1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Bishop-Elect
Stowe’s
Message
To Us
Culp: The Train
Wreck of
Relativism
Pt. II
Pp. 4 & 5 Page 7
The Bi-Weekly Publication of The Catholic Diocese of Lexington
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Volume 26 @ Number 2 @ M ar ch 22, 2015 @ $15 per Y ea r
Pope names Franciscan to
shepherd Lexington Diocese
T.F. Shaughnessy
Editor
Lexington. In his ministry, he has
tried to focus on worship and service, and these priorities will provide the foundation of his agenda
as the Third Bishop of Lexington,
said the bishop-elect, during a
March 12 press conference.
“In the places where I have
served, I have tried to focus on
worship and service, two broad
and interconnected aspects of the
Christian life,” said Conventual
Franciscan Father John Stowe. “We
are to invite others to an encounter with Christ in the sacraments,
and the sacraments are to nourish,
strengthen, and heal us to serve
others and contribute to building
God’s reign.”
He said the details would have to
come after “lots of listening, seeing,
and experiencing what is already
going on here.” (See full text of Fr.
Stowe’s remarks, Page 5.)
Pope Francis named Fr. Stowe
as the Third Bishop of Lexington
March 12. The announcement
was made at the Vatican at noon
Rome time, 7 a.m. Easter Daylight
Time. The see had been vacant
since January 24, 2014, when the
pope appointed Bishop Ronald W.
Gainer as the Bishop of Harrisburg,
PA. In the interim, Father Robert
Nieberding has guided the Lexington diocese as administrator.
The press conference was held
Father John Stowe celebrates Mass for migrant workers in Ohio inside a warehouse. Photo: Eddie Bauer/Communications,
Province of Our Lady of Consolation (Photos from Bishop-Elect Stowe’s March 12 press conference can be found on Page 6.)
at the Catholic Center in Lexington. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
of Louisville, Bishop Roger Foys
of Covington, and Bishop William
Melody of Owensboro attended,
along with priests of the diocese
and diocesan staff.
Following his introduction by Fr.
Nieberding, Fr. Stowe quipped that
he expected “blue smoke” to announce his appointment.
“What do I know about Lexington? That I have a lot to learn
about horses and U.K. basketball!”
he said. He explained that his experience of the Lexington diocese
comes from his participation in a
Franciscan peace and justice conference here in the 1990s, during
which he traveled from Lexington
to Hazard and Harlan. Among other things, “I learned that the church
can be vibrant and make an impact,
even when it is a small percentage
of the overall population.”
“The challenge for us as a local
church, then, has its roots in the
gospel: to be salt, leaven, and light
in society. Salt, leaven, and light are
easily taken for granted, when they
are having their desired effects; but
are noticed in their absence. We
will need to continue to ask ourselves what difference our Catholic
presence makes in this central and
eastern part of the state; how do we
bring good news to all people, not
just the ones on our rosters?” Fr.
Stowe said.
He said he was inspired by the
“ever more visible presence” of the
Hispanic community in the diocese, noting the growth of the Latino Catholic presence nationwide
and their “life-giving presence in
the church.” He noted that the U.S.
church has always been a church of
immigrants, and the church’s institutions have been “very successful
at integrating immigrants into the
mainstream of society,” so much so
that subsequent generations must be
reminded of their immigrant past.
“Pope Francis speaks frequently
of the need to be open to an encounter with the other, with the
poor, and so with Christ. New immigrants provide a great opportunity for just that kind of encounter,” said Fr. Stowe, who is fluent
in Spanish. In Spanish, he praised
the Hispanic community for connection of the faith to daily life and
said that the Hispanic community
had formed him as a pastor and
minister. He said he looked forward to accompanying them on the
path to the reign of God.
Father John Stowe was born
April 15, 1966, to John R and Lucy
Satelli Stowe of Lorain, OH. He
attended grade school at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, staffed by
the Conventual Franciscans, and
Lorain Catholic High School. Both
are located in the Diocese of Cleveland. After a year of community
college, Fr Stowe joined the formation program for the Conventual
Franciscan Province of Our Lady
of Consolation at St. Bonaventure
Friary in St. Louis, MO. During
the time of his candidacy he began
studies in philosophy and history
at St. Louis University and completed a bachelor of arts degree in
each in 1990, after an interruption
for novitiate. In 1992 he professed
solemn vows in the Order of Fri
Turn to New Bishop, Page 9
Page 2
March 22, 2015
Frequently asked Questions about our bishop-elect
KarEN rOOD
The day has finally come, and we praise God
for the announcement of Father John Stowe as
our Bishop-Elect! You will
find all kinds of information about him in this
issue, and in this Liturgy
Corner I hope to answer
the most frequently asked
questions I get in the
Worship Office.
• How should we address Fr. Stowe?
At present, until he is ordained to the
episcopate (meaning as a bishop), we may
address him one of two ways, depending
on whether one is addressing him indirectly
in writing or directly in person: either “Fr.
John Stowe,” or “Bishop-Elect John Stowe,”
and in person, “Fr. John,” as he prefers to be
called. After his ordination and installation
as our bishop, he would like to be addressed
as “Bishop John.”
• When is Fr. John’s Ordination and
Installation?
Fr. John will be ordained and installed as
the Third Bishop of Lexington at the Ordination Mass on Tuesday, May 5, at 2 p.m.,
in the Cathedral of Christ the King. Due to
limited seating in the Cathedral and limited
overflow seating in Hehman Hall, through
viewing the sanctuary streamlined on the
large projection screen, participation in this
Mass will be by invitation/ticket only.
• What happens in an Ordination Mass
for a bishop?
This beautiful liturgy begins as usual with
the procession, which includes incense, cross,
candles, servers, the Book of Gospels, and
all deacons, priests, and bishops present. The
Mass continues as usual through the Liturgy
of the Word. Our Metropolitan, Archbishop
Joseph Kurtz from the Archdiocese of Louisville, along with at least two other bishops
will ordain Fr. John after the proclamation
of the Gospel. Father Nieberding presents Fr.
John to Archbishop Kurtz, requesting his or-
dination as bishop, then the Apostolic Nuncio for the United States, Archbishop Carlo
Vigano, reads to us the Apostolic Letter of
mandate from Pope Francis. Those assem-
bled express their consent through applause.
All are seated while Archbishop Kurtz gives
the homily. After the homily Archbishop
Kurtz will ask Fr. John nine questions that
express Fr. John’s resolve: to act as the successor of the Apostles to his death; to preach
constantly and faithfully the
Gospel; to guard and hold
sacred the entire deposit of
faith as handed down by the
Apostles and preserved in the
church; to build up the Body
of Christ and be unified with
the Order of Bishops; to
render obedience faithfully
to the pope; to be a father to
God’s people and lead them
to salvation; to be welcoming and merciful to the poor,
strangers, and the needy; to
be a good shepherd seeking out those who
stray from the faith; and to pray without
ceasing for God’s people and to carry out the
office of high priest without reproach. Then
we all stand and implore the intercession of
the saints, sing the Litany of Saints, as Fr.
