Vol. 97, No. 19 Thursday, September 14, 2017 Put Faith in Your Opinions southerncross.diosav.org $.75

The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of SavannahSee page 16

Statement Of Bishop Gregory J.

Hartmayer, OFM Conv. Regarding

DACA Decision

Declaracion deObispo Gregory J.

Hartmayer, OFM Conv.Respecto a la Decisión

DACASeptember 6, 2017

I join Archbishop Wilton Gregory of the Catholic Archdiocese of

Atlanta in expressing deep disap-pointment in the Administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). In 2012, in the absence of Congressional action to provide relief to about 800,000 young people who were brought into the United States as infants or children by their parents without authorization, the Department of Homeland Security announced that those who entered the United States as children and met certain require-ments could register with the gov-ernment, enabling them to obtain a drivers license and work permit.

The recipients of DACA have grown up in our educational system, are proud members of our society and possess countless gifts and tal-ents which greatly enrich our coun-try. In my ministry I have encoun-tered numerous DACA recipients who are already making a positive contribution in our local commu-nities and parishes. The recipients of DACA consider themselves American, speak English and feel at

home in the United States. An indi-vidualized assessment has already been done by our government on each of these recipients, and they have been found to be contributing members of society.

My hope now is that Congress acts swiftly and effectively to pro-vide a sensible solution that will be beneficial to these young men and women. I feel it will be in our best interest for Congress to respond in a manner that does not interrupt the education, employment and dreams of these young people.

To DACA youth and your fami-lies, I understand the fear and anxi-ety you face, and I value your God-given gifts and your commitment to your families. Be assured that the Catholic Church in South Georgia will continue to care for you with generosity and compassion through our parishes, Catholic Charities, and all those who provide pastoral care to our faithful.

+gregory J. Hartmayer, oFm Conv. BiSHop oF tHe CatHoliC DioCeSe oF

SavannaH

6 Septiembre, 2017

Me uno al arzobispo Wilton Gregory de la Arquidiócesis

Católica de Atlanta al expresar profunda decepción por la decisión del gobierno de rescindir el Programa de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA). En 2012, a falta de una acción del Congreso para brindar asistencia a cerca de 800.000 jóvenes que fueron traídos a los Estados Unidos como infantes o niños por sus padres sin autorización, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional anunció que aquellos que ingresaron a los Estados Unidos de niños, y que cumplían ciertos requisitos, podían registrarse en el gobierno, lo que les permitiría obtener una licencia de conducir y un permiso de trabajo.

Los beneficiarios de DACA han crecido en nuestro sistema educativo, son miembros orgullosos de nuestra sociedad y poseen innumerables dones y talentos que enriquecen mucho nuestro país. Durante mi ministerio he conocido numerosos beneficiarios de DACA que ya están brindando una contribución positiva en nuestras comunidades locales y parroquias. Los destinatarios de DACA se consideran norteamericanos, hablan inglés y se

sienten en casa en los Estados Unidos. Ya nuestro gobierno ha llevado a cabo una evaluación individualizada de cada uno de estos receptores, y se ha encontrado que son miembros que contribuyen a la sociedad.

Mi esperanza ahora es que el Congreso actúe rápida y eficazmente para proporcionar una solución sensata que sea beneficiosa para estos jóvenes. Creo que nuestro mejor interés será que el Congreso responda de una manera que no interrumpa la educación, empleo y los sueños de estos jóvenes.

A los jóvenes receptores de DACA y a sus familias, manifiesto que entiendo el miedo y la ansiedad que enfrentan, y valoro los dones que Dios les ha dado, así como el compromiso que tienen con sus familias. Tengan la seguridad de que la Iglesia Católica en el Sur de Georgia seguirá apoyándolos con generosidad y compasión a través de nuestras parroquias, entidades benéficas y todos aquellos que brindan apoyo pastoral a nuestros fieles.

+gregory J. Hartmayer, oFm Conv. oBiSpo De la DióCeSiS CatóliCa De

SavannaH

Editors note: Following Governor Nathan Deal's mandatory evacuation order the offices of Catholic Pastoral Center in Savannah closed at noon on September 8. As a result this issue of the Southern Cross was delivered to our printer on Friday September 8. We will resume publication with the September 28 issue. In the interest of reporting on the recovery efforts following Hurricane Irma, please email

photographs and stories to editor@diosav.org

Left, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals supporters demonstrate near the White House in Washington Sept. 5. Attorney General Jeff Sessions

announced Sept. 5 that the DACA program is "being rescinded" by President Donald Trump, leaving some 800,000 youth, brought illegally to the U.S. as

minors, in peril of deportation and of losing permits that allow them to work. (CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters)

Defend life, equali-ty, unity, pope tells

Colombians BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS)

Consolidating peace in Colombia will mean overcoming "the

darkness" of inequality and a lack of respect for human life, Pope Francis said. "Here, as in other places, there is a thick darkness which threatens and destroys life," the pope said in his homily at a late-afternoon Mass Sept. 7 in Bogota's Simon Bolivar Park. Colombian authorities said more than 1.1 million people gathered in the park for the Mass. Many of them were soaked in a rainstorm before the pope arrived, but as Mass began, bits of blue sky began to appear. Still, preaching about the Gospel story of Jesus' first encountering Simon Peter after the fishermen had fished all night without luck, Pope Francis spoke about the "turmoil and darkness" of the sea as a symbol for "everything that threatens human existence and that has the power to destroy it." For Colombia, just start-ing to recover from more than 50 years of civil war, and for many other nations as well, the pope said, the threats come from "the darkness of injustice and social inequality; (and) the corrupting darkness of personal and group interests that consume in a selfish and uncontrolled way what is destined for the good of all." The threats include "the darkness of dis-respect for human life which daily destroys the life of many innocents, whose blood cries out to heaven; the darkness of thirst for vengeance and the hatred which stains the hands of those who would right wrongs on their own authority; the darkness of those who become numb to the pain of so many victims," he said. But "Jesus scatters and destroys all this darkness."

