N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C16 Back pew

VATICAN LETTER

By Francis X. RoccaCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The day after Barack Obama wonthe presidency in 2008, the Vatican newspaper,L'Osservatore Romano, hailed his election as a"choice that unites," exemplifying America's abil-ity to "overcome fractures and divisions thatuntil only recently could seem incurable." Pope Benedict XVI sent the president-elect a

congratulatory telegram the same day, noting the"historic occasion" of his election.Four years later, the Vatican's reaction to

Obama's re-election had a markedly differenttone. "If Obama truly wants to be the president of all

Americans," said L'Osservatore Nov. 7, "he shouldfinally acknowledge the demands forcefully aris-ing from religious communities - above all theCatholic Church - in favor of the natural family,life and finally religious liberty itself." Speaking to reporters the same day, the Vatican

spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi,voiced hope that Obama would use his secondterm for the "promotion of the culture of life andof religious liberty." The statements alluded to Obama policies fa-

voring legalized abortion, same-sex marriage anda plan to require nearly all health insuranceplans, including those offered by most Catholicuniversities and agencies, to cover sterilizationsand contraceptives, which are forbidden by thechurch's moral teaching. The insurance mandate in particular, which

U.S. bishops have strenuously protested for thepast year, has proven an even greater source ofdivision between the church and the Obama ad-ministration than their previous disagreementsand threatens to aggravate tensions betweenWashington and the Vatican during the presi-dent's second term. From the beginning of Obama's presidency, his

support for legalized abortion and embryonicstem-cell research inspired protests by thechurch and controversy within it. Some 80 U.S.bishops publicly criticized the University ofNotre Dame for granting Obama an honorary de-gree in 2009. Yet the Vatican itself remained largely aloof

from such disputes, at least in public statements,and cooperated with the Obama administrationon such common international goals as assistingmigrants, working against human trafficking andpreventing mother-to-child transmission ofHIV/AIDS. But seeing a threat to the freedom of the

church itself, the Vatican changed its approachand chose to address matters more directly. In January, Pope Benedict told a group of visit-

ing U.S. bishops that he was concerned about"certain attempts being made to limit that mostcherished of American freedoms, the freedom ofreligion," through "concerted efforts ... to denythe right of conscientious objection on the partof Catholic individuals and institutions with re-gard to cooperation in intrinsically evil prac-tices." Any hopes that the administration might

change its policy to the satisfaction of the churchgrew faint as the year wore on and the electiondrew nearer, to the increasingly vocal frustrationof several U.S. bishops. Two days before Americans went to the polls,

the papal nuncio to the U.S. made it clear how ur-gent a priority the nation's religious liberty hadbecome at the highest levels of the universalchurch. Speaking at the University of Notre Dame Nov.

4, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano devoted mostof a speech about "religious freedom, persecu-tion of the church and martyrdom" to the situa-tion of the United States today.

"The menace to religious liberty is concrete onmany fronts," Archbishop Vigano said, noting theinsurance mandate, anti-discrimination policiesthat require Catholic adoption agencies to placechildren with same-sex couples, and mandatorypublic school curricula that present same-sexmarriage as "natural and wholesome." Recalling persecution of Catholics in fascist

Italy and Nazi Germany, the archbishop said thatthe "problems identified ... over six decades agothat deal with the heavy grip of the state's handin authentic religious liberty are still with ustoday." A government need not be a dictatorship in

order to persecute the church, the nuncio said,quoting the words of Blessed John Paul II that a"democracy without values easily turns intoopenly or thinly disguised totalitarianism." If the mere timing of his speech was not suffi-

cient to underscore its political implications,Archbishop Vigano concluded by lamenting thesupport of Catholic politicians and voters forlaws and policies that violate church teaching. "We witness in an unprecedented way a plat-

form being assumed by a major political party,having intrinsic evils among its basic principles,and Catholic faithful publicly supporting it," hesaid. "There is a divisive strategy at work here,an intentional dividing of the church; throughthis strategy, the body of the church is weak-ened, and thus the church can be more easilypersecuted." Jesuit Father Gerald P. Fogarty, a professor of

history at the University of Virginia and an experton U.S.-Vatican relations, said it is extremely rarefor a papal diplomat to comment publicly on ahost country's politics in such a way. The closestthing to a precedent in the U.S., Fogarty said, oc-curred nearly a century ago, during the Vatican'sefforts to persuade belligerent nations to endWorld War I. The archbishop's speech would seem to sug-

gest that the Holy See has made religious libertyin the U.S. an issue in its diplomatic relationswith Washington. Yet Miguel H. Diaz, U.S. ambas-sador to the Vatican since 2009, said that the dis-agreements between the church and the Obamaadministration over the insurance mandate havenot interfered with his efforts to cooperate withthe Vatican on areas of common concern. Asked whether such compartmentalization

would be possible during Obama's second term,Diaz, who will step down in mid-November,voiced hope that current tensions, including thedispute over the insurance mandate, might be re-solved soon. "Perhaps my successor will not have the same

kinds of issues" to contend with, he said, "be-cause that person will likely have a whole set ofdifferent challenges."

CNS PHOTO/REUTERSU.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk withPope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2009.

Four years laterVatican takes a different approach toward President Obama CATHOLIC

NORTH COUNTRYNORTH COUNTRYThe Diocese of Ogdensburg Volume 67, Number 27

NOV. 14, 2012

INSIDETHIS ISSUEYear of Faith... Storyof Faith from Potsdamman l PAGE 4

Catholic Campaignfor HumanDevelopment l PAGE 5

YEAR OF FAITH

Annual reportof diocesanFoundation

Donations for Sandy

Bishop writespastoral letter

A DAY AT ST. JAMES

VATICAN LETTER: Four years later, a different approach to Obama... p. 16

Pursuing greater good

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

Gary Ryan, left, and Sherman Luckof St. John’s Parish in Plattsburghhang a Year of Faith banner at theBlessed John XXIII Newman Center.The diocesan observance of the Yearof Faith officially opens Sunday, Nov.18, with a Witnesses of Faith Cele-bration at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathe-dral. Bishop LaValley has markedthe opening of the Year of Faithwith a pastoral letter, noting that “itis important that we rediscover thejourney of faith so as to shed everclearer lights on the joy and enthu-siasm of the encounter of Christ.”PHOTO BY DAYNA LEADER

Bishop Terry R. LaValley continued his autumn visits to each of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg Nov. 6 with atrip to St. James School in Gouverneur. He is shown above during the homily at the school Mass.

Donations for the victims of Hurricane

Sandy may be sent to Catholic

Charities, 6866 State Highway 37,

Ogdensburg, NY, 13669

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION,PAGES 7-10

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope BenedictXVI called on people to neverbe satisfied with their earthlyachievements because truehappiness entails seekingout the greater good. He said people should "not

be discouraged by fatigue orby obstacles born of oursins," because striving for thegreater good is demanding

and cannot be built or pro-vided by mere human effort. During his audience talk at

St. Peter’s Square Nov. 7, thepope spoke about "the mys-terious desire for God,"which lies deep in everyhuman heart. Despite ram-pant secularization and peo-ple's claims of beingindifferent to God, an innate

yearning for God "has notcompletely disappeared andstill today, in many ways, ap-pears in the heart ofmankind." People always strive for

happiness and a well-beingthat is "often far from spiri-tual," and yet they are alsoaware there still remains adeeper yearning for some-

thing that could truly satisfytheir "restless heart," he said."Every wish that arises in thehuman heart is echoed by afundamental desire that isnever fully satisfied," he said.True love pushes people to

think beyond themselves, tobe at the service of the otherup to the point of self-sacri-fice, he said.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C news 15

OBITUARIESBrushton – Wayne Arthur Bolster, 56; Fu-neral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in Sand Hill Cemetery.

Clayton – Gerald J. Wetterhahn, 85; Fu-neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Dannemora – Fred A. LaGoy, 93; FuneralServices Nov. 10, 2012 at St. Joseph’sChurch; burial in parish cemetery.

Ellenburg – Leo J. LaBombard, 73; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ed-mund’s Church; burial in parish cemetery.

Louisville – A Mass of Resurrection forRichard “Dick” G. Girard, 67; Funeral Serv-ices Nov. 7, 2012 at St. Lawrence Church;burial in St. Lawrence Cemetery.

Malone – Anthony J. “Tony” Bailey, 49;Funeral Services Nov. 2, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church; burial in St. Joseph’sCemetery.

Massena – Domenico Jermano, 100; Fu-neral Services Nov. 10, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church; burial in Calvary Ceme-tery.

Massena – Marie A. Proulx, 82; FuneralServices Nov. 5, 2012 at St. Joseph’sChurch; burial in Hillcrest Cemetery,Lawrenceville.

Mooers Forks – Dorothy (Dot) Bleau, 74;Funeral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ann’sChurch.

Mooers Forks – Theresa A. Patno, 84; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ann’sChurch.

North Lawrence – Elizabeth J.(Meacham) Engle, 80; Funeral ServicesOct. 31, 2012 at St. Lawrence Church; bur-ial in Hillcrest Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Lodine Raymon, 75; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Mary’sCathedral; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Levi Sovie, 35; FuneralServices Nov. 3, 2012 at St. Mary’s Cathe-dral; burial in Pine Hill Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Chester Walters, 56; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at Frary Fu-neral Home; burial in EdwardsvilleCemetery.

Plattsburgh – Dorothy Bouvia, 79; Fu-neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at Robert W.Walker Memorial Chapel; burial in St.Peter’s Cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Deborah L. (LeClair) Coryer,40; Funeral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St.Peter’s Church; burial in parish cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Sherl A. (Manor) Drollette,58; Funeral Services, 58; Funeral ServicesNov. 7, 2012 at St. Peter’s Church; burial inSt. Peter’s Cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Catherine B. (DeFayette)Kipp, 85; Funeral Services Nov. 5, 2012 atSt. Peter’s Church; burial in parish ceme-tery.

Potsdam – Bernard B. Adams, Sr., 79; Fu-neral Services Nov. 2, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Saranac Lake – Kathleen Murphy, 58; Fu-

neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at St.Bernard’s Church; burial in St. Bernard’sCemetery.

Tupper Lake – L. Florence (Charette) Tar-box, 90; Memorial Services Nov. 24, 2012at Holy Name Church.

Tupper Lake – Charlotte M. Russell, 70;Funeral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at HolyName Church.

Watertown – Dorothy J. Austin, 76; Fu-neral Services Nov. 9, 2012 at Our Lady ofthe Sacred Heart Church; burial in NorthWatertown Cemetery.

Watertown – Jeffery A. Marra, 49; Fu-neral Services Nov. 7, 2012 at St. Patrick’sChurch; burial in Grindstone IslandCemetery, Clayton.

Watertown – Dawn M. (Adams) Shaw,56; Funeral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at theRedd & Benoit Funeral Home.

The Pontifical Mission Societies of theDiocese of Ogdensburg, Inc.The Society for the Propagation of the FaithSr. Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Director

622 Washington St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669(315) 393-2920; fax 1-866-314-7296mbrett@dioogdensburg.org

From the Director’s DeskSister Mary Ellen Brett, SSJDiocesan Mission Director

Thanks to all of you throughout our North Country whohave so generously given to our brothers and sisters in thedeveloping countries. I give thanks to Almighty God when Ireflect upon your generosity in prayer and sacrifice for themissions. Reaching out to offer material and prayerful sup-port evokes a feeling of unity and solidarity within our en-tire human family.Traditionally in the Catholic Church, November has been

dedicated as a time of special prayer for our deceased andremembering fondly the joy they brought into our lives. Itis indeed an opportune time the Mission Office to givethanks for our benefactors who were witnesses to theGospel by their prayers and sacrificial offerings to the Soci-ety for the Propagation of the Faith.We remember in prayer especially the faithful departed

who remembered the Missions in their will. This remem-brance of the mission church is a lasting testament of theirgood will so others may hear the good news about JesusChrist’s love for them.The Diocesan Mission Office wishes to acknowledge in

thanksgiving the following bequests made to the Society forthe Propagation of the Faith, whose legal process has beencompleted this year.

*bequest specified Mass Intentions

Please remember “The Society for the Propagation of the Faith”when writing or changing your Will.

www.dioogdensburg.org/missionoffice

A time of thanks

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Regular readers will notice abit of re-arranging on this pageto make sure we give FatherMuench a little morebreathing room.His column has

quickly become one ofthe most popular fea-tures in the NCC –again – and, it’s safe tosay, some of his mostardent fans appreciatethe larger type!My first memories of

the church come fromthe early days of theVatican Council so it’sbeen a delight to readthe memories of some-one who stood on the otherside of the altar rail back in1962.

As we’ve heard, celebratingthe 50th anniversary of theSecond Vatican Council is

among the reasons thatwe’re now observing aYear of Faith.Bishop LaValley has

taken advantage of thespecial year to release apastoral letter on faithfor all Catholics of theDiocese of Ogdens-burg.A comprehensive

document, the pastoralletter will be printed infour parts beginning onpage 3 of this week’sNorth Country

Catholic.The letter will also be posted

in its entirety on the diocesan

Year of Faith webpages -http://dioogdensburg.org/yearoffaith/We are blessed to have a

bishop who can express sobeautifully what it means to beCatholic; we would be wiseread his message with an open,prayerful heart.We’d also be smart to take

advantage of the diocesan cele-bration for the Year of FaithSunday at 2 p.m. at the cathe-dral.This will be a chance for us

to honor some of “our” saints -St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St.Mother Marianne Cope, OSF,and St. Brother Andre Bessette– and to listen to a very specialguest,Sister Kateri Mitchell.And, it will be a wonderful

opportunity for us to gather asa family of faith, joining to-gether with friends from acrosthe diocese who are also striv-ing to “taste again for the firsttime.”See you on Sunday!

“Some More Urgent Prob-lems” This is the title of the second

part of Pastoral Constitution onthe Church in the ModernWorld (Latin name – Gaudiumet Spes), the document that Iconsidered with you last weekThis week I would like to

share with you one of theseproblems. The Vatican Councilspeaks out on peace in theworld in the chapter is entitled“Fostering Peace and Establish-ment of a Community of Na-tions.” The Council calls upon all

Catholics to make the world abetter place by fostering peace.As I again read this section, I

immediately thought of theSign of Peace at Mass, a ritethat was added to the Massafter the Second Vatican Coun-cil. The Sign of Peace is a won-derful way to remind us thatwe are called to be people ofpeace. Each time we turn to each

other and offer some sign ofGod’s love and peace we have aunique opportunity to recog-nize our liturgical family, thosewith us at the Mass. This ritual demonstrates a

sign of unity – our care andconcern for each other – as weprepare to unite ourselves withthe Prince of Peace in the

Blessed Eucharist. As we turnto each other, we are sayingthat our world could be sopeaceful as we are today. The document offers a plan

for peace in the Spirit of PopeJohn XXlll who pleaded forpeace in his encyclical letter,“Mater et Magister.” The Council includes this call

for peace simply because wefollow in the spirit of Our Lordand Savior, Jesus Christ, thePrince of Peace. In that spirit,we must always work, pleadand speak out for peacethroughout the world. Now, I am fully aware that

this message of the Second Vat-ican Council was written 50years ago and our world hasnot experienced much peace inthe years since then.Yet, the Catholic Church con-

tinues – must continue – to bea voice that calls for peace.The Council Fathers made itclear that this cause for peaceis important to Catholics.

