Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time November 3 & 4, 2018

Transcription

1 Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time November 3 & 4, 2018 Free Hot Tub! Contact Sr. Marla Clercx if you re interested. Wedding Congratulations! and Married October 27 Happy Birthday! Celebrated 90 years last weekend Congratulations! Celebrating 40 Years of Marriage Congratulations! Celebrating 50 Years of Marriage 6th Annual Cookie Bake October 24, 2018 We made cookies for hospitality and assembled care packages for our recent high school graduates. Inside This Bulletin Edition The Compass in the Bulletin Ministry Fair Raffle Winners A List of Our Brothers and Sisters Being Honored at our Annual Memorial Mass this Weekend Bishop Ricken s Listening Sessions: Responding to Questions, Part One and Two (insert) If you missed the informational meeting after Masses the weekend of October 20 & 21 and would like to learn more about the Knights of Columbus, call or Dave Mather at or dtm677@sbcglobal.net seas@seasgb.org St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish 2771 Oakwood Drive Green Bay, WI Office Hours Monday-Thursday 8am to 4:30pm Friday 8am to noon

2 Mass Intentions and Calendar Events As of October 30 Saturday, November 3 St. Martin de Porres Blessed Virgin Mary Phil 1:18b-26; Ps 42:2, 3, 5cdef; Lk 14:1, :00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 4:15pm Mass Basil and Pearl Barrette 4:15pm Annual Memorial Mass Change Clocks: Fall Back One Hour 2:00 a.m. Daylight Savings Time Ends Sunday, November 4 Dt 6:2-6; Heb 7:23-28; Mk 12:28b-34 8:00am Rosary 8:30am Mass Mary Ann Blasczyk 10:30am Mass Gordon Vanden Heuvel 10:30am Little Church Monday, November 5 Phil 2:1-4; Ps 131:3; Lk 14: :00pm Seniors United in Christ 6:00pm Alpha Course 6:30pm Baptism Prep. Class Tuesday, November 6 Phil 2:5-11; Ps 22:26b-30ab, 30e, 31-32; Lk 14: :00am Mass for the Souls in Purgatory 1:00pm Prayer Shawl Ministry: Knit/Crochet Group 6:00pm Rosary 7:00pm Choir Practice Wednesday, November 7 Phil 2:12-18; Lk 14: :00am Mass Ione Pietras 8:45am The Prophets Bible Study 5:45pm Elementary School Faith Formation Classes 7:00pm Middle & High School Faith Formation Classes 7:00pm Holy Hour Thursday, November 8 Phil 3:3-8a; Ps 105:2-7; Lk 15:1-10 7:00am Mass Intention Available 1:30pm Faith Sharing Group 7:00pm Knights of Columbus Meeting Friday, November 9 The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17; Jn 2: :00am Mass Amy Thor 9:30am 2nd Friday for Seniors Saturday, November 10 9:00am Alpha Retreat 3:00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 4:15pm Mass Brooke Erdmann Mass David Loritz 4:15pm Annual Memorial Mass St. Leo the Great Phil 4:10-19; Lk 16:9-15 Sunday, November 11 1 Kgs 17:10-16; Ps 146:7-10; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12: :00am Rosary 8:30am Mass George Miller 10:30am Mass Alvin Kraszewski 10:30am Little Church 7:00pm AGE Choir Practice November :30pm Women s Guild Meeting November :30pm Marketing Committee Meeting November :00pm Rosary November :30pm Alpha Reunion November :00pm Choir Practice November :45pm & 7pm Faith Formation Classes November :00pm NEW Meal Prep. November :30pm Buildings & Grounds Meeting November :30pm Pastoral Council Meeting November Christmas Program Sponsorship Tags on Tree for the Taking November 17 & 18 - Women s Guild Bake Sale November :45am Annual Meeting November :30am Little Church November :30am Annual Meeting Discipleship and Spirituality Presentation November :00pm Alpha Course November :30pm Parish Life Committee Meeting November :00pm Rosary November :00pm Choir Practice November :00am Thanksgiving Day Mass November 22 & 23 - Parish Office Closed November :15pm Baptism November 24 & 25 - Holy Family School 8th Grade Class Candle Fundraiser November :00pm Alpha Course November :00am RCIA Class (Learning about being Catholic) November :00pm Rosary November :00pm Choir Practice November :45pm & 7pm Faith Formation Classes December Faith Formation Students Assembling Boxes for Sponsorship Program December 1 & Return Christmas Presents for Sponsorship Program by December 2 December :30am Confirmation Class: Rite of Enrollment December Faith Formation Students Sorting Gifts for the Sponsorship Program December :00pm Seniors United in Christ December :00pm Alpha Course December :30pm Baptism Prep. Class December :00pm Rosary December :00pm Choir Practice