Wife, mother describes trauma she felt

during recent deporta-tion attempt

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS)

It was a typical day for Maira Bordonabe last spring. "I dropped

my children off for school, then I spent some time in (adoration)," said the married mother of two children, ages 7 and 12, and a member of

St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Indianapolis. On that typical spring day as she pulled out of the parking lot to head home, Bordonabe had no idea she would not see her family again as a free woman for nearly five months. On her way home, she was stopped by two Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers charged with the task of taking her to Chicago, from where she was then to be sent back to her native Mexico. Bordonabe, now in her 30s, had immigrated to the United States at a younger age with her family. She married a U.S. citizen, her children are U.S. citizens, and she is working toward a degree in human resources to help her husband provide a better life for their family. She hardly fits the criteria that President Donald Trump claimed would be the focus of his administration's deportation efforts during a "60 Minutes" inter-view days after he won the presiden-tial election: undocumented immi-grants who were "criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers." Nevertheless, Bordonabe was immediately taken to a deporta-tion center in Chicago. "I spent four months there with other women, most of them mothers," she said, her voice

quivering with emotion as she shared her story with a crowd of more than 350 people at a "families first" budget rally Aug. 30 hosted by Indianapolis Congregation Action Network at

Holy Spirit Parish. "One woman from Africa had been there for eight months trying to prove her need for asylum."

Southern Cross, Page 2 Headline HopscotcH Thursday, September 14, 2017

Southern Cross (USPS 505-680) is published bi-weekly, 26 issues per year, by Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer

2170 East Victory Drive,Savannah, GA 31404.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Savannah, GA and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Southern Cross, 2170 East Victory Drive,

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A worker helps an elderly woman from a rescue boat as it evacuates people from the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Harvey Aug. 30 in Houston. (CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters)

La vida cambia en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Basta una

llamada telefónica, una reunión o una opción aparentemente sin mucha importancia. El cambio puede ser positivo, pero cuando este es el caso, uno acepta el cambio con alegría y continúa viviendo agradecido por la bendición inesperada. Cuando el cambio es desagradable, nuestro mundo se viene abajo. El futuro se oscurece y parece como si nada será igual.

Jesús dijo a sus discípulos, “estén despiertos, porque no saben en qué día vendrá su Señor. Fíjense en esto: si un dueño de casa supiera a qué hora de la noche lo va a asaltar un ladrón, seguramente permanecería despierto para impedir el asalto a su casa. Por eso, estén también ustedes preparados, porque el Hijo del Hombre vendrá a la hora que menos esperan.” Este pasaje del evangelio es esencialmente una llamada a la vigilancia en cuanto a la muerte, pero puede ser aplicado a todos los momentos inesperados de la vida. Cualquier cosa puede suceder en un momento dado y debemos estar preparados espiritualmente. De lo contrario, el alma parece ahogarse con el peso del mundo.

Estas últimas semanas han surgido muchas historias de Texas después del devastador huracán Harvey que golpeó la costa del Golfo de México afectando a millones de personas. La vida ha cambiado significativamente para muchos y lamentablemente

para algunos, su vida terrestre ha terminado. Escuché en el radio una entrevista a un hombre que escapó de su camioneta por la ventana, pero fue testigo de cómo su familia murió ahogada al hundirse la camioneta en las rugientes aguas.

Hace algunos varios años mientras ojeaba unos libros en liquidación en una librería, una mujer parada a mi lado recibió una llamada a su teléfono celular. La escuché responder con un alegre saludo. Rápidamente oí como su tono de voz se transformó, sus pocas palabras expresadas con una angustia aterrorizante. A la vez observé como su cuerpo parecía derretirse a mi lado. Su vida estaba cambiando para siempre al recibir una noticia terrible, y yo ahí estaba parado a su lado. Tan pronto terminó la llamada, la mujer llamó a un señor que estaba cerca. Escuché su conversación breve y agitada: su hermana había muerto en un accidente de carro.

Cuando estos momentos llegan en la vida, Jesús nos llama a “permanecer despiertos,” lo cual hacemos perseverando en medio de la adversidad. Mantenerse despierto requiere confiar que Jesús camina con nosotros en medio de las cruces de la vida. Cuando la oscuridad desciende rápidamente sobre un alma, es imprescindible permitir que la luz de Cristo brille. El misterio de la cruz es que en medio de los grandes problemas y la adversidad, es al cargar la cruz que encontramos la redención.

La vida cambia inesperadamente. Cualquiera que sea el cambio, Jesús permanece con nosotros, y a lo largo de la lucha siempre nos considera como consideró a las multitudes hambrientas a orillas del Mar de Galilea, con piedad y compasión. Mostrando solidaridad con las personas cuyas vidas han cambiado para siempre en Texas,

pidamos a Jesucristo que nos conceda la gracia de permanecer vigilantes y estar preparados para esos cambios difíciles que llegan cuando menos esperamos.

paDre paBlo migone, eS CanCiller De la DioCeSiS De SavannaH y reSiDe

en la CateDral De San Juan BautiSta, SavannaH.