Some may say that peace inour world is impossible. I say that we, Catholics, must

never stop calling for peace,nor stop believing that peace ispossible. If we ever stop believing that

peace is possible, all will belost.The message of peace of the

Second Vatican Council in thisPastoral Constitution of theChurch in the Modern World issummed up in this way, “TheCouncil proposes to outline thetrue and noble nature of peace,to condemn the savagery ofwar, and earnestly to exhortChristians to cooperate with allin securing a peace based onjustice and charity and in pro-moting the means necessary toattain it, under the help ofChrist, author of peace.”The Council goes on to chal-

lenge the Church – then andnow, especially all Bishops andpriests – to preach the Gospeland make “a contribution tothe strengthening of peaceover the whole world and helpto consolidate the foundationsof brotherly communionamong all peoples.The message of peace is

meant for all the People of God– you and me right now– to bepeople of peace. I see this in the lives of

Catholics and Christians.I see this when a person

lives with respect for all othersin his or her community. I see this when parents strive

to make their homes the mostpeaceful places on the face ofthe earth, caring in love fortheir children, teaching themhow to establish good relation-ships within their families andwith others. I see this when people strive

to form a real communityspirit within their parish andcommunity. We may notchange nations yet, when wemake an effort to bring peaceinto our piece of the world, wehave truly become peacemak-ers.Peace is not just some sort of

sitting around quietly andavoiding others – although thatmay be good at times. Peacemay demand that we challengeourselves and others to dosomething that will make theworld a better place, a happyplace. May we strive to remove

from our hearts and our worldanything that is of violence.May we pray often that ourcountry will always work tobring peace to a torn world –and may we pray that one daypeace will reign supreme inthis world of ours.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 1N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C2 Diocesan Life

MSGR. ROBERT L. LAWLERVice President

SR. JENNIFER VOTRAW, SSJSecretary-TreasurerMARY LOU KILIAN

Editor/General Manager

BISHOP TERRYR. LAVALLEYPresident

Mary LouKilian

We are called to be people of peace

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Voices of faith for a Year of Faith

Bishop LaValley has requested that do-nations for the victims of HurricaneSandy be given to North Countryparishes or sent to the local CatholicCharities office so that a diocesan giftmay be made to the victims. Checksshould be sent to Catholic Charities,6866 State Highway 37,Ogdensburg,NY, 13669 . “Hurricane Sandy Relief”should be written in the memo line.

HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 3

By Bishop Terry LaValley

Soon after Archbishop Sambi informed me thatHis Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had chosen me tobe the 14th Bishop of Ogdensburg, I realized thatI needed to select an Episcopal Motto. The wordsthat I would choose were to capture the essenceof how I would fulfill my office as Bishop.

Pastoral Letter for the Year of Faith (Part 1)

I had always been inspired and challenged bytwo simple words that Jesus directed to His clos-est followers as well as to all who would be Hisdisciples: Follow Me. They have become a rally-ing cry, of sorts, of my episcopal ministry. Two simple words, to be sure, but put them to-

gether and the phrase becomes a lifetime chal-lenge. Our faith tradition is rich in imagery.One familiar Scriptural metaphor that is oftenused to describe life on earth is that of a pilgrim-age. The Hebrew Scriptures are steeped with col-orful stories of the chosen people as pilgrims offaith, led on the journey by men and women,such as Abraham, Moses, Miriam, Deborah,David, and Esther responding to God’s call intheir own lives. To be a pilgrim is to be a person always headed

towards some destination, always on the move.The word, follow, is an action verb. One sim-

ply cannot follow by standing still. When Jesuscalled His first disciples, Peter and Andrew, theyhad to leave their fishing nets behind, as didJames and John, to follow Jesus. (Matt. 4:19-22)After having finished breakfast when the risenChrist appeared to His disciples at the Sea ofTiberias, Peter asked Jesus about John’s future.Essentially, Jesus responded by telling Peter notto worry about the beloved apostle, but to justfollow Him. Again, there is no “staying put” forthe first apostle. (John 21:20-23) Clearly, the apostles and first disciples are not

to be the only followers. Jesus said to all thosewith Him: “If anyone wishes to come after me, hemust deny himself and take up his cross dailyand follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Sacrifice, carryingone’s cross each day and following Jesus, is thecondition of discipleship.It is important that we never become comfort-

able and content with our relationship with JesusChrist. We know that, biologically speaking, ifwe do not grow, we die. We simply die. Thesame can be said about our spiritual life. If weare not moving ever closer to Jesus and His Body,the Church, we are dying. My responsibility as bishop is to ensure that

our following of Jesus, our spiritual growth, re-mains healthy and robust.The second word of my episcopal motto is Me.

I am sometimes teased and/or accused by myfriends of directing them to follow me. While,God willing, I would not lead anyone astray, the

“Me” is, of course, Jesus, the risen Lord. The mis-sion has been set, the pilgrimage lies before usas we breathe the air and tread the ground belowour feet: Follow Me. But, who is this risen Jesusthat I am beckoned to follow? My fervent prayer for every person who calls

the North Country home is that this Year of Faithwill be the opportune time to seek the answer tothis life-altering question. Let’s desire “To taste again for the first time,” to

know Jesus even more and, with renewed energyand grace, embrace His mission of love that wereceived at our Baptism and reaffirmed at ourConfirmation.

Year of FaithWith the Apostolic Letter of October 11, 2011,

Porta fidei, Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year ofFaith, marking the 50th anniversary of the open-ing of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council inRome and the 20th anniversary of the publica-tion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.This Holy Year will conclude on the Solemnity ofour Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, November24, 2013. In announcing this special Year of Faith, the

Holy Father desires to help Catholics appreciatethe gift of faith, deepen their relationship withGod and strengthen their commitment to sharingfaith with others.

The Pope begins his Apostolic Letter remindingus that “the door of faith is always open for us,ushering us into the life of communion with Godand offering entry into His Church. To enterthrough that door is to set out on a journey thatlasts a lifetime.” (Porta Fidei, 1). At the very start, the Holy Father uses that

image of journey to provide us with a way of un-derstanding the dynamism of what to expect,i.e., a pilgrim people on the move—followingChrist.It is important that we rediscover the journey

of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joyand enthusiasm of the encounter of Christ. TheHoly Father hopes that this Year will help leadpeople out of the desert, towards friendship withthe Son of God who gives us life in abundance. Don’t we all desire that joy and enthusiasm

that will last forever? We learn too late the futil-ity of hanging all our hopes on the fleeting pleas-ures that the world has to offer.

Faith as Mystery Faith is a Mystery. It’s a leap in the dark, but

who likes walking and stumbling in the dark? In our world today, we demand to know all the

reasons for everything. Everything must be seenand explainable in clear, scientific terms. Thereis little room or patience for mystery. Faith does not take away the darkness of the

unknown (for instance, read the life story ofBlessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta), but it doestell us that Jesus is leading us by the hand. Wemay stumble and even fall. However, even in thedark, we know that we are going where Jesuswisely chooses to take us. So, with deep faith, we accept His invitation,

“Follow Me.” Even when we are criticized, misun-derstood, seemingly unsuccessful, underesti-mated and disregarded, or broken physically andemotionally, God promises to bring good out ofit all (cf. Rom. 8:28). Faith is our rock because itassures us that we are no longer in our ownhands, but in those of our Savior, so we followHim. The Holy Father reminds us, “Faith is above all

a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and toexperience His closeness, His friendship, Hislove; only in this way does one learn to knowHim ever more, and to love and follow Him evermore.” (Benedict XVI, General Audience, October21, 2009) Perhaps, for too long, we have neg-lected tending to this personal encounter withour Savior. We know from our personal experience that in

order for any close relationship to be establishedand for it to flourish, its needs an investment oftime and attention. We must prepare the soil,open the door, to allow such an encounter, suchan intimate relationship to develop. Faith is not merely an assent to a set of state-

ments but a personal engagement, a continuingact of loyalty and self-commitment, offered bythe human person to God.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Follow Me

PHOTO BY BETTY STEELEBishop LaValley, shown above at St. Mary’s Cathedral at the recent Reli-gious Jubilee, has released his pastoral letter for the Year of Faith. It willbe printed in four parts beginning on this page and continuing in theNov. 21, 28 and Dec. 5 issues of the NCC. The diocesan observance ofthe Year of Faith officially begins on Sunday with the Witnesses of Faithcelebration at St. Cathedral at 2 p.m.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C14 around the diocese

THANKSGIVING DINNEREllenburg Center – Our Lady of theAdirondacks House of Prayer will beserving Thanksgiving Dinner.Date: Nov. 22Time: NoonFeatures: All are welcomed. RSVP toolaprayerhouse@gmail.com or 518-594-3253. Donations appreciated

SETON DINNER AND AUCTIONPlattsburgh- Seton Catholic High Schoolis planning its 8th Annual ChristmasDinner and Silent AuctionDate: Dec 2Time: 12-5 PMPlace: Seton Catholic High SchoolCost: Seniors (55+) $7, Adults, takeouts$9, kids 5-12 years $5, Under 5 FREEFeatures: Holiday wreath sale, cash &carry items, 50/50 Drawings, SetonSweepstakes tickets, Each adult whobrings in an item for the Seton fooddrive or a new, unwrapped toy for thetoy drive will receive $1 off their mealContact: 561-4031 ext 121 for take outs

LECTIO DIVINAEllenburg – Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer will be having LectioDivina (Divine Reading), every Friday.Time: 10 a.m. to noonFeatures: Meditation on the followingSunday's readings and Rosary

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONPlattsburgh – Eucharistic Adoration isheld throughout the year every Wednes-day, Thursday, and Friday.Place: St. John’s “Holy Family” AdorationChapel, downstairsTime: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.Contact: For more information about

spending a special hour with Jesusweekly, or becoming a substitute, please call 518-561-5083 or email us atSjohnsadoration@aol.com

MONTHLY PRAYER GROUPSciota – Monthly prayer group to beheld second Friday of the month.Time: 2 p.m.Place: To be determined, contact NancyMonette at 561-8225 for detailsFeatures: praying the Rosary, The DivineChaplet, centering around creativeprayer and music. Our prayers are of-fered for the sick in our parishes.

PRAYER MEETINGPlattsburgh – A weekly prayer meeting will be held every Wednesday (exceptthe first Wednesday).

Time: 7 p.m.Place: St. Peter’s Church, St. BrotherAndre' Chapel.Features: Prayers and songs of praise,ydevotional prayers to the Sacred Heart ofJesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, theDivine Mercy Chaplet/Novena

SOAKING PRAYEREllenburg - Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer have soaking prayer.Date: Every 3rd Monday. Time: 10 a.m. to 11 Features: be immersed in prayer withindividual prayer time for specific needs

SOAKING PRAYERPlattsburgh – Soaking Prayer is offeredevery second and fourth Wednesday ofthe month under the direction of theLiving Water’s Healing Ministry.Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30Place: Upper room at St. PetersFeatures: A quiet prayerful environ-ment, to be soaked in God's love

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONKeeseville – The Keeseville Altar RosarySociety will sponsor a Sunday weeklyAdoration of The Blessed Sacrament.Time: 1 p.m. to 4Place: Immaculate Conception Church

HOLIDAY FAIRWillsboro – St. Philip of Jesus Church ishaving their 7th Annual Holiday Fair.Date: Nov. 17Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Features: Crafts, bake shop, raffles

CHRISTMAS TEANorth Bangor – The CC of St. Augustinewill hold their annual “O Come All YeFaithful” Christmas Tea.Date: Dec. 2Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Place: John C. Dwyer Parish CenterFeatures: handmade crafts, bake table,candy booth, cake walk, a Chinese auc-tion, raffles, etc. Christmas cookies, cof-fee, tea & punch. Homemade soup,sandwiches & soda will be for sale.

SPAGHETTI SUPPERWatertown – St. Anthony’s Altar RosaryChurch will be having Spaghetti Supper.Date: Nov. 29Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 Place: Msgr. Sechi HallCost: Adults, $8; children $4.50; under

3, free; sauce, $5 per quart meatballs are$.75Features: Take-out orders begin at 4p.m. Please bring your own containers

BENEFIT DINNERAdams - The K of C Council #7364 will behosting a benefit spaghetti dinner forthe Jamie and Julie Otis family. Date: Nov. 17Time: Takeouts start 3:30 PM, Dinner. 4p.m. to 8Place: St. Cecilia's Parish Center Donations: Make checks payable to:Knights of Columbus # 7364, % St. Ce-cilia"s Church, 17 Grove Street, Adams,NY, 13605

Contact: Bill Ose, 315-232-4433

BEREAVEMENT MEETINGWatertown – An Ecumenical Bereave-ment Meeting has been plannedDate: Nov. 19Time: 7 p.m.Place: Hearthside Hospitality Center ofthe Motherhouse of the Sisters of St.Joseph Features: Cheryl Gmitter will discusswhy grieving is necessary.

LIFERIGHT MEETINGWatertown - Liferight of Watertown willhold its monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the Month.Time: 4 p.m. Place: 312 Sherman St.Features: The office has videos, booksand educational materials which may be borrowed. Topicscovered: infanticide, assisted suicide, eu-thanasia and chastity.Contact: Phone 315-788-8480; website:www.liferight.org.

THANKSGIVING DINNEROgdensburg – A Free communityThanksgiving Dinner to be held.Date: Nov. 22Time: Doors open at 11:30 a.m., dinneris served at noonPlace: K of C HallReservations: by Nov. 21 by calling 393-7990 after 4 p.m.Features: Volunteers are needed onThanksgiving Day and on Nov. 20 at 6:30p.m. Monetary Donations and donationsof food stuffs appreciated. Checks can bemade payable to Knights of ColumbusThanksgiving Dinner, 721 HasbrouckStreet, Ogdensburg, NY 13669 Attn: PGKHarry Lucchetti. Food can be dropped offbetween 4p.m. and 8. Donations ofdessert should be dropped off the nightbefore or Thanksgiving morning. Volun-teers are also needed to deliver and pro-vide transportation to the event.Contact: To volunteer call 393-7990.

SURVIVOR SUPPORT GROUPCanton – The Surviving Spouse Friend-ship and Support Group meets the firstThursday of the month.Time: 9 a.m.Place: Best Western University InnContact: Lita Maroney at 379-1650 for .

FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRIESOgdensburg – The K of C Council 258’sFriday Night Fish Fries are back.Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 every Friday

Place: K of C HallCost: Adults, $8; Children 5-12, $4; under5, FreeFeatures: Take-out will be available. TheK of C Ladies Auxiliary provides home-made dessert for $1 and there is a cashbar. All processed benefit K of C Charities.

ST. JOSEPH’S ANNUAL DINNEROgdensburg - St. Joseph’s Foundation isholding its annual steamship roastbeefdinnerDate: Nov. 17Time: 5 p.m.Place: Knights of ColumbusCost: $8Features: There will be a silent auctionand 50/50 drawing. Take outs welcome.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONMassena – St. Mary’s & St. Joseph’s willhave a Benediction and Adoration everyFriday.Time: 9 a.m. to NoonPlace: St. Mary’s Family Room (adjacentto the altar)

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONSOgdensburg - St. Mary’s Cathedral holdsa monthly Holy Hour to pray for Voca-tions.Date: Thursday before the First FridayTime: 8 p.m. to 9Place: Deacon Winter ChapelFeatures: Nocturnal Adoration contin-ues through the night

NOVENA FOR MILITARYOgdensburg - Notre Dame Church isholding a Weekly novena for the safetyof U.S. military personnelDate: Tuesday eveningsTime: 6:30 p.m.

