Catholic New World - News Digest

News Update

The Priests visit Holy Family:

Father Eugene O'Hagen, his brother Father Martin O'Hagen, and Father David Delargy, members of the singing trio from Northern Ireland "The Priests" sing "Danny Boy" following Mass May 1 at Holy Family Church, 1080 W. Roosevelt Road. The group is currently on their inaugural U.S. concert tour and concelebrated Mass at the church. Among songs they sang during Mass were "Ave Maria" and "Panis Angelicus." A freewill collection was made during the liturgy to benefit women, children and seniors served by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Karen Callaway/Catholic New World

Christian unity

Cardinal George will join local Christian bishops and judicatory leaders, to pray for Christian Unity at the 12th Annual Ecumenical Prayer Service June 3 from 4 to 6 p.m., at St. Hedwig Parish, 2226 N. Hoyne Ave. The homilist for the service is Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.

This annual observance is being sponsored by Ecumenism Metro Chicago, comprised of 19 Christian communities in the Chicago area. The reception and exhibit in St. Hedwig's Church Hall will highlight community- based ecumenical endeavors from several local parishes and congregations who hosted ecumenical observances during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18-15).

For more information, contact the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at (312) 534-5325.

NFP seminar

The archdiocese's Natural Family Planning program will present "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Male and Female He Made Them" June 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Archbishop Quigley Center, 835 N. Rush St. Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel, will speak about the biology of bonding and attachment and about the consequences of chemical contraceptives. Cost is $25 per person and $40 per couple. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided. Free parking.

For more information or to register, call Maria Garcia at (312) 534-8273 or visit www.familyministries.org.

News Digest

Pope tells American colleges to strengthen Catholic identity

Pope Benedict XVI called on America's Catholic colleges and universities to reaffirm their Catholic identity by ensuring orthodoxy in theological studies and accepting the oversight of bishops. The pope made his remarks May 5 to U.S. bishops from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming, who were making their periodic "ad limina" visits to the Vatican.

Pope recognizes Hildegard as saint, advances causes of U.S. bishop, nun

Although she was never canonized, St. Hildegard of Bingen is to be added to the Catholic Church's formal list of saints, and Catholics worldwide may celebrate her feast day with a Mass and special readings by order of Pope Benedict XVI.

The Vatican announced May 10 that the pope formalized the church's recognition of the 12th-century German Benedictine mystic, "inscribing her in the catalogue of saints." The same day, the pope advanced the sainthood causes of 19th-century U.S. Bishop Frederic Baraga of Marquette, Mich., and of Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, N.J., who died in 1927.

Golden Apple winner at Malachy

A third-grade teacher at St. Malachy School, 2252 W. Washington Blvd., became the 15th Chicago Catholic school teacher to receive a Golden Apple in the prestigious award's 26- year history, Father Matthew Eyerman told an auditorium full of cheering students during a May 12 celebration.

Zach Ruelas, 27, was chosen from a pool of 600 nominees in a rigorous elimination process overseen by about 70 previous Golden Apple winners. Ruelas got the news when Channel 7 reporter Theresa Gutierrez led a camera crew into his classroom along with Ruelas' mother, girlfriend and sister, as well as Principal Bridget Miller.

"What this means is that your teacher is one of the 10 best teachers in the whole city of Chicago," Golden Apple Foundation board member Frank Morton told Ruelas' students. Ruelas said he was grateful to the school and his students for helping him grow.

"During my time here (at St. Malachy) there are a lot of things the children have taught me. This school has shown me so much love. What really pushed me was the love. Not just God's love but people's love," Ruelas said.

Leaders reject Obama's support for same-sex marriage

Catholic leaders rejected President Barack Obama's May 9 declaration in a television interview that "personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. bishops' conference, said in a May 9 statement: "President Obama's words today are not surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his administration that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage."

Catholics urged to invite inactive members to practice faith again

A document on the new evangelization from the U.S. bishops' Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis exhorts Catholics at all levels in the church to step up to invite Catholics who have stopped practicing their faith to do so again. "Bishops, eparchs, pastors, catechists and indeed all Catholics reaching out to our missing brothers and sisters must touch the lives of others, interact with them, and show them how the faith answers the deepest questions and enriches modern culture," said the document, titled "Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization."

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