St. Paul THE Apostle Parish

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1 St. Paul THE Apostle Parish Fall 2018 Issue #87 Pastor s Corner CLERICALISM Clericalism is the name given to the clergy s abuse of power. Clericalism is the root cause of clergy sex abuse. Rape or any sexual assault is always more about power than lust. Clericalism is putting priests and bishops on a pedestal thinking of them as on a higher moral level than lay people. Clericalism is probably as old as Christianity or even as old as religion itself. In Catholicism, lay people have trusted clergy who have directly or indirectly demanded that they be deemed better and worthy of this trust. The truth is that they are not better nor are they worthy of being trusted any more than anyone else. The scandals of the last decades have made this clear. Ordination makes someone a servant-leader, not a master. The children who have been victims of clergy sex abuse are victims of clericalism coupled with the sickness of pedophilia (attraction of adults to pre-pubescents) or ephebophilia (attraction of adults to post-pubescents) or both. These children have been even more the victims of clericalism when bishops and others in the hierarchy have covered up these sins/crimes of abuse. Many decades ago, before modern psychology had identified and defined pedophilia and ephebophilia, it might be understandable that bishops would think abusers (including sometimes themselves!) could be cured by going to confession and doing penance. But for a long, long time now, it has been common knowledge that these conditions are almost impossible to cure. Abusers need to be kept away from children period! And abusers and especially those who have covered up abuse need to be held accountable to the civil legal system, including jail time if appropriate, and to independent church bodies with plenty of lay participation. As I mentioned in my bulletin article of August 26, bishops are currently virtually not accountable at all, except in theory to the pope which is not workable and therefore not an acceptable system. The pope and the bishops need to put in place (yesterday!) a credible process to achieve this accountability. If abuse of children in the church is power abuse more than sex abuse, then clericalism needs to be stamped out. When I was growing up, we had a beloved pastor, Monsignor John Fagan, at our parish of Immaculate Conception in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus. He was not guilty of clericalism. And many other clergy I have known are humble men who did not think they were above anyone. But we cannot count on priests and bishops to opt out of the clerical culture on their own. Seminaries must become more serious about dismissing seminarians who like the trappings and privileges of the clerical culture which I believe is alive and well. But we all have a role to play in squelching clericalism. Clergy themselves have the solemn responsibility of holding each other s feet to the fire here including and especially their bishops! 1

2 (Continued Pastor s Corner) Religious sisters, who are servants par excellence, are also well-positioned to support priests in their quest (as Jesus said of himself) to serve and not to be served. At the same time, I encourage lay people to do their pastors and other priests the favor of kindly holding us to account. Make us earn your respect the way you do other human beings. Respect is a two-way street. Respect priests and expect them to respect you as well. By the way, there have been many studies indicating there is no connection between celibacy and child sexual abuse. Those who are celibate are no more likely to be sexual predators than persons who are not celibate. Likewise, there is no evidence that gay people are more prone to pedophilia or ephebophilia than straight people. Please don t look for scapegoats. including the media. The problem is clericalism! In conclusion, I would like to pick up on a theme from my earlier bulletin message. It is essential that the church open its process for selecting bishops. A much larger and transparent role for lay people and ordinary priests needs to be implemented so that bishops are selected for their pastoral skills and not for their ambition and loyalty to an extremely flawed system. Bishops ought to be chosen for a diocese as a good fit for that place instead of the square pegs, round holes syndrome which too often prevails now. Jesus Christ is the eternal high priest. As such, he is really the only priest of God. All priesthood is therefore merely a participation in his priesthood. This includes the priesthood of the faithful that is, all the baptized who offer their lives to God as a sacrifice after the example of Christ. It also includes the ordained who are authorized by the sacrament of Holy Orders to serve the church. And the ordained must never forget that they are, first and foremost, also members of the priesthood of the faithful because they too are baptized! Christ is the model priest for us all. He is the humblest and gentlest and most selfless and generous of those who serve God and the People of God. Clericalism is abhorrent to him. And so it must be to us! I invite you to join me in praying every day for the children who have been victims and that there will be no more of them. Sincerely in Christ Priest and Victim, We strongly encourage anyone who is a victim or aware of any form of clergy abuse to contact local law enforcement immediately and contact the Diocesan Victims Assistance Coordinator at either or helpisavailable@columbuscatholic.org. 2