WITNESSES OF FAITHOgdensburg - The diocesan observanceof the Year of Faith will officially openwith a prayer service called Witnesses ofFaith Celebration.Date: Nov. 18Time: 2 p.m.Place: St. Mary’s CathedralFeatures: Bishop Terry R. LaValley willpreside at the service which will cele-brate the lives of St. Kateri Tekakwitha,St. Mother Marianne Cope, OSF, and St.Brother Andre Bessette, CSC. The mainspeaker for the Prayer Service will beSister Kateri Mitchell, a Sister of St. Anneand native of the St. Regis MohawkReservation. Sister Kateri is the executivedirector of the Tekakwitha Conference inGreat Falls, Mont. Reception will follow.

The North County Catholicwelcomes contributions to “Around the Diocese”. Parishioners are invited to send information about activities to:

North Country Catholic, PO Box 326,Ogdensburg, NY 13669; fax, 1-866-314-7296;

e-mail news@northcountrycatholic.org.

Items must be received in the NCCoffice by the Thursday before publication.

CLINTON

ESSEX

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON

ST. LAWRENCE

DIOCESAN EVENTS

By Chris LaRoseMissinoary of the Gospel of LifeParishioner, St. Mary’s, Potsdam

I was born in 1950 and attendedthe Congregational Church inMassena with my mom; dad was anon-practicing Catholic. After manyrestless years, I ended up in Con-necticut where I married in 1983.Our first daughter was born in 1984in New Hampshire.God was not on my mind, yet I

was still restless.As my dad was dying from cancer

in 1987, we moved back to myhometown. With my dad’s death, Ispiraled into depression; I cried outto God for help. Unbeknownst to us, God was al-

ready working as He guided us toenroll our daughter in a summer Va-cation Bible School at a smallMethodist church nearby. The pas-tor began visiting us, praying for usand we soon attended his smallchurch. In 1990, I attended aMethodist Cursillo; like St. Paul I fellin love with Jesus! I quit smoking and drinking,

began praying and devoured HolyScripture and spiritual classics. With the local Catholic parish, we

brought Father Swizdor, a Francis-can priest with a healing ministry toour towns. Afterwards, my wife andI traveled to Pittsburgh to a CatholicConference in 1992. Here we metsome Catholics from up by us whowere in a “community”, the Brothersand Sisters of Charity.I became a Stephen Ministries

leader, prepared for ordination andbecame a local Methodist pastor. One day watching TV I discovered

Mother Angelica and EWTN! We began praying the Rosary and

Divine Mercy chaplet as Protestants!I still couldn’t understand the whole“Mary thing;” a Methodist gave me abook, Medjugorje the Messageabout miracles in Croatia whereMary had been appearing since June24, 1981. At a John Michael Talbot concert

at the Cathedral in Syracuse, Iprayed before a statue of Mary ask-ing Mary, “I don’t understand, whatis your role?” She replied interiorly,“Chris, I am your mother.” (John19:27)Tears of joy flowed sponta-

neously, I now understood!We visited the “home” of the Mis-

sionary Image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe in St. Albans, VT – pray-ing before the image, I touched“pregnant” Mary’s belly and actuallyfelt “the baby kick”! In 1998 we were on pilgrimage to

the Our Lady of Marmora Shrine inOntario. At the 10th Station, vision-ary Dory Tan appeared to be com-municating with the Virgin.

Everywhere were manifestations ofthe Holy Spirit: I looked directly atthe sun which was changing colorsand dancing! People were shrieking in joy not

fear. My breath was taken away, Iwas dizzy, confused, yet on fire forGod! Unlike Mary’s faithful fiat to the

Father (Luke 1:38), our yes to be-come Catholic took awhile. Finallywe stepped out in faith and becameCatholic at a Mass concelebrated byMsgr. Peter Riani and FatherThomas Moody at the Hope Houseof Prayer in Peru on August 2, 1993. Being a true follower of Christ is

not easy. “And he said to all, ‘If any-one would come after me, let himdeny himself and take up his crossdaily and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23) Receiving Him in my heart is an

indescribable joy and completelyturned my life around. My darkest hour was when Janine

left us in 2006. Back into depressionI went. For the first time as a

Catholic, I stopped going to Mass.How could this happen, I had Jesuswith me?!“The virgin will conceive and give

birth to a Son and they will call HimImmanuel, which means ‘God withus.’” (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23) “And theWord became flesh and dweltamong us, full of grace and truth;we have beheld His glory. . . “ (John1:14) God actually has a glorifiedbody and gives it to us at each Eu-charistic feast of the Mass. “Weabide in Him and He in us.” (John15:4)Even though I thought I was dead,

my faith was alive and saved me. In2011, I was diagnosed with Idio-pathic Pulmonary Arterial Hyperten-sion , which is fatal, has no cure andfeatures severe shortness of breathwith constant fatigue. “Ten thou-sand difficulties do not make onedoubt.” (CCC 157)Christ proclaims, “Be not afraid . .

. and behold, I am with you always,to the close of the age.” (Matt. 28:20) The message of St. Faustina buoys

my soul, “Jesus, I trust in you.”Trust means that I agree to let Godbe God, instead of trying to be Himmyself. In moments of agony, I echothe cry of Jesus, “Not my will, butYours be done.” My life is in your hands, I surren-

der all to you; my worldly life isover, it is You who now lives in me.Victory has been won; (1 Cor. 15:54-58) You have overcome the worldon the Cross. (1 John 5:4) Help me to bear my cross Lord, to

do the Father’s will, whatever it maybe. Help me to go forth loving Youall the more, reaching out in humil-ity to love all people with Your di-vine love every day. Amen.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C4 Diocesan Life

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3Part I of the Catechism of

the Catholic Church treatsthe articles of the Professionof Faith we pray in theNicene or Apostles Creed.Here we find a rich descrip-tion of the truths of ourCatholic faith. We are reminded of the

essence of what we, thecommunion of the faithful -fellow pilgrims all - whoseek to follow Jesus, be-lieve.

In the Creed, we professto believe in God the Father,in Jesus Christ, and in theHoly Spirit. We do not pro-fess to have belief in theChurch, per se. We believein God, and it is He who re-veals the Church as theBody of Christ and as Hispeople. Some have likened the

Church to the moon thatdoes not have its own light,but only reflects the light ofthe sun, which is Christ.

This Year of Faith can helpus to once again find andembrace the Creed. Theheated debates among the“experts” today aboutChurch issues are quite ir-relevant if we don’t searchfor the reasons why themajor tenets of our faith areunder attack. Jesus is being reduced to

being simply a unique andcurious historical figure.The Scriptures are relegatedto being a collection of

uninspired stories of back-ward simple folk. There is a growing popu-

larity of writing off the mir-acles as mere fiction.Large numbers of

Catholics no longer believein the Real Presence ofChrist in Holy Eucharist. The four marks of our

Church proclaimed eachtime we pray the Creed:“one, holy, catholic andapostolic” no longer identifywho and whose we are, ac-

cording to the more “en-lightened” among us. Thesemarks have become fodderfor debate. Indeed, there is an ur-

gency that we reacquaintourselves with and pray theCreed, the essence of whatwe believe as Catholic Chris-tians. We must embrace, not try

to solve the Mystery ofFaith.(Next Week: Faith as Gift,

Called to Belong)

Follow Me

YEAR OF FAITH... STORIES OF FAITH

‘Like St. Paul, I fell in love with Jesus!’

Chris LaRose

By John Mulderig Catholic News Service

With the unsurprising ex-ception of Jesus Christ,more books are said to havebeen written about Presi-dent Abraham Lincoln(1809-1865) than about anyother person in history. As for the screen, our

most fascinating - and ar-guably greatest - chief exec-utive has been portrayed bysuch Hollywood luminariesas Walter Huston ("AbrahamLincoln," 1930), HenryFonda (1939's "Young Mr.Lincoln") and RaymondMassey ("Abe Lincoln in Illi-nois," 1940). Those estimable names

notwithstanding, it's hard toimagine that any actor hasever inhabited the personaof the legendary rail-splitterquite as convincingly asDaniel Day-Lewis does in di-rector Steven Spielberg'ssplendid historical drama"Lincoln" (DreamWorks).Day-Lewis' bravura perform-ance is undeniably the high-light - though by no meansthe only asset - of this en-grossing profile. The plot focuses on the

Civil War president's pas-sionate yet wily struggle,during the closing days ofthat conflict, to steer a con-stitutional amendment abol-ishing slavery through

Congress. Aided by his sec-retary of state, William Se-ward (David Strathairn), butdistracted by his troubledpersonal life - Sally Fieldplays his famously high-strung wife, Mary - Lincolnuses rhetoric to win over hishesitant Cabinet and patron-age to woo his congres-sional opponents. As for the Great Emanci-

pator's ostensible allies onCapitol Hill, irascible Rep.Thaddeus Stevens of Penn-sylvania (a marvelousTommy Lee Jones) hurlswithering sarcasm at all andsundry and openly avowshis mistrust of Lincoln. Whether in line with his-

tory or not, a scene showingStevens sharing his bedwith his mixed-race house-keeper presents a curiousmoral quandary: Assumingthat they could not marryby law, but would have tiedthe knot if permitted to, theguilt, if any, attaching totheir relationship must havebeen considerably mitigatedby the force of unjust cir-cumstances. Along with the tension

created by Mary's neuroticbehavior, Lincoln is alsoburdened by grief over theuntimely death of his sonWillie two years before theevents of the movie.Though not especially closeto his oldest son Robert

(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) --whose intense desire to jointhe Army poses a threat toMary's sanity, and thus pres-ents his father with a terri-ble dilemma -- Lincoln doteson his youngest child, Tad(Gulliver McGrath). Like theLincoln marriage, however,their touching bond istinged by the tragedy ofWillie's absence. The trajectory of Spiel-

berg's tale is, by its nature,uplifting, while Lincoln'smultifaceted personality -which encompassed ideal-ism, political shrewdness,melancholy, humor andeven a few endearing foibles- is vividly illuminated inTony Kushner's screenplay.As his script reveals, how-ever, Lincoln was not abovetelling an earthy anecdote ifit advanced a point hewished to make, nor werethose around him too re-fined to employ vulgarityfor the sake of emphasisfrom time to time. Still, some parents may

consider the educationalvalue and moral import ofthe film - which is based, inpart, on Doris Kearns Good-win's 2006 book "Team ofRivals: The Political Geniusof Abraham Lincoln" - suffi-cient to overcome the ele-ments listed below, thusallowing for patronage byolder adolescents.

The film contains intensebut mostly bloodless battle-field violence, a scene in-volving severed limbs,cohabitation, about a dozenuses of profanity, racialslurs, a couple of roughterms and occasional crudeand crass language. TheCatholic News Service clas-

sification is A-III -- adults.The Motion Picture Associa-tion of America rating is PG-13 -- parents stronglycautioned. Some materialmay be inappropriate forchildren under 13.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C entertainment 13

AT THE MOVIES

LINCOLN

CNS/DREAMWORKSActor Daniel Day-Lewis portrays U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in a scene from themovie "Lincoln."

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 5

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C12 commentary

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

We’re fast approaching theend of another Church Year.In two weeks, Ad-vent will com-mence. Beginning today,

the readings speakof the final days ofjustice, when allthat is hidden willbe brought to light,both our gooddeeds and our evildeeds. With all the hor-

rors of war, terror-ism from Al-Quada,and sins against thedignity of human life, we al-most welcome the descrip-tions of the end times. We ponder some of these

today in the prophecies of

Daniel, and of Jesus Him-self. The prophet Daniel

wrote during theGreek persecutionof the Jews underthe infamous Anti-ochus IV Epiphanes,one of the cruelestrulers of all time. Just one hundred

and fifty years be-fore Christ, theprophet expressedhis belief in the res-urrection of thedead: “Many of thosewho sleep in thedust of the earth

shall awake: some shall liveforever, others shall be ineverlasting horror and dis-grace.” Then he describes the

other side of justice - justicefor all who have patientlyendured and courageouslywitnessed to the truth: “Butthe wise shall shine brightlylike the splendor of the fir-mament, and those wholead the many to justiceshall be like the stars for-ever.” These are words that stir

up our hope in eternal life,and vindicate the efforts ofall who fight injustice.We do not suffer in vain,

This prophecy contradictsthose who tell us there is noGod, and prayer is useless.Even more dramatic is the

prophetic vision of Jesus inthe Gospel. Jesus, who knows already

that He is to be the Judge of

all creation on the Last Day,realizes too that He is soonto offer His own Body andBlood on the cross once andfor all in expiation for thesins of the world. (This theme is treated in

today’s second reading fromHebrews).In this vision of the final

days, Jesus declares that acosmic collapse of the pow-

ers of heaven and earth willoccur first, then He Himselfwill come in glory to gatherthose He has chosen. Then, He gives his listen-

ers a warning to be on thealert. Only God the Father

knows the exact day and thehour.This Sunday is a call to

review our lives. Will all ourdeeds “pass muster” beforethe keen gaze of Jesus, theJust Judge? Are there corrections we

need to make here and nowin the direction of our deedsand attitudes? Since we know not the day

nor the hour of Christ’scoming, are we ready thisvery day should He come?

33rd Sunday in Ordinary TimeREADINGS

Daniel 12:1-3Hebrews 10:11-14, 18

Mark 13:24-32

NOV. 18

MonsignorPaul E.Whitmore

By Tony MaglianoNCC columnist

Struggling to figure outwhat candidates would dothe most good and the leastharm – especially to thepoor and vulnerable – andthen showing up to vote,was the easy part. Now the hard work be-

gins! With so many elected offi-

cials enjoying the securityof a full term in officelargely due in many cases tohuge financial support fromcorporations, super PACs(political action committees)and wealthy individuals –who will expect special at-tention and favors – it ismorally essential for everyCatholic, and all people ofgood will, to become thevoice of the voiceless. Because the unborn, poor,

hungry, homeless, war-torn,medically uninsured, un-documented, unemployedand underemployed had nomoney to feed the finan-cially engorged politicalbeasts of both major par-ties, and because they were

struggling to survive andhad no time for political or-ganizing, they went un-heard and unseen duringthis last political campaign –and virtually every cam-paign before it.