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Southern Cross, Page 3 comentario en español Thursday, September 14, 2017

Change in the blink of an eyeLife changes in the blink of an

eye. All it takes is a phone call, a meeting or a seemingly unimportant choice. The change may be positive, but when this is the case, we accept the change joyfully and move on happily, grateful for the unexpect-ed blessing. When the change is an unwelcomed one, then the world seems to come to a grinding halt. The future darkens and it appears as if nothing will be the same.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: If the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” This Gospel passage is

primarily a call to vigilance in regard to death, but it may be applied to all unexpected and unplanned moments of life. Anything may happen at any given moment, and we must be spir-itually prepared. Otherwise, the soul withers away with the weight of the world.

During these past few weeks many stories have emerged from Texas as Hurricane Harvey pounded the coast pouring several feet of water over millions of people. Life has significantly changed for many, and unfortunately for some, earthly life has ended. I heard an interview of a man who escaped from his van as the rest of his family drowned as their vehicle quickly sunk into the raging water.

Many years ago as I browsed the clearance rack of a bookstore in Pittsburgh, a woman standing next

to me received a call on her cell phone. She answered with a cheerful “hello.” I quickly heard her tone of voice darken into distraught horror, and watched as her body appeared to melt at my side. Her life was chang-ing: As I stood there at her side, she was receiving terrible news. As soon as the call ended, she called out to a man a few aisles away. I overheard their frantic conversation: Her sister had just died in a car accident.

When these moments arrive in life, Jesus calls us to “stay awake” by remaining faithful in the midst of adversity. Staying awake requires trusting that Jesus walks with you in the midst of the crosses of life. When darkness quickly descends upon a soul, it is imperative to allow the light of Christ to shine bright-ly. The mystery of the cross is that in the midst of great trouble and

adversity, by carrying the cross, we find redemption.

Life changes at an unexpected hour. Whatever the change brings, Jesus is present, and throughout the struggle he always looks upon those suffering as he did the hungry crowds by the Sea of Galilee, with pity and compassion. By standing in solidarity with the many whose lives have been changed forever in Texas, may Christ grant us the grace to remain vigilant and be prepared for those difficult changes which happen when least expected.

FatHer paBlo migone iS CHanCellor oF tHe DioCeSe oF SavannaH anD reSiDeS in

tHe CatHeDral oF Saint JoHn tHe BaptiSt, SavannaH.

Cambio en un abrir y cerrar de ojos

Southern Cross, Page 4 columns Thursday, September 14, 2017

Finding glory in a moon shadow“We haven’t figured out how

to cover the half-moon win-dow in the sitting room,” Magan said perplexed as I drove home for lunch Monday afternoon.

When I arrived a few moments later, I walked into a nearly pitch-black setting, with blankets, sheets and towels taped to the casing of every window including the half-moon one in our sitting room.

To top it all off, every small child, save Isaac, was holed up in the cavern that had been our master bedroom a few hours earlier, while Isaac sat in his sister’s crib in a darkness he had only known once before during his 10-month stay in the mommy motel one year earlier.

The only things missing from this feigned apocalyptic preparation were gallons of water and loaves of bread to outlast the blind zombies that were about to be created after they, and not we, stared at the total solar eclipse without prescription-strength glasses acquired from the local library giveaway.

“I don’t think a little light getting through the cracks is going to cause anyone to go blind,” I said in Magan’s

direction, but she was having none of my satire.

“Well, at least we know for sure nobody’s eyes will get hurt,” she replied.

The big boys continued to try out their glasses indoors, which made the already dark surroundings completely inky, and Noah showed off his creation—a single lens from a pair of eclipse glasses taped to a box—designed to allow him to capture footage of the eclipse without damaging his camera.

I went about my lunch hour the same as I had most others: eating a peanut but-ter and jelly sandwich and watching TV.

Like Noah, I had come up with a sim-ilar plan to capture the eclipse for work, setting up shop at our famous football stadium with multiple remote cameras set for time-lapse video capture.

Then the clouds came.“Well, we’ve still got an hour before

the big show,” I said to myself, “so it’s still fine.”

Then the clouds got darker, and more numerous.

This one project—between its plan-ning and implementation—had taken up my entire day and, by the looks of

things, it was all going to be for naught.Every five minutes or so I would head

back outside from the field house to check on the weather, only to find darker clouds covering the one piece of sky I needed to be open in order to capture this once-in-a-lifetime event.

“We looked at it. You can see it now,” Magan said in a text, which I followed with, “This stinks.”

Magan continued to report back from the housebound viewing party with, “It was about one-third of the way and we could see it move!”

I had all but given up hope when our football coach hollered from the other side of the building, “Jason, here it is. Come look.”

I hastily ran to the front door with my single-lens pair of eclipse glasses and, lo and behold, there was the half-covered sun as it wrapped up its celestial square dance with our closest space neighbor.

A review of my footage showed that the eclipse had been regularly poking through the clouds the entire time, except during my quick peaks outside.

I had seen what I had wanted to see—or didn’t want to see, in this case,

clouds—instead of what was actually there, the eclipse.

As Christians, we are taught to look for signs of God’s work in our lives. How many times, though, do we allow our own perceptions to interfere or, like the moon, “block” the Light from reach-ing our hearts and minds?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own under-standing,” (Proverbs 3:5) is such a sim-ple command, but we habitually fail to heed its call.

While the whole event hadn’t kicked off the blind zombie apocalypse or marked New Jerusalem descending from the sky, it was a reminder that we should let go of our own assumptions when it comes to searching for signs from our Maker that could actually be hiding in plain sight.

