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2008 Opinion Archive
From humble beginnings, salvation comesThe stable that Joseph found for Mary and he to welcome Jesus into the world was probably not a pleasant place. It likely smelled of animals and other unpleasantness. It was, after all, the last place left in Bethlehem. All the places for travelers to stay were taken. Certainly, the Son of God could have arranged better accommodations. The Holy Spirit could have made certain Joseph had priority reservations at one of the more comfortable inns in town. Instead, this child, already conceived in unusual circumstances, would be born in unusual circumstances as well. From such humble beginnings would come the world’s salvation. A different kind of hungerTwo events in November reflected mistreatment – even disrespect – for the Eucharist and a need for people to better understand the nature of the Communion that we receive at Mass. A man in Jensen Beach tried to take a bunch of consecrated hosts at the end of the distribution of holy Communion at St. Martin de Porres Parish. And in Hialeah, thieves stole the tabernacle from St. John the Apostle Parish. Economic stress provides time to give, receiveFor some folks, the economic downturn is still just a news story. They have a job; the mortgage is being paid; and the value of their home is not upside-down – like that of others who bought when the values peaked – and the value of their home is still higher than their mortgage balance. These folks relish the fact that gas prices have fallen to levels below this time last year – it now costs about half as much to fill your tank than it did earlier this year. For others, the economy is more than a news story – it’s a real part of life. Who brings food to their table?When you sit down to eat a meal, how often do you think about all the hands that were involved in bringing that meal to your table? After all, the food had to come from somewhere – it didn’t just appear magically. This isn’t the “Star Trek” future where we walk up to a food replicator and tell it what we want, and it is composed before our eyes, like a biogenetic symphony of nutrients. Our foods begin in the sea and on the land. One of my favorite museum exhibits as a child was the one on farming at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, showing the development of planting and harvesting machinery. Although the processes have become more automated through the years, we still rely on people as an important part of the process. A CAPITAL GOODBYEOur newspaper family said goodbye last week to a woman who made great contributions to the Florida Catholic. Jacquelyn Horkan was the newspaper’s statehouse and public policy correspondent since 2004. When I came to the paper five years ago, I realized that while we covered most of the state, we didn’t have anyone on the capitol beat on a regular basis. It was too hard for our Pensacola-based bureau editor to make the three-hour dash to Tallahassee every time significant legislation came up for discussion. We wanted someone in the capital city. We were fortunate to find Jacque. Blesseds Martin and your own saints show the waySeveral years ago, Pope John Paul II asked Catholics for suggestions for married couples who could be considered for sainthood. He noted that some groups of lay martyrs had come into the canon of saints and that some men and women who were parents had become saints, but none who were recognized as a couple for the holiness of their married life. The Vatican hoped that by inviting the faithful to think of married couples who had lived lives of holiness, they could bear witness to the holiness of the vocation of marriage and family. They sought people who in their ordinary lives had lived lives of extraordinary fidelity to their spouse and to God. Bishops were prophetic on economyThe crisis in the U.S. economy has affected worldwide stock markets. In Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, London and throughout the European Union, the ripples from the current recession are felt. Commenting on the interconnectedness of the world economy, the U.S. bishops said, “The pre-eminent role of the United States in an increasingly interdependent global economy is a central sign of our times. … “Decisions made here have immediate effects in other countries; decisions made abroad have immediate consequences for steelworkers in Pittsburgh, oil company employees in Houston, and farmers in Iowa. U.S. economic growth is vitally dependent on resources from other countries and on their purchases of our goods and services.” Rescuers become ‘fishers of men’Walt and Christopher Marino never expected to be the “catch of the day.” The father and son were swimming at Ponce de Leon Inlet and were swept out into the Atlantic Ocean by the tide. At first, Walt and his son, who is autistic, stayed together and kept each other alert and reassured, but eventually the waves separated them, and they ended up far out to sea. See, God In The Water. Through the long night in the water and into the morning, Walt turned to God for guidance and hope. And yes, at some points, he even began to doubt God. Haven’t we all done this in times of trial? Not unlike the apostles, with Jesus in the boat during a raging storm, we feel we must awaken the Lord and ask, “Don’t you see what’s happening here?” And Jesus calms the waters and tells us that all is well. Storms of all kinds disrupt lives, plansA couple of news items from recent weeks beg for comment. First, we had the incessant rain from Tropical Storm Fay, and watched the folks in Louisiana prepare for Hurricane Gustav. Then Hanna and Ike and Josephine lined up in the Atlantic. Often we look at the “cones of uncertainty” and projected paths and breathe a sigh of relief when Florida is spared the full force of a hurricane’s wrath. … On a second, unrelated matter, the Florida Supreme Court created a storm by shearing two amendments from the November ballot. The state’s Catholic bishops say the two proposed constitutional amendments would have enhanced religious freedom and education and