The Pastoral Ministries Division is “Called by God, Sent to Serve” Archdiocese of Santa Fe Pastoral Ministries Division Under the Leadership of Archbishop John C. Wester September 2020 COVID-19 Special Edition My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In American football, one of the penalties I find interesting is that of “piling on.” Of course, it qualifies for what also could be called a “late hit.” But with all the tackling, pounding and smashing that goes on in football, it is some- what amusing to hear the referee call a penalty for “piling on.” I sup- pose, however, that if you are at the bottom of the pile, there is nothing amusing about it. These days I think many of us can identify with that poor fellow at the bottom of the pile as we go through one crisis after another in our Church, our state, our country, and our world. Just as we were getting into the thick of things with the Chapter 11 Reorganizing, the coronavirus hit. Not only are we worried about our health but we now find so many without work, economic security or a home. Then, the simmering rac- ism that has plagued our country for so long raised its ugly head as evidenced in the number of Black citizens who have been killed by some police officers. Added to the mix is the 2020 presidential elec- tion which has people on edge. All this plays out on a stage here in New Mexico on which we are al- ready dealing with poverty, violent crimes and addiction. And do not forget the fires and hurricanes. Pil- ing on seems like an understate- ment! I cannot speak for you, the reader, but despite the challenges we face, both communal and per- sonal, I am at peace. Yes, I worry and fret, stress and strain, but over- all, I am at peace. There are three reasons for this, which I would like to share here with the hope that they might help you navigate this difficult time. We Catholics believe that God is intimately with us. God is not aloof. Yes, God is completely other, completely transcendent, but also immanent. God is closer to us than we are to ourselves and is always journeying with us along the way. This is a central theme of Jesus in the Gospel: “If God so clothes the grass of the field which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomor- row, will He not much more pro- vide for you, O you of little faith?” (Matt 6:30). We have tradi- tionally called his help from God “grace”. The Catechism of the Cath- olic Church tells us that grace is “...the gratuitous gift that God makes of His own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul…” (CCC, 1999) In particular, God gives us actual grace to help us in a given situation, difficulty or challenge. Actual grace refers to God’s direct intervention in our lives, that is, intervening with His true presence that gives us what we need to find new life in whatever situation we find ourselves. This is more than simply a psychologist assist or the relief expressed by the axiom “misery loves company.” Rather, God’s intervention, God’s grace, enables us to deal with the situation at hand and grow through it into a new way of being. Instead of hiding our heads in the sand, God’s grace prompts us to embrace our problems with the faith that with God at our side there is noth- ing we cannot accomplish. This is the first reason that I am at peace these days. The second reason that I find peace now is that I am a member of Christ’s body, the Church. Again, this is more than the bravado one feels by whistling when passing a cemetery at midnight. Through Baptism, I am one with my brothers and sisters in Christ and that inti- mate union with them is a source of grace in itself. Love gives me the strength to sacrifice my self for oth- ers and in that sacrifice, I find new life. As Jesus told us, if we want to gain our lives then we must first lose them! Reaching out to others during COVID-19, praying for them, sheltering in place, observing the protocols, procedures and policies put in place during the pandemic all contribute to the well-being of the community and to my own well- being. Knowing that I am loved and cared for is a force that stirs up my own resilience and gifts. Which leads me to my final point. God has placed within each of (Connued on page 2) OUR CALL TO ACTION - FACING THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES OF 2020 Pastoral Letter from Archbishop John C. Wester September 8, 2020
Transcript
The Pastoral Ministries Division is “Called by God, Sent to Serve”
Archdiocese of Santa Fe Pastoral Ministries Division Under the Leadership of Archbishop John C. Wester September 2020 COVID-19 Special Edition
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In American football, one of the penalties I find interesting is that of “piling on.” Of course, it qualifies for what also could be called a “late hit.” But with all the tackling, pounding and smashing that goes on in football, it is some-what amusing to hear the referee call a penalty for “piling on.” I sup-pose, however, that if you are at the bottom of the pile, there is nothing amusing about it. These days I think many of us can identify with that poor fellow at the bottom of the pile as we go through one crisis after another in our Church, our state, our country, and our world.
Just as we were getting into the thick of things with the Chapter 11 Reorganizing, the coronavirus hit. Not only are we worried about our health but we now find so many without work, economic security or a home. Then, the simmering rac-ism that has plagued our country for so long raised its ugly head as evidenced in the number of Black citizens who have been killed by some police officers. Added to the mix is the 2020 presidential elec-tion which has people on edge. All this plays out on a stage here in New Mexico on which we are al-ready dealing with poverty, violent crimes and addiction. And do not forget the fires and hurricanes. Pil-ing on seems like an understate-ment!