3 Dear Friends, Next weekend we celebrate National Stewardship weekend, or what we at Seton call our Covenant Commitment weekend. We are called to annually look at our life of discipleship through the eyes of prayer, service and generosity. By responding to God s covenant of love and fidelity, we recommit ourselves to lives of intentional discipleship. Just as people celebrate birthdays or anniversaries each year, we too are called to celebrate our response to God s goodness. In Genesis, we hear, I have made my covenant with you and your descendants after you to be your God and you will be my people. It s a great time for us to prayerfully look at this promise and our response to it. Are we living as though God is our God? Are we responding as though we are God s people? Discipleship is lived out in the three areas of prayer, service and generosity. Prayer is to be the foundation of our lives. We are invited to look at how much time we devote to prayer each day, and the ways in which we pray. There are 1440 minutes in a day. If approximately 8 hours or 480 minutes are used in sleeping, 960 minutes remain. An 8-hour work day takes another 480 minutes, leaving 480. Tithing 10% of the remaining time means spending 48 minutes a day in prayer. That may seem like a lot if we see it only through the eyes of sitting for 48 minutes, but if we look at various ways to pray, it becomes an easy task. A few minutes in the morning to thank God for the new day, prayer before meals, praying with our children at bedtime, reading a spiritual book, daily Mass, taking a walk aware of God s gifts of creation can all be part of our daily prayer. With these, 48 minutes may suddenly seem like not enough time! We are called to be people of service. As Christians, we are not merely volunteers, but active disciples. We look for those areas of need within our families, our parish and our community as we respond to them with the gifts God has given us. Even if every person responded to the call to service, there would still be ministry to do. We are also called to the same level of generosity of God. All we have been given is gift and to be used for the good of others. Again, as Christians, we do not simply donate, but tithe. Can we move toward sharing 10% of our material wealth and possessions? Can we develop less of an attachment to things and a greater desire to share? I remember a saying which stated, When you find yourself with more, do not build a higher fence but a longer table. Friends, there are Covenant Commitment booklets in the chair backs. We invite you to take one home with you and prayerfully consider how God is asking you to live a life of prayer, service and generosity. Please return your commitment cards next weekend at Mass with your responses. We will use the areas of service to create our ministry lists and to assist those who might be new to a ministry. Blessings, Sr. Marla Clercx, Pastoral Leader Mass on Friday November 9 is at 9:00 am A tree had to be cut down at the rectory on October 26.

4 Thank you to everyone who donated items for, and helped with, last weekend s. There are many different volunteer opportunities where you can share your unique gifts and talents, meet other people like you and dive deeper into your discipleship efforts through prayer, service, and generosity. Everyone doing their part keeps our parish a vibrant community. If you want to become a member of any of our committees or get involved in any of our ministries, complete a My Covenant Commitment Card and return it at Mass next weekend. Commitment Cards are in the hospitality area for you to take. Following is a list of the lucky raffle winners. Pete Winkel... Pastoral Council s Packer Basket Deb Gryboski... Parish Life s Harvest Basket Katrina Lancelle... Faith Formation s Basket Maurey Steffel... Dignity of Life s Family Basket Sawyer Overly... Worship Committee s Family Fun Basket Dianne Winkel... Bldg. & Grounds Toolkit Jean Otradovec... Marketing s UWGB Basketball Tickets As we start to work on the 2019 schedule, we find we are in need of some additional Church Cleaners. If you are able to spare one to two hours, approximately seven times per year, please consider getting involved in keeping our worship area welcoming, clean, and organized. Depending on which area you are assigned, the duties could include vacuuming, dusting, spot-cleaning windows, straightening missalettes, and, of course, cleaning up the proverbial tidbits left behind. The schedule is done for the entire year of 2019, and there is a list of subs so that if something comes up and you re unable to clean during the week you re assigned, you can call a sub or switch with someone on the schedule. To sign up for this important ministry or if you have questions, please call Kathy at the parish office at Your help will be greatly appreciated! 2nd Friday for here at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Presented by Sheila De Luca, Pastoral Associate, Resurrection Parish 9am Mass 9:30am Continental Breakfast 10am Program Free program. All are invited. (You do not have to be a senior.) Please RSVP by November 7. We need a count for the meal. Women s Guild ~ November 17 & 18 ~ after all Masses Calling all Bakers... The Women s Guild would appreciate your donations of baked goods to help make their bake sale a success. Plated and wrapped bakery items can be dropped off on Saturday, November 17 from 11am to 2pm. Thank you. Annual Meeting Thursday, November 15, 6:30pm Sunday November 19 at 9:45am in the Worship Area All parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend. Parishioners who attend our 8:30am Mass can stay after for the short meeting, and those who attend 10:30am can plan to come a little earlier. We re hoping that parishioners who normally attend the 4:15pm Mass and are interested in hearing a brief summary of the 2017/2018 year will come back on Sunday morning or plan to attend one of the Sunday Masses instead. After the 10:30am Mass, we ll have our annual spirituality and discipleship-building presentation in the downstairs social hall.

