in Marriage Tribunals Santa Croce Co-Sponsors Advocate Course in New Jersey

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1 Summer 2016 Volume 9 Issue 2 Serving Truth and Justice in Marriage Tribunals Santa Croce Co-Sponsors Advocate Course in New Jersey A famous legal maxim says that justice delayed is justice denied. This phrase provides a simplified way of understanding one of the main reasons that Pope Francis changed some of the Church s procedural laws for those seeking a declaration of marriage nullity. After careful consideration, and with advice from canon law experts, the Pope removed some procedural obstacles for people wanting to clarify their marital status in the eyes of the Church (Left to Right) Fr. Luis Navarro (course coordinator) and Fr. Giovanni Rizzo, Fr. Matthew Furgiuele, Dr. Christina Hip Flores, and Fr. Jaimes Ponce (instructors). Photos courtesy of Joe Polillio ( Fr. Luis Navarro, professor of Canon Law at Santa Croce for 30 years, served as the coordinator of the course. To implement the new directives which took effect on December 8, 2015, bishops and marriage tribunals serving under the bishop s authority need to re-educate those involved in this ministry of the Church particularly pastoral advocates. With this in mind, the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, in partnership with Santa Croce, offered a five-day training course to teach pastoral advocates how to prepare the necessary background information for judges to discern the truth about specific marriage cases. Thirty-two people attended the course about one-third priests, one-third members of a religious order, and one-third laity. Some attendees already work as advocates and Judges in Ecclesiastical Tribunals while others are just beginning. Pastoral advocates must be practicing Catholics recommended by their pastor, preferably with a minimal knowledge in the legal field.

2 SERVING TRUTH AND JUSTICE... Continued from page one One course attendee, Mr. Alfred Cordasco, a civil lawyer, was asked to be an advocate in Camden, Trenton, and Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Cordasco said that now that he is retired, he thought this would be a good way to serve the Church. He began his advocate work in January. Mr. Alfred Cordasco An advocate in-training, Raj Srinivasa, has served as a deacon for 11 years at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Newark. Having recently retired as a software manager, Deacon Raj decided to expand his service to the Church. A convert from the Hindi religion, he sees this new opportunity as part of his love for the Church and as a moment of the Holy Spirit working in his life. The idea of creating a course for advocates began at a Canon Law Society Convention in Philadelphia last October. During their free time, several canonists from Santa Croce (professors and alumni) discussed what might be done to assist bishops to meet the new guidelines and anticipated increase in case work. Rev. Professor Luis Navarro, professor of Canon Law at Santa Croce, and Fr. Giovanni Rizzo, an alumni of Santa Croce s Canon Law Department, were part of this brainstorming discussion. I have attended many legal education courses over the years (though never one that lasted five days!). I don t remember one at which the quality of the instruction was so consistently high, the material presented was always so relevant, and the audience participated so enthusiastically, right up to 4:00 on the day of departure. All of the presenters made it a good balance of the academic and the practical, with the right touch of humor thrown in to the mix. I came away very excited to pursue the role of advocate. Mr. Alfred Cordasco Esq., Holy Eucharist Church, Cherry Hill, NJ Dr. Christina Hip Flores, JDC (University of Navarra which, like Santa Croce, was founded by St. Josemaría Escrivá) a Consecrated Virgin of the Archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba, currently works as Judge and Defender of the Bond in various American tribunals. She was the instructor for the first two days on the topic Juridic Structure of Marriage. Fr. Rizzo approached Archbishop John J. Meyers with the idea. His enthusiastic support and assistance was invaluable. The Midwest Theological Forum, who publishes materials and organizes courses for Catholic bishops, priests and laity, was also helpful in setting up the program. Deacon Raj Srinivasa They realized that three things were necessary to create a course for advocates: first, they would need the permission of a diocesan bishop; second, they would need a suitable facility to host the program; and third, they would need qualified instructors. As the Adjutant Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Newark, New Jersey, Fr. Jaimes Ponce, JCD (Santa Croce), and Fr. Matthew Furgiuele, JCL (Santa Croce) were the instructors for the final two days. 2 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Summer 2016