JaSon HalComBe HaS Five SonS anD a DaugHter. He anD HiS wiFe, magan, are

memBerS oF immaCulate ConCeption CHurCH, DuBlin.

Jesus, I trust in YouPaul and I take a regular walk with

our dog Bentley. We have a route through our neighborhood where we see lots of our neighbors doing their regular things, too.

We start off saying good morning to my dad next door, who has a prayer time on his front porch every day. Farther up the street we see our friend Frank. Frank has a miniature fluffy dog named Zoey

who thinks she is a mastiff. There is Marie, who walks the family dog while listening to podcasts or praying the rosary, and Mr. C, whose dog Hoss was in dog obedience with Bentley. (Hoss got some kind of lifetime achievement award at the end of class, or maybe it was most improved, I can’t remember.)

And then there are Joyce and Craig, a couple whose youngest child just

graduated high school. That family tends to have one or two people hanging out on their front porch on a regular basis, at least during the summer months. Often it’s the two of them chatting with one of their kids, and I love seeing them hang-ing out like that.

I love it so much, in fact, that I recent-ly found myself getting a little envious. Not envious so much as wistful. I wish we had a porch like that, I thought, so we could hang out with our kids.

Unfortunately, as my overactive brain is prone to do, that thought turned into “we need a porch to hang out on so we can have the important talks with children that parents must have...” and suddenly my simple observation turned into anxiety. It’s not enough to notice and admire how that family spends time together, I need to recreate it... or else.

The “or else” can be a problem — especially when we start to realize that every single person in this world is different. And if every single person is different, it stands to reason that every family will be different. There are no two families alike, and happy, holy fami-lies come in all shapes and sizes.

That realization stopped me in my tracks, and God did something wonder-ful for me, in the midst of my journey towards comparison and fear. Instead of going further down the rabbit hole of all the things I’m not doing, God flooded me with peace. That was it, just peace.

A few days later, Paul and I were sitting outside while he grilled dinner. Elliott came outside and started shooting

hoops and the three of us had a simple, beautiful conversation about school and the future and everything in between. And in that moment, I realized — God meets us where we are.

Instead of a front porch to sit and chat, God has provided us with a basketball court — because that’s where a Balducci boy is comfortable.

Instead of focusing on all the ways others are doing it (which is good—inspiration is important), we have to remember that God will give us every-thing we need. That we need, each individual family. Family charisms vary as greatly as DNA, and what one family will find joy in doing will look different from another.

True peace and joy comes from remembering to trust in God’s love. To trust in God’s wisdom and care. We have to remember all the ways God has us covered in his love. He knows the desires of our hearts — to raise strong men and women to know, love and serve him — and he will give us the tools and opportunities we need to get the job done.

“Jesus, I trust in you.” It’s a prayer. It’s a safety net. It’s a reality check. Jesus, I give you every area of my life — my heart, my mind, my children, even my schedule! Bless us, bless me and help me see that you are with me every step of the way.raCHel SwenSon BalDuCCi iS a FreelanCe writer anD memBer oF moSt Holy trinity CHurCH, auguSta. SHe Can Be reaCHeD at

rSBalDuCCi@DioSav.org.

Thursday, September 14, 2017 priest directory Southern Cross, Page 5

Diocese of Savannah

Priest Directory2017/2018

Southern Cross, Page 6 Priest Directory Thursday, September 14, 2017

Rev. Jason AdamsParochial VicarSt. James the LessSavannah

Rev. Jacob AlmeterParochial VicarImmaculate ConceptionDublin

Rev. Fredy AngelPastorSt. Anthony of PaduaRay City

Rev. Samuel AniekweParochial VicarSt. James the LessSavannah

Rev. Juan Carlos Castillo Parochical VicarSt. Joseph Augusta

Rev. Charles Atuah, MSPPastorSt. Benedict the MoorColumbus

Rev. Godfred Boachie-YiadomParochial AdministratorSt. Augustine Thomasville

Most Rev. J. Kevin Boland,DDBishop EmeritusSavannah

Rev. Brett BrannenPastorBlessed SacramentSavannah

Rev. Victor Canela, STPastorSt. JosephBainbridge

Rev. Robert ChaneyPastorResurrection of Our LordSavannah

Rev. Douglas Clark, STL, VFPastorSt. MatthewStatesboro

Rev. Monsignor P. James CostiganSenior Parochial VicarSt. Peter the ApostleSavannah

Rev. Francis Critch, OFMParochial VicarSt. Peter ClaverMacon

Rev. Gabriel CummingsPastorSt. Frances CabriniSavannah

Rev. Robert CushingPastorSt. Joseph Waycross

Thursday, September 14, 2017 priest directory Southern Cross, Page 7

Rev. Vicente Terrazas GonzalesParochial VicarSt. ChristopherClaxton

Rev. Benjamin DallasPastorSacred HeartVidalia

Rev. Matthew EricksenHospital ChaplainSt. Joseph/CandlerSavannah

Rev. Rafael Estrada Pastor Good ShepherdHazlehurst

Rev. Romanus Ezeugwu, MSPPastorSt. Benedict the MoorSavannah

Rev. Eric FilmerPastorSt. PatrickKathleen

Rev. Daniel F. Firmin, JCL, VGVicar General,PastorSt. James the LessSavannah

Rev. Luis FonsecaParochial VicarOur Lady of LourdesPort Wentworth

Rev. Mariusz FuksPastorOur Lady Star of the SeaSt. Marys

Rev. Ronald Gatman, OSBBenedictine PriorySavannah

Rev. Francis Gillespie, SJPastorSt. MaryAmericus

Rev. Alfonso GutierrezPastorImmaculate ConceptionMoultrie

Most Rev. Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv.Bishop of SavannahPastoral Center Savannah