After the elextion, it is morally essential that all

people of good will becomethe voice of the voiceless

The voices of the invisiblepoor and vulnerable willsurely continue to remainunheard by the powers inWashington, D.C. and statecapitols through the UnitedStates, unless you and I putour faith into action.Yes, voting is certainly im-

portant, but committed lob-bying throughout the yearsafter the elections, is evenmore important!Church efforts to pass

pro-life, peace-building, so-cial justice and environmen-tal legislation often failbecause most Catholics re-main silent. Elected officialsmonitor their phone calls,letters, and e-mails to deter-

mine how their constituentswant them to vote. Our si-lence sends them the wrongsignal.Make no mistake about it,

when we fail to infuseGospel-based moral valuesinto the political arena; oth-ers rush in to fill the voidwith immoral public poli-cies. We must not let thathappen! In their document “Faith-

ful Citizenship: A CatholicCall to Political Responsibil-ity,” the U.S. bishops urge usto remember that “Jesuscalled us to ‘love one an-other.’ Our Lord’s exampleand words demand care forthe ‘least of these’ from eachof us. Yet they also requireaction on a broader scale. Faithful citizenship is

about more than elections.It requires ongoing partici-pation in the continuing po-litical and legislativeprocess.” Because very few elected

officials demonstrate pas-sionate concern for the poorand vulnerable in the U.S.and throughout the world, itis up to us to put and keepthe pressure on them to

enact legislation and ad-vance public policy that willprotect the lives and pro-mote the dignity of everysingle human being.It has been accurately

noted “That most politiciansdo not see the light untilthey feel the heat.” So let’sturn up the heat!The following outstanding

organizations are ready tohelp us: • United States Confer-

ence of CatholicBishops/www.usccb.org/is-sues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity• Your state Catholic Con-

ferencewww.nyscatholic.org• Pax Christi USA/National

Catholic peace organiza-tion/www.paxchristiusa.org • Catholic Peace Fellow-

ship/www.catholicpeacefel-lowship.org• Just Foreign

Policy/www.justforeignpol-icy.org• Catholic Relief Serv-

ices/U.S. Catholic interna-tional emergency relief anddevelopmentagency/www.crs.org• Catholic Charities

USA/National Catholic do-mestic emergency relief anddevelopmentoffice/www.catholicchari-tiesusa.org • Bread for the World/

www.bread.org• Priests for

Life/www.priestsforlife.org• The Center for Bio-Ethi-

cal Reform/www.abor-tionno.org• Network/National

Catholic social justicelobby/www.networklobby.org• Parents Television Coun-

cil/www.parentstv.org• Union of Concerned Sci-

entists/www.ucsusa.org• Greenpeace/www.green-

peace.org• Catholic Climate

Covenant/www.catholiccli-matecovenant.org• Institute for Global

Labour and HumanRights/www.globallabour-rights.org. Please sign-up to receive

their action alerts. Politically, U.S. Catholics

are 66 million weak. Withyour help we can turn thataround to 66 million strongfor the voiceless!

A call to review our lives: will we pass muster?

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The hard work of faithful citizenship continues

WATERTOWN – A Mass of Chris-tian Burial for St. Joseph Sis-ter Maria Goretti Sargent, 80,was held Nov. 3 at the Moth-erhouse of the Sisters of St.Joseph. She died Oct. 31 at the

motherhouse; burial fol-lowed in Glenwood Ceme-tery. She was born Nancy P. Sar-

gent Aug. 19, 1932 in Og-densburg, daughter of Alfredand Jennie Lesperance Sar-

gent. She graduated from St.Mary’s Academy and had at-tended Mater Dei College,both in Ogdensburg.Sister Maria entered the

Motherhouse in Watertownin 1956. She received her habit Aug.

18, 1957 and made her finalprofession Aug. 28, 1962with Bishop James J. Navaghpresiding at both.She had been an elemen-

tary teacher at Sacred Heart,

Watertown; AugustinianAcademy, Carthage; St.Patrick’s, Port Henry;St.Patrick’s, Watertown;, andHoly Name, Ausable Forks. Sister Maria She taught

from 1957 until her retire-ment in June of 1982.She then did parish work at

St. Mary’s in Ticonderoga.After that, she cared for hermother for four years. Sister Maria is survived by

her two brothers, Leonard

and Richard Sargent, both inOgdensburg; her sister, Win-nie England, Troy, MO; andnumerous nieces, nephews,and cousins, including herniece, Sue Rupert, Ogdens-burg. Her two brothers, Allen

and Kenneth Sargent, andher two sisters, Shirley Bel-dock and Norma Barr, alldied before her.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C6 Diocesan Life

Nov. 14-16 - United States Confer-ence of Catholic Bishop's Meeting inBaltimore, MD

Nov. 17 - 12 p.m., Mass at St. Mary'sCathedral in Ogdensburg; 4 p.m., In-stallation of Msgr. John Murphy asPastor of St. Andrew's Church, Nor-wood and Church of the Visitation,Norfolk, and St. Raymond's Church,Raymondville at St. Andrew's Churchin Norwood.

Nov. 18 - 2 p.m.,Year of Faith PrayerService at St. Mary's Cathedral inOgdensburg

Nov. 19 - 9:30 a.m., Mass and Visit toAugustinian Academy in Carthage

Nov. 20 – 11 a.m., Council of PriestsMeeting at the Bishop's Residencein Ogdensburg; 6 p.m., Dinner forthe Special Religious Education Pro-gram at Immaculate Heart Interme-diate School in Watertown

Bishop’s Schedule

This week marks the anniversaryof the deaths of the following

clergymen men who have served inthe Diocese of Ogdensburg

Nov. 14 – Msgr. Edward JosephPierce, 1980Nov. 15 – Rev. Medard Zywicki, M.S.C,1980; Rev. J. Lee Snow, 2003Nov. 16 – Rev. Alexis Trudeau, O.M.I,1885; Rev. Martin C. Mullen, 1904;Rev. John Henry O’Rourke, 1930; Rev.John H. McCloskey, O.S.A, 1957; Rev.George F. Sykes, 2007; Rev. Roland G.Gonyo, 2011Nov. 17 – Rev. Edward V. Murphy,1907; Rev. George D. Boucher, 1954;Rev. Romuald A. Wolski, O.F.M. Conv.,1976Nov. 18 – Rev. Edward J. Shea, O.S.A,1931Nov. 20 – Rev. Robert Joseph Booth,1939

Rest in Peace

The Diocese of Ogdensburg hasscheduled sessions for ProtectingGod's Children for Adults. Pre-regis-tration online is required in order toparticipate. Participants may pre-register at www.virtus.org by se-lecting the registration button andfollowing the directions. All em-ployees and volunteers who partici-pate in church sponsored activitieswith minor are required to partici-pate in this training. Further infor-mation is available from AtonementSister Ellen Donahue, 315-393-2920, ext. 403. Upcoming programs:Nov. 13 - St. Philip and JamesChurch, Lisbon, 6 p.m.

Protecting God’s Children

If you have a complaint of suspectedmisconduct involving diocesanclergy, religious, employees or volun-teers, contact the Episcopal Vicar forReligious Rev, James Seymour at315-393-2920 or the Victims Assis-tance Coordinator, Terrianne Yan-ulavich,Adult & Youth CounselingServices of Northern New York, POBox 2446, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901; e-mail: aycsnn@yahoo.com; Phone:518-569-0612; Fax: 518-425-0401

To Report Abuse

MARIANDALE, NY – A Mass ofChristian Burial for SisterAnn Mildred Brown, 94, ofthe Dominican Sisters ofHope, was held Nov. 9 at theOssining Center of Hope.She died Nov. 3 at the Wart-

burg in Mt. Vernon, NY; burialwas in the sister’s cemeteryat Mariandale in Ossining.The daughter of the late

Ernest Lebrun (Brown) andJosephine Duquette Brown,she was born Oct. 18, 1918in Plattsburgh.Sister Ann Mildred entered

the novitiate of the Domini-can Sisters of Fall River,Mass., Feb. 2, 1937; made her

first profession Aug. 20,1938 and final professionAug. 20, 1941.Sister Ann Mildred taught

at Dominican Academy inFall River, Mass. from 1939-47 in the elementary school,and from 1953-58 and 1966-71 in the high school. Shetaught at St. Peter’s elemen-tary and high school inPlattsburgh, from 1947-53and from 1959-66.From 1958-59, she taught

religious education inChateauguay. From 1971-76,she taught at Bishop GerrardHigh School in Fall River,Mass..

From 1976-78, she taughtat Mt. Assumption HighSchool in Plattsburgh. From1980-87, she worked in pas-toral care at Morton Hospitalin Taunton, Mass. From1987-90, she was a libraryassistant at Bristol Commu-nity College in Fall River,Mass. From 1990-95, sheserved in congregation ad-ministration and as archivistfor the Dominican Sisters inFall River, Mass. In 1996, she moved to

Plattsburgh and in 2003 shemoved to Newburgh Centerof Hope. She resided at theWartburg in Mt. Vernon, NYsince 2009.Sister Ann Mildred is sur-

vived by a sister, GladysChampagne, of North Port,Florida and many nieces andnephews. She is predeceasedby 11 siblings.Donations in Sister Ann’s

memory can be made to TheDominican Sisters of Hope Development Office, 299

Highland Avenue, Ossining,New York, 10562-2327.

Funeral held for Sr. Maria Goretti, SSJ

Rites held for Sr. Ann MildredBrown, OP, Plattsburgh native

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AT A GLANCE

CATHOLICWORLDPope sends Obama telegram ,praying freedom, justice flourish VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI congratulated U.S. President BarackObama on his re-election, saying that he prayed the ideals of freedom and jus-tice that guided America's founders might continue to flourish. The Vatican didnot make public the full text of the pope's telegram to Obama, which was sentvia Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the apostolic nuncio to the United States,Nov. 7. "In the message, the Holy Father sent his best wishes to the president forhis new term and assured him of his prayers that God might assist him in hisvery great responsibility before the country and the international community,"the Vatican said in a statement. The pope also told Obama he was praying that"the ideals of liberty and justice that guided the founders of the United States ofAmerica might continue to shine" as the nation goes forward, the statementsaid. In remarks to reporters, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vaticanspokesman, voiced hopes that Obama would also promote "a culture of life andreligious freedom." It is the hope of everyone that President Obama "respond tothe expectations" of the American people and "serve law and justice for thewell-being and growth of every person, by respecting essential human and spir-itual values and by promoting the culture of life and religious freedom, whichhave always been so precious in the tradition of the American people and theirculture," the priest said.

Voters in three states approve laws permitting same-sex marriage WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Voters in Maine, Washington state and Maryland ap-proved ballot measures legalizing same-sex marriage Nov. 6. In Minnesota, vot-ers rejected a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as only aunion between a man and woman. The Catholic bishops in each state had urgedvoters to uphold the traditional definition of marriage between one man andone woman and warned that religious liberties could be threatened by legaliz-ing same-sex marriage. Maryland and Washington voters upheld laws permit-ting same-sex marriage that were passed earlier in the year by their legislaturesand signed by their governors, but challenged in the referendum process. Min-nesota's action does not make same-sex marriage legal. There is still a state lawbanning it, but by rejecting the constitutional amendment, voters cleared theway for the Legislature or courts to move to permit such marriages. Thirty otherstates have passed laws prohibiting same-sex marriages. Previously six statesand the District of Columbia had allowed same-sex marriages through legisla-tive action and court rulings. Voters in Maine approved a referendum authoriz-ing same-sex marriage, a measure that bypassed courts and the Legislature, andreversed a 2009 referendum banning such unions. Archbishop Salvatore J.Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Subcommittee for thePromotion and Defense of Marriage, called for renewed efforts to strengthenand protect marriage and family life and expressed gratitude to marriage pro-tection supporters. Election Day was a disappointing one for marriage, he said."The meaning of marriage, though, cannot be redefined because it lies withinour very nature. No matter what policy, law or judicial decision is put into place,marriage is the only institution that unites a man and a woman to each otherand to any children born of their union," he said. "It is either this, or it is nothingat all

NEW YORK (CNS) - EverywhereNew York Cardinal TimothyM. Dolan said he has gone tovisit people and communi-ties in the hurricane-ravagedareas of the archdiocese, hehas heard stories "not just ofthe pain and destructioncaused by Sandy, but theoverwhelming goodness ofpeople in helping those inneed." He made the comments in

a Nov. 8 statement to an-nounce the success of spe-cial collection to respond tofamilies, individuals,parishes, Catholic institu-tions and charities, and othercommunity organizationsharmed by Sandy. Cardinal Dolan asked that

all of the archdiocese'snearly 375 parishes hold aspecial collection the week-ends of Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11. The final tally for the col-

lection will not be knownuntil sometime after the sec-ond weekend, but pastorswere already "reporting agenerous response from thepeople to this special appealfor help," the cardinal's an-nouncement said. The Alfred E. Smith Memo-

rial Foundation and the Car-dinal's Annual Appeal willeach contribute an additional$500,000 to the relief fund. Cardinal Dolan praised the

response of individuals andagencies alike to the devasta-tion and hardship caused bythe super storm. "Catholic Charities and our

parishes are doing a magnif-icent job in reaching out andproviding help to people onStaten Island, in Lower Man-hattan and elsewhere, as areso many other agencies andindividuals," he said."This new fund will aug-

ment those efforts alreadyunder way in providing di-rect aid where it is neededmost." he said.A board of pastors from

those areas of the archdio-

cese most affected by thehurricane will oversee distri-bution of the funds to ensurethey go to the people and in-stitutions most in need ofhelp with their recovery ef-forts.

These people inspire me!They are a living homily

"We have an obligation - asacred duty - to help thosewho are hurting," CardinalDolan said. "The efforts ofthe Catholic Church, alongwith so many other organiza-tions and individuals, arehelping us to fulfill this re-sponsibility to care for ourbrothers and sisters in need." During a visit on All Saints'

Day, Nov. 1, to emergencyshelters, embattled fire-houses and floodedchurches in Manhattan andon Staten Island, CardinalDolan said he wanted to"bring a word of encourage-ment or inspiration" to peo-ple struggling to put theirlives back in order after Hur-ricane Sandy. Instead, he said he found

himself being stirred by theNew Yorkers he encountered. "I got it backwards. These

people inspire me! They area living homily," the cardinaltold Catholic New York, thearchdiocesan newspaper, ashe visited a shelter set up atJohn Jay College of CriminalJustice on Manhattan's WestSide. "What they say to us is like

a page out of the Gospel.They say, 'My house is de-stroyed, all my earthly pos-sessions are destroyed but Igot my life, I got my faith, Igot my friends, I've got myfamily, I've got my commu-nity.' That's a pearl of greatprice. Jesus said that," hesaid. "These people are an inspi-

ration. They are people oftremendously profoundfaith," the cardinal added.

"Faith comes through at mo-ments of trial, and that'swhat we've got now." After that visit, the cardinal

immediately headed toStaten Island where he spentthe afternoon comfortingresidents who were still reel-ing from the storm. He vis-ited some of the areashardest hit by Sandy, fromSouth Beach to Tottenville. Being with New Yorkers in

the days after the storm, Car-dinal Dolan said, had givenhim a heightened respect forhow they handle themselvesduring a crisis. "I admired New York from

afar after 9/11," he said."And now I've got a box seat.I don't have a box seat, I'm onthe playing field! And they'rejust amazing with the soli-darity, with the compassion.It's phenomenal." After Hurricane Sandy

made landfall Oct. 29 in NewJersey, the state as well asNew York City, and Brooklyn,Queens and Long Island wereamong the areas hit the hard-est. The storm surge reached14 feet in some places,killing more than 100 peopleand leaving millions withoutpower. As of Nov. 9, fewer than

20,000 New York City resi-dents were in the dark. NewJersey still had 253,000 cus-tomers without power andLong Island nearly 200,000,according to news reports.That tally was down from atotal of 5.5 million in allthree states at the height ofSandy. The New York City subway

continued to work toward re-suming full service; driversfaced a gas rationing systemthat when into effect Nov. 9in New York City and Long Is-land, nearly a week after NewJersey put in place a similarsystem. The economic damage cre-

ated by the storm couldreach $50 billion, accordingto an AP report.

