Brotherhood and Charity

Transcription

1 Winter 2016 Volume 9 Issue 3 BLAZING TR AILS OF Brotherhood and Charity The inauguration of the academic year began with the traditional Mass of the Holy Spirit at Sant Apollinaire Basilica. The academic year officially began on October 3rd with a Red Mass celebrated by Msgr. Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, and concelebrated by faculty priests. Dr. Juan José Sanguineti, Professor of Philosophy, gave the inaugural lecture To Will and to Feel on the relationship between the will, rationality, and feeling. Following the Mass, students, staff, and professors dressed in their academic attire, walked to the Great Hall to hear the Grand Chancelor s inaugural address. His theme was inspired by Pope Paul VI s encyclical, Populorum Progression (On the Development of Peoples) which marks its 50th anniversary in March Msgr. Echevarría noted a common thread in the Magisterium asking leaders in science and culture to blaze trails of mutual cooperation for the improvement of society and human happiness. In the context of academics at Santa Croce, three ways of cooperation were suggested: 1) openness among students toward the research and knowledge of their professors. 2) openness to other areas of science, particularly the humanities and social science. 3) openness to accept our responsibility toward the needs of modern man and society. At Santa Croce, people from different disciplines, with the help of the Holy Spirit, are able to listen carefully to discern and interpret the many voices of our time. In fulfilling this duty, students and professors seek to help every member of the human family to find answers to the deepest needs of their hearts. The Solemn Act of Inauguration continued in the Great Hall where the Grand Chancellor gave the opening address. We call upon men of deep thought and wisdom... blaze the trails of mutual cooperation among men, to deeper knowledge and more widespread charity, to a way of life marked by true brotherhood, to a human society based on mutual harmony. (Blessed Paul VI, Enc. Populorum Progressio, 85)

2 INSIDE SANTA CROCE Communications Department Launches New Online Journal The Faculty of Church Communications published its first issue of a new academic journal, Church, Communication & Culture, which aims to deepen the knowledge and dialogue between religion, communication and culture in the public square. The journal will include editorials, articles based on Church communication research, case studies, communication highlights of important Church events, interviews with prominent communications professors, and book reviews. The journal will be published three times a year (January, May, September) and can be accessed for free online in English (occasionally Spanish). The Church Communications department at Santa Croce celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year. Fr. Navarro Appointed New Rector Fr. Luis Navarro was installed as the Rector of Santa Croce on September 30, Ordained as an Opus Dei priest in 1979, he has been a professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross since For the past 8 years he also served as Dean of the Canon Law Department. The university s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was recently launched by the Canon Law department. MOOC courses are available to an unlimited number of students at no Left: Fr. Navarro speaking at the recent Canon Law refresher course held in September. Marriage Process Reform - Free Online Course cost over the internet. The course is An Introduction to the Canonical Marriage Process Reform, designed for professionals in the field in response to reforms by Pope Francis in Course lectures, accompanied by multimedia material, are offered by Santa Croce professors Héctor Franceschi, Miguel Ángel Ortiz and Massimo del Pozzo. This course (in Italian) is a new way for the university to serve the worldwide church. A link to signing up can be found on our website: Coat Of Arms Seventeen years ago, St. John Paul II gave a talk at Santa Croce where he described the significance of the university s coat of arms. Below is a selection from that address. Your university s coat of arms uses a design of Bl. Josemaría Escrivá and recalls the meaning of your work. Its central element is a Greek cross whose arms end in arrowheads. It looks as if the Cross is extended in every direction, reaching out to embrace humanity and the whole universe. Next to the Cross we read the words Iesus Christus, Deus Homo. What a meaningful synthesis of the orientation of your teaching and research! The Cross is the supreme revelation of the mystery of the incarnate Word, perfectus Deus, perfectus homo (cf. Creed Quicumque). In his ineffable love, the crucified Christ reveals in a striking way the Father s infinite mercy for human beings in all ages.[...] As BI. Josemaría Escrivá loved to repeat, Lux in Cruce, gaudium in Cruce, requies in Cruce: the light, joy and peace which flow from the plan of salvation. Only by letting itself be immersed by the Holy Spirit in Christ s mystery, will theological thought be enlightened with wisdom and fully understand the meaning of the Cross, the path of human salvation, of the purification of heart and mind. Address of St. John Paul II to the administrators, faculty, staff and students of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Saturday, 29 May PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Winter 2016