I cannot speak for you, the reader, but despite the challenges we face, both communal and per-sonal, I am at peace. Yes, I worry and fret, stress and strain, but over-all, I am at peace. There are three reasons for this, which I would like to share here with the hope that they might help you navigate this difficult time.
We Catholics believe that God is intimately with us. God is not aloof. Yes, God is completely other, completely transcendent, but also immanent. God is closer to us than we are to ourselves and is always journeying with us along the way. This is a central theme of Jesus in the Gospel: “If God so clothes the grass of the field which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomor-row, will He not much more pro-vide for you, O you of little faith?” (Matt 6:30). We have tradi-tionally called his help from God “grace”. The Catechism of the Cath-olic Church tells us that grace is “...the gratuitous gift that God makes of His own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul…” (CCC, 1999) In particular, God gives us actual grace to help us in a given situation, difficulty or challenge. Actual grace refers to God’s direct intervention in our lives, that is, intervening with His true presence that gives us what we need to find new life in whatever situation we find ourselves. This is more than simply a psychologist
assist or the relief expressed by the axiom “misery loves company.” Rather, God’s intervention, God’s grace, enables us to deal with the situation at hand and grow through it into a new way of being. Instead of hiding our heads in the sand, God’s grace prompts us to embrace our problems with the faith that with God at our side there is noth-ing we cannot accomplish. This is the first reason that I am at peace these days.
The second reason that I find peace now is that I am a member of Christ’s body, the Church. Again, this is more than the bravado one feels by whistling when passing a cemetery at midnight. Through Baptism, I am one with my brothers and sisters in Christ and that inti-mate union with them is a source of grace in itself. Love gives me the strength to sacrifice my self for oth-ers and in that sacrifice, I find new life. As Jesus told us, if we want to gain our lives then we must first lose them! Reaching out to others during COVID-19, praying for them, sheltering in place, observing the protocols, procedures and policies put in place during the pandemic all contribute to the well-being of the community and to my own well-being. Knowing that I am loved and cared for is a force that stirs up my own resilience and gifts.
Which leads me to my final point. God has placed within each of
(Continued on page 2)
OUR CALL TO ACTION - FACING THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES OF 2020
Pastoral Letter from Archbishop John C. Wester September 8, 2020
September 2020 PMD Express - Special Edition 2
us wonderful gifts and abilities that we often do not recognize or acknowledge. Some may remember the 1970 movie, “ The Out of Town-ers.” At one point, after Gwenn (Sandy Dennis) has been subjected to too many catastrophes to men-tion, her husband George (Jack Lem-mon) tells her to keep running, “you’re stronger than you think!” We have used that line in my family for years when one of us seemed to be giving up. As we wade through the catastrophes of the present moment, it is good to remember that we are stronger than whatever comes our way. I remember reading about a young man who was working on his car in the garage. The jack slipped and the car fell on him. He cried for help and his mother came running, only to pick up the car by the bump-er just enough for him to crawl out from under it. His mother later told reported that she had no idea where she got that strength. Love is a pow-erful force in our lives and so is God’s grace. They both reside deep within each of us.
God’s grace, the support of community and the gifts that we each possess combine to help us face the serious challenges of 2020. I know there are times when we all wish that someone would blow the whistle to stop the piling on. But ulti-mately, we are only penalizing our-selves if we allow our problems to overtakes us and do not avail our-selves of what God has provided for us. You’re stronger than you think!
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Most Reverend John C. Wester Archbishop of Santa Fe
PRAYERS IN TIME OF A PANDEMIC
The Catholic Weekly By Guest Contributor
March 25, 2020
The early Christians prayed in the church of the home. Once more, in trou-bled times when public worship has to be restricted, we are called to pray in “the domestic church”, always aware of the promise of Jesus, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” (Matthew 18:20).
In this Challenging Time Lord Jesus Christ, our true physician and healer, be merciful to us and bring us your aid in these troubled times. Heal all our sickness and every affliction of your people.
Drive out our infirmities of soul and body; free us from all disease and espe-cially from this pestilence.
We place in your gentle Heart the elder-ly, the frail, people with disability, chil-dren, young people and families, our indigenous peoples, those who are poor, lonely and isolated. As you walk with us, free them from fear, and give them patience and hope together with our loving care.
In your mercy deal also with the causes of our pitiful condition, that in curing our lack of faith and spiritual weakness, you may also remedy our bodily ills.