5 November 2018 IN THE Young singer turns bullying experience into opportunity to help other teens BY AMANDA LAUER FOR THE COMPASS APPLETON Bullying has been around since biblical times, as the story of Cain and Abel can attest. But with the dawn of the internet and social media, bullying has intensifi ed. It now can be done surreptitiously rather than face to face. Franki Moscato, 16, a member of St. Raphael the Archangel Parish in Oshkosh, knows this fi rsthand. She was the target of bullies as the result of her burgeoning singing career. I ve been singing since I can remember. I never really sang in public much until I was about 11, she said. It really started with me singing with our local veterans. Traveling around with them to different cities, they d have little memorials or I d go to the elementary school and the high school and I d perform with the veterans behind me as they did the color guard. She started singing the national anthem at events. She even sang at the Green Bay Packers Family Fun Night when she was 11. At that time, Moscato was BY JEAN PEERENBOOM FOR THE COMPASS DARBOY One dollar can go a long, long way to feeding the hungry, Greyson Peters, 9, has learned through one small act of kindness and a little help from social media. On Sept. 7, he decided to do an act of kindness as part of Kindness Day at school, offering to pay for his friend Austin Slinger s AMANDA LAUER FOR THE COMPASS Franki Moscato, a member of St. Raphael the Archangel Parish in Oshkosh, is an accomplished singer and songwriter. Her singing talents led to bullying at school, which she has turned into a cause to help others who suffer from bullying. attending a local public school. Classmates started to bully her when her career took off. Franki wouldn t even talk about the productions she was in because she knew it was going to cause major bullying, said her mother, Kathy Sakschek. She tried to be secret about everything but she couldn t. Music was Moscato s saving grace. My outlet has been writing songs and talking about it and then also making music videos about it, she said. We made my fi rst music video called Me, Myself and I in It won Best Music Video in the London Independent Film Awards and the LA Film Awards. Our full story appears in the Oct. 19 issue. Dollar Challenge raises $14,302 for food bank lunch. Austin was having lunch with his mother, Angela, and other friends at Woodland Elementary in Harrison. (He) handed me a $1 bill, said Angela. I asked him what it was for and he told me it was to help pay for my son s meal. He said, Mrs. Slinger, this dollar is for you. If you use it the right way, you could feed the entire world. I fi gured I must not have heard him right, so I FRANKLY, FRANCIS Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our continuing catechesis on the Ten Commandments, we now consider the injunction against killing. We could say that every evil is caused by a disregard for life. Assaults upon life occur in many situations, from war and exploitation to the suppression of the vulnerable, elderly and unborn. Ultimately it is fear that gives rise to the rejection of life. To welcome the other, however, challenges such fear. We see the attitude that welcomes rather than rejects life in the heart-rending concern of parents for a sick child. Their desire to protect and save is a sign of life s precious value, seen above all in those who suffer, who are in fact God s gift, and who help us to grow in his love. God s love is the only authentic measure of life, whose secret is revealed by Jesus, who embraced the rejected, weak, poor and sick throughout his life and upon the cross. + Pope Francis, Oct. 10, Follow Him On asked him to repeat what he had said, she said in a Facebook post. While I know we won t feed the world, I would love to challenge you each to match this third grader s $1 (or more!) to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. The challenge to raise money for the hungry was on. Our full story appears in the Oct. 12 issue.

6 Subscribe: Save $ 5 NOW! 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Christ the King PATRICIA KASTEN THE COMPASS 1 This Nov. 25 honors the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. 2 Pope Pius XI began this feast and fi rst celebrated it on Oct. 31, Thereafter, the feast was held on the last Sunday of October until Then it was moved to the last Sunday of the church year. 3 The 1925 celebration closed Pope Pius XI s Holy Year to honor world missions and pray for peace. 4 In Pope Pius day, the feast focused on Christ s reign over the world and its governments. 5 The 1920s were a tense time: the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 ushered communism into Russia; Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy in 1922; and Germany began defaulting on war reparations in Please mail $23 payment to: P.O. Box 8474 Carol Stream, IL For faster service, call: or Toll-free , Ext compasscirc@gbdioc.org Name Address City State ZIP Phone Parish New Subscribers Only BISHOP S CORNER Bishop David Ricken Listening sessions Brothers and Sisters, Several weeks ago, as part of my action steps to accountability in response to the sexual abuse crisis in the church, I announced plans to host a series of listening sessions at parishes throughout the diocese. These listening sessions have taken place over the past couple of weeks and today I want to share with you some of my experience at these sessions. First of all, I want to thank everyone who attended one of the seven listening sessions, as well as those who have shared their thoughts and feelings over the phone and in writing. In a special way, I want to acknowledge the victims-survivors who attended the listening sessions. You have suffered greatly and I thank you for your courage in sharing your experience with me and others who attended. I also want to thank the parishes that hosted our listening sessions. We did not give them much time to plan and prepare, but out of care and concern for the people of this diocese, they responded with a willingness to help and provided a space for people to come forward and share how they have been impacted by this tragic situation. I will be perfectly honest. These listening Parish SNAPSHOT sessions have not been easy for me. Hearing people express anger, sadness, frustration, distrust and even despair because of the evil done by church leaders was heartbreaking, and I have felt the weight of this pain physically, spiritually and emotionally. But I needed to hear what you are feeling. Understanding the ways you are being affected by this crisis helps me to serve you better and I thank you for your willingness to challenge me and the church as a whole to do better. One of the things that was most apparent from these listening sessions was how personal this topic is for people. This is especially true for victims-survivors and their loved ones who live with this reality every single day. I have sat with some of you before, but being at the listening sessions and hearing how the current crisis is affecting you served as a useful reminder that every person s path to healing is unique and often a winding road. We will continue to provide support to you and pray for your healing. At the same time, I heard many personal accounts from folks who have not experienced abuse personally, but have still been deeply affected by this scandal. I wish I had words to relieve their concerns, but the personal nature of this issue means that each of us will have to wrestle with questions like these as part of the healing process. The entire column appears in our Oct. 12 issue. SUBMITTED PHOTO FOR THE COMPASS Members of the St. Matthew Parish Generations of Faith program in Allouez participate a Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack at Green Bay Community Church in Howard. The ecumenical project Oct. 1-4 included three Green Bay area parishes and one Catholic school, helping to pack 785,000 meals that were sent to Haiti and other poverty-stricken countries.