3 OUR AMERICAN IMPACT A Theologian for the New Evangelism In addition to representing the United States at the United Nations, and the Holy See at the Organization of American States, she has contributed articles in academic and popular publications such as The Washington Post, National Catholic Reporter, Our Sunday Visitor, and National Review Online. She is on the advisory board of the journal Annales Theologici and a consulting member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of you to discover it. St. Josemaría Escrivá Dr. Pia de Solenni was recently appointed as the first Theological Consultant to the Office of the Bishop in Orange, California. Since graduating from Santa Croce (summa cum laude, 2001) with a doctorate in Sacred Theology, Pia de Solenni has been actively equipping Catholics for the New Evangelism. Her expertise in Thomistic Anthropology, Bio-Ethics, Feminism and Gender Studies, Marriage and Family, and Culture has provided many opportunities for her to educate and serve over the past fifteen years. Dr. de Solenni is also the associate dean for the Augustine Institute s satellite campus located at Christ Cathedral in Orange, California. The Augustine Institute website describes its purpose as preparing teachers, catechists, youth ministers and others in service to the Church s mission of evangelization. One unique feature of the Institute is their ability to reach students via distance learning. The Institute was accredited in In September, the Most Reverend Kevin Vann, Bishop of Orange, appointed Dr. de Solenni as the first Theological Consultant to the Office of the Bishop. In this capacity she will called upon to collaborate and advise the curia of the diocese in matters of theology, doctrine and Church history and the impact of these issues within the Catholic family and culture. Additionally, she will be available to review the bishops writing and teachings, vet diocesan articles for clarity and accuracy, and review religion textbooks to assure they are aligned with magisterial teachings. We congratulate Dr. de Solenni for her new appointment and thank her for being an exemplary alumnus of Santa Croce serving others through her academic excellence. Promoting The Good Catholic Life On August 24, 2016, Cardinal Sean Patrick O Malley consecrated Fr. Mark O Connor as Auxiliary Bishop of Boston. The ceremony took place at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. Bishop O Connor received his Master s and Doctorate degrees in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome in 1999 and Bishop O Connor has served in many capacities in the Boston diocese. He was appointed Judicial Vicar in 2007, senior consultant to the Canon Law Society of America from 2009 to 2012, and served on the faculty of St. John Seminary and Pope John XXIII Seminary. For many years he was also the co-host of The Good Catholic Life radio program. In addition to his new duties, Bishop O Connor currently serves as chaplain to the Catholic Lawyer s Guild. Bishop O Connor is the 51st Santa Croce graduate to be appointed as a bishop, contributing to the Church s mission to promote and teach the Catholic faith. Right: Santa Croce alumnus Mark O Connor was recently installed as Auxiliary Bishop in Boston.. 3

