brought together church leaders, civil authorities and some 50,000 faithful from many countries, all of them eager to share the moment with the aging and fragile pontiff.

Be ‘fearless witnesses’

Pope names, challenges 30 new cardinals

In a ceremony that combined solemn tradition and the cheers of the faithful, Pope John Paul II created 30 new cardinals and asked them to be “fearless witnesses of Christ and his Gospel” on every continent.

The liturgy Oct. 21 in a sunlit St. Peter’s Square highlighted the international mix of the College of Cardinals, the group that will one day elect a new pope. New members from 22 countries were added, including Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia.

Vatican prelate defends revision of Mass norms

Cardinal Francis Arinze had a message both for Catholics who are afraid that changes to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal mean a rolling back of the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, and to those who would like to see the church return to pre-conciliar practices:

Understand that liturgy changes over time, and the liturgical forms in use now are the fulfillment of the tradition that has gone before.

Hispanic priests stress brotherhood and service

Emphasizing brotherhood and the spirit of joy in serving others, the National Association of Hispanic Priests held its 14th annual convention in Denver, attended by more than 90 priests and seven bishops.

At the conference, Father Esequiel Sanchez, director of Hispanic ministry for the Chicago Archdiocese, was named vice president. The president is Father Andres Mendoza of the Diocese of Lubbock, Texas.

Cardinal: See pope as ‘bearer of vision’

Those who see Pope John Paul II as a taskmaster who is restraining those who try to break free of authority have an adolescent approach to the pope, Cardinal George said at the University of Notre Dame.

Pope beatifies Mother Teresa

Offers gratitude for her service and courageous love

Pope John Paul II offered his thanks to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, founder of the Missionaries of Charity, for being close to him in her lifetime and for courageously showing the world what it means to love and serve Jesus completely.

“The venerable servant of God, Teresa of Calcutta, from this moment on will be called blessed,” the pope said at the Oct. 19 beatification Mass as the crowd burst into applause.

Chicagoans joined crowd to honor Mother Teresa

They came from New Zealand and New Delhi, Argentina and Australia, the Philippines and Philadelphia. And they came from Chicago.

About 300,000 people gathered from around the world Oct. 19, crowding St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding streets to celebrate the beatification of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Torture survivor finds voice to challenge global injustice

Standing outside a reception room at Loyola University Chicago, Ursuline Sister Dianna Ortiz looks almost like the Catholic schoolgirl she once was.

Ortiz, recipient of the 2003 U.S. Catholic Award for Furthering the Cause of Women in the Church, tells her story slowly, pausing for a translator to repeat her words in Spanish. She tells how she would much prefer not to be in the situation that led to this honor, an honor that comes to her as a founder and director of the Washington D.C.-based Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International and author of “The Blindfold’s Eyes: My Journey from Torture to Truth” (Orbis 2002).

Composer sings a glad song unto the Lord

Former Jesuit credits God with inspiring hymns, setting him on right path

Hymns are integral to every Catholic’s worship experience. They stir memories that go far beyond individual lives, to the earliest times of our faith’s Judeo-Christian roots. Hymns touch souls in a way no spoken word can.

Dan Schutte, one of the most notable composers of contemporary liturgical music, began writing music for that very reason, “because it stirs my soul, it speaks to my faith.” Writer of dozens of popular songs, Schutte is probably best known for “Here I Am, Lord,” “You are Near,” “Though the Mountains May Fall,” and “City of God,” among others. In a concert at Christ the King Church in Lombard earlier this month, Schutte shared much about the connection between his music and his faith as he introduced each song.