July 5, 2010
Catholic News Around Indiana
Compiled by Brandon A. Evans
Begin reading, or choose a diocese: Fort Wayne-South Bend | Gary | Indianapolis | Lafayette
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Bishop visits Sisters of the Holy Cross
By Sister Margie Lavonis, CSC
NOTRE DAME — It was a joyful day for the Sisters of the Holy Cross and the worshipping community at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto June 27 at Saint Mary’s when Bishop Kevin Rhoades made his first official visit to their motherhouse.
In his opening remarks the bishop mentioned how happy he was to finally be able to accept the invitation extended by Sister Joan Marie Steadman, president of the congregation, in January, to come and celebrate Mass with the community. He expressed his thanks to all the sisters, especially those who were watching on close circuit television, for their prayers for him and the diocese.
Bishop Rhoades began his homily by saying again just how much he looked forward to celebrating Mass with the sisters. “One of the many blessings of my first several months as bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend has been getting to know the Holy Cross family of sisters, brothers and priests.”
He went on to say that he enjoyed reading the biography of Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of Holy Cross, and studying the history of the diocese, in which the congregations of Holy Cross played a central role. In fact, he said, “Holy Cross priests, brothers and sisters were here even before the Diocese of Fort Wayne was established, when all of Indiana was part of the Diocese of Vincennes.” He called them pioneers of the Church’s presence and ministry in what is now the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
The bishop also spoke of the great contribution the sisters have made to education in the diocese, “not only at Saint Mary’s Academy, which moved here from Bertrand, Mich., in 1855, and growing to become Saint Mary’s College, but also in Catholic schools in Indiana and beyond.” He told of his appreciation for the sisters, and all those community members who went before them, as women of deep faith and generous service of Christ and the Church.
Saint Joseph’s girls’ tennis team takes state championship
By Susan Lightcap
SOUTH BEND — The welcoming home gathering may have been small, but the excitement and enthusiasm for the newly crowned state champions was anything but trivial.
A June 5 state tournament that became a 12-hour marathon and a ride home from Indianapolis that was delayed by storms and strong winds placed the team’s arrival at Saint Joseph High School at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. An exhausted but exuberant tennis team made the last several miles of their trip with an escort of four police cars. It may have been the middle of the night but the return of the state championship tennis team was loudly and proudly announced with sirens and horns blaring as they mounted that last hill. Neither the hour nor size of the “crowd” was relevant to the celebration, which took place on the steps of the gym.
The team, coaches, parents, family members, Principal Susan Richter and a few faithful faculty reveled in the moment. Pictures were taken with the trophy proudly displayed.
The day was long and the victory hard-fought. As Lewis Bagley, South Bend Tribune writer, put it: “The title match had everything you’d want in a championship event: Tense three-set matches; plenty of nervous energy; long, drawn-out points; brief eruptions of positive and negative emotions; battles right down to the final point.”
Team members Alaina Roberts, Jessica Rink, Darby Mountford, Elle Harding, Bridget Veldman, Abby Watkins, Kayle Sexton and Michele Fredlake had defeated Zionsville in the quarter finals, 4-1, and Center Grove in the semi-finals, 5-0, to reach the final against Columbus North.
Rain forced the championship inside where the availability of fewer courts contributed to the 12-hour final.
Saint Joseph’s number 1 and number 2 singles players, Alaina Roberts and Jessica Rink, both pulled out three set wins over previously unbeaten opponents.
After the victory, Rink was quoted, “We believed we could do this and yet I still can’t believe we did it!”
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, log on to the website of Today’s Catholic at www.todayscatholicnews.org)
Diocese of Gary
75-Year Jubilarian: ‘God’s infinite love has led me through my life’
LEMONT, Ill.—“The paper is big, but I’m not talking very big.” Speaking in his native Lithuanian, Monsignor Ignatius Urbonas used a light-hearted touch to address clergy, friends, and former parishioners gathered for the 75th anniversary of his priestly ordination. “I timed it at around four minutes,” Msgr. Urbonas, 99, said to those assembled at the Lithuanian World Center, June 13.
Born in 1910, the monsignor was ordained a priest June 15, 1935 in Lithuania.
After serving in Europe, he came to the Diocese of Belleville, Ill., in 1949, arriving in Gary five years later. He served at St. Casimir, a Lithuanian parish in Gary, for 45 years before retiring in 1998 — at the ripe age of 88. Since then he has resided in Lemont, assisting at the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Lithuanian Catholic Mission.
He noted, “God’s infinite love has led me through my life.”
Theresa Bartos, a former St. Casimir parishioner, described the monsignor as “gentle, caring.” Birute Vilutis, also from St. Casimir, called him “everybody’s priest — he loved everybody and we loved him.”