Rev. Michael HullPastorSt. Ignatios of AntiochAugusta

Rev. Walter IngramPastorSt. Teresa of AvilaGrovetown

Southern Cross, Page 8 Priest Directory Thursday, September 14, 2017

Rev. John JohnsonPastorSt. ChristopherClaxton

Rev. Adam KaselaPastorSt. StephenHinesville

Rev. Michael KavanaughPastorSt. Peter the ApostleSavannah

Rev. Monsignor John A. KenneallyPastorSt. WilliamSt. Simons Island

Rev. Vernon KnightParochial VicarSt. Mary on the HillAugusta

Rev. David KoetterPastorHoly SpiritMacon

Rev. Dawid KwiatkowskiParochial VicarSt. John the EvangelistValdosta

Rev. Brian LaBurtPastorSt. John the EvangelistValdosta

Rev. Paul C. LaddaParochial VicarSt. Teresa Albany

Rev. Sooho LeeParochial VicarSt. JosephAugusta

Rev. Raymond Levreault, VFPastorSt. TeresaAlbany

Rev. Lucien LindseyParochial VicarSt. Mary on the HillAugusta

Rev. Louis Lussier, O.S. Cam.PastorOur Lady of the AssumptionSylvania

Rev. John LyonsPastorSacred HeartSavannah

Rev. Gordian Iwuji, MSPPastor Holy TrinitySwainsboro

Rev. Mike Kerin, GHMPastorHoly FamilyBlakely

Thursday, September 14, 2017 priest directory Southern Cross, Page 9

Rev. J. Ronald Madden PastorChrist the KingPine Mountain

Rev. William J. McIntyre, OFMPastorSt. Peter ClaverMacon

Rev. Timothy McKeown, VFPastorSt. Francis XavierBrunswick

Rev. Oscar Juan MendozaParochial VicarSt. TeresaAlbany

Rev. Gonzalo E. MezaParochial VicarSt. Teresa of AvilaGrovetown

Rev. Pablo MigoneChancellor,Vocations DirectorPastoral CenterSavannah

Rev. Peter Hung Nguyen, SOLTParochial VicarSt. Teresa of AvilaGrovetown

Rev. Thomas MurphyPastorOur Lady of LourdesPort Wentworth

Rev. Kim Son NguyenPastorSts. Peter and PaulSavannah

Rev. Martino NguyenPastorSt. BonifaceSpringfield

Rev. Allan McDonaldPastorSt. AnneRichmond Hill

Rev. Nicholas MansellPastorOur Lady of LourdesColumbus

Rev. Jeremiah McCarthy, JCL, VFPastor St. AnneColumbus

Rev. Monsignor Fred NijemPastorSacred HeartWarner Robins

Rev. Paul O'ConnellPastorSt. PaulDouglas

Rev. Daniel O'ConnellPastor Holy Family Columbus

Southern Cross, Page 10 Priest Directory Thursday, September 14, 2017

Rev. Paulinus ChikelueOkpalaParochial AdministratorSt. TheresaCordele

Rev. Keith O'Neill, OFM Conv. Parochial AdministratorSt. JosephJesup

Rev. Christopher OrtegaParochial VicarSt. Francis XavierBrunswick

Rev. Thomas Brian O'ShaughnessyParochial VicarSt. AnneColumbus

Rev. Patrick Otor, MSPPastorSacred HeartWaynesboro

Rev. Peter Oyenugba, MSPPastorOur Divine SaviourTifton

Rev. Francois Pellissier, GHMPrison MinistryColumbus

Rev. Carlos Eduardo PinzonParochial Administrator St. Michael ChurchMontezuma

Rev. Stephen PontzerPastorImmaculate ConceptionDublin

Rev. Gerald RaganPastorSt. MichaelTybee Island

Rev. Mark RossPastorSt. Mary on the HillAugusta

Rev. Michael RoverseParochial VicarSt. Teresa of AvilaGrovetown

Rev. Rodolfo RoxasHospital Chaplain St. Joseph Hospital/CandlerSavannah

Rev. Monsignor Christopher Schreck, SSL, STD, PhD.RectorPontifical College JosephinumColumbus, Ohio

Rev. J. Gerard Schreck, JCD, JV, VFRectorCathedral of St. John the BaptistSavannah