We place our trust in you, the risen Lord, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
For those Who Care for the Sick Father of mercies, we thank you for all who care for the sick. When they diagnose, give them pa-tience. When they protect the vulnerable, give them your protection. When they work to heal, give them strength. When they comfort, give them consola-tion. When they are tired, give them rest. When they are discouraged, bring them your hope. May we welcome and respect them as we support one another in this time of
trial.
For those Seeking a Cure for the Virus Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten the minds of women and men of medical science who are working to find a solution to this viral infection. Guide their research and help them discover what you pro-vide in creation, sure ways of control, protection, inoculation and healing. Strengthen them in their tiring work and enrich in them the virtue of hope. Amen.
For those Who Govern and Represent Us Eternal Wisdom, guide our leaders called to serve us in our Nation. May they respond to the challenges of this affliction with prudence and sound judgement. With foresight, may their planning alleviate the economic bur-dens, compensate for losses, protect employment and ensure ample food for the poor and isolated. Amen.
For Humility Merciful Lord, we stand before you in our human weakness.
We confess that we have been caught up in the pride and presumption that drives our worldly society. Free us from the arrogance that afflicts our age, for now we stand confounded by condi-tions beyond our control or under-standing.
Give us humble and honest hearts to discern the greater mystery of your providence in creation. May we accept your justice and trust your redeeming mercy. Amen
Some Scripture Readings The Lord is my shepherd, Psalm 23. A plea for divine protection, Psalm 90, Sunday Compline II. The call of his Heart, Matthew 11: 25-30 A healing day with Jesus at Capernaum, Luke 4:38-44 Children of God, Romans 8: 14-17 Salvation and suffering, 1 Peter 1:3-9 The promise – a new heaven and a new earth, Revelation 21: 1-7 https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/prayers-in-time-of-a-pandemic/
Following our baptismal call to serve in the Church, especially as a lay person, can be challenging to say the least. This is nothing new, of course. That’s why over 40 years ago, a group of folks gathered together to form NALM. The National Asso-ciation for Lay Ministry is a collaborative organization of lay, religious and ordained ministers that empowers, advocates for, and develops lay pastoral leadership and promotes the growth of lay pastoral ministry in the Catholic Church. Mem-bership in NALM is very affordable – only $65 per year. With that you get access to support networks and resources to help you face the ups and downs of lay ministry. The organization is supported by Archbishop Wester who serves as the Episco-pal Moderator and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is an organiza-tional member. For more information, or to join go to www.NALM.org.
DON'T MISS EVENTS COMING UP FAST! Next, register for the NALM Fall Series, featuring all our key-note speakers that were scheduled for the June Conference! Go to our presentation page for details for all three events in our Fall series. Sponsorships are available! Let our attendees know about you, and what you have to offer our lay ministers! Marti Jewell is starting off our series with Open Wide the Doors of Christ, as we celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Co-Workers in the Vineyard.
Open Wide the Doors of Christ: Lay Ecclesial Ministers and Thriving Parishes Marti Jewell, D.Min., Associate Professor Emerita September 22, 2020, 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern
and offered again on September 24, 7:30-9:00 pm Eastern
This is being offered free to both members and non-members, as we look at 15 years of Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord - where are we now, where are we going? We thank our sponsors: Select International Tours, ConSpirita Consulting Network, and the Catholic Apostolate Center, for making these presentations possible at no cost to all attendees.
ARCHBISHOP WESTER TO HOLD LISTENING SESSION
Archbishop John C. Wester will hold a listening session with members of the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM) on Wednesday, October 7, at 2:30pm.
The Archbishop is the Episcopal Moderator for NALM and is a co-author of the USCCB Document Coworkers in the Vineyard of the Lord: a Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ec-clesial Ministry. This will be a virtual meeting via ZOOM.
Registrants must be current members of NALM. To register for this event go to https://www.nalm.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1423865# . Registrants will receive the log-on information via email.
To become a member of NALM, go to www.NALM.org. Mem-bership is only $65 for those who reside in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Further discounts are available for students and retirees. A second listening session with Archbishop Wester is sched-uled for Tuesday, December 22 at 2:30PM.