Bill and Carol Rusbasan described the monsignor as a “very humble man” who baptized their three children. Carol also recalled how the priest would bless the homes. “The kids would love it,” she said, “because he brought candy.”
Msgr. Urbonas concluded his comments with “aciu,” Lithuanian for thank you. He said, “I thank everybody, but I can’t remember” all the names.
Msgr. Urbonas received a staff bearing the number 75. The staff is a Lithuanian tradition for long married couples and others as a symbol of continued support.
Msgr. Urbonas commented, “It is such a wonderful surprise and honor for me that my bishop would come personally on this journey.” Bishop Dale J. Melczek, speaking at the conclusion of the Mass, said it is fitting that the monsignor’s anniversary comes at the conclusion of the Year for Priests.
“The monsignor has responded to God’s vocation to serve you … in the person of Jesus, forgiving sins and preaching the Gospel of God.” the bishop said, noting how the veteran priest has brought Jesus’ love, compassion, and peace to his people.
(For this story and more news from the Diocese of Gary, log on to the website of the Northwest Indiana Catholic at www.nwicatholic.com)
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Prayers answered: Gift from anonymous donor allows St. Nicholas teacher to enter religious life
By Sean Gallagher
When an article about Jennifer Prickel appeared in the May 28 issue of The Criterion, the 23-year-old member of St. Anthony Parish in Morris and teacher at St. Nicholas School in Ripley County was still wondering when God might allow her to follow her call into religious life.
At the time, more than $50,000 in student loan debt stood in the way of Prickel fulfilling her desire to serve God and the Church as a member of the Steubenville, Ohio-based Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Little did Prickel know, however, that her prayers would be answered in a dramatic way just 10 days after her story appeared in The Criterion.
On June 7, a woman called Prickel and told her she felt that she was supposed to pay off her debt. The woman wanted to know the exact amount needed to do that, and asked to meet Prickel later that day.
When Prickel met the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, she gave the aspiring religious a cashier’s check for approximately $52,000.
Prickel now expects to enter the Sisters of Reparation as a postulant on Aug. 5—and she couldn’t be happier.
“The overwhelming feeling has just been joy and peace,” Prickel said. “I’ve just been so joyful and just so excited about being able to finally fulfill this desire that I’ve had to live in a religious community, and dedicate my time to God in prayer.
“I just can’t stop smiling, especially when I tell people.”
There were also a lot of smiles on the faces of the sisters in the community that she will be joining when she shared the news with its superior, Mother M. Wendy McMenamy.
“There was great joy and prayers of gratitude,” Mother Wendy said. “In the midst of a meeting, I received the call and the excitement in Jennifer’s voice was enough to make us equally excited. However, it was above all a deep gratitude that we felt as we saw God’s hand so clearly at work in providing for Jennifer’s needs.”
Stores in Indianapolis, Richmond to host Cuban-American artist
By Sean Gallagher
The Catholic Church has historically been a great patron of the arts. Musical composers like Mozart and visual artists like Michelangelo or Raphael often created their masterpieces with the support of the Church.
That tradition is still found today, if in a perhaps less dramatic way, in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis through Jeanne Weber-Rush’s love and promotion of the arts.
A member of Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood, Weber-Rush has for some 30 years operated a small chain of fashion stores called The Secret Ingredient.
From noon to 7 p.m. on July 15, she will host Cuban-American artist Vincent Perez Mendez and a showing of his paintings at her store at 5631 N. Illinois St. in Indianapolis. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m.
From 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on July 16, Perez will display his artwork at The Secret Ingredient, 720 E. Main St., in Richmond. At noon, there will be butterfly release to benefit a local food bank. A luncheon will follow.
Perez’s oil paintings, which often portray Christ or the Blessed Virgin Mary, will be available for purchase at both stores.
Weber-Rush appreciates carrying on, in some small way, the Church’s tradition of being a patron of the arts.
“I’m thrilled to be [doing this] because there’s something about his work,” she said. “People just stand there and look at it. [It’s] awe-inspiring.”
Perez, 63, said he developed an interest in art when he was a young boy growing up in Cuba.
Perez moved to the United States in 1962 when he was 16. But by that time, he had left his artistic talents behind. He didn’t start nurturing them again until he was in his 40s after he experienced a religious conversion and re-embraced his Catholic faith.
For Perez, his faith and his art are closely intertwined.
“Art, in my view, has a lot to do with Christianity,” Perez said. “I’m praying when I paint. It’s as simple as that. I wouldn’t put it in any other way.
(For these stories and more news from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, log on to the website of The Criterion at www.CriterionOnline.com)
Diocese of Lafayette
No briefs available this week
(For news from the Diocese of Lafayette, log on to the website of The Catholic Moment at www.thecatholicmoment.org)