John prostrates himself. After the concluding prayer for this, Fr. John kneels before
the archbishop, who lays hands upon his
head, followed by all bishops present. The
Book of Gospels is then held over his head,
while Archbishop Kurtz prays the prayer
of ordination. Our newly ordained Bishop
John is anointed on the head with Sacred
Chrism, then given the Book of Gospels
and a ring signifying his seal of fidelity; the
miter is placed on his head, and he is given
the crozier, a pastoral staff symbolizing his
power to govern in this
diocese. Lastly he is
taken to cathedra, the
chair of the Bishop of
the Diocese of Lexington, where his brother
bishops then greet him
with a fraternal kiss. The
Mass continues with the
Liturgy of the Eucharist
with newly ordained
Bishop John as the pre-
sider. At the conclusion of the Prayer After
Communion, Bishop John is led throughout
the cathedral to give his first blessing as our
bishop upon all present, followed by his first
address as
bishop to
the people.
The Mass
concludes in
the usual way.
• How can I get a ticket to attend the Ordination Mass?
Invitations initially will go out to Fr.
John’s family and guests, all bishops in the
U.S., all priests, deacons, parish life directors, and religious in the
diocese, diocesan staff,
representatives from diocesan major committees and
organizations, ecumenical
representatives, the liturgical
ministers scheduled for this
Mass, and others through
consultation with Fr. John
and the Installation Committee. Once the responses have
been received and tickets
allotted for those responses,
the remaining tickets will be
divided up among the parishes and missions
in the diocese based upon the ratio of their
size. The parishes/missions get to decide
how to distribute their allotment of tickets.
Including Hehman Hall, where viewing will
be on screen, but participation in the Mass,
including Holy Communion, will still be
included, the estimated total number of seats
is 1,500.
• What can I do to meet our new Bishop if
I can’t get a ticket to the Ordination Mass?
There are several ways to do this. First,
Solemn Vespers will be celebrated with
Fr. John giving the homily on the evening
before: Monday, May 4, at 7 p.m., at the
Cathedral of Christ the King. All are invited—no ticket required. After the liturgical
celebration, a light reception will be held in
Hehman Hall with a reception line where
one can briefly get to meet our new bishop
and shake his hand. Secondly, an open
reception will be held immediately after his
ordination Mass on May 5 at a place still to
be determined. Again, there, newly ordained
Bishop John will have a receiving line. Lastly,
our new bishop will immediately begin
a vigorous liturgical schedule at many of
our parishes, which includes Confirmation
Masses, the dedication of two new churches
in our diocese, and the ordination of three
of our seminarians as deacons. This schedule
will be published in subsequent Cross Roads.
• What should I do in the meantime?
Give thanks to God for Fr. Bob Nieberding, who has served us faithfully and well as
our Diocesan Administrator. Please pray for
Bishop-Elect John Stowe and all involved in
the planning of his ordination and installation! Be sure to Fr. John in your daily
intercessions both at home and at Mass,
especially Sunday Mass. Here is a prayer you
might pray:
Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing upon
Bishop-elect John Stowe.
Give him peace of mind,
good health of body and joy of spirit
as he prepares for his new task as
Bishop in the Diocese of Lexington.
Following the example of your Son, the Good
Shepherd, may Bishop-elect Stowe be a merciful, wise, and joyful pastor.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
The Bi-Weekly Publication of The Catholic Diocese of Lexington
PUBLISHER: Father Robert Nieberding
EDITOR: Thomas F. Shaughnessy
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March 22, 2015
Page 3
Our relationship to other churches
that use the name ‘Catholic’
rod Stearn
Mr. Stearn is Director of Religious Education
and Adult Faith Formation for the Diocese of
Lexington.
Over the last few months a number of
folks have been asking about the different
churches using the name “Catholic.” They
want to know what the difference is between them, what our relationship to them
is, and whether we can receive their sacraments. I’m going to try to give a brief overview of the Roman Catholic answers to all
these questions.
Two thousand years ago, Christ gave us
the fullness of the truth in himself. Ever
since, the Catholic Church he established
has been working toward a better understanding of that truth—not to change it,
but to grow closer to it. Every once in a
while, we make a step forward in that understanding. Christ gave us methods to
make these steps official, like ecumenical
councils and papal decrees and teachings.
The Second Vatican Council is one example: it helped us to better understand the
relationship between the Church and the
world. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body
is another: it brought a deeper understanding of the sacrament of marriage.
Sometimes parts of the church break off
in response to these developments. Knowing when and why can help us understand
them. The Old Roman Catholic Church in
North America, for example, accepts only
the first seven ecumenical councils. That
means that they don’t accept many of the
developments the Church has made since
Nicaea II in 787 A.D. They do have bish-
ops, priests, and sacraments, because they
took bishops with them when they went
their own way. They hold to the Tridentine
Mass (the pre-Vatican II Mass), but sometimes in English translation. They do not
acknowledge the full authority of the pope, but
would instead call him
“first among equals,”
limiting his authority to
make statements binding
on all Catholics.
The Society of St.
Pius X (or SSPX) split
off at a later point. They
specifically do not accept Vatican II, so their
church looks a lot like
the Catholic Church did
100 years ago. They, too,
have bishops, priests, and
sacraments. They, too,
celebrate to the Tridentine Mass, but exclusively
in Latin.
So what is our relationship with such churches? Are we in communion with them? Sadly, we are not. To be
in communion indicates being of the same
mind, love, heart, and thought as one another, seeing things the same way together
in Christ. We’re not in communion with
each other because this is no longer true.
Christ promised the Catholic Church an
indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and a divine
protection for church teaching on faith and
morals. To split away from the Catholic
Church is to say that the guidance of the
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Holy Spirit stopped at a certain point, and
that all the councils and papal teachings
past that point were not guided by the Holy
Spirit. For this reason, we are not in communion with each other. We believe that
the Holy Spirit has continued to guide the
Catholic Church in her understanding of
the truth over the centuries; they do not.
They took valid bishops (i.e., validly
ordained and in the line of apostolic succession) with them when they went. This
means that they have valid sacraments (i.e.,
their sacraments do really occur). But they
do not have licit sacraments, meaning that
their sacraments don’t occur in communion
with the successor of St. Peter (the pope). So
our Church would say that they shouldn’t
be celebrating those sacraments, until they
return to that communion. From our perspective, forming their own churches and
celebrating their own sacraments tears at the
unity of the Church. Christ prayed that we
may all be one in him, and Christ, Paul, and
all the apostles and fathers warned repeatedly against division. So Catholics should not
receive sacraments from the priests of these
churches, except in cases of emergency.
Other groups use the name Catholic as
well, but are in full communion with us.
They accept the authority of the pope and
all the church’s teachings. The differences
between us and these groups are mainly liturgical. This means that while all the essential elements of the Mass are unchanged in
their churches, the Holy Father has allowed
them blend in some of their own cultural elements as well. One example of this is the Byzantine Catholic Church. Another is the Priestly
Society of St. Peter (FSSP). This group was given permission to celebrate the Tridentine Latin
Mass and is represented locally by the Regina
Pacis community. They remain obedient to the
authority of the Catholic Bishop of Lexington,
and so their sacraments are both valid and licit.
Going to Mass with them is substantially the
same as going to any other Catholic church in
our diocese.
What does all this mean
for us? Pope Francis has
made the answer clear: we
are to interact with them
based on our similarities,
not our differences. To
emphasize the latter can
only lead to further division and antagonism. Reunion would get further
away, not closer. Instead
we can work together to
accomplish Christ’s will
in the world. After all, we
have centuries of togetherness to build from. Our
differences are real, and
should not be ignored or
dismissed. But neither
should they be harped on.