Rev. Kevin O'KeefeParochial VicarSacred HeartWarner Robins

Thursday, September 14, 2017 priest directory Southern Cross, Page 11

Rev. Joseph SmithHospital ChaplainSt. Joseph/CandlerSavannah

Rev. Jacek Szuster, VFPastorMost Holy TrinityAugusta

Rev. John Reynolds Ha TranParochial VicarBlessed SacramentSavannah

Rev. Raul Vasquez, STParochial VicarSt. Joseph the WorkerBainbridge

Rev. Scott Winchel, VFPastorSt. JosephMacon

Rev. John WrightParochial VicarSt. Joseph Macon

Rev. Richard YoungPort ChaplainSavannah

Rev. Frank Ziemkiewicz, OSBPrior & HeadmasterBenedictine PriorySavannah

Rev. David ArnoldtAugusta, GA

Rev. Isidore Nguyen BakySpringfield, GA

Rev. Michael CerroneSalinas, CA

Rev. Henry DrozdSavannah, GA

Rev. Stephen GergelKingsland, GA

Rev. George GonzalezColumbus, GA

Rev. George GreenwaySt. Simons Island, GA

Rev. Richard HartAugusta, GA

Rev. Thomas HealyAugusta, GA

Rev. Francis HigginsSavannah, GA

Rev. James HollowaySt. Simons Island, GA

Rev. Donal KeohaneCalifornia, GA

Rev. Xavier KumbalaparampilKerala, India

Rev. Weston LambSpringfield, GA

Rev. William LeahyFolkston, GA

Rev. Monsignor Marvin LeFroisValdosta, GA

Rev. Michael LubinskySavannah , GA

Rev. John MarkhamAugusta, GA

Rev. Richard MinchRincon, GA

Rev. Tom NellisStatesboro, GA

Rev. Patrick O'BrienSavannah, GA

Rev. Michael O'KeeffeOcala, FL

Monsignor William Oliver O'NeillSavannah, GA

Rev. Frank PattersonColumbus, GA

Rev. Thomas PeytonSavannah, GA

Rev. John QuangBelleville, MI

Rev. Timothy RyanRoswell, GA

Rev. Finbarr StantonColumbus, GA

Our Retired Clergy

Rev. Mark Van AlstinePastorSt. JosephAugusta

Rev. Jean-Luc Zadroga, OSBPrior and FacultyBenedictine Priory Savannah

Southern Cross, Page 12 diocesan map Thursday, September 14, 2017

Thursday, September 14, 2017 Feature Southern Cross, Page 13

Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary was a major undertaking of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah

On September 11, 1959, when it officially opened with a

Mass of the Holy Spirit, Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary located at Grimball’s Point on the Isle of Hope in Savannah, was termed by Most Father Thomas J. McDonough, the Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah, “the answer to prayers” for voca-tions to the priesthood. Few sem-inarians studying elsewhere to be priests of the Savannah Diocese were native Georgians. What Bishop McDonough wanted was a number of homegrown seminarians preparing to serve in the Diocese of Savannah. Establishing a diocesan minor semi-nary seemed to be a practical answer to this need.

So it was on that September day in 1959, when Bishop McDonough offered a dedicatory Mass for the fledgling Saint John Marie Vianney Minor Seminary, his prayers con-cerning the need for more priests for his diocese seemed at last to be on the way to being answered. “You are the ‘Spes Ecclesiae,’” he told the seminarians attending the Mass, “the

hope of the Church.”The locale of the new seminary

consisted of a large tract of land where summer Camp Villa Marie welcomed children from around the diocese to receive needed instruction in their Catholic faith in a healthful environment. Now, Catholic boys in the ninth grade throughout the dio-cese would be given the opportunity to discern vocations and to study for the priesthood in a fostering environment.

By the time Saint John Marie Vianney Minor Seminary opened, 14 boys from various locations — Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Warner Robins and Albany — enrolled to answer this early call to be priests. Not long before that, many of them had been addressed at their schools by Father William V. Coleman, who would serve as rector of the new seminary. Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara was to head the seminary’s executive board.

Faculty appointed by Bishop McDonough and the subjects they would teach included: Father

William Coleman (Rector and instructor in Latin, English and Math); Monsignor Andrew J. McDonald, who would serve as spir-itual director; Father Robert J. Teoli, assistant spiritual director; Father John J. Cuddy, acting as dean of studies and instructor in history; and Father Felix Donnelly, would teach sacred chant and art appreciation. Father J. Perot Fiero was appointed librarian and instructor in religion and Father Herbert J. Wellmeier would act as the director of physical education.

All seminarians were to be ninth grade students and one additional grade would be added each year to the seminary, with a full four-year high school course projected to start in 1962. The 30 acres of land avail-able at what previously had been Camp Villa Marie would give the future priests ample room in which to play sports. An outdoor swimming pool would be available for them to relax in during the summer.

Boarding students from outside Savannah had their own schedule:

dinner at 5:15 p.m., recreation at 6:30 and Study Hall from 7 till 8 o’clock. Spiritual reading at 9:15 would mark the official end of their day.

Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary held its last graduation in 1968. Auxiliary Bishop (later Bishop) of Savannah Thomas J. McDonough was subsequent-ly promoted by Pope Pius VI to be the archbishop of Louisville. Meanwhile, after Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary closed in 1968, the former seminary grounds reverted to being the site of a summer camp for children as well as a gathering place for various organizations and religious orders throughout the Savannah Diocese.

Father John Cuddy, who taught for seven years at Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary on Isle of Hope, died on January 20 2017.

ColumniSt rita H. Delorme iS a volun-teer in tHe DioCeSan arCHiveS.

Southern Cross, Page 14 commentary Thursday, September 14, 2017

Care for each other weather or notScenes of the devastation in Houston

and its surrounding area have served as an opportunity for Americans, regard-less of their political affiliations, to unite. We are always at our best as a country when responding to a crisis. Victims of Hurricane Harvey include members of every social class, race, ethnicity, and gender. At least for now we are united in our attempts to help them in their long, grueling, and expensive recovery.

At this time the horror we witnessed at Charlottesville is overshadowed by the heroic rescues and sacrifices of first responders, generous individuals, and neighbors looking out for each other. Cruelty and terror were replaced in our national consciousness with kindness and compassion. What mattered in Texas was protecting each individual life, not the lives of a select group. What mattered in Texas was generosity, not selfishness. What mattered in Texas was cooperation and coordination, not individual survival and public discord.