3 Archbishop Meyers recommended the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary as a suitable location for the course. Having a seminary with a beautiful chapel for Mass, dining facilities for meals, and ample classrooms and staff to meet the organizational needs was essential for the program s success. Rev. Msgr. Renato Grasselli, Rector of the Seminary, was a gracious host throughout the week. With the help of many Santa Croce alumni as instructors and advisors, the last requirement was completed and the course was offered about six months after the initial idea a minor miracle for such a large undertaking. Additional training courses like this will be required in the days ahead. For example, due to a greater awareness of the new directives for marriage tribunals, the number of cases in the Newark Archdiocese has tripled in the past 9 months. Despite some false impressions from popular media, Fr. Rizzo emphasizes that the new procedures do not indicate a laxity in the Church s position on the indissolubility of marriage. He says that receiving marriage nullity is not easier, but swifter. Other bishops in the United States have already expressed interest in offering this course in their diocese. With the success of the program in New Jersey, as well as the availability of Santa Croce canonist alumni as potential instructors, this course for pastoral advocate training is poised to meet a growing need in dioceses across the country. I highly commend this initiative of the Tribunal of Newark and the University of Santa Croce. The reform of the marriage law offered by our Holy Father, and his great concern to make the judicial ministry of the Church more accessible to all the faithful, will remain frustrated if there are insufficient pastoral agents capable of implementing the norms according to the mind of the Supreme Legislator. This course is a valuable contribution to training responsible pastoral agents who can make Mitis Iudex a successful, implementable reality in each particular church. Msgr. Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts Seminarians from Redemptoris Mater assisted to lead daily prayer in the chapel. (Left to Right) 1) Rev. Msgr. Renato Grusselli, Rector of Redemptoris Mater 2) Fr Giovanni Rizzo, JCL, Adjutant Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey and graduate in Canon Law from Santa Croce, was the instructor on the third day for the topic Grounds for Nullity. For more information visit squarespace.com or Pas.Avv.Training@gmail.com Photos courtesy of Joe Polillio ( Archbishop John J. Meyers (on left) presents a Pastoral Advocate Training Certificate on the final day of the program. 3

4 COMMUNICATING THE FAITH American Business Leaders Gather at Santa Croce Reflecting on Pope Francis Call to Conversion in Laudato Si The stereotype of Americans believing they possess the full measure of truth in the world has an element of truth to it. For American Catholics, however, the universality of truth is represented by the leadership of the Bishop of Rome. In collaboration with bishops around the world, the Pope holds the office of Peter an office of moral and spiritual leadership. For Catholics to understand how to engage and transform culture requires reliable information from scholars and experts in Vatican affairs. Therefore, on April 4-6, sixty-five American Catholic business leaders participated in the first ever Napa Institute Inside the Vatican conference co-sponsored by The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Since its founding in 2011, the Napa Institute has offered symposiums in order to better understand the critical issues of the day. The institute seeks to disseminate relevant information to lay and ordained Catholic leaders in a spirit of charity and fidelity to the Magisterium. Sixty-five American business leaders attended an Inside the Vatican conference at Santa Croce where Cardinals and leading experts spoke on the Church s efforts to promote the common good in today s culture. The Napa Institute, co-founded by Tim Busch and Fr. Robert Spitzer hosts an annual conference in California with presentations on three broad themes: faith and reason, economic justice, and art and beauty. Along with the intellectual content, there are additional goals to facilitate the spiritual formation of participants and expose them to a variety of good Catholic ministries and universities. By holding the first Rome conference at Santa Croce this year, the Napa Institute was able to fulfill all three objectives of their main U.S. annual conference to provide: 1) expert information on current Church topics, 2) spiritual enrichment and fellowship, and 3) exposure to initiatives and institutions seeking to meet the needs of the Church. Cardinal George Pell was the first speaker of the conference with his talk, Financial Transparency in the Church. Cardinal Pell was appointed by Pope Francis in February 2014 as the first Cardinal-Prefect of the newly created Secretariat for the Economy. In this role, he is responsible for the annual budget of the Holy (Left to Right) 1) Cardinal George Pell spoke on Financial Transparency in the Church. 2) Msgr. Neves de Almedia, who earned his doctorate in Canon Law from Santa Croce, spoke on The Priorities and Key Challenges Facing the Secretary of State. 3) Tim Busch, co-founder and chairman of The Napa Institute, and founder and CEO of Pacific Hospitality Group and The Busch Firm, 4) Cardinal Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace spoke on Briefing on the Pontifical Council of Peace and Justice. 4 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Summer 2016