In speaking to a group of Old Catholics
(another such group) on this issue, Pope
Francis said that: “…there are many areas in
which Catholics and Old Catholics can collaborate in meeting the profound spiritual
crisis affecting individuals and societies…
In this we can support and encourage each
other, especially at the level of parishes and
local communities.”
But those differences do still exist, and the
pope knows that we need to keep talking to
each other: “The challenge for Catholics and
Old Catholics, then, is to persevere in substantive theological dialogue and to walk together, to pray together, and to work together
in a deeper spirit of conversion towards all that
Christ intends for His Church.” Working together and praying together is the foundation
from which unity can be sought: “It is a spiritual journey from encounter to friendship, from
friendship to brotherhood, from brotherhood
to communion.” This is not to say that we are
to abandon our beliefs, or to say that works are
more important than faith, but that reunion is
more likely to come from a brotherhood built
upon witness and cooperation than from argument and debate. In the words of our pope: “In
prayer and love for one another our differences
are taken up and overcome in fidelity to the
Lord and His Gospel.” n
Page 4
March 22, 2015
¿Por dónde empezar?
Transcripción de las declaraciones de la conferencia de prensa de Obispo Electo John Stowe
Algo chistoso me paso camino a Costa Rica.
Estaba viajando con un compañero Fraile de
nuestro consejo provincial a una reunión con
los líderes de nuestros frailes en Centro América. Ahora, dentro de los frailes de la provincia
soy conocido por no llevar un teléfono celular y
por no saber usar el que mi mamá pone en mí
persona para cuando viajo. El plan era llegar a la
casa de mis padres y dejar el carro ahí y ellos nos
llevarían al aeropuerto de Cleveland. Cuando
llegamos, El hermano Randy descubrió un
mensaje de texto inusual en su teléfono. Me
enseño el mensaje que decía, “Hermano Randy,
tengo entendido que usted está viajando con el
Padre John Stowe, es urgente que él me llame
antes de que salga del país” y estaba firmado
por unas iniciales vagamente familiares que
no pude ubicar inmediatamente. El Hermano
Randy escucho el mensaje de voz y me dijo que
era una voz que sonaba italiana y que la llamada era de Washington; mi corazón se hundió
y de pronto reconocí las iniciales +CMV por
mis días en la Cancillería. Llame al Arzobispo
Viganó y me presenté. Su mensaje fue simple y
directo, “ha sido elegido por el Papa Francisco
para ser el Obispo de Lexington, ¿acepta? Mi
respuesta fue que amo al Papa Francisco y haría
cualquier cosa que él me pida. Luego fui a la
cocina, pero no podía ni siquiera comerme la
lasaña de mi madre Italiana; ella sabía que algo
estaba pasando.
Obviamente, en mi experiencia, esta Cuaresma ha sido como ninguna otra.
Estoy tan lleno de alegría y humildad de
estar aquí parado ante ustedes esta mañana.
Estoy muy agradecido con el Arzobispo Kurtz
quien me ha bienvenido cálidamente a esta
región y ha sido muy atento conmigo en este
periodo de shock. También estoy muy agradecido con el Padre Bob Nieberding por de
nuevo tomar las riendas de la diócesis en este
periodo de transición. Me dice volúmenes de
él que haya sido llamado de su retiro a retomar
un puesto que tan hábilmente manejo anteriormente. Estoy seguro que me proveerá una
gran introducción a esta diócesis.
¿Qué sé yo de Lexington? ¡Que tengo mucho que aprender acerca de los caballos y del
baloncesto de la Universidad de Kentucky (UK
Basketball)! En realidad, lo poco que sé sobre
esta diócesis viene de mi participación en una
conferencia Franciscana de Paz y Justicia en los
noventas (1990s) cuando nos reunimos para
aprender acerca de “Appalachia” (o Apalacha).
Recuerdo un viaje increíble del aeropuerto de
Lexington a lugares como Hazard y Harlan, a
través del follaje otoñal que no había experimentado por años porque estaba viviendo en
California. Fue una experiencia tan bella que
tomo mi aliento, y experimentarla con otros
Franciscanos fue muy bueno. Aprendí mucho
acerca de la importancia del ambiente en esa visita, así como también la historia y luchas de la
gente de “Appalachia”, y estuve profundamente
impresionado por los signos de inculturación
(como sarapes/edredones y mecedoras) en las
iglesias. Me enteré de que un grito no necesariamente tiene nada que ver con los gritos. Y
aprendí que la Iglesia puede ser vibrante y hacer
impacto, incluso cuando se trata de un pequeño porcentaje de la población total.
Me siento inspirado por la presencia más
que nunca visible de nuestros hermanos y hermanas Hispanos/as en esta diócesis. Como es
el caso en toda la nación, los Católicos Latinos son una presencia creciente – más que eso,
una presencia que da vida en la Iglesia. Tendemos a olvidar que la Iglesia de los Estados
Unidos siempre ha sido una Iglesia de inmigrantes. Podemos estar orgullosos de las muchas historias de éxito de la integración de las
poblaciones de otras tierras en la de la cultura
americana a través de la red de instituciones
Católicas en todo el curso de nuestra historia. Nuestras parroquias, escuelas, agencias de
servicio social, hospitales y otras instituciones
que crecieron y han servido a una variedad de
entornos étnicos fueron muy exitosas en la integración de inmigrantes dentro del flujo de
la sociedad – algunas veces fueron tan exitosas
en esto, que las siguientes generaciones necesitan oír el mismo recordatorio que los niños de
Israel necesitaron escuchar tan seguido en su
historia, “recuerden que ustedes fueron alguna
vez extranjeros y ajenos”. Ahora la Iglesia tiene
que elevarse para satisfacer las nuevas demografías y las nuevas olas de inmigrantes que ya
son parte de nuestra iglesia católica y universal
y debemos aprender a celebrar los dones que
traen. El Papa Francisco habla frecuentemente
de la necesidad de estar abiertos a un encuentro: con el otro, con el pobre y así con Cristo. Los nuevos inmigrantes proveen una gran
oportunidad para justo ese tipo de encuentro.
(Palabras habladas en español por el Obispo
Electo Padre John Stowe en este párrafo)
“En mi experiencia, los católicos hispanos
muestran un entusiasmo para la fe que no se
encuentre en todos lugares. Sus devociones,
su religiosidad y la conexión que hacen fácilmente entre la fe y la vida diaria son ejemplares y pueden ser una fuerza de renovación
para la iglesia entera en los Estados Unidos.
He aprendido mucho de la comunidad hispana y en verdad ellos me han formado como
pastor y ministro. Su alegría y fe, a pesar de
las luchas de su experiencia, me da esperanza
y quiero seguir acompañando esta comunidad
en el camino hacia el reino de Dios.”
Entiendo que los católicos representan sólo
el 3% de la población en general de los 50
condados que componen esta diócesis. El desafío para nosotros como iglesia local, entonces tiene sus raíces en el Evangelio: ser la sal, la
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levadura y la luz en la sociedad. La sal, la levadura y la luz son ingredientes que fácilmente
pasan desapercibidos cuando están teniendo
los efectos deseados; pero que se notan en su
ausencia. Tendremos que continuar preguntándonos qué diferencia hace nuestra presencia católica en esta parte central y oriental del
estado; ¿cómo les traemos las buenas nuevas a
toda la gente, y no sólo a los de nuestras listas?