3 New Branding Initiative! Our faith community is experiencing an amazing period of growth and renewal! Much like the physical expansion of our beautiful school, our parish is poised to tell the next chapter in its story through the launch of our new branding initiative. The project kicked off in late 2016 with local branding consultant, Novella Creative. The firm previously completed similar brand projects for St. Brendan in Hilliard, St. Michael in Worthington and the Columbus Diocese Office of Schools. The process began with a workshop consisting of key stakeholders represented by clergy, parish ministry leaders, parents, educators, and business professionals throughout the Saint Paul community. The workshop helped to establish primary character traits of the parish and school to determine project goals: 1. UNITY OF MESSAGE AND MISSION - Tell the story of our Saint Paul community 2. CONNECT NAME & COMMUNITY - A unified parish and school brand 3. RELEVANCY - Reaching people where they are 4. MAKE DISCIPLES - Growing the parish and school Associations ranging from the spiritual to the visual and metaphorical were explored as we identified target audiences, value propositions, and established aspirational objectives for our brand. The insights from our volunteers enabled us to begin the work of defining a unified platform for the Saint Paul The Apostle parish and school community. A strong central parish identity would serve as platform for all ministries and community marketing efforts. The plan was to assemble a consistent look to tell our story and to lead more disciples to Christ through our church and school. The Catholic Church in any community must endeavor to ensure all know it s a welcoming place for the discovery and nourishment of faith. Rising over the city of Westerville, Saint Paul The Apostle is as a welcoming beacon of Christ s love and ability to meet all who seek Him wherever they are on their journey of faith. Now, after many months of iterations and prayerful consideration, we re ready to unveil our new public image! Our logo and identity system allow for a singular connection between our parish and school and a unified platform for our communications. Saint Paul was a scholar and evangelist to the Gentiles. SPREAD THE WORD honors the ministry of our patron and inspires our parishioners to spread the good news of Christ s gospel and to actively serve through ministry and evangelization. Saint Paul parishioners have a rich tradition as a unifying force of peace, comfort and assurance for the citizens of Westerville in times of plenty and hardship. Our tagline inspires the faithful to live sacramental lives of faith, love and service. As a sub brand of the parish, The Saint Paul School identity echoes the underpinnings of the community while focusing on the light of Christ reflected by our students. In keeping with Saint Paul s mission of evangelization and service, A LIGHT FOR MY PATH encourages students to look to the light of Christ to guide them. Over the next couple of months, we will be rolling out several key initiatives that will present living examples of our brand s story in motion. The most prominent of which is the introduction of new website experiences for both our parish and school. Novella Creative is assisting our Technology Team in working with ecatholic to design and develop sites that will feature easier navigations and graphics that showcase our brand. We look to have these online by the end of the year. Thank you again to all our brand project volunteers and participants. After two years, and one massive construction project later, we have a unified identity system that enables our community to speak with one voice! Let us go forth together and SPREAD THE WORD! 3

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6 Reaching for Tomorrow Donor Recognition We have reached the time to recognize donors to the Reaching for Tomorrow Campaign. The photo here is waiting for your name to be inscribed on one of the 2 by 4 leaves around the olivewood crucifix in the main entry of our school recognizing all donors who contributed $6,000 or more to the Reaching for Tomorrow Campaign. Thank you to the members of our parish family who have contributed their time, talent and treasure to make this campaign a success! Those families who have pledged and completed their pledge should have already received a mailing with the inscription form. We ask that this form be returned to the Parish Office by November 1, If you have any questions about your pledge or would like to contribute to our Reaching for Tomorrow Campaign, please contact Dana Forsythe, our Parish Development Director, at or dforsythe@stpaulk-8.org. Thank you! 6

7 On September 6, our clergy, students, faculty, and parents welcomed Bishop Campbell and special guests to St. Paul s for the academic year s first all-school Mass. Students and their prayer partners listened to the bishop s homily about the importance of having a strong faith-based education. After Mass everyone processed to the front of the school for Bishop Campbell s blessing of our newly renovated learning spaces. Following Mass, representatives of Corna-Kokosing Construction, architect Scott Harper and other benefactors of St. Paul School attended a luncheon in our new IDEA Lab to celebrate the opening of the new second floor addition. We are grateful and humbled by the generous contributions and efforts to add this beautiful learning space to our school. Because of you, our Reaching for Tomorrow Campaign has met its goal of ensuring a Catholic education for our St. Paul students for many, many, years to come! 7

8 As we entered the school year, we did so with a renewed spirit of faith and academic excellence that included the continuation of a new vision for our faith-based learning environment. With the completion of our Reaching for Tomorrow Campaign, we are looking to the future with much joy and hope knowing how much our students will benefit from the renovated and expanded learning spaces. These much-needed improvements will keep our community strong and secure the future of our St. Paul Catholic School for years to come. In 2010, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York called upon all Catholics to recommit to the mission of Catholic education writing, The truth is that the entire parish, the whole diocese, and the universal church benefit from Catholic schools in ways that keep communities strong. St. Paul School is a strong and vibrant faith-filled community because of your continued support and caring. Your encouragement, generosity, and prayers have made it possible for us to secure the greatest inheritance we can offer our children today and tomorrow our Catholic school. Thank you and God bless! Kathleen Norris, PHD Kathleen Norris, PhD Principal St. Paul School 8