5 (Left to Right) 1) Fr. Robert Gaul, Associate Professor of Ethics, spoke on How the United States can Respond to Pope Francis Message. Fr. Gaul will be a keynote speaker at the Napa Institute s July convention in California. 2) Fr. Martin Schlag, Professor of Social Moral Theology and co-founder and director of its Research Centre for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics, spoke on Pope Francis Moral Message to Business Leaders. 3) Fr. John Wauck, Professor of Communications, spoke on The Church s Voice in Today s Arepagus. 4) Fr. Ramon Saiz-Pardo, Associate Professor of Musicology and founder/conductor of the Santa Croce Choir, spoke on A Reformation of Liturgical Music - Evangelizing Through Beauty. See and the Vatican. Since then, new management policies have gone into effect to bring Vatican practices and the preparation of financial reports in line with international standards of accountability. As a business leader second and a Catholic missionary first, the two exciting days at Santa Croce with the Laudato Si Working Group were simultaneously inspiring and challenging. Under Msgr. Schlag s energetic but gentle leadership, and with the very open engagement of Cardinal Turkson, our group grappled with the Holy Father s message for all of us to embrace the Gospel message and to bring it into our world where economics can sometimes trump morality and our secular culture can silence the voice of Jesus. Steve Auth, CIO, Federated Investors Following Cardinal Pell s talk, a meeting was held for business leaders who agreed to serve as advisors for Santa Croce s new Program on Church Management. Fr. Robert Gaul, Professor of Ethics, is the program s acting director. The forty-five advisors who formed the Laudato Si Working Group, spent nearly 10 hours during the conference discussing the Pope s encyclical, which challenges political and economic institutions. The interaction of Cardinal Turkson with the Laudato Si Working Group was immensely helpful. Cardinal Turk son has been a prominent spokesman for the encyclical and is considered a primary contributor in its writing. He has spoken frequently through out the world to help clarify some misinterpretations. On one occasion he said that the Pope is not anti-business. But what he decries is an obsession with profit and the deification of the market. Profit has its role in sustaining an enterprise and allowing it to improve and innovate. Pope Francis calls upon business to lead by harnessing its creativity to solve pressing human needs. The work of The Napa Institute as well as Santa Croce s work to promote ethics in business and professionalism in Church management is an example of the power of creative synergy to assist the Church as a witness to truth and in the service of individuals and families in society. Linda Del Rio, ExVotos Communications, LLC My recent participation in the Napa Institute s conference at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome was both memorable and a true highlight in my travels to the Eternal City. Placing notable emphasis on virtue, character, and social principles of the Catholic faith, the university is clearly a place where students, faculty, staff, and alumni make a real difference globally. The Bishops that send their priests and seminarians to Rome see this wonderful university as a place of fidelity and unity with the Holy See. The presenters at the conference were inspiring and eloquent in their presentations, covering an array of current concerns and thought provoking subjects. 5

6 DONOR SPOTLIGHT Meeting New Challenges at Santa Croce Wisconsin Couple Appreciates Cutting-Edge Curriculum Kent and Marcia Velde sent their two children (now adults) to Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school because instilling Christian faith and values was a priority for them. A positive view of good Catholic education provided a natural reason for this Wisconsin couple to become benefactors of Santa Croce. Marcia is a cradle Catholic, and for many years Kent attended Mass with the family as a non-catholic. His decision to join the Church came later. When their son, Andrew, attended Marquette University High School, Kent was impressed by the Jesuit curriculum, which includes theology courses every year, retreats and daily prayer. Andrew s interest in history led to a deeper exploration of the origins of the Church. Discussions about history and theology became a part of family dinner conversations and that s when Kent decided to join RCIA to find out more. In 2000, Kent was received into the fullness of the Catholic faith. Kent and Marcia first learned about Santa Croce through their friendship with José Delgado, the President of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation. Kent knew José through his business connections in private equity fund management and on corporate boards. Their mutual interests in the Catholic faith and good Catholic education led to José mentioning Santa Croce. What Kent and Marcia heard about Santa Croce s approach in training priests was appealing. Then, they were able to meet with several of the university s priests/professors who visited Milwaukee. Fr. Philip Goyret, the university s Vice-Rector, explained that along with courses in theology and philosophy, the university offers additional courses in church management. While Kent is a successful private equity investor, Marcia has extensive experience in her parish and Catholic school in Milwaukee where she has served in many capacities for 20 years. From that vantage point, she has firsthand knowledge of the importance of priests management skills. While visiting Santa Croce on a family trip to Rome, Kent and Marcia met students from underdeveloped countries who will soon lead their churches. Many of these churches are undergoing rapid growth and managing Church business in developing countries is critically important. Although the challenges of the Church and priests in the United States may be different than in poorer countries, the need for good management skills is universal. That is one reason the Veldes have become convinced of the unique contribution Santa Croce is making throughout the world and why they agreed to let us tell their story in our Donor Profile. When asked what they might say to encourage a prospective new donor they wrote: The Christian faith as a whole is under pressure around the world and we recognize the need that Santa Croce is fulfilling that is, to develop outstanding young men who will move out across the world to spread the call for Christian values. The Catholic Church desperately needs revitalized, energetic leadership and Santa Croce is helping to facilitate the growth and development of new priests. (Left to Right) Alexandra, Andrew, Kent, and Marcia Velde at the Coliseum in Rome. We are also grateful that Kent has agreed to be part of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council to help develop plans for Santa Croce s new program in Church Management. 6 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Summer 2016