Cardinal sees 'phenomenal'solidarity, compassion inHurricane Sandy recovery

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WATERTOWN – A Mass of Chris-tian Burial for St. Joseph Sis-ter Maria Goretti Sargent, 80,was held Nov. 3 at the Moth-erhouse of the Sisters of St.Joseph. She died Oct. 31 at the

motherhouse; burial fol-lowed in Glenwood Ceme-tery. She was born Nancy P. Sar-

gent Aug. 19, 1932 in Og-densburg, daughter of Alfredand Jennie Lesperance Sar-

gent. She graduated from St.Mary’s Academy and had at-tended Mater Dei College,both in Ogdensburg.Sister Maria entered the

Motherhouse in Watertownin 1956. She received her habit Aug.

18, 1957 and made her finalprofession Aug. 28, 1962with Bishop James J. Navaghpresiding at both.She had been an elemen-

tary teacher at Sacred Heart,

Watertown; AugustinianAcademy, Carthage; St.Patrick’s, Port Henry;St.Patrick’s, Watertown;, andHoly Name, Ausable Forks. Sister Maria She taught

from 1957 until her retire-ment in June of 1982.She then did parish work at

St. Mary’s in Ticonderoga.After that, she cared for hermother for four years. Sister Maria is survived by

her two brothers, Leonard

and Richard Sargent, both inOgdensburg; her sister, Win-nie England, Troy, MO; andnumerous nieces, nephews,and cousins, including herniece, Sue Rupert, Ogdens-burg. Her two brothers, Allen

and Kenneth Sargent, andher two sisters, Shirley Bel-dock and Norma Barr, alldied before her.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C6 Diocesan Life

Nov. 14-16 - United States Confer-ence of Catholic Bishop's Meeting inBaltimore, MD

Nov. 17 - 12 p.m., Mass at St. Mary'sCathedral in Ogdensburg; 4 p.m., In-stallation of Msgr. John Murphy asPastor of St. Andrew's Church, Nor-wood and Church of the Visitation,Norfolk, and St. Raymond's Church,Raymondville at St. Andrew's Churchin Norwood.

Nov. 18 - 2 p.m.,Year of Faith PrayerService at St. Mary's Cathedral inOgdensburg

Nov. 19 - 9:30 a.m., Mass and Visit toAugustinian Academy in Carthage

Nov. 20 – 11 a.m., Council of PriestsMeeting at the Bishop's Residencein Ogdensburg; 6 p.m., Dinner forthe Special Religious Education Pro-gram at Immaculate Heart Interme-diate School in Watertown

Bishop’s Schedule

This week marks the anniversaryof the deaths of the following

clergymen men who have served inthe Diocese of Ogdensburg

Nov. 14 – Msgr. Edward JosephPierce, 1980Nov. 15 – Rev. Medard Zywicki, M.S.C,1980; Rev. J. Lee Snow, 2003Nov. 16 – Rev. Alexis Trudeau, O.M.I,1885; Rev. Martin C. Mullen, 1904;Rev. John Henry O’Rourke, 1930; Rev.John H. McCloskey, O.S.A, 1957; Rev.George F. Sykes, 2007; Rev. Roland G.Gonyo, 2011Nov. 17 – Rev. Edward V. Murphy,1907; Rev. George D. Boucher, 1954;Rev. Romuald A. Wolski, O.F.M. Conv.,1976Nov. 18 – Rev. Edward J. Shea, O.S.A,1931Nov. 20 – Rev. Robert Joseph Booth,1939

Rest in Peace

The Diocese of Ogdensburg hasscheduled sessions for ProtectingGod's Children for Adults. Pre-regis-tration online is required in order toparticipate. Participants may pre-register at www.virtus.org by se-lecting the registration button andfollowing the directions. All em-ployees and volunteers who partici-pate in church sponsored activitieswith minor are required to partici-pate in this training. Further infor-mation is available from AtonementSister Ellen Donahue, 315-393-2920, ext. 403. Upcoming programs:Nov. 13 - St. Philip and JamesChurch, Lisbon, 6 p.m.

Protecting God’s Children

If you have a complaint of suspectedmisconduct involving diocesanclergy, religious, employees or volun-teers, contact the Episcopal Vicar forReligious Rev, James Seymour at315-393-2920 or the Victims Assis-tance Coordinator, Terrianne Yan-ulavich,Adult & Youth CounselingServices of Northern New York, POBox 2446, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901; e-mail: aycsnn@yahoo.com; Phone:518-569-0612; Fax: 518-425-0401

To Report Abuse

MARIANDALE, NY – A Mass ofChristian Burial for SisterAnn Mildred Brown, 94, ofthe Dominican Sisters ofHope, was held Nov. 9 at theOssining Center of Hope.She died Nov. 3 at the Wart-

burg in Mt. Vernon, NY; burialwas in the sister’s cemeteryat Mariandale in Ossining.The daughter of the late

Ernest Lebrun (Brown) andJosephine Duquette Brown,she was born Oct. 18, 1918in Plattsburgh.Sister Ann Mildred entered

the novitiate of the Domini-can Sisters of Fall River,Mass., Feb. 2, 1937; made her

first profession Aug. 20,1938 and final professionAug. 20, 1941.Sister Ann Mildred taught

at Dominican Academy inFall River, Mass. from 1939-47 in the elementary school,and from 1953-58 and 1966-71 in the high school. Shetaught at St. Peter’s elemen-tary and high school inPlattsburgh, from 1947-53and from 1959-66.From 1958-59, she taught

religious education inChateauguay. From 1971-76,she taught at Bishop GerrardHigh School in Fall River,Mass..

From 1976-78, she taughtat Mt. Assumption HighSchool in Plattsburgh. From1980-87, she worked in pas-toral care at Morton Hospitalin Taunton, Mass. From1987-90, she was a libraryassistant at Bristol Commu-nity College in Fall River,Mass. From 1990-95, sheserved in congregation ad-ministration and as archivistfor the Dominican Sisters inFall River, Mass. In 1996, she moved to

Plattsburgh and in 2003 shemoved to Newburgh Centerof Hope. She resided at theWartburg in Mt. Vernon, NYsince 2009.Sister Ann Mildred is sur-

vived by a sister, GladysChampagne, of North Port,Florida and many nieces andnephews. She is predeceasedby 11 siblings.Donations in Sister Ann’s

memory can be made to TheDominican Sisters of Hope Development Office, 299

Highland Avenue, Ossining,New York, 10562-2327.

Funeral held for Sr. Maria Goretti, SSJ

Rites held for Sr. Ann MildredBrown, OP, Plattsburgh native

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AT A GLANCE

CATHOLICWORLDPope sends Obama telegram ,praying freedom, justice flourish VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI congratulated U.S. President BarackObama on his re-election, saying that he prayed the ideals of freedom and jus-tice that guided America's founders might continue to flourish. The Vatican didnot make public the full text of the pope's telegram to Obama, which was sentvia Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the apostolic nuncio to the United States,Nov. 7. "In the message, the Holy Father sent his best wishes to the president forhis new term and assured him of his prayers that God might assist him in hisvery great responsibility before the country and the international community,"the Vatican said in a statement. The pope also told Obama he was praying that"the ideals of liberty and justice that guided the founders of the United States ofAmerica might continue to shine" as the nation goes forward, the statementsaid. In remarks to reporters, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vaticanspokesman, voiced hopes that Obama would also promote "a culture of life andreligious freedom." It is the hope of everyone that President Obama "respond tothe expectations" of the American people and "serve law and justice for thewell-being and growth of every person, by respecting essential human and spir-itual values and by promoting the culture of life and religious freedom, whichhave always been so precious in the tradition of the American people and theirculture," the priest said.

Voters in three states approve laws permitting same-sex marriage WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Voters in Maine, Washington state and Maryland ap-proved ballot measures legalizing same-sex marriage Nov. 6. In Minnesota, vot-ers rejected a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as only aunion between a man and woman. The Catholic bishops in each state had urgedvoters to uphold the traditional definition of marriage between one man andone woman and warned that religious liberties could be threatened by legaliz-ing same-sex marriage. Maryland and Washington voters upheld laws permit-ting same-sex marriage that were passed earlier in the year by their legislaturesand signed by their governors, but challenged in the referendum process. Min-nesota's action does not make same-sex marriage legal. There is still a state lawbanning it, but by rejecting the constitutional amendment, voters cleared theway for the Legislature or courts to move to permit such marriages. Thirty otherstates have passed laws prohibiting same-sex marriages. Previously six statesand the District of Columbia had allowed same-sex marriages through legisla-tive action and court rulings. Voters in Maine approved a referendum authoriz-ing same-sex marriage, a measure that bypassed courts and the Legislature, andreversed a 2009 referendum banning such unions. Archbishop Salvatore J.Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Subcommittee for thePromotion and Defense of Marriage, called for renewed efforts to strengthenand protect marriage and family life and expressed gratitude to marriage pro-tection supporters. Election Day was a disappointing one for marriage, he said."The meaning of marriage, though, cannot be redefined because it lies withinour very nature. No matter what policy, law or judicial decision is put into place,marriage is the only institution that unites a man and a woman to each otherand to any children born of their union," he said. "It is either this, or it is nothingat all

NEW YORK (CNS) - EverywhereNew York Cardinal TimothyM. Dolan said he has gone tovisit people and communi-ties in the hurricane-ravagedareas of the archdiocese, hehas heard stories "not just ofthe pain and destructioncaused by Sandy, but theoverwhelming goodness ofpeople in helping those inneed." He made the comments in

a Nov. 8 statement to an-nounce the success of spe-cial collection to respond tofamilies, individuals,parishes, Catholic institu-tions and charities, and othercommunity organizationsharmed by Sandy. Cardinal Dolan asked that

all of the archdiocese'snearly 375 parishes hold aspecial collection the week-ends of Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11. The final tally for the col-

lection will not be knownuntil sometime after the sec-ond weekend, but pastorswere already "reporting agenerous response from thepeople to this special appealfor help," the cardinal's an-nouncement said. The Alfred E. Smith Memo-

rial Foundation and the Car-dinal's Annual Appeal willeach contribute an additional$500,000 to the relief fund. Cardinal Dolan praised the

response of individuals andagencies alike to the devasta-tion and hardship caused bythe super storm. "Catholic Charities and our

parishes are doing a magnif-icent job in reaching out andproviding help to people onStaten Island, in Lower Man-hattan and elsewhere, as areso many other agencies andindividuals," he said."This new fund will aug-

ment those efforts alreadyunder way in providing di-rect aid where it is neededmost." he said.A board of pastors from

those areas of the archdio-

cese most affected by thehurricane will oversee distri-bution of the funds to ensurethey go to the people and in-stitutions most in need ofhelp with their recovery ef-forts.

These people inspire me!They are a living homily

"We have an obligation - asacred duty - to help thosewho are hurting," CardinalDolan said. "The efforts ofthe Catholic Church, alongwith so many other organiza-tions and individuals, arehelping us to fulfill this re-sponsibility to care for ourbrothers and sisters in need." During a visit on All Saints'

Day, Nov. 1, to emergencyshelters, embattled fire-houses and floodedchurches in Manhattan andon Staten Island, CardinalDolan said he wanted to"bring a word of encourage-ment or inspiration" to peo-ple struggling to put theirlives back in order after Hur-ricane Sandy. Instead, he said he found

himself being stirred by theNew Yorkers he encountered. "I got it backwards. These

people inspire me! They area living homily," the cardinaltold Catholic New York, thearchdiocesan newspaper, ashe visited a shelter set up atJohn Jay College of CriminalJustice on Manhattan's WestSide. "What they say to us is like

a page out of the Gospel.They say, 'My house is de-stroyed, all my earthly pos-sessions are destroyed but Igot my life, I got my faith, Igot my friends, I've got myfamily, I've got my commu-nity.' That's a pearl of greatprice. Jesus said that," hesaid. "These people are an inspi-

ration. They are people oftremendously profoundfaith," the cardinal added.

"Faith comes through at mo-ments of trial, and that'swhat we've got now." After that visit, the cardinal

immediately headed toStaten Island where he spentthe afternoon comfortingresidents who were still reel-ing from the storm. He vis-ited some of the areashardest hit by Sandy, fromSouth Beach to Tottenville. Being with New Yorkers in

the days after the storm, Car-dinal Dolan said, had givenhim a heightened respect forhow they handle themselvesduring a crisis. "I admired New York from

afar after 9/11," he said."And now I've got a box seat.I don't have a box seat, I'm onthe playing field! And they'rejust amazing with the soli-darity, with the compassion.It's phenomenal." After Hurricane Sandy

made landfall Oct. 29 in NewJersey, the state as well asNew York City, and Brooklyn,Queens and Long Island wereamong the areas hit the hard-est. The storm surge reached14 feet in some places,killing more than 100 peopleand leaving millions withoutpower. As of Nov. 9, fewer than

20,000 New York City resi-dents were in the dark. NewJersey still had 253,000 cus-tomers without power andLong Island nearly 200,000,according to news reports.That tally was down from atotal of 5.5 million in allthree states at the height ofSandy. The New York City subway

continued to work toward re-suming full service; driversfaced a gas rationing systemthat when into effect Nov. 9in New York City and Long Is-land, nearly a week after NewJersey put in place a similarsystem. The economic damage cre-

ated by the storm couldreach $50 billion, accordingto an AP report.

Cardinal sees 'phenomenal'solidarity, compassion inHurricane Sandy recovery

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SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

We’re fast approaching theend of another Church Year.In two weeks, Ad-vent will com-mence. Beginning today,

the readings speakof the final days ofjustice, when allthat is hidden willbe brought to light,both our gooddeeds and our evildeeds. With all the hor-

rors of war, terror-ism from Al-Quada,and sins against thedignity of human life, we al-most welcome the descrip-tions of the end times. We ponder some of these

today in the prophecies of

Daniel, and of Jesus Him-self. The prophet Daniel

wrote during theGreek persecutionof the Jews underthe infamous Anti-ochus IV Epiphanes,one of the cruelestrulers of all time. Just one hundred

and fifty years be-fore Christ, theprophet expressedhis belief in the res-urrection of thedead: “Many of thosewho sleep in thedust of the earth

shall awake: some shall liveforever, others shall be ineverlasting horror and dis-grace.” Then he describes the

other side of justice - justicefor all who have patientlyendured and courageouslywitnessed to the truth: “Butthe wise shall shine brightlylike the splendor of the fir-mament, and those wholead the many to justiceshall be like the stars for-ever.” These are words that stir

up our hope in eternal life,and vindicate the efforts ofall who fight injustice.We do not suffer in vain,

This prophecy contradictsthose who tell us there is noGod, and prayer is useless.Even more dramatic is the

prophetic vision of Jesus inthe Gospel. Jesus, who knows already

that He is to be the Judge of

all creation on the Last Day,realizes too that He is soonto offer His own Body andBlood on the cross once andfor all in expiation for thesins of the world. (This theme is treated in

today’s second reading fromHebrews).In this vision of the final

days, Jesus declares that acosmic collapse of the pow-

ers of heaven and earth willoccur first, then He Himselfwill come in glory to gatherthose He has chosen. Then, He gives his listen-

ers a warning to be on thealert. Only God the Father

knows the exact day and thehour.This Sunday is a call to

review our lives. Will all ourdeeds “pass muster” beforethe keen gaze of Jesus, theJust Judge? Are there corrections we

need to make here and nowin the direction of our deedsand attitudes? Since we know not the day

nor the hour of Christ’scoming, are we ready thisvery day should He come?