La pobreza material es un problema significante para una gran porción de nuestra población. ¡Qué gran contexto para poner en práctica el Evangelio! Jesús describió su propio papel
mesiánico como uno de traer buenas nuevas a
los pobres (Lucas 4). Nosotros debemos hacer
lo mismo. El Papa Francisco ha declarado en
repetidas ocasiones que quiere una Iglesia pobre para los pobres - ciertamente tenemos los
ingredientes para esa iglesia aquí. El Papa Francisco también llama a una “opción misionera”
en la Iglesia; no un enfoque en la auto-preservación, sino una iglesia orientada hacia el exterior
dispuestos a ofrecer a todas las personas la presencia de Cristo vivo. Tengo muchas ganas de
ver lo que ya está sucediendo en esta diócesis,
descrita apropiadamente como una diócesis en
misión, y es un honor para mí formar parte de
su presencia misionera.
Continúa en la página 8
VOCATION COUNSELOR
Glenmary seeks a Vocation Counselor to
promote, develop, foster and invite men
to priesthood and brotherhood with the
Glenmary Home Missioners.
The person will be well trained in
Catholic history, theology and doctrine
with at least the equivalent of a bachelor’s
degree. Working with the Vocations
Director, the candidate must have a
strong commitment to the home
missions and an ability to foster and
maintain relationships with teenagers
and young adults from multicultural
backgrounds. Individual will possess
good listening skills and ability to
communicate clearly and effectively in
both personal and public settings.
Ability to speak/read/write English and
Spanish required. Social media and
writing skills necessary. Position requires
travel and a high degree of confidentiality.
Professional salary and benefits.
Contact Gil Stevens, Executive DirectorOperations at GHM. P.O. Box 465618,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246-5618
or e-mail: gstevens@glenmary.org
No phone calls, please.
March 22, 2015
Page 5
Where to begin?
Transcript of Bishop-Elect John Stowe’s press conference remarks
A funny thing happened on my way to
Costa Rica. I was traveling with a fellow
friar on our provincial council to a meeting with the leadership of our friars in
Central America. Now among the friars
in the province I am known to not carry
a cell phone and not know how to use the
one that my mother planted on me when
traveling. The plan was to get to my parents’ home to leave the car there and they
would take us to the airport in Cleveland.
When we arrived, Bro Randy discovered
an unusual text on his phone. He showed
me a message which said, “Brother Randy,
I understand that you are traveling with
Father John Stowe, it is urgent that he call
me before he leaves the country” and it was
signed with vaguely familiar initials that I
could not immediately place. Brother Randy listened to the voice mail and told me
that it was an Italian sounding voice and
the call came from Washington; my heart
sank and I recognized the initials +CMV
from my days in the Chancery. I called
Archbishop Viganó and introduced myself. His message was simple and straight
forward, “you have been chosen by Pope
Francis to be Bishop of Lexington, do you
accept?” My response was that I love Pope
Francis and would do whatever he asks. I
then went down to the kitchen but couldn’t
even eat my Italian mother’s lasagna; she
knew something was up.
Obviously, this has been a Lent like none
other in my experience.
I am both filled with joy and humbled to
be standing before you this morning. I am
so very grateful to Archbishop Kurtz who
has warmly welcomed me to this region
and been very attentive to me in this period
of shock. I am also very grateful to Fr Bob
Nieberding for once again taking the reins
of the diocese through an interim period.
It says volumes to me that he was called
forth from retirement to resume a post he
had so ably handled before. I am sure he
will provide me with a great introduction
to this diocese.
What do I know about Lexington? That
I have a lot to learn about horses and UK
basketball! Actually, the little that I know
about this diocese comes from my partici-
Exploring the Call to the Permanent Diaconate
For men who wish to explore a call to the Permanent Diaconate,
the Office of the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of
Lexington will begin its Aspirancy Year in September, 2015 for
the Ordination Class of 2020.
All who are interested in learning more about the diaconate are
encouraged to attend an introductory informational meeting,
with spouses, from 9:30 am till noon:
✠ April 11, 2015 at St. Francis of Assisi in Pikeville
✠ April 25, 2015 at St. William in London
✠ May 9, 2015 at the Cathedral of Christ the King
Those nominated by their pastors for the Aspirancy phase of
formation will attend regular monthly sessions to help in their
discernment and development toward diaconal ministry. The
four year course of pastoral, spiritual and academic formation
will begin in September, 2016.
For further information, please contact Deacon Marco Rajkovich
at mrajkovich@cdlex.org or at 859/229-2289.
pation in a Franciscan peace and justice
conference back in the 1990s when we
gathered to learn about Appalachia. I remember an incredible trip from the Lexington airport to places like Hazard and
Harlan, through fall foliage that I hadn’t
experienced for years because I was living
in California. It was breathtakingly beauti-
ers and aliens”. Now the Church has to rise
to meet new demographics and new waves
of immigrants who are already a part of
our catholic, universal church and we must
learn to celebrate the gifts that they bring.
Pope Francis speaks frequently of the need
to be open to an encounter: with the other,
with the poor and so with Christ. New im-
ful, and so good to experience with other
Franciscans. I learned a lot about the importance of the environment in that visit,
as well as the history and struggles of the
people of Appalachia, and was deeply impressed by the signs of inculturation (like
quilts and rocking chairs) in the churches.
I learned that a holler didn’t necessarily
have anything to do with shouting. And
I learned that the Church can be vibrant
and make an impact, even when it is a small
percentage of the overall population.
I am inspired by the ever more visible
presence of our Hispanic brothers and sisters in this diocese. As is the case throughout the entire nation, Latino Catholics
are a growing presence- much more than
that, a life-giving presence in the Church.
We tend to forget that the Church in the
United States has always been a Church of
immigrants. We can be proud of the many
success stories of integrating populations
from other lands into the American culture
through a network of Catholic institutions
throughout the course of our history. Our
parishes, schools, social service agencies,
hospitals and other institutions that grew
up in and served a variety of ethnic environments were very successful at integrating immigrants into the mainstream of society— sometimes they were so successful
at this, that the next generations need to
hear the same reminder that the children of
Israel needed to hear so often in their history, “remember that you were once strang-
migrants provide a great opportunity for
just that kind of encounter.
(At this point, Bishop-Elect Stowe transitioned into Spanish)
En mi experiencia, los católicos hispanos
muestran un entusiasmo para la fe que no
se encuentre en todos lugares. Sus devociones, su religiosidad y la conexión que hacen
fácilmente entre la fe y la vida diaria son
ejemplares y pueden ser una fuerza de renovación para la iglesia entera en los Estados
Unidos. He aprendido mucho de la comunidad hispana y en verdad ellos me han formado como pastor y ministro. Su alegría y
fe, a pesar de las luchas de su experiencia,
me da esperanza y quiero seguir acompañando esta comunidad en el camino hacia
el reino de Dios.
I understand that Catholics make up
only 3% of the general population of the
50 counties that comprise this diocese. The
challenge for us as a local church then has
its roots in the gospel: to be salt, leaven and
light in society. Salt, leaven and light are easily taken for granted when they are having
their desired effects; but are noticed in their
absence. We will need to continue to ask
ourselves what difference our Catholic presence makes in this central and eastern part
of the state; how do we bring good news to
all people, not just the ones on our rosters?