4 COMMUNICATING THE FAITH Fr. Wenceslao Vial is Professor of Psychology and Spiritual Life and Personality Psychology at Santa Croce. A Course in Pastor al Care for Married Couples The Center for Priestly Formation, an institute within Santa Croce, offered a course this fall taught by various university professors and other experts in family counseling. The course was developed in light of the growing interest over the past few years after two assemblies of the Synod of Bishops on marriage and the family as well as Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). Msgr. Ángel Rodríguez Luño is Professor of Moral Theology and Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Santa Croce at Santa Croce. As the Holy Father wrote in his exhortation, Married couples are grateful that their pastors uphold the high ideal of a love that is strong, solid, enduring and capable of sustaining them through whatever trials they may have to face. The Church wishes, with humility and compassion, to reach out to families and to help each family to discover the best way to overcome any obstacles it encounters (Final Report 2015, 56). The topics taught by Santa Croce professors during the eight weeks included: Why get married in church? Rev. Prof. Héctor Franceschi (Canon Law) Structure and content of marriage preparation courses Rev. Prof. José María Galván (Moral Theology) The maturity of engaged couples in marriage preparation Rev. Prof. Wenceslao Vial (Psychology and Spiritual Life) The pastoral accompaniment of spouses in the sacrament of penance and spiritual direction Prof. Msgr. Ángel Rodríguez Luño (Moral Theology) The aid to couples in crisis Rev. Prof. José María Galván (Moral Theology) Discernment of possible causes of nullity Rev. Prof. Miguel Ángel Ortiz (Canon Law) Pastoral accompaniment of the divorced and remarried Rev. Prof. Héctor Franceschi (Canon Law) The course was especially geared to meet the needs of priests and seminarians in the work of pastoral care for spouses and couples in crisis. The approach was not merely theoretical, but also practical so priests and others providing pastoral care may help young people, spouses, and parents to embody the Gospel of the family. Jubilee of Universities and Research Centers The Year of Mercy included days of recognition for many special groups, including a Jubilee of Universities and Fr. Guerrez (left) with Bishop Kyrillos Katerelos (Orthodox Bishop of Abydos Greece). Bishop Katerelos spoke on The Father s Mercy in the Gospel Parable of The Prodigal Son Research Centers held on September 7, More than 1,500 rectors and delegates attended the Jubilee in Rome as well as meetings throughout the week. The day after the opening events, parallel group sessions were held on September 8th divided into 22 fields of study. This included a session on theology held at Santa Croce titled The Merciful Face of the Father: Theology Before the Mystery of God s Mercy. Faculty participants from Santa Croce included Fr. Paul O Callaghan (Director of the Dogmatic Theology Department), Fr. Giovani Zaccaria (Associate Professor of Liturgical Theology), and Fr. J. L. Gutierrez-Martín (Director of the Institute of Liturgy). The discussion progressed during the day on the following topics: 1) The Image of God Mercy, 2) We are the Image of God s Mercy, and 3) We Give to the World the Image of God Mercy. At the end of the week, speakers asked participants for a commitment to direct educational models that integrate the needs of society with solutions from universities who will develop solutions with mercy as their underlying principle. 4 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Winter 2016

5 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Why I Want To Be A Priest By Anthony Stewart My story begins with a conversion. I was raised attending a Methodist Church in my hometown of McEwen, Tennessee. When I was seven years old my parents got divorced, which was very difficult for me as a young child. Later my mom remarried a Catholic man and began the process of attending CCD classes in order to enter into the Catholic Church. I didn t want to become Catholic because I felt it would somehow be a betrayal of my biological father. So while my mother and two siblings would attend Catholic Mass on Sundays, I continued to go to Protestant services with my grandmother. Growing up in a divorced family was difficult. Then, when I was only fifteen years old, I experienced the tragedy of the loss of my father. He had been struggling with alcoholism for many years, and in the end it claimed his life. As you can imagine, it was very difficult. My mom saw the struggle I was dealing with, and recommended that I speak to a Catholic priest about it. So I started talking to one of the parish priests in my town, and opening up to him about the loss I was feeling. Over time, my life started to change; I was happier and more peaceful. The priest asked if he could pray with me, to which I responded no at first, but he was very persistent. Eventually I began to pray with him. With time I began to realize that there was something more to the Catholic Church than what I had thought. I realized that I could not deny something that was so good. At 17 years of age I began to attend Mass on Sunday, but always in secret, as I did not want my family to know. Through that time, while attending RCIA classes, it became clear to me that I wanted to become a priest. I wasn t even Catholic yet, but I knew that I wanted to be a priest. The mercy and love of God shown to me through the true fatherhood of that priest, through the difficulties of my upbringing, made me realize I wanted to do the same thing. If I could transmit His mercy to even one other person, as the priest had done with me, everything would be worth it. Through this whole time I did not want to tell my mom that I was joining RCIA, because she had continuously been asking me to join the Church throughout my teenage years, and I was very stubborn. If she was going to the vigil Mass, I would go to the Sunday morning Mass, and vice versa. Eventually the Rite of Election arrived, and it was a great surprise for my mom to read the happy news in the church bulletin. In 2009, I was baptized a Roman Catholic at the Easter Vigil Mass of my home parish. After graduating from high school, I was accepted into college and my plan was to continue to medical school. I also love to golf, and part of my plan was to compete on a golf team at university. However, the desire remained strong to pursue the priesthood, and I traded in the idea of pre-medical school and golf for studying theology at Aquinas College in Nashville, a small liberal arts school run by the Nashville Dominicans. A year later, I spoke with the bishop about my desire to be a priest. After another year of discernment, I joined the archdiocese of Nashville, after being Catholic for two years. Upon completing three years of study at the Pontifical College Josephi- Anthony Stewart Seminarian from Tennessee num in Ohio, my bishop, Bishop David Choby, asked me to study at Santa Croce. This is my third and final year of my STB. Santa Croce has been a great experience. I appreciate the small class sizes, and there are several priests and professors whom I have gotten to know very well. The classes and material are based on the Catechism and Vatican II documents. Having this solid foundation is essential in the process of becoming a priest, in order to preach the Good News that sets people free and brings them to the Truth. I m thankful for the zeal of the entire faculty of Santa Croce in adhering to that truth. I am also grateful for the professors who always go out of their way to help students. I remember in particular, Fr. Juan José Silvestre, a liturgy professor, seeing that I was really struggling with learning the Italian language in school. He tutored me on the side, which helped me to improve immensely. I will be ordained a deacon October 2017 here in Rome. The reason that I want to be a priest is to preach the Resurrection. My suffering and poverty, my longing for a father and for happiness, which I experienced in my upbringing and childhood, found its answer and hope in the Resurrection. That s what I believe God is calling me to as a priest to offer my fatherhood as a priest, bringing the hope of Christ to the world. 5