7 At this time of year, we remember all those who have passed from this life to the next at this weekend s Memorial Mass. Let us continue to pray for and support those who are mourning their loss. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in eternal peace. Amen. Janice Barta David Benkowski Jaclyn Chevrette Julie Duquaine Roland Frisque Ann Frye Norbert Gillis Tom Glomski Dennis Gonering Detz Hecker Alvin Kraszewski Laura Mroczynski Norbert Oudenhoven Donna Paul Norma Posey Janice Ringsred Ronald Ronsman Glen Sorenson Doris Truttman Joseph Witkowski Nov During this time of harvest and thanksgiving, GRACE has been generously blessed with the many gifts made to this year s annual appeal. Thank you to those who have already made a donation to the Annual Appeal and to those that are still prayerfully considering what they can give. Every gift makes a difference in the Catholic education experience for more than 2,100 students enrolled in GRACE schools. Donations can be mailed to GRACE Annual Appeal, 1087 Kellogg Street, Green Bay, WI or online at Every vocation is about bringing souls to heaven. Contemporary society is all too often saturated by constant activity and noise, so it is important this week to encourage young discerners to take time for silent, contemplative prayer. Quiet reflection and prayer are essential elements for vocational discernment. It is in the interior depths of our heart where we hear the voice of Christ, where he speaks to us, and where he reveals his will for our lives, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Chairman of the USCCB s Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. Encourage the people in your life friends, students, children, and grandchildren to be open if God calls them to priesthood or religious life. Please ask Our Lord for more dedicated, holy priests, deacons and consecrated men and women. Some online resources include: Preview Night is November 8. Contact us for more details. The total enrollment of Notre Dame Academy is 776, and the average graduation rate is 99%. The Christmas holiday runs from December 24-January 1. Classes resume on January S. Fisk Street Green Bay, WI (920) Maryhill Drive Green Bay, WI November 6: 11am to 9pm fundraiser at Heartland Pizza Company, 2822 Ramada, Ashwaubenon, for Destination Imagination Club. We ll receive a portion of every sale. November 8/9: Accreditation Renewal through Wisconsin Religious and Independent School Association (WRISA). November 8: 8:45am Mass. November 9: Early dismissal due to teacher inservice.