But I would be overly optimistic to suggest that Harvey washed away the division in this country. It lingers. Even a highly dysfunctional family can respond to an immediate crisis with a united front.

If we could learn lessons from our most recent natural disaster, we may come away with these: We can take care of each other. We can seek the com-mon good. All of us. Rescuers included everyone from the National Guard, to the

“Cajun Navy” to first responders, and to those who are not native to this country. One young DACA recipient, Alonso Guillen, perished as he struggled to res-cue victims.

So how can we allow these lessons to inform our national consciousness? The answer is simple, and yet it is painfully difficult to implement.

We must stop being cruel. For this column, I looked up the dic-

tionary definition of the word. The first two Webster definitions are as follows: “callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain and suffering.” “Behavior that causes pain or suffering to a person or animal.”

I don’t know many people who would fit the category of someone who takes pleasure inflicting pain on others. I’ve heard people make statements that sug-gest they would enjoy harming someone else: statements about taking pleasure in revenge against an individual or state-ments about bombing or “wiping out” perceived enemies. But when people make such statements, I’m inclined to believe that, were they faced with the actual experience, witnessing the actual horror they say they wish to perpetrate, they would back down. The reality of the suffering would give them pause, I hope.

But many of us, even those who are not inclined toward revenge, can be “callously indifferent” to the suffering of another. Sometimes that suffering is remote, and we either know little about it

or don’t feel as if the people suffering are enough like us to warrant our attention. (Take for example, the suffering occur-ring in Yemen or the suffering resulting from the monsoons in South Asia.)

Sometimes we justify our “callous indifference” because we marginalize the people who are suffering. For example, we describe them in language that makes them seem less than human. People are described as “illegals,” “thugs,” “losers,” “pansies,” and “criminals.” When we fail to see humanity in another person, we disregard and downplay their suffering.

Psychologists have studied what makes people cruel, not just indifferently cal-lous, but willing to inflict pain on anoth-er. Research has shown that people are more likely to be cruel when someone in authority condones the cruelty. From a micro level, we can see this in a family. If a parent is cruel, a child will likely be cruel because cruelty has been modeled and taught.

On a social level, if a popular teenager or corporate executive condones cruelty in school hallways or in the workplace, many followers will contribute to the toxic environment. For example, when hazing or sexual harassment are con-doned by leaders, they are more likely to thrive.

In social media, when people com-ment cruelly and they are not called out for it, they persist. Some to the point of harassment.

From a national perspective, if

government leaders deride and target groups of people, their authority and messages resonate with those who might otherwise not be cruel. “Good people” become capable of atrocity.

Yet not all people will go along with cruelty. Some of us will stand up to the bully. Some of us will not perpetuate a family’s cycle of abuse. Some of us will be whistleblowers when a corporate environment diminishes and harms its workers. Some of us will resist an envi-ronment, social or political, that encour-ages cruelty.

Included among those who refuse to accept cruelty should be every person who calls himself or herself a Christian.

We Christians have a leader who is described as the Prince of Peace. We have a leader who never condemned, yet who harshly reprimanded those who would condemn and those who would be cruel. We have a leader who forgave with his last breath. We have a leader who broke stereotypes and bridged divi-sions. We have a leader who sought out the marginalized and disenfranchised and comforted them. Status had no bear-ing on Jesus’ love and care for people. Unlike the authorities of his time, Jesus was never indifferent to their suffering.

If we claim to be his followers, we can be and do no less.

mary HooD Hart iS a FreelanCe writer anD eDuCator living in pittSBoro, nC. SHe

Can Be reaCHeD at maryHooDHart@gmail.Com.

Thursday, September 14, 2017 commentary Southern Cross, Page 15

World Refugee Day: Did you miss it? By tony magliano

World Refugee Day, June 20, came and went with hardly a notice. I

almost missed it. Sadly, little mention was given in the

secular and even religious world to the unprecedented refugee crisis endured by countless fellow human beings who have fled their homes with little more than the shirt on their back.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) latest report titled “Global Trends,” as of 2016 over 65 mil-lion people worldwide – a record high – have been forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, violence, conflict or human rights viola-tions (see: http://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2016).

Every single day 28,300 brothers and sisters are forced to flee from their homes.

Especially sad is the fact that children account for over 50 percent of the refu-gee population.

In just the last six years the number of displaced persons throughout the world has increase approximately 50 percent – from 45.2 million to the cur-rent 65.6 million.

Armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Sudan continue to be the major driving force for this dramatic increase in displaced persons according to UNHCR.

Although the humanitarian need is tremendous, only less than 1 percent of all refugees are resettled worldwide.

According to CNN, at least 2,859 migrants died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea in 2016.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said, “At sea, a frightening number of refugees and migrants are dying each year. On land, people fleeing war are finding their way blocked by closed doors.”

And while not entirely closed, the United States’ refugee doors are barely cracked open.

In fiscal year 2016, according to the Pew Research Center, the U.S. under the Obama administration only allowed 84,995 refugees into the coun-try. And from war-torn nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria, the U.S. only permitted the entry of 16,370 and 12,587 refugees respectively.

To make matters worse, President Trump is proposing lowering the total number of refugees permitted into the U.S. in fiscal year 2018 to just 50,000.

Granting such small numbers of des-perate refugees permission to enter the U.S. is gravely immoral.

In contrast, according to the UNHCR, the tiny nation of Lebanon is host to the largest number of refugees relative to its national population – where one in

every six persons is a refugee. That’s equivalent to the U.S. taking in 55 mil-lion refugees!