33rd Sunday in Ordinary TimeREADINGS

Daniel 12:1-3Hebrews 10:11-14, 18

Mark 13:24-32

NOV. 18

MonsignorPaul E.Whitmore

By Tony MaglianoNCC columnist

Struggling to figure outwhat candidates would dothe most good and the leastharm – especially to thepoor and vulnerable – andthen showing up to vote,was the easy part. Now the hard work be-

gins! With so many elected offi-

cials enjoying the securityof a full term in officelargely due in many cases tohuge financial support fromcorporations, super PACs(political action committees)and wealthy individuals –who will expect special at-tention and favors – it ismorally essential for everyCatholic, and all people ofgood will, to become thevoice of the voiceless. Because the unborn, poor,

hungry, homeless, war-torn,medically uninsured, un-documented, unemployedand underemployed had nomoney to feed the finan-cially engorged politicalbeasts of both major par-ties, and because they were

struggling to survive andhad no time for political or-ganizing, they went un-heard and unseen duringthis last political campaign –and virtually every cam-paign before it.

After the elextion, it is morally essential that all

people of good will becomethe voice of the voiceless

The voices of the invisiblepoor and vulnerable willsurely continue to remainunheard by the powers inWashington, D.C. and statecapitols through the UnitedStates, unless you and I putour faith into action.Yes, voting is certainly im-

portant, but committed lob-bying throughout the yearsafter the elections, is evenmore important!Church efforts to pass

pro-life, peace-building, so-cial justice and environmen-tal legislation often failbecause most Catholics re-main silent. Elected officialsmonitor their phone calls,letters, and e-mails to deter-

mine how their constituentswant them to vote. Our si-lence sends them the wrongsignal.Make no mistake about it,

when we fail to infuseGospel-based moral valuesinto the political arena; oth-ers rush in to fill the voidwith immoral public poli-cies. We must not let thathappen! In their document “Faith-

ful Citizenship: A CatholicCall to Political Responsibil-ity,” the U.S. bishops urge usto remember that “Jesuscalled us to ‘love one an-other.’ Our Lord’s exampleand words demand care forthe ‘least of these’ from eachof us. Yet they also requireaction on a broader scale. Faithful citizenship is

about more than elections.It requires ongoing partici-pation in the continuing po-litical and legislativeprocess.” Because very few elected

officials demonstrate pas-sionate concern for the poorand vulnerable in the U.S.and throughout the world, itis up to us to put and keepthe pressure on them to

enact legislation and ad-vance public policy that willprotect the lives and pro-mote the dignity of everysingle human being.It has been accurately

noted “That most politiciansdo not see the light untilthey feel the heat.” So let’sturn up the heat!The following outstanding

organizations are ready tohelp us: • United States Confer-

ence of CatholicBishops/www.usccb.org/is-sues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity• Your state Catholic Con-

ferencewww.nyscatholic.org• Pax Christi USA/National

Catholic peace organiza-tion/www.paxchristiusa.org • Catholic Peace Fellow-

ship/www.catholicpeacefel-lowship.org• Just Foreign

Policy/www.justforeignpol-icy.org• Catholic Relief Serv-

ices/U.S. Catholic interna-tional emergency relief anddevelopmentagency/www.crs.org• Catholic Charities

USA/National Catholic do-mestic emergency relief anddevelopmentoffice/www.catholicchari-tiesusa.org • Bread for the World/

www.bread.org• Priests for

Life/www.priestsforlife.org• The Center for Bio-Ethi-

cal Reform/www.abor-tionno.org• Network/National

Catholic social justicelobby/www.networklobby.org• Parents Television Coun-

cil/www.parentstv.org• Union of Concerned Sci-

entists/www.ucsusa.org• Greenpeace/www.green-

peace.org• Catholic Climate

Covenant/www.catholiccli-matecovenant.org• Institute for Global

Labour and HumanRights/www.globallabour-rights.org. Please sign-up to receive

their action alerts. Politically, U.S. Catholics

are 66 million weak. Withyour help we can turn thataround to 66 million strongfor the voiceless!

A call to review our lives: will we pass muster?

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The hard work of faithful citizenship continues

By Chris LaRoseMissinoary of the Gospel of LifeParishioner, St. Mary’s, Potsdam

I was born in 1950 and attendedthe Congregational Church inMassena with my mom; dad was anon-practicing Catholic. After manyrestless years, I ended up in Con-necticut where I married in 1983.Our first daughter was born in 1984in New Hampshire.God was not on my mind, yet I

was still restless.As my dad was dying from cancer

in 1987, we moved back to myhometown. With my dad’s death, Ispiraled into depression; I cried outto God for help. Unbeknownst to us, God was al-

ready working as He guided us toenroll our daughter in a summer Va-cation Bible School at a smallMethodist church nearby. The pas-tor began visiting us, praying for usand we soon attended his smallchurch. In 1990, I attended aMethodist Cursillo; like St. Paul I fellin love with Jesus! I quit smoking and drinking,

began praying and devoured HolyScripture and spiritual classics. With the local Catholic parish, we

brought Father Swizdor, a Francis-can priest with a healing ministry toour towns. Afterwards, my wife andI traveled to Pittsburgh to a CatholicConference in 1992. Here we metsome Catholics from up by us whowere in a “community”, the Brothersand Sisters of Charity.I became a Stephen Ministries

leader, prepared for ordination andbecame a local Methodist pastor. One day watching TV I discovered

Mother Angelica and EWTN! We began praying the Rosary and

Divine Mercy chaplet as Protestants!I still couldn’t understand the whole“Mary thing;” a Methodist gave me abook, Medjugorje the Messageabout miracles in Croatia whereMary had been appearing since June24, 1981. At a John Michael Talbot concert

at the Cathedral in Syracuse, Iprayed before a statue of Mary ask-ing Mary, “I don’t understand, whatis your role?” She replied interiorly,“Chris, I am your mother.” (John19:27)Tears of joy flowed sponta-

neously, I now understood!We visited the “home” of the Mis-

sionary Image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe in St. Albans, VT – pray-ing before the image, I touched“pregnant” Mary’s belly and actuallyfelt “the baby kick”! In 1998 we were on pilgrimage to

the Our Lady of Marmora Shrine inOntario. At the 10th Station, vision-ary Dory Tan appeared to be com-municating with the Virgin.

Everywhere were manifestations ofthe Holy Spirit: I looked directly atthe sun which was changing colorsand dancing! People were shrieking in joy not

fear. My breath was taken away, Iwas dizzy, confused, yet on fire forGod! Unlike Mary’s faithful fiat to the

Father (Luke 1:38), our yes to be-come Catholic took awhile. Finallywe stepped out in faith and becameCatholic at a Mass concelebrated byMsgr. Peter Riani and FatherThomas Moody at the Hope Houseof Prayer in Peru on August 2, 1993. Being a true follower of Christ is

not easy. “And he said to all, ‘If any-one would come after me, let himdeny himself and take up his crossdaily and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23) Receiving Him in my heart is an

indescribable joy and completelyturned my life around. My darkest hour was when Janine

left us in 2006. Back into depressionI went. For the first time as a

Catholic, I stopped going to Mass.How could this happen, I had Jesuswith me?!“The virgin will conceive and give

birth to a Son and they will call HimImmanuel, which means ‘God withus.’” (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23) “And theWord became flesh and dweltamong us, full of grace and truth;we have beheld His glory. . . “ (John1:14) God actually has a glorifiedbody and gives it to us at each Eu-charistic feast of the Mass. “Weabide in Him and He in us.” (John15:4)Even though I thought I was dead,

my faith was alive and saved me. In2011, I was diagnosed with Idio-pathic Pulmonary Arterial Hyperten-sion , which is fatal, has no cure andfeatures severe shortness of breathwith constant fatigue. “Ten thou-sand difficulties do not make onedoubt.” (CCC 157)Christ proclaims, “Be not afraid . .

. and behold, I am with you always,to the close of the age.” (Matt. 28:20) The message of St. Faustina buoys

my soul, “Jesus, I trust in you.”Trust means that I agree to let Godbe God, instead of trying to be Himmyself. In moments of agony, I echothe cry of Jesus, “Not my will, butYours be done.” My life is in your hands, I surren-

der all to you; my worldly life isover, it is You who now lives in me.Victory has been won; (1 Cor. 15:54-58) You have overcome the worldon the Cross. (1 John 5:4) Help me to bear my cross Lord, to

do the Father’s will, whatever it maybe. Help me to go forth loving Youall the more, reaching out in humil-ity to love all people with Your di-vine love every day. Amen.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C4 Diocesan Life

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3Part I of the Catechism of

the Catholic Church treatsthe articles of the Professionof Faith we pray in theNicene or Apostles Creed.Here we find a rich descrip-tion of the truths of ourCatholic faith. We are reminded of the

essence of what we, thecommunion of the faithful -fellow pilgrims all - whoseek to follow Jesus, be-lieve.

In the Creed, we professto believe in God the Father,in Jesus Christ, and in theHoly Spirit. We do not pro-fess to have belief in theChurch, per se. We believein God, and it is He who re-veals the Church as theBody of Christ and as Hispeople. Some have likened the

Church to the moon thatdoes not have its own light,but only reflects the light ofthe sun, which is Christ.

This Year of Faith can helpus to once again find andembrace the Creed. Theheated debates among the“experts” today aboutChurch issues are quite ir-relevant if we don’t searchfor the reasons why themajor tenets of our faith areunder attack. Jesus is being reduced to

being simply a unique andcurious historical figure.The Scriptures are relegatedto being a collection of

uninspired stories of back-ward simple folk. There is a growing popu-

larity of writing off the mir-acles as mere fiction.Large numbers of

Catholics no longer believein the Real Presence ofChrist in Holy Eucharist. The four marks of our

Church proclaimed eachtime we pray the Creed:“one, holy, catholic andapostolic” no longer identifywho and whose we are, ac-

cording to the more “en-lightened” among us. Thesemarks have become fodderfor debate. Indeed, there is an ur-

gency that we reacquaintourselves with and pray theCreed, the essence of whatwe believe as Catholic Chris-tians. We must embrace, not try

to solve the Mystery ofFaith.(Next Week: Faith as Gift,

Called to Belong)

Follow Me

YEAR OF FAITH... STORIES OF FAITH

‘Like St. Paul, I fell in love with Jesus!’

Chris LaRose

By John Mulderig Catholic News Service

With the unsurprising ex-ception of Jesus Christ,more books are said to havebeen written about Presi-dent Abraham Lincoln(1809-1865) than about anyother person in history. As for the screen, our

most fascinating - and ar-guably greatest - chief exec-utive has been portrayed bysuch Hollywood luminariesas Walter Huston ("AbrahamLincoln," 1930), HenryFonda (1939's "Young Mr.Lincoln") and RaymondMassey ("Abe Lincoln in Illi-nois," 1940). Those estimable names

notwithstanding, it's hard toimagine that any actor hasever inhabited the personaof the legendary rail-splitterquite as convincingly asDaniel Day-Lewis does in di-rector Steven Spielberg'ssplendid historical drama"Lincoln" (DreamWorks).Day-Lewis' bravura perform-ance is undeniably the high-light - though by no meansthe only asset - of this en-grossing profile. The plot focuses on the

Civil War president's pas-sionate yet wily struggle,during the closing days ofthat conflict, to steer a con-stitutional amendment abol-ishing slavery through

Congress. Aided by his sec-retary of state, William Se-ward (David Strathairn), butdistracted by his troubledpersonal life - Sally Fieldplays his famously high-strung wife, Mary - Lincolnuses rhetoric to win over hishesitant Cabinet and patron-age to woo his congres-sional opponents. As for the Great Emanci-

pator's ostensible allies onCapitol Hill, irascible Rep.Thaddeus Stevens of Penn-sylvania (a marvelousTommy Lee Jones) hurlswithering sarcasm at all andsundry and openly avowshis mistrust of Lincoln. Whether in line with his-

tory or not, a scene showingStevens sharing his bedwith his mixed-race house-keeper presents a curiousmoral quandary: Assumingthat they could not marryby law, but would have tiedthe knot if permitted to, theguilt, if any, attaching totheir relationship must havebeen considerably mitigatedby the force of unjust cir-cumstances. Along with the tension

created by Mary's neuroticbehavior, Lincoln is alsoburdened by grief over theuntimely death of his sonWillie two years before theevents of the movie.Though not especially closeto his oldest son Robert

(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) --whose intense desire to jointhe Army poses a threat toMary's sanity, and thus pres-ents his father with a terri-ble dilemma -- Lincoln doteson his youngest child, Tad(Gulliver McGrath). Like theLincoln marriage, however,their touching bond istinged by the tragedy ofWillie's absence. The trajectory of Spiel-

berg's tale is, by its nature,uplifting, while Lincoln'smultifaceted personality -which encompassed ideal-ism, political shrewdness,melancholy, humor andeven a few endearing foibles- is vividly illuminated inTony Kushner's screenplay.As his script reveals, how-ever, Lincoln was not abovetelling an earthy anecdote ifit advanced a point hewished to make, nor werethose around him too re-fined to employ vulgarityfor the sake of emphasisfrom time to time. Still, some parents may

consider the educationalvalue and moral import ofthe film - which is based, inpart, on Doris Kearns Good-win's 2006 book "Team ofRivals: The Political Geniusof Abraham Lincoln" - suffi-cient to overcome the ele-ments listed below, thusallowing for patronage byolder adolescents.

The film contains intensebut mostly bloodless battle-field violence, a scene in-volving severed limbs,cohabitation, about a dozenuses of profanity, racialslurs, a couple of roughterms and occasional crudeand crass language. TheCatholic News Service clas-

sification is A-III -- adults.The Motion Picture Associa-tion of America rating is PG-13 -- parents stronglycautioned. Some materialmay be inappropriate forchildren under 13.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C entertainment 13

AT THE MOVIES

LINCOLN

CNS/DREAMWORKSActor Daniel Day-Lewis portrays U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in a scene from themovie "Lincoln."

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C diocesan life 3

By Bishop Terry LaValley

Soon after Archbishop Sambi informed me thatHis Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had chosen me tobe the 14th Bishop of Ogdensburg, I realized thatI needed to select an Episcopal Motto. The wordsthat I would choose were to capture the essenceof how I would fulfill my office as Bishop.

Pastoral Letter for the Year of Faith (Part 1)

I had always been inspired and challenged bytwo simple words that Jesus directed to His clos-est followers as well as to all who would be Hisdisciples: Follow Me. They have become a rally-ing cry, of sorts, of my episcopal ministry. Two simple words, to be sure, but put them to-

gether and the phrase becomes a lifetime chal-lenge. Our faith tradition is rich in imagery.One familiar Scriptural metaphor that is oftenused to describe life on earth is that of a pilgrim-age. The Hebrew Scriptures are steeped with col-orful stories of the chosen people as pilgrims offaith, led on the journey by men and women,such as Abraham, Moses, Miriam, Deborah,David, and Esther responding to God’s call intheir own lives. To be a pilgrim is to be a person always headed

towards some destination, always on the move.The word, follow, is an action verb. One sim-

ply cannot follow by standing still. When Jesuscalled His first disciples, Peter and Andrew, theyhad to leave their fishing nets behind, as didJames and John, to follow Jesus. (Matt. 4:19-22)After having finished breakfast when the risenChrist appeared to His disciples at the Sea ofTiberias, Peter asked Jesus about John’s future.Essentially, Jesus responded by telling Peter notto worry about the beloved apostle, but to justfollow Him. Again, there is no “staying put” forthe first apostle. (John 21:20-23) Clearly, the apostles and first disciples are not

to be the only followers. Jesus said to all thosewith Him: “If anyone wishes to come after me, hemust deny himself and take up his cross dailyand follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Sacrifice, carryingone’s cross each day and following Jesus, is thecondition of discipleship.It is important that we never become comfort-

able and content with our relationship with JesusChrist. We know that, biologically speaking, ifwe do not grow, we die. We simply die. Thesame can be said about our spiritual life. If weare not moving ever closer to Jesus and His Body,the Church, we are dying. My responsibility as bishop is to ensure that

our following of Jesus, our spiritual growth, re-mains healthy and robust.The second word of my episcopal motto is Me.