protected vital human services. Many meanings for being a championFor TV viewers and sports enthusiasts, these days have been dominated by the Beijing Olympics. The only word for the four-hour opening ceremonies was “spectacular “— an incredible display of creativity and technological genius woven together seamlessly by 15,000 performers. But what impressed me even more was the parade of athletes from 205 countries — from Albania to Zimbabwe — from some countries I didn’t even know existed. The fact that some were even there was a testimony to their dedication and perseverance despite tremendous obstacles. Spend some time with God’s creationSome people find it hard to relax. I know I’m one of them. Beaches are usually a good place to relax. The sun, the sand, the waves combine to present a place for fun and the chance to let life slow down a bit. And yet, when I get to a beach, I often think I need to do something – throw a Frisbee, fly a kite or maybe take a walk and collect shells. Faster, higher, stronger … holier?One major world event just ended and another is about to begin. Both events draw people from all corners of the globe, but each for a different purpose. World Youth Day brought more than 200,000 youths and young adults to Sydney July 15-20. The Summer Olympics will gather more than 10,000 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators in Beijing for competitions Aug. 8-24. Some striking similarities make these events more alike than they might seem on the surface. Each is held only every few years – World Youth Day every three years, very Trinitarian; the Olympics every four – and the participants prepare a long time for both journeys. Faithful show courage in face of criticism with execution protestsWhenever we at the Florida Catholic write about the church’s opposition to use of death penalty and the related activism of many of the faithful – as we did in our print editions and on our Web site before and after the July 1 execution of Mark Dean Schwab – we hear from readers who dissent. (See the article here.) Some of comments are anonymous and unkind, menacingly scrawled over newspaper clippings in all capital letters with lots of underlining and exclamation points. Many, though, are polite notes or telephone calls from devout and active Catholic parishioners who seem deeply troubled the teaching of their church on a subject as dire and dear as the taking of human life is at odds with what they feel. Recall the reason we celebrate the FourthAmericans will mark the holiday this weekend with barbecues, picnics and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. They’ve already started in my neighborhood, and local communities will feature major sanctioned celebrations. The seasonal fireworks stands are set up in the grocery store parking lots (the same locations that feature Christmas trees in December), and you can even find boxes of sparklers and bundles of noisemakers in the grocery aisles. A new partnership of journalistsThis page normally contains the editorial voice of the Florida Catholic penned by Christopher Gunty, our venerable associate publisher. Gunty has taken a few weeks off to effect a partnership of journalists – he and Ann M. Augherton, managing editor of the Arlington Catholic Herald, were wed June 6 at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Arlington, Va. Catholic media converge on TorontoTwo groups of Catholic communicators met last week in Toronto, to be refreshed and revived in their ministry of spreading the word through newspapers, magazines, books, the Internet, radio and television. A few years ago, the Catholic Press Association, to which the Florida Catholic belongs, and the Catholic Academy for Communications Arts Professionals, made up of Catholic radio and television producers and staffers and those who direct diocesan communications efforts, decided to combine the yearly meetings of the two organizations into one, annual Catholic Media Convocation. World extends helping handsImagine a tidal wave of water 10 to 12 feet high sweeping through the brackish water of the Everglades. Your home is in the lowlands of Florida, so the water coming from the surge of this hurricane – let’s call it Nathan – is going to cause lots of trouble. Pope’s message was loud and clearIt was surprising that among the first quotes from Pope Benedict XVI from the papal plane en route to the United States concerned the clergy sexual abuse scandal. I was astonished, because I knew there were no speeches scheduled at the arrival ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base; the pope and President Bush were not scheduled to address crowds publicly until the next morning. What a lift the pope’s visit broughtMany people took advantage of the opportunity for a once–in–a–lifetime chance to see the leader of the Catholic Church in their own country by making a pilgrimage to Washington or New York last week. Several advance stories told us to expect a stern Pope Benedict ready to tell American Catholics everything that is wrong with the church in our country. ‘In the beginning, God created … the earth’Most weeks, I take more recycling to the curb than I have in my trashcan. Last year, the trash company accidentally took the extra recycling bins I had been using; I guess they got confused because these were blue, office-type recycling baskets and not the large green bins the company provided. So after begging the city to replace the bins they’d absconded with, they dropped off two more large bins. Some weeks, I stack all three next to the trashcan that might have only one or two bags in it. German from Rome makes pilgrimage to AmericaThe visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States next week marks a major milestone. When he was elected to the papacy, this pope said he would not travel as widely or as frequently as his predecessor. Partly this was an acknowledgement of the new pope’s age, 78 at the time of his election. Part of it was an acknowledgement of the difference in the popes’ styles: John Paul II had training and experience as an actor; he loved using the world as a stage