ADVANCED THEOLOGY COURSES Course: Resilience for the New Reality Dates: Mondays, September 14, 21 & 28 Time: 1:00 to 3:00pm Instructor: Sr. Paula Gallagher Class will be held online via Zoom— Cost: $15
Course: Catholic Approaches to Scripture Date: Saturday, September 26 Time: 9am to 3pm Instructor: Joel Hopko Class will be held online via Zoom—Cost: $15
Course: Core Things Dates: Mondays, October 5, 12, & 19 Time: 1:00 to 3:00pm Instructor: Sr. Paula Gallagher Class will be held online via Zoom—Cost: $15
Course: Praying the Gospel of Matthew Dates: Wednesdays, September 30, October 7 & 14 Time: 1:00 to 3:00pm Instructor: Sr. Paula Gallagher Class will be held online via Zoom—Cost: $15
To register online: https://form.jotform.com/kdavis5430/FFCS-Course-Registration or call Corey at 505-831-8187 Tuition Payments may be made at: https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=3cbb4e
This year, the Church will celebrate Catechetical Sunday on Sep-tember 20, 2020. The 2020 theme is I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you. The Person of Jesus, alive today as He was on the road to Emmaus, remains in us as the source and summit of our lives. The unity of the living Body of Christ is eternal in Him. We are called to deepen our own understanding of how and why we are called to be Eucharistic people, especial-ly at times when we feel distant from Him and from others. We must remember that offering our lives in service to one another and uniting our daily sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, transforms us into living witnesses of the living God to others. Through our communion with Christ, through the Eucharist, we are nourished, strengthened, and prepared to pass on to others what we have received from the Lord. https://www.usccb.org/committees/evangelization-catechesis/leadership-institute-catechetical-sunday-2020
Office of Formation for Christian Service Deacon Keith Davis
LABOR DAY 2020 Work is more than a way to make a liv-ing; it is a form of continuing participa-tion in God’s creation. This Labor Day, I’m reflecting on the dignity of work and rights of workers by visiting https://www.usccb.org/resources/2020-labor-day-statement
to read the annual Labor Day statement from USCCB.
CRS RICE BOWL REPORT FOR LENT 2020
Thanks to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe for your generosity last Lent! Our Archdiocese raised over $30,847.00 so far and money is still coming in! 25% of our total stays in our Archdiocese to fund local efforts to feed, house and assist those in need in our Archdiocese. The re-maining 75% goes to assist with emergencies and development in the 93 countries across the world where CRS serves. Watch for infor-mation on how to apply for a local grant this Fall.
SEPT. 27: VATICAN MARKS 106TH WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees since 1914. It is always an occasion to express concern for many different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for the challenges and increase awareness about the op-portunities that migration offers. For 2020, Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Forced like Jesus Christ to flee” to show up our blind-spots and make sure no one remains excluded from society, whether a long-time resident or someone newly-arrived. Download the resource kit materials to use and share in your parish and ministries… to help overcome fear with hope! https://migrants-refugees.va/resource-center/world-day-of-migrants-refugees-2020/ You can read more about Pope Francis’ 2020 statement here: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/migration.index.html.
SAVE THE DATE: CATHOLIC SOCIAL MINISTRY GATHERING FEBRUARY 6 – 9, 2021
ONLINE CONVENING More information will be posted when available at this web-site: http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/index.cfm
ENGAGE IN CIVIL DIALOGUE. JOIN CIVILIZE IT: DIGNITY BEYOND THE DEBATE
As Catholics, we have a long tradition of engagement in the political process as a means of putting our faith into action. Today, however, vitriolic rheto-ric fills the public square. Join fellow Catholics in calling for all people to honor each other’s dignity by engaging in respect-ful dialogue. Take the pledge and find helpful resources at CivilizeIt.org.
EXAMINING OUR SUBCONSCIOUS PERCEPTIONS Here is a helpful resource: Examining Our Subconscious Per-
ceptions. This resource is de-signed to illustrate how subcon-scious thoughts are often based on words, people, or objects that we commonly associate with each other. In Open Wide Our Hearts, the bish-ops write that these often un-conscious biases contribute to a failure to value each person's dignity.
PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION: PRACTICE CIVIL DIALOGUE.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citi-zenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics that we are called to engage in charitable, respectful and civil dialogue during election season. In a culture that is dominated by “partisan attacks, sound bites and media hype,” the Church calls for “a different kind of political engagement” (no. 14). Join our Catholic witness for civil dialogue by learning more and taking the pledge for civility at CivilizeIt.org. You can take the pledge individually or as a group and invite others to take the pledge too. Visit FaithfulCitizenship.org to access re-sources on civil dialogue and on how our faith calls us to en-gage during election season and beyond.
PLAN AN EVENT FOR FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS Save the date! Now is the time to plan for the Feast of St. Francis this fall. The feast is celebrated October 4, however, you may hold your event any time that suits your school, parish or group. The Feast of St. Francis celebrates the saint who saw all created beings as his broth-er or sister. See www.catholicclimatecovenant.org for more information.