6 DONOR SPOTLIGHT An American in Paris (Texas) How One Priest Brought Rome Back Home Fr. Anthony Stoeppel The path to the priesthood can sometimes seem like a road that goes on forever, leading to places that don t always make sense at the time. But as J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote in The Lord of the Rings, Not all those who wander are lost. Fr. Anthony Stoeppel took a scenic route to the priesthood. Although a native of Texas, he spent some of his growing up years in Kentucky. He attended University of Kentucky, earning a degree bio-systems and agricultural engineering. From there, he studied Law and attended the Martin School for Public Policy for a Master s Degree. It was during this time that he met the Fathers of Mercy and felt the call to the priesthood. He was attracted to the priests there who were good, holy, orthodox, and happy. In fact, Fr. Anthony recalled that this was the first time I remember meeting a happy priest. He joined the Fathers of Mercy as a brother/seminarian before discerning that he was being called to the diocesan priesthood. After being accepted by Bishop Alvaro Corrada, SJ, (Diocese of Tyler, Texas) he spent two years at Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut. The bishop asked Fr. Anthony to study bio-ethics at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome for a Master s Degree. Those two years, says Fr. Anthony, provided a wonderful illustration that God knows us better than we know ourselves. I ve come to love the field of bioethics I ve studied under some wonderful professors and made some very good friends. And I ve come to appreciate what a rich and important field this is. One might be tempted to think that an impressive and wide-ranging education is over-kill for a priest in East Texas where the Catholic population is only about 3 percent. But in God s wisdom, nothing is wasted. Recently, Fr. Anthony gave a presentation Life & Death: Theological Perspective of End-of-Life Health Care. Although the talk was open to the general public, it was especially geared to health care professionals. Fr. Anthony remarked, As the Church we have the obligation to provide authentic Catholic teaching and guidance to these professionals and institutions as they pursue their healing ministry. Santa Croce provided Fr. Anthony another resource for people at Our Lady of Victory parish which is reflected in the advice of Bishop Corrada who told him, If you get all A s, but don t learn Rome, I will consider you a failure. When you live and study in Rome, Fr. Anthony says, you can know and see and touch the Catholic faith. In part, parishioners experience that intimacy through the sacred liturgy, offered with the same beauty and reverence Fr. Anthony learned during his time at Santa Croce. In bringing the Church s traditions and teachings to people in Texas, he is passing on what it means to be a Catholic in union with Rome. Holy Mass Intentions Masses offered for your intentions are wonderful remembrances and tributes to loved ones, both living and deceased. Your Mass will be assigned to a needy student priest as a means of his support beyond the bare minimum of tuition, room, and board. One hundred percent of the Mass stipend goes to the student priest who offers the Mass. To request a Mass online, please visit our redesigned website: 6 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Winter 2016