and taking advantage of the outlets the emerging media provided his papacy to teach and spread the Gospel. Benedict XVI is at his heart an academician and theologian; he uses his homilies, talks and pastoral travels more as a professor and teacher. Long-sleeve drive another huge successWe asked for help. You responded — in a big way. For the third year in a row, the Florida Catholic sponsored an annual Lenten campaign. Instead of almsgiving, we asked for “arms-giving,” because we sought long-sleeve cotton shirts for farmworkers throughout our state. The shirts help protect the workers from exposure to sun, prickly thorns, pesticides and other dangers in the fields. Faith lessons from the boys of summerSpring training winds down this week and the teams of the Grapefruit League prepare to head to their home fields to begin the regular season. This rite of spring usually coincides with Lent, and, as reported in this edition of the Florida Catholic, many priests around the state take advantage of proximity to ballparks and practice fields by tying in homily messages to the game. Got a minute? Make time to pray for vocations every dayThe request has come dozens of times — maybe more — if you stop and think about it. ¶ It may have been a priest at your parish who asked. ¶ Or a visiting priest or religious from mission territory. ¶ Or the request may have come from your bishop or archbishop himself. ¶ How many times have you been asked to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life? ¶ In a world where we take so much for granted — a roof over our heads, a living wage that helps put food on the table and a loving family, among other things for most of us — our faith empowers followers of Christ to do much with the gifts that our Creator has given to each of us. Still time this Lent to remove the stoneAs we enter Passion Sunday and Holy Week, we recall the Gospel reading from Laetare Sunday last week. In that well-known story, Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead, at the behest of his friend, Martha, Lazarus’ sister. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” she tells him. This is Martha, the practical one, who when Jesus visited, busied herself with duties of the home as Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to hear him teach. Jesus tells Martha that even greater glory will come than her brother not dying. Shrinking numbers a wake-up callAt a mid-February meeting of bishops from the Americas, Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, Manitoba, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that in his diocese, as elsewhere in the Americas, “people are not finding life in the Catholic Church. They are declaring themselves to be secular or are joining evangelical churches. Accountability promotes generosityThe Diocese of Orlando implemented new protocols for handling cash collections in its parishes this month, including tamper-proof bags and procedures that separate duties involved in collecting and counting money at parishes. These procedures make sense these days in assuring the safety of donations while protecting those who work and volunteer for the church. Catholic press provides depth, contextThe media landscape is changing faster than ever anticipated. Along our freeways, we see digital billboards that change every 30 seconds or so with rotating messages, some with real-time information, such as the name of the song playing on a certain radio station, or breaking news from a TV station. DCF lags on employee background checksHow is it that the Catholic dioceses in Florida — and all around the United States — are years ahead of the Florida Department of Children and Families on background checks for their employees? After all, DCF is the state entity that oversees adoptions and foster care, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, abuse and neglect investigations and prevention, programs to strengthen families and assistance to other vulnerable populations. No free lunchWill the economic stimulus package recently proposed by President Bush and expected to be passed by our elected representatives help or hurt in the long run? Some economists note that the last time the government tried to stimulate the economy with tax rebates (which were, in fact, advances on the next year’s tax refunds), it didn’t work anyway. Most low-income consumers used it to pay off debt; those in the middle class put it in savings for college or something else. Under the current plan, those in higher income brackets won’t get a rebate anyway. 35 years, still fighting abortionThirty-five years. For three and a half decades, our nation has lived with, dealt with, debated and cried over the fateful Jan. 22, 1973, decision that legalized abortion. The Roe v. Wade ruling has had profound impact throughout our country as millions of lives snuffed out over the course of a generation and a half cause a ripple effect one can barely comprehend. UnceasinglyAround this time of year, we have many occasions to participate in various celebrations, commemorations or demonstrations. All in the space of a couple of weeks, we have: the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18-25); the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday (Jan. 15, celebrated Jan. 21 this year); the March for Life in Washington (Jan. 22); and Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 27-Feb. 2). Florida readies for election yearIf democracy weren’t so important to us, we’d all be sick of it by now, wouldn’t we? The 2008 election campaign has been going on since the 2004 inauguration — at least it seems that way. We’ve been hearing about the presidential race for more than a year now and we still have more than 10 months to go until the general election. Guess who came to Egypt — with no papersJust last week, one of my wife’s English-as-a-Second-Language students came to her with tears of pain streaking his face. He had a very bad toothache. He had gone to our local “charity hospital” and been refused treatment unless he could fork over $500.
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