I am sometimes teased and/or accused by myfriends of directing them to follow me. While,God willing, I would not lead anyone astray, the

“Me” is, of course, Jesus, the risen Lord. The mis-sion has been set, the pilgrimage lies before usas we breathe the air and tread the ground belowour feet: Follow Me. But, who is this risen Jesusthat I am beckoned to follow? My fervent prayer for every person who calls

the North Country home is that this Year of Faithwill be the opportune time to seek the answer tothis life-altering question. Let’s desire “To taste again for the first time,” to

know Jesus even more and, with renewed energyand grace, embrace His mission of love that wereceived at our Baptism and reaffirmed at ourConfirmation.

Year of FaithWith the Apostolic Letter of October 11, 2011,

Porta fidei, Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year ofFaith, marking the 50th anniversary of the open-ing of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council inRome and the 20th anniversary of the publica-tion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.This Holy Year will conclude on the Solemnity ofour Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, November24, 2013. In announcing this special Year of Faith, the

Holy Father desires to help Catholics appreciatethe gift of faith, deepen their relationship withGod and strengthen their commitment to sharingfaith with others.

The Pope begins his Apostolic Letter remindingus that “the door of faith is always open for us,ushering us into the life of communion with Godand offering entry into His Church. To enterthrough that door is to set out on a journey thatlasts a lifetime.” (Porta Fidei, 1). At the very start, the Holy Father uses that

image of journey to provide us with a way of un-derstanding the dynamism of what to expect,i.e., a pilgrim people on the move—followingChrist.It is important that we rediscover the journey

of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joyand enthusiasm of the encounter of Christ. TheHoly Father hopes that this Year will help leadpeople out of the desert, towards friendship withthe Son of God who gives us life in abundance. Don’t we all desire that joy and enthusiasm

that will last forever? We learn too late the futil-ity of hanging all our hopes on the fleeting pleas-ures that the world has to offer.

Faith as Mystery Faith is a Mystery. It’s a leap in the dark, but

who likes walking and stumbling in the dark? In our world today, we demand to know all the

reasons for everything. Everything must be seenand explainable in clear, scientific terms. Thereis little room or patience for mystery. Faith does not take away the darkness of the

unknown (for instance, read the life story ofBlessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta), but it doestell us that Jesus is leading us by the hand. Wemay stumble and even fall. However, even in thedark, we know that we are going where Jesuswisely chooses to take us. So, with deep faith, we accept His invitation,

“Follow Me.” Even when we are criticized, misun-derstood, seemingly unsuccessful, underesti-mated and disregarded, or broken physically andemotionally, God promises to bring good out ofit all (cf. Rom. 8:28). Faith is our rock because itassures us that we are no longer in our ownhands, but in those of our Savior, so we followHim. The Holy Father reminds us, “Faith is above all

a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and toexperience His closeness, His friendship, Hislove; only in this way does one learn to knowHim ever more, and to love and follow Him evermore.” (Benedict XVI, General Audience, October21, 2009) Perhaps, for too long, we have neg-lected tending to this personal encounter withour Savior. We know from our personal experience that in

order for any close relationship to be establishedand for it to flourish, its needs an investment oftime and attention. We must prepare the soil,open the door, to allow such an encounter, suchan intimate relationship to develop. Faith is not merely an assent to a set of state-

ments but a personal engagement, a continuingact of loyalty and self-commitment, offered bythe human person to God.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Follow Me

PHOTO BY BETTY STEELEBishop LaValley, shown above at St. Mary’s Cathedral at the recent Reli-gious Jubilee, has released his pastoral letter for the Year of Faith. It willbe printed in four parts beginning on this page and continuing in theNov. 21, 28 and Dec. 5 issues of the NCC. The diocesan observance ofthe Year of Faith officially begins on Sunday with the Witnesses of Faithcelebration at St. Cathedral at 2 p.m.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C14 around the diocese

THANKSGIVING DINNEREllenburg Center – Our Lady of theAdirondacks House of Prayer will beserving Thanksgiving Dinner.Date: Nov. 22Time: NoonFeatures: All are welcomed. RSVP toolaprayerhouse@gmail.com or 518-594-3253. Donations appreciated

SETON DINNER AND AUCTIONPlattsburgh- Seton Catholic High Schoolis planning its 8th Annual ChristmasDinner and Silent AuctionDate: Dec 2Time: 12-5 PMPlace: Seton Catholic High SchoolCost: Seniors (55+) $7, Adults, takeouts$9, kids 5-12 years $5, Under 5 FREEFeatures: Holiday wreath sale, cash &carry items, 50/50 Drawings, SetonSweepstakes tickets, Each adult whobrings in an item for the Seton fooddrive or a new, unwrapped toy for thetoy drive will receive $1 off their mealContact: 561-4031 ext 121 for take outs

LECTIO DIVINAEllenburg – Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer will be having LectioDivina (Divine Reading), every Friday.Time: 10 a.m. to noonFeatures: Meditation on the followingSunday's readings and Rosary

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONPlattsburgh – Eucharistic Adoration isheld throughout the year every Wednes-day, Thursday, and Friday.Place: St. John’s “Holy Family” AdorationChapel, downstairsTime: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.Contact: For more information about

spending a special hour with Jesusweekly, or becoming a substitute, please call 518-561-5083 or email us atSjohnsadoration@aol.com

MONTHLY PRAYER GROUPSciota – Monthly prayer group to beheld second Friday of the month.Time: 2 p.m.Place: To be determined, contact NancyMonette at 561-8225 for detailsFeatures: praying the Rosary, The DivineChaplet, centering around creativeprayer and music. Our prayers are of-fered for the sick in our parishes.

PRAYER MEETINGPlattsburgh – A weekly prayer meeting will be held every Wednesday (exceptthe first Wednesday).

Time: 7 p.m.Place: St. Peter’s Church, St. BrotherAndre' Chapel.Features: Prayers and songs of praise,ydevotional prayers to the Sacred Heart ofJesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, theDivine Mercy Chaplet/Novena

SOAKING PRAYEREllenburg - Our Lady of the AdirondacksHouse of Prayer have soaking prayer.Date: Every 3rd Monday. Time: 10 a.m. to 11 Features: be immersed in prayer withindividual prayer time for specific needs

SOAKING PRAYERPlattsburgh – Soaking Prayer is offeredevery second and fourth Wednesday ofthe month under the direction of theLiving Water’s Healing Ministry.Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30Place: Upper room at St. PetersFeatures: A quiet prayerful environ-ment, to be soaked in God's love

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONKeeseville – The Keeseville Altar RosarySociety will sponsor a Sunday weeklyAdoration of The Blessed Sacrament.Time: 1 p.m. to 4Place: Immaculate Conception Church

HOLIDAY FAIRWillsboro – St. Philip of Jesus Church ishaving their 7th Annual Holiday Fair.Date: Nov. 17Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Features: Crafts, bake shop, raffles

CHRISTMAS TEANorth Bangor – The CC of St. Augustinewill hold their annual “O Come All YeFaithful” Christmas Tea.Date: Dec. 2Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Place: John C. Dwyer Parish CenterFeatures: handmade crafts, bake table,candy booth, cake walk, a Chinese auc-tion, raffles, etc. Christmas cookies, cof-fee, tea & punch. Homemade soup,sandwiches & soda will be for sale.

SPAGHETTI SUPPERWatertown – St. Anthony’s Altar RosaryChurch will be having Spaghetti Supper.Date: Nov. 29Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 Place: Msgr. Sechi HallCost: Adults, $8; children $4.50; under

3, free; sauce, $5 per quart meatballs are$.75Features: Take-out orders begin at 4p.m. Please bring your own containers

BENEFIT DINNERAdams - The K of C Council #7364 will behosting a benefit spaghetti dinner forthe Jamie and Julie Otis family. Date: Nov. 17Time: Takeouts start 3:30 PM, Dinner. 4p.m. to 8Place: St. Cecilia's Parish Center Donations: Make checks payable to:Knights of Columbus # 7364, % St. Ce-cilia"s Church, 17 Grove Street, Adams,NY, 13605

Contact: Bill Ose, 315-232-4433

BEREAVEMENT MEETINGWatertown – An Ecumenical Bereave-ment Meeting has been plannedDate: Nov. 19Time: 7 p.m.Place: Hearthside Hospitality Center ofthe Motherhouse of the Sisters of St.Joseph Features: Cheryl Gmitter will discusswhy grieving is necessary.

LIFERIGHT MEETINGWatertown - Liferight of Watertown willhold its monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the Month.Time: 4 p.m. Place: 312 Sherman St.Features: The office has videos, booksand educational materials which may be borrowed. Topicscovered: infanticide, assisted suicide, eu-thanasia and chastity.Contact: Phone 315-788-8480; website:www.liferight.org.

THANKSGIVING DINNEROgdensburg – A Free communityThanksgiving Dinner to be held.Date: Nov. 22Time: Doors open at 11:30 a.m., dinneris served at noonPlace: K of C HallReservations: by Nov. 21 by calling 393-7990 after 4 p.m.Features: Volunteers are needed onThanksgiving Day and on Nov. 20 at 6:30p.m. Monetary Donations and donationsof food stuffs appreciated. Checks can bemade payable to Knights of ColumbusThanksgiving Dinner, 721 HasbrouckStreet, Ogdensburg, NY 13669 Attn: PGKHarry Lucchetti. Food can be dropped offbetween 4p.m. and 8. Donations ofdessert should be dropped off the nightbefore or Thanksgiving morning. Volun-teers are also needed to deliver and pro-vide transportation to the event.Contact: To volunteer call 393-7990.

SURVIVOR SUPPORT GROUPCanton – The Surviving Spouse Friend-ship and Support Group meets the firstThursday of the month.Time: 9 a.m.Place: Best Western University InnContact: Lita Maroney at 379-1650 for .

FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRIESOgdensburg – The K of C Council 258’sFriday Night Fish Fries are back.Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 every Friday

Place: K of C HallCost: Adults, $8; Children 5-12, $4; under5, FreeFeatures: Take-out will be available. TheK of C Ladies Auxiliary provides home-made dessert for $1 and there is a cashbar. All processed benefit K of C Charities.

ST. JOSEPH’S ANNUAL DINNEROgdensburg - St. Joseph’s Foundation isholding its annual steamship roastbeefdinnerDate: Nov. 17Time: 5 p.m.Place: Knights of ColumbusCost: $8Features: There will be a silent auctionand 50/50 drawing. Take outs welcome.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATIONMassena – St. Mary’s & St. Joseph’s willhave a Benediction and Adoration everyFriday.Time: 9 a.m. to NoonPlace: St. Mary’s Family Room (adjacentto the altar)

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONSOgdensburg - St. Mary’s Cathedral holdsa monthly Holy Hour to pray for Voca-tions.Date: Thursday before the First FridayTime: 8 p.m. to 9Place: Deacon Winter ChapelFeatures: Nocturnal Adoration contin-ues through the night

NOVENA FOR MILITARYOgdensburg - Notre Dame Church isholding a Weekly novena for the safetyof U.S. military personnelDate: Tuesday eveningsTime: 6:30 p.m.

WITNESSES OF FAITHOgdensburg - The diocesan observanceof the Year of Faith will officially openwith a prayer service called Witnesses ofFaith Celebration.Date: Nov. 18Time: 2 p.m.Place: St. Mary’s CathedralFeatures: Bishop Terry R. LaValley willpreside at the service which will cele-brate the lives of St. Kateri Tekakwitha,St. Mother Marianne Cope, OSF, and St.Brother Andre Bessette, CSC. The mainspeaker for the Prayer Service will beSister Kateri Mitchell, a Sister of St. Anneand native of the St. Regis MohawkReservation. Sister Kateri is the executivedirector of the Tekakwitha Conference inGreat Falls, Mont. Reception will follow.

The North County Catholicwelcomes contributions to “Around the Diocese”. Parishioners are invited to send information about activities to:

North Country Catholic, PO Box 326,Ogdensburg, NY 13669; fax, 1-866-314-7296;

e-mail news@northcountrycatholic.org.

Items must be received in the NCCoffice by the Thursday before publication.

CLINTON

ESSEX

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON

ST. LAWRENCE

DIOCESAN EVENTS

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C news 15

OBITUARIESBrushton – Wayne Arthur Bolster, 56; Fu-neral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in Sand Hill Cemetery.

Clayton – Gerald J. Wetterhahn, 85; Fu-neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Dannemora – Fred A. LaGoy, 93; FuneralServices Nov. 10, 2012 at St. Joseph’sChurch; burial in parish cemetery.

Ellenburg – Leo J. LaBombard, 73; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ed-mund’s Church; burial in parish cemetery.

Louisville – A Mass of Resurrection forRichard “Dick” G. Girard, 67; Funeral Serv-ices Nov. 7, 2012 at St. Lawrence Church;burial in St. Lawrence Cemetery.

Malone – Anthony J. “Tony” Bailey, 49;Funeral Services Nov. 2, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church; burial in St. Joseph’sCemetery.

Massena – Domenico Jermano, 100; Fu-neral Services Nov. 10, 2012 at St.Joseph’s Church; burial in Calvary Ceme-tery.

Massena – Marie A. Proulx, 82; FuneralServices Nov. 5, 2012 at St. Joseph’sChurch; burial in Hillcrest Cemetery,Lawrenceville.

Mooers Forks – Dorothy (Dot) Bleau, 74;Funeral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ann’sChurch.

Mooers Forks – Theresa A. Patno, 84; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Ann’sChurch.

North Lawrence – Elizabeth J.(Meacham) Engle, 80; Funeral ServicesOct. 31, 2012 at St. Lawrence Church; bur-ial in Hillcrest Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Lodine Raymon, 75; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St. Mary’sCathedral; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Levi Sovie, 35; FuneralServices Nov. 3, 2012 at St. Mary’s Cathe-dral; burial in Pine Hill Cemetery.

Ogdensburg – Chester Walters, 56; Fu-neral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at Frary Fu-neral Home; burial in EdwardsvilleCemetery.

Plattsburgh – Dorothy Bouvia, 79; Fu-neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at Robert W.Walker Memorial Chapel; burial in St.Peter’s Cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Deborah L. (LeClair) Coryer,40; Funeral Services Nov. 8, 2012 at St.Peter’s Church; burial in parish cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Sherl A. (Manor) Drollette,58; Funeral Services, 58; Funeral ServicesNov. 7, 2012 at St. Peter’s Church; burial inSt. Peter’s Cemetery.

Plattsburgh – Catherine B. (DeFayette)Kipp, 85; Funeral Services Nov. 5, 2012 atSt. Peter’s Church; burial in parish ceme-tery.

Potsdam – Bernard B. Adams, Sr., 79; Fu-neral Services Nov. 2, 2012 at St. Mary’sChurch; burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Saranac Lake – Kathleen Murphy, 58; Fu-

neral Services Nov. 5, 2012 at St.Bernard’s Church; burial in St. Bernard’sCemetery.