7 YOUR LEGACY AT SANTA CROCE Student Sponsorship Why and How? Many donors who are just learning about the great benefits of Santa Croce, as well as long time loyal supporters, often ask about our Sponsorship program for seminarians and graduate student priests. Here is a summary of some of the common questions we receive. Q. Why is there a need for sponsorship? A. We want to be able to fund all deserving seminarians and priests who are accepted into our programs at Santa Croce, especially those from very poor dioceses who need a full or partial scholarship. All gifts to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Foundation are used for the purpose of providing sponsorships. In fact, this is the sole reason for the Foundation s existence. Q. Why should those of us in the United States provide gifts to the university in Rome? A. As Catholics who are blessed to live in the richest country in the world, we understand the need and our obligation to help in the Church s mission of saving souls throughout the world even the souls of those we may never meet. Those we sponsor will be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, helping others to find Jesus Christ. Q. What are the needs? A. Santa Croce invests over $20,000 in each student every year (not counting room and board). On average the University receives only $3,000 in tuition and fees. So we need to raise $17,000 per student per year to meet the needs of Santa Croce s commitment to its mission. Q. How can my gifts make a difference? A. By combining all the gifts we receive of all different amounts, we are able to make a big dent in the funding needs. Every gift counts and we often say, No gift is too small or too large. Every gift helps in our mission to train future leaders to serve the universal Church from the heart of Rome. Q. What are the ways I can make a gift? A. In addition to your cash gifts, which are always needed to fund sponsorships for our students annually, there are several ways you can help secure Santa Croce s future for decades to come: gifts of securities, bequests, and endowment gifts. Also, many find it convenient to support the university through a recurring monthly gift as a Sustainer Society member. Consider a Sponsorship gift today to change the Future. Please complete the applicable information below: o Yes, I would like to make a gift today. Enclosed is my gift: (Envelope enclosed). o I would like to learn more about Santa Croce and other ways to help, please have a charitable gift counselor contact me. Signature Date Name on account (please print) _ Address City State Zip Phone Michael Gilstrap 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. One of the highlights of my time in Rome was when Pope Francis came to the Oblates parish to celebrate Mass for us! I served in the Mass, alongside the Holy Father and three other deacons. Living in Rome is a huge blessing! Fr. Gilbert Hervias, OSJ Philippines Santa Croce s current student body of 1,600 hail from 75 different countries! I am a seminarian of the Greek Catholic rite from the eparchy (diocese) of Košice in Slovakia. I enjoy and appreciate Santa Croce the professors are so friendly, open and available to students. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here. Tomas Minto Slovakia Students by Location: nnn Europe nnn Americas nnn Africa nnn Asia nnn Oceania (less than 1%) I am in my first year studying Institutional Communications at Santa Croce. I love that everyone here is treated as an important person, not just a number, receiving a lot of individual attention in our education. I also love being near the Pope. Fr. Victor Ramirez Mexico 10% 10% 33% 45% On behalf of all our students, THANK YOU! Your help makes a world of difference! 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 weekly to your inbox. UniversityHolyCross.org 8 PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY CROSS FOUNDATION Santa Croce Summer PUHCF. All Rights Reserved.