8 Safeguarding Innocence in the Digital Age November 8 at 6:30pm From Above Youth Center, 1599 Western Ave., Green Bay Internet safety starts with informed parents. Learn how to protect your children s purity from the digital dangers of sexually explicit material. Prepare for the presentation by reading the document Create a Clean Heart at and watch the video A Safe Haven Starts at Home at Can we pray for you? Contact Kathy Vandersteen at kvandersteen@ seasgb.org or if you or someone you know would like prayers. The members of our Prayer Chain will pray for your sincere intentions. Also contact Kathy for any updates to the Prayer Chain (additions, deletions, or address updates.) Become A Member or Questions We welcome and register new members the second weekend of every month (except in the summer months). You may also contact the parish office via at seas@seasgb.org or call Text to to receive text messages from us through Flocknote. When necessary, we will try our best to post CANCELLATIONS in a timely manner on TV Channel 5, our website our Facebook page facebook.com/ SEASGB, and via text message. Sacrament of Baptism Baptism is celebrated within our weekend worship service at any of the Masses. Contact the parish office two months before the anticipated date of Baptism. Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays from 3-4pm. Sacrament of Marriage Contact the parish office at least six months prior to the date of marriage. Join a Ministry or Committee If you would like more information or would like to join a particular ministry or committee, contact the parish office. Below follows a successful journey towards self-sufficiency, shared by a thankful mom. In May of 2017 I found myself in a very difficult situation. I was pregnant with two children, and we were homeless. Frantically I called around for help. I reached out to the Salvation Army, and was moved into a home provided by EPH. After giving birth to my daughter, I found out the father of my children had been incarcerated. During his incarceration he made a decision to make right his wrongs. I made a request to allow him to join his family on our journey towards stability. After careful consideration and an interview, he was allowed to join us. Our family was reunited. During this time, we also paid off over $7,000 of our debt. In August of 2018 we were informed by EPH that their long-term supportive housing program had a house available. Our family moved into that house, and we are on track to sign a formal lease in December. No doubt we would not be where we are today without the help from The Salvation Army and EPH. This partnership made sure my family had a safe and comfortable place to live, as well as the tools and resources needed to accomplish our goals. They did all of this without bias or placing judgments. Many thanks to our partnership and affiliate churches for their gifts, talents, and prayers. Paid and Volunteer Maintenance Staff Needed Looking for both a paid staff person as well as volunteers to help keep our homes well maintained for the families we serve. If you have handyman skills, please contact Sue Mills at We could use your time and talents! Ministry of the Sick Contact the parish office when you or a family member is seriously ill, shut in, or hospitalized. Parish Contacts and Giving Sr. Marla Clercx Pastoral Leader mclercx@seasgb.org Fr. Sengole Dass Priest Celebrant Deacon Steve Meyer steve.meyer@etkg.com Gloria Nolan Pastoral Minister gnolan@seasgb.org Kate Ruth Evangelization & Faith Form. Coord. kruth@seasgb.org Jill Cheney Elementary Faith Formation Coord. jcheney@seasgb.org John Popke Liturgical Music Dir. jpopke@seasgb.org Online, automatic, electronic giving is the best way to make financial contributions to our parish family. Enroll online at using code WI571 or scan QR Reader.

9 Our new picture directories have not come in yet. We ll let you know when we get them. Parishioners who had their picture taken will receive one of the directories. Our Call as Catholic Citizens Our general election is Tuesday, November 6. As elections approach, let us remember that part of our vocation is to be faithful citizens. We are called to use our individual and collective gifts to promote justice and peace for all. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers a moral framework for us in their publication Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. This document affirms our Church s teachings and will help us in assessing issues. For more information, visit or get a packet of info in the hospitality area. Serving Dairy Farms Since 1997 Mike Biese Nutrition Consultant Parish Member INTENSIVE DAIRY CARE (920) 920) 429 The Most Complete Online National Directory of Catholic Parishes CHECK IT OUT TODAY! BLINDAUER S Pre-Planning: Save Your Family From Difficult Decisions in the Future Be Kos We Care About Our Residents, Our Communities... and Our Future. Paul Kosmoski Parish Member ALL CHRISTIAN FAITHS WELCOME Sheet Metal - Roofing Dean Englebert 1227 S. Broadway Parishioner Holmgren Way, Suite A Estate Planning. Real Estate Law. Business Get this weekly bulletin delivered by - for FREE! Sign up here: Courtesy of J.S. Paluch Company, Inc St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church (B) TERRY J. GERBERS Grow in your faith, find a Mass, and connect with your Catholic Community with OneParish! Download Our Free App or Visit MY.ONEPARISH.COM or Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc

10 Parishioner Sales Service Installation Residential Commercial 2223 Woodale Ave. Green Bay, WI University Ave. Green Bay, WI S. Military Ave. (920) SALES, SERVICE INSTALLATION Heating & Air Conditioning A.J. Thomson MOTEL AND FAMILY RESTAURANT PAT & JERRY BLINDAUER Mike Thomson Free Wireless Internet New Location (920) Wery Lane, Green Bay, WI Consider Remembering Your Parish in Your Will. For further information, please call the Parish Office. Concrete Delivery Concrete Pumping BRIAN SKIP KOWALKOWSKI LOOKING FOR MEN Interested call Tim Gilbert Deluxe Motor Coaches Mini-Coach Buses Allied Street Green Bay, WI Fax Trolleys School Buses Limousines Appleton Kisser Ct. Parishioner Jim Beining* Parishioner Ask About Our Executive & Limousine Coaches Wisconsin Financial Wealth Management Ask for a FREE Tour Catalog jbeining@wisconsinfinancial.com *Securities offered through registered representatives of The O.N.Equity Sales Company. Member of FINRA/SIPC. One Financial Way, Cincinnati, Ohio (513) Brian or Sally, coordinators CST an Official Travel Agency of Apostleship of the Sea-USA From the WLP Vault comes the Bible Story of Christmas featuring 8 Classic Christmas Carols and a reading of the Gospel of Luke 2: 4-20 by Bing Crosby! Also available on vinyl Photo Courtesy of Bing Crosby Enterprises Visit WLPmusic.com to purchase your copy - CD $10.00 If you own a business or know of a local business that might like to support your local Catholic parish by advertising in its parish bulletin, please contact J.S. Paluch. Grow your business by advertising in the church bulletin and create strong connections with your target audience. Benefits include: WHY ADVERTISE IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH BULLETIN? J.S. Paluch will create, produce and print your ad for less than you d spend elsewhere.they help you reach consumers at extremely affordable rates and offer options to advertise effectively and keep pace with market change. GREAT COVERAGE - 97% of all households attending church take at least one church bulletin home every Sunday. GREAT VALUE - 70% of all households are aware of and look at the advertising in the church bulletin and 68% of households surveyed when making a choice between businesses are inclined to choose the one who advertised in the church bulletin. GREAT LOYALTY - 41% of households do business with a company specifically because they are advertising in the church bulletin. GREAT PRODUCT - 62% of households keep the church bulletin the entire week as reference. Learn More About Advertising In Your Parish Bulletin Call us at sales@jspaluch.com St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church (A) For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc

11 October 19, 2018 Official Newspaper for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wis. Listening sessions: Responding to questions, part one Over the past month, I have participated in a series of listening sessions at parishes throughout the diocese to hear from you about how you are being impacted by the news of sexual abuse within the church. The emphasis of these gatherings was on listening rather than responding. However, I invited you to share your questions with me with the promise that I would address them. Thank you so much to those of you who submitted questions. We have received hundreds of them and I have personally read every one. In doing so, I noticed several themes emerge and Bishop David in this and upcoming issues, I intend to address several of these questions as best I can. In this issue, I want to start by focusing on the context of the current sexual abuse crisis as well as offering some Ricken suggestions on how people might respond to those who are skeptical about the church right now. I THOUGHT WE ADDRESSED THIS PROB- LEM IN WHY IS THIS STILL HAPPENING? In many ways we did address this problem in At that time, when news broke about the sexual abuse crisis in the church, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) implemented the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Charter addressed issues such as reporting allegations of abuse to civil authorities, removal of clergy with credible allegations of abuse, ministering to victims-survivors, and conducting background checks and providing training for employees and volunteers who work with youth to ensure necessary security and safety. Since that time, the Diocese of Green Bay has followed the guidelines of the Charter, though many of the policies of the Charter were already in place locally prior to One child victimized in this way is one too many. The terrible things that have happened to children by clergy... cause me grave sorrow. The recent accounts of sexual abuse have focused primarily on a grand jury report from Pennsylvania that attempted to identify the scope of this problem in six of the state s eight dioceses. This two-year investigation was done with cooperation from the dioceses. The horrific accounts that were included in this report are heartbreaking and rightfully have shed light on the ugly reality of what has been done by some leaders in the church, both those who abused and those who covered it up. This report covered the past 70 years and the vast majority of cases that were released in this report occurred prior to In no way does this minimize what has taken place, but it provides some evidence that the steps taken in 2002 are having an impact. The grand jury report acknowledges this progress on the part of church leadership. Even though many of these cases occurred prior to 2002, the truth is that even one case of abuse is one too many. It is also important to recognize the impact of this news for victims-survivors and their families, both in Pennsylvania and throughout the country. Each story of abuse can reopen the wounds they feel from their own experience, which is why it can feel as though this problem is not getting any better. As can be seen in the above chart, which records allegations from across the United States, abuse within the church nationally has been declining going back to the 1980s. The accounts of abuse currently in the news are in line with this trend that abuse is declining. But the goal is to have no cases and we are still not there. Locally, we want to be able to provide you with a picture of the progress that we have made by sharing information about the number of cases of abuse that have occurred in the diocese over the years. To ensure the accuracy of that picture, we have contracted with an independent, third- CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE

12 party firm to conduct an external review of our files. Their report will go to our Diocesan Independent Review Board and our Chancellor. Upon their recommendations, I will determine how to share the results of this review with the public. My hope is that by doing so, we can begin to regain the public s trust that we have learned from past mistakes and we are making every effort to overcome this horrific sin that has occurred in the church. HOW DO I RESPOND TO THE CRITICISM THAT I AM HEARING OF THE CHURCH? HOW DO I EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT THE CHURCH OR WHO ARE NOT CATHOLIC? This is an important question that all of us need to wrestle with. In some ways, we each have to determine the appropriate ways to explain what is going on depending on who we are talking to. All I can do is provide some things for you to consider as you have these conversations. It s important to state that our goal should not be to defend what is indefensible behavior. We must acknowledge the real pain that this has caused for so many people, especially the victims-survivors and their families. We should also recognize that this is an extremely emotional issue. People are entitled to their emotions, so we don t want to be dismissive of the way they are feeling. Ultimately, I can t tell you what words to use when responding. All I can do is share with you what I might say when I hear these criticisms. Here are some of the things that I would say. One child victimized in this way is one too many. The terrible things that have happened to children by clergy and others in the church, or by any responsible adult for that matter, cause me grave sorrow. In the United States, the church has been responding to this problem since 1985 and has been increasing their response dramatically since 2002, when the Charter was published. I am confident that this response is working the way it is intended, but we are continuing to learn and make improvements. Sexual abuse is a human problem and seems to be widespread across society. The church has been part of the problem and we are striving now to become part of the solution. Those who have committed abuse have betrayed the church. This evil is not the church, but the church has allowed it and has committed at least the grave sin of negligence. This is what we must repent about and be ever more vigilant so that this does not happen again. Finally, in responding to others, we must be prepared that our words might not be satisfactory to some. People might decide to leave the church as a result of this. All we can do is continue to love them as Christ loves us and, perhaps one day, through the experience of that love, the Holy Spirit will draw them back to the church. HOW CAN I TRUST THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP AFTER ALL THIS? Again, this is a question all of us will have to deal with personally and there are no easy answers. Trust must be earned and unfortunately trust has been lost. It seems we are in a time where many have lost their trust in the leadership of the church, and in this diocese, I know some have lost their trust in me. I am deeply sorry for the things I have done or failed to do that have led to this distrust. I know that my words alone will not earn back your trust. That s why I am committed to being even more diligent in responding to this issue. We must do better and my prayer is that in doing so, we can regain your trust. To that end, I will continue to be transparent about the actions we are taking to address this problem. These are just some insights I can offer as I begin addressing your questions. I know they may not be satisfactory to everyone, but I hope there may be something of value for you as we all work to make sense of what is happening right now. In upcoming issues I will address additional questions regarding how reports of abuse are handled and what steps are in place to prevent this from happening in our diocese. I thank you for your continued prayers and patience as we work to bring healing to all people who have suffered as a result of this crisis. The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL Bishop of Green Bay SPECIAL OFFER Subscribe now to receive diocesan breaking news and tips from Bishop Ricken on how to live as Missionary Disciples. ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION FOR ONLY $20 NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP: PHONE: PARISH: Mail this form along with your check to: The Compass P.O. Box 23825, Green Bay, WI For immediate service, call Barb at (920) or toll free (877) , ext NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.

13 October 26, 2018 Official Newspaper for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wis. HOW PREVALENT IS THIS IN OUR DIOCESE? ARE THERE PRIESTS STILL IN MINISTRY WHO HAVE ABUSED? The Diocese of Green Bay has taken allegations of abuse very seriously. Because of this, there are currently no priests in ministry in the Diocese of Green Bay who are known to have abused minors. WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS FOLLOWED WHEN YOU RECEIVE AN ALLEGATION OF CLERGY SEX ABUSE. With every allegation, we want to make sure that civil authorities are notified. For this reason, we request that anyone with information about possible sexual abuse of a minor first call civil authorities and then call the diocese. (The numbers to call to report abuse can be found on the diocesan website under the Protecting Our Children tab.) Bishop David Ricken Listening sessions: Responding to questions, part two We respond promptly and seriously to every complaint of sexual misconduct. If the allegation involves current abuse of a minor, we are required by law to share that information with the civil authorities, if we have been given sufficient information to make that report. We inform the caller that we will fulfill these requirements. If we are not given enough information to make the report, for instance, the caller does not share or does not know the location of the abuse or name of the abuser, we make an internal report to document the information we do have. In either case, we direct the caller to contact the police with the information they have. If the allegation involves abuse from decades ago, and the victim is now an adult, we assess all the facts and provide support to the victim through the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator. We also notify the caller that we will be contacting the district attorney of the county in which the abuse is alleged to have occurred. When the allegation is received and shared with civil authorities, we cooperate with them in any investigation FUNDING FOR ASSISTANCE, SETTLEMENTS & LEGAL FEES 1950 TO 2018 According to the Diocese of Green Bay, the following amounts have been spent on costs related to clergy sexual abuse from 1950 to 2018.* Victim/Survivor Assistance: $1,380,241 Legal Settlements: $1,765,500 Legal Fees Related to Settlements and Expenses for the Charter for Protection of Children & Young People $1,689,416 Total Victim Assistance, Legal Costs & Settlements: $4,835,157 * Of the funding listed above, the diocese s insurance carrier has paid $1,065,500. The remaining balance has been paid from the Diocese of Green Bay unrestricted reserves. they deem necessary. Additionally, we remove the person accused from ministry until a more thorough investigation is completed. An important part of this process is the support we provide to the person making the allegation. Our Victim Assistance Coordinator is responsible for providing assistance to anyone who reports that he or she has been abused. This support includes pastoral assistance and counseling that may be needed to assist the person along the path of physical, emotional and spiritual healing. In addition, the Victim Assistance Coordinator serves as an advocate for the victim through the entire process. All support provided by the Victim Assistance Coordinator is at the victim s discretion. If the allegation leads to criminal charges, the diocese cooperates fully with the civil authorities through that process. If found guilty, the person who sexually abused is subject to any criminal or civil penalties that may apply to the situation. In addition to civil penalties, there are consequences within the church for a member of clergy found to have a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor. Even if no civil penalties result from the allegation, perhaps because the statute of limitations has passed, if the allegation is credible, clergy are subject to penalties from the church. In part 3 of this series, I will provide more detail on these penalties. Finally, part of our process when an allegation has been made and a priest is removed, is to work closely with the community affected by the abuse to help them experience healing and to encourage any other person who may have been victimized by this perpetrator to come forward. WHAT ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS ORDERS? DOES THE DIOCESE INVESTIGATE THEM? Unlike diocesan priests who are directly accountable to the bishop, priests who are part of religious orders, such as CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE

14 the Norbertines or Franciscans, are accountable to their religious superior within the order. Thus, anytime the Diocese of Green Bay receives a credible allegation against a priest who is part of a religious order, we encourage the person to contact law enforcement authorities. Additionally, this information is immediately turned over to the religious order, which is also responsible for contacting the authorities and investigating the priest. The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People applies to religious orders that maintain a presence within the Diocese of Green Bay as well. This means that the expectations are the same for the order. They must promptly and thoroughly investigate any claims of abuse of minors, inform and cooperate with civil authorities, remove a member who faces an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor from active ministry, and inform me, as the bishop, of actions taken in this regard. HOW DOES THE DIOCESE OFFER ONGOING SUPPORT TO VICTIMS-SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE? IS THERE A SUPPORT GROUP FOR VICTIMS-SURVIVORS? I have and will continue to meet with any victim-survivor who presents himself or herself and asks to see me personally. This has seemed to help the victims in their healing process and helps me to understand the gravity of the problem and the severe damage that this does to innocent children. Through our meetings, I have learned that this crime and mortal sin inflicted upon them leaves a huge wound in the soul of an innocent victim, which can scar that person for life. It is a wound that does grave damage to the person s soul, mind, body and emotions, and it does not heal quickly or easily. Although we know from experts that sexual abuse is a significant issue in the general population, when it is clergy who abuse, it does violence to a person s relationship with God. Because of this, we are always exploring new approaches to healing that seek to restore that relationship. I am very grateful for the support group, Journey of Hope, which provides accompaniment for victims and also an annual retreat in the diocese. They are and will be helpful to people in the diocese who have suffered as a result of clergy sexual abuse. The diocese also offers ongoing support to survivors of sexual abuse through diocesan funded counseling at Catholic Charities or with various professionals throughout the 16 counties of the diocese. Additional support occurs through the sponsoring of annual healing services during the month of April and participation in a healing retreat at St. Norbert Spirituality Center in De Pere, all of which are coordinated in partnership with Journey of Hope. WHAT IS THE DIOCESE DOING TO REACH OUT AND ENCOUR- AGE VICTIMS-SURVIVORS TO COME FORWARD? We have taken a number of actions to encourage victims to come forward: n There is information on the diocesan website, under the Protecting Our Children tab, related to how to report abuse. n All parishes and schools are encouraged to make available a brochure that outlines how to report abuse. This brochure is called Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal. n Parishes and schools are also encouraged to make available a second brochure that outlines a number of the ongoing efforts of the Diocese of Green Bay to prevent sexual abuse and also includes directions and contact information about how to report abuse. This brochure is called Preserving the Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal. n All clergy and employees of the Diocese of Green Bay must review and sign the Our Promise to Protect Policy each year. This policy outlines the responsibility to report any situations of potential abuse to civil and church authorities and provides the information on how to do so. n All volunteers who minister to children and individuals at risk in the Diocese of Green Bay must read and sign the Diocesan Code of Conduct annually. This document affirms the expectations that they will report any concerns of sexual abuse to civil and church authorities and provides the information on how to do so. n As part of our commitment to adhering to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People all clergy, employees and volunteers in the diocese who minister to children or individuals at risk must attend Safe Environment Awareness education. Over 40,000 people have received this education that includes how to recognize behavioral indicators of a potential perpetrator or a potential victim of sexual abuse and how to report any concerns. Our goal is to flood our people with this knowledge to safeguard the children and individuals at risk whom we serve. n Every parish is required to run an ad in their bulletin at least quarterly that informs people how to report sexual abuse. The ad is available in English and Spanish. n The Diocesan newspaper, The Compass, runs an ad at least quarterly that informs people about how to report sexual abuse. The ad is run in English and Spanish. HOW MUCH FUNDING HAS THERE BEEN FOR ASSISTANCE, SETTLEMENTS, AND LEGAL FEES? WHERE DOES THIS FUNDING COME FROM? The breakdown of funding for assistance, settlements and legal fees can be seen in the graphic above. From 1950 to 2018, our insurance carrier has paid $1,065,500. The remaining balance has been paid from the Diocese of Green Bay unrestricted reserves. Over the years, the diocese was able to build up unrestricted reserves (our savings account). It is from the investment return of past years that we have drawn funds for legal matters and the support of victim/ survivors who require our support. No Bishop s Appeal funds have been used for legal costs. Our audited financial statements can be found on the diocesan website The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL Bishop of Green Bay