Tupper Lake – L. Florence (Charette) Tar-box, 90; Memorial Services Nov. 24, 2012at Holy Name Church.

Tupper Lake – Charlotte M. Russell, 70;Funeral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at HolyName Church.

Watertown – Dorothy J. Austin, 76; Fu-neral Services Nov. 9, 2012 at Our Lady ofthe Sacred Heart Church; burial in NorthWatertown Cemetery.

Watertown – Jeffery A. Marra, 49; Fu-neral Services Nov. 7, 2012 at St. Patrick’sChurch; burial in Grindstone IslandCemetery, Clayton.

Watertown – Dawn M. (Adams) Shaw,56; Funeral Services Nov. 3, 2012 at theRedd & Benoit Funeral Home.

The Pontifical Mission Societies of theDiocese of Ogdensburg, Inc.The Society for the Propagation of the FaithSr. Mary Ellen Brett, SSJ, Director

622 Washington St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669(315) 393-2920; fax 1-866-314-7296mbrett@dioogdensburg.org

From the Director’s DeskSister Mary Ellen Brett, SSJDiocesan Mission Director

Thanks to all of you throughout our North Country whohave so generously given to our brothers and sisters in thedeveloping countries. I give thanks to Almighty God when Ireflect upon your generosity in prayer and sacrifice for themissions. Reaching out to offer material and prayerful sup-port evokes a feeling of unity and solidarity within our en-tire human family.Traditionally in the Catholic Church, November has been

dedicated as a time of special prayer for our deceased andremembering fondly the joy they brought into our lives. Itis indeed an opportune time the Mission Office to givethanks for our benefactors who were witnesses to theGospel by their prayers and sacrificial offerings to the Soci-ety for the Propagation of the Faith.We remember in prayer especially the faithful departed

who remembered the Missions in their will. This remem-brance of the mission church is a lasting testament of theirgood will so others may hear the good news about JesusChrist’s love for them.The Diocesan Mission Office wishes to acknowledge in

thanksgiving the following bequests made to the Society forthe Propagation of the Faith, whose legal process has beencompleted this year.

*bequest specified Mass Intentions

Please remember “The Society for the Propagation of the Faith”when writing or changing your Will.

www.dioogdensburg.org/missionoffice

A time of thanks

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Regular readers will notice abit of re-arranging on this pageto make sure we give FatherMuench a little morebreathing room.His column has

quickly become one ofthe most popular fea-tures in the NCC –again – and, it’s safe tosay, some of his mostardent fans appreciatethe larger type!My first memories of

the church come fromthe early days of theVatican Council so it’sbeen a delight to readthe memories of some-one who stood on the otherside of the altar rail back in1962.

As we’ve heard, celebratingthe 50th anniversary of theSecond Vatican Council is

among the reasons thatwe’re now observing aYear of Faith.Bishop LaValley has

taken advantage of thespecial year to release apastoral letter on faithfor all Catholics of theDiocese of Ogdens-burg.A comprehensive

document, the pastoralletter will be printed infour parts beginning onpage 3 of this week’sNorth Country

Catholic.The letter will also be posted

in its entirety on the diocesan

Year of Faith webpages -http://dioogdensburg.org/yearoffaith/We are blessed to have a

bishop who can express sobeautifully what it means to beCatholic; we would be wiseread his message with an open,prayerful heart.We’d also be smart to take

advantage of the diocesan cele-bration for the Year of FaithSunday at 2 p.m. at the cathe-dral.This will be a chance for us

to honor some of “our” saints -St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St.Mother Marianne Cope, OSF,and St. Brother Andre Bessette– and to listen to a very specialguest,Sister Kateri Mitchell.And, it will be a wonderful

opportunity for us to gather asa family of faith, joining to-gether with friends from acrosthe diocese who are also striv-ing to “taste again for the firsttime.”See you on Sunday!

“Some More Urgent Prob-lems” This is the title of the second

part of Pastoral Constitution onthe Church in the ModernWorld (Latin name – Gaudiumet Spes), the document that Iconsidered with you last weekThis week I would like to

share with you one of theseproblems. The Vatican Councilspeaks out on peace in theworld in the chapter is entitled“Fostering Peace and Establish-ment of a Community of Na-tions.” The Council calls upon all

Catholics to make the world abetter place by fostering peace.As I again read this section, I

immediately thought of theSign of Peace at Mass, a ritethat was added to the Massafter the Second Vatican Coun-cil. The Sign of Peace is a won-derful way to remind us thatwe are called to be people ofpeace. Each time we turn to each

other and offer some sign ofGod’s love and peace we have aunique opportunity to recog-nize our liturgical family, thosewith us at the Mass. This ritual demonstrates a

sign of unity – our care andconcern for each other – as weprepare to unite ourselves withthe Prince of Peace in the

Blessed Eucharist. As we turnto each other, we are sayingthat our world could be sopeaceful as we are today. The document offers a plan

for peace in the Spirit of PopeJohn XXlll who pleaded forpeace in his encyclical letter,“Mater et Magister.” The Council includes this call

for peace simply because wefollow in the spirit of Our Lordand Savior, Jesus Christ, thePrince of Peace. In that spirit,we must always work, pleadand speak out for peacethroughout the world. Now, I am fully aware that

this message of the Second Vat-ican Council was written 50years ago and our world hasnot experienced much peace inthe years since then.Yet, the Catholic Church con-

tinues – must continue – to bea voice that calls for peace.The Council Fathers made itclear that this cause for peaceis important to Catholics.

Some may say that peace inour world is impossible. I say that we, Catholics, must

never stop calling for peace,nor stop believing that peace ispossible. If we ever stop believing that

peace is possible, all will belost.The message of peace of the

Second Vatican Council in thisPastoral Constitution of theChurch in the Modern World issummed up in this way, “TheCouncil proposes to outline thetrue and noble nature of peace,to condemn the savagery ofwar, and earnestly to exhortChristians to cooperate with allin securing a peace based onjustice and charity and in pro-moting the means necessary toattain it, under the help ofChrist, author of peace.”The Council goes on to chal-

lenge the Church – then andnow, especially all Bishops andpriests – to preach the Gospeland make “a contribution tothe strengthening of peaceover the whole world and helpto consolidate the foundationsof brotherly communionamong all peoples.The message of peace is

meant for all the People of God– you and me right now– to bepeople of peace. I see this in the lives of

Catholics and Christians.I see this when a person

lives with respect for all othersin his or her community. I see this when parents strive

to make their homes the mostpeaceful places on the face ofthe earth, caring in love fortheir children, teaching themhow to establish good relation-ships within their families andwith others. I see this when people strive

to form a real communityspirit within their parish andcommunity. We may notchange nations yet, when wemake an effort to bring peaceinto our piece of the world, wehave truly become peacemak-ers.Peace is not just some sort of

sitting around quietly andavoiding others – although thatmay be good at times. Peacemay demand that we challengeourselves and others to dosomething that will make theworld a better place, a happyplace. May we strive to remove

from our hearts and our worldanything that is of violence.May we pray often that ourcountry will always work tobring peace to a torn world –and may we pray that one daypeace will reign supreme inthis world of ours.

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 1N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C2 Diocesan Life

MSGR. ROBERT L. LAWLERVice President

SR. JENNIFER VOTRAW, SSJSecretary-TreasurerMARY LOU KILIAN

Editor/General Manager

BISHOP TERRYR. LAVALLEYPresident

Mary LouKilian

We are called to be people of peace

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Voices of faith for a Year of Faith

Bishop LaValley has requested that do-nations for the victims of HurricaneSandy be given to North Countryparishes or sent to the local CatholicCharities office so that a diocesan giftmay be made to the victims. Checksshould be sent to Catholic Charities,6866 State Highway 37,Ogdensburg,NY, 13669 . “Hurricane Sandy Relief”should be written in the memo line.

HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

N O V . 1 4 , 2 0 1 2N O R T H C O U N T R Y C A T H O L I C16 Back pew

VATICAN LETTER

By Francis X. RoccaCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The day after Barack Obama wonthe presidency in 2008, the Vatican newspaper,L'Osservatore Romano, hailed his election as a"choice that unites," exemplifying America's abil-ity to "overcome fractures and divisions thatuntil only recently could seem incurable." Pope Benedict XVI sent the president-elect a

congratulatory telegram the same day, noting the"historic occasion" of his election.Four years later, the Vatican's reaction to

Obama's re-election had a markedly differenttone. "If Obama truly wants to be the president of all

Americans," said L'Osservatore Nov. 7, "he shouldfinally acknowledge the demands forcefully aris-ing from religious communities - above all theCatholic Church - in favor of the natural family,life and finally religious liberty itself." Speaking to reporters the same day, the Vatican

spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi,voiced hope that Obama would use his secondterm for the "promotion of the culture of life andof religious liberty." The statements alluded to Obama policies fa-

voring legalized abortion, same-sex marriage anda plan to require nearly all health insuranceplans, including those offered by most Catholicuniversities and agencies, to cover sterilizationsand contraceptives, which are forbidden by thechurch's moral teaching. The insurance mandate in particular, which

U.S. bishops have strenuously protested for thepast year, has proven an even greater source ofdivision between the church and the Obama ad-ministration than their previous disagreementsand threatens to aggravate tensions betweenWashington and the Vatican during the presi-dent's second term. From the beginning of Obama's presidency, his

support for legalized abortion and embryonicstem-cell research inspired protests by thechurch and controversy within it. Some 80 U.S.bishops publicly criticized the University ofNotre Dame for granting Obama an honorary de-gree in 2009. Yet the Vatican itself remained largely aloof

from such disputes, at least in public statements,and cooperated with the Obama administrationon such common international goals as assistingmigrants, working against human trafficking andpreventing mother-to-child transmission ofHIV/AIDS. But seeing a threat to the freedom of the

church itself, the Vatican changed its approachand chose to address matters more directly. In January, Pope Benedict told a group of visit-

ing U.S. bishops that he was concerned about"certain attempts being made to limit that mostcherished of American freedoms, the freedom ofreligion," through "concerted efforts ... to denythe right of conscientious objection on the partof Catholic individuals and institutions with re-gard to cooperation in intrinsically evil prac-tices." Any hopes that the administration might

change its policy to the satisfaction of the churchgrew faint as the year wore on and the electiondrew nearer, to the increasingly vocal frustrationof several U.S. bishops. Two days before Americans went to the polls,

the papal nuncio to the U.S. made it clear how ur-gent a priority the nation's religious liberty hadbecome at the highest levels of the universalchurch. Speaking at the University of Notre Dame Nov.

4, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano devoted mostof a speech about "religious freedom, persecu-tion of the church and martyrdom" to the situa-tion of the United States today.

"The menace to religious liberty is concrete onmany fronts," Archbishop Vigano said, noting theinsurance mandate, anti-discrimination policiesthat require Catholic adoption agencies to placechildren with same-sex couples, and mandatorypublic school curricula that present same-sexmarriage as "natural and wholesome." Recalling persecution of Catholics in fascist

Italy and Nazi Germany, the archbishop said thatthe "problems identified ... over six decades agothat deal with the heavy grip of the state's handin authentic religious liberty are still with ustoday." A government need not be a dictatorship in

order to persecute the church, the nuncio said,quoting the words of Blessed John Paul II that a"democracy without values easily turns intoopenly or thinly disguised totalitarianism." If the mere timing of his speech was not suffi-

cient to underscore its political implications,Archbishop Vigano concluded by lamenting thesupport of Catholic politicians and voters forlaws and policies that violate church teaching. "We witness in an unprecedented way a plat-

form being assumed by a major political party,having intrinsic evils among its basic principles,and Catholic faithful publicly supporting it," hesaid. "There is a divisive strategy at work here,an intentional dividing of the church; throughthis strategy, the body of the church is weak-ened, and thus the church can be more easilypersecuted." Jesuit Father Gerald P. Fogarty, a professor of

history at the University of Virginia and an experton U.S.-Vatican relations, said it is extremely rarefor a papal diplomat to comment publicly on ahost country's politics in such a way. The closestthing to a precedent in the U.S., Fogarty said, oc-curred nearly a century ago, during the Vatican'sefforts to persuade belligerent nations to endWorld War I. The archbishop's speech would seem to sug-

gest that the Holy See has made religious libertyin the U.S. an issue in its diplomatic relationswith Washington. Yet Miguel H. Diaz, U.S. ambas-sador to the Vatican since 2009, said that the dis-agreements between the church and the Obamaadministration over the insurance mandate havenot interfered with his efforts to cooperate withthe Vatican on areas of common concern. Asked whether such compartmentalization

would be possible during Obama's second term,Diaz, who will step down in mid-November,voiced hope that current tensions, including thedispute over the insurance mandate, might be re-solved soon. "Perhaps my successor will not have the same

kinds of issues" to contend with, he said, "be-cause that person will likely have a whole set ofdifferent challenges."

CNS PHOTO/REUTERSU.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk withPope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2009.

Four years laterVatican takes a different approach toward President Obama CATHOLIC

NORTH COUNTRYNORTH COUNTRYThe Diocese of Ogdensburg Volume 67, Number 27

NOV. 14, 2012

INSIDETHIS ISSUEYear of Faith... Storyof Faith from Potsdamman l PAGE 4

Catholic Campaignfor HumanDevelopment l PAGE 5

YEAR OF FAITH

Annual reportof diocesanFoundation

Donations for Sandy

Bishop writespastoral letter

A DAY AT ST. JAMES

VATICAN LETTER: Four years later, a different approach to Obama... p. 16

Pursuing greater good

FULL STORY, PAGE 3

Gary Ryan, left, and Sherman Luckof St. John’s Parish in Plattsburghhang a Year of Faith banner at theBlessed John XXIII Newman Center.The diocesan observance of the Yearof Faith officially opens Sunday, Nov.18, with a Witnesses of Faith Cele-bration at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathe-dral. Bishop LaValley has markedthe opening of the Year of Faithwith a pastoral letter, noting that “itis important that we rediscover thejourney of faith so as to shed everclearer lights on the joy and enthu-siasm of the encounter of Christ.”PHOTO BY DAYNA LEADER

Bishop Terry R. LaValley continued his autumn visits to each of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg Nov. 6 with atrip to St. James School in Gouverneur. He is shown above during the homily at the school Mass.

Donations for the victims of Hurricane

Sandy may be sent to Catholic

Charities, 6866 State Highway 37,

Ogdensburg, NY, 13669

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION,PAGES 7-10

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope BenedictXVI called on people to neverbe satisfied with their earthlyachievements because truehappiness entails seekingout the greater good. He said people should "not

be discouraged by fatigue orby obstacles born of oursins," because striving for thegreater good is demanding

and cannot be built or pro-vided by mere human effort. During his audience talk at

St. Peter’s Square Nov. 7, thepope spoke about "the mys-terious desire for God,"which lies deep in everyhuman heart. Despite ram-pant secularization and peo-ple's claims of beingindifferent to God, an innate

yearning for God "has notcompletely disappeared andstill today, in many ways, ap-pears in the heart ofmankind." People always strive for

happiness and a well-beingthat is "often far from spiri-tual," and yet they are alsoaware there still remains adeeper yearning for some-

thing that could truly satisfytheir "restless heart," he said."Every wish that arises in thehuman heart is echoed by afundamental desire that isnever fully satisfied," he said.True love pushes people to

think beyond themselves, tobe at the service of the otherup to the point of self-sacri-fice, he said.