Material poverty is a significant issue for
a great portion of our population. What
a great context for putting the gospel into
Turn to Transcript, Page 8
Page 6
March 22, 2015
Three hours after the Vatican announced the appointment
of the Third Bishop of Lexington, a press conference for
Bishop-Elect John Stowe, OFM, Conv. was held in the
conference facilities of the Catholic Center. Top left, Fr.
John is escorted downstairs to the conference room by Fr.
Bob Nieberding and the Kentucky bishops (shown is
Owensboro Bishop William Medley). Top center, Diocesan
Administrator Fr. Bob Nieberding introduces the
Bishop-Elect. Far right center, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of
Louisville, Bishop Roger Foys of Covington and Bishop
William Medley of Owensboro listen to the Bishop-Elect’s
remarks. Below right, after the press conference, BishopElect Stowe meets diocesan coordinator for Peace & Justice
Meagan Lederman. Below, Holy Spirit pastor Fr. Al
DeGiacomo introduces himself to the Bishop-Elect.
CR Photos: Skip Olson
What’s going on in your parish?
Send us your photos & a brief description (who, what, when & where)
and we’ll publish them in Cross Roads! • solson@cdlex.org
March 22, 2015
elativism is a philosophy that is the
predicated on the denial of objective
truth. This denial amounts to the rejection of the revealed truth of God, of
faith in the God of revelation, and, ultimately, of God. It relies on reason alone
and, thereby, is blind to or intentionally
ignores the limits of human reasoning.
Consequently, relativism trends to a morality whose ultimate standard and guide of
conduct is desire. Relativism is about what
we, as individuals,
want. However, when
our ultimate standard
and guide of conduct
is desire, we are left
with no standard at
all, because desires
change and can even
be disordered. The denial of objective truth,
of ultimate ends, and
of God leaves desire
with no final destination to which it can be
directed and ordered.
The great Catholic
writer, Hiliare Belloc
(1870-1953),
published his work “The
Great Heresies” in
1938. The final heresy he addressed was labeled “The Modern Phase,” though Belloc speculated that
it might one day be known as the “AntiChrist.” This was because, unlike the other
heresies he covered in the book, “The Modern Phase” did not represent a distortion or
reduction of the Catholic faith. Instead, it
was a “wholesale assault upon the fundamentals of the Faith—upon the very existence of the Faith.”
Belloc went on to identify three “first
fruits” of the materialistic and atheistic
“The Modern Phase,” as it was already well
underway at the time of his writing. These
fruits were a revival of slavery (to the state
and to private corporations and individuals), an increase in cruelty (evidenced by
general indifference to acts of cruelty), and
a disdain for reason (whereby conviction by
argument and proof is replaced by reiterated affirmation).
Belloc was not discussing relativism
in his treatment of “The Modern Phase.”
However, the “first fruits” he attributed to
this phase are applicable to relativism. For
example, we can discern the germ of total
human slavery contained in the total human freedom relativism promises. Though
Page 7
it yearns for freedom from constraint and
judgment, relativism frequently results
only in license and, therefore, spiritual and
moral slavery in the form of vice.
In addition, relativism can end in physical, economic, and social forms of slavery,
because total human freedom favors the
philosophy of “might makes right.” One
only has to consider the scope of human
trafficking today, the freezing of embryos
is relative” is self-refuting. If everything is
truly relative, then, the statement, “everything is relative,” is also relative. In other
words, it may not be true at all times and
in every situation. Consequently, there may
be absolute truth and everything may not
be relative.
Furthermore, “everything is relative” is itself an absolute or objective statement. If it is
true, then everything is not relative, because
DOUGLAS CULP
(and their destruction in the name of research), and the treatment of employees
as mere resources to be consumed in production and then discarded to see the idea
is not as far-fetched as it might initially
sound. Relativism also trends toward social
chaos. This invites tyrants to rise up in the
name of restoring the necessary order (even
if the “new” order is inherently disordered)
that human existence demands.
But, the disdain for reason is even more
relevant to our consideration of relativism.
This is because the denial of faith always
leads to the denial of reason, regardless of
claims to the contrary. Let’s consider the
theological virtue of faith. As the Catechism explains, it is the virtue “by which
we believe in God, in all he has said and
revealed, in what Holy Church proposes
for our belief, as he is truth itself.” In other
words, faith enables us to believe in and
to know the truth as truth. What happens
to reason, whose proper task is to seek the
truth, when ultimate truth is declared unknowable or non-existent?
Of course, we know that relativism itself
is a product of illogic that shows disdain
for reason. The position that “everything
there is at least one thing that is not relative:
the truth that everything is relative.
Relativism, and its predominance in
our culture, matters because it severs the
religious-moral-legal continuum. With
this philosophy, eternal law (the Divine
Wisdom of God that moves all things to
their appropriate end) and divine law (the
revealed law of God to humanity) are either declared unknowable or are explicitly
denied. This means natural law (the eternal law of God imprinted on all things,
from which, they derive their inclinations
to their proper acts and ends) is reduced
to irrelevancy, and human law is left with
no orientation or ultimate standard. Such
a state of affairs leaves us with the unsavory
position that whatever is deemed to be legal
is de facto considered moral for there is no
higher appeal to be made.
In addition, the hunger for infinite intelligence and transcendent power does
not go away simply because God and truth
are denied. In fact, the denial of God often evokes a passion that is self-diffusive
and that seeks converts. This is because the
perceived stakes are so high. If God’s being threatens humanity’s being, if God’s
knowledge negates humanity’s mind, and
if God’s freedom erases humanity’s liberty,
then God has become a rival that must be
defeated at all costs and all of humanity recruited for the cause.
With no transcendent guarantor of rights
or dignity, external pressures and propaganda take on new prominence and significance in the campaign against faith
and reason. And,
unfortunately, history
bears witness to the
collective evil that can
rise to power under
such circumstances:
Nazism, Fascism, and
Communism.
A perfect storm of
sorts has developed as
the philosophies that
gave rise to the aforementioned forms of
militant atheism continue to exert their
influence: the attack
on Faith continues
unabated, and the
culture has reacted
fearfully to the “collective” given the destruction wrought by the “-isms” of the last
century. The result has been the embrace
of an excessive individualism that understands the prime duty of the individual is
to make the most of one’s own life rather
than contribute to the good of others.
In fact, the Children’s Society, a United
Kingdom organization dedicated to helping children, identified this as the greatest threat to the well-being of children in
2009. At the same time, the rejection of
faith and denial of objective truth has led
to what the 1994 Pontifical Council on
Culture labeled a practical atheism or indifference to the faith and objective truth.
To make matters worse, a negative tolerance has emerged that seeks to impose
certain standards of thinking on everyone.