9 St. Paul School s STEM program has grown by adding a focus to the arts, so we are officially a STEAM program (science, technology, engineering, art, and math.) As a result of the school building expansion, a special makerspace has been dedicated to the enrichment of STEAM based learning and is known as the IDEA LAB and is located on the second floor. The U.S. Department of Education states, All young people should be prepared to think deeply and to think well so that they have the chance to become the innovators, educators, researchers, and leaders who can solve the most pressing challenges facing our nation and our world, both today and tomorrow. The Smithsonian Science Education Center projects that by the end of this calendar year, 2.4 million STEM jobs will go unfilled. Tomorrow has arrived, and our students, must be ready for STEAM careers. To address the growing gap in STEAM career readiness, all of our students in Grades K-8 will participate in curriculum-based enriched STEAM learning experiences. Mrs. Kuhn, our IDEA LAB teacher, will collaborate with the classroom teachers to incorporate STEAM learning into curriculum studies. In the lab, students will work together on problem-based activities to build or design challenges that enrich their classroom learning. The lasting long-term result will be tangible skills that translate into useful and meaningful contributions to the national and world-wide communities. We need our community s help to provide the resources necessary to provide the equipment needed to execute the vision behind the IDEA LAB. So, we invite each member of our parish family to consider making a small gift on the National Day of Giving, November 27, through our web page using the #igivecatholic link. Specifically, we are hoping to raise $25,000 in order to purchase a 3D printer, a laser engraver, a heat press, a green screen, robots and other technology to enrich students STEAM learning. 9

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11 Resources for Growing Your Family s Faith The strength of the family lies in its capacity to love and to teach how to love. Pope Francis This is the perfect resource for those looking to enrich their family s faith life (recommended by Fr. Charlie!) Simple and approachable, this book is designed to guide even the busiest families to more fully integrate the Sunday Gospel into their everyday lives. This easy and affordable book will introduce you and your family to the Bible, making Sunday Mass more inspiring and meaningful. Together on your drive to and from Church or at some other time each week, you can more easily discuss the Sunday Gospel. Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families includes: The Gospel from Sunday Mass Short reflections on the Sunday Gospel Prompts for conversation before and after Mass Suggested family activities An index of everyday family prayers Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families can be purchased online at The Meal Box: Food for Family Thought Looking for a way to add fun and faith at the family dinner table? The Meal Box, available in our Marian Gift Shop, is the perfect antidote! The Meal Box contains 54 cards, each features a creative question guaranteed to spark fun conversation! The reverse side of every card features a quick Food for Family Thought tip from family expert Tom McGrath. The tips make it easy and downright fun for families of all ages to apply the question and answers to their faith lives. LiGhteN UP! Bringing ALL Generations Together! As noted on pg. 5 of this newsletter, nationally known Catholic inspirational comedian, storyteller, teacher, singer and author Doug Brummel with of LiGhteN UP Ministries, is coming to St. Paul s November 12-13! Doug teaches, inspires, entertains, and evangelizes using fundamental teachings of the Catholic Christian tradition and has the unique ability to take these teachings of the Church and frame them in the context to which audiences of all generations and backgrounds can relate. To learn more about his wise, witty, and fun celebration of faith and family, please refer to In the meantime, please save the dates! Lord God, Fill our minds with truth and our hearts with love, that in Your spirit we may be bonded together in a community of faith, a parish family, a caring people. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we commit ourselves to be good stewards of the gifts entrusted to us, to share our time, our talent, and our material gifts as an outward sign of the treasure we hold in You, Jesus. Amen. (Adapted from Prayers for the Church and the World) 11

12 (Please refer to page 9 for more information.) 313 N. State Street Westerville, OH Does Your Business Have a Real-World Problem Needing a Solution? St. Paul students are looking for opportunities to help local businesses or associations solve a real-world problem. Using problem-based learning, students collaborate to determine the driving question or problem then use sustained inquiry to determine what they already know and what the need to know. After researching, collaboration continues through creation of prototypes or proposals. Testing leads to rethinking and revising their solutions. Finally, students present these solutions to the client or to the public for feedback. We encourage you to challenge our students! Please contact either Dr. Norris at knorris@stpaulk-8.org or Mrs. Kuhn at akuhn@stpaulk-8.org with your company s real-world problem. St. Paul s Annual Deck the Halls Christmas Bazaar Saturday, November 17 from 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Do you own a small business or simply like to make crafts to sell? Consider being a vendor at our Annual Christmas Bazaar it is the perfect venue in which to share your talents! For more information or to reserve booth space, please go to the fundraiser link on the St. Paul School website: htttp://stpaulk-8.org/parents/fundraisers or scan the QR code: Don t delay in reserving a booth! Space is limited and almost sold out!