7 YOUR LEGACY AT SANTA CROCE Investing for TOMORROW When you make a gift to Santa Croce you are making an investment in the future leaders of the Church who will be spread out across the world. One way to optimize your giving is to use a financial investment to invest in the seminarians, priests and consecrated studying in the center of Christianity. With the stock market making all time high s this year, now might be an ideal time to use appreciated securities to get the most out of your giving. We read questions like this quite often these days; How much life is left in this bull market? Are stocks overpriced? Should investors take some money off the table? While these questions make sense in the financial world, the question we should ask regarding our love of the Church is that of the Psalmist; How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? (Psalm 116:12) A very tax efficient way to support Santa Croce through the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation is to use appreciated securities. Here is how it works: Instead of making a cash gift, use stocks, bonds or mutual funds where you are in a winning position We record the gift for you at the fair market value while you take an equivalent income tax deduction based on the value that day You have avoided a capital gains tax which allows you to deduct more from your taxable income This is a way to maximize the use of your generous gift as it makes the amount go further for you, while allowing Santa Croce to receive the full benefit of your generosity! Before you give securities, here are a few other thoughts to keep in mind: If you still want to own shares in the stock you have a big gain in, you can always turn around and buy it back which steps-up the cost basis and will reduce your gain later if it continues to go up Giving securities can help you conserve cash for other uses Only use securities that you have held over 12 months Only give appreciated securities It s a great way to make a year-end gift A special note about your IRA. This year you don t have to wait until the end of the year if you are over 70-1/2 and must take a required minimum distribution in 2016, just have your IRA custodian send cash from your traditional IRA account (you can tell them which stock or mutual fund to liquidate for the cash). You benefit by not having to pay income tax on the distribution Request for More Information Making Your Gift Go Further o Yes, I would like to consider making a gift using a stock or other security. Please send or (circle one) me Stock Transfer instructions to make a gift. o Please send me your new brochure to consider other options A Brief Overview of Charitable Planning o Please have a Charitable Gift Counselor give me a call to discuss planning options Signature Date Name on account (please print) _ Address City State Zip _ Phone _ Jose Delgado Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation P.O. Box 4508 New York, NY

8 MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE From all the World to All the World Our students are tremendously grateful for the unique opportunity they have to study at Santa Croce. They study with world-renowned thinkers, and they meet friends from every continent all within an easy stroll of the Vatican, the Pantheon, and the countless other treasures of the Eternal City, and more importantly, all done for the glory of God and the good of His holy Church. I have been truly blessed to study and receive a solid foundation at Santa Croce. With God s help, I will return to my diocese, work as a canon lawyer for the Tribunal, and teach at our seminary in Brazil to form future canon lawyers. Fr. Fabiano Pinto Canon Law licentiate Curitiba, Brazil Santa Croce s current student body of 1,600 hail from 75 different countries! My experience here has been incredible! My classes are interesting and it is a great experience to live with other seminarians and priests from all over the world, forming strong friendships and bringing each other closer to God. We all have the same desire to serve Him as priests. Albert Fortuny Cambrils, Spain Theology licentiate Students by Location: nnn Europe nnn Americas nnn Africa nnn Asia nnn Oceania (less than 1%) On behalf of all our students, THANK YOU! Your help makes a world of difference! I will spend the next three years completing a Masters degree in Church Communications. I am in awe of the professionalism here. I also enjoy our group of first-year students who have all been extremely welcoming. While Santa Croce is elegant, the atmosphere is also very comfortable. Sanesh George Thekkethala Communications licentiate Irinjalakuda, India 10% 10% 33% 45% The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation P.O. Box 4508 New York, NY Web: Phone: (646) Info@UniversityHolyCross.org The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation raises much-needed resources for the university s mission. To support the university, please contact the foundation by phone, , or mail. Get to know the students who your financial donations help support. Our brief e-newsletters introduce you to the people who make up the heart of Santa Croce. Go to our website to sign up for your free copy, delivered bi-weekly to your inbox. UniversityHolyCross.org 8 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Winter PUHCF. All Rights Reserved.