For example, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
wrote in his book, “Light of the Word”
that for the sake of not offending anyone,
a policy was enacted requiring the removal
of all crucifixes from public buildings in
Italy. In other words, in the name of tolerance, there must be no tolerance for the
Turn to relativism, Page 8
Page 8
March 22, 2015
Obispo Electo John Stowe
Business & Service Guide
Viene de la página 4
Veo que hay una buena representación de las mujeres religiosas aquí
en esta diócesis, ¡gracias a Dios! Ya que a menudo han sido las hermanas
quienes están en las líneas del frente poniendo el Evangelio en acción en
servicio amoroso como Jesús nos enseñó. Tengo muchas ganas de conocer
sus ministerios aquí. La presencia de semejantes religiosos en la diócesis
es una fuente de consuelo y aliento para mí también. Así como estoy
tan agradecido con el Papa Francisco por este nombramiento y tan entusiasmado por vivir mi vocación como pastor de esta iglesia local, debo
admitir que voy a lamentar el cambio de la relación con mi comunidad
franciscana la cual me ha amado, apoyado, formado, y animado a lo largo
de mi vida religiosa y sacerdotal. Crecí alrededor de Franciscanos, entré
en la comunidad Franciscana muy poco después de la escuela preparatoria [High School] (¡y crecí un poco más con su ayuda!) Y no hay palabras
para expresar mi gratitud y aprecio por la provincia de Nuestra Señora de
la Consolación.
¡Un Papa Jesuita, con el nombre de Francisco, les envía un obispo Franciscano entrenado por Jesuitas! Espero que no les cause demasiado miedo
a los sacerdotes de la diócesis, quienes serán mis colaboradores más cercanos. Tuve un poco de experiencia cercana con el clero diocesano cuando
serví como Moderador de la Curia de la Diócesis de El Paso y disfrute
de una maravillosa relación de trabajo con ellos, justo como tengo ganas
de experimentar aquí. Espero que pueda hacer a un lado rápidamente
cualquier temor.
Es alentador ver una fuerte comunidad de diáconos sirviendo en esta
iglesia, junto con sus esposas. Los diáconos permanentes están en una posición única para conectar los mundos del clero y los laicos. Estoy ansioso
por conocer a los laicos, la gran mayoría de los discípulos que forman esta
diócesis, y para aprender acerca de cómo viven su fe hoy, y cómo la institución de la iglesia puede proporcionar el apoyo que necesitan para hacerlo.
Ustedes probablemente querrán saber mis prioridades o mi agenda. En
los lugares en los que he servido he tratado de concentrarme en adoración
y servicio, dos aspectos amplios e interconectados de la vida Cristiana.
Tenemos que invitar a otras personas a un encuentro con Cristo en los sacramentos, y los sacramentos son para nutrirnos, fortalecernos y sanarnos
para servir a los demás y contribuir a la edificación del reino de Dios. Los
detalles vendrán sin duda después de mucho escuchar, ver y experimentar
lo que ya está pasando aquí. Definitivamente me inspiraré y guiaré de la
exhortación apostólica del Papa Francisco, La alegría del Evangelio, y trataré de seguir el gran ejemplo que él ha establecido. Espero por supuesto
de que él permitirá la sustitución del olor de los caballos por el olor de las
ovejas que el pastor debe tener. n
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relativism
Continued from Page 7
Christian faith.
In a culture where relativism dominates, everyone is a potential victim and everyone is a potential tyrant, as everyone attempts to secure
and protect their version of the truth in order to “order” their life as
they choose. This, of course, means imposing our values on others.
Ultimately, we, like Thomas Hobbes said, must turn to the state to
guarantee our rights. We must rely on the courts more and more to
tell us what is legal and, therefore, what is moral, as we no longer have
eternal, divine, and natural law to guide us.
What can we do in the face of all this? We will explore this question
next time. n
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March 22, 2015
Transcript
Continued from Page 5
practice. Jesus described his own messianic
role as one of bringing good news to the poor
(Luke 4). We must do the same. Pope Francis has stated repeatedly that he wants a poor
church for the poor—we certainly have the
ingredients for that church right here. Pope
Francis also calls for a “missionary option” in
the Church; not a focus on self-preservation,
but an outward-looking church ready to provide all people with the presence of the living
Christ. I really look forward to seeing what is
already going on around this diocese, appropriately described as a home mission diocese,
and am honored to become part of its missionary presence.
I see that there is a good representation of
women religious here in this diocese, thank
God! So often it has been the sisters who are
on the front lines of putting the gospel into
action in loving service as Jesus taught us. I
look forward to getting to know their ministries here. The presence of fellow men religious in the diocese is a source of comfort and
encouragement for me as well. As grateful as
I am to Pope Francis for this appointment
Page 9
and as enthusiastic as I am to live my vocation
as pastor in this local church, I must admit
that I will grieve the change of my relationship with my Franciscan community which
has loved, supported, formed, and encouraged me throughout my religious and priestly
life. I grew up around Franciscans, I entered
the Franciscan community very shortly after
high school (and grew up some more with
their help!) and there are no words to express
my gratitude and appreciation for the province of Our Lady of Consolation.
A Jesuit pope, by the name of Francis, sends
you a Franciscan bishop trained by Jesuits! I
hope that isn’t too scary for the priests of the
diocese, who will be my closest collaborators.
I did get some up close experience with the
diocesan clergy when I served as Moderator
of the Curia for the Diocese of El Paso and
enjoyed a wonderful working relationship
with them just as I look forward to experiencing here. I hope I can quickly set aside any
apprehensions.
It is encouraging to see a strong diaconate
community of deacons serving in this church,
together with their wives. The permanent
deacons are in a unique position to bridge the
worlds of clergy and the laity. I am anxious to
meet the laity, the vast majority of the disciples who form this diocese, and to learn about
how they live their faith today and how the
institutional church can provide the support
they need to do so.
You probably will want to know my priorities or my agenda. In the places where I
have served I have tried to focus on worship
and service, two broad and interconnected
aspects of the Christian life. We are to invite others to an encounter with Christ in the
sacraments, and the sacraments are to nour-
ish, strengthen and heal us to serve others
and contribute to building God’s reign. The
details will certainly have to come after lots
of listening, seeing and experiencing what is
already going on here. I will definitely take
inspiration and guidance from Pope Francis’
apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel,
and try to follow the great example that he
has set. I am hoping of course that he will
allow the substitution of the smell of horses
for the smell of the sheep that the shepherd
must have. n
New Bishop
Quinn at his home parish of St. Anthony in
Lorain. He was assigned to continue at Our
Lady of Mount Carmel Church as associate
pastor. The parish is at the site of the Ysleta
Mission, founded in 1682 and the oldest parish in Texas. It is on the U.S.-Mexico border
and includes the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of the
Tigua tribe of Native Americans. Fr. Stowe
would continue as pastor of that parish.
In December, 2002, Bishop-elect Stowe was
invited by Bishop Armando X. Ochoa, of El
Paso, to serve the Diocese of El Paso as Moderator of the Curia and Vicar General. He
later also served as Chancellor of the diocese.
With a lack of priests in the diocese, Fr. Stowe
also assumed the role of Administrator of Our
Lady of the Valley Parish there, while serving
Continued from Page 1
ars Minor Conventual. The Order of Friars
Minor is the formal name for the religious
order, which is more popularly known as the
Franciscans. “Conventual” denotes that the
friars live in community.
Bishop-elect Stowe earned a Masters of Divinity and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in
the field of Church History from the Jesuit
School of Theology at Berkeley (now affiliated with Santa Clara University). He served
as a transitional deacon at St. David of Wales
Parish in Richmond, CA, and completed his
diaconate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Church in El Paso, TX. In 1995 he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop A. James
Page 10
March 22, 2015
in praying for kids, parents drawn into Trinity’s activity
MiKE aLLEN
Every Catholic parent knows we should
pray for our children. A legitimate question
is: “Why?”