PLAN NOW FOR RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6! Each October during Respect Life Month (October), the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops launches a new cycle of the Respect Life Program—a year-round, nationwide effort to help Catholics understand, value, and help cultivate respect for human life. Sponsored by the USCCB and carried out by local leaders, these efforts are renewed each October (Respect Life Month) and continue through the following Sep-tember. To assist, the U.S. bishops produce resources to help local leaders build a culture of life. When available, download all the bi-lingual free resources for use all year at http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/
PROJECT RACHEL IS A POST-ABORTION HEALING MINISTRY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
If you have been involved in an abortion decision and now you feel alienated from the Church, God, and your community in Christ, don’t des-pair. The Church wants to help you heal the pain and alienation. We want to help you make a second choice: to accept God’s love and for-give yourself. Healing starts here.
Call 505-831-8238 for a confidential referral.
CENSUS DEADLINE CUT SHORT BY 1 MONTH. FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS NOW!
Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau announced their decision to move the Census deadline from October 31st to September 30th, cutting Census outreach and participation efforts short by an entire month. New Mexico’s response rate is currently only 53.4%, nearly ten percentage points behind the national response rate of 63.2%. This shortened deadline may have grave consequences for New Mexico’s harder-to-count coun-ties and communities. New Mexico’s tribal communities, still reeling from the severe impacts of COVID-19, have a response rate of just over 30%. The Census is a cornerstone of American democracy which occurs only once eve-ry ten years and is intended to count the number of indi-viduals living in the United States. New Mexico has his-torically had one of the low-est response rates in the country. For each person who fills out the Census, the federal government allo-cates between $3000-$4000 in funding for roads, schools, hospitals, and other necessities in their community. This means that even a 1% undercount of New Mexico’s population could result in nearly $74 million of lost federal funding. Do your part to make sure New Mexico gets an accurate count! Fill out your Census today at 2020Census.gov, or by calling 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
A CROSS CULTURAL MISSION: AFRICAN DIASPORA CANDIDATES FOR SAINTHOOD
When God gives you an assignment you must follow. The first non-Jewish convert by the Apostle Philip was an Ethiopian. The Ethiopian was dark-skinned Philips was light, skin color made a difference in Phillip's day, but it didn't stop the spirit of God then, and it shouldn't stop us now in the land of en-chantment let's go on a cross Cultural mission, we call God our Father, in Aramaic the term Abba is a term of great En-dearment if we are his sons and daughters we must open wide our hearts. We are all precious in His sight. In the up-coming months it gives me great pleasure to introduce five perfect people from the African diaspora that are in line for sainthood. Watch People of God newspaper in coming months for information on Father Augustus Tolton, Mother Mary Eliz-abeth Lane, Venerable Henrietta Delille and Venerable Pierre Toussain. Join us in prayer for these holy men and women!
CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING: A CALL TO ACTION Who are our brothers? Who are our sisters? The Office of Social Justice and Respect Life is available to present for any and all Archdiocese of Santa Fe programs for youth, young adult and adult faith formation groups. Confirmation, CCD, RCIA, family groups, bible studies and outreach ministries are a few examples of the groups that we would love to engage with in an interesting and dynamic call to action. Social jus-tice is a call to action which begins in the home, within our families and in all stages of our lives. In today’s world and in our community, there are many challenges and sensitive top-ics as they relate to Catholic social teaching. Let us work to-gether to take positive steps in our daily journey. To schedule a zoom presentation or to discuss themes and ideas, please contact Israela Garcia at [email protected].
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! We are excited to announce that the Office of Social Justice and Respect Life now has a Facebook page. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/ASFSJandRL/ for the most up-to-date information.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH FROM POPE FRANCIS
“Now as never before we need a vision rich in humanity: we cannot start up again by going back to our selfish pursuit of success without caring about those who are left behind.”
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THE MINISTRY RESOURCE CENTER PARTIALLY REOPENS
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe public library, other-wise known as the Ministry Resource Center, contains a treasure trove of books and DVD’s available for free check out to any parishioner in the Archdiocese. While we still cannot have visi-tors to the library, you can easily reserve an item in our on-line catalog, and we will mail it to you. Just return it via media mail with the USPS or, if you are in Albuquerque, you can put it in our drop box at the Catholic Center.
Our online catalog can be reached by CLICKING HERE. There you can find a list of all our re-sources (we have over 12,000 items) as well as links to become a patron, videos about how to use the library and much more.
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