Please email and call your two U.S. senators and congressperson (Capitol switchboard number: 202-224-3121) urging them to robustly increase fund-ing to poorer nations like Lebanon who are struggling to host millions of refu-gees. Additionally, urge them to allow at least 110,000 refugees – as proposed by Obama – into the U.S. this coming fiscal year.

It is also very important to strongly request your congressional delega-tion to significantly increase – not cut – Department of State funding for comprehensive negotiated diplomatic interventions into all areas through-out the world suffering from armed conflicts that are causing the refugee crisis. And insist they stop fueling these armed conflicts by ending weapon sales and grants.

Also, kindly consider a gener-ous refugee donation to Catholic Relief Services (see: http://bit.ly/2tkQi2n).

And please sign this UNHCR pledge (see: http://bit.ly/2qPBMdT).

Let’s tirelessly work and pray to be a part of the refugee solution, and not a part of what Pope Francis calls the “culture of indifference.”

tony magliano iS an internationally SynDi-CateD SoCial JuStiCe anD peaCe ColumniSt. He iS availaBle to Speak at DioCeSan or pariSH gatHeringS. tony Can Be reaCHeD at tmag@

zoominternet.net.

Millions of people living in Texas fled Hurricane Harvey and millions in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina migrated to safer ground ahead of an impending natural disaster. Above, people wait in line to purchase propane gas in Boca Raton, Fl, Sept. 6. Hurricane Irma was scheduled to hit the Sunshine State

Sept. 9. (CNS photo/Joe Skipper, Reuters)

Southern Cross, Page 16 Feature Thursday, September 14, 2017

www.saintsandshamrocks.com 309 Bull Street Savannah, GA

912 233-8858

We ship! Nationwide. Every day.

This is a replica of the statue of St. Joseph that Pope Francis keeps in his room. The Inaugural Mass of the Pontificate for Pope Francis took place on March 19, Saint Joseph's Day. Joseph is one of Pope Francis' most beloved saints. He explained why during his trip to the Philippines in January. POPE FRANCIS January 16, 2015 (Philippines) "I have great love for Saint Joseph, because he is a man of silence and strength. On my table I have an image of Saint Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he is taking care of the Church!" Pope Francis advised people to leave a "note" under the image of the saint for help whenever they have a problem. "Joseph's rest revealed God's will to him. In this moment of rest in the Lord, as we pause from our many daily obligations and activities, God is also speaking to us." St. Joseph is described in the Gospel as a discreet but determined man, virtues that Pope Francis values. "But like Saint Joseph, once we have heard God's voice, we must rise from our slumber; we must get up and act."

$29.95

By JeSSiCa l. marSala

Approximately five months ago, the Diocese of Savannah

launched its first podcast, “It’s Catholic Y’all.”

Since then videographer Tim Williams, who describes himself as a storyteller, has produced seven episodes on a wide variety of top-ics including vocational discern-ment, theology of the body, youth ministry and Catholic identity.

For Williams, podcasts are more than just another means of telling an in-depth, nonvisual or little doc-umented story like the episode he made on the history of the Camp O’Hara, the African American Boy Scout camp established by Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara in the 1930s.

Rather, many of the episodes he’s produced also provide him—and his listeners—with the opportunity to be a “fly on the wall.”

“I'm hoping the questions that people hear me ask are questions that they have because, you know, I'm not the expert on these topics—the people I'm speaking to are,” Williams said, noting that even as a cradle Catholic, he’s broadened his knowledge of the faith extensively

since he started working for the diocese more than a year and a half ago. “The questions I ask are the questions that come to mind as someone excited and interest[ed] about learning about our faith.”

As an example, Williams men-tioned the two episodes he’s already produced with Abbie Byron-Goslin, who coordinates campus ministry for the diocese and Father Chris Ortega, a paro-chial vicar at Saint Francis Xavier Church, Brunswick and its mis-sion, Nativity of Our Lady Church, Darien.

We’re calling [them] ‘casual conversations’ because you’re lit-erally a fly on the wall for these conversations between these two people about matters of faith and Catholicism,” he said.

In his spare time, Williams said that he enjoys listening to history podcasts—in particular ones on the military history—and also rec-ommends the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast, which he compares to “two guys sitting around reading Wikipedia” and its Catholic equiv-alent, “Catholic Stuff You Should Know” because of their ability to

make topics he didn’t have prior knowledge of or interest in “come to life.”

“That’s a little piece of knowl-edge that I’m going to carry with me now, maybe that I will able to take and use later down the road,” he said of an episode on Stockholm Syndrome that he recently listened to.

All of the episodes of “It’s Catholic Y’all” can be found at diosav.org/podcast or on iTunes.

Camp O’Hara:http://bit.ly/campohara

Vocations with Fr. Pablo: http://bit.ly/frpabloTheology of the Body Pt.1: http://bit.ly/tobpt1Theology of the Body Pt.2: http://bit.ly/tobpt2Casual Conversations Ep.1:

http://bit.ly/casconep1Casual Conversations Ep.2: http://bit.ly/casconep2Podcasts of a Country Priest

Ep. : http://bit.ly/poacpep1

JeSSiCa marSala iS aSSiStant to tHe eDitor at tHe SoutHern CroSS.

“It’s Catholic Y’all” places value in the spoken word

Abbie Byron-Goslin, Associate Director of Campus Ministry for the diocese speaks with Father Chris Ortega, a parochial vicar at Saint Francis Xavier

Church, Brunswick and its mission, Nativity of Our Lady Church, Darien while recording an upcoming episode of It's Catholic Y'all.