The belief that God responds to human prayer
is one of our faith’s real
mysteries. After all, God
by nature is all-loving,
all-powerful, all-wise,
and never-changing. God
knows “what you need before you ask him”
(Matthew 6:8), and God is “not a man that he
should change his mind” (Numbers 23:19),
thus we don’t influence God toward an action
he hadn’t previously considered.
Considering these four revealed truths
about God, we parents might be resigned to
neglect prayers for the earthly and eternal
destinies of our children. Yet the same biblical revelation that reveals God’s infinite perfection also urges us to pray fervently, even
through the words of Jesus himself, who
consistently commands us to pray with bold
and persevering faith. Salvation history supplies numerous accounts of human prayer
having powerful effect.
How do reconcile this seeming contradic-
tion? One biblical story can help us: the
account of Abraham’s encounter with three
mysterious visitors in Genesis 18. After encountering Abraham and Sarah’s hospitality,
the three visitors (are they angels, or visible
manifestations of the three divine
persons?) promise the elderly couple
will have a son the following spring,
before then departing to investigate
the wickedness of nearby Sodom.
The text then takes a curious turn. As
Abraham sees off his departing guests, the
Lord says to himself, “Shall I hide from
Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that
Abraham shall become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall
bless themselves by him?”
The Bible on several occasions refers to
Abraham as God’s “friend,” a privileged
bond that involves the other in one’s plans
and decisions. Jesus himself said to his disciples, “I have called you friends, for all that
I have heard from my Father I have made
known to you.” (John 15:15)
In Abraham’s case, when the mystery
visitors begin departing for Sodom, the text
reads, “Abraham remained standing before
the Lord.” Interestingly, ancient versions of
this exist that read (in the original Hebrew):
“The Lord remained standing before Abraham.” In debating which version of the text
is authentic, some scholars speculate that
the latter rendition is original, since biblical
editors might be more tempted to “correct”
a text that almost seems to place the Lord
of heaven and earth in a subservient posture
before Abraham.
However the text reads, the implications
for prayer are real. In Abraham’s case, a
dimension of his privileged friendship with
God was his intercession for others, as here
he seems to negotiate the Lord down from
his destructive wrath toward Sodom to hold
off for the sake of “ten righteous men.” But
rather than see Abraham as talking God into
mercy (remember our four truths about God
mentioned earlier), we can better see his
pleas for Sodom as initiated by God himself,
who grants his friend the privilege of participating through prayer in his divine will.
So how does that translate for us as
parents? We too often view parental prayer
as our attempt to plead from God some
goodness for the sake of our children, some
movement of his Spirit within their hearts
to draw them toward conversion, some
protection from an apparent danger, or some
providence upon their path for the decisions
they make.
Yet, our prayers for our children do not
originate from us. They arise from God’s
own prompting within us, the One who
loves our children infinitely more than
we do, who entrusts them to us, and who
chooses through us to mediate his grace to
our children. When we pray for our children, God is drawing us into the divine
activity of the Holy Trinity’s communion of
love, the communion into whose name both
we and our children were baptized.
Like us, our children have free will and
can resist the grace of God. But when we
respond in obedience to God’s intercessory initiative within us, our prayers for our
children can expand our capacity to love as
he does, can clarify our discernment of their
truest good, can facilitate God’s work in
their lives, and can help us persevere in our
hope for their eternal salvation.
Boys will always be boys...even in heaven
aLEJaNDrO BErMuDEz
I remember vividly how happy I was
when my little brother Sergio was born.
I was seven, and until Sergio came along,
I was the only boy
and the middle child
out of five. My two
younger and two older
sisters would play in
pairs, while I had to
play with mom. Not
that it was bad playing
with mom, but it is not hard to imagine
how the arrival of a little brother was the
best thing that could happen to a sevenyear-old.
I remember time and again going to my
little brother’s crib to pray to God repeatedly, “Make him grow fast! I promise you
that he will be my pal and I will never
leave him!”
Despite the age gap, we had lots of
fun as kids. I would always beat him in
wrestling, of course. Sometimes I would
make him cry… but he would never give
up, because it’s a boy thing and we were
brothers.
But leave him I did later, as I became a
consecrated and he slipped into a crazy,
wandering life, a life that would include
bouts of rehab and even a few nights in jail.
The strange thing is that he never
stopped being a passionate, convinced
– and convincing—Catholic. He never
doubted that the Church held and distributed Jesus’ grace, and that coming back to
Her was always sweet, peaceful and deeply
renovating. He compared it to setting back
the odometer: “Takes you back to zero
miles,” he would say.
Not even the roughest of his friends
would dare to speak ill of priests, the
Church or the saints in his presence.
Combine his magnetic personality with
the fact that he was very skilled in a Japanese martial art known as Goju Ryu, and
you can do the math.
In his own words, he was “a very accomplished sinner and a very bad Catholic.”
Bad as it was, he never liked to soften the
truth about the rift between his life and
his faith. Once, trying to ease his sadness,
I told him in a calming
tone: “Maybe you are a
Chestertonian Catholic.” “Great! I didn’t
know Chesterton did
cocaine!” he quipped with an ironic smile.
His message was clear: you may be older
and the ‘good brother,’ but don’t take me
for a fool.
As he lay dying of cancer last week, we
finally spent that coveted time together,
just the two of us. I told him the story
about my prayer when he was a baby and
I was a little boy. I was just trying to be
kind, and to set the ground to ask for his
forgiveness for not being always there for
him during his life.
He looked back at me seriously. “That’s
how Heaven is, brother. Is us being
together forever before God and the
saints,” he said. “Once I get into Heaven,
I will pray to God that all the family
may deserve to go to Heaven, all of us!
And I can’t wait to get together and to be
together forever.”
How did he get the theology of Heaven
so right? Was it the wisdom that comes
when suffering is not only tolerated but
embraced with valor, devotion and generosity? I don’t know, and I don’t worry, because I know I will understand in Heaven.
After a crazy life and a holy agony, Sergio died on Wednesday, three days short of
his birthday, an hour after receiving Holy
Communion for the last time.
Yesterday, I stood next to his coffin,
praying again, as I did years ago next to his
crib. But this time, older and – I hope –
wiser, I made no promises. I just asked of
him one final request: Please little brother,
do not rest in peace. In Heaven, you have
much to do for us.
Mr. Bermúdez is director of ACI-Prensa,
the world’s largest Catholic news agency in
Spanish, as well as the executive director of
Catholic News Agency and the Portuguese
agency ACI digital.
March 22, 2015
New Bishop
Continued from Page 9
in the Chancery. At the Province Chapter of
2010, Fr. Stowe was elected Vicar Provincial
of the Province of Our Lady of Consolation;
he resigned from the Chancery in El Paso and
became Pastor and Rector of the Basilica and
National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation
in Carey, OH (Diocese of Toledo). He was reelected vicar at the Chapter of 2014.
During his time in El Paso, Father John
taught in the Tepeyac Institute for lay ministry, in the permanent diaconate formation
programs for the Dioceses of Las Cruces and
El Paso, and was active in community organizing in an organization called EPISO. He was
active in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue
and frequently taught jointly with Rabbi Larry
Bach of the Reformed Temple Mount Sinai. In
the Franciscan Province Fr. Stowe chaired the
Peace and Justice Commission and the Finance
Commission at different times and served a
term as a definitor (provincial counselor), even
prior to his election as Vicar Provincial.
The Basilica and National Shrine of Our
Lady of Consolation was founded in 1875 and
features a statue of Our Lady from that time
brought from the mother shrine in Luxembourg. The Conventual Franciscans were given
guardianship of the Shrine in 1912. Tens of
thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine each year
Page 11
from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, especially
on the Feast of Mary’s Assumption in August.
Bishop-elect Stowe noted the presence of
women and men religious in the diocese,
praised their work, and said he looked forward
to getting to know their ministries. While
grateful to Pope Francis, he said, “I grieve the
change of my relationship with my Franciscan community which has loved, supported,
formed, and encouraged me throughout my
religious and priestly life.”
To the priests, Fr. Stowe said, “A Jesuit
pope, by the name of Francis, sends you a
Franciscan bishop trained by Jesuits! I hope
that isn’t too scary for the priests of the diocese, who will be my closest collaborators.” As
Moderator of the Curia in El Paso, TX, he
said, he had a “wonderful working relationship” with the diocesan clergy.
He said he was encouraged by a strong
diaconate—and their wives, who are in the
“unique position to bridge the worlds of clergy
and laity.” Fr. Stowe said he was anxious to
meet the laity of the diocese, “the vast majority
of the disciples,” to learn how they live their
faith and how the church can provide the support they need.
“I will definitely take inspiration and guidance from Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation,
‘The Joy of the Gospel,’ and try to follow the
great example that he has set. I am hoping, of
course, that he will allow the substitution of the
smell of horses for the smell of the sheep that
the shepherd must have,” said the bishop-elect.
In a welcoming statement, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Metropolitan for
the Catholic dioceses in Kentucky and Tennessee and sitting president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said, “Bishopelect Stowe brings a strong spiritual presence,
evidenced in his leadership at the Franciscan
Shrine in Ohio, and a wealth of pastoral experience, including his service to the Latino community in El Paso, Texas.”
“I pledge my support and prayers for Bishop-elect Stowe and for the priests, religious,
and lay faithful of the Diocese of Lexington. In
a special way, I thank Father Robert Nieberding for his generous service as diocesan administrator of the diocese for this past year,” the
archbishop said.
Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, Second Bishop
of Lexington and now Bishop of Harrisburg,
PA, said, “I welcome him as a brother bishop
and wish him every blessing as he prepares to
shepherd the wonderful Diocese of Lexington.
Bishop-elect Stowe brings a wealth of pastoral
experience to his new ministry. The appointment of a Conventual Franciscan Friar is especially significant as the Catholic Church observes the Year for Consecrated Life.”
“I also want to express my profound gratitude to Father Robert Nieberding who guided the diocese with such dedication and gen-
erosity during this interim period,” Bishop
Gainer said.
Conventual Franciscan Father James Kent,
minister provincial for the Province of Our
Lady of Consolation and Fr. Stowe’s former
superior, said, “It is with great joy that the
Conventual Franciscans received the news
that Pope Francis has appointed our brother,
Bishop-elect John Stowe, O.F.M. Conv., to
shepherd the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.
He is a man of deep faith and integrity, with a
sharp and inquisitive intellect, all rooted in a
genuine pastoral heart.”
“While we are saddened that he will no longer be able to share his many gifts with our
Franciscan friars, we know that the Diocese
of Lexington will be abundantly blessed,” Fr.
Kent said in a statement.
Pope St. John Paul II established the Diocese
of Lexington from portions of the Archdiocese of Louisville, one of the oldest dioceses (a
church area designation) in the nation, and the
Diocese of Covington, KY, in March, 1988.
Bishop-emeritus J. Kendrick Williams retired
in 2002, and was succeeded by Bishop Ronald
W. Gainer, who guided the diocese from 2003
to 2014, when Bishop Gainer was named the
Bishop of Harrisburg, PA.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington encompasses 50 counties in Central
and Eastern Kentucky with 63 parishes and
48,000 congregants. n
Jesus’ passion restores life to a broken humanity
MSgr. JOSEPh g. PriOr
5th Sunday of Lent • March 22, 2015
A.J. Cronin, an English medical doctor
and writer, recalls working as a medical officer for a Welsh mining
company. He writes of
Olwen Davis, a district
nurse who at the time
of his encounter had
worked for over 20 years
helping the ill. He writes
that she worked with fortitude and patience, calmness and cheerfulness. He recalls mentioning her inadequate
salary. “Her smile remained, but her gaze
held a gravity, an intensity which startled
me. ‘Doctor,’ she said, ‘if God knows I’m
worth it, that’s all that matters to me.’”
Profound words for reflection, as we
continue our journey through Lent to
Holy Week.
The Gospel passage for today’s liturgy,
speaks to how salvation is accomplished.
The reading is from John. Jesus says: “The
hour has come for the Son of Man to be
glorified.” Jesus is the Son of Man. “Son
of Man” refers to the role of divine judge.
Jesus’ role as judge will be now manifest
or “glorified.” Jesus then begins an analogy
describing how this glorification will take
place—the grain of wheat must die. Jesus
becomes the Son of Man on the Cross.
Giving completely of himself in suffering
and death he is lifted up as judge. His judgment is mercy.
Jesus dies so that we might live. Jesus
dies and pours forth new life into humanity. The fruit that is born of this life will
be abundant. We look to the first reading,
from Jeremiah, for some insight.
The Lord, speaking through Jeremiah,
recalls his saving activity in the life of
Israel; particularly his delivery of Israel
from Egypt. The Lord was present to his
people. He cared for them. He established
a covenant with them and gave them the
law to keep the covenant. But his people
broke the covenant and disobeyed the law.
The Lord recalls all this as a preamble to a
promise, the promise of a new covenant.
The new law will be placed “within them”
and written “upon their hearts.” Jesus is the
fulfillment of this promise. In his passion
and death Jesus establishes the new
covenant. As the glorified Son of Man,
Jesus has the authority over the law. He
is the judge. He judges with mercy, and
in his judgment there is life.
In the Gospel, Jesus continues by calling
us to imitate him: “Whoever loves his life
looses it, and whoever hates his life in this
world will preserve it for eternal life.” How
is Jesus using the term ‘life’?” A distinction is important. The second use helps
to clarify. Jesus is making a distinction
between life that is limited to this world
and life that is eternal, that is divine life.
Jesus is saying that any attitudes or dispositions and actions that place life in this
world above the divine life he offers are not
life-giving. In fact, they rob one of life.
Jesus loves the Father. He places all his
trust and reliance in him. The gravity and
immensity of what was about to unfold
in the passion was clearly known to Jesus.
Jesus trusts the Father completely. The
passage from the Hebrews in today’s second
reading describes it: “he offered prayers
and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who as able to save him from
death, and he was heard because of his
reverence. Son though he was, he learned
obedience from what he suffered; and when
he was made perfect, he became the source
of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
Jesus offers himself in love of the Father
and for love of us. As Jesus’ life is poured
out on the cross, it is poured into a broken
humanity that is now being restored
to life. The life he gives us is one that
animates our existence. Dwelling within
us, he urges us to share in his life-giving
passion by giving of ourselves to others in
love and mercy.
Continuing our Lenten preparations for
Easter, we contemplate the cross as the sign
of God’s love and mercy. The Father sends
his son into the world to defeat evil and
sin, because we are worth it. Jesus’ was willing to endure suffering, torture, rejection,
and humiliation because we are worth it.
He died for us, because we are worth it.
Page 12